Driving Blogger

This video Blew me Away

2011-11-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

I was so moved by this view that I was to share it with you now.
It is a part of the educational series called (Crazy Love) that I am working through with my best friend.
After seeing this video, I recommend you go and purchase the book (Crazy Love) "Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" written by Francis Chan.
I am just now reading the first chapter and already I feel like I have to share this with you.
Please take a moment to review the video and see where it takes you.

Bless you all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=pRi4VwcrYmA

Why Waste A Chance To Testify? (I almost hit the delete key but PTL I decided to post today)

2011-11-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

I was writing an introduction for a web site about myself, one of those “About Me” pages and realized that I was getting way off topic for the web site that I was working on. However; as I was preparing to delete most of what I had written, I felt that I shouldn’t just throw it away. This passage truly does tell a lot about my story so I have decided to post it to the blog. You may have no interest whatsoever about me and what I think but for posterity, I am putting this out on the web. It is my hope that this move isn’t overly pretentious, I just want to explain the size and shape of the soap box I stand on when I blabber on this blog…

I follow political events, trends and policy with a near unhealthy passion. The natural Zeitgeist of political philosophy flows through my veins and I thrive on contrarian points of view. "If you seek argument for arguments sake, I will joyfully choose the opposing view. I find intelligent argument and heated disagreement paramount to a healthy life of the mind.

When I read some “wooden” Hollywood pontificator rattling on or a “preschool of hard knocks” leftist demanding attention for their embryotic point of view I realize that my opinions hold as much value as many who blog.

I have lived an interesting life. I have held too many varied positions in business and the arts. I was a musician, a publisher, a computer scientist, a sales person a carpenter, a politician, an audio engineer, and even a pizza delivery driver. I have been wealthy and I have been poor, a home owner, and homeless, an employer and an employee. There are few angles that I haven’t viewed in this crazy life. As I write this, I believe that I finally see truth, fact, unwavering belief, and faith that will take me through the balance of this life and into the next.

You may be asking, “What on Earth is his point?”

So often when reading genius physicists and philosophers, I noticed that they provided generous spaces to include God in their equations. It just took me a very long time to accept that truth. I now live with a certainty that I did not know existed before I was touched by the light of Jesus Christ.

Even with an arsenal of thousands of hours of education, there were simply too many holes in the data and I finally realized that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the light of Jesus Christ, God was the answer I was looking for all along.

You may ask how a person who lived as an atheist for most of his life could change direction with such certainty. A person who read Christopher Hitchens book, (God is Not Great) then followed it with Timothy Keller’s’(The Reason for God) and found truth in both, how someone who used to joke around with his religious friends that if I set foot in a church my hair would spontaneously catch on fire? How did I find God?

The Fact is that God has known me forever. I was the one who had missed the introduction. Missed it until one Saturday evening this past August when as a visitor at The Vineyard Columbus, I stood before Christ, my best friend and the congregation and handed my life over to Jesus. There was no decision made, no inner conflict in my mind, no doubt that it was exactly what I needed to do. I simply found God. I gave him my life and haven’t looked back. There have been so many changes in my life since that night, so many blessings, so many people who the day before where strangers, who are now a part of my family. I can say with conviction that I am an educated person who knows that Jesus Christ lived and died for me and then breathed life again when he was resurrected. I can say that I am a Christian!

I have one true anchor that does not falter or sway and that is my faith in Jesus Christ. I am a new born Christian, baptized in October of 2011. I spent most of my life seeking answers, reading philosophy, studying science and mathematics, struggling to grasp quantum physics which lead me to the study of string Theory. (See TED Video Explaining SuperStrings)

Just as I have experienced many careers and stations in my life, I have danced around spiritual ideas. My life is no longer “spiritual and I have only one dance partner in my faith. I have been given the gift of “Faith” in Jesus Christ not a spiritual idea but a relationship that will not falter, that will not fail me. I have been blessed with the truth. Finally!

I realize that this post has none of the contrarian viewpoints that I pride myself in. I honestly just want to testify.

I am still a Libertarian, I believe in personal freedom and I find no contradiction in what I have written in my post today. Faith is a choice and I have chosen to walk in the Light of Jesus Christ.

It is my hope that others who doubt his truth will find the strength to permit there heart to accept Gods offer to forgive you of your sins and to walk with you throughout your life. He will guide you as he is doing for me. All you need to do is ask. God will do the rest.

Bless you all and thank you for reading this post!

How Dodd Frank Adds Another Hole in My Empty Wallet! (No Love Lost to the Left in Congress)

2011-11-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

So, you may be seeing a theme in my recent blog posts, which for me is a disappointment because it means that I have run into another road block as I try to direct my life back into a productive and positive place through faith and hard work.

To review the ingredients of obstacles in my life, I picked up a rare and "fun" version of Cancer called (Carcinoid Syndrome) which is nothing less than a party if you enjoy intense pain, nausea, blood pressure fluctuations that rival the NYSE after an Obama speech on a new stimulus package. "In other words," I am pretty ill." Please don't get me wrong, I have really good days that outweigh the bad days by far mostly because of my new born faith.

Add the kindness of Time Warner Cable for terminating my employment because I had to miss some work days to visit the emergency room and wasn't always feeling happy-wonderful now and then while I was at work, TWC'S decision to fight my opportunity to receive a small weekly unemployment check, "They lost the appeal by the way" and my general struggle to find an employee oriented company that can figure out how to use my varied but highly useful skill set and you can see that my hands are full. Honestly, I have my share of hurdles to jump but apparently the fun has only just begun. "How poetic!"

This morning my phone starts yelling at me that I have important emails waiting for my attention. As anyone who is looking for work right now knows, when you hear that alarm you jump with the hope that there is a job opportunity and that its' time to get yourself in the game and sell your ability.
No such luck with this alarm however; this one was to inform me that my checking account was overdrawn. I was dumbfounded as I had not used that account in more than two weeks. So what could have happened?

This was my first encounter with the (Dodd Frank) bill known as the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, "Oops, they did it again!" (If you would like to view a sumuary of Dodd Frank HR 4173, Knock yourself out!)

So what does this have to do with my checking account overdraft you ask? "I heard you asking that... Dodd Frank is a democratic created bill that: Bank of America, the nation’s biggest bank, said on Thursday that it planned to start charging customers a $5 monthly fee when they used their debit cards for purchases. It was just one of several new charges expected to hit consumers as new regulations crimp banks’ profits.

Wells Fargo and Chase are testing $3 monthly debit card fees. Regions Financial based in Birmingham, Ala., plans to start charging a $4 fee next month, while SunTrust, another regional powerhouse, is charging a $5 fee. The round of new charges stems from a rule, which takes effect on Saturday that limits the fees that banks can levy on merchants every time a consumer uses a debit card to make a purchase. The rule, known as the Durbin amendment, after its sponsor Senator Richard J. Durbin, is a crucial part of the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law.

Until now, the fees have been 44 cents a transaction, on average. The Federal Reserve in June agreed to cut the fees to a maximum of about 24 cents. While the fee amounts to pennies per swipe, it rapidly adds up across millions of transactions. The new limit is expected to cost the banks about $6.6 billion in revenue a year, beginning in 2012, according to Javelin Strategy and Research. That comes on top of another loss, of $5.6 billion, from new rules restricting overdraft fees, which went into effect in July.

Now, since Time Warner dropped me at the curb I no longer have direct deposit. The State of Ohio only uses Bank of America for its' unemployment payouts and since Chase Bank required at least a $500. per month direct deposit for free checking, I now have an additional $12 per month fee for the "privilege" of banking with Chase.

Now I can hear many of you saying why not just drop your Chase account? Well, it's easier said than done. I have auto payments set up with that account and its' not so easy to reset all of that.
You may also be thinking that "it's only $12 bucks man, just pay the fee and suck it up." Well, I will. Leave me be. I am, I will. Rude?" This is where you are to be laughing out loud or LOL'ing as we call it.

I hope that my readers will try to understand that I get about $250 each week for unemployment. I have more than $900.00 per month in healthcare and medicine costs. I have a $100 storage room since I lost my apartment and I have a $300.00 car payment. I need a car to work... You don't even have to do the math to see that I cost more each month that I bring in so $12 bucks is a ton of money for me.
Once again, I am just venting, there is nothing I can do but I do hope that my readers will think about these things as they vote in 2012. Every action causes a reaction. The Left loved the Dodd Frank act. It was going to "bring it to the man and take down the evil banks." Sorry again gang! The fees were simply shifted on to the consumer and it is people like me who honestly cannot afford it who are paying the price

I have many left leaning friends who think I am a jerk because I prefer gridlock in Washington. This is just one more example of why I prefer nothing being done over the wrong thing being done. If these yahoos' aren't passing bills, I am not having to pay for them.

We honestly need less government; we need to stop adding foolish laws that just create another opportunity for another loophole. I am not a fan of the GOP and obviously I don't care for the Democratic model which is simply the illusion that big government works. I live as a Libertarian and I hope that over time more people understand that being Libertarian is not about legalizing drugs. It is about legalizing freedom once again. Something that has been lost over the past 60 years.

So Senator Dodd and Congressman Frank, thanks loads for the helping hand there!

Perhaps the next time you decide that you are going to put it to the man? "No pun intended Barney," you will find another man to put it too. My wallet is empty.
I had best end this and get to the bank to see if I can fix this before it gets worse!

To learn more check out this New York Times Article...

Bless You All!

Please educate yourself about the truth on Issue 2. Let's give it a chance to work.

2011-11-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

Think about this comment:

“If you or I get pulled over, we get handcuffed and go to jail. But if a sheriff’s deputy shows up to work drunk, he can keep his job. Assuming it’s a first offense, he suffers no real consequence. He gets a clean record; we don’t.”

That's just a taste of what you'll learn in this Cincinnati Enquirer article about some of the fringe benefits and protections uncovered in government employee union contracts. Here are a few highlights:

· Health care coverage at NO COST

· Protections for employees who "repeatedly engage in misconduct"

· A clean record, even if you test positive for drugs or alcohol

· Cash bonuses for being in shape or for not missing work

It sounds ridiculous, but you'll find these provisions and more stuffed into government labor contracts all across Ohio. And YOU'RE PAYING FOR THEM.

The bottom line here is too many of these contracts are out of control, and they're costing us more than we can afford (not to mention protecting bad employees).

Opponents are fighting hard to keep these contracts in place. They are fighting for the 7% of employees in Ohio who work for government. Don't you wish they fought as hard for the 93% who are paying for the bill? Vote your pocketbook. Vote for fairness.

On Tuesday, November 8th, we can fix this. We can respect our government employees AND taxpayers by finally getting the system under control, stopping the wasteful spending and moving Ohio in new, more prosperous direction.

I hope you'll join me in voting YES on Issue 2.

Sincerely,

Jeff Berding
Former Three-Term Cincinnati City Council member

P.S. - I'm a registered Democrat, who's in this fight to help build a better Ohio for this generation and the next. Join me. Forward this message to your family and friends, and encourage them to look beyond partisanship and vote YES on Issue 2.

The Bigger Picture (Illness, Faith and a New Outlook on Life)

2011-10-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

So, I have mentioned in past postings that I have been ill and that is why Time Warner Cable decided to take my job away from me because I was missing work when I was too ill or when I was in the hospital having tests done or struggling to get my blood pressure under control.
So here is what I know:
I have been ill for nearly two years now and have been to more than 10 doctors who have provided as many suggested diagnosis trying to explain why my body fails intermittently.
During the diagnosis phase of my treatment, one of my doctors also found that I have Squamous Cell Carcinoma Squamous cell carcinoma - MayoClinic.com and it was malignant. It was however caught at an early stage so it was removed and so far it seems to be in control.

That surgery was in December and I had 78 staples in my hand and finger from where they removed the cancer. They also had to remove a part of the bone in my finger so I was a bit of a mess for a while.

"I did attempt to go back to work even though one hand was out of commission and my job required typing, I did my best!" After it healed I was finally permitted to return full time.

It is likely that I have more of that type of cancer in my body and perhaps in my lung but time will tell and if and when I get insurance again, they can move forward on treating that issue.
The larger problem, on a day to day basis, is the abdominal pain that I suffer from what is likely Carcinoid Syndrome. This one really sucks because it makes me so sick and I suffer so much pain that there are times when I cannot move or function. It is really hard to diagnose because it comes and goes. If you want to know more about Carcinoid here is a link that explains it in depth. Carcinoid syndrome - MayoClinic.com

There have been several other diagnoses but to this day no one is certain beyond a reasonable doubt what it is that is wrong with me. It could in fact be a combination of illness that can't be categorized as a single illness.

I am writing about this today because I want anyone who is suffering with issues like this but can't find an answer to what is going on with their body and doesn't know where to go to get help and information to feel free to contact me. I have done so much research on this subject. Obviously I am not a medical professional and I have no training to diagnose or recommend treatments. What I can offer is hope and prayer and at least a rough road map of where to look for information that may be useful to you.

There is nothing worse than going to a specialist and hearing them tell you that they can't figure out why your body is failing you. They see the symptoms, "when your blood pressure drops to 71-43 its' pretty easy to assume that something is wrong." So if I am able to provide some comfort at least I will feel like I am giving a little something back to the world and that my suffering won't be for not.

Again, the other thing that I can do is to pray for you, your family and your health. I have gained so much more out of my life since I accepted Jesus into my life and I find comfort in knowing that he is watching over me and no matter what the outcome, I have a place at his side someday.

I hope that I don't turn people off with this personal truth but you have to understand that until August of this year I was an atheist. I had never really even been to a church and I certainly had no reason to believe in God. I am well educated and throughout my adult life I have studied the origins of life, the universe and accepted science without any thought of a higher being watching over my life.

In fact the last book I was reading before I started going to church with my best friend was Hyperspace written by Michio Kako http://mkaku.org/. In fact, I used to take that book with me to doctors’ appointments to read in the waiting room while the doctors treated other patients. The more I read, the more I realized that the two are not mutually exclusive and I can reconcile the science while my faith grows and I find solace in the word of Christ.

The church that I now attend and was baptized in just a week ago, "Vineyard Columbus" Home - Vineyard Columbus is so comfortable, such a gentle place with a message and messenger that permits free thought and free will and allows me to come to Christ at my own pace has profoundly changed my outlook on life and "religion."

Let me be clear that I didn't start attending church out of fear of my illness; I was invited by my best friend to a service so that I could see that those attending the church are not some crazy fanatical crowd of mindless followers. They are not anything like the faithful people who are portrayed on television and in movies. These are normal, thinking and intelligent people who have found a truth in Jesus Christ and they are now my family.

The point is: if you feel that there is an empty place in your heart, you believe that you are alone or that your suffering is more than you can handle, please contact me through this blog and I will help you find someone to talk to at the church.

Everyone is welcome and all they do is offer help and prayer. I can't even begin to tell you everything that they have done for me but they have provided job search assistance, financial advice and counseling and most importantly for me, a family of faithful who honestly care for and about me who ask for nothing in return for all of the assistance and love that I can imagine. If you feel like this can help you, respond to the blog or just use the link that I provided to go straight to the source. They are there to help!

If you share my illness and need a guide through the difficulties and confusion of being sick and not knowing why, I want to help you too...

Bless all who read this and all who suffer and need a helping hand!

The Little Guy Wins Round Two! (Well I am still Fat but...)

2011-10-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

PTL!

The kind woman who was so amazingly helpful at the Ohio Job & Family Services office sent me a letter today stating that Time Warner Cable was without just cause when they decided to let me go for having cancer. Sometimes the little guy can win if you have Christ in your heart and the truth on your side.

As I have stated in past blogs, I never, ever missed a day of work for anything other than being ill. There were days when I would go to work when I could barely stand and I was in so much pain that any form of concentration was at best a faint trick of the hand. I would crawl into that office some days nearly unconscious, yet when I put on the headset and began taking calls from all the people demanding cable services, I faked a smile in my voice and did the very best job that I could.

And the numbers just don't lie. I was always in the upper bracket of sales reps and always made TWC money. It’s true that sometimes I was so sick that I was unable to get out of bed, but more often than not, I was there to do my job and to be the best employee that I could be under those impossible conditions.

Unless they decide to appeal my claim one more time, the battle for now is over...
I am still very interested in hearing other people’s stories; I would like to know what your journey has been like when fighting the dragon we call corporate America.

Please don't get me wrong! I am a pure Libertarian and I believe that Time Warner had every right to let me go. I also believe with all of my heart that I have a right to claim the unemployment insurance that I contributed to with each and every dollar I made while working for them. This was a principled battle over a company’s selfish bottom line and obsession with proving that I somehow wronged them by getting cancer and my simple belief that I paid for the unemployment insurance for this very reason.

I was let go for something that was completely out of my control. This is why we pay for the insurance and I am blessed that the truth was on my side, that Yvette from OJFS is a kind and caring person and that my doctors went the extra mile to write letters explaining that I was in fact ill and not hanging out at a club the night before or whatever it is that they think I was doing.

I want to thank everyone who was behind me and who helped to bring a fair resolution to this mess and I hope that others will suffer less and find a clear path if they must follow in my footsteps.
Bless you all and keep sharing your stories with me so that I can forward the information to my friends in political office who can maybe help others in the future.

The sky is not always gray and I have been told so many times lately and it is starting to sink in, that God has a plan and although there will be times when the test is more than you feel like you can handle, he will step in and provide for you when the time is right.
Sometimes you must suffer to learn "I am doing both these days!"

So, this is what OJFS sent to me:

OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES
OFFICE OF UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

THIS NOTICE IS A DETERMINATION ON ELIGIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, ISSUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS
4141.28(D) & (E), OHIO REVISED CODE

DETERMINATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS

The claimant was discharged by TIME WARNER CABLE LLC on 09/13/2011. Facts establish that the claimant's absences were due to medical reasons and beyond his/her control. Ohio's legal standard that determines if a discharge is without just cause is whether the claimant's acts, omissions, or course of conduct were such that an ordinary person would find the discharge not justifiable. After a review of the facts, this agency finds that the claimant was discharged without just cause under Section 4141.29(D)(2)(a),Ohio Revised Code.

Doing Battle for $266. Dollars a week

2011-10-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

So it has been a wonderful day of dealing with my friends at Time Warner Cable who found a new low in the dark heart category.

After being let go for having cancer and missing more work than they felt necessary, "even though my family of doctors provided ample documentation, FMLA protection, excuse notes for each time I was away and following the corporate policy on call offs' by contacting the attendance line each and every time I was ill" they have decided to appeal my unemployment insurance which amounts to $266. dollars per week.

My FMLA was administered by a company named UNUM who is notorious for being heartless, unfair and who has been accused of "a history of deception." For more information on UNUM please check out this link: http://unumclaimsdenial.com/2011/02/are-claims-still-denied-unfairly-despite-unum-lawsuits/

On the bright side, the woman who worked for the Ohio Job and Family Services is a Saint! Truly she is one of the kindest, patient and helpful people that I have ever come across. Her name is Yevette and if you ever have the opportunity to speak with her or if you find yourself out of work and are assigned to her, thank her profusely and count your blessings. She is without a doubt the very best in kind, honest and thoughtful customer service.

To prove that I was in fact ill and in the hospital on the day that they stated that I was, "what were their words," neglectful disregard for work? My Doctor, who is also so supportive and assisting me with my health at a discounted rate since I lost my insurance along with my job, provided me with documentation proving that I was out due to illness and also documented that although I am ill, I am able to work if given the chance to find a now job.

Provably, I will let it go after this. I think it is clear that my former employer has a compassion issue and I understand that it isn't easy to run a business but I was a great sales rep for them and I was getting better and missing less and less time from work. I think it's their loss and to be honest, I am not sure that I would want to work for a company that treats their employees with such disregard.

I am actively seeking a new opportunity and can't wait to see what God has in store for me. What ever it is I am certain that it will be more fulfilling and honest than the job I was doing.

On another topic, I am excited to begin posting new video blogs to the site one again. I plan on offering varied content that I hope you will find interesting. Obviously I won't be blogging on my way to work until I find a new job but I will still do my best to provide interesting and topical video for you to ponder!

Since I am a former musician and a fan of great music I will focus some of my attention to that. I will still dig into politics to some degree but I just don't have the fire that I once had to rail against those that differ in opinion. I will still call it out when I see something that I think is wrong.

I would love for any of you to share your stories about mistreatment by companies or issues with unemployment insurance. You have to remember "that as an employee," you are paying for that insurance every paycheck. The company simply matches the amount that you contribute. Most companies just don't like it when former employees receive unemployment compensation because when there are too many employees receiving benefits, the company has to pay a higher premium and that hurts their bottom line.

We are humans though and it isn't right to be treated as a line item in some yahoos spreadsheet. So please tell me your story! If you know someone who is out of work or having the same troubles, please guide them to this site. I do still have friends in high places and if I can get the information, I can pass it on to some of the government officials that I still communicate with!

Anyway, expect a video soon. Keep up the good fight and Bless you all!

Darren
The Driving Blogger

www.darrenwinkler.com

Twitter: @darrenwinkler

http://www.facebook.com/darren.winkler.

The Return of The Driving Blogger

2011-10-17T23:25:00.000-07:00

So for more than a year, I have been neglecting this blog. Thanks to Time Warner Cable for providing me all the free time in the world, "I was dismissed from my job after more that two years of good service because I have been battling cancer and my FMLA ran out." I ended up in the emergency room in a near coma from a dramatic loss of blood pressure caused by this rare form of cancer called Carcinoid syndrome.

It has taken more than a year to diagnose and there is still some question that this is in fact what is wrong with me. However, whatever it is called it causes excruciating pain and rapid fluctuations in my blood pressure. The end result is that TWC decided that I was no longer useful even though I was one of the top sales reps for them, I never missed a day of work for anything beyond my illness and I was in fact getting better. You had best not get sick in this economy!

So, I am now trying to figure out how to pay my bills, how to pay for my doctors, my medications, food, etc... You get the picture!

Through all of this, not everything is bad. My very best friend introduced me to Christ and although it was a long journey I was baptized on October 15th 2011 with my dearest friend Sue. I got to follow her into the baptizing pool and we were able to share the experience together. For me it was life changing!

Although I was never hostile to the idea of Christ, I was never a follower and you could call me an atheist. Sue invited me to join her for a church service in February of 2011. I enjoyed the message and was touched by the emotions that were visable on the faces of the followers during worship.

One week after witnesing a baptism service in August 2011 I felt the power of Christ and stood before our maker, my best friend Sue and the church and handed my life over to God. It was not a choice, it was the only thing I could do. I was so certain at that moment that it was time to hand my life over and since that moment I know that I will never be alone in my struggles or my success.

I believe that it is importent for me to re-open this blog with this story because I have a new outlook on life and the world that I live in so obviously the attitude of this blog will be profoundly different.
As I move forward, I will be sharing the story of my search for truth, for better health, a new oportunity in the workplace and for a positive life in general. The tone of the past, the snide and grumpy attitude will no longer be seen here.

I am very excited to share what is importent to me and perhaps to encourage others who find themselves in a dificult place in life. Trust me, I know that there are so many people in a much more dificult struggle that I face. I still believe that I can share hope and encouragement to everyone, and, I can still be funny every now and then. My sense of humor is alive and well!

So for those who followed my blog in the past and for anyone who finds there way to this site, I welcome you and hope that you find something that moves you here.

If you have questions about my journey to a life with Christ, I am open and willing to share with you. I am blessed with a clean slate and a blank page where I know a new story will be written. I have faith that I will find health and a new career as I share my life with Jesusand my family!

I hope that you will visit often and share your thoughts and ideas with me at the Driving Blogger. And rest assured that I will be posting new Driving Blogger videos here soon!
All the best and bless you all!

Darren Winkler (The Driving Blogger)

www.darrenwinkler.com
Twitter:@darrenwinkler
http://www.facebook.com/darren.winkler

Red State Update:The Jena 6

2007-09-29T19:55:00.001-07:00

FUNNY!

Jim Bianco

2007-09-21T21:23:00.001-07:00

October 8th in Columbus Ohio