This idea may sound crazy at first, but I would like you to at least think about this. First, nearly 60 million WORKING people pay NO income taxes at all. None. They benefit just as much as the 60 million who do pay, but they get a free ride because they do not earn as much. But just because they do not earn as much should not mean they pay NOTHING. If they have income, why should they not pay at least a token amount? And there are three very sound reasons why they should...
1) They would feel as though they are contributing to America, even if only in a token amount. This is good and healthy for a person's self-esteem. Remember the parable of the wealthy man who gave 10% of what he earned, and the poor woman who only gave two pieces? Jesus blessed the woman because, even though she was poor and could ill afford it, she gave all she could. Dignity and self-esteem is important.
2) By becoming taxpayers, those 60 million people will be vested in how Congress spends our money. As long as a person is not required to pay anything, they suddenly become eager to increase spending and entitlements - after all, it doesn't cost them a dime. If we want to control spending, we need to get more Americans interested in controlling it.
3) If every working person under 18 and not in college, with any income whatsoever were required to pay a mere $5 per week, that would come to a whopping $15 billion dollars a year going into the Treasury that could be used to pay down our debt. It is their debt, too. They need to pay SOMETHING. There is not a working person in America who can honestly say they cannot afford a mere $250 per year for all the benefits they get from living in this great country. Every worker could contribute that much simply by getting a second, part-time job for a few days each year. Heck, I make more than that just turning in cans and bottles to the recycling center!
Yes, there should be an Alternative Minimum Tax on the wealthy PROVIDED we stick with the current progressive tax code. But there should be an even more important AMT for EVERYONE. Every working American has an obligation to pay a share. Being poor is no excuse for being a deadbeat.
/
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
CharactersUnite
I caught a commercial today by CharactersUnite.com. The guy starts by saying that every hour a crime is committed based on religion, gender, sexual preference, race etc. and we need to unite to put a stop to it.
As much as I agree with the premise, I find this to be very disingenuous. They purposely lead you to believe, by error of omission, that it is "every hour" in the United States. But the facts are quite different - such crimes occur SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD every hour.
What these folks do not tell you is that the vast majority of crimes against women, gays and religions are committed elsewhere, and almost entirely in the Arab/muslim nations.
Now, I believe the world should unite on the one issue of human rights. But I find it objectionable that this or any group tries to con people into thinking it is mostly an American problem. It isn't, and never was. Even in the days of slavery and no women's rights we still treated people better than most other nations of the time. Yes, we had growing to do - we still do. But America is not the problem, and I'm damned sick of the disingenuous fools who keep trying to tell us otherwise.
/
As much as I agree with the premise, I find this to be very disingenuous. They purposely lead you to believe, by error of omission, that it is "every hour" in the United States. But the facts are quite different - such crimes occur SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD every hour.
What these folks do not tell you is that the vast majority of crimes against women, gays and religions are committed elsewhere, and almost entirely in the Arab/muslim nations.
Now, I believe the world should unite on the one issue of human rights. But I find it objectionable that this or any group tries to con people into thinking it is mostly an American problem. It isn't, and never was. Even in the days of slavery and no women's rights we still treated people better than most other nations of the time. Yes, we had growing to do - we still do. But America is not the problem, and I'm damned sick of the disingenuous fools who keep trying to tell us otherwise.
/
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Political Correctness - A Suicide Pact
Undercover agents arrested a Somali-born teenager, Mohamed Osman Mohamud while trying to blow up a van full of explosives at a crowded Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Portland, Oregon
Late last month, Farooque Ahmed, 34, of Virginia was arrested and accused of casing Washington-area subway stations in what he thought was an al-Qaida plot to bomb and kill commuters.
And a year ago in another federal sting, 19-year-old Jordanian Hosam Smadi was arrested on charges he intended to bomb a downtown Dallas skyscraper
These are just three recent examples of many, many terrorist attempts (and some successful) that prove beyond any doubt whatever that the vast majority (like, 100%) of terrorists are young middle-eastern Arab muslims, and the majority are males.
So, exactly WHY are we not using effective profiling? We use profiling in all other "native" crimes, including rape, murder, child molesting, burglary etc.
If we continue to refuse to target those who are most likely to try and kill us, we are committing suicide. It is political correctness, invented and pushed by progressive liberals who do not like America, that will be responsible for any successful terrorist attack.
At airports, federal agents grope and scan innocent American grandmas and little children, under the pretense that they COULD be used by terrorists. But I contend that, to date, no 4 year old has been used in any terror attempt, but dark-skinned middle-eastern Arab muslims have been.
Our leaders, misguided or misled, have decided it is better to insult and abuse innocent Americans than to risk insulting or abusing the muslims intent on killing us.
I find it troubling that progressive liberals are quick to cry foul when we infringe on the supposed "rights" of terrorists held at Gitmo, but are also the first to insist that Americans forfeit their own rights at airports across the nation.
We have a great country here in America. But we do not have great leadership in our president or Congress. They allow a handful of progressives to dictate their course - a course designed long ago to bring America to its knees, in favor of a "one world" government. In a one-world government, NO nation would be allowed to be sovereign, more powerful or more wealthy than another. So, progressives believe America must be dismantled.
Are you going to sit back and let them do it? Or will you be outspoken, and work to remove all progressives from all public offices?
America is worth saving. But if YOU won't act to save her, who will?
Scary statistics for those of us who live in Maine:
1) there are roughly 1.6 billion muslims in the world. Of that, roughly 2 million (more than 1%) are believed to be jihadists out to kill us.
2) In Portland, alone, there are currently more than 4,000 Somalian muslims. If the stats hold true, at least 5 of them are already planning how to kill us.
And that is just Portland. The first terrorist mentioned in this blog is a Somali muslim immigrant in Portland Oregon. How long before Portland Maine becomes a target?
/
Late last month, Farooque Ahmed, 34, of Virginia was arrested and accused of casing Washington-area subway stations in what he thought was an al-Qaida plot to bomb and kill commuters.
And a year ago in another federal sting, 19-year-old Jordanian Hosam Smadi was arrested on charges he intended to bomb a downtown Dallas skyscraper
These are just three recent examples of many, many terrorist attempts (and some successful) that prove beyond any doubt whatever that the vast majority (like, 100%) of terrorists are young middle-eastern Arab muslims, and the majority are males.
So, exactly WHY are we not using effective profiling? We use profiling in all other "native" crimes, including rape, murder, child molesting, burglary etc.
If we continue to refuse to target those who are most likely to try and kill us, we are committing suicide. It is political correctness, invented and pushed by progressive liberals who do not like America, that will be responsible for any successful terrorist attack.
At airports, federal agents grope and scan innocent American grandmas and little children, under the pretense that they COULD be used by terrorists. But I contend that, to date, no 4 year old has been used in any terror attempt, but dark-skinned middle-eastern Arab muslims have been.
Our leaders, misguided or misled, have decided it is better to insult and abuse innocent Americans than to risk insulting or abusing the muslims intent on killing us.
I find it troubling that progressive liberals are quick to cry foul when we infringe on the supposed "rights" of terrorists held at Gitmo, but are also the first to insist that Americans forfeit their own rights at airports across the nation.
We have a great country here in America. But we do not have great leadership in our president or Congress. They allow a handful of progressives to dictate their course - a course designed long ago to bring America to its knees, in favor of a "one world" government. In a one-world government, NO nation would be allowed to be sovereign, more powerful or more wealthy than another. So, progressives believe America must be dismantled.
Are you going to sit back and let them do it? Or will you be outspoken, and work to remove all progressives from all public offices?
America is worth saving. But if YOU won't act to save her, who will?
Scary statistics for those of us who live in Maine:
1) there are roughly 1.6 billion muslims in the world. Of that, roughly 2 million (more than 1%) are believed to be jihadists out to kill us.
2) In Portland, alone, there are currently more than 4,000 Somalian muslims. If the stats hold true, at least 5 of them are already planning how to kill us.
And that is just Portland. The first terrorist mentioned in this blog is a Somali muslim immigrant in Portland Oregon. How long before Portland Maine becomes a target?
/
Friday, November 26, 2010
LIA - The Little Ice Age
I have written often on the period known as the "Little Ice Age" (LIA). And I brought up the fact that our current "warming period" is not only natural, but 2-3 degrees below the Earth's normal temperature.
According to Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" which caused so much angst and panic, if the Earth were to warm an average of 2-3 degrees it would be a catastrophe of epic proportions. Yet, 2-3 degrees higher temperature would simply be normal.
This evening I watched a documentary on the History channel about LIA. LIA began in the 14th century and did not end until roughly 1850. During that period, the Earth's average temperature was 4 degrees colder than the present average temperature. And that small amount caused havoc and death throughout the world - famines, plagues, crime, as food became scarce and disease-ridden rats came indoors to escape the cold.
But the real story is untold - that the period preceding the Little Ice Age, from about the 10th century to the 14th, the Earth's average temperature was about 3 degrees warmer than it is today. And during that "warming period" of 400 years, civilizations grew and propered like no other time in recorded history. The best wines were brewed in England and imported to France. But during LIA, that came to an end as grapes could not grow in the colder temps of England. To this day grapes cannot grow in England, which tells you the Earth's temperature is still cooler than it was 1000 years ago.
The very same climate that Gore and his followers claim would be devastating was a reality just 1000 years ago (and obviously not caused by Man or his SUV's), and Mankind actually thrived.
This is proven science, not conjecture, opinion or political hype designed to redistribute wealth. The Earth is still coming out of the 500 year LIA, so it is natural for it to be warming. And it will get warmer yet, barring any outside influence that might again cause another Big Chill. And there is nothing we can, or should do about it.
I have said this before - nothing in nature remains stagnant. When the Earth is not warming it is cooling, and vice versa. When the Earth cools, Mankind suffers. When it warms, we thrive.
I say let it warm. After all, if we were to try to thwart the warming and a new LIA were to begin, the combined effect would be even more devastating than the last LIA.
So, what are the odds another LIA could be in our future? All it would take is a series of large volcanic eruptions over a short time, spewing enough ash into the atmosphere to block the sun for a few months, as happened when Mt Tambora erupted in the 1815, causing what came to be known as "The Year Without A Summer". That was just one volcano and it dropped the average mean temperature a full degree, bringing 5 feet of snow to the Northeast in July and August. Imagine several...just look at Indonesia lately. It COULD happen. But here's the kicker - there are 8 Super Volanoes on this planet (Yellowstone is one). All it would take to start a true ice age is for just ONE of those to blow.
/
According to Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" which caused so much angst and panic, if the Earth were to warm an average of 2-3 degrees it would be a catastrophe of epic proportions. Yet, 2-3 degrees higher temperature would simply be normal.
This evening I watched a documentary on the History channel about LIA. LIA began in the 14th century and did not end until roughly 1850. During that period, the Earth's average temperature was 4 degrees colder than the present average temperature. And that small amount caused havoc and death throughout the world - famines, plagues, crime, as food became scarce and disease-ridden rats came indoors to escape the cold.
But the real story is untold - that the period preceding the Little Ice Age, from about the 10th century to the 14th, the Earth's average temperature was about 3 degrees warmer than it is today. And during that "warming period" of 400 years, civilizations grew and propered like no other time in recorded history. The best wines were brewed in England and imported to France. But during LIA, that came to an end as grapes could not grow in the colder temps of England. To this day grapes cannot grow in England, which tells you the Earth's temperature is still cooler than it was 1000 years ago.
The very same climate that Gore and his followers claim would be devastating was a reality just 1000 years ago (and obviously not caused by Man or his SUV's), and Mankind actually thrived.
This is proven science, not conjecture, opinion or political hype designed to redistribute wealth. The Earth is still coming out of the 500 year LIA, so it is natural for it to be warming. And it will get warmer yet, barring any outside influence that might again cause another Big Chill. And there is nothing we can, or should do about it.
I have said this before - nothing in nature remains stagnant. When the Earth is not warming it is cooling, and vice versa. When the Earth cools, Mankind suffers. When it warms, we thrive.
I say let it warm. After all, if we were to try to thwart the warming and a new LIA were to begin, the combined effect would be even more devastating than the last LIA.
So, what are the odds another LIA could be in our future? All it would take is a series of large volcanic eruptions over a short time, spewing enough ash into the atmosphere to block the sun for a few months, as happened when Mt Tambora erupted in the 1815, causing what came to be known as "The Year Without A Summer". That was just one volcano and it dropped the average mean temperature a full degree, bringing 5 feet of snow to the Northeast in July and August. Imagine several...just look at Indonesia lately. It COULD happen. But here's the kicker - there are 8 Super Volanoes on this planet (Yellowstone is one). All it would take to start a true ice age is for just ONE of those to blow.
/
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The Truth Finally Comes Out
Now he tells us. Al Gore now says his support for corn-based ethanol subsidies while serving as vice president was a mistake that had more to do with his desire to cultivate farm votes in the 2000 presidential election than with what was good for the environment.
"It is not a good policy to have these massive subsidies for first-generation ethanol," Gore said at a green energy conference in Athens, Greece, according to Reuters . First generation refers to the most basic, energy-intensive process of converting corn to ethanol for use as a motor vehicle fuel additive.
"On reflection", Gore said the energy conversion ratios -- how much energy is produced in the process -- "are at best very small." "One of the reasons I made that mistake is that I paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee," he said, "and I had a certain fondness for the farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for president."
I blogged years ago about this and those on the left said I was nuts. I have been blogging on it ever since. Now he admits it was not only a mistake, but purely political, to buy votes. And contrary to what he says, it was no "mistake". He boldly claims it was a calculated move to garner votes. Anything done intentionally is no mistake. So now I am wondering - how much longer will it be before he finally owns up to his most horrific mistake - his bogus docucrama about global warming? No time soon, I would guess, since he won awards from his celebrity groupies and so much of his wealth is at stake.
As a side note, federal ethanol subsidies reached $7.7 billion last year. The taxpayer pays that to steal corn from the food supply, which raises food prices. That means taxpayers get wholloped twice for the same foolish "mistake".
/
"It is not a good policy to have these massive subsidies for first-generation ethanol," Gore said at a green energy conference in Athens, Greece, according to Reuters . First generation refers to the most basic, energy-intensive process of converting corn to ethanol for use as a motor vehicle fuel additive.
"On reflection", Gore said the energy conversion ratios -- how much energy is produced in the process -- "are at best very small." "One of the reasons I made that mistake is that I paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee," he said, "and I had a certain fondness for the farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for president."
I blogged years ago about this and those on the left said I was nuts. I have been blogging on it ever since. Now he admits it was not only a mistake, but purely political, to buy votes. And contrary to what he says, it was no "mistake". He boldly claims it was a calculated move to garner votes. Anything done intentionally is no mistake. So now I am wondering - how much longer will it be before he finally owns up to his most horrific mistake - his bogus docucrama about global warming? No time soon, I would guess, since he won awards from his celebrity groupies and so much of his wealth is at stake.
As a side note, federal ethanol subsidies reached $7.7 billion last year. The taxpayer pays that to steal corn from the food supply, which raises food prices. That means taxpayers get wholloped twice for the same foolish "mistake".
/
Monday, November 22, 2010
Skewed Priorities
A lot of folks seem to think it's OK for our own government to mistreat its citizens and violate their Constitutional rights in an attempt to make us safer in the air. Those of us who disagree have valid reasons for disagreeing.
Let's begin with this - in an effort to NOT violate the rights or feelings of terrorists, our government violates the rights and disregards the feelings of its own citizens by the millions. In an effort to not treat terrorists with disrespect, our government disrespects its own citizenry. And in an effort to protect the American way of life - rights, freedoms, dignity and self-respect - the government TAKES AWAY our rights, freedoms, dignity and self-respect.
And in light of this, the government refuses to do the one thing that has proven capable of keeping us safer - profiling. Yeah, I've heard it all before. We need to be careful about insulting our enemies.
What ticks me the most is that our soldiers fight and die so we can be free - and then we just turn around and give up those freedoms without so much as a whimper just because some cave-dweller has some of us peeing our pants in fear! I don't know which angers me more - the people trying to kill us, or the cowards who would give in to them so readily.
Political correctness has become a suicide pact. We KNOW who is trying to kill us, but we refuse to single them out for close inspection because we might hurt someone's precious little feelings. But in refusing to profile, the government is doing harm to every American who flies. "We won't single out those who are trying to kill us. Instead, we will punish our own citizens. And if our citizens refuse to accept the punishment, we will arrest them."
How idiotic and dictatorial that is. Certainly not the mark of intelligence, nor the mark of a free country. Meanwhile the terrorists are laughing their asses off at our ignorance and foolishness. Our own government is telling us to let our fears rule our lives. Have we become a nation of cowards? Since when was it a good thing to give up our hard-earned freedoms and rights in exchange for (a false perception of) security?
If the founding fathers had decided they should give up their rights and freedoms in exchange for security, they would never have gone to war with England and we would not be a free country today. They knew what we are too spoiled to remember - that nothing is more important than freedom and human rights. Not even life, itself. They were willing to die for freedom.
Political correctness, particularly in the area of national defense or security is absolutely irresponsible, assinine and insane. We can molest our women and children with impunity and subject them to doses of radiation that is expected to kill 10 people a year, but is it wrong to single someone out for closer inspection because he fits the description of the perp? WE KNOW WHO IS TRYING TO KILL US. But rather than face him, we turn our back on him and molest our own children for fear that we might offend the bad guys.
You would be outraged if the local police, knowing a serial killer was an ethnic male in his thirties with a full beard, were to NOT look for an ethnic male in his thirties with a full beard, and instead haul in grandma and three-year olds for a line-up. Just how stupid is our government? And just how stupid are we for allowing them to run amok in the name of security?
Here is a fact - you have 4 times more chance of becoming a saint (a 20 million-to-one shot) than of finding yourself on a plane with a bomber (an 81 million-to-one shot). Is that worthy of giving up your human rights? Your dignity? Is that reason enough to allow strangers to molest our women and children, or subject them to radiation?
If you honestly think it is a good thing to give up your rights and freedoms for security, then you are the fool and coward that Benjamin Franklin was talking about when he said "Those who would give up their liberty in exchange for security deserve neither."
I cannot take my family on a plane. Because I am a man. And no man worthy of the name would ever permit his wife and children to be fondled and groped by anyone, least of all srangers. Nor would a man worth his salt subject his loved ones to dangerous radiation that even the experts say will result in some deaths. They say it's "collateral damage."
Sorry - me and mine are not "collateral". We are human beings. Human beings with dignity and self-respect. And we plan on staying that way, no matter how hard the terrorists try to kill us.
To paraphrase a famous saying, "A brave man dies but once, but a coward dies every time he goes through airport security."
But the bigger question: WHY is our government doing this, even though they know these invasive procedures are ineffective and also unconstitutional? It's simple. Lookiaround at all the intrusions of government lately. The government is growing in power. And in order for one entity to gain power, another must lose power. And we, the people, are losing power. The government wants greater control over us, our lives, our health, our money - even what we eat. The only way they can get that power is if we give it to them by willingly giving up our rights and freedoms. The government learned long ago that if we are suitably frightened, we will give up those rights and freedoms. So, it is in the best interests of the government to keep us living in fear. The greater the fear, the more power they can take in the guise of "protecting" us.
We have met the enemy - and it is us. The government we created, then empowered, then ceded our rights and freedoms to.
/
Let's begin with this - in an effort to NOT violate the rights or feelings of terrorists, our government violates the rights and disregards the feelings of its own citizens by the millions. In an effort to not treat terrorists with disrespect, our government disrespects its own citizenry. And in an effort to protect the American way of life - rights, freedoms, dignity and self-respect - the government TAKES AWAY our rights, freedoms, dignity and self-respect.
And in light of this, the government refuses to do the one thing that has proven capable of keeping us safer - profiling. Yeah, I've heard it all before. We need to be careful about insulting our enemies.
What ticks me the most is that our soldiers fight and die so we can be free - and then we just turn around and give up those freedoms without so much as a whimper just because some cave-dweller has some of us peeing our pants in fear! I don't know which angers me more - the people trying to kill us, or the cowards who would give in to them so readily.
Political correctness has become a suicide pact. We KNOW who is trying to kill us, but we refuse to single them out for close inspection because we might hurt someone's precious little feelings. But in refusing to profile, the government is doing harm to every American who flies. "We won't single out those who are trying to kill us. Instead, we will punish our own citizens. And if our citizens refuse to accept the punishment, we will arrest them."
How idiotic and dictatorial that is. Certainly not the mark of intelligence, nor the mark of a free country. Meanwhile the terrorists are laughing their asses off at our ignorance and foolishness. Our own government is telling us to let our fears rule our lives. Have we become a nation of cowards? Since when was it a good thing to give up our hard-earned freedoms and rights in exchange for (a false perception of) security?
If the founding fathers had decided they should give up their rights and freedoms in exchange for security, they would never have gone to war with England and we would not be a free country today. They knew what we are too spoiled to remember - that nothing is more important than freedom and human rights. Not even life, itself. They were willing to die for freedom.
Political correctness, particularly in the area of national defense or security is absolutely irresponsible, assinine and insane. We can molest our women and children with impunity and subject them to doses of radiation that is expected to kill 10 people a year, but is it wrong to single someone out for closer inspection because he fits the description of the perp? WE KNOW WHO IS TRYING TO KILL US. But rather than face him, we turn our back on him and molest our own children for fear that we might offend the bad guys.
You would be outraged if the local police, knowing a serial killer was an ethnic male in his thirties with a full beard, were to NOT look for an ethnic male in his thirties with a full beard, and instead haul in grandma and three-year olds for a line-up. Just how stupid is our government? And just how stupid are we for allowing them to run amok in the name of security?
Here is a fact - you have 4 times more chance of becoming a saint (a 20 million-to-one shot) than of finding yourself on a plane with a bomber (an 81 million-to-one shot). Is that worthy of giving up your human rights? Your dignity? Is that reason enough to allow strangers to molest our women and children, or subject them to radiation?
If you honestly think it is a good thing to give up your rights and freedoms for security, then you are the fool and coward that Benjamin Franklin was talking about when he said "Those who would give up their liberty in exchange for security deserve neither."
I cannot take my family on a plane. Because I am a man. And no man worthy of the name would ever permit his wife and children to be fondled and groped by anyone, least of all srangers. Nor would a man worth his salt subject his loved ones to dangerous radiation that even the experts say will result in some deaths. They say it's "collateral damage."
Sorry - me and mine are not "collateral". We are human beings. Human beings with dignity and self-respect. And we plan on staying that way, no matter how hard the terrorists try to kill us.
To paraphrase a famous saying, "A brave man dies but once, but a coward dies every time he goes through airport security."
But the bigger question: WHY is our government doing this, even though they know these invasive procedures are ineffective and also unconstitutional? It's simple. Lookiaround at all the intrusions of government lately. The government is growing in power. And in order for one entity to gain power, another must lose power. And we, the people, are losing power. The government wants greater control over us, our lives, our health, our money - even what we eat. The only way they can get that power is if we give it to them by willingly giving up our rights and freedoms. The government learned long ago that if we are suitably frightened, we will give up those rights and freedoms. So, it is in the best interests of the government to keep us living in fear. The greater the fear, the more power they can take in the guise of "protecting" us.
We have met the enemy - and it is us. The government we created, then empowered, then ceded our rights and freedoms to.
/
Friday, November 19, 2010
Perspective
There are 49,315 commercial flights daily, throughout the world. Since September 11, 2001, there have been 162 million commercial flights. Of that, there have been (2) known attempts by terrorists to bomb a plane - both thwarted without scanners or pat-downs.
This equates to one attempt for every 81,000,000 flights. Which in turn indicates a probability of finding yourself in a plane with a bomber to be 1 in 81,000,000. That is four times less likely than becoming a saint , which is a 20,000,000-1 shot. And you are 40 times more likely to be struck by lightning, 80 times more likely to get elected president and 80 times more likely of getting killed by a part falling off an airplane.
Now tell me - why are we willing to give up our rights, our dignity and our self-respect by subjecting ourselves to very invasive procedures just to get on a plane? You are more likely to die in a car crash with a Cadillac Escalade at 2:00 in the morning, but no one molests you before getting into your car.
The government has gone too far - and is in violation of several laws and the constitution. We all know the risks involved. If a person has been so frightened by the terrorists that they fear being blown up on a plane, then they should not be flying.
As Franklin so aptly put it, "Those who would give up their liberty for security deserve neither." If we are going to live in fear, the terrorists have already won.
/
This equates to one attempt for every 81,000,000 flights. Which in turn indicates a probability of finding yourself in a plane with a bomber to be 1 in 81,000,000. That is four times less likely than becoming a saint , which is a 20,000,000-1 shot. And you are 40 times more likely to be struck by lightning, 80 times more likely to get elected president and 80 times more likely of getting killed by a part falling off an airplane.
Now tell me - why are we willing to give up our rights, our dignity and our self-respect by subjecting ourselves to very invasive procedures just to get on a plane? You are more likely to die in a car crash with a Cadillac Escalade at 2:00 in the morning, but no one molests you before getting into your car.
The government has gone too far - and is in violation of several laws and the constitution. We all know the risks involved. If a person has been so frightened by the terrorists that they fear being blown up on a plane, then they should not be flying.
As Franklin so aptly put it, "Those who would give up their liberty for security deserve neither." If we are going to live in fear, the terrorists have already won.
/
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Safe canners - And Other Fairy Tales
Today the government worked feverishly, ahead of the holiday travel season, to asure us that the scanners at the airports are safe - that the radiation they emit is "miniscule".
First, let me remind you this is the same government that assured our soldiers that Agent Orange was "safe", and that the air quality at ground zero was "safe". We are now spending billions for medical treatment for those poor souls who believed the government's assurances of safety. That said...
NO amount of radiation is safe. Radiation accumulates in the body. That, alone, is cause for serious concern.
These scanners scan the entire body - a very large area. Per square inch the amount of radiation may be small, but collectively, not so much. Consider...
You dentist uses radiation to x-ray an area the size of a silver dollar. Just enough to penetrate cheek and gums. But have you noticed that it is SO safe that even with such a small amount, you must wear a lead flack jacket, and the dentist must, by law, LEAVE THE ROOM!
That's how "safe" it is.
But here is the REAL safety hazard - by using scanners and pat-downs - neither of which provides very much security - we give up our RIGHTS, our FREEDOM and our DIGNITY. And once you give up all those things that America stands for, and is built upon, the terrorists have already won. And that is the ultimate in being UN-safe - giving up who we are.
/
First, let me remind you this is the same government that assured our soldiers that Agent Orange was "safe", and that the air quality at ground zero was "safe". We are now spending billions for medical treatment for those poor souls who believed the government's assurances of safety. That said...
NO amount of radiation is safe. Radiation accumulates in the body. That, alone, is cause for serious concern.
These scanners scan the entire body - a very large area. Per square inch the amount of radiation may be small, but collectively, not so much. Consider...
You dentist uses radiation to x-ray an area the size of a silver dollar. Just enough to penetrate cheek and gums. But have you noticed that it is SO safe that even with such a small amount, you must wear a lead flack jacket, and the dentist must, by law, LEAVE THE ROOM!
That's how "safe" it is.
But here is the REAL safety hazard - by using scanners and pat-downs - neither of which provides very much security - we give up our RIGHTS, our FREEDOM and our DIGNITY. And once you give up all those things that America stands for, and is built upon, the terrorists have already won. And that is the ultimate in being UN-safe - giving up who we are.
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Something To Think About
Imagine if you will that you have managed to save up a bunch of $100 bills for your retirement. You worked hard for them.Then the government comes to you and says, "We are going to render all those bills worthless because it is in the best interest of the nation. you may as well put them in the shredder. They are no longer any good at all." And you lose everything.
But then the government prints NEW money. No, they do not replace what you have - you cannot trade your $100 bills in for a new $20 bill. Nope. You are still out of luck. All the new money - the money that you really paid for - is slated to go to someone else.
In short, the government stole your money and gave it to someone else.
And that, my friend, is what just happened with GM - Government Motors. Last year the government took it over. People who invested their money into shares were told their shares were being taken away, without remuneration. This, by the way, is in direct violation of the Constitution that says if the government wants something you own, they must pay a fair price for it. But that aside, the fact remains that stockholders lost their stock - it was arbitrarily taken away.
And today, the government has authorized the sale of millions of NEW shares of GM. All the money you invested in GM is now being given to other people.
This should go down in history as the greatest scam of all time. It makes Bernie Madoff look like a kindergartener.And it begs the question - what idiot would buy ANY GM shares this time? What makes anyone think what happened to you won't happen to them?
As much as it pains me to say it, our government has become our enemy. No, not our country - our GOVERNMENT. The Constitution guarantees, in writing, that we shall have a REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT. A Republic. Not a democracy. There is an important difference. The founders had rejected a democracy because in a democracy the majority, and not the collection of individuals, rule. Which means in a democracy, the majority have the power to take away YOUR rights if they see fit. In the Old West it was called "mob rule", responsible for lynching a lot of innocent people.
In a Republic, each of us is an individual "boss" of ourselves. No one, and no group, can usurp our individual rights or power. And the only purpose of government is to make that possible. The government is the tent that keeps the rain off while we go about our business.
In a Republic, the government could not take over GM. They could not render your shares worthless by decree. The free market would rule, which is what creates strength through competition. If GM can no longer compete, they need to go down, just like the Mom & Pop store on the corner. It is called "survival of the fittest". If only the strong survive, we will all be stronger for it. If the weak survive, we all become weaker. We are only as strong as the weakest link.
Whenever you take from the strong and give to the weak, you are not strengthening the weak - they are still weak, but with your stuff. By taking from the strong and giving to the weak, you only serve to weaken the strong. And that is never a good idea, because only the strong will survive.
That is the entire premise of the parable in the Bible about the Talents of Gold. Nothing you can do will make the weak strong. And the strongest need to be strengthened, not weakened.
Some may argue that sounds cold and uncompassionate. But that is not so. It is nature. It is survival. It is as it should be. As it must be. Because no matter what we do, the weak will still fall to the wayside. We see this with 3rd and 4th generation welfare families. In spite of the trillions spent on welfare in the last 50 years, the same families are still poor and on welfare. It did them no good, while it did the rest of us great harm by robbing us of our strength. We are making Sampson's of the strong, and Delilah's of the weak.
To get back to GM - the government has given the "GM Delilah" the shears to cut Sampson's hair. And now they are setting up a whole new bunch of Sampson's (i.e. sheep) to shear.
/
But then the government prints NEW money. No, they do not replace what you have - you cannot trade your $100 bills in for a new $20 bill. Nope. You are still out of luck. All the new money - the money that you really paid for - is slated to go to someone else.
In short, the government stole your money and gave it to someone else.
And that, my friend, is what just happened with GM - Government Motors. Last year the government took it over. People who invested their money into shares were told their shares were being taken away, without remuneration. This, by the way, is in direct violation of the Constitution that says if the government wants something you own, they must pay a fair price for it. But that aside, the fact remains that stockholders lost their stock - it was arbitrarily taken away.
And today, the government has authorized the sale of millions of NEW shares of GM. All the money you invested in GM is now being given to other people.
This should go down in history as the greatest scam of all time. It makes Bernie Madoff look like a kindergartener.And it begs the question - what idiot would buy ANY GM shares this time? What makes anyone think what happened to you won't happen to them?
As much as it pains me to say it, our government has become our enemy. No, not our country - our GOVERNMENT. The Constitution guarantees, in writing, that we shall have a REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT. A Republic. Not a democracy. There is an important difference. The founders had rejected a democracy because in a democracy the majority, and not the collection of individuals, rule. Which means in a democracy, the majority have the power to take away YOUR rights if they see fit. In the Old West it was called "mob rule", responsible for lynching a lot of innocent people.
In a Republic, each of us is an individual "boss" of ourselves. No one, and no group, can usurp our individual rights or power. And the only purpose of government is to make that possible. The government is the tent that keeps the rain off while we go about our business.
In a Republic, the government could not take over GM. They could not render your shares worthless by decree. The free market would rule, which is what creates strength through competition. If GM can no longer compete, they need to go down, just like the Mom & Pop store on the corner. It is called "survival of the fittest". If only the strong survive, we will all be stronger for it. If the weak survive, we all become weaker. We are only as strong as the weakest link.
Whenever you take from the strong and give to the weak, you are not strengthening the weak - they are still weak, but with your stuff. By taking from the strong and giving to the weak, you only serve to weaken the strong. And that is never a good idea, because only the strong will survive.
That is the entire premise of the parable in the Bible about the Talents of Gold. Nothing you can do will make the weak strong. And the strongest need to be strengthened, not weakened.
Some may argue that sounds cold and uncompassionate. But that is not so. It is nature. It is survival. It is as it should be. As it must be. Because no matter what we do, the weak will still fall to the wayside. We see this with 3rd and 4th generation welfare families. In spite of the trillions spent on welfare in the last 50 years, the same families are still poor and on welfare. It did them no good, while it did the rest of us great harm by robbing us of our strength. We are making Sampson's of the strong, and Delilah's of the weak.
To get back to GM - the government has given the "GM Delilah" the shears to cut Sampson's hair. And now they are setting up a whole new bunch of Sampson's (i.e. sheep) to shear.
/
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Terrorists Have Already Won
It was the intent of the terrorists to kill (which they did). But even more important is the true intent of terrorism - to terrorize to the point of forcing us to give up our liberty to government intrusion. To disrupt.
Go to any airport today, and you will see the TSA committing felonies against all innocent travelers, all in the name of "security". They fondle both adults and children in a way that is considered sexual assault if anyone else were to do it. They take picture scans of your body - considered invasion of privacy and even pornography if anyone else were to do it.
We have been forced to give up our liberty - even our dignity - all because of terrorism. They have won.
The irony is that all these blatant attacks on us by our own government does not make us secure - it simply provides an illusion of security. The "underwear bomber" and others still get through. They simply devise new ways.
We would be far better off to use the system the Israeli's have. They have the most secure airlines in the world, and it is accomplished without any invasive government mandates.
But our morons in government are too "politically correct" to use their system. They would rather punish us, the honest citizenry, than offend those who would kill us.
The terrorists have already won...
/
Go to any airport today, and you will see the TSA committing felonies against all innocent travelers, all in the name of "security". They fondle both adults and children in a way that is considered sexual assault if anyone else were to do it. They take picture scans of your body - considered invasion of privacy and even pornography if anyone else were to do it.
We have been forced to give up our liberty - even our dignity - all because of terrorism. They have won.
The irony is that all these blatant attacks on us by our own government does not make us secure - it simply provides an illusion of security. The "underwear bomber" and others still get through. They simply devise new ways.
We would be far better off to use the system the Israeli's have. They have the most secure airlines in the world, and it is accomplished without any invasive government mandates.
But our morons in government are too "politically correct" to use their system. They would rather punish us, the honest citizenry, than offend those who would kill us.
The terrorists have already won...
/
Friday, November 5, 2010
Seeing The Light
Earlier this week President Obama said there's light at the end of the tunnel.
He is correct. And that light at the end of the tunnel...is a Chinese freight train and it's heading straight for us.
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He is correct. And that light at the end of the tunnel...is a Chinese freight train and it's heading straight for us.
/
Suspicious Minds
Well, the mid-term elections are over. And throughout the nation there are accusations - and in many cases evidence - of voter fraud. But so far, there have been no such allegations in Maine.
Could it be that Mainer's are just plain honest?
Or could it be that we just did not notice the puppeteering of national organizations with a national agenda?
The reason I ask is rather simple, and I am wondering if I am the only one who noticed. Throughout Maine, there was a mini-tsunami that swept all government offices. For the first time in decades we have a Republican governor, and also a Republican House and State Senate. It seems Mainer's voted overwhelmingly for Republicans. Yet...
In spite of this, ALL Congressional elections ended with democrats winning the seats. All those going to Washington are democrats.
I just find it rather strange that with all the people who voted Republican for state seats, that those same voters would inexplicably vote overwhelmingly for Democrats for the Congress.
Most unusual.
/
Could it be that Mainer's are just plain honest?
Or could it be that we just did not notice the puppeteering of national organizations with a national agenda?
The reason I ask is rather simple, and I am wondering if I am the only one who noticed. Throughout Maine, there was a mini-tsunami that swept all government offices. For the first time in decades we have a Republican governor, and also a Republican House and State Senate. It seems Mainer's voted overwhelmingly for Republicans. Yet...
In spite of this, ALL Congressional elections ended with democrats winning the seats. All those going to Washington are democrats.
I just find it rather strange that with all the people who voted Republican for state seats, that those same voters would inexplicably vote overwhelmingly for Democrats for the Congress.
Most unusual.
/
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tol' Ya So ...
As I predicted months ago, the Fed announced that it intends to print ANOTHER $600 billion to monetize the debt. Monetizing the debt reduces the value of our money. Also as predicted months ago, the price of gold has skyrocketed. Within 30 minutes of the Fed's announcement, the price of gold jumped another $40 an ounce. Now approaching $1400 per troy ounce.
The good news for America, and the bad news for those who hold onto gold too long, I suspect the new Republican congress will shoot down this atrocity early next year. If they do (and they should), the price of gold will drop immediately. If they do not, you can hang onto your gold awhile longer.
Just so you know...
/
The good news for America, and the bad news for those who hold onto gold too long, I suspect the new Republican congress will shoot down this atrocity early next year. If they do (and they should), the price of gold will drop immediately. If they do not, you can hang onto your gold awhile longer.
Just so you know...
/
He Still Does Not Get It
Today President Obama, scheduled to meet with Congressional leaders said "The people have sent a message...", and then went on to describe what he sees as "the message".
He said the message is simply to focus on jobs, don't waste so much money and change the tone in Washington.
Wishful thinking, Mr. President. Not only is that NOT the message, but you apparently choose to ignore all those who told you EXACTLY what their message is. So, in case you missed it, here it is again...
The folks want SMALLER GOVERNMENT. They want to CUT SPENDING. They want to INCREASE PERSONAL FREEDOM from government intrusion so they can grow.
The people know that such things will empower the people and result in growth and jobs.
In short, Mr President - and all establishment politicians who just don't "get it" - it is really very simple...
YOUR job is to keep the nation safe from its enemies, and provide for the general welfare (not individual welfare) of the nation as a whole, and then just GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY! The people will do the rest, as they always have.
Yes, there will be winners and losers - but that is how it SHOULD be. No one can win unless someone else loses. And if no one wins, we cannot grow or prosper as a nation. You simply stagnate.
If you have ever played poker, you know what I'm saying.
Washington, wake up and smell the Tea. Make America a friendly and safe place for business, and then just get out of our way.
It really is as simple as that - and does not require trillions of spending or debt.
/
He said the message is simply to focus on jobs, don't waste so much money and change the tone in Washington.
Wishful thinking, Mr. President. Not only is that NOT the message, but you apparently choose to ignore all those who told you EXACTLY what their message is. So, in case you missed it, here it is again...
The folks want SMALLER GOVERNMENT. They want to CUT SPENDING. They want to INCREASE PERSONAL FREEDOM from government intrusion so they can grow.
The people know that such things will empower the people and result in growth and jobs.
In short, Mr President - and all establishment politicians who just don't "get it" - it is really very simple...
YOUR job is to keep the nation safe from its enemies, and provide for the general welfare (not individual welfare) of the nation as a whole, and then just GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY! The people will do the rest, as they always have.
Yes, there will be winners and losers - but that is how it SHOULD be. No one can win unless someone else loses. And if no one wins, we cannot grow or prosper as a nation. You simply stagnate.
If you have ever played poker, you know what I'm saying.
Washington, wake up and smell the Tea. Make America a friendly and safe place for business, and then just get out of our way.
It really is as simple as that - and does not require trillions of spending or debt.
/
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Self-Employment Opp VIII
Self-Employment Idea #8
Bartering
You have seen those magazines dedicated to Want Ads. There are even online ones, like Craig's list. But did you know you could make a lot of money from them?
I know a young man who found an old Honda 450 for sale for $100. He also found another ad where a person was looking for such a motorcyle. He called the guy and said he would sell him a 450 Honda for $400. The deal was made - and so was a $300 profit?
He began picking up all sorts of things from the FREE ITEMS section, then selling them at yard sales, or trading "up" for something of greater value. Just for kicks, he decided to see if he could trade a $10 item for a $5,000 item. He started with a used TV he got for $10, traded that for something worth $20, and so on. It took 8 months, but the man ended up with a $7,000 Harley Davidson - and it only cost him $10.
Think about it. Look for all the bargains, then trade up, or mark them up and sell at your yard sale. And don't forget to look for more bargains at other people's yard sales...
/
Bartering
You have seen those magazines dedicated to Want Ads. There are even online ones, like Craig's list. But did you know you could make a lot of money from them?
I know a young man who found an old Honda 450 for sale for $100. He also found another ad where a person was looking for such a motorcyle. He called the guy and said he would sell him a 450 Honda for $400. The deal was made - and so was a $300 profit?
He began picking up all sorts of things from the FREE ITEMS section, then selling them at yard sales, or trading "up" for something of greater value. Just for kicks, he decided to see if he could trade a $10 item for a $5,000 item. He started with a used TV he got for $10, traded that for something worth $20, and so on. It took 8 months, but the man ended up with a $7,000 Harley Davidson - and it only cost him $10.
Think about it. Look for all the bargains, then trade up, or mark them up and sell at your yard sale. And don't forget to look for more bargains at other people's yard sales...
/
Monday, November 1, 2010
Self-Employ Opp Pt VI & VII
Self-Employment Idea #6 & 7
Rent-A-Hubby
If you are a married man with some handyman skills, have your wife rent you out to other wives whose husbands are not so handy - or just too busy to take care of those tasks on the 'To-Do" list.
I do recommend that wives whose husbands may have a roaming eye may want to find other ways of putting hubby to work.
Bye-Bye Junk
Everyone collects junk. Most of us would rather be rid of it. In the attic, garage, basement - it can even be found in some yards and barns.
If you have access to a truck (or have a friend with a truck who is willing to partner) you can provide the much needed service of junk removal. This pays in several ways.
First, you get paid to clean up someone's garage or attic or whatever. Anything metal can go to the recycler - metals can pay anywhere from pennies to dollars a pound, depending on the metal. Copper and brass often goes for up to a dollar or more a pound, while aluminum can run about 30 cents. Any metal can be sold - even old batteries can net you about $5 each.
Meanwhile, it will not be unusual to end up with a barn full of good, useable items that you can yard sale for even more money. And I have even seen junkers get antiques and valuable collectibles among the junk.
If you like treasure hunting, this might just be what the doctor ordered.
/
Rent-A-Hubby
If you are a married man with some handyman skills, have your wife rent you out to other wives whose husbands are not so handy - or just too busy to take care of those tasks on the 'To-Do" list.
I do recommend that wives whose husbands may have a roaming eye may want to find other ways of putting hubby to work.
Bye-Bye Junk
Everyone collects junk. Most of us would rather be rid of it. In the attic, garage, basement - it can even be found in some yards and barns.
If you have access to a truck (or have a friend with a truck who is willing to partner) you can provide the much needed service of junk removal. This pays in several ways.
First, you get paid to clean up someone's garage or attic or whatever. Anything metal can go to the recycler - metals can pay anywhere from pennies to dollars a pound, depending on the metal. Copper and brass often goes for up to a dollar or more a pound, while aluminum can run about 30 cents. Any metal can be sold - even old batteries can net you about $5 each.
Meanwhile, it will not be unusual to end up with a barn full of good, useable items that you can yard sale for even more money. And I have even seen junkers get antiques and valuable collectibles among the junk.
If you like treasure hunting, this might just be what the doctor ordered.
/
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