AMERICA'S GREATNESS UNDER ATTACK FROM WITHIN

Buffet's Secretary's Taxes - The Story Just Doesn't Compute

2012-01-30T12:25:00.000-05:00

Excerpts from - Investors.com -January 26, 2012
The story on Warren Buffett's secretary, the poster child for raising taxes on the rich, gets fishier by the minute. - the more we learn about Bosanek, the less it looks as though she's "just like an average citizen."

An ABC News report says she "pays a tax rate of 35.8%," in contrast to Buffett's 17.4%. But -- wait a second. The very top federal income tax bracket is 35%, not 35.8%, and that doesn't kick in until a taxpayer has adjusted gross income above $379,150.

Does that mean Bosanek is among the 0.4% of taxpayers whose income hits the top federal bracket? You know, the "1%" Obama and his pals always rail about? Buffett has claimed he pays his secretary just $60,000. So maybe she's adding in every other tax she pays besides her income tax, including her employer's share of Social Security and Medicare taxes.

But even that won't get you up to 35.8%.

Then there's the news that Bosanek and her husband just bought their second home, this one in Phoenix, for $144,000. Last time we checked, there weren't many 99 percenters who could cough up a $29,000 down payment for house No. 2, much less afford dual mortgages.

Maybe her husband makes a lot of money, pushing her into a higher bracket. But that, too, would call the lie on this whole charade, since a minimum-wage janitor could claim to pay taxes at the top rate if he were married to someone rich.

Given that, the public can't simply take their word for it. Indeed, if Buffett and Bosanek are telling the truth about their taxes, they should be delighted to prove it by releasing their 1040s for public inspection.

Until then, they should shut up.

Courtesy Arch McGill

Obama's Long Game

2012-01-29T13:06:00.002-05:00

Andrew Sullivan - a liberal pundit - wrote recently in The Daily Beast

"How Obama's Long Game Will Outsmart His Critics" check it out.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html

If you choose not to plow through Sullivan's piece, the essence of what he is saying is that the majority of voters will eventually see the light on the President's accomplishments and therefore the merits of hanging in with Obama's long game. The article outlines the typical liberal argument that Obama has saved the Country from a depression - has created millions of jobs - captured Bin Laden - stopped wasting money in Iraq and therefore has done most of what a Republican president would have done. He does not mention that Obama's (nonexistent) budget calls for making America look like Europe in the next 10 years and that his failure to support a strong dollar will make us a 3rd rate economic power. Nor is there a single word in his piece acknowledging that there are 13 million unemployed Americans whose only hope is to find a job in the private sector - which the President hates with a passion because we are not supporting his "principles of fairness".
A Blog follower wrote asking to know the counter arguments to Sullivan's key points that appeal to liberals whose view will carry the election. These are underlined below - followed by the Blog's counter argument - printed in bold.

They (meaning most liberals) miss, ------"the simple scale of what has been accomplished on issues liberals say they care about":

A depression was averted. No basis, in fact, to support this statement - no way anyone could possibly know this - this is a classic case of the President and his supporters repeating a message until it becomes a fact. It is fact that the actual crisis moment occurred on Bush/Paulson's watch - yet you don't hear either of these guys beating their chest about who "saved us". Private sector success and failure occurs on the watch of every President - it is ludicrous for any President to claim credit for creating success ( e.g. jobs) or averting failure. This point is THE key question to be decided in November - are the ups and downs of economic cycles primarily controlled by the government or by the private sector?

The bail-out of the auto industry was amazingly successful. There is not an ounce of fact to support this point unless the majority of the voting public agrees that success is measured by saving jobs at well above global competitive wage rates. That is the liberal's definition of "amazing" success - not an ounce of evidence to support that the majority of voters believe this. GM and Chrysler - just like every single airline - could have gone through a bankruptcy proceeding and come out with new management and competitive wages and pensions. Furthermore - GM and Chrysler are dead losers in financial terms - which in a free market is the normal indicator of "success". The original preferred bondholders were washed out in the bailout in favor of the employees and the common shareholders - a travesty of justice - and the taxpayers will never recover its investment on either of these companies. The Chrysler equity investment was sold to Fiat at a $1.3 billion loss!! GMC stock is selling at 60% below the taxpayers cost - no one believes that any private investor will ever buy back that investment at $59/share.

Even the bank bailouts have been repaid to a great extent by a recovering banking sector. Again - there are no facts to support this statement - we only know the amount of loans to the Banks that have been repaid - the huge amount of dollars printed by the Federal Reserve to bolster the banks' reserves have never been disclosed. We will never know the complete truth.

The Iraq War - the issue that made Obama the nominee - has been ended on time and, vitally, with no troops left behind. Defense is being cut steadily, even as Obama has moved his own party away from a Pelosi-style reflexive defense of all federal entitlements. This is true - but the final outcome of these actions in terms of having a stable Arab ally is unknown. If all hell breaks out in Iraq as a result of them embracing Iran as an ally - and the oil supply is halted to the Western world - then we will know the rest of the story. Bottom line: it is too early for Obama to declare victory on this and - if all hell breaks loose in Iraq before the election - the issue will become fodder for the swing voters.

Under Obama, support for marriage equality and marijuana legalization has crested to record levels. This is a liberal priority and pleases Obama's base - there is zero evidence to support the 'fact' that the majority of the voters care.

Under Obama, a crucial state, New York, made marriage equality for gays an irreversible fact of American life. It is utter nonsense for Obama to take credit for this action.

Gays now openly serve in the military, and the Defense of Marriage Act is dying in the courts, undefended by the Obama Justice Department. No comment - who cares?

Vast government money has been poured into noncarbon energy investments, via the stimulus. Agreed - but what is the return on this investment? Check out this post:

http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2012/01/when-will-we-awake-from-obamas-bad.html

Fuel-emission standards have been drastically increased. I checked the web and can find no evidence to support this statement - therefore doubt it is true. Maybe he means fuel efficiency standards. If so - every administration in the last 30 years has 'drastically increased' these standards and the fact is that the automobile companies have NEVER met the standards. This is a never ending political game - the gov't sets new standards - time passes - the standards aren't met - the auto companies get a waiver from the gov't - the standards are thus meaningless.

Torture was ended. Who has defined "torture"? Who was "tortured"? Polls show that the majority of Americans believe that waterboarding is not torture.

Two moderately liberal women replaced men on the Supreme Court. This is only important to liberals - who represent only 30% of voters - the rest of the Country believes that judges should be chosen on the basis of merit. .

Oh, yes, and the liberal holy grail that eluded Johnson and Carter and Clinton, nearly universal health care, has been set into law. Not a single poll has ever indicated that the majority of Americans want universal health care. There is no evidence that supports the premise that 'universal health care' improves the lives of Americans.

Politifact recently noted that of 508 specific promises, a third had been fulfilled and only two have not had some action taken on them. To have done all this while simultaneously battling an economic hurricane makes Obama about as honest a follow-through artist as anyone can expect from a politician. Absolute drivel!!

Leadership Vacuum - Dis-Respect Defined!!

2012-01-26T18:40:00.002-05:00

Do you suppose it ever occurs to his highness that there is something wrong with these pictures? Maybe he needs a railroad passenger conductor on his staff to remind him to get his xxxx feet off of public property. My mother is rolling over in her grave!

Courtesy Tom Commes

Obama's Plan to Transform America Into European Socialism -True or False?

2012-01-22T20:18:00.000-05:00

Dick Morris

http://www.youtube.com/v/LdTyUvY66Mw?version=3

Obama Wants To Level The American Playing Field: Hey - Why Not This?

2012-01-22T11:54:00.001-05:00

Rumor has it that President Obama - in pursuit of his campaign to level the playing field for all Americans - will soon urge Congress and the Senate to pass sweeping legislation that will provide new benefits for many Americans: The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA). The President says he will sign it as soon as it hits his desk. The AWNAA is being hailed as a major legislative goal by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or ambition.

"Many Americans do not possess the competence and drive necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society," said California Senator Barbara Boxer. "We can no longer stand by and allow People of Inability to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of workers, simply because they have some idea of what they are doing. We are legalizing another protected class of Americans, 'Persons of Inability'."

In a Capitol Hill press conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) pointed to the success of the U.S. Postal Service, which has a long-standing policy of providing opportunity without regard to performance. At the state government level, the Department of Motor Vehicles also has an excellent record of hiring Persons of Inability (a whopping 83%).

Under The Americans With No Abilities Act more than 25 million positions will be created for Persons of Inability with important-sounding titles but little real responsibility, thus providing an illusory sense of purpose and performance. Mandatory non-performance-based raises and promotions will be gven so as to guarantee upward mobility for even the most inept employees. The legislation provides substantial tax breaks to corporations that promote a significant number of Persons of Inability into middle-management positions and gives a tax credit to small and medium-sized businesses that agree to hire a clueless worker for every two talented hires.

Finally, the AWNAA contains tough new measures to make it more difficult to discriminate against Persons of Inability, banning, or example, discriminatory interview questions such as, 'Do you have any skills or experience that relate to this job?' As a non-abled person, I can't be expected to keep up with people who have something going for them, said Ken Cox, who lost his position as a $70 an hour lug-nut twister at the GM plant in Flint, Michigan, due to his inability to remember 'righty-tightie, Lefty-loosey.' “This new law should be real good for people like me,” Cox added. With the passage of this bill Cox and millions of other untalented citizens will finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Said Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), "As a Senator with no abilities, I believe the same privileges that elected officials enjoy ought to be extended to every American with no abilities. It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and every American citizen, regardless of his or her inadequacy, with some sort of space to take up in this great nation and a good salary for doing so.”

Courtesy Joe Leonardi

Free Enterprise Critics Are Intellectually Bankrupt - It Is Never Easy!!

2012-01-21T18:48:00.003-05:00

Excerpt From The Aspen Times - Melanie Sturm: Think Again January 19 , 2012

Capitalism is like cancer surgery — though risky and unpleasant to watch, it's a life-enhancing, regenerative process allowing productive cells to flourish where unhealthy ones once permeated. Since not all practitioners are well-trained surgeons, the process can be messy and imperfect. Sometimes the patient weakens before recovering vitality; sometimes he dies, making room for the healthy.

Struggling companies whose shortsighted and complacent management fail to reinvent can be attractive to private equity investors who believe their risk capital (not taxpayers) and expertise can enable small and sometimes-troubled companies to profitably reincarnate. Though risky and uncertain, corporate turnarounds involve losing excess weight, consolidation and the injection of new ideas and fresh money. Successful ventures yield returns commensurate with the risk and “smart money” reputations; failure assures the reverse.

When opportunistic politicians cherry-pick failures in order to compare “turnaround capitalists” to rapacious corporate raiders or “vulture capitalists,” they're themselves birdbrains whose intellectual honesty is as compromised as their intellectual capacity. Where is the advantage in stealing from yourself? That's the implication when “turnaround capitalists” are accused of looting the companies they own.

Read the entire story
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20120119/COLUMN/120119799/1021&parentprofile=1061

When Will We Awake From Obama's Bad Green Dream?

2012-01-20T10:53:00.003-05:00

Excerpts from Investors Business Daily - January 19, 2012

While campaigning for the presidency in 2008, Barack Obama: "We'll invest $15 billion a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating 5 million new green jobs that pay well, can't be outsourced and help end our dependence on foreign oil," he said that fall.

Three years into the Obama presidency ....... government pouring taxpayers' money into pet projects that wasted the cash. A particularly sore example is Solyndra, which not only went bankrupt after taking in more than $500 million in taxpayers' dollars, but also became the target of an FBI probe

..........at least 12 clean energy companies "are having trouble after collectively being approved for more than $6.5 billion in federal assistance."

........."Five have filed for bankruptcy: ........ Beacon, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt, AES' subsidiary Eastern Energy and Solyndra,"
Also in trouble: • Nevada Geothermalal, ..........• SunPower .......• First Solar, .......• Willard & Kelsey Solar Group.................• Green Vehicles ...............• Johnson Controls plant in Michigan

Failed green energy programs aren't uniquely American. Der Spiegel reported this week, "For weeks now, the 1.1 million solar power systems in Germany have generated almost no electricity."

Spain has had a similarly painful experience. For every green job that country created, it destroyed 2.2 jobs in the real economy.

Same in Scotland, where each alternative energy job has displaced four in the rest of the economy.

Read the full story:

http://news.investors.com/Article/598318/201201191838/green-dream-an-economic-nightmare.htm

Canada: Real Economic Prosperity - America: Politics Tragically Trumps All

2012-01-19T12:53:00.001-05:00

Reprint Wall Street Journal Opinion Page January 18, 2012

A Tale Of Two Pipelines

Oh, for the bad old days, when Americans could poke fun at Canada for its economic policies. Nowadays, Canada has it all over the U.S.

Take the contrasting political reaction to proposed pipelines to carry oil from Alberta's oil sands. In the U.S., the Obama Administration has sat on a permit for the $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline that would create thousands of jobs, break a supply logjam in Cushing, Oklahoma, and carry the oil to refineries along the Gulf Coast. President Obama may soon kill the Keystone XL now that Congress is forcing him to finally make a decision.

Then there's Canada, where private companies want to invest $5.4 billion to build a Northern Gateway Pipeline that would carry Alberta oil to ports in British Columbia. Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, recently blasted the "radicals" trying to block the project.

Mr. Oliver said the green movement's "goal is to stop any major project no matter what the cost to Canadian families in lost jobs and economic growth. No forestry. No mining. No oil. No gas. No more hydroelectric dams." He said the greens "attract jet-setting celebrities with some of the largest carbon footprints in the world to lecture Canadians not to develop our natural resources." These groups are willing to "sue anyone and everyone to delay the project even further" to the point it becomes "economically unviable." Sounds right, if a tad understated.

Canadians are at least as environmentally sensitive as Americans, but they realize the economic folly in failing to exploit abundant their national energy resources. They also realize it's possible to balance energy production for economic growth with environmental protections.

The Northern Gateway Pipeline is especially important for Canada given Mr. Obama's hostility to the Keystone XL. If the U.S. shuns Alberta oil, apparently preferring imports from Venezuela, then Canada needs to reach export markets in Asia. "I think it is essential," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said recently, "based on what's happened with Keystone XL." Whoever thought the day would come when Ottawa would be more pro-growth than the U.S. government?

America's Greatest Women

2012-01-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/militarywiveschoir?feature=watch

Tebow Mania

2012-01-15T14:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jD6B1CXXgM0&noredirect=1

Courtesy Arch McGill

"We Sleep Safe In Our Beds Because Rough Men Stand Ready" Orwell 4/4/42

2012-01-15T14:41:00.003-05:00

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a former Army lieutenant colonel, sends THE WEEKLY STANDARD an email commenting on the Marines' 'Uinegate" video:.

“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah. All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?"

“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter."

“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth. War is hell.”

Courtesy Jim Synch

Leadership Vaccuum - America Under Attack From Within

2012-01-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

This is the 3rd posting on the Blog of this reprint from the Czech Republic Observer

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting an inexperienced man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

Courtesy Joe Leonardi

No Wonder The Taxpayers Are Still "Stuck In The Ditch" - Look Where Joe and Barack Turned For Advice

2012-01-14T12:38:00.002-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Quag9dp1Nn4&feature=youtu.be

"Chrylser and GMC Paid Back ALL of The Bailout Money" - Utter Nonsense

2012-01-14T12:12:00.003-05:00

Chrylser recently put out the propaganda that they had paid back the US and Canadian debt in full and ahead of schedule - squarely aimed at duping the taxpayers into thinking that it was good deal - when in fact the combined Chrysle/GMC deal has been a dead loser for the taxpayers. In the interest of assuring that this is not a political argument - I won't use the term "bailout" to describe these transactions - because I acknowledge that there are 2 sides of the discussion as to whether the Government should have stepped in and financed the recovery of these 2 companies.

There is not enough space here to explain all of the ins and outs of the Chrysler/GMC transactions but there is not an ounce of fact that supports the widely spread rumor that "Chrysler and GM paid ALL they owed the government back and paid it back EARLY!" What they have done is only pay back the US and Canadian below market interest rate loans (GMC = $8.1 billion; Chrysler = $7.6 billion) - and what is worse - both Companies have taken subsequent government grants - subsidies etc and used those funds to pay back the loans. Bottom line - the loan financing of these 2 companies is a classic example of crony capitalism at its worst - and it is shameful that the Treasury Secretary and our President have chosen to not tell the taxpayers the truth.

The truth is - GMC originally received a total of $59 billion - Chrysler a total of $13 Billion - from the US and Canada taxpayers - mostly in the form of a way overvalued equity investment at the time i.e. not remotely close to the then bankrupt present value. The US and Canadian taxpayers recently sold their equity interest in Chrysler to Fiat at a $1.5 billion loss - that loss will never be recovered. The taxpayers still hold their equity interest in GMC at a current value of $24/share - 60% below the cost of their original investment There is not one financial analyst who believes that the taxpayers will ever recover their "investment" in GMC.

As to the political side of this issue, the truth is - the taxpayers' investment in these 2 companies (that couldn't compete with Toyota and Nissan), is also a dead loser. It was made by politicians who were sucked in by their corporate cronies/campaign contributors - under the false pretense that it would "save American jobs". The assembly plant assets could have been sold to the highest bidder - perhaps with a government subsidized loan - some jobs saved and the 2 companies would have been profitable under new management. As it now stands, GMC is still suffering under the control of the same management who screwed up the Company in the first place - still sucking subsidies from the taxpayers to stay alive. Chrysler is now owned by a 2nd rate Italian auto company - not known for their management prowess. And - Ford who didn't ask for a dime of taxpayer money is the most admired and successful American auto company.

A friend recently posted on Facebook while visiting Detroit - having heard the propoganda published by Chrysler on the radiio about the complete payback of the taxpayer's loan --- "How many of those stories aren't making the news because all we tend to get is info-tainment"? My answer - "If you want to get accurate news on almost any subject - don't expect to get it on Detroit radio."

Thomas Sowell on Our President

2012-01-13T16:19:00.000-05:00

O'Reilly, Obama, Wasserman (DNC), Gingrich, Perry - Cluelessly Connected: "Predatory Capitalists" = The Free Market Under Attack

2012-01-10T16:36:00.008-05:00

Transcript: O'Reilly on The Factor - January 9, 2012 - Stuart Varney segment - spewing out utter nonsense:

"I am more concerned whether he is a predatory capitalist - because there are a lot of raiders who go in - they buy these companies who are in trouble - and they fire everbody and they try to sell it at a profit - that's an industry - there is a degree of them - you know- here are some ruthless people who go in and every body knows - they go in with a big hammer. --- there are situations where venture capitalists go in - they gut the company - fire every body - reorganize at a smaller level and sell for a profit - that's what they do."

There is not a single basis, in fact, for any of the above commentary:
.
Who are these "predatory capitalists" - "ruthless raiders" who "everybody knows"?

What "industry" "fires everybody" - "goes in with a big hammer" - "guts the company"?

O'Reilly couldn't possibly name a specific victim company - or an "industry" - or a single venture firm that does these things because there are none.

We expect this kind of drivel to come out of the mouth of a liberal - now we discover that folks who we thought knew better are absolutely clueless about the role that buy out firms perform in our economic system - why they buy 'damaged' assets - and, most important, the reality of the risk/reward ratio of trying to fix troubled businesses. All of this is well known to most business people - but apparently not O'Reilly. This nonsense is exactly what we don't need in our Country - totally false propaganda uttered by a bloviating pundit that fuels the fire of socialists and turns already mis-informed American citizens against capitalism. What a shame!!

Oh for the days of Milton Friedman - he explained the never ending cleansing process of the free market so well. It is indeed shameful that Gingrich and Perry - with O'Reilly kibitzing on the sidelines - have dragged this leftist topic into the Republican primary election process.

A Fundamental Difference

2012-01-08T14:27:00.001-05:00

If a Conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a Liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a Conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
If a Liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a Conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a Liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a Conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A Liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a Conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberal's demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a Conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
A Liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.

If a Conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it..
A Liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

GE's Corporate Buddy - US Taxpayers - An Absurd & Blatant Handout

2011-12-18T19:43:00.006-05:00

GE Bills Taxpayers $490 Million for Wind-Energy Project

GE and its partners are getting a $1.06 billion Federal loan guarantee for the Shepherds Flat project in northern Oregon - a guarantee similar to the $529 million one that solar energy firm Solyndra received from the government before it went bankrupt.

Keep in mind -- GE's CEO Jeffrey Immelt is the head of President Barack Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. "The Obama administration's loan guarantee for the now-bankrupt Solyndra has garnered lots of attention, but the Shepherds Flat deal is an even better example of corporate welfare," Robert Bryce writes for National Review Online.
"The majority of the funding for the $1.9 billion, 845-megawatt Shepherds Flat wind project is coming courtesy of federal taxpayers," he notes, and "not only is the Energy Department giving GE and its partners a $1.06 billion loan guarantee, but as soon as GE's 338 turbines start turning at Shepherds Flat, the Treasury Department will send the project developers a cash grant of $490 million."
GE and its partners, which include Google, will enjoy an estimated return on equity of 30 percent, while over the past year the average electric utility's return on equity has been around 7 percent, according to Bryce, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of "Power Hungry: The Myths of 'Green' Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future."
He asks why the administration is providing subsidies to GE, which paid little or no federal income taxes last year despite earning some $5.1 billion in profits from its American operations.
And he wonders why Immelt can head Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness when Obama has consistently criticized the oil and gas industry for exploiting what he claims are excessive tax breaks.
As for the permanent "green energy jobs" being created by the wind project, CNN Money has estimated the number to be 35. Taking into consideration only the $490 million grant and ignoring the loan guarantee, the cost of each job will be about $14 million.

Groundhog Day Is Less Tban 2 months Away

2011-12-18T19:18:00.003-05:00

In the coming New Year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address will occur on the same day - February 2, 2012.. This is an ironic juxtaposition of events.

One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication.

The other involves a groundhog.

Courtesy Rick Lewis

No Generation Like It

2011-12-16T09:47:00.004-05:00

Richard Sullivan

"65 Years Ago my Dad shot this film along Kalakaua Ave. in Waikiki capturing spontaneous celebrations that broke out upon first hearing news of the Japanese surrender."

http://vimeo.com/5645171

And the icing on the cake - background music - Jimmy Durante singing "I'll Be Seein' You"

Too many went away - too few came back. Wives - mothers - fathers - brothers - sisters - girl freinds all sang this line: "---- I'll be lookin' at the moon - but I'll be seein' you"

Please - please - please - show this clip to your kids and grandkids - is it possible that they can grasp from it what those kids did for us? Maybe not.

A Real Christmas Story

2011-12-12T18:19:00.000-05:00

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.
After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.
Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what..
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed.
He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.
After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?"
"You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what? Yeah," I said, "Why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to
wonder if the horses would be able to pull it.
Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked.
"Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just hadgunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile thismorning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?"
"Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children - sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled he eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."
I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us." In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again.
I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me tom invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do.
"Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children.
For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life."

Courtesy Dave Walton

Merry Christmas in Brooklyn

2011-12-11T19:55:00.000-05:00

http://www.wabcradio.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp?SPID=22807&ID=2050461

Courtesy Joe Leonardi

Debt Destroying The Free World: USA Now Leading the Pack

2011-12-10T13:14:00.000-05:00

The Eurozone countries have just pleddged to limit their annual deficits to 3.5% - (don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen.)

The GDP for the USA in 2010 was $15.2 trillion.
Our fiscal year 2011 budget deficit was $1.7 trillion.

OUR ANNUAL DEFICIT IS NOW 11.2% OF OUR GDP!!

The 2010 annual budget deficit in Greece peaked at 10.5% of their GDP

God - please save us from the political hacks who are now in charge of this idiocy!!

Midwest Values: Lambeau Field - Packers vs Vikings December 5, 2011

2011-12-10T12:48:00.000-05:00

Downward Wisconsin - We Used To Make Things

2011-12-07T13:51:00.000-05:00

Moment Of Clarity is a weekly commentary by Libertarian writer and speaker Tim Nerenz, Ph.D.

We made machine tools in Milwaukee, cars in Kenosha and ships in Sheboygan. We mined iron in the north and lead in the south. We made cheese, we made brats, we made beer, and we even made napkins to clean up what we spilled. And we made money.

The original war on poverty was a private, mercenary affair. Men like Harnishfeger, Allis, Chalmers, Kohler, Kearney, Trecker, Modine, Case, Mead, Falk, Allen, Bradley, Cutler, Hammer, Bucyrus, Harley, Davidson, Pabst, and Miller lifted millions up from subsistence living to middle class comfort. They did it - not Fighting Bob La Follette or any of the politicians who came along later to take the credit and rake a piece of the action through the steepest progressive scheme in the nation.

Those old geezers with the beards cured poverty by putting people to work. Generations of Wisconsinites learned trades and mastered them in the factories, breweries, mills, foundries, and shipyards those capitalists built with their hands. Thousands of small businesses supplied these industrial giants, and tens of thousands of proprietors and professionals provided all of the services that all those other families needed to live well. The wealth got spread around plenty.

The profits generated by our great industrialists funded charities, the arts, education, libraries, museums, parks, and community development associations. Taxes on their profits, property, and payrolls built our schools, roads, bridges, and the safety net that Wisconsin's progressives are still taking credit for, as if the money came from their council meetings. The offering plates in churches of every denomination were filled with money left over from company paychecks that were made possible because a few bold young men risked it all and got rich. Don't thank God for them; thank them that you learned about God.

Their wealth pales in comparison to the wealth they created for millions and millions of other Wisconsin families. Those with an appreciation for the immeasurable contributions of Wisconsins industrial icons of 1910 will find the list of Wisconsins top ten employers of 2010 appalling:

Walmart, University of WisconsinMadison, Milwaukee Public Schools, U.S. Postal Service, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Menards, Marshfield Clinic, Aurora Health Care, City of Milwaukee, and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

This is what a century of progressivism will get you. Wisconsin is the birthplace of the progressive movement, the home of the Socialist Party, the first state to allow public sector unions, the cradle of environmental activism, a liberal fortress walled off against common sense for decades. Their motto, Forward Wisconsin, should be changed to Downward Wisconsin if truth in advertising applies to slogans.

There is no shortage of activists, advocates, and agitators in this State. If government were the answer to our problems, we would have no problems. The very same people or people just like them who picketed, struck, sued, taxed, and regulated our great companies out of this state are now complaining about the unemployment and poverty that they have brought upon themselves. They got rid of those old rich white guys and replaced them with…nothing.

Wisconsin ranks 47th in the rate of new business formation. We are one of the worst states for native college graduate exodus; our brightest and most ambitious graduates leave to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Why shouldn't they? Our tax rates are among the worst in the nation and our business climate, perpetually in the bottom of the rankings, has only recently moved up, thanks to a Governor who now faces a recall for his trouble.

In 1970, the new environmental movement joined unions and socialists in a coordinated effort to demonize industry. When I was in college, the ranting against polluting profiteers was like white noise, always there. They won, and here is the price of their victory: in 1970, manufacturers paid 18.2% of Wisconsin's property taxes, the major source of school funding - and in 2010 those who remained paid 3.7%.

So who is it that caused the funding crisis in our schools and the skyrocketing tax rates on our homes? It is the same ignoramuses who are sitting on bridges, pooping on things, and passing around recall petitions. The unemployed 26-year old in the hemp hat looking for sympathy might look instead for some inspiration from Jerome I. Case, who started his agricultural equipment business at the age of 21, miraculously without an iPhone 4s.

Mr. Case got rich by asking people what they want and making it for them. He did not get rich by telling people what he wanted and waiting for them to do something about it. If you want to declare war on your own poverty, memorize that.

In the last decade alone we have lost 150,000 manufacturing jobs in this state, over 25%. And it's not just jobs that have been lost; the companies that provided them are gone. Those jobs are not coming back, no matter how long we extend unemployment benefits pretending they are. The 450,000 people who still work in manufacturing in Wisconsin are damn good it at, but we are now outnumbered by people who work for government. A significant number of the latter are tasked with taxing, regulating, and generally harassing the former. While it is true that many manufacturers chased low-wage opportunities on their own, many more were driven out of the state by the increasing cost of doing business here.

It is a myth that unions improve wages. If you consider only the 1,000 jobs in a closed shop, you might think an average union wage is, say, $30/hr. But if you add in the zero wages of the 10,000 jobs lost in companies chased out by union harassment, the average of all 11,000 union workers is reduced to $2.72/hr. Do you know the average wage of union iron miners in this state? Zero. And the left is fighting hard to keep it that way in Northern Wisconsin - looking out for the working man, they call it.

It is also a myth that free trade causes job losses. Over the past three years, U.S. manufacturers sold $70 billion more goods to our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners than we bought from them. Conversely, we suffered a $1.3 trillion trade deficit with countries where no FTAs exist. I doubt that kids are going to learn that in our government-union monopoly schools it doesn't fit the narrative.

No one wants to see another person suffer in poverty, and liberty is the best economic policy there is. The great industrialists of Wisconsin took less than a generation to lift millions up to a life of dignity, pride, prosperity and good will. When enterprise was free and government was limited, we all prospered.

Those great men of industry were not anointed at birth to be rich; they rose from nothing to great wealth through their own hard work and the value they added to their employees and their customers through choice, competition, and voluntary exchange. That is the only sure path to real prosperity; the debt economy is a temporary illusion.

Look again at the list of our famous industrialists and the list of our current employers. Who would you wish your child or grandchild to grow up to be? Who do you think will do more good on this earth: Jerome I Case and his tractors, or the Coordinator of Supplier Diversity at MPS.

If you chose MPS, then apply now; that job is open, and it pays up to $72,000 plus benefits and early retirement. Go in peace and save the world. Me, I'm going with the tractor guy.

Courtesy Tom Commes

Tax The Rich - Here's How It Would All Work Out

2011-12-05T20:07:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8LKII_MNA

"Ineptocracy" (pronounced "in-ep-toc’-ra-cy") - Today in Washington DC

2011-12-05T01:37:00.000-05:00

Ineptocracy - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

With Friends Like This - Who Needs Enemies?

2011-12-05T01:18:00.000-05:00

Voting records of various Arabic/Islamic States - recorded in both the US State Department and United Nations records:
Kuwait votes against the United States 67% of the time
Qatar votes against the United States 67% of the time
Morocco votes against the United States 70% of the time
United Arab Emirates votes against the United States 70% of the time.
Jordan votes against the United States 71% of the time.
Tunisia votes against the United States 71% of the time.
Saudi Arabia votes against the United States 73% of the time.
Yemen votes against the United States 74% of the time.
Algeria votes against the United States 74% of the time.
Oman votes against the United States 74% of the time.
Sudan votes against the United States 75% of the time.
Pakistan votes against the United States 75% of the time.
Libya votes against the United States 76% of the time.
Egypt votes against the United States 79% of the time.
Lebanon votes against the United States 80% of the time.
India votes against the United States 81% of the time.
Syria votes against the United States 84% of the time.
Mauritania votes against the United States 87% of the time.

U S Foreign Aid to those that hate us for example:

Egypt - $2,000,000,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
Jordan - $192,814,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
Pakistan - $6,721,000,000 annually in US Foreign Aid.
India - $143,699,000 annually.

GO FIGGER' !!!!

Even The New York Times Questions Green Jobs

2011-12-05T01:04:00.000-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/10/04/04greenwire-green-jobs-training-program-falls-short-should-85450.html

Barack vs.Abe - Taxing the Rich

2011-12-05T00:41:00.001-05:00

Obama - the Democrat continues to quote Lincoln - the Republican.

So I said to him, "Barack, I know Abe Lincoln - And you ain't Abe Lincoln ."

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves."

... Abraham Lincoln

Nero in the White House

2011-12-04T23:52:00.000-05:00

No decent American can enjoy reading - much less posting on a Blog - what is written below. But consider first the source - a black man - so there can be no raciist undertone. Then read what he says- in light of the fact that we have a President now 100% in campaign mode 11 months before the election telling Americans - mostly the wealthy - that we are lazy and need to do and give more.

By Mychal Massie - Chairman of the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives

Three significant historical events have been eclipsed by Obama: 1) Jimmy Carter will no longer be looked upon as the worst president in American history; 2) Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton will no longer be recognized as the greatest liars in presidential history; 3) Clinton's stain on Monica's dress, and what that did to the White House in general and the office of the president specifically, will forever pale in comparison to the stain and stench of Obama.

I need not spend much time on the failure of Obama as president. His tenure has been a failure on every measurable level. So much so, in fact, that some of the staunchest, most respected liberal Democrats and Democratic supporters have not only openly criticized him – some even more harshly than this essayist – but they have called for him to step down.

Richard Nixon's words "I am not a crook," punctuated with his involvement in Watergate, and Bill Clinton's finger-wagging as he told one of the most pathetic lies in presidential history, in the aftermath of Obama, will be viewed as mere prevarications.

Mr. Nixon and Clinton lied to save their backsides. Although, I would argue there are no plausible explanations for doing what they did, I could entertain arguments pursuant to understanding their rationales for lying. But in the case of Obama, he lies because he is a liar. He doesn't only lie to cover his misdeeds – he lies to get his way. He lies to belittle others and to make himself look presentable at their expense. He lies about his faith, his associations, his mother, his father and his wife. He lies and bullies to keep his background secret. His lying is congenital and compounded by socio-psychological factors of his life.

Never in my life, inside or outside of politics, have I witnessed such dishonesty in a political leader. He is the most mendacious political figure I have ever witnessed. Even by the low standards of his presidential predecessors, his narcissistic, contumacious arrogance is unequalled. Using Obama as the bar, Nero would have to be elevated to sainthood.

As the stock markets were crashing, taking with them the remaining lifesaving of untold tens of thousands, Obama was hosting his own birthday celebration, which was an event of epicurean splendidness. The shamelessness of the event was that it was not a state dinner to welcome foreign dignitaries, nor was it to honor an American accomplishment – it was to honor the Pharaoh, Barack Hussein Obama. The event's sole purpose was for the Pharaoh to have his loyal subjects swill wine, indulge in gluttony and behavior unfit to take place on the property of taxpayers, as they suffer. It was of a magnitude comparable to that of Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski's $2 million birthday extravaganza for its pure lack of respect for the people.

Permit me to digress momentarily. The U.S. Capitol and the White House were built with the intent of bringing awe and respect to America and her people. They were also built with the intent of being the greatest of equalizers. I can tell you, having personally been to both, there is a moment of awe and humility associated with being in the presence of the history of those buildings. They are to be honored and inscribed into our national psyche, not treated as a Saturday night house party at Chicago 's Cabrini-Green.

The people of America own that home Obama and his wife continue to debase with their pan-ghetto behavior. It is clear that Obama and family view themselves as royalty, but they're not. They are employees of "we the people," who are suffering because of his failed policies. What message does this behavior send to those who today are suffering as never before?

What message does it send to all Americans who are struggling? Has anyone stopped to think what the stock market downturn forebodes for those 80 million baby boomers who will be retiring in the next period of years? Is there a snowball's chance in the Sahara that every news program on the air would applaud this behavior if it were George W. Bush? To that point, do you remember the media thrashing Bush took for having a barbecue at the White House?

Like Nero – who was only slightly less debaucherous than Caligula – with wine on his lips Obama treated "we the people" the way Caligula treated those over whom he lorded.

Many in America wanted to be proud when the first person of color was elected president, but instead, they have been witness to a congenital liar, a woman who has been ashamed of America her entire life, failed policies, intimidation and a commonality hitherto not witnessed in political leaders. He and his wife view their life at our expense as an entitlement – while America 's people go homeless, hungry and unemployed.

Mychal Massie is chairman of the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives-Project 21 – a conservative black think tank located in Washington, D.C. He was recognized as the 2008 Conservative Man of the Year by the Conservative Party of Suffolk County , N.Y. He is a nationally recognized political activist, pundit and columnist. He has appeared on Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, NBC, Comcast Cable and talk radio programming nationwide. A former self-employed business owner of more than 30 years, Massie can be followed at mychal-massie.com.

Occupy Wall Street Wisdom

2011-11-29T10:11:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/embed/OAOrT0OcHh0?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showi

Telling It Like It Is - From A Real Black Leader -

2011-11-29T10:03:00.001-05:00

Mayor Nutter Philadelphia

Think how much better off we would all be - if only we had more leaders like him

Courtesy Rick Lewis

One Hollywood Guy Gets It!

2011-11-28T22:59:00.001-05:00

http://www.justintimberlake.com/news/my_night_at_the_marine_corps_ball?comment_page=2

If Only Milton Freidman Were Alive Today!!

2011-11-14T23:49:00.000-05:00

Phil Donahue interviewing Milton Friedman 31 years ago - 2 minutes of pure, unadulterated wisdom!!

http://dauckster.posterous.com/a-31-year-old-video-clip-absolutely-worth-you

A Real Disconnect With The Real World

2011-11-01T23:33:00.000-04:00

I honestly cannot think of a single enterprise on this universe that would hire this woman. What am I missiing? What in the world could she have contemplated - as she studied for her BA degree - as her first step into the real world? At least she knows how to ledgibly prepare a poster!

Green Sham - Taxpayers On The Hook - Sorry - I told You So!!

2011-11-01T23:31:00.000-04:00

Second Energy Department-backed company goes bankrupt By Ben Geman 11/1/11
A Massachusetts company that received a $43 million Energy Department loan guarantee last year filed for bankruptcy Sunday, a step certain to fuel criticism of federal green energy financing in the wake of the solar company Solyndra’s collapse. Beacon Power Corp., which develops energy storage systems, filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. Beacon Power had received a federal loan guarantee to help build an energy storage plant in Stephentown, N.Y., that began operating in January. The Treasury Department’s Federal Financing Bank provided the loan.
Beacon sought bankruptcy protection two days after the White House ordered an independent 60-day evaluation of the Energy Department's loan programs aimed at ensuring effective management and monitoring.
The Energy Department has lauded Beacon’s flywheel energy storage technology as a way to improve power grid stability and help bring renewable power sources into the system.
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Ener1 kicked off Nasdaq (subsidiary got $118M DOE grant) 11/1/11 By Katie Fehrenbacher The woes of battery maker Ener1 keep piling on. Following on the heels of its loss on electric car maker Think, the company’s CEO stepping down, and its planned restatement of its earnings, Ener1 has now officially been delisted from the Nasdaq. According to filings, on October 19th, Ener1 received notice from the Nasdaq saying it would be deslisted because Ener1 failed to file its latest financials on a timely basis, and Ener1 “elected not to file an appeal.”
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PREVIOUS POSTS ON THE GREEN SHAM

Solyndra 9/22/11
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/09/solyndra-hard-lesson-in-how-free-market.html
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Comment on Solyndra Bankruptcy - posted 9/23/11
It is also an absolute myth that so called “green” - clean energy” hasn’t gotten market traction for lack of private investment. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested by private venture firms and major corporations on electric vehicles, windmills, solar panels, bio- fuels, low energy consumption motors and appliances – the list of these investments and the money dumped into it is endless. All of the worldwide oil companies are investing hundreds of millions of dollars ANNUALLY!! in the development of clean energy.
Take electric vehicles as an example. Hundreds of millions of dollars in private money have been invested for over 40 years!!!! – and still no commercial success. Simple answer- there is not a whit of common sense that supports the concept of investing billions in expanding our nation’s electric power grid that uses fossil fuel energy while also building public charging stations to distribute that power in order to provide vehicles with a propulsion system that pollutes the environment in both the manufacturing and disposal stage and must be replaced every 4 years at a cost that exceeds the resale value of the vehicle itself. Batteries are NOT an energy source – they are only a place to store energy Trust me on this – battery technology is 100 years old - there are no breakthroughs on the horizon - a low cost, energy efficient, long life, non polluting electric vehicle battery is not going to happen. The market for these vehicles is reserved for a small % of the population who feel good riding around in their electric cars thinking that they are saving energy – ignoring the reality of their monthly bill from the electric company that uses coal and natural gas to provide the energy. It is a crime that taxpayer money is being used to subsidize this dream!"
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BrightSource Energy
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/06/secretary-of-corporate-welfare-bringing.html
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GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt - Thinking Green
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/05/thinking-green-adult-supervision.html
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Ethanol Myth
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/02/green-sham-cellulosic-ethanol-more.html

http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/01/ethanol-farce-prime-target-for-real.html_______________________________________________________________________

GE Corporate Welfare - The Green Charade
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/01/corporate-welfare-ge-and-obama-leading.html
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Obama Blowing In The Wind
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2010/12/endless-obama-boondoggles-government.html
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Feds To Announce Program To Create Millions of Green Jobs
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2010/09/this-is.html
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The Real Cost of Being Green
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2010/09/real-cost-of-being-green.html
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Electric Vehicles - Pure Sham - Here We Go Again
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2010/08/battery-driven-vehicles-pure-sham-here.html

Leadership Vacuum - Haunting Words!!

2011-10-09T13:45:00.002-04:00

Mort Zuckerman on President Obama: "Businesses sense that the administration no longer understands how his perceived hostility saps the animal spirits required for taking risks on expansions and start-ups."

This point is so absurdly obvious to everyone but the President. It is indeed incredible that he continues to beat up on the private sector - threaten a tax surcharge on millionaires - demean Wall Street - humiliate job producers - and in the next breath - wring his hands, rant and rave about the lack of jobs!!

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”

~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006!

Cause of Financial Crisis - Impact On Jobs

2011-10-09T13:29:00.004-04:00

The protestors don't have to occupy Wall Street in order to get simple answers to their simple questions.

Who caused the current financial crisis - Wall Street or The Federal Government? No question about the answer to this question - no amount of ranting on the Street will change it - The Federal Government caused the crisis.
How did the Feds cause the problem? 1) The Federal Reserve held interest rates too low for too long while also printing money to service the national debt expanding the money supply. 2) The Congress created Fannie Mae/Fannie Mac and told them to make loans to people who couldn't afford to pay back the loans. 3) Fannie and Freddie drove the solid private lenders out of business since smart private lenders would not make loans to deadbeats. 4) The FDIC raised the level of insurance to $250,000 on federally insured loans so the stupid private lenders were bailed out by the FDIC. (The collapse of Washington Mutual -WAMU -was a big deal. for the FDIC.)
What was the result of making cheap money money available? A huge demand was created for new homes and remodeling of existing homes. The "housing bubble" was created and with it milions of jobs were created. The low interest rates made possible by the Feds - allowed people to borrow money on their homes while keeping their monthly house payments the same. Instead of saving the borrowed money - they spent it - creating a short term consumer spending bubble. When these idiots ran out of borrwing power - they no longer had funny money to spend so the short term job creation bubble burst with a huge bang. And - then they lost their jobs!!
The jobs that were created by the housing bubble and the home refinancing bubble were by definition - temporary jobs that were financed by debt - not by capital. Since it was inevitable that the bubble would eventually break - it was inevitable that millions of jobs would be lost and the idiot borrowers who lost their jobs didn't have the money to pay back the loans.
Why isn't the job market coming back? Hard lessons have been learned - even by the most stupid bankers - so there is no way that the banks are going to lend money to people and busineses when there is a risk that it won't be paid back. No new homes are not going to be built until the current homes that are in foreclosure are washed out of the system. That will take a long long time!!!
There is no way the private sector that is unrelated to the housing market can possibly create the jobs that have been lost because of the busted housing bubble. No matter how much stimulus money Obama wants to borrow from the Chinese - it won't be enough to put 14 million unemployed back to work.
No amount of protesting against Wall Street will fix this problem.

It's a good bet that Mama and Papa started the Wall Street sit in. They ordered their mooching kids to get out of the house and get a job. That went to Wall Street hoping to find a job and then bumped into their jobless friends so they did the only thing they know how to do - protest!! Hey - it worked - it got them out of the house.

Freedom Protestors and Protectors - Which One of These Guys Would You Like to Have As Your Son?

2011-10-09T10:03:00.002-04:00

Wall Street

Afghanistan

Mess Creators - Who Would Want To Hire Them?

2011-10-09T08:53:00.001-04:00

Job Creators - The Real World

2011-10-08T22:48:00.002-04:00

To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You saw my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see is the back story.
I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you. My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's.
My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business --- with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to me like a 1 day old baby.
You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out all the people who didn't.
The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?
Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country. The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.
Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep. So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.
You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don't forget the back story: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on zero dollars is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn't? Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you "It's the economy Stupid" I'm telling you it isn't.
If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me in the South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.
Your boss,
Michael A. Crowley, PE
Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc.
Professional Engineers
1906 South Main Street, Suite 122
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Phone: 919.562.8860 x22

Jobs and Sizzle

2011-10-08T22:28:00.003-04:00

You can't pick up a newspaper - or watch a business TV channel today tbat doesn't have an angle on the Jobs story - that would be the tragic, but long expected death of Steve Jobs. No doubt but that he had an enormous positive impact on the economic prosperity of millions of people and deserves the recognition he has received.

I do have a real problem with idolizing only the guys with sizzle that the media likes. Self promotion works and Jobs was a master at that. What about the others? There was not nearly the hype generated upon the death of Tom Watson - Bill Hewlett - Dave Packard - Bob Noyce and countless other 'inventors' without name recognition - yet the impact that these guys had on the economic prosperity of millions of people around the world was every bit as significant as Jobs'. I would argue in Noyce's case (Intel) - co-inventor of the microprocessor - that Bob - I had the good fortune of knowing him personally - made a far more significant contribution than Jobs - yet because he lacked sizzle - he died with little recognition of his contribution to worldwide economic prosperity.

This stories about Steve Jobs are great - but the hype about his contributon masks the real creativity of everyday business people in creating prosperity every day - 24 X 7 for millions of people around the world. When a notable politician dies - there is a State funeral - National Catheral service - world leaders come from around the world. Yet - what prosperity in the real world have they really created? Many of these people were just along for the ride.

Unfortunately - in today's 24 X 7 news cycle - it is all about sizzle - and that is not remotely close to the reality of what has made the real world work.!!

Kilroy Had a Real Job - Memories!

2011-10-07T23:19:00.000-04:00

For the WWII generation, this will bring back memories. For you younger folks, it's a bit of trivia that is a part of our American history. Anyone born in the teens, twenties, and mid-thirties, is familiar with Kilroy. We didn't know why, but we had lapel pins with his nose hanging over the label and the top of his face above his nose with his hands hanging over the label. No one knew why he was so well known, but we all joined in!

So who the heck was Kilroy?

In 1946 the American Transit Association, through its radio program, "Speak to America ," sponsored a nationwide contest to find the real Kilroy, offering a prize of a real trolley car to the person who could prove himself to be the genuine article. Almost 40 men stepped forward to make that claim, but only James Kilroy from Halifax, Massachusetts, had evidence of his identity.

Kilroy was a 46-year old shipyard worker during the war who worked as a checker at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy . His job was to go around and check on the number of rivets completed. Riveters were on piecework and got paid by the rivet. He would count a block of rivets and put a check mark in semi-waxed lumber chalk, so the rivets wouldn't be counted twice. When Kilroy went off duty, the riveters would erase the mark. Later on, an off-shift inspector would come through and count the rivets a second time, resulting in double pay for the riveters.

One day Kilroy's boss called him into his office. The foreman was upset about all the wages being paid to riveters, and asked him to investigate. It was then he realized what had been going on. The tight spaces he had to crawl in to check the rivets didn't lend themselves to lugging around a paint can and brush, so Kilroy decided to stick with the waxy chalk. He continued to put his checkmark on each job he inspected, but added KILROY WAS HERE in king-sized letters next to the check, and eventually added the sketch of the chap with the long nose peering over the fence and that became part of the Kilroy message.

Once he did that, the riveters stopped trying to wipe away his marks. Ordinarily the rivets and chalk marks would have been covered up with paint. With the war on, however, ships were leaving the Quincy Yard so fast that there wasn't time to paint them. As a result, Kilroy's inspection "trademark" was seen by thousands of servicemen who boarded the troopships the yard produced.

His message apparently rang a bell with the servicemen, because they picked it up and spread it all over Europe and the South Pacific. Before war's end, "Kilroy" had been here, there, and everywhere on the long hauls to Berlin and Tokyo.

To the troops outbound in those ships, however, he was a complete mystery; all they knew for sure was that someone named Kilroy had "been there first." As a joke, U.S. servicemen began placing the graffiti wherever they landed, claiming it was already there when they arrived.

Kilroy became the U.S. super-GI who had always "already been" wherever GIs went. It became a challenge to place the logo in the most unlikely places imaginable (it is said to be atop Mt. Everest , the Statue of Liberty, the underside of l'Arc De Triomphe, and even scrawled in the dust on the moon.

As the war went on, the legend grew. Underwater demolition teams routinely sneaked ashore on Japanese-held islands in the Pacific to map the terrain for coming invasions by U.S. troops (and thus, presumably,
were the first GI's there). On one occasion, however, they reported seeing enemy troops painting over the Kilroy logo!

In 1945, an outhouse was built for the exclusive use of Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill at the Potsdam conference. Its' first occupant was Stalin, who emerged and asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?"

To help prove his authenticity in 1946, James Kilroy brought along officials from the shipyard and some of the riveters. He won the trolley car, which he gave to his nine children as a Christmas gift and set it up as a playhouse in the Kilroy front yard in Halifax, Massachusetts .

So, now you know!

Courtesy of Bob Carnahan:

Solyndra - A Hard Lesson In How The Free Market Really Works

2011-09-22T23:15:00.000-04:00

Nothing new in the current news frenzy surrounding the Solyndra debacle - its all about digging up dirt on who in the White House and the Energy Department screwed up. The fundamental flaw in this story has escaped almost everyone

The real stink lies in the utter absurdity of the thinking that anyone in Government would have the market vision and/or technical expertise to decide if Solyndra - with their clearly early stage unproven technology - was an investment risk worth taking - leaving aside the utter idiocy of a bunch of experts who excel in the art of spending someone elses money - having placed a $500 BILLION bet!!

This is not a story about liberals pursung nonsensical 'green stuff' - the original investment was made by someone in the Bush Energy Department. The Obama folks - who only know how to think in terms of billions and trillions - moved it from the sublime to the ridiculous.

This is a lesson in why only venture capitalists - experienced in making incremental investments in early stage tecnologies should take these kinds of risks - betting their own money!!! The government has no business in getting involved in picking early stage market/technology winners.

Free Stuff: Who Gets It - Who Pays For It

2011-09-20T22:49:00.003-04:00

Courtesy Al Pruschinski:

The folks who are getting the free stuff, don't like the folks who are paying for the free stuff, because the folks who are paying for the free stuff, can no longer afford to pay for both the free stuff and their own stuff.

And, -- The folks who are paying for the free stuff, want the free stuff to stop and the folks who are getting the free stuff, want even more free stuff on top of the free stuff they are already getting!

Now... The people who are forcing the people who Pay for the free stuff, have told the people who are RECEIVING the free stuff, that the people who are PAYING for the free stuff, are being mean, prejudiced, and racist.

So... the people who are GETTING the free stuff, have been convinced they need to hate the people who are paying for the free stuff, by the people who are forcing some people to pay for their free stuff, and giving them the free stuff in the first place.

We have let the free stuff giving go on for so long that there are now more people getting free stuff than paying for the free stuff.

Now understand this. All great democracies have committed financial suicide somewhere between 200 and 250 years after being founded. The reason? The voters figured out they could vote themselves money from the treasury by electing people who promised to give them money from the treasury in exchange for electing them.

The United States officially became a Republic in 1776, 231 years ago. The number of people now getting free stuff outnumbers the people paying for the free stuff. We have one chance to change that in 2012. Failure to change that spells the end of the United States as we know it.

Check out the previous post - same verse -different words;

http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/09/americas-greatness-under-attack.html

The Best Damn Plumber - How Every Dad Would Like To Be Remembered

2011-09-20T16:09:00.001-04:00

A friend forwarded this today - written by his wife's cousin - after the passing of his father last week.

A Tribute To My Father -- The Best Damn Plumber

On September 16, the best damn plumber, my father passed away. He would have been 88 years old in December. He had a wonderful long life, but it sure seems like he died too early.

Some people get lucky in life-I was one of them. I was born into privilege. Not the privilege of money or royalty; my privilege was being the son of two outstanding human beings, one being the greatest plumber I ever knew.

From the very beginning, my father had a very simple motto: "If you are going to do something, do it right-the best you can." That is how his plumbing installations were-right and the best they could be.

To this day people tell me of jobs that he did 50 years ago that are still plumb and neat.

My father owned his own business for over fifty years. His loyalty to his customers was remarkable. I remember as a teenager getting a call from a customer on Christmas eve with no heat. I made that call with my father that night and my father's charge to the customer was "Merry Christmas".

I hated the times I had to work with my father, missing ball practice on weekends. Little did I realize the valuable lessons I was learning back then, things you can't learn from a book. As like most teenagers I thought I knew everything. It was not the easiest of times back then to raise five children. I think we would all do it again if we had the opportunity. Dad thanks for being my father.

Being the son of the best damn plumber meant that we had to live up to his reputation. So, he made sure we learned the plumbing business correctly. There were only two ways to do things: my fathers way and the wrong way. He had a very loud voice that he wasn't afraid to use. And if you got something wrong, he certainly let you know it. You couldn't ask for a better teacher. He knew the business, was willing to teach you, and was not apprehensive to let you know when you screwed up.

You didn't need to wait for any accolades when you did the job correctly. My father wasn't into building your self-esteem; you had to do that on your own time. He wanted you to be the best you could be and to do the best you could do. His work ethic and honesty was second to none.

My father told us that when you finished a job, you put your signature on it. So it better be the best it can be, because it was a reflection of who you were. Pride in workmanship was most important.

I am going to miss my father. You always forget how many times you pick up the phone and ask a simple question. I am sure he will be straightening out the plumbing in heaven.

AMEN!!

Remember: "If You Like Your Health Care Plan - You Can Keep It" - "ObamaCare Will Be Deficit Neutral"

2011-09-19T09:23:00.000-04:00

Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean has this to say:

"There is a McKinsey study, which the Democrats don't like, but I do, and I think its true. Most small businesses are not going to be in the health insurance business anymore after this thing goes into effect."

The McKinsey study to which Dean refers directly contradicts the claims of ObamaCare supporters that you can keep your health care plan if you like it, and that it will be deficit-neutral. The study estimates about 30% of employers will drop their health care plans for their employees because of the staggering costs ObamaCare will impose on them.

Milliions of Amercians who probably like their current health care plan --- won't be able to keep it!!

The McKinsey study goes on to claim that if their prediction of 30% of employers dropping health care coverage is correct, then the price tag of ObamaCare will rise by almost $1 trillion.

There's nothing deficit-neutral about that.

Dick Morris: The Path We Are On to Socialism - What About This Video Escapes Liberals? Do They Care?

2011-09-18T22:00:00.002-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdTyUvY66Mw

Fannie Mae/Mac Collapse - Early Warnings Ignored by Congress

2011-09-17T16:36:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&NR=1

Dad's Are Good!!

2011-09-14T00:04:00.000-04:00

I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes (he is 66).

We decided to grab a bite at the food court.
I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him.
The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors - green, red, orange, and blue.
My dad kept staring at her.
The teenager kept looking and would find my dad staring every time.
When the teenager had had enough, she sarcastically asked:
"What's the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?"
Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response;
I knew he would have a good one!
In classic style he responded without batting an eyelid ...
"Got stoned once and had sex with a parrot. I was just wondering if you might be my kid."

America's Greatness - Under Attack

2011-09-07T13:50:00.003-04:00

Tytler, an 18th century Scottish thinker, observed that the average age of the world's great civilizations is about 200 years. They go, he said, "from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, and from dependence back into bondage.”

What makes America different than all of the previous 'great civilizations'?

None in the past have been formed by immigrants who came to America for only one reason - enjoy unfettered freedom to seek their own potential thus creating financial independence for themselves (wealth creation!!!) and, in turn, make the world a better place for everyone else (America's generosity!!)

No society in the history of man has achieved such a high level of economic prosperity and has sacrificied so much for the benefit of so many. This - in a few words - is American Exceptionalism.

ONLY AN UN-RELENTING FOCUS ON AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM CAN DISPROVE PROVE TYLER'S THEORY --------------------- YOU GOTTA' BELIEVE!!

A message to those of who don't want to talk about politics with your friends and family - you will get exactly what you deserve!! Politics matter - elections have consequences - don't sit on the side lines - get involved!!!

Coming in November 2012 - Decision on Terms of Settlement - Liberals vs Conservatives

2011-09-05T21:06:00.000-04:00

Following are some edited excerpts that came from a letter written well over a year ago by a law student - John J. Wall - recommending a divorce between Liberals and Conservatives. His premise:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids - we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.

Not sure that there has ever been a "marraige" between Conservativesand Liberals but - the student did suggest a permanent separation and the terms of a settlement.

Here is a summary of the settlement terms - proposed by a Conservative - to be decided in November 2012 - under the assumption that 'our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.'

--We don't like redistributive taxes, so you can keep them.
--You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.
--Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA, and the military.
--We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar, and biodiesel.
--You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore, and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them .
--We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street.
--You can have your beloved lifelong welfare dwellers, food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, druggies, and illegal aliens.
--We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's, and rednecks.
--We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood ...
--You can make nice with Iran and Palestine , and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.
--You can have the peaceniks and war protesters.
--We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.
--You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness, and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.
--We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks, and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Volt and Leaf you can find.
--You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors.
--We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.
--We'll keep "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The National Anthem."
--I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "Kum Ba Ya", or "We Are the World".
--We'll practice trickle down economics, and you can continue to give trickle up poverty your best shot.

Septermber 11, 2011 - Remembered

2011-09-05T11:40:00.001-04:00

World Trade Center Memorial

Guards of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - America's Greatness and Treasure

2011-09-04T11:58:00.000-04:00

Arlington Cemetery Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?

21 steps: It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?

21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not, why not?

He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and
his waist size cannot exceed 30. They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe Lewis {the boxer} Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD-- AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

God Bless and keep them!!!!.

Courtesy Rick Lewis

Great American Story

2011-08-30T23:05:00.000-04:00

Captain Kangaroo passed away on January 23, 2004 at age 70, which is odd, because he always looked to be 75. (DOB: 6/27/34). His death reminded me of the following story:

Some people have been a bit offended that the actor, Lee Marvin, is buried in a grave alongside 3 and 4-star generals at Arlington National Cemetery. His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here's a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer:

I always liked Lee Marvin, but didn't know the extent of his Corps experiences. In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces often in rear echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima. There is only one higher Naval award... the Medal Of Honor! If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.

Dialog from "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin... Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima ..and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."

"Yeah, yeah... I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting shot hauling you down. But, Johnny, at Iwo , I served under the bravest man I ever knew... We both got the Cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach.. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's safety was more important than his own life.

That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, "Where'd they get you Lee?" "Well Bob.... if you make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!"

Johnny, I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew. The Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo."

On another note, there was this wimpy little man (who passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything but what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved sweater on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat

After the war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and therefore a pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life... He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm..

America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best. They earned our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy. Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst. Often, they are the ones you'd least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened.

Take the time to thank anyone that has fought for our freedom. With encouragement they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers..

Buffett - Higher Taxes For The Rich - What's New About That?

2011-08-28T22:30:00.001-04:00

This thing that Buffett has about getting more money from his rich cronies to fund government programs can't possibly be a surprise to anyone who knows that he is a loyal "progressive". This is not the first time that he has gone public trying to prop up the Democrat Party's endless plea - (we need more money from the public to fund our programs) - portraying himself as a credible free market capitalist who is ashamed that he doesn't pay a tax rate equivalent to what his secretary pays. Let's face it - he is a Democrat before he is a rich guy! Does anyone believe that he lies awake worrying about how little tax he pays relative to his minions. Give me a break!

Thie real truth story behind this 'story' ---"Hey Warren baby - Barry here. Our guys think it is time to trot out your pitch on how the rich have to pay a greater share of the taxes - you know the gig about how your secretary pays a higher tax rate than you do. The media fell for it the last time - they are dumb enough to suck it up again. Believe me - the timing on this couldn't be better with all of the flak I am getting over my plan to fund the deficit with higher taxes on the rich. My people will be in touch with your people - all you have to do is to review what they have written and bless the copy."
"No problem Mr. Prez - as you know, I have more money than I can possibly spend in my lifetime - it's now all mine to do what I want with it. I actually enjoy the feeling of knowing that a bunch of hard working Republicans trying to make a million might have to give more to the Feds. And - more important - you know that I always stand ready to do what I can do to get you a 2nd term. "

Funny and A Bit Raw - But This Captures The Concern of Concerned Americans

2011-08-28T21:05:00.000-04:00

Debt Crisis? - No Problem - Just Pass It On

2011-08-22T00:36:00.000-04:00

www.ntrc.info/doorbell.html

There Is Hope - "The System Works"!!!!

2011-08-22T00:20:00.001-04:00

Charles Krauthammer

Of all the endlessly repeated conventional wisdom in today’s Washington, the most lazy, stupid, and ubiquitous is that our politics is broken. On the contrary. Our political system is working well (I make no such claims for our economy), indeed, precisely as designed — profound changes in popular will translated into law that alters the nation’s political direction. The process has been messy, loud, disputatious, and often rancorous. So what? In the end, the system works. Exhibit A is Wisconsin. Exhibit B is Washington itself.
The story begins in 2008. The country, having lost confidence in Republican governance, gives the Democrats full control of Washington. The new president, deciding not to waste a crisis, attempts a major change in the nation’s ideological trajectory. Hence his two signature pieces of legislation: a near–$1 trillion stimulus, the largest spending bill in galactic history; and a health-care reform that places one-sixth of the economy under federal control.
In a country where conservatives outnumber liberals 2–1, this causes a reaction. In the 2010 midterms, Democrats suffer a massive repudiation at every level. In Washington, Democrats suffer the greatest loss of House seats since 1948. In the states, they lose over 700 state legislative seats — the largest reversal ever — resulting in the loss of 20 state chambers.
The tea-party-propelled, debt-conscious Republicans then move to confront their states’ unsustainablepension and health-care obligations — most boldly in Wisconsin, where the new governor proposes a radical reorientation of the power balance between public-sector unions and elected government.
In Madison, the result is general mayhem — drum-banging protesters, frenzied unions, statehouse occupations, opposition legislators fleeing the state to prevent a quorum. A veritable feast of creative democratic resistance. In the end, however, they fail. The legislation passes.
Then, further resistance. First, Democrats turn an otherwise sleepy state-supreme-court election into a referendum on the union legislation, the Democrats’ candidate being widely expected to overturn the law. The unions/Democrats lose again. And then last Tuesday, recall elections for six Republican state senators, three being needed to return the senate to Democratic control and restore balance to the universe. Yet despite millions of union dollars, the Republicans hold the senate. The unions/Democrats lose again.
The people spoke; the process worked. Yes, it was raucous and divisive, but change this fundamental should not be enacted quietly. This is not midnight basketball or school uniforms. This is the future of government-worker power and the solvency of the states. It deserves big, serious, animated public debate. Precisely of the kind Washington (exhibit B) just witnessed over its debt problem. You know: The debt-ceiling debate universally denounced as dysfunctional, if not disgraceful, hostage-taking, terrorism, gun-to-the-head blackmail.
Spare me the hysteria. What happened was that the 2010 electorate, as represented in Congress, forced Washington to finally confront the national debt. It was a triumph of democratic politics — a powerful shift in popular will finding concrete political expression. But only partial expression. Debt hawks are upset that the final compromise doesn’t do much. But it shouldn’t do much. They won only one election. They were entrusted, as of yet, with only one-half of one branch of government.
But they did begin to turn the aircraft carrier around. The process did bequeath a congressional super-committee with extraordinary powers to reduce debt. And if that fails, the question — how much government, how much debt — will go to the nation in November 2012. Which is also how it should be.
The conventional complaint is that the process was ugly. Big deal. You want beauty? Go to a museum. Democratic politics was never meant to be an exercise in aesthetics. Not just ugly, moan the critics, but oh so slow. True, again. It took months. And will take more. The super-committee doesn’t report until Thanksgiving. The next election is more than a year away. But the American system was designed to make a full turn of the carrier difficult and deliberate. Moreover, without this long, ugly process, the debt issue wouldn’t even be on the table. We’d still be whistling our way to Greece. Instead, a nation staring at insolvency is finally stirring itself to action, and not without spirited opposition. Great issues are being decided as constitutionally designed. The process is working.
Notice how the loudest complaints about “broken politics” come from those who lost the debate. It’s understandable for sore losers to rage against the machine. But there’s no need for the rest of us to parrot their petulance.

Leadership Vacuum - Grace vs. Hubris

2011-08-19T20:55:00.001-04:00

Grace = credit given where credit is due: George W. Bush speech after capture of Saddam Hussein:

The success of yesterday's mission is a tribute to our men and women now serving in Iraq. The operation was based on the superb work of intelligence analysts who found the dictator's footprints in a vast country. The operation was carried out with skill and precision by a brave fighting force. Our servicemen and women and our coalition allies have faced many dangers in the hunt for members of the fallen regime, and in their effort to bring hope and freedom to the Iraqi people. Their work continues, and so do the risks. Today, on behalf of the nation, I thank the members of our Armed Forces and I congratulate them.

Hubris = Taking The Credit When No Credit Is Due** Barack Hussein Obama speech, Sunday, May 1, 2011:
And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as I continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network. Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by my intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that I had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice. Today, at MY direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

** Hubris ( /ˈhjuːbrɪs/), also hybris, means extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance. Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power.

Leadership Vaccuum - Nothing New Here

2011-08-12T13:01:00.001-04:00

The following clips are not news to this Blog - the leadership vacumm has been highlighed here for now 2 years. No matter where you turn today in the press - Obama's leadership is in question. Simply said:
this President is clueless and helpless as a leader - in the words of a Blog follower Jim Rowbotham ;

"What Mr. Obama clearly does enjoy are Presidential trappings and perqs. That's why I call him "America's Host, America's Guest, America's M.C., America's Sports Fan, and America's Golfer." His ability to perform, even preen, during symbolic, largely evanescent duties is excellent."

Opinion Holder in Chief New York Times August 9, 2011 Maureen Dowd
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/opinion/withholder-in-chief.html?_r=1&ref=maureendowd

Failed Presidency - TheAmerican Problem Forbes - August 6, 2011
http://www.forbes.com/sites/prospernow/2011/08/06/a-failed-presidency-the-american-problem/

Is Obama Smart? Wall Street Jounal - August 9 2011 Bret Stephens
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904140604576495932704234052.html?KEYWORDS=Is+Obama+Smart

Ship Of State in A Sad State

2011-08-12T10:49:00.001-04:00

America Under Attack - Politicians Doing The Only Thing They Know How to Do

2011-08-04T13:39:00.002-04:00

Let's say --- you come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in your basement way up to ceiling. What should you do……raise the ceiling, or pump out the poop?

Wisdom From Middle America

2011-07-29T19:13:00.001-04:00

Maxine Has a Good Question

2011-07-27T23:15:00.002-04:00

Maxine poses an Obamacare question! ----- A Good Question!!

Let me get this straight . . . ...
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care Plan we are forced to purchase
and - fined if we don't,
Which purportedly covers at least 10 million more people,
Without adding a single new doctor,
But provides for 16,000 new IRS agents,
Written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it,
Passed by a Congress that didn't read it but
Exempted themselves from it,
And signed by a President who smokes,
With funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes,
For which we'll be taxed for four years before any "benefits" take effect,
By a government which has already bankrupted Social Security, Medicare and can't run the post office
All to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese
And financed by a country that's broke!!!!!
Hey folks --------

What could possibly go wrong??

Leadership Vacuum - Another Act of Hypocrisy

2011-07-25T18:24:00.002-04:00

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising Americas debt limit is a sign of leadership failure.... It is a sign that the U.S. Government cant pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Governments reckless fiscal policies. … Leadership means that the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase Americas debt limit."

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
March 2006

American Venture Capitalists Are Focusing On Trivia

2011-07-24T17:55:00.003-04:00

As someone who has made his living in the technology sector - the most common topic of discussion among my peers and those making a living in the investment and banking business is "what is the next major job creation engine that will drive prosperity into the global economy"? First - most knowledgable business people know that manufacturing in the United States is not dead so a partial answer to this question will most likely lie in a myriad of new products developed and manufactured in the small business sector. (The myth that US is no longer a world power in manufacturing is made up by ignorant politicians and repeated by their media buddies - both on the liberal and conservative side.) Manufacturing today in the US brings a mixed blessing - American companies are by far the most productive and efficient manufacturers in the world. They have perfected the process of balancing high labor content and low labor content manufacturing - pushing the former offshore to the low overhead/low labor cost contract manufacturers while keeping the latter on shore by automating the processes. Sophisticated supply chain management and logistics is widespread nad has become a huge contributor to the bottom line.

However, there is a fundamental flaw in the current venture capital sector where capital is being squandered on government subsididized green things and attractive returns are mostly being generated in the social web site sector. Check out George Gilder's comments in a recent investment forum - reported by Chris Barth in Forbes :

"Facebook will not save the United States’ economy. Neither will Twitter or LinkedIn. And tech oracle George Gilder thinks the fact that American venture capitalists are enamored with such companies, represents a dangerous approach to innovation that could potentially harm the U.S. economy.

“[Venture capitalists] really are focusing on trivia, as far as I can see. They’re not really supporting the kind of fundamental innovations that ramify through an economy and produce prosperity and successful national defenses,” said Gilder, in a luncheon at the Discovery Institute, where he is a Senior Fellow.

In particular, he focused his gaze on the Forbes Midas List, which lists 2011′s Top Tech Investors. “The reason about half the people on the Forbes 100 list are celebrated is for these companies: Facebook, LinkedIn, Zynga and Twitter,” said Gilder dismissively. “These companies do probably expand the U.S. economy. They are valuable in some way. But they do not represent typical focus of venture capital on fundamental innovations that expand the economy.”

Gilder held up Israel as an example of ideal venture capitalism, where many companies are focused on innovation, development and expansion of things like bandwidth and networking. “Over there, venture capitalists are not focused on things like Twitter and Zynga. They are continuing this miracle that generated a three-fold increase in the net worth of the American middle class since 1970,” he said.

“All economic value really comes from innovation. That’s the source of everything. And that’s why venture capitalism is so absolutely critical,” he said.

The conversation came in advance of a debate he was scheduled to have with investor Peter Thiel last weekend. Thiel, number seven on the Midas List, is known for his investments in Facebook, Zynga and LinkedIn. Gilder closed the luncheon with a parting shot: “The problems that Thiel is focusing on are spurious.”

America Under Attack From Within!!

2011-07-24T09:39:00.001-04:00

Beginning January 1, 2013, ObamaCare imposes a 3.8% Medicare tax on unearned income, including the sale of single family homes, townhouses, co-ops, condominiums, and even rental income. Note: this tax increase kicks in 2 months after the 2012 election - how nice!! This doesn't just get the rich - it gets the middle class - if you sell your $400,000 home in 2013 - you will pay $15,200 in taxes - which will go straight into the federal coffers!!

Remember the President's promise made in September 12, 2008:

“I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.”

Obama's Spending Plan -- Applied To The Family Budget

2011-07-23T20:02:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=J6TcpfBHlbs

USA - A Democracy in Decline - "Voting Themselves Generous Gifts From The Public Treasury"

2011-07-21T23:40:00.002-04:00

In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinborough, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage."

Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

"When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in goods, but in favors; when you see that men get rich more easily by graft than by work, and your laws no longer protect you against them, but protect them against you… you may know that your society is doomed." … Ayn Rand

Is the USA obituary is being drafted now: Born 1776, Died circa 2008 - 2012???

This Guy Will Come to America!!!

2011-06-26T11:49:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BewknNW2b8Y

Great Americans

2011-06-23T11:54:00.001-04:00

Senior citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary. We know we take responsibility for all we have done and do not blame others. HOWEVER, it was NOT the senior citizens who took:

The melody out of music,
The pride out of appearance,
The courtesy out of driving,
The romance out of love,
The commitment out of marriage,
The responsibility out of parenthood,
The togetherness out of the family,
The learning out of education,
The service out of patriotism,
The Golden Rule from rulers,
The nativity scene out of cities,
The civility out of behavior,
The refinement out of language,
The dedication out of employment,
The prudence out of spending,
The ambition out of achievement
God out of government and school.

And, we do understand the meaning of patriotism, and remember those who have fought and died for our country. Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts as they stand at attention with their hand over their hearts!

Yet- I'm the life of the party...... even if it lasts until 8 p.m.
I'm very good at opening childproof caps.... with a hammer.
I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a thing you're saying.
I'm sure everything I can't find is in a safe secure place, somewhere.
I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that's just my left leg.

Spread the laughter --- Share the cheer --- Let's be happy --- While we're here.

Go Green - Recycle CONGRESS!!

Now if I could only remember who sent this to me so it could be posted on the Blog.

America's Greatest!!!

2011-06-14T00:01:00.002-04:00

It's November 11, 1967. LZ (landing zone) X-ray.

You're a 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam . Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense from 100 yards away, that your CO (commanding officer) has ordered the MedEvac helicopters to stop coming in.

You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know you're not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.

Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter. You look up to see a Huey coming in. But.. It doesn't seem real because no MedEvac markings are on it.

Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you. He's not MedEvac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway. Even after the MedEvacs were ordered not to come. He's coming anyway. And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 3 of you at a time on board. Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses and safety.

And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!! Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm. He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey.

Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman, United StatesAir Force, died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise , Idaho

God Bless this great American.

A Public Service Announcement: Deadly Disease - Elevated to National Health Threat

2011-06-12T23:00:00.000-04:00

The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of an age old disease known as Gonorrhea Lectim. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior involving putting your cranium up your rectum. Evidence of the disease reached new highs in November 2008. Since then, many people are starting to realize how destructive this sickness is. Some pundits have expressed concern that Gonnorrhea Lectum could threaten the existence of the most productive population segment of America - the private sector.

While Gonorrhea Lectim is a an utter obamanation, it is easily cured with a new drug - Votemout - introduced to the market in 2010 with substantiation of its effectiveneness confirmed in early November 2010. Many people had heeded the public warnings and took their first dose then. They are due for their followup dose in Novmber 2012 assuming that supplies of Votemout last.

It is estimated that close to 50% of the population remains heavily infected and is still under its influence. Citizens residing in the upper right coast and the entire left coast are most susceptible to the disease. Recent constituent reaction to Twitter postings by Representative "Hot Dog" Weiner confirmed that this plague on society has become deeply rooted in selected areas where IQ levels are particularly low. It is obvious that a bunch of folks living in his district suffer migthily from this disease.

Its known carriers are now living and working in a concentrated breeding ground on or near Pennsylvania Ave in the District of Columbia. Most of those folks are riddled with the infection and beyond hope of cure. However, several nearby states offer evidence of the effectiveness of Votemout - like Virginia and New Jersey, and even Massachusetts which experienced an unexpected - allbeit short lived recovery in late 2009.

California is considered to be totally hopeless given the re-emergence of Governor Moonbeam who is certain to issue an executive order banning the use of Votemout until it completes testing by a representatiive segment of the Califonia population which, of course, will be include those focused on the potential devastation to society caused by circumcision and a million or so prisoners soon to be released from California jails. Moonbeam is the poster boy for promulgating this disease - having decades ago developed the natural inclination to place his cranium permenantly in the signature position for known sufferers of Gonnorrhea Lectum.

Followers of this Blog are encouraged to take daily doses of "High Strength Votemout" between now and November 2012.

Courtesy of Joe Leonardi (with considerable embellishnment by the Blog editorial staff.)

H-1B Visas and American Exceptionalism - Revisited

2011-06-12T22:54:00.001-04:00

The H-1B visa program was the subject of a previous post that has generated some response by direct email and also some interesting views expressed by 'Anonymous' in the comment section of that post. I have enjoyed the debate and decided it has been far too interesting to allow it to be buried several pages back in the Blog.

In summary, 'Anonymous' wants to shut down the H-1B visa program completely and I favor increasing the number of H-1B visas which are granted to foreign born graduates of Amercian colleges so they can stay in America to work here. Check out the comment section of the previous post to understand both sides of the argument.
http://wealthcreatesgood.blogspot.com/2011/06/immigration-policy-h1b-visas.html

----and then please come back here to comment on which of the 2 views you support and why.

Here are my arguments in favor of expanding the H-1B visa program.

I couldn't care less about where our American college graduates are born. I want the very best for any person in the world who is willing to go anyhere in the world to be the best that they can be while being allowed the freedom to do anything (legally) to make their life better. It is precisely that mind set - commonly referred to as the American "immigrants' mentality", that has made this Country the most prsosperpous for its citizens in the history of mankind.

I am very concerned about keeping America's working population permanently competitive in the global market - regardless of where they are born, and whether or not they are citizens as long as they are here legally. Regardless of their Country of birth, they are contributors to our Country's wealth and well being. American born graduates should have to compete against the best and the brightest in the world simply because they must know how to compete in a global market. The worst thing for all Americans is to have them enjoy an employment preference just because they are born in America.

There are a good many Americans who see this issue differently. In the previous post on this subject, there were 2 comments that zero in on the essence of the other side of this argument:
1) "Workers become more valuable the scarcer they are." Marx couldn't have stated that view any better!! In fact, "workers" around the world have become more valuable only when they have applied their education, brains and resourcefulness to seek and gain their maximum potential in what is now a highly competitive global employment market. Applying artificial limits to the supply of the brightest "workers" to be hired by American companies is a sure fire way to dumb down our Country into economic stagnation which will negatively impact the lives of all Ameicans.

2) " What is good for corporations is not necessarily good for the citizens. Your argument about being competitive refers only to corporations, not to citizens." My argument is aimed at assuring the continued competiveness of America so all of our legal residents (not "corporations") can enjoy a better life for themselves. Our Country's strength only comes from our residents' ingenuity, hard work ethic and entrepreneural mind set. Corporations exist for only one reason - to provide an economic framework that enables our society to prosper - and, as it relates to the interest of the "workers" - for them to achieve financial independence. No rational person - no matter what their ideology - can argue with the irrefutable evidence that capitalism, with all of its faults, has provided world wide prosperity for the world's "workers".

America has become the melting pot for the best and brightest of the world's most enterprising people. As a result, the most succesful worldwide businesses are still mostly American and, for only one reason - the exceptionalism of the majority of our citizens whose forefathers came here to to work in the Amercian private sector. This has been the most significant contributor to our success. Let's keep it that way!!

America's Greatest - Friday Mornings at the Pentagon

2011-06-08T22:26:00.001-04:00

IT HAPPENS EVERY FRIDAY! By Joseph Galloway - McClatchy Newspapers

Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war. Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing months or years in military hospitals. This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former roommate, Army Lt. Col.. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a year long tour of duty in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon. Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills the halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and many tears every Friday morning.
"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the Pentagon. This section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine, the hallway is broad, and the lighting is bright. At this instant the entire length of the corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants and some civilians, all crammed tightly three and four deep against the walls. There are thousands here.

"This hallway, more than any other, is the `Army' hallway. The G3 offices line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner. All Army. Moderate conversations flow in a low buzz. Friends who may not have seen each other for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other, cross the way and renew.

"Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center. The air conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in this area.

"The temperature is rising already. Nobody cares. "10:36 hours: The clapping starts at the E-Ring. That is the outermost of the five rings of the Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to the building. This clapping is low, sustained, hearty. It is applause with a deep emotion behind it as it moves forward in a wave down the length of the hallway.

"A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the soldier in the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence. He is the first. He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of his wounds are still suppurating. By his age I expect that he is a private, or perhaps a private first class.

"Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze and nod as they applaud, soldier to soldier. Three years ago when I described one of these events, those lining the hallways were somewhat different. The applause a little wilder, perhaps in private guilt for not having shared in the burden ... Yet.

"Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the wheelchair, also a combat veteran. This steadies the applause, but I think deepens the sentiment. We have all been there now. The soldier's chair is pushed by, I believe, a full colonel.

"Behind him, and stretching the length from Rings E to A, come more of his peers, each private, corporal, or sergeant assisted as need be by a field grade officer.

"11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause. My hands hurt, and I laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head. My hands hurt. Please! Shut up and clap. For twenty-four minutes, soldier after soldier has come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30.. Fifty-three legs come with them, and perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this hall came 30 solid hearts.

"They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then meet for a private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted by the generals. Some are wheeled along. Some insist upon getting out of their chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up, down this hallway, through this most unique audience. Some are catching handshakes and smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade. More than a couple of them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.

"There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride pushing her 19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why her husband is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a man, who had never shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino parents who have, perhaps more than their wounded mid-20s son, an appreciation for the emotion given on their son's behalf. No man in that hallway, walking or clapping, is ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few cheeks. An Airborne Ranger wipes his eyes only to better see. A couple of the officers in this crowd have themselves been a part of this parade in the past.

"These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our brothers, and we welcome them home. This parade has gone on, every single Friday, all year long, for more than four years."

Courtesy Dave Walton

America Under Attack - Coming Soon To Your Favorite Restaurant - Carrots, Apple Slices and Milk!!

2011-06-06T18:22:00.001-04:00

WASHINGTON — After wrapping her arms around the retail giant Wal-Mart and trying to cajole food makers into producing nutrition labels that are easier to understand, Michelle Obama, the first lady and a healthy-eating advocate, has her sights set on a new target: the nation’s restaurants.

A team of advisers to Mrs. Obama has been holding private talks over the past year with the National Restaurant Association, a trade group, in a bid to get restaurants to adopt her goals of smaller portions and children’s meals that include healthy offerings like carrots, apple slices and milk instead of French fries and soda, according to White House and industry officials.

This Is Why There Are No Jobs in America

2011-06-06T12:35:00.000-04:00

This is a grim reminder of the why there has never been a solid connection between the small and medium size business owners and the elected elite in DC.

From Porter Stansberry in the S&A Digest - re-publishing his most popular essay

I'd like to make you a business offer. Seriously. This is a real offer. In fact, you really can't turn me down, as you'll come to understand in a moment...
Here's the deal. You're going to start a business or expand the one you've got now. It doesn't really matter what you do or what you're going to do. I'll partner with you no matter what business you're in – as long as it's legal. But I can't give you any capital – you have to come up with that on your own. I won't give you any labor – that's definitely up to you. What I will do, however, is demand you follow all sorts of rules about what products and services you can offer, how much (and how often) you pay your employees, and where and when you're allowed to operate your business. That's my role in the affair: to tell you what to do.
Now in return for my rules, I'm going to take roughly half of whatever you make in the business, each year. Half seems fair, doesn't it? I think so. Of course, that's half of your profits. You're also going to have to pay me about 12% of whatever you decide to pay your employees because you've got to cover my expenses for promulgating all of the rules about who you can employ, when, where, and how. Come on, you're my partner. It's only "fair."
Now... after you've put your hard-earned savings at risk to start this business and after you've worked hard at it for a few decades (paying me my 50% or a bit more along the way each year), you might decide you'd like to cash out – to finally live the good life.
Whether or not this is "fair" – some people never can afford to retire – is a different argument. As your partner, I'm happy for you to sell whenever you'd like... because our agreement says, if you sell, you have to pay me an additional 20% of whatever the capitalized value of the business is at that time.
I know... I know... you put up all the original capital. You took all the risks. You put in all of the labor. That's all true. But I've done my part, too. I've collected 50% of the profits each year. And I've always come up with more rules for you to follow each year. Therefore, I deserve another, final 20% slice of the business. Oh... and one more thing...
Even after you've sold the business and paid all of my fees... I'd recommend buying lots of life insurance. You see, even after you've been retired for years, when you die, you'll have to pay me 50% of whatever your estate is worth. After all, I've got lots of partners and not all of them are as successful as you and your family. We don't think it's "fair" for your kids to have such a big advantage. But if you buy enough life insurance, you can finance this expense for your children. All in all, if you're a very successful entrepreneur... if you're one of the rare, lucky, and hard-working people who can create a new company, employ lots of people, and satisfy the public... you'll end up paying me more than 75% of your income over your life.

Thanks so much.

I'm sure you'll think my offer is reasonable and happily partner with me... but it doesn't really matter how you feel about it because if you ever try to stiff me – or cheat me on any of my fees or rules – I'll break down your door in the middle of the night, threaten you and your family with heavy, automatic weapons, and throw you in jail. That's how civil society is supposed to work, right? This is Amerika, isn't it?

That's the offer Amerika gives its entrepreneurs. And the idiots in Washington wonder why there are no new jobs...

Courtesy of Tom Commes

Immigration Policy: H-1B Visas Overshadowed by the "By God - Rule of Law" Ranters

2011-06-05T22:31:00.004-04:00

H-1B visas are granted to BS and Masters Degree immigrants to the US - most of whom have gotten their education here in the US and want to stay after graduation to work in the American private sector. There are other irrelevant 'equivalent' qualifcations for the H-1B visa but the focus of this program is to attract the educated cream of the crop from other Countries. Countless examples exist of successful immigrants who - having come here on an H-1B visa - have created wealth for themselves and countless others - as well as jobs in America. The Congressional ruling class now arbitrarily grants - out of utter ignorance - only 65,000 of these visas annually - absolutely pitiful!!. The number - years ago - was well over 100,000 - also an absurdly low number.

Those followers of this Blog who rant about closing the borders - sending emails to your list of friends - yelling at town hall meetings - writing to your Congressmen - doing your 'by Gods" over (apple - of course) martinis or cabernet with your friends -- and to what end? If you guys are really focused on making this a truly great Country and you have a choice of what immigration measure would best contribute to the unique excellence of America: --- 1) stop 12 million immigrants who want to come here illegally to make a better life for themselves; or 2) make it possible for 12 million folks with a college education to come here legally and make a better life for themselves - which choice would you make? I am afraid to know the answer -"geez don't you care about the rule of law?".

The Congress and the President - no matter which party is in power - are like deer frozen in the headlights - clueless as to how to respond to the public uproar against illegal immigrants when they should be responding with positve immigration initiatives. This is a classic example of the law of unintended consequences - a bunch of folks have created a negative uproar on illegal immigration - that has - without question - drowned out a huge positive force for our Country in favor of legal immigration. What we need is an equivalent uproar to get the Congress to grant whatever the number of legitimate H -1B applications that come to the window.

We are a nation built on the backs of immigrants and, yet, intelligent people are engaged in a "by God - rule of law" rant over an issue that will never be resolved by any President or any Congress!! Folks - I've got news for you - as long as there is a place like America where hope springs eternal - these people wiill keep coming. It would be so much more productive to open up the borders for the good guys than to try to close the borders for the bad guys. What am I missing - yeh I know - the 'rule of law' and we should do both.

OK then - how about asking those of you who are bent out of shape about the illegals to just send 1 letter to your Congress person in favor of the simple task of expanding the H1B visas for every 25 of those feel good emails you forward to your 'favorites' list about the impossible task of closing the borders.

Secretary of Corporate Welfare - Bringing a New Meaning to the Word "Commerce".

2011-06-03T16:52:00.002-04:00

This is another one of those "you can't possibly make this stuff up" stories:

It isn't as if there aren't enough examples of the current administration's disdain for the private sector - and now they come up with yet another off-the-wall - stick it in the business community's eye - appointment of a Commerce Secretary who is an expert in managing government funded corporate welfare.

John Bryson is the nominee. He was most recently Chairman of BrightSource Energy (who comes up with these pretty names?) - whose most recent SEC filing proudly claimed that the Company has "generated substantial net losses and negative operating cash flows since our inception and expect[s] to continue to do so for the foreseeable future." Their accumulated loss is now $177 million and their most recent annual revenue was $32 milion. Now - one has to work real hard to acheive that miserable result. It will come as no surprise that Bryson is another of Obama's "green energy" deadbeats. In fact, he may have topped Jeffery Immelt at GE. Bryson sucked a bunch of government subsidies from various local, state and federal agencies - the most notable one being a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from his soon to be co-worker over at the Department of Energy.
This guy has obviously been hand picked from the President's personal Rolodex of green job losers - joining the long list of other losers on his cabinet - with Tim "tax Cheat" Geithner heading up the list - all educated elitists well trained in spending other people's money.

Bryson is a sure bet to bring new meaning to the word 'commerce'.

Washingon As An Adversary - Not a Partner: Business Man's View From 30,000 ft

2011-05-27T20:45:00.001-04:00

Professor Stephen Carter - Yale Professor - Bloomberg.com

Editors Note: At least there is one among the elite who is trying to understand!!!

The man in the aisle seat is trying to tell me why he refuses to hire anybody. His business is successful, he says, as the 737 cruises smoothly eastward. Demand for his product is up. But he still won’t hire.

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t know how much it will cost,” he explains. “How can I hire new workers today, when I don’t know how much they will cost me tomorrow?”

He’s referring not to wages, but to regulation: He has no way of telling what new rules will go into effect when. His business, although it covers several states, operates on low margins. He can’t afford to take the chance of losing what little profit there is to the next round of regulatory changes. And so he’s hiring nobody until he has some certainty about cost.

It’s a little odd to be having this conversation as the news media keep insisting that private employment is picking up. But as economists have pointed out to all who will listen, the only real change is that the rate of layoffs has slowed. Fewer than one of six small businesses added jobs last year, and not many more expect to do so this year. The private sector is creating no more new jobs than it was a year ago; the man in the aisle seat is trying to tell me why.

He is trim and white-haired and bursting with energy. He’s proud of the business he has built: not large by the way things are measured these days, but certainly successful. He shows me sales figures, award citations, stories from trade magazines. I congratulate him, then turn to the window and enjoy the view for a bit. We are flying over the Midwest, away from the setting sun and toward the darkness. America stretches beneath us in every direction, flat and broad and beautiful. My seat-mate has just discovered that I am a law professor: That is the reason for his discourse.

Party Doesn’t Matter

“I don’t understand why Washington does this to us," he resumes. By "us," he means people who run businesses of less- than-Fortune-500 size. He tells me that it doesn’t much matter which party is in office. Every change of power means a whole new set of rules to which he and those like him must respond. ‘‘I don’t understand,” he continues, “why Washington won’t just get out of our way and let us hire.”

There are a lot of responses I could offer at this point. But I am interested now; I prefer to let him talk.

It isn’t just hiring that is too unpredictable, he says. He feels the same way about investing. He has never liked stock markets; he prefers to put cash directly into businesses he likes in return for a small stake, acting, in short, as a small- time venture capitalist.

“Can’t do that now,” he says. For people like him -- people who aren’t filthy rich -- it has become too hard to pick winners. But he doesn’t blame the great information advantages enjoyed by insiders. He blames Washington, once more, for creating a climate of uncertainty.

Why Not Sell?

Growing bold -- or maybe rude -- I ask why, if the climate is so terrible, he doesn’t just sell his company.
This brings a smile. “I think about retirement a lot,” he says. “But I can’t.” I wait to hear about how much he loves the business he founded, or about his responsibilities to his employees, or perhaps to the town, somewhere in the Dakotas, where his factory is located. Instead, he tells me that it’s impossible to make a sensible decision about winding down his firm when he doesn’t even know from one year to the next what the capital gains rate is going to be.
\
I argue a bit. Surely government isn’t all bad. It protects property, the environment, civil rights . . .

No `Installed Base'

My seat-mate seems to think that I’m missing the point. He’s not anti-government. He’s not anti-regulation. He just needs to know as he makes his plans that the rules aren’t going to change radically. Big businesses don’t face the same problem, he says. They have lots of customers to spread costs over. They have “installed base.”

For medium-sized firms like his, however, there is little wiggle room to absorb the costs of regulatory change. Because he possesses neither lobbyists nor clout, he says, Washington doesn’t care whether he hires more workers or closes up shop.
We will be landing shortly in Minneapolis. I ask him what, precisely, he thinks is the proper role of government as it relates to business.

`Invisible'

“Invisible,” he says. “I know there are things the government has to do. But they need to find a way to do them without people like me having to bump into a new regulation every time we turn a corner.” He reflects for a moment, then finds the analogy he seeks. “Government should act like my assistant, not my boss.”
We are at the gate. We exchange business cards.

On the way to my connection, I ponder. As an academic with an interest in policy, I tend to see businesses as abstractions, fitting into a theory or a data set. Most policy makers do the same. We rarely encounter the simple human face of the less- than-giant businesses we constantly extol. And when they refuse to hire, we would often rather go on television and call them greedy than sit and talk to them about their challenges.

Recessions have complex causes, but, as the man on the aisle reminded me, we do nothing to make things better when the companies on which we rely see Washington as adversary rather than partner.

Editor's Note: For those of you who believe that Obama and his anti business policies are a sure winner in 2012, read this piece again. I refuse to believe that all Democrats have bought into Obama's utterly misguied attack on America's Greatness - amoung other things - the private sector.

The Truth About Proposed Marginal Tax Rates on the Rich - 62%!!!!

2011-05-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

For those of you who believe the "Pelosi Reid Obama" myth "all we want to do is to return to the Clinton era top tax rates" - read this!!!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576343611464445594.html

A Classic - Worth Seeing In the Light of Today's World

2011-05-26T17:51:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKgmScYcK6g&feature=related

America's Greatest - Never Never Forget!

2011-05-25T18:04:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEfVa738jFI&annotation_id=annotation_374950&feature=iv

Some Humor Rings True

2011-05-24T18:08:00.000-04:00

For those of us in our golden years - this one rings increasingly true.

My wife and I were sitting around the breakfast table one lazy Sunday morning. I said to her, "If I were to die suddenly, I want you to immediately sell all my stuff."

"Now why would you want me to do something like that?" she asked.

"I figure that you will eventually remarry and I don't want some other asshole using my stuff.."

She looked at me and said: "What makes you think I'd marry another asshole?"

Courtesy Dave Walton

Netanyahu Calls for Settlement Between US and Mexico Based on 1830 Border

2011-05-23T11:26:00.001-04:00

Today Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu called for negotiations to settle the border dispute between the US and Mexico based on the 1830 borders. These represented internationally recognized borders for the United States prior to the illegal conquest of additional territory from Mexico. Areas to be returned would include California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and parts of other states. While it was understood there might be some land “swaps” and adjustments, he called it the basis for settlement of this dispute that will provide peace and security for both sides.

Courtesy My Good Italian Friend - reflectiing at least one opinion of our President coming from Europe

Circondandosi d'idioti come solo un idiota può fare

Obama's Real Energy Policy: Read What He Has Done - Not What He Says He Has Done!!

2011-05-23T11:25:00.001-04:00

This list is too long to read every word - but its length alone delivers the underlying message:
2009

February 4th - Withdrew areas offered for 77 oil and gas leases in Utah that could cost American taxpayers millions in lost lease bids, production royalties, new jobs and the energy needed to offset rising imports of oil and gas.

February 10th - Delayed for six months the development of the new 5-year leasing program for offshore drilling that would have created new jobs, produced more American-made energy, and made us less dependent on foreign oil.

February 25th - Delayed the new round of oil shale research, demonstration, and development (RD&D) leases that would help advance American technology and create high-tech jobs in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.

February 26th - Introduced a budget that contains page after page of taxes on oil and gas totaling more than $31 billion and included a cap-and-trade national energy tax that could cost the average American family over $3,100 a year.

March 30th - Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act into law. This $10 billion, 1200-page bill prohibited energy production on over 3 million acres of federal land, costing American jobs.

April 17th - Listed carbon dioxide as a hazardous pollutant, opening the door for the regulation of all CO2 emissions under the Clean Air Act.

April 27th - The Environmental Protection Agency ordered the cancellation of a permit for a Navajo Nation power plant that Navajo leadership called the most important development project the tribe has ever undertaken. This decision prevents the Navajo nation from creating new jobs and reducing its 42 percent unemployment rate.

June 29th - The Interior Department established new solar reserve areas under the premise of prioritizing solar development, but the actual result was the closing of all but two percent of federal lands from renewable energy development. This was done without public comment. The Department left open only 670,000 acres of the nearly 30 million acres of land with solar potential.

July 20th - Blocked new uranium mining for two years on one million acres of land in Arizona.

August 24th - Withdrew 23,757 acres of oil and gas leases in the Bridger Teton National Forest in Wyoming.

September 17th - Secretary Salazar stated that the Administration may not complete a new Outer Continental Shelf lease plan until 2012.

October 8th - Issued a final report on the Utah oil and gas leases, offering only 17 of the 77 leases. In November, the Institute for Energy Research found that the Administration has leased less acreage than any other on record.

October 20th - Announced a new round of oil shale RD&D Leases which include job killing variable terms, royalty rates, and lease sizes.

2010

January 6th - Implemented numerous new hurdles to the leasing and development of new oil and natural gas on onshore federal lands.

January 26th - Dept of Interior - Mineral Management Service announced it will delay the Virginia offshore lease sale scheduled for November 2011.

January 28th - Announced the results of the most recent round of oil shale RD&D leases, which resulted in an 85% reduction in industry interest under the terms proposed by the Department.

February 1st - Released the FY 2011 budget proposal that includes nearly $40 billion in direct tax and fee increases on the American oil, natural gas and coal industries. The budget also shows declining revenue for new offshore leases, proving that the Administration has no intention of opening up new areas for offshore drilling.

February 17th - Department of Energy notified Congress that it would reprogram $115 million Congress appropriated to continue the Yucca Mountain licensing process, and instead use it to terminate the only national repository for spent nuclear fuel under current law.

March 3rd - Department of Energy filed a motion to permanently abandon Yucca Mountain – the nation’s repository for high-level spent nuclear fuel under current law – jeopardizing the future of nuclear energy.

March 12th - Withdrew 61 oil and gas leases in Montana as part of a settlement over climate change.

March 18th - Withdrew 4,400 acres in Monongahela National Forest from an oil and gas lease sale.

March 26th - EPA pulled an existing federal permit for a coal mine in Western Virginia.

March 31st - Ignoring statutory law, the Bureau Of Land Management agreed to settle a lawsuit out of court regarding the use of an “extraordinary circumstances” provision when using “categorical exclusions” for new oil and gas leases as defined by Section 390 in the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005.

March 31st - Announced a new OCS plan that closes the vast majority of the OCS from future energy production.

May 6th - Issued a moratorium on all new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, creating further economic devastation and costing thousands of jobs.

May 17th - Bureau of Land Management finalized rules, first announced by Secretary Salazar on January 6, 2010, to establish more government hurdles to onshore oil and natural gas production on federal lands.

May 28th - Lifted the moratorium on shallow water drilling – yet still keeps a de facto moratorium in place by approving only a handful of permits.

June 15th - In an Oval Office address on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, President Obama continued to push for implementation of a job-killing cap-and-trade national energy tax.

July 12th - Issued a new moratorium on deepwater drilling after the first moratorium was struck down in federal court.

July 19th - President’s Ocean Policy Taskforce issued final recommendations on implementing a Federally-controlled system of ocean zoning that could lock up huge areas of the ocean to energy development.

October 12th - Lifted the deepwater drilling moratorium – yet still keeps a de facto moratorium in place by refusing to issue permits.

November 18th - An Interior Department presentation showed that they plan to postpone new lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico until 2012.

November 30th - Interior Department announced it would consider proposals to regulate hydraulic fracturing on public lands – a technique currently regulated by states that is responsible for tremendous growth in natural gas production.

December 1st - Effectively reinstated the moratorium on offshore drilling, placing the entire Pacific, the entire Atlantic, the Eastern Gulf and parts of Alaska off limits to future energy production.

December 23rd - Interior Department announced a new “Wild Lands” Secretarial Order that could place hundreds of millions of acres of public lands off-limits to American energy production.

2011

January 14th - Revoked an already issued permit for a West Virginia coal mine, costing 250 American jobs.

February 2nd - Continued to impose a de facto moratorium on drilling, Federal Judge finds the Interior Department in contempt of court.

February 14th - Released the FY 2012 budget proposal that includes over $60 billion in direct tax and fee increases on American energy production.

February 15th - Announced further delays to U.S. oil shale production by deciding to re-review the current rules for commercial oil shale leasing.

February 28th - Issued a token deepwater permit, over four months after the moratorium was officially lifted. Did not say when future permits would be issued, thereby continuing the de facto moratorium and leaving thousands of Americans out of work.

March 4th - Filed an appeal to a Federal Court ruling that ordered the Administration to act on stalled deepwater permits.

We Are Broke - Stop Spending

2011-05-23T10:49:00.000-04:00

* Imagine that you had an average monthly income of about $170 and expenses of about $940, and that you were more than $14,000 in debt.

* Imagine also that you have only $58.60 left in your bank account and $130.50 left on your line of credit.

* Now multiply those numbers by 1 billion and you will have the Federal State's up-to-date financial situation.

We are broke! Stop spending!!!!

Courtesy Arch McGill

Lesson From History: A President Who Practiced Leadership

2011-05-23T10:43:00.002-04:00

Harry Truman was no doubt one of the all time greatest Presidents - yet he left office with the lowest approval rating in modern times. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 42 Presidents preceding him and since then. However, a measure of his greatness is told based on what he did after he left the White House.
The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri . His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.
When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year. As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.
After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them. When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale.." Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don 't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!"

Fifty-Four Years of Math In America: 1957 - 2011

2011-05-15T12:00:00.000-04:00

Last week a man purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took the $2 and he was digging for his change when he pulled 8 cents from his pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. He sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give him two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help - all because of the evolution in teaching math in America since the 1950s:

Teaching Math In 1950s - A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1960s - A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1970s - A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980s - A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20 ..

Teaching Math In 1990s - A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class discussion after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok.)

Teaching Math In 2000s - If you have special needs or just feel you need assistance because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, childhood memories, criminal background, then don't answer and the correct answer will be provided for you. There are no wrong answers.

Teaching Math In 2011 - Un hachero vende una carrtada de maderapara 100 pesos. El costo de la producciones es 80 pesos. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

Courtesy Gary Dedoussis

Recently Published Economic Indicators Point to Decline: National Debt Leads The List

2011-05-14T13:06:00.005-04:00

Rational economists cannot blame Obama for the decline in all of these specific economic indicators but there cannot be any doubt about the pervasivenss of the economic 'overhang' caused by the current President's outright refusal to take the lead in cutting US federal spending in order to reduce the National Debt.  Then - look at the USA's decline in standing in Economic Freedom World Rankings
                                                       2009           2011         % change    Source

National debt, in trillions               $10..627        $14..052       32.2%           14

U.S.. Rank in Economic Freedom     5                  9                 n/a              10
World Rankings

In the last two years we have accumulated national debt at a rate more than 27 times as fast during the rest of our entire nation's history. If you are driving in the right lane doing 65 MPH and a car rockets past you in the left lane. 27 times faster, it would be doing 7,555 MPH.

Avg.. Retail price/gallon gas in U.S.    $1.83           $3.95           115.8%         1

Crude oil, European Brent (barrel)      $43.4           $99.02         127.7%         2

Crude oil, West TX Inter. (barrel)     $38.74           $91..38        135.9%         2

Gold: London (per troy oz.)            $853.25            $1,504           90.5%         2

Corn, No.2 yellow, Central IL           $3.56              $6.33           78.1%          2

Soybeans, No. 1 yellow, IL              $9.66              $13..75          42.3%         2

Sugar, cane, raw, world, lb. Fob        $13..37          $35..39        164.7%         2

Unemployment rate, non-farm, overall 7.6%              9.4%           23.7%         3

Unemployment rate, blacks                 12.6              15.8%            25.4%        3

Number of unemployed               11,616,000        14,485,000       24.7%        3

Number of fed. Employees           2,779,000        2,840,000           2.2%        3

Real median household income      $50,112            $49,777            -0.7%        4

Number of food stamp recipients   31,983,716      43,200,878        35.1%      5

Number of unemployment benefit     7,526,598      9,193,838         22.2%       6
recipients
Number of long-term unemployed    2,600,000       6,400,000        146.2%     3

Poverty rate, individuals                     13.2%              14.3%             8.3%      4

People in poverty in U.S.             39,800,000        43,600,000          9.5%      4
Present Situation Index                      29.9                  23.5     -      21.4%      11

Failed banks                                    140                     164              17.1%       12

U.S. Dollar versus Japanese yen        89.76                82.03          -8.6%        2
Exchange Rate

U.S.. Money supply, M1, in billions    1,575.1           1,865.7          18.4%     13

U.S.. Money supply, M2, in billions    8,310.9            8,852.3          6.5%       13

Sources:
(1) U.S. Energy Information Administration; (2) Wall Street Journal; (3) Bureau of Labor Statistics; (4) Census Bureau; (5) USDA; (6) U.S. Dept. Of Labor; (7) FHFA; (8) Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller; (9) RealtyTrac; (10) Heritage Foundation and WSJ; (11) The Conference Board; (12) FDIC; (13) Federal Reserve; (14) U.S. Treasury

Great Americans - Lest We Forget

2011-05-12T11:08:00.000-04:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576317132067904272.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion

America's Greatness - There is Nothing Greater!!!

2011-05-09T22:42:00.000-04:00

This is a trailer for a full-length feature documentary to honor WWII vets - to be released in November 2011 - pass it along!!!.

http://media.causes.com/1060527?p_id=175378540

And We Can't Cut Federal Spending on Education - Give Me a Break!!!!

2011-05-09T21:13:00.000-04:00

From a California school teacher - - - "As you listen to the news about the student protests over illegal immigration, there are some things that you should be aware of:

I am in charge of the English-as-a-second-language department at a large southern California high school which is designated a Title 1 school, meaning that its students average lower socioeconomic and income levels. Most of the schools you are hearing about, South Gate High, Bell Gardens , Huntington Park , etc. where these students are protesting, are also Title 1 schools. Title 1 schools are on the free breakfast and free lunch program. When I say free breakfast, I'm not talking a glass of milk and roll -- but a full breakfast and cereal bar with fruits and juices that would make a Marriott proud. The waste of this food is monumental, with trays and trays of it being dumped in the trash uneaten.

I estimate that well over 50% of these students are obese or at least moderately overweight. About 75% or more DO have cell phones. The school also provides day care centers for the unwed teenage pregnant girls(some as young as 13) so they can attend class without the inconvenience of having to arrange for babysitters or having family watch their kids.

I was ordered to spend $700,000 on my department or risk losing funding for the upcoming year even though there was little need for anything; my budget was already substantial. I ended up buying new computers for the computer learning center, half of which, one month later, have been carved with graffiti by the appreciative students who obviously feel humbled and grateful to have a free education in America."

Courtesy Rick Lewis

Thinking Green - Adult Supervision Required at GE

2011-05-08T22:41:00.001-04:00

Out of the mouth of GE CEO Jeffery Immelt::

Vintage 2006 - 2009: Pushing green stuff:
In 2006, Immelt announced that GE had joined the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of radical green groups and other businesses formed to lobby for comprehensive climate and energy legislation such as cap-and-trade.

And then in 2009: "We're all Democrats now." ----"The intersection between GE's interests and government action is clearer than ever ... We must also make sure that candidates who share GE's values and goals get elected to office ..." ----"On climate change, we were able to work closely with key authors of the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives. If this bill is enacted into law it would benefit many GE businesses."

Vintage 2011: Immelt last week announced that he was giving up his green energy lobbying crusade and getting back to the business of creating wealth at the struggling GE.
"If I had one thing to do over again, I would not have talked so much about green,"
"Even though I believe in global warming and I believe in the science ... it just took on a connotation that was too elitist."
"It was too precious, and it let opponents think that if you had a green initiative, you didn't care about jobs. I'm a businessman. That's all I care about, is jobs ...
"I'm kind of over the stage of arguing for a comprehensive energy policy. I'm back to keeping my head down and working."

How does a guy as naive as this keep his job?

If he wants to believe in global warming science - no problem with that -------but as the head of a corporation with annual revenue at $150 billion and thousands of public shareholders ---- he now says he is "----back to keeping my head down and working"

Is he just just discovering what a CEO is supposed to do?
.

The SEALs' Magnificent Foray - America's Greatness Shines Through The Hoopla of The Aftermath

2011-05-07T19:05:00.001-04:00

As the Washington politicians and media pundits attempt to dominate and edge each other out of the limelight in the aftermath of Osama's annihilation, the real people out here stand together in absolute awe of the magnificent accomplishment of our military. Their courage and competence - demonstrated by the precision planning and execution of this mission - stands in stark contrast with the bumbling elected DC elite as they debate the trivia of the aftermath.

Does anyone outside of Washington care about the release of the photos of the body - the burial at sea - whether the scum bags were unarmed - the President's NYC victory lap and surely a whole bunch of nonsense yet to be aired?

HOORAY for those brave men - and thank God for our military!!

In a related development - http://www.borowitzreport.com/ published a post on their blog citing a new poll published by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, in which the Navy SEALS trounce Congress by a lopsided 97% to 2% margin, with the remaining 1% answering, “Superman.”

Professor Davis Logsdon of the University of Minnesota said that the numbers behind the numbers were even more striking: “By a wide margin, Americans favor SEAL Team Six landing on the Capitol building with helicopters and taking out Congress by force.”

Added Professor Logsdon, “There’s a broad consensus out there that the Navy SEALs get things done, and that they would make C-Span more fun to watch.”

News of the petition and the survey caught the attention of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, who issued a strongly worded denial of rumors that SEAL Team Six were practicing maneuvers on a life-size replica of the Capitol building constructed inside an abandoned Linen ‘n’ Things in suburban Virginia.

In other post-bin Laden news, the White House said that they were “no longer concerned” about the American people being grossed out by images of Osama bin Laden: “After all, they’ve been looking at Trump for weeks.”

Leadership Vacuum - Obama Kills Osama - It's All About Obama: What About the SEALS??

2011-05-07T19:00:00.001-04:00

Following excerpts from President Obama’s speech on Sunday night about the killing of Osama bin Laden.

“Tonight, I can report . . . And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta . . . I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden . . . I met repeatedly with my national security team . . . I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action. . . . Today, at my direction . . . I’ve made clear . . . Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear . . . Tonight, I called President Zardari . . . and my team has also spoken. . .These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief . . . Finally, let me say to the families . . . I know that it has, at times, frayed. . ."

Does this guy ever grasp even the the basic concept of leadership? I ---- I ----- I----!!!

US Government Should Pull Out of Washington

2011-05-07T10:57:00.001-04:00

Recent US government statistics confirmed that the firearm death rate in Washington DC over the most recent 22 month period was 80.6 per 100,000 residents. This rate compared to the firearm death rate in Iraq of 60 per 100,000 where there are approx. 160,000 Amercian armed solidiers. It is safer to live in Iraq than DC.

Please write to your Congress representative requesting that we remain in Iraq and pull out of Washington.

Tax Fairness

2011-05-06T19:04:00.000-04:00