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Monday, December 29, 2008

COWBOYS, LIGAMENTS & GOALS

  • The Cowboys ended their pathetic season with an even more pathetic game last Sunday. No playoffs. The entire coaching staff needs to be replaced, or next year will look the same.
  • The MRI on my knee shows a torn ACL, strained MCL, torn meniscus, tibia and femur contusions, and a cyst from the goo leaking. Surgery is in my future...
  • I don't really do New Years Resolutions, but this year I do have a goal - to have my days off work equal the days I do work. Here is how it breaks down :

365 days in the year

-104 weekend days

-30 vacation days (I can take more - that is just what we "earn" each year)

-17 days off for federal holidays

- 1 day off for the Marine Corps Ball

= 213 WORK DAYS & 152 DAYS OFF

The GOAL is to get that as close to 182.5 & 182.5 as possible. So I have to figue out how to get 30 more days off to meet the actual goal. Of course my knee surgery will help (there's the optimistic view), and I can take more vacation days, as long as it gets approved.

I will keep a tracker so you can see my progress, Mr. Taxpayer! It's good to have goals...

Saturday, December 27, 2008

ONE LAST ITEM ON THE CHRISTMAS LIST

A WIN OVER THE EAGLES TO GET MY COWBOYS INTO THE PLAYOFFS!!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

MORE ELECTED WHO SHOULD BE IN JAIL AND A SHORT LIST OF THE ABSURD

  • California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass & Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg trying to pass $9.3 billion in taxes including a half-cent increase sales tax; a 2.5 percent surcharge on personal income taxes starting in 2009; 39 cents per gallon of gas fee; a new "severance tax" on oil production; and a new 3 percent income tax withholding. But the real hoot here is that they aren't going to call these new "taxes" - they will be called "fees" - you see tax increases need a 2/3 majority vote, while fees only need a simple 51% majority. THROW THEM IN JAIL FOR TRYING TO ILLEGALLY PASS NEW TAXES!

  • Mr. Obama spending hundreds of thousands with 3 law firms to fight the making public of a $12 REAL birth certificate. HHhhmmmm....

  • Snow in Malibu, Las Vegas, and everywhere else, it seems. Must be that darn global warming again...

  • CBS 60 Minutes, anchor Lesley Stahl praising Dem Congressman Barney Frank as "the smartest guy in Congress". He is Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which means his portfolio includes banks, housing, and now the auto industry. You know, the same bank, housing and auto industries that are all going bankrupt and are begging for billions in bailouts....GOOD JOB BARNEY!

  • Mr. Obama slamming Hillary for not having foreign policy experience - March 11, 2008 -"There is no reason to believe, however, that she was a key player in foreign policy at any time during the Clinton Administration. She did not sit in on National Security Council meetings. She did not have a security clearance. She did not attend meetings in the Situation Room. She did not manage any part of the national security bureaucracy, nor did she have her own national security staff. She did not do any heavy-lifting with foreign governments, whether they were friendly or not. She never managed a foreign policy crisis, and there is no evidence to suggest that she participated in the decision-making that occurred in connection with any such crisis. AND THEN NAMING HER SECRETARY OF STATE WITH THIS REVERSAL - "I am proud that she will be our next Secretary of State. She is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence; who knows many of the world’s leaders; who will command respect in every capitol; and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world....I have no doubt that Hillary Clinton is the right person to lead our State Department, and to work with me in tackling this ambitious foreign policy agenda."

POLITICIANS ARE GREAT ENTERTAINMENT, DON'T YOU THINK?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A GEM FROM MR. TWAIN...

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." --Mark Twain

Saturday, December 13, 2008

ISLAM GETS RESULTS!!!

MORAL CLARITY


RESPECTFUL CHILDREN


OBEDIENT WOMEN



Put the Numbers in Perspective:
  1. More people are killed by Islamists each year than in all 350 years of the Spanish Inquisition combined.
  2. Islamic terrorists murder more people everyday than the Ku Klux Klan has in the last 50 years.
  3. More civilians were killed by Muslim extremists in two hours on September 11th than in the 36 years of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

"CHANGE" YOU CAN BELIEVE IN

After promising lots of "change" in the dirty world of politics and having a "transparent" administration, we have now begun to see that the "change" looks quite a bit like the same song and dance and "transparent" apparently means dodging any real questions. The voters for Hope & Change are now going to start seeing that this guy, just like every other politician, is a clown.

  • Ayers - domestic terrorist, killer of policemen
  • Reverend Wright - racist America hater, promoter of Black Liberation Theology
  • Rezko - criminal real estate developer (AKA mafia)
  • Blagojevich - corrupt governor

All associates, at one time or another, to one degree or another, of Mr Hope & Change. We are supposed to believe that he hasn't noticed ANYTHING questionable or criminal about ANY of them. At the same time we are supposed to believe he is the smartest guy on the planet. Um, ok....

One last thing - Mr. Transparent has set up a question and answer forum on his website where you get to type in questions and get a response from Mr. Transparent. Problem is, everytime someone asks a REAL question, like:

"How do you plan to explain your connections to William Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, Tony Rezko and Jeremiah Wright?"

this happens -

"This submission was removed because people believe it is inappropriate."

I BELIEVE THE ROCK BAND "THE WHO" SAID IT THE BEST -
"MEET THE NEW BOSS. SAME AS THE OLD BOSS"

Monday, December 8, 2008

PHYSICAL THERAPY & SANTA'S LIST

So I started physical therapy today for my torn up knee, to get my flexibilty back and to keep my muscles toned, and I have to say - #$%$^%$ THAT HURT! I think Faithy is tougher than I am. She goes all the time. And nobody gave me big hugs and kisses and told me how proud they were of me either. Anyway, more therapy to come until I get an MRI on the 23rd...

Now on to the important stuff - my Santa list (I was pretty good this year after all) -
  1. BIG CAST IRON SKILLET -for all that cookin' I do
  2. REALLY GOOD ELECTRIC SHAVER - has to be able to do my head also
  3. GIFT CERTIFICATE TO BARNES & NOBLE - we all know how much I read
  4. GIFT CERTIFICATE TO HOLLISTER/AMERICAN EAGLE/A&F - to continue projecting my ultra-cool image
  5. AS MANY MICHAEL GRAVES HANGARS AS SANTA CAN BRING - because I am a neat freak
  6. NO, THAT WASN'T A JOKE
  7. SUBSCRIPTION TO "THE ECONOMIST" AND/OR "FOREIGN AFFAIRS - because I need more info
  8. A DATE WITH MY WIFE TO THE OUTBACK - because sometimes you just need a 28 oz porterhouse, a frosty beer, your wife, and no kids.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

LATEST OFFERINGS FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

  1. 12/5/2008 (Orakzai, Pakistan) - Religious extremists take out ten shoppers at a bazaar with a suicide blast.
  2. 12/5/2008 (Peshawar, Pakistan) - Twenty-nine people at a marketplace are blown to bits by sectarian car bombers.
  3. 12/5/2008 (Mir Ali, Pakistan) - Sunni extremists abduct and murder an 30-year-old man.
  4. 12/4/2008 (Pattani, Thailand) - A 60-year-old man is among two people gunned down by Muslim separatists.
  5. 12/4/2008 (Fallujah, Iraq) - Women and children are among fifteen Iraqis blasted to death by Jihadi car bombers.
  6. 12/4/2008 (Khasavyurt, Dagestan) - A woman is killed by Islamic car bombers outside an apartment building.

File this one under “Deluded Expectations.” During MSNBC’s coverage of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, daytime anchor Alex Witt seemed frustrated that the election of Barack Obama — and the accompanying “global outpouring of affection, respect, hope” — had not caused an end to terrorist violence. Talking with correspondent John Yang, who was covering the Obama side of the story, Witt conceded that while “you certainly can’t expect things to change on a dime overnight....There had been such a global outpouring of affection, respect, hope, with the new administration coming in, that precisely these kinds of attacks, it was thought — at least hoped — would be dampered down. But in this case it looks like Barack Obama is getting a preview of things to come.”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! This would be funny except that the truth is that 53 MILLION voters are just this naive.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

THE RELIGION OF PEACE

The Mumbai attacks were just another in the Muslim war against everyone who is not. Oh, and don't forget that Mr. Obama declared on page 261 of his book, should the political winds shift ......he would side with the Muslims. I don't make this stuff up, I just report what they say and do.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

SHIPS STILL HELD BY SOMALI PIRATES

  1. CAPT. STEPHANOS: Seized Sept. 21. The freighter was flying the Bahamas flag. It was carrying a cargo of coal and has 17 Filipinos, one Chinese and a Ukrainian aboard.
  2. FAINA: Seized Sept. 24. The ship was carrying 33 T-72 tanks, grenade launchers and ammunition destined for Kenya's Mombasa port. Pirates have demanded $20 million in ransom.
  3. AFRICAN SANDERLING: Seized Oct. 15. The Panama-flagged, Japanese-operated, and Korea-owned bulk carrier has 21 Filipino crew aboard.
  4. STOLT STRENGTH: Seized Nov. 10. The chemical tanker with 23 Filipino crew aboard was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. It was carrying 23,818 tonnes of oil products.
  5. THE KARAGOL: Seized Nov. 12. The Turkish ship with 14 crew was hijacked off Yemen. It was transporting more than 4,000 tonnes of chemicals to the port of Bombay.
  6. TIANYU 8: Seized Nov. 13/14. The Chinese fishing boat was reported seized off Kenya. The crew included 15 Chinese, one Taiwanese, one Japanese, three Filipinos and four Vietnamese.
  7. CHEMSTAR VENUS: Seized Nov. 15. The combined chemical and oil tanker was travelling from Dumai, Indonesia to the Ukraine. It had 18 Filipino and five South Korean crew.
  8. SIRIUS STAR: Seized Nov. 15. The Saudi supertanker, the biggest ship ever hijacked, held as much as 2 million barrels of oil. Captured off east Africa, it had 25 crew from Croatia, Britain, the Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
  9. THE DELIGHT: Seized Nov. 18. The Hong Kong-flagged ship with 25 crew aboard is loaded with 36,000 tonnes of wheat bound for Iran. It was captured off the coast of Yemen.
  10. ADINA: Seized last week. The Adina is a Yemeni-operated bulk carrier and carried seven crew, including three Somalis, two Yemenis and two Panamanians.
  11. BISCAGLIA: Seized on Nov. 28. The Biscaglia is a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker with 30 crew on board, 25 Indians, three Britons and two Bangladeshis.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

MONOPOLY MONEY

The bailout "plan" now exceeds 4 TRILLION and by some accounts more than 7 TRILLION. Look what we have done with that kind of loot over the years:
  1. * Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion
  2. * Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion
  3. * Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion
  4. * S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion
  5. * Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion
  6. * The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion (Est)
  7. * Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551b, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion
  8. * Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion
  9. * NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion
    TOTAL: $3.92 trillion

Apparently there is a never-ending supply of money to be lent. Let's face it, we didn't know how to get out of our current debt of 10 TRILLION (see my debt clockto the right), so what makes anyone believe we will be able to take care of an additional 4, 5, 6, or 7 TRILLION? Answer - there is no way, making all of our money pretty much the equivalant of Monopoly money. The only difference is that with the GAME, there are rules.

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." -- Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in a letter to then Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin

Think HE knew what he was talking about?

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

I KNEW IT....

NOW WE'RE REALLY SCREWED

Sunday, November 16, 2008



In other news...The FEC has decided NOT to audit Mr Obama's campaign and instead focus on Mr McCain's campaign. Nevermind all that foreign money and all the cartoon characters that donated. Oh well, probably nothing to worry about...

Also...Given the speed at which the federal government is throwing money at the financial crisis, the average taxpayer, never mind member of Congress, might not be faulted for losing track. However, for anyone who has been paying attention and keeping a running tally of actual spending as well as the commitments involved, it is three-point eight trillion dollars. That's $3,800,000.000.000. But don't worry, your taxes are going to go DOWN, remember?

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!!!


In a stunning (but really, is it stunning?)turnabout, the Bush administration Wednesday abandoned the original centerpiece of its $700 billion effort to rescue the financial system and said it will not use the money to purchase troubled bank assets.

“Our assessment at this time is that this (the purchase of toxic assets) is not the most effective way to use funds,” Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told a news conference.

Paulson said the administration will continue to use $250 billion of the program to purchase stock in banks as a way to bolster their balance sheets and encourage them to resume more normal lending.
Darth Vader said it this way - "I am altering the deal. Pray that I don't alter it any further."
I'm telling you, Star Wars is where all the answers are. I love it.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

AND SO IT BEGINS...

The Obama transition team has set up a separate transition program beyond the one that is paid for by the American taxpayer. Called the "Obama/Biden Transition Project," it is a 501(c)4 tax-exempt organization, with no limits on the contributions it can receive and no requirements to divulge the names of individuals or organizations that give it money.
Traditionally, the victorious campaign has set up inaugural funds, as well as funds to deal with legal costs and other expenses to close down the campaign. Others have set up quasi-corporate offices to deal with transition issues, such as in 2000, when, with the election in doubt, the Bush-Cheney team set up a private transition office in McLean, Virginia, covering the costs from campaign contributions and other fundraising. Ultimately, the federal government, headed by the Government Services Administration, covers the cost of the transition staff, providing it with office space and all equipment.
No political organization has ever set up a transition team as a tax-exempt entity that would be shrouded in such secrecy.
Obama claimed he would be more transparent about the way things were done.
As well, the nonprofit may also serve as a haven for Obama supporters and campaign loyalists who for one reason or another can't be employed by the Administration or in the federal government. "There are some people who have been with us from the beginning who are clearly political liabilities or who won't be able to qualify for a job, say, because they can't get a security clearance."
Regardless of the purpose, Obama campaign officials say there is no intention of shutting down the 501(c) 4 Project after the transition is over.

Step #1.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

IS OBAMA A JEDI?



Did he just use the Jedi Mind Trick on 53% of the population?
You decide -
"Obi-wan" sounds a little like "Obama".
Obi-wan - "These are not the droids you are looking for"
Obama - "These are not the questions you should be asking"
HHhhmmm...

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

11:04:08

The day the country you knew died.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

THE ELECTED WHO SHOULD BE IN JAIL

(1) Ted Stevens - Republican Senator from Alaska - for making false statements on financial-disclosure forms about his relationship with Veco, an Alaskan oil company (7 counts).

STATUS - Convicted awaiting sentencing.

My Opinion - That's one down.

(2) William Jefferson - Democratic Congressman from Louisiana - at least seven cases in which he "sought things of value in return for his performance of official acts."Oh, and the $90,000 in cash that was hidden in his freezer had nothing to do with any of THAT.

STATUS - kicked out of Congress, hired by Department of Homeland Security.

My Opinion - Unbelievable. Jail.

(3) John Murtha - Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania - multiple counts of corruption, slandering 8 Marines in public (legal as long as he makes the statements in Congress, not when he does it outside), and just plain ole' being stupid - he called his own consituents racist and redneck.

STATUS - About to lose a reelection campaign. That should free up his time so that he can rot in a jail cell for a while.

My Opinion - Google "lunatic" and his name and picture come up. Jail.

(4) Tim Mahoney- Democratic Confressman from Florida - all kinds of sexual harassment of his staff and trying to force members of his staff to attend fundraisers and "tease" more money from them.

STATUS -Investigation underway, complete with tape recordings of everything.

My Opinion -New career - pimp? Jail.

(5) Robert Wexler - Democratic Congressman from Florida - doesn't live in Florida and doesn't maintain a legal residence there, thus perpetrating a fraud on not only his constituents, but also, the US Congress. The address he claims is owned by his in-laws and is in a 55-and-over retirement community. He is has three children making him ineligible to live there.

STATUS - After the truth came out, he leased an apartment in his district.

My Opinion - But what about the fraud? Jail.

(6) Gavin Newsom - Democratic Mayor of San Francisco - For declaring his city as a sanctuary for illegal aliens and refusing to assist (and opposing) federal agents from doing their jobs.

STATUS - Still running his city into the ground.

My Opinion - Clown. Jail.

(7) Antonio Villaraigosa (aka Tony Villar) - Democratic Mayor of Los Angeles - the list is long, but mostly for endorsing and continuing Special Order 40 - implemented by the LA City Council to prevent LAPD from obtaining immigration status from detained suspects in 1969. Also, for wasting LA taxpayer money traveling ALL OVER the world (why does a Mayor need to do that?)

STATUS - Still running his city into the ground. And marching WITH illegal alien protesters in the LA streets.

My Opinion - Clown. Jail.

(8) Barrack Obama - Democratic Senator from Illinois - for accepting and using illegal foreign campaign donations - around 200 million dollars worth.

STATUS - An FEC auditor has tried to have a formal investigation launched, but the analyst says his supervisors are unwilling to touch the case is because Justice Department or FBI involvement would be indicative of a criminal investigation, something the FEC would prefer not take place a month before the presidential election.

My Opinion - Uh, what do you mean "would prefer not take place a month before the presidential election"? That is EXACTLY when it needs to be done. Jail.

(9) Barney Frank - Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts - Lots, but we'll stick to leading the way and pushing for lower standards in lending to home buyers, and then arguing against investigations into the obvious problems that have now become catastrophic.

STATUS - Still on the loose and now wants to spend another 150 billion and has threatened Republicans that if they don't agree, he will propose an even bigger fiasco. Also wants to cut defense spending by 25%.

My Opinion - Can't get the cuffs on this guy fast enough. Jail.

(10) Maxine Waters - Democratic Congresswoman from California - Plenty of stuff, but specifically for blocking government oversight that could have prevented the current financial crisis, and lying about receiving $15,000 from Fannie Mae and Freddie mac lending institutions (just part of the $4.8 millionn Congress has received from them).

STATUS - Still on the loose.

My Opinion - Clown. Jail.

Friday, October 31, 2008

7 WEEKS LATER

That is too long for anyone to have to endure in Yuma.

Well, I'm back home now, just in time to save mommy from going stark-raving-mad and to see how many lemmings are going to vote for Mr O. It should be highly entertaining.

Things I want to do now that I'm home, in no particular order:

(1) make salsa (experimenting with new item in it also) (DONE!)
(2) remove all the old hangars from closet and install all the new ones I bought (very exciting)
(3) catch up on Boston Legal from this season (one of only two shows I will watch)
(4) wrestle with Dylan (I still win, but he is getting closer) (DONE!)
(5) watch Faithy practice walking (DONE!)
(6) aggravate mommy (I do this by eating small bites out of whatever is lying around (very entertaining) (DONE!)
(7) avoid going to work as long as possible (thanks taxpayer!) (IN PROCESS)

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

A LESSON

Don’t know if you saw this from “Roger in Mass”. It’s brilliant: I love this short story;Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read “Vote Obama, I need the money.” I laughed. Once in the restaurant my server had on a “Obama 08″ tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference–just imagine the coincidence. When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need–the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight. I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful. At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient needed money more. I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

Monday, October 27, 2008

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MR OBAMA

He has stated,written or done exactly everything you need to know about him.

(1)
His outlook on the Constitution and "redistribution of wealth" (also known as socialism or Marxism depending on how deep you want to get into it) -here is a quote for you...

"If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court. I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed people, so that now I would have the right to vote. I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order as long as I could pay for it I’d be o.k. But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society.To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted and Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can’t do to you. Says what the Federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf, and that hasn’t shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was, um, because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that…"

Apparently he doesn't realize that the Constitution was crafted in such a way so as to LIMIT government, via the states and individuals and believes it wrong that the Court didn't "break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution." Never mind that the Courts are supposed to UPHOLD the Constitution, not "break free".

Also, as far as redistributing wealth, here is the part of the Joe the Plumber conversation that never made it onto the news - Joe the Plumber is in favor of the "flat tax" or "fair tax" and asked Mr Obama what he thought was a fair rate. Mr O's answer - 40%.

(2)
Voted repeatedly (4 times) against health care for babies born after an abortion failed. Just so you understand what that means - hospital staffs are not allowed to care for a baby after he/she has survived an abortion and is born, he/she must be left to die. This is happening NOW in his home state.

There is much, much more we could discuss here, but really, do we need to go any further than that?

I am not a big fan of McCain, but let my thoughts on Obama be clear - he is dangerous to the very ideas that this country was built on and made it great. Be prepared to start losing some of your liberties if this clown gets in.

Don't listen to what everyone else says or thinks about him. Just educate yourself on what HE has said, written and done. Turn off the TV and do your own homework.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WOMAN?

Frequently seen zooming up and down Winchester Road. May be armed with chocolate and/or Starbucks. Known to carry camera and will not hesitate to crop you out if provoked.

Seriously though, what would we do without her? Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, Cub Scouts, school volunteering, grocery shopping, laundry, taxi, homework tutor, assistant-video game-player (Dylan's job), cook, counselor, wife, mom, daughter.

Think you could do what she does?

Thank you for taking care of us, mommy.



Monday, October 13, 2008

TIME TO HIT THE PANIC BUTTON

The Cowboys lost another game they should have won AND our quarterback has a broken finger and could be out for as long as 4 weeks. My dreams of Superbowl #6 are fading away.

Somebody get me a drink.

Friday, October 10, 2008

THE REASON I DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING ON TV

After the Vice Presidential and Presidential debates, each television station ran their statistics as to who “won” the debate. While we know that these numbers mean next to nothing in the grand scheme, it is interesting to look at what each station reported.

CNN and MSNBC ran results showing that around 70-75% of their viewers believed that Biden and Obama “won” their respective debates.

At the same time, FOX, the “fair and balanced” station, announced that 75-80% of their viewers believed that Palin and McCain had “won” theirs.

Fascinating, don’t you think? How is it that millions of people can watch the exact same broadcasts and come to such opposite conclusions?

The answer, I believe, is that we see what we WANT to see. This phenomenon can be seen every day in our lives.

What this shows me is that the vast majority of people already have their minds made up and that we migrate towards those (people or TV stations) who share our beliefs. We do this because the #1 need for every living person is VALIDATION. We WANT to be right, and so we watch, read and listen to whatever reinforces whatever beliefs we ALREADY have.

If you had any question as to whether these TV stations had a bias one way or another, I believe this answers it for you.

Perhaps you have wondered what the average Marine, soldier, airman, or sailor thinks about all this and who he or she would vote for. The following information is taken from the recent Military Times Election Poll 2008.

Across the board, regardless of branch of service, active duty or reserve, rank, gender, or age, between 63-76% (accounting for all those variables) would vote for McCain. The one variable that changed, drastically, was the black vote, coming in at 79% for Obama.

When asked what the most important issues are for deciding who to vote for, the top three broke down like this:

(1) character of the candidate
(2) economy
(3) Iraq

Again, the one variable was the black vote. The top three issues were the same, but in differing order of priority:

(1) economy
(2) Iraq
(3) character of the candidate

I don’t include the numbers about the black vote for any other reason than that they were overwhelmingly different. So much for voting for the best person regardless of color or gender. Can the same be said for the white vote? I don’t know. With Obama, I believe there is too much going on to be able to say that whites will not vote for a black president (after all, CNN and MSNBC have a few white viewers don’t they?). I think there is more to it than that. Or maybe I am just too white and don’t get it.

So, what does all this about the TV stations and the military vote tell us? Well, nothing we didn’t already know really. But isn’t it fascinating that hours upon hours of screen time will be devoted to explaining it all? In the end, it is my estimation that the vast majority of the voters already know who they will vote for, and they will watch and read whatever will validate their choice, and debate endlessly about the “best” candidate.

I am still looking for the best candidate. I haven’t heard or seen anything in either McCain or Obama’s records that indicate to me that either will be anything but a continuation of business as usual.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

MASTERS OF THE OBVIOUS

“A federal grand jury is investigating whether San Francisco's policy of offering sanctuary to undocumented immigrants violates U.S. laws against harboring people who are in the country illegally.”

Is it just me, or does that statement pretty much answer itself?

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, like the LA mayor, Antonio Villaregrossa, should both be in jail.

MY GRADE = FAIL

And of course this…

The Annals of Public Research magazine honored Professor Deborah Anderson of Boston University’s School of Medicine with an Ig Nobel prize for proving that Coca-Cola could be used for contraception, the Associated Press reported. The ceremony was held at Harvard.
Considering that Coca-Cola has an acidity level just lower than battery acid, I am not sure this was much of a breakthrough. Maybe it’s just me. Good to know our finest universities are pumping out this kind of research, though. I’d hate for them to be wasting their time and money on ACTUAL educations.

MY GRADE = FAIL

Saturday, October 4, 2008

GRADING THE BAILOUT BILL

(1)
Here are some quotes from your Democratic Congress -

During the House Financial Services Committee hearing, Sept. 10, 2003:

Rep. Barney Frank (D., Mass.):

I worry, frankly, that there's a tension here. The more people, in my judgment, exaggerate a threat of safety and soundness, the more people conjure up the possibility of serious financial losses to the Treasury, which I do not see. I think we see entities that are fundamentally sound financially and withstand some of the disaster scenarios. . . .

During the House Financial Services Committee hearing, Sept. 25, 2003:

Rep. Frank: I do not want the same kind of focus on safety and soundness that we have in OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency) and OTS (Office of Thrift Supervision). I want to roll the dice a little bit more in this situation towards subsidized housing. . . .

Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.), speaking to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez:

Secretary Martinez, if it ain't broke, why do you want to fix it? Have the GSEs (government-sponsored enterprises) ever missed their housing goals?

MY GRADE = FAIL

(2)
COST
Bear Stearns financing
$29 billion
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac nationalization
$200 billion
AIG loan and nationalization
$85 billion
Federal Housing Administration housing rescue bill
$300 billion
Mortgage community grants
$4 billion
JPMorgan Chase repayments
$87 billion
Loans to banks via Fed's Term Auction Facility
$200 billion+
Loans from Depression-era Exchange Stabilization Fund
$50 billion
Purchases of mortgage securities by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
$144 billion
POSSIBLE TOTAL
$1.8 trillion+
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS
105,480,101
POSSIBLE COST PER HOUSEHOLD
$17,064+

MY GRADE = FAIL

(3)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at a press conference after passage of the bailout:

“Under the leadership of our chairman, Barney Frank, as I called him on the floor, a maestro, we were able to make improvements, working in a bipartisan way, making improvements in the legislation, and then make more improvements in the legislation before it came back to the floor today”.
“The eye now is to the future. To shine the bright light of accountability on what is happening in our financial markets so that it doesn't happen again. That accountability will tell us how we got to this place and ferret out the abuses. That accountability will honor our trust to the American people”.

MY GRADE = FAIL

(4)
The first bailout bill didn’t pass. And what do you do when you need a bill to pass? Add some stuff that will convince the "no" voters to go your way. The actual bailout portion of the bill did not change substantively; lots of little things were added. This is known in the Senate and House as “Christmas-treeing” – we all know it as bribery and usually go to jail for it.

MY GRADE = FAIL
--------------------------------
Here are some things to think about:

(1) NO REAL REFORM: The plan attempts to mask, rather than reform, imbalances in credit markets and in U.S. economic public policy. The plan props up reckless and failed banks by buying "troubled assets" instead of focusing on real reforms that go after those culprits responsible for this mess. But why would we want to do that?

(2) TREASURY POWER GRAB: The plan raises Constitutional concerns by dramatically expanding the power of the current and future Treasury Secretaries, giving the government agency power to directly purchase assets from for-profit financial and non-financial firms. Not to mention the expanded power of the IRS to spy on you – but you didn’t hear about that did you? More on that later.

(3) PRICE TAG: The $700 billion bailout figure is as much money as the combined annual budgets of the Departments of Defense, Education and Health and Human Services.

(4) INCREASES NATIONAL DEBT: Instead of cutting spending elsewhere, Congress will borrow all $700 billion on global capital markets, and the bill raises the national debt ceiling to a staggering $11.3 trillion. But hey, really, what is the difference in 10 trillion and 11?

(5) GLOBAL BAILOUT: The plan includes taxpayer purchases of distressed assets from foreign banks. You are paying for foreign countries debts too. Bet you didn’t know that either.

(6) FLAWED PROCESS: Members of Congress and the public had less than 24 hours (for the new bill) and no hearings to discuss and understand the impact of this sweeping plan. This rush to pass a wildly unpopular plan without benefit of significant public debate and input will also undermine its legitimacy and effectiveness – sounds a lot like the Patriot Act, huh?

(7) WRITTEN BY WALL STREET, FOR WALL STREET: Treasury Secretary Paulson, the architect of the plan, was formerly the head of Goldman Sachs, one of the firms responsible for the mess and a direct beneficiary of the bailout. Further, the advisers managing the bailout auctions and assets will be the same Wall Street firms and will receive billions of tax dollars in fees. That’s right – that 700 billion doesn’t take into account paying somebody to take of all this paperwork over the next few years.

Oh, and by the way, Mr. Paulson will be the one to ensure “APPROPRIATE STANDARDS” when it comes to executive pay for the clowns running these banks – never mind that the bill places doesn’t place any real restrictions on companies going under from paying the top execs millions while their companies bled money. It has plenty of loopholes.

(8) WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE GOVERNMENT MADE MONEY?: The idea that taxpayers will make money on the bailout is not credible. There are ready buyers for these "troubled assets" - Merrill Lynch sold its entire portfolio of mortgage backed securities in July- provided the price is low enough. If a profit was possible, private speculators would readily buy these troubled assets.

(9) NOT CONSTITUTIONAL: The plan violates basic principles of American capitalism and honest governance by creating a system of "private profits, socialized losses" that transfers money from taxpayers directly to Wall Street investment banks. Free market capitalism only functions if individuals and firms are held accountable and are allowed to both succeed and profit, and also to sustain losses and even fail.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

One Of My Marines Died This Week

It is difficult to explain the relationships we forge in the Marine Corps. It is really another family. And at this point in my 17 years, I am the “dad” to 20, 25, sometimes up to 45 or 50 young Marines.

Imagine having that many kids, mostly19-22 years old. They have all the typical dreams, aspirations, problems, and issues any young person of that age has. And, like any dad, I am privy to most of them.

And, like any dad, I want to see them do well and do what I can to ensure that happens.

I have had many experiences over the years with more kids than I can remember. Working with them, disciplining them, playing football and basketball with them, seeing them do well, and seeing them self-destruct. I have been around the world with them, promoted them, acted as their shield when they have been treated poorly, watched rockets explode around them, flown with them, and once had reason to put my loaded pistol to one.

Our jobs put us in strange places and strange situations. We face adversity together and that, more than anything, builds a relationship that anyone who hasn’t experienced it will never truly understand. These kids find friends like they will never have the rest of their lives. Most of them will go home on vacation and then come back saying how bored they were and how they couldn’t wait to get back.

Dad, tutor, leader, financial advisor, marriage counselor (now that should make you smile), expert in all things – that’s me.

Over the years, I have lost several kids, several friends, and many Marines that I knew only in passing. Killed while flying, both crashing in the ocean and shot down in Iraq. More were riding their motorcycles, driving their cars.

The feeling is the same, no matter how they died. The questions always come, no matter the circumstance.

In the end, all you can do is your best. You can train them, show them, and warn them. But you can’t protect them all the time.

Like any parent who loses a child, there is always a feeling of failure and loss.

This week we lost Lance Corporal Dean R. Muraco. May God bless his family and his soul.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Pirates & Cowboys

For any who did not know...pirates are alive and well on the high seas around the world. Yes, I mean like on ships kidnapping people or stealing from other ships. We routinely capture them when we go out on our deployments. It mostly happens around the Straits of Malacca - it is a choke point for a vast amount of the world's sea traffic and it is easy for pirates to see what comes thru and then follow for a few days. Also off the coast of Africa. Case in point - currently we have pirates who have taken a ship full of Russian tanks and are demanding millions in ransom. I am sure that will turn out well for them.

And closer to home...My Cowboys lost in a disgusting display off poor offensive and defensive play calling. But I guess I can't complain too much about being 3-1 right now. That said, only an NFL record 6th Superbowl win this year will satisfy this fan.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

118

That is what I saw just now on a temperature gauge on one of our helos.

As best I can tell, the difference between being here in Yuma, AZ and being in Iraq is:

1) Nobody is shooting rockets at me here

2) I have to pay sales tax when I buy things here.

That's about it.

Friday, September 19, 2008

So Tell Me, Mr. Taxpayer, Who is Going to Jail???

Using the limitless credit card of the US Treasury, we are now bailing out numerous banks and insurance companies (there will be more I am sure). I am just curious, how is this trillion dollar bailout constitutional?

I am just wondering who you think should go to jail – there are plenty of deserving candidates. The people who took out loans they knew they couldn’t afford? (and are losing or leaving their homes)? The local banks that gave them those loans without legitimate applications (and are going under now)? The mega-banks/investment banks/insurance comapnies that bought all the loans? How about all the executives running all these clown-houses (and who are pulling in multi-million dollar salaries and bonuses as they walk out the door of the crumbling house they built)? How about the members of the Democratic party that pushed for banks to lend to people of questionable ability to pay those loans back,all in the name of “equality and evening the playing field”?

Don’t get me wrong. I am a staunch capitalist. I am all about everyone making as much as they can. But I don’t live in la-la land either.

This mess goes deeper than just saying “well, let them all go bankrupt, they dug their hole.” The problem with that is when these banks/investment banks/insurance companies go under, so does everyone’s money. Money in the checking and savings accounts, money invested in the stocks of those companies, money invested in mutual funds that owns these stocks, money, money, money. Don’t forget about your credit cards/credit lines that are owned by all of these institutions. We are going to have some upset people when their retirement funds are gone, their credit cards get turned off, and there is no money in the bank to withdraw.

I guess it doesn’t really matter when the Federal Reserve Bank (there is nothing FEDERAL about that bank, by the way – more on that later) can just print up some new money, make some electronic entries in some electronic accounts, and loan out some more money to the US Treasury. Since the government doesn’t actually earn money, guess who gets to pay back those loans? Thank you again, Mr. Taxpayer.

But don’t worry, Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain are both promising to lower your taxes. I am sure everything will just fine. But, in the mean-time, who is going to jail?

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

"I'm not a machine" and more social observations

After 3 days of being here, I have "worked" maybe 4 hours. An efficient use of my time and your money, wouldn't you say, Mr. Taxpayer?

Social observation #1: Over the years I have noticed that when giving a class, meeting, whatever, to a large group of people, speakers tend to move towards their dominate side. As in, a right handed person will move towards their right and spend a disproportionate amount of time on that side. I don't think this applies to professional speakers and obviously those who are using a stationary podium or microphone.

Social observation 2: Every Marine, from the day he/she went to boot camp has been taught that as you enter a bus, or a large room with seats (theater/auditorium, etc), you go to the farthest seat and everyone behind you does the same, so that the bus is filled back to front and the theater is filled in front to rear. And then you leave in the opposite manner. Very orderly and all.

As we progress from boot camp and get some freedom, this tends to not happen. Everyone just goes in and sits wherever, leaving empty seats everywhere, and the majority of the seats in the front (of a theater) empty (like at church or when you go to the movies).

Now, everyone knows that eventually a Staff Sergeant or a Gunny (like me) is going to say something like "If there is a seat in front of you, get up and fill it in" and everyone gets up and moves. This scenario happens WITHOUT FAIL, EVERY TIME.

Why is that? Everyone knows it is going to happen. It always does. I even hear them talking about it before it happens. So why don't they just do it? Can someone explain that to me?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Shopping and other adventures

So I went to the commissary here on base (in Yuma) and did some grocery shopping. Now, the purpose of grocery shopping, is, as we all know, to save some coin rather than eating out all the time. The problem we, as defenders of freedom, have is that our refrigerators in our lavish suites are the little ones that stand about 2-3 feet high. Worse, we have to share that space with a roommate who feels that he needs to eat also. So, the whole exercise of buying food in bulk to save some coin is rendered moot. Buying food that needs to refrigerated or frozen and then not being able to store it because of lack of storage space in the ‘frige is a little…aggravating.

While we are discussing the commissary and shopping, let me take this opportunity to write about yet another fascinating observation I have made during my trip (as well as other trips to the commissary over the years). Note: I am a big fan of social experiments – both reading about them and instigating them – and a large part of my blogging will be about these experiences.

Anyway, I am sure everyone has been shopping at the grocery store or Wal-Mart, Target, Cost-Co, Sam’s, etc. Further, I am sure everyone has at one time or another (or always?) left their shopping cart in a convenient location other than back in the store or in the collection points strategically placed around the parking lot. In fact, that seems to the rule rather than the exception. I would venture to say that unless the collection point is within 2-3 car lengths, we aren’t going to walk our lazy butts WAY OVER THERE and put it where it belongs.

Now, this doesn’t happen at the commissary on base. The carts, in my 16 years of observation, are always returned to the collection points, be they in the parking lot or in front of the store. This is fascinating (to me). Even more fascinating, I myself, am guilty of being lazy out in town, but not on base. Today I pushed an empty cart about 50 yards in 105 degree heat back to the front of the store. No way anyone is going to do that out in town! I can probably safely say that I am not the only one guilty of being lazy out in town, but not on base. Why is that?

Now, I can understand having little kids and not wanting to leave them, but what about when we don’t have them, or those who just never have kids? Can someone explain to me why that is? There are no “cart police” on base. Fascinating. I love it.

So now I am in Yuma...

As I entered the city limits yesterday, I glanced up at my outside temp gauge and it read a balmy 109. Perfect. Starting off my stay in Yuma the right way.

Good thing they had us check in yesterday. This morning (Tuesday) I went to a (mandatory) meeting and was told to be at another meeting TOMORROW morning. That was it! Done for the day!

We (about 40 of us from all over the world) had to be here on Monday to spend 15 minutes checking in, go to a 15 minute meeting on Tuesday, and now another meeting Wednesday morning. Who says the government isn't efficient?

On the brighter side of things, the Cowboys were victorious Monday night. Just one more in the win column on the road to Super Bowl win #6.

All of this on the day my little Faithy has a fractured wrist. I was feeling pretty quilty about having to go out of town after that. Such is the life of a defender of freedom...

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Making progress...

After working with my technical support staff, I have successfully added sound to my new blog page-thingy. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do. It is VERY exciting.

Earlier this morning I scrubbed our trash cans. Not very high on the cool meter and a definite blemish on the ULTRA-COOL rockstar image I am trying to convey to the world. Oh well...

Friday, September 12, 2008

1st Post

OK, I had to get something on here so everyone knows I am taking this seriously. This is SERIOUS BUSINESS. I don't have anything clever to say right this second and anyway, I am still working on my blog page-thingy. Like I said, serious business...