Why is it that the Republicans have all of the crazy people? I suppose that isn’t true, but when you are a Republican, they seem to stand out. Ann Coulter’s entire persona seems to be based on being crazy and confrontational. Even when she has a point, she spits it out with such venom that no one would dare listen to her.

Sadly, I am sure that many people do listen to her. Her latest book blames almost all of the world’s problems on single mothers. Ann, how can you be serious?

Why is it that intelligent/crazy people want to blame a result instead of looking at a cause. As a parent, I would never ever encourage someone to be a parent alone. It is hard and trying with multiple adults, but I really doubt that many single mothers decided one day to get pregnant and raise a child on their own. For those women that did decide to raise children on their own, the vast majority of them I would venture have other resources and most of all money to help with the gaps in raising a child alone. For those women that did fall into a situation where they unexpectedly became single mothers, many manage to raise healthy happy children.

Sorry, Ann, but you’re nuts. And frankly, suggesting that all single mothers are democrats insults me. Although, if they get a taste of you, I wouldn’t blame them.

A couple of weeks ago I woke in the early morning hours from a dream. Immediately upon waking I had this feeling I should share my subconscious thoughts with my family and friends for its entertainment value alone. Since then, I have yet until now, taken the time to write down my dream. Today, I share my funny little mind.

The dream started with a few friends walking ahead of my cousin and I in a field. Brandon and I making small talk, looked back towards the woods that we had recently exited only to see a moose approaching. Now, if it was a normal moose, it wouldn’t be very exciting, but the moose in question was a flying moose. Complete with flexible antlers that waved back and forth as if motioning to his friends to join in a chant of joy. This apparently was enough to carry him swiftly across the field fairly high above Brandon’s and my head.

We turned to see where this flying moose was off to. Heading straight towards our group of friends, Brandon and I still showed nor felt any sign of concern. After all, it was a flying moose, how dangerous could it be?

The only two people in the group that I recognized were my niece Kate and my wife. Several other adults and children were in the group but their identity was unknown to me.

The moose descended onto to the group ahead of us, picking my wife from the herd of humanity. The moose started aggressively dragging my wife’s leather coat from her body. At this point, my cousin Brandon and I immediately ran to a tree in the middle of the field and climbed as high as we could. The moose having completed his mission with my wife, left her and the group shaken but unharmed and turned towards Brandon and I in the tree.

Once again, the moose with antlers flapping side to side, took to the air and flew quickly to our position in the tree. The moose repeated his previous attack on Brandon, tearing the leather jacket from his body. At this point, I am laughing hysterically and feel like I am quite safe since I was not wearing a jacket. However, I mistook the moose’s complete plan, he after removing Brandon’s jacket attacked my hiking boots with a vigor. Jaws and teeth like a horse, oscillated back and forth until my shoes were rendered from my feet. Complete, the moose flew off overhead back into the woods.

I awoke.

Now, amusing as this might be, it is quite troubling on a couple of accounts.

1. My niece is short of 6 months and not yet walking. She was however walking in my dream but appeared to be the same age. Anyway, even though, my helpless niece and wife were being pushed around by a flying moose, I decided to hide in a tree. I guess chivalry truly is dead.

2. Brandon and I chose to hide in a tree when threatened. Now, I wont comment on my cousins intellect, but I hid, in a tree, from a flying moose. Ummm, I cannot comment further.

In conclusion, Glenn the dream analyzer can suggest not to watch too many late night political interviews with Sarah Palin talking about living in Alaska, interspersed with Chick-fil-a commercials of parachuting cows.

Here he is enjoying a crisp autumn day with a little cake. OK, so maybe it was freezing this weekend, but the kids didn’t notice.

Maxwell turns eight today. Have a great birthday Max.

Love, The Welkers

Lastly, a birthday quote for you:

“Is there anything worn under the kilt? No, it’s all in perfect working order.”
Spike Milligan

• Pants with elastic waist – no jeans – (Old Navy fits) – size 4T
• Barbie DVDs: check out website (just save receipt

  http://www.amazon.co/gp/series/73272/ref=pd_serl_dvd?ie=UTF8&edition=dvd

  ** She already owns the Barbie Island Princess and Barbie Mermaidia. She is getting Barbie Mariposa for her b-day from Angie.
  ** She does not have the Barbie Diamond Princess.)

• Long sleeve shirts – 5T or 6 (please NO pink or purple)
• New Pajamas – she usually wears Carters brand –size 5T – with feet in them. Or two piece PJs – size 5 or 6X.
• Girlie Notebooks/small journals – she loves to draw/write
• Fun WASHABLE pens or small markers
• Fun bathtub toys/ Princess Bubble Bath/hooded bath towel
• Girlie Crayola Wonder Markers and Coloring book
• “Wellies” – rainboots – she wears a size 11 ½ shoe
• Picture book : Have You Filled A Bucket Today?
  (See Amazon website)

  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Have+You+Filled+Your+Bucket+Today%3F&x=0&y=0

The problem with working in conditions where your pay is routinely late, is that you teach yourself to understand that your payday is very flexible. When the paycheck becomes later than normal, you convince yourself that it will work itself out and that your next two checks will be very close together. Unfortunately, reality always came to the rescue during my years working for the MRH Technology Group.

During late October after a check was missed completely, Matt Hartman sent an email to the staff detailing an arrangement that employees would be paid partial paychecks based on the “ability” of the company to pay. Any remaining amount would be “deferred” and paid when the company was able. Several months passed in which we received only part of our pay. That led into years of hoping that the next payday would include the money that we were promised from late 2002.

At this point, I still thought that the company could succeed, so you are willing to put up with a couple more months. After all, Matt Hartman said that the money would be repaid when the company was able.

This is where I have to take personal responsibility. At some point I knew that Matt Hartman and the MRH Technology Group had no intention of ever paying my back pay, but I stayed with the company. Fear is a powerful motivator. I feared losing my current job, no matter how bad things seemed to be. After all, having a lousy job was better than having no job, right? If you want to know the answer to that question, I recommend reading “Who Stole My Cheese”.

I did end up leaving in late 2006 and it was the best decision I have made in many years. Almost six years have passed since Mr. Hartman made a commitment to me. Six long years and he still owes me short of $6,000 but has been unable to come up with that much cash.

Sadly, the company’s revenue when I left was around $400,000. According to Inside CRM, MRH Technology Group now makes .7 Million and has 8 employees (InsideCRM Details). The company had 8 employees when I left in 2006, so I can conclude that the company has grown financially by $300,000 and yet they still don’t have a couple thousand dollars to pay past debts. I should say that debt is not technically fair, as Matt Hartman has stated numerous times, that it would only be paid back if the company could. He never saw this as a contract which I believe is fair. Nevertheless, the company is able to pay and has been able to pay for quite some time. So, why not? Mr. Hartman, Why not?

Below is the email referenced above:

Good afternoon everyone!

I am very sorry that we have been faced with the current financial dilemma but under the circumstances I am very appreciative for all of your continued commitment to the success of Tour de Force. I am hopeful that in time we will all be rewarded for our commitment.

The purpose of this e-mail is to confirm the choice that all of you have made and to also address the current payroll period for October 20th.

First, for the period on October 16 – November 15th everyone will be paid base upon the performance of the company. We will pay all fixed expenses such as rent, insurance and general operating expenses as a first priority. On or about November 20th all excess cash that is available will be used to cover payroll. Everyone’s payroll for the period will be based upon their proportion of the entire staff payroll and then applied to the available cash at that time. Any shortfall from your current pay rate will be accrued as deferred compensation and paid at a future date based upon the availability of funds by MRH. This message shall serve as confirmation to everyone that they are working at MRH under the conditions outlined above. If there are any questions regarding this e-mail they should be addressed in person with me at your earliest convenience.

As for the payroll from 10/20, if you have not received your check yet you will be receiving it within the next few days. We had been promised a check on Friday so I did not make arrangements to transfer funds for today. I spoke to the client and they have promised a check was mailed on Friday so I am assuming that we will have the check on Tuesday. This will take care off most of you and then I will ask a couple of people to hold their checks until Friday when another check was promised to arrive. The check on Friday will allow us to remain current on our bills and have our insurance taken care of by the end of the month. After that, besides a few minor bills over the next month, we will begin to accumulate for next months payroll.

In closing I would like to thank each of you for sharing in the sacrifice necessary to keep MRH alive. I promise to work along side each of you and to never ask you to do anything that I would not do myself.
Have a great day!

Sincerely,
Matt Hartman
MRH Technology Group
1219 West Main Cross Street, Suite 222
Findlay, Ohio 45840
Phone: 419-425-4800**Fax: 419-425-4850
www.mrhtech.com
e-mail: matth@mrhtech.com

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