Election Fever

I'll be voting in my 10th President election on Tuesday. If I count the wins and losses, I guess its 6 winners and 3 losers. In 1992 I didn't think George HW Bush really wanted to be president any more and I voted for Ross Perot. This split the vote and Clinton won. Many people think Clinton was the best president in the 20th century. What he did was come to the center, politically, because the Republicans came into power in 1994 (Remember the contract with america?) That is why there was a balanced budget, and welfare reform by the end of his term. The best president in my lifetime (1972 and beyond) was undoubtedly Ronald Reagan. He changed Washington before Washington changed him. He brought the country out of the doldrums of Jimmy Carter. People believed in the American dream again. He stood up to the Soviets and caused them to collapse. He lowered taxes, removed regulations so that the market forces could moved foreward. He started the economy on an almost 20 year expansion that has been slowed, almost stopped by the housing mortgage debacle.

My concern is that the politics in this country has gotten so devisive that it is hard to distinguish who really has American interests at heart. There is a dearth of politcal leadership that makes a mockery of the American intelligence. Smoke and mirrors has been used to test the patience of the American people and I think on Tuesday, there may be a surprise.

My biggest hope is that good American people will vote for the right person and America can put their differences aside and we can move foreward.

Fred Newcomer

Trust in God

This September is one of meaningful contemplation. Here I am, turning 56 in the 14th and still unemployed and seeking for work. I'm sorry that this has been the story of my life. When I started out in 1977 I was going to work in the Nuclear Construction industry for the rest of my life. After Three Mile Island, the nuclear industry died. I worked in manufacturing, government contracts and cellular industries trying to keep my family afloat. Now I'm still trying get traction in the job market and nothing seems to fit. However, like Nephi, I know in whom I have trusted and I haven't given up hope.

We received work last night that little Gavin Spragues slipped the bonds of mortality and entered into perfection with his Heavenly Father. It has only been 16 months since his second cousin Hollis Newcomer passed away. Our love and trust of our Heavenly Father reminds us that His will be done. We don't know why little children barely removed from their pre-existant standing have to suffer and having completed their short missions, returned to the Father who gave them life. The two babies must be huge stalwart spirits and Heavenly Father couldn't let them be stained by mortality. As with any tragedy, though, there are survivors and our thoughts and prayers should be with them. It is my hope that Andre and Bethany will recover from this and love Gavin for the time they had with him.

Yes, Heavenly Father is in charge and only He knows the reasons for tragedy and misfortune.

Dbone

When I consider Derricks Blessing, and whenever I lay my hands on his head, I get a sense of spiritual greatness that has been cloaked in his disabilities. I feel that the Lord will gently peel back those disabilities as Derrick stays close to the Lord. His anger issues are issues of frustration (which we all have) because he wants to be like everyone else and knows that he isn't. I don't think as a family that we have jammed those disabilities down his throat, but maybe as parents we have jumped in to "save him" from certain situations. There is such a fine line with him about doing too much and doing not enough.

I appreciate all that his siblings are doing for him financially because we are not in a position to do much in that arena. I hope that as a family we will all love him and help him achieve everything that is possible for him to achieve.

Election Excitement (Finally

I had some serious concerns about this year's presidential elections because we had the potential of having 4 senators running (two Presidents and two VP's). For years I've worried about pompous senators who don't govern anything trying to be a president. That is the reason that for the past 16 years, the men in the white house were governers. Until last Friday when Senator McCain took the covers off of Sarah Palin, I was planning on writing in Mitt Romney's name when it came to the election. Now, I'm so pumped up for John McCain because last night he told us what he was going to do, why he was going to do it and he's going to do it by changing attitudes in Washington. I think Sarah Palin will be his secret weapon (for Trev--the Cardinals had a secret weapon in the '80's who did wonders for them) and she will crack the heads of Washington Insiders to do the right things. Not since Ronald Reagon gained the GOP nomination in 1980 have I been as excited about this election. I'm going to work hard to support McCain and other conservative Republicans. It's time we let our actions and our attitudes work to help the right candidates separate themselves from the bad candidates. I think in the end, good will triumph over mediocrity which is what the Dem's are promoting.

Have a great day.
Fred Newcomer

Wedding Day (1938)

Today would've been my parents 70th anniversary. It was 10 years ago that we met in Worland for the last time as parents and kids. As I look around at the world today, I realize that we were fortunate to have parents that loved and supported each other. Since I wasn't born until 1952 I missed all the situations that new marriages go through. I find that I think more and more about what good parents they were. They were positive about life, they didn't criticize each other and they loved each other. They were not perfect, but they dealt with life's situations the way we all should: deal with it and move on. I like to think that I came from good stock. Yes, they could've blamed other things for their life, but they didn't. They realized that life is full of choices and consequences. They learned as they went.

They were married at the Newcomer Ranch on Prairie Dog Creek in Sheridan County, Wy. Dad wouldn't get married until he had a job to help support his new wife. He taught school in Burns, Wy teaching veterans about ranching and farming. I think he said he signed a contract for $4500 /year. He and mom then moved to Lander, Wy where he taught school. After Lander, they moved to the ranch in Banner, Wy to help his dad (Edwin Vance Newcomer, Sr) while dad's younger brother Earl was serving in the Army. Following this, dad started working for the Federal Land Bank in Buffalo, and that's where we lived when I was born.

Mom and Dad provided a wonderful home, opportunities to learn and work, and taught me to serve others.

To them I say, Happy 70th Anniversary!!! Thank you for setting a wonderful example. We love you and miss you.

Fred M Newcomer

Mustard BBQ Sauce

I had a friend ask me about Southern BBQ sauce. I really like the mustard based sauces that we had in Orangeburg. When we were there last month, I wanted to eat at Antley's but didn't make it.

So I found a recipe on the web that appears to replicate the Antley's and I'll try it this weekend (maybe). Here it is for anyone to try also (Ryan and Elissa like to use gourmet stuff. I don't know if this qualifies) Have fun.
Dad

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the mustard, honey, brown sugar and vinegar. Season with black pepper. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over cooked pulled pork or beef. If you want more flavor, let the meat simmer in the sauce for about 30 minutes.

Communications Career Possibly Resurrected

Today I have an interview with the Uinta County Herald for a position as a full time reporter. This would be a complete change in my career and bring me back to my communications roots. I started out in Broadcast Journalism, then realized I enjoyed helping people to learn through multimedia presentations. Alas, I started working in quality control and quality assurance because there were no positions available for people with a "Non-commercial Telecommunications" specialty. So, I have endeavored to make quality assurance my lifetime career, but as most of you know it hasn't been my true calling since Icouldn't keep a job with it. I think it would have been better to graduate with an BS Engineering Degree and that would have fit the QA mold better.
So now I'm trying to change hats, shirts, shoes, etc to be a better communicator through a tiny newspaper in Evanston, Wy. Wish me luck as I try to make a great impression today.

Dad