RAINBOW

IT's GOD's SIGN: GET ANOTHER
I wanted to create a bumper sticker with the statement above. Never got around to it.
H.R. 998 already has 150 co-sponsors in the House!

And S. 555 already has 34 co-sponsors in the Senate!

"Student Non-Discrimination Act," is not non-discrimination. In fact it discriminates against those who don't care what homosexuals, gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexual people think & do. It is not enough for them to have risen from the shadows to being able to be open and proud about their lifestyle choices. Why must it be interdicted into the mainstream education of children whose only thoughts at school should be reading, writing, arithmetic, physical education (thanks Illinois) science and recess.
If you believe in schools as an educational institution for learning about the three "R's" plus three I listed please contact your Congressional representatives and ask them to vote against the legislation now pending in congress. PLEASE!

Fewer civilians may get the honor to serve the Nation in the Uniformed Services

Force Cuts are the nature of the beast. That beast is the US Army and for those that wanted to serve after the end of the Viet Nam war, it meant a "RIF". Those that were serving at the end of the first Gulf War and Cold War it meant let Uncle Sam pay you to leave the Army. Now that the war in Iraq is over and the end is in site for Afghanistan the Army is now stuck with more Soldiers than it needs. For as long as I can remember the annual recruiting goal of the Army was 80,000 people. This current fiscal year the goal is 58,000. This is the first step in reducing the budget of the Army's and the nation's to decrease the national deficit.
Another problem faces those that decided to make the Army a carreer. That primary concern Soldiers have involves how the budget may affect their retirement. The sergeant major (Seargeant Major of the Army) said he and other leaders are committed to preserving for Soldiers what they were promised.

     "The bottom line is this, the president, through the secretary of Defense, and the secretary of the Army and the chief and myself are committed to maintaining the current system of retirement for those that currently serve," Chandler said. "I meet with members of Congress ... I have yet to find a member of Congress who said that we are willing to cut retirement for those currently in uniform, because they all understand the commitment and the sacrifice that very small population of folks have paid to our nation." That number is less than 1% of the population of the US.
Retirees have a different problem. Some members of congress feel the benefits the nation gives to retired military people is to generous. Senators like the not conservative the honorable RINO John McCain want to raise costs of the most charished benefit, TRICare health insurance. It is bad enough that at age 65 military retirees are shoved, pushed or moved to Medicare. That benefit we thought was for life (what we were told when we signed up),  just isn't.
So for those that are currently serving with ideas of making it a carreer, start now letting your congressional representatives (approval as a body <10%) that you are watching them and don't want any possible future benefits cut. What benefits you have now is nothing like what you will receive in the end.
Thanks for serving

No one is interested "The Donald"

 A quote from the article "Jesse Benton, (Ron) Paul's national campaign chairman, said, "the selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office's history and dignity." Aah stupid, your Congressman is not the president.
Currently the only two republican candidates that have sent a positive response are Rick Santorum and Newt (not conservative enough) Gingrich. Rick "the stumbler" Perry and Michelle "miss speak" Bachman are undecided.
The former Utah Governor Jon (<2%) Huntsman who called the idea of a Trump-moderated debate "a joke," commented that he was "not going to kiss [Trump's] ring, and I'm not going to kiss any other part of his anatomy." Really Mr Huntsman, you need all the exposure you can get no matter how big that state tax cut was.
Mitt, stiff as a starched collar, Romney declined to participate. Why? If you never get above 20 something % can he win the nomination?
In reality if all politics are perception it makes sense to get all the exposure on TV for free that one can. Even if ION TV has a .5 share at any given time, the only cost is getting to Vegas and a place to stay.

Does it matter?

I received an email at work last week about work and for some reason I couldn't get past the word DEACON. Now I think I know what that says. But perhaps I don't. the subject was about the VA Hospital and its emergency response team. A group of people who have volunteered to go to disasters to provide releif when needed. The subject was the decontamination team and upcoming training. Now the word DECON has a lot of meaning to me and many others who served in the military. It was always an individual common task for every soldier in the Army. Which takes me to DEACON, a position in many christian churches and I don't think it is interchangable with DECON.
I was reading about a construction project that recently had the ground breaking ceremony at Arlington National Cemetary. A new building for the inturnment of those who would prefer a mosoleum instead of being burried in the ground. There are currently 5 such buildings at ANC. The author of the story used the word INURNMENT when refering to the burial or placing of a casket in a mosoleum several times.
Does it matter if the correct terminology or grammar is used in correspondence? Does it matter if an author does not know the difference between their, there or they're. All come up correct using spell check. However "that is their property" is correct and "that is there property" is not correct. Your wasting your time or you're wasting your time. Get it?

GRAB YOUR WALLET

We all know that we pay to much "total tax" each year. State Income tax, State property taxes (home, cars/trucks, boats,  camping trailers, etc.), State, County & City sales taxes, Federal income tax and perhaps more for some. Now with certain deductions going away everyone will pay more each year over the next three or four (ObamaCare taxes, penalties & fees) are creeping up fast. So if you read this blog on occasion but missed articles that are coming out because of the end of year getting closer, read below to find out what you may have missed.

Wow, thanks Fox Business:
Major Individual Income Tax Benefits Expiring 12/31/2011:
• Personal tax credits applied against income tax no longer apply
• Higher alternative minimum tax exemptions revert back to extraordinarily-low thresholds
• $250 school teacher expense deduction ends
• Mortgage insurance premium deduction expires
• State and local sales tax deductions expire
• Tuition and related fees deduction end
• IRA to charity tax-free transfers stop
• 2% Social Security tax reduction ends
Major Individual Income Tax Benefits Expiring 12/31/2012:
• Marriage penalty equalization ends
• Dividends taxed at capital gains rates removed, taxed at regular rates now
• Capital gains low tax rates expires
• Removal of itemized deduction phase out for higher income Americans
• Removal of personal exemption phase out for higher income Americans
• Child care deduction limit of $3,000 reverts to $2,400
• Child credit reduces from $1,000 per child to $500 per child
• Low 10% tax bracket for low income Americans is eliminated
• Lower income tax rates and smaller brackets expires
• Refundable adoption credit and reduced deduction
• American Opportunity college education credit expires
• Major reduction in earned income credits and refunds
• Income tax exemption for debt forgiven on home foreclosures and repossessions
• Deduction for student loan interest ends
• Education IRA limit drops from $2,000 to $500

Health Care and the courts

After reading about a "conservative appeals court" in Washington DC upholding the Affordable Health Care Reform Act or President Obama=care being constitutional I am now of the opinion that there is no thing as a "conservative" court in the US Justice system. Not only do we have a corrupt Attorney General of the United States, but courts have drifted to the left despite the appointments by both Republican and Democratic Presidents. If you look at the Supreme Court appointees by President George W Bush and their opinion on imminent domain we should all have recognized that right leaning, conservative, constitutionalists and other monikers means nothing.
Judge Laurence Silberman stated: "The right to be free from federal regulation is not absolute and yields to the imperative that Congress be free to forge national solutions to national problems." Sounds more like a talk show guest rather than a judge appointed by President Ronald Reagan (just an example of moving to left in the appeals court system). The problem with "national solutions" is that politics enter into the equation. When politics are involved we are all screwed. Many national solutions are created by the federal government and the congress of the United States.
A lower court's ruling found Congress did not overstep its authority in requiring people to have insurance or pay a penalty on their taxes, beginning in 2014. In the desenting opinion Judge Brett Kavanaugh stated the court had no right to review a portion of the law that is not in effect until 2014. Once the portion of the law is in effect then the court can way in.
Taxes without representation: if a divided congress passes a tax law or change does that mean the we were all represented? Or not? As it is today the phrases of the American revolt against England are just a phrase that we pass over in reading a history book. Don't Tread on Me is just a phrase. Government has imprinted semi-truck tire tread tracks on our backs and with the current people running for president nothing will change no matter who is president!

Consumer Price Index & SS & Medicare

     Let me start with the statement from the article:

"Many economists argue that the chained CPI is more accurate because it assumes that as prices increase, consumers switch to lower cost alternatives, reducing the amount of inflation they experience."
For a bunch of educated people they sure are stupid! Things that it takes for people to live and have a basic quality of life are not "lower cost alternatives". Gasoline we pay what the stations charge and there are not "lower cost alternatives". Natural Gas & heating oil we pay what the rate is for the area we live in charges there are no "lower cost alternatives". Electricity is a controlled monopoly that we pay what is charged with no "lower cost alternatives". If I buy store brands of foods, household items I usually can't find a lower priced item, I am already at the "lower cost alternatives". If i had a home and refinanced it at the under 5% mortgage rates, I am already at the "lower cost alternatives". Medical care just keeps rising and there are no other "lower cost alternatives". Same for Rx there are no "lower cost alternatives", unless you are a guy named Dr Ezekiel Emanuel who would probably just let us die after age 70, because we are a burden to society and should not consume so much natural & man made resources.

     These educated idiots have stated "For example, if the price of beef increases while the price of pork does not, people will buy more pork. Here again is the stupidity! People who do not like pork and those whose religion prohibit the eating of said meat WON'T DUMBAS*ES. As you educated idiots know the price of beef and pork and poultry are all determined by the price and  AMOUNT OF ETHANOL produced in this country, not solely on supply & demand. Many of the income disadvantaged are already wearing sweaters and have the thermostat set at 68 or lower with no "lower cost alternatives." 

"If adopted across the government, fewer people would be eligible for many anti-poverty programs because the poverty level also would increase at a lower rate each year. That would result in fewer people living below the official poverty line, despite having the same income" (no they won't have the same income because they will loose to inflation and things like "Quantitative Easing") Does that statement seem odd to anyone (anyone who reads this)? "At a lower rate each year", that speaks volumes about the true feelings and lack of concern by Washington Politicians serving in the Congress.

     In educated circles where economists get around a table for lunch, this all makes such common sense to them. But it is just that lack of common sense which makes all this wrong. Since this would be the 3rd recalculation of the measure of inflation in the last 40 years no wonder the gape between the rich (>$1 million per year) and the remaining population is ever growing.

Men & Women Restrooms

No link to this one. A speaker at the University of Utah's Pride day made some references to Transgender people feeling left out because there are no restrooms at the U for his type of people. Just so you know I can type cast this person because the stupid federal government allows separating genders and races on almost all surveys, questionnaires and forms that are in use today. This he/she or maybe a she/he wanted the world to recognize that Transgender people (not really)  need the same treatment as the other sexes. Bathrooms with a sign recognizing that they are different. So what will the sign look like? When there are restrooms set aside for families you see the stick figure of a guy, gal & a baby and in a sign stating there is a changing table. Women stick figures have a dress on them. Male restrooms have pants on the stick figure. So will the Transgender restroom sign (at the present it will take about 5 years for this to happen) be a two stick figures back to back with one in pants and the other in a dress? Or will it be just one with a dong on one side and nothing but exclamation marks at the waist of the other? Don't know and don't care (I do care about the length the government has gone to make gays and lesbians feel good about themselves & this too will happen for the Bi's and Tran's).
One other issue the person stated was a problem, the issue of separate dorm rooms for guys and gals. Where do the TGs fit in. No where if you ask me. You were born the way you are because your father supplied a gene that made you a girl or boy. That gene probably over rides whatever you say made you the opposite.

Who is in CHARGE!

I don't watch the republican debates that have been on TV. I heard today that there have been 12!!!!!!!! Why? The media picks the winners and the non winners. Ron Paul went 40 minutes without being asked a question in the debate from Tuesday evening. Besides the stupid questioning, there is the constant interuptions by the candidates. Is there no civility among men? It is just not right (and I don't mean right as in wing of the RINO party). The responses are also canned as much as the questions. I am surprised that a station that has hosted a debate hasn't piped in laughter for one of the favs when they crack a joke, joke isn't it. So my point about who is in charge is referring to those who organize each and every debate. What I and I think many others would like to see is a response from each candidate for each question asked. I would really enjoy a response from Ron Paul or Gary Johnson, both libitarians. It would be good to hear that guy from PA or MN that is still in the running but not a good percentage in the polls. Maybe he is really running for VP at this point, but he has an OPINION & a PLAN.
Do I care if Perry had a GPA at Texas A&M of 2.5. Hell no. Because the later in the 20th century the easier it became to get a degree. U of Al was infamous in the 1970's for giving everyone who paid money a degree. U of NM is the same now with the lottery scholarships that are given to almost everyone who applies. A college degree is only a piece of paper proving nothing other than perseverience.  So for the one in a million chance anyone in a position to make  changes to this process, PLEASE HIRE SOMEONE WITH INTELLIGENCE to moderate these debates (and maybe I will watch a complete hour or two).

WhtWhy is it that way?

Earlier today I had some thoughts I wanted to publish . But something happened, I FORGOT THEM. I am sure that it had to do with another of those National something day, week or month. Of course in the medical world there are thank a nurse week, thank a sterilization employee week, thank a CWT worker week, hug a  psychiatrist week and acknowledge a house keeping employee week.

NOW I REMEMBER: #1) The Top 1% Owns 40% of the Nation's Wealth
#2) The Top 1% Take Home 24% of National Income
#3) The Top 1% Own Half of the Country's Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds
#4) The Top 1% of Americans Have Only 5% of the Nation's Personal Debt:
#5) The Top 1% Are Taking In More off the Nation's Income Than at Any Other Time Since the 1920s(I don't understand that statement).

This is what the people demonstrating on wall street are mad and upset about (though many have no clue why they are there). While there are things in the trading of stocks that should not be, short selling, congress in their continuous stupidity along with the SEC will not put a stop to those who make money from the buying and selling of stocks no matter which way they go, up or down. There is just something wrong with that. Now I don't give a damn what the rest of the world does, however if you buy a stock because you think it is going to increase in value, and it goes down in price then you should not benefit from the loss of value in that stock.
The wealth building playing field is not level. It has not been for a century or more and will not until the simplification of buying and selling stocks is reduced to if it is up you make money and if it goes down below what you paid you loose money. There should be no continuous tax on the gain other than the difference between the last sell off and any increase since you bought it again. Does that make sense? If you paid a $1.00 and it goes to $2.00 and you sell, you are taxed on the gain. If you buy it at $2.05 and it goes to $3.05 you pay again when you sell it. If there is a tax deduction because you are incorporated and you loose in the stock market it should be done away with.
Just my thoughts as a lay(not sure of spelling) person.

2012 Harley Davidson Motorcycles

The last one, a XL1200C, looks almost like my 2008. Of course anyone of the above is a great ride. If Road Kings came with a radio/CD player it would be what I buy next, to replace my 2007 FLHR.

Why do we let China dictate so much

WHAT: US decides not to sell Taiwan F16 C/Ds
WHY: China
WHERE: US and Asia
WHEN: Unofficially Sunday, Officially Wednesday 9/21/2011
A signal of mixed results when the Obama administration decides not to sell the newer jets, built in Texas, to the Taiwan government. Instead of the F16 C/D model, the US offers to upgrade the F16 A/Bs that Taiwan has now. This action does not appeal to the government that has been described as "a democratic bastion and long-standing security partner" in Asia. At the same time the selling of the D/Cs would evoke the ire of the Chinese government. Since China has a substantial amount of US debt, what else could the US government do?
Taiwan is in the worlds view not a separate country from China, which split during the civil war that brought communism to the worlds most populated country. The 23 million citizens of Taiwan live in a democracy supported by the US for nearly 6 decades. The US military holds joint exercises almost annually sometimes in conjunction with Japan. So why do we let China dictate our foreign policy in Asia? The answer is as complex as any foreign relations question but as simple as economics. We being China's largest trading partner is the simple answer. Since the trade balance always favors China, with the Chinese holding so much of our debt, could a turn of the spigot to slow trade cause tensions to increase? Putting tariffs on Chinese goods so they are not so cheap signal that we will not let China dictate what we do and when we do it? Would tariffs do anyone any good? Wal Mart would certainly object to tariffs.
As a citizen that feels the United States and its citizens should always be our number one consideration. Walk softly and carry a big stick will not work but insuring that Americans have jobs and a good standard of living should always be priority #1.

Hispanic Heritage Month & others

Wow, has a year gone by already! Just kidding! I don't follow what goes on when it comes to celebrating this type of event. There is African American Month in February each year. There is GLBT,doesn't look right, but it is the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender, Pride day in July or August, National Women's History Month in March . Then there are the political organizations like the caucuses in congress. The Veterans Administration has "Minority Veterans Programs" that recognize the following: Pacific Islander, Asian American, African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American - to include American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian. The VA minority programs are based on public law, Title 38 Public Law 103-446
In conclusion how many of these are there? It is amazing that as the Anglo-Euro population and heritage diminishes in the US and minority populations increase what will the future look like? Will there be a White American Male Heritage month or something similar in 2050? Or will history relegate the Anglo-Euro population to asterisks in history books. Something to ponder in this (stupid, literally stupid) PC de-nationalization of America.

Sturgis

WHAT: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
WHY: because it is somewhere to go
WHERE: Sturgis, South Dakota, USA
WHEN: Aug 6 to Aug 12, 2012
Yes 459,568 is a lot of people. That number is based on 2010 atendance. 2011 figures are not available. If you look at the past few years, attendance is dropping from a high in 2003 of 605,140 people (Harley Davidson"s 100th anniversary) and the second biggest year of  604,441 in 2000. Is this because of the aging "baby boomers" not wanting to travel to hot Sturgis in August? Or perhaps it is the rally itself has peaked and the style of the rally and sponsors have changed? I really don't have an answer, though the image of an unshaven long haired biker and an MC going together may have changed the once largest rally in the US if not the world.
I must say it would be nice to attend once in a lifetime, sort of a bucket list event. There are other rallies around the US. Bike Week in Daytona Florida, there is Laconia, Los Angeles (or California), Laughlin, NV & numerous state rally's sponsored by HDs H.O.G. and others. Anyway it is a great place to get out on the road and see some of this country's most beautiful scenery. Stay off of I-90 unless it is the only option, if you don't you will miss a lot of what Sturgis and the surrounding area have to offer.

MLK & Angelou

Society has placed Martin Luther King at the same level as Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam war veterans by having a statue of the civil rights leader on the Mall of the US Capitol. So with so many accolades said about Mr. King why would someone say a condensed quote of a part of a speech engraved on the statue makes him look like a "twit"? Nothing could make Mr. King look like a twit. Maybe her statement . "The quote makes Dr. Martin Luther King look like an arrogant twit," Maya Angelou said. I think her statement makes her look like a twit. Mr. Kings quote is "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness," is the inscription on the 30-foot-tall statue of Mr. King.
The part of the speech this refers to is "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice," King said. "Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."
Mr. King, if there were shallow things in your life maybe the media will start to bring them up, but in the PC world of journalism I doubt it.

Post Log to: Military Pay Fair or Not

Here is a link to a story by a former member of the NY Army National Guard & a combat veteran. Sergeant Raab states better than I why soldiers should never be compared to a civilian in any facet of life, HOOAH!

1) From Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
 http://iava.org/blog/returning-soldier-answers-inevitable-question-%E2%80%98why%E2%80%99

Military Retirement: FAIR or NOT

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and now Secretary of Defense Leon Pannetta are having committees look at and suggest changes to the Military Retirement System. It was stated that "The board members are from big businesses -- experts, the Pentagon says, in executive management, corporate governance, audit and finance, human resources, economics, technology and health care." Associated Press|by Pauline Jelinek
I did not see if any of these "leaders" were former service members or not. I would make the assumption that they are not. There are several statistics that hit me as I read the article and will not quote them directly here. A couple of things stand out from my own experience in the US Army. First is that I never heard a recruiter refer to the Army as a career when talking to potential recruits. Recruiters talk about things such as education benefits. With $51,000.00 available for anyone currently serving for going to college or CC. Another recruiting pitch is soldiers can learn a skill. Many do very well at what the Army teaches them while others just want to get by and get out. There are certainly many Soldiers that enter the Army with the idea of making it a career and many of those never see service beyond their first enlistment. So that brings us to statistics. 17% of those who enter active duty retire after 20 or more years. The opposite of that is 83% who leave prior to the 20 year level.

So how does civilian careers compare to military careers? They don't! Take a military mechanic, supply/logistics soldier, truck driver or even medical careers. Though they sound like there is a direct correlation the jobs are vastly different. Look at the number of COMBAT ACTION BADGE awards (non combat arms jobs). 94,395 non combat soldiers were awarded the badge for combat actions in Iraq & Afghanistan, civilians are not in combat. The number of infantry soldiers awarded the COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE is 64,741 for Iraq & Afghanistan. If non military citizens think that the medical field is exempt (don't even consider that stupid show on ABC) from combat, they are not. The COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE has been awarded 15,573 times for action in Iraq & Afghanistan.

So when the civilian heads of the military consider a change to the retirement plan don't ask a civilian with no military experience to come up with a better plan.

One more thing, no one in civilian employment gets a retirement after 5 or 10 years on the job.

Question for reporter

http://news.yahoo.com/back-school-special-arne-duncan-goes-off-script-092006580.html "There is a lot of concern that these new waivers could lessen the pressure, particularly in diverse suburban schools, to improve outcomes for minority kids. How are you going to continue to ensure that minority kids don't get overlooked as a result of the new flexibility?" by ANDREW J. ROTHERHAM | Time.com In an interview with the US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. But in the world of political correctness does the question mean that educators are racist? That educators would deliberately not teach to minorities?

Just a thought!

Another 5 Soldiers Killed

WHAT: Five Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum NY killed by an IED.
WHY; Because the US is still in Afghanistan fighting for a nation that does not want us there.
WHERE: Kandahar province while on a breakfast run.
WHEN: Thursday, 18 August 2011

While headed to breakfast an IED ripped through the hull of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP). The type of explosion was so powerful that it pushed the engine into the crew compartment. Thus the thought that the explosive was of military grade. The five were led by their Squad Leader who perished in the attack. The other four Soldiers & Squad Leader were all in their 20's. What a waste of great Americans doing what the enlisted to do: Follow the Orders of their Superiors. Just have to wonder what "superior" means. Certainly there are many Soldiers that do not believe in the war, but because they are good Soldiers they do as told. If the President had kept his campaign promises about ending the Afghan war there is a chance that this news would not have been delivered to the families of those lost.
As the Army developed better vehicles to withstand the blasts of IED's they should have known that the enemy would also improve the bomb making material used against the US Military in both theaters. This war should not go on as long as the current withdrawal plans indicate. It should end now and bring our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors & Airmen home sooner rather than later.
Screw you GW & Donald Rumsfeld.

"A closed mouth don't get fed!"

While not grammatically correct, could a statement be more true?
Of course there are more meanings to that statement than an empty stomach. In a way I guess you could apply that statement to a great many things in life. Apply it to your brain, opinion, weight gain/loss, relationships, appetites & passions and i think the list could go on & on & on.
As Confusious said "An opinion set in stone is that of stupidity."  Look that up on Googgle or Bing.

National Debt

The US Congress seems afraid to vote against most legislation that comes before them concerning the DoD budget, especially the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
Active duty Soldiers and SPOUSES can now be reimbursed for books and other supplies. Does that mean if they sell the book back, do they have to return the money back to DoD/Treasury? Beginning Oct. 1, active duty members and their spouses can receive up to $1,000 for books and supplies, per academic year, as part of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Active duty members were not previously eligible for the books and supplies funding, Veterans are. Spouses? Spouses are considered a part of the military almost as much as those who took the oath of service. Spouses just don't earn a retirement unless they divorce the service member after 10 years of marriage. If Congress' Super Committee of 12 wanted to strip a few million dollars from the DoD budget they could start with all non-service member benefits under the GI Bill. To me it is just to much "pork" in a program that costs a lot of money.
Department of Defense: The mission of the Department of Defense (DOD) is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country. Almost seems worth $700 billion and is mandated by the Constitution.
The Army currently at 570,000 plus active duty members and the Marine Corps currently with 201,000+ or - was deemed capable to fight 2 wars with only 483,000 soldiers and 171,000 Marines respectively. So with the draw down of troops in both Iraq  & Afghanistan why can't they go back to the post cold war numbers established under Bush I & Bill Clinton? The so-called Cheney Powell doctrine. There is no reason not to return the Navy & Air Force to those levels. The Coast Guard should be left alone in force reductions & budget cuts, 1.3 million men and women on active duty (should be reduced to post cold war numbers), nearly 700,000 civilian personnel (should be cut at least in half), and 1.1 million citizens who serve in the National Guard and Reserve forces (best value for the dollar).
Other things that could be done to reduce the current deficit budgets is do away with "Americorp", end the Bush prescription drug program under part D of Medicare, do away with the departments of Education, HUD, Energy & Labor.
Department of Education: Do away with the bureaucracy and the money that is sent to the states can continue. The states can do a much better job of spending the money without federal government help. Besides "No Child Left Behind" is a farce and a failure. The U.S. Secretary of Education oversees the Department's 4,200 employees and $68.6 billion budget.
The USDA also plays an important role in overseas aid programs by providing surplus foods to developing countries. Why wouldn't you feed the poor and destitute in this country before sending it overseas? In a recent news articles and on TV news food banks all around Utah and the nation need more to help feed those who can't buy their own. $95 billion annual budget
"The Department of Commerce is the government agency tasked with improving living standards for all Americans by promoting economic development and technological innovation. The department supports U.S. business and industry through a number of services, including gathering economic and demographic data, issuing patents and trademarks, improving understanding of the environment and oceanic life, and ensuring the effective use of scientific and technical resources. The agency also formulates telecommunications and technology policy, and promotes U.S. exports by assisting and enforcing international trade agreements." Do you see anything wrong with that statement from the whitehouse.gov/our-government/executivebranch? Those in yellow seem to belong to some other agencies and are duplicated elsewhere in federal & state governments. But why would I throw a tizzy about $6.5 billion budget for a cabinet department  with that low of a budget.
Department of Energy:

The mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) is to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. If this agency, formed in the 1970's, had done anything towards accomplishing its mission, perhaps I wouldn't think it should go away. But I doubt it because with its budget of $23 billion it is truly a waste of taxpayer money.

More later......

adding search element to my blog

I tried and tried to add the search box code & search results code to my layout. Did not have any success doing so. I even read the instructions several times and still couldn't get both to upload as .txt documents or using a copy & paste. Maybe tomorrow when I am not in so much pain.

I moved wrong on Saturday evening, just twisted a little. Nothing happened then that would have made this week somewhat difficult to bare. Sunday morning I sat up in bed to eat pancakes and "pop", pain. Since then movement has been difficult and painful. A few years back this wouldn't have bothered me so much. I would be less mobile but it would only last a couple of days, now going on 4 days.

Take vitamin D or get some sunshine every day. It works miracles.

Socialist Drift

As I sit here dozing & nodding off I wonder what it would have been like if I would have stayed on unemployment insurance instead of going back to work? Seems the Donkeys in Washington DC think those unemployed should continue to get paid for being unemployed as if it were a job. So instead of go out and find "something" that pays you money, we will pay you to stay at home, NANNY STATE will take care of you. What can you do with $350.00 a week (local average)? Just think how much money the IRS will collect from the income taxes on that income. Wow! Balance the Federal Budget maybe.
The Food Stamp Nation! Approximately 15% of the population of the U.S. was on NANNY STATE we will pay for you to eat. Now that comes with some restrictions of course but at least it isn't taxed at the federal level.  I do have to thank the NANNY STATE for feeding my family during a time of under employment.
I recall Nanci Pelosi coming to a microphony with some others not serving and defending the Constitution of the United States of America with great big smiles on their faces when the Donkeys were in charge of congress. Nothing but smiles. I have begun to think that part of freshman orientation for serving in congress must be acting lessons on smiling and frowning. Back to nothing but smiles. She would almost take it down the throat to get close to a microphony in order to smile because something had passed congress and moved us closer to NANNY STATE. Now that the Donkeys are not in charge we don't see much of Nanci smiling & sometimes almost laughing (at us) with her comrades. Mostly frowns now because she isn't getting her way.
Now to be a little fair. We rarely see Speaker of the Farce ranting and raging because "the hell you have" Boehner has less to rant about. What good are RINOs anyway, John Wayne used to go hunt them in Africa in the movies and didn't wipe them all off the planet. To bad.
On more cheerful news gold is over $1700 a troy ounce and silver is somewhere over $40 an ounce. Is silver measured in Troy? I wonder why the Greeks moved?

Playing with fire!

As a politically independent person I wonder what will happen if there is no deal on the National Debt Limit. Currently I believe that if it is not raised there is a great deal that the government can still pay out. $178 billion to $220 billion a month is what the US Treasury takes in. I have heard that SSN payments take up in the neighborhood of $20 billion a month. Military pay is < $13 billion (if my math is correct) per month. Interest on the National Debt has averaged 42,874,661,055.30 for the 9 months of FY 11. Approximate total is $76 billion for the 3 largest expenditures by the US Federal Government. I haven't looked at outlays for Medicare/Medicaid, so the total remaining for all other Fed Programs is $102 to $144 billion a month.

The point of this is that my income comes from the Federal Govt. I could be in a lot of trouble if the POYUS & Congress do not resolve their differences on raising the debt limit and cutting spending. Personally I hope that they do not and we will see that nothing changes because the words the POYUS keeps saying is that social security recipients won't get paid, there is enough to pay on time. Military serving in the wars, OIF/OEF/OND will not get paid, there is enough for that and the entire military to get paid. Now when it comes to other agencies there will probably need to be some cut backs.

I feel that there is a lot of hot air blowing out of DC and that the average guy on Main Street can just keep on keeping on. Then we can all vote the bums out who were elected  to Congress prior to 2000. That is where the real problem is. Just look at the House Ways & Means Committee, it all begins there.

You don't stumble

You just don't.

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You don't stumble

You just don't.

Enjoying it though at work

I went outside for a break from all this posting accounting stuff. The sky is very blue today with the very white clouds floating by. As the clouds reach the mountains they billow up more and more. Taking on more water as they move east. It is a fascinating thing.
Then there are the magpie birds, I think magpies that have to make a lot of noise and break the peace and quite of the garden. Peace and quiet other than the traffic on Foothill Dr/Blvd. which is just normal and doesn't disturb the tranquility.
This is a day that I wished I had ridden the motorcycle to work. This morning I was not in the mood to put on the chaps and a warmer jacket due to the temperature. But what a beautiful day. Finally a few days of great weather. Not the two good days followed by 3-4 rainy cloudy & cold days as has been the pattern.
Maybe it will be a camping weekend. Haven't looked at the trailer but Mom and Nichole took out one of our canopies and said everything inside looked OK. Only real problem is the truck is overheating a bit, so pulling the trailer may be a problem. After front shocks maybe it is time for a new thermostat or worse a new water pump.
No postings by any one other than Heather. Nice post about their trip to Disneyland, yes the California resort not Disney world.

Golf ball flies further & straighter

I love golf, the only sport I love. A ball that corrects my slice, great though the USGA does not agree. Rugge said "So we're not going to dumb it down." ""For the last 15 years, advances in conforming club and ball technologies have made it easier to play," Yes younger players hit the ball longer than the golden bear, arnold, gary, tom, curtis and others over 50. So do those over 50 hit it further than the did with the old wood drivers. so how does a ball effect anyone but a duffer like me. USGA has rules so it does'nt. end of story.
Rugge is in charge of something for the USGA.

Add ons

I added a few pictures of some of the things I really enjoy. You will have to guess what they are.
Hint: What I love to do when the weather is dry and above 40 degrees F.
I found these on a site linked with Facebook, there are so many but I am sure you have figured it out by now.

Months and Months have gone by

Yes, it has been at least 4 months since anyone connected here have posted anything. I started a few weeks ago to write a soldiers night before Christmas, but have up. Now with little or nothing to do here at work, I thought I would check out the blogs I follow to see if there was anything new. There's not.
So with Facebook, Tweeter, MySpace etc., probably no one I know will see this. For privacy this is the best place to post things. But, I have nothing to say or post so I will just close for now.