WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE A WRITING DESK?

That is a line from Louis Carroll's, "Alice In Wonderland," my personal favorite tale of all time (because it is not really a fairy tale, but political satire). It is asked of Alice by the Mad Hatter.

Originally the riddle had no answer, but Carroll made one up later. Many readers have invented their own answers ever since, including the most famous: "because Poe wrote on both", and "because there's a B in both and an N in neither" (you may have to think on this one for a bit).

All of the surreal nonsense in "Alice In Wonderland" has its counterpart in British politics of the day.

I particularly loved the Walrus and the Carpenter, as told by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

The walrus is an amalgamation of politicians. However, let me suggest that you view it as follows: The walrus = Barack Obama; the mother oyster = conservative voices (bloggers, etc.); the little oysters = you and me...Mr. & Mrs. citizen; and the carpenter = the mainstream media.

You can view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvOThKOJdas .

The Mad Hatter ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InSn2BLDwfQ ) might well represent Ben Bernanke in today's political climate.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said while the U.S. government may take “substantial” stakes in Citigroup Inc. and other banks, it doesn’t plan a full- scale nationalization that wipes out stockholders.

Nationalization is when the government “seizes” a company, “zeroes out the shareholders and begins to manage and run the bank, and we don’t plan anything like that,” Bernanke told lawmakers in Washington today.

So, if I understand it correctly, the fact that the federal government assumes control of 30% - 40% of a bank's stock, therefore has control of the bank by virtue of being it's largest stockholder, is not the same as taking over or nationalizing the bank.

Which begs the question: Why is a raven like a writing desk?

A WORD TO THE WISE

Let this be a warning to you!

As you know, I have not been kind to President BO, since I not only believe that his policies are wrong, I believe he is not at all what he has convinced people he is...not even close.

At any rate, they seem to have caught up with me

I came to my computer this afternoon to prepare yet another rant against this false messiah and lo-and-behold someone had rendered my DSL Internet connection inoperative.

At first I could not figure it out...then it came to me.

President BO has had enough of my anti-Obama rhetoric and has had his henchmen seek me out and try to prevent me from writing any more about his ineffective bail-out, his non-pork earmarks, and the decay with which our country will be infected as a direct result of his misguided non-leadership.

But I am a resourceful person and have managed to circumvent his maniacal electronic disruptions, and here I am...posting away.

You need to understand that I would not be so paranoid if so many people weren't out to get me.

THE MARKET PLACE AT WORK

I was trained as a sociologist.

A sociologist, by definition, is interested in the behavior patterns of people in various sociological situations.

One place where a great many of people end up eventually is the grocery store.

The grocery store parking lot is a place where a great cross section of the population may be observed with some ease.

One of my favorite things to do is to go to the grocery store and watch and listen as people pass by. I frequent three grocery stores in town, Publix Market, Winn Dixie and Wal-Mart.

Here are some of the things I have observed.

A number of the people who pass by in the parking lot, do not speak proper English, use vulgar language, dress toward the lower echelons of society (which, if they all dress that way I suppose defines a new class of society), argue with each other without ceasing, and speak of Barack Obama as though he is the answer to life's issues.

Not all of them, but many.

Interestingly, the younger the passer by, the more he/she conforms to the above behavior patterns.

I am also able to "categorize" the passers by according to various external characteristics, ethnicity, race, age, language group, etc.

My observations are not a scientific sociological study, just my impressions of the general attitude and behavior of those who pass by.

These are not the same attitudes I observe in church or in most businesses in the area, but they are what I see in grocery store parking lots.

I believe that if we are to be what we should be as a nation, we must change at the level of the "average" person.

I don't believe there is any sociological or governmental way to do that. It must come as a result of the people coming to know their Creator (you know, the one who endowed them with certain unalienable rights).

WITH THE DEFICIT WE INHERITED

OUR WALLOWING IN THE DEPTHS OF DEPRESSION (OR RECESSION) IS OVER.

Barack Obama has announced the end of all that is bothering America with his outline of his proposed budget.

Standing ovations by both sides of the aisle were the order of the evening (with only a couple of exceptions).

Republicans seemed as mesmerized by that great smile and those hope-filled words as did the Democrats.

President BO touched on almost every area of life in America and declared that the government is now ready to make them all better.

The government will fix the banks.

The government will fix education.

The government will fix your neighborhood.

The government will fix your gasoline problem.

The government will fix your student loan.

The government will fix your job.

The government will fix your mortgage.

The government will fix your business (as long as its not too large).

The government will fix any disagreement you have with it (scary, huh?).

The government will fix the engine of our prosperity.

The government will fix our energy shortage.

The government will fix the environment.

The government will fix your car.

The government will fix your credit card debt.

The government will fix your health.

The government will fix your "inherited" budget deficit (Never mind that the "inherited" deficit was ten times smaller than the deficit increase with the "stimulus" package).

Do you detect a thread?

Does this seem a lot like socialism?

No?

Well, maybe you just don't accept the time-honored definition of socialism.

But when you have that boyish, winning smile, I guess you can change the face of a nation.

ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL

In the 60s, Governor George Wallace of Alabama (on the left in this picture, between the two hard-hats),did everything he could to resist the integration of schools and the rest of society in his state.

In those days, his rallying cry was, "Separate but Equal," meaning that he thought blacks should have the same educational resources (buildings, labs, football fields, etc.), but should be kept separate from whites.

After all, "they" had separate drinking fountains, separate restaurant areas, separate entrances to buildings, why not separate schools?

Of course the fly in that ointment was that schools were not, and had no hope of ever being, equal.

I have maintained for centuries that we went about integration all wrong, and should have started with kindergarten and first grade. In twelve years we would have had a graduating class that never knew any other way.

Instead the good old U.S. government decided to integrate the schools all at once, which led to a decade of agony and unnecessary stress on all citizens, black and white, not to mention the extraordinary expense of busing kids all over at all times of the day and night.

Just another example of how, when the government gets involved things will be accomplished in the least effective manner possible...yet you continue to "trust them" to handle more and more of societies' woes.

It is interesting that, after Eric Holder accused us of being a nation of cowards when it comes to race relations, some of the nation's most elite universities, such as Vanderbilt, Stanford and the University of California, have yielded to black student demands for separate graduation ceremonies and separate "celebratory events."

Are we now saying that Governor Wallace was correct?

Not in my book, he wasn't.

In my book, the process of integration should have been handled entirely differently.

It would have taken longer, in my book, but the process would have been better served through appropriate assimilation: the proper education of both the white and the black community (blacks did not become "African-Americans" until years later), the gradual raising of the economic status of the black community as a whole, the dissolution of discriminatory laws and rules and the eventual assimilation of blacks into all communities.

Nevertheless, we are where we are, and one thing is clear: no African-American has any place to hide any more.

We have elected an African-American to the nation's highest office.

I want to make it abundantly clear that I do not support President BO's agenda...none of it.

But let me take an opportunity to point out that he is living proof that if a person (regardless of skin color) will get a good education (which is possible as evidenced by Barack Obama), learn the English language (which is possible as evidenced by Barack Obama), work really, really hard (which is possible as evidenced by Barack Obama), make the right connections (which is possible as evidenced by Barack Obama), and do what it takes, there is no limit to how high he/she can rise (as evidenced by Barack Obama).

My suggestion to people of every color would be that they emulate the accomplishments of President BO (not his agenda, his self-directiveness), and become whatever it is they want to become, putting aside the excuse making and pressing on toward their life-goals.

It won't be easy, but it is possible as evidenced by Barack Obama.

Then maybe we won't have people trying to live out the "separate-but-equal" slogan.

Maybe then we can realize the dream of judging people by the content of their character and not the color of their skin and the "...all men are created equal..." clause of the Declaration of Independence.

Maybe then we can adjust the words of the infamous Rodney King and say, "Look...we really can just all get along."

A REVOLTING DEVELOPMENT, NO-YES?

One of my favorite "bloggerettes," Jennifer, writes on the blog, Palace for a Princess .

In her latest post (as this is written) she states: "I've pretty much had it when it comes to politics."

She goes on to express her frustration at bloggers' collective ineffectiveness at altering the political process.

Jennifer is quite right to be annoyed.

As I surf blogdom, I read hundreds of blogs that are conservative to one degree or another (as well as a few liberal blogs...which prove to be both too wacko and too vulgar for my tastes), and see so many of the same conclusions that I know we are together in our basic thinking.

However, we had little effect on the election in the end, because emotionalism and pie-in-the-sky-ism ruled the land.

Thus was elected a man who would be king, President BO.

(I call him President BO because "President" is respectful of the office and "BO" stands for Body Odor...and with every passing day I am more aware that his administration stinks.)

In one month, President BO has forever changed the political framework of The United States of America, from a nation "...of the people, by the people and for the people..." (Abraham Lincoln) to a nation "of the government, by the government and for the government" in the guise of "doing for" the people.

Short of some kind of, hopefully peaceful, rebellion, there is no way to reverse this process.

Our so-called, "conservative," lawmakers have been too gentlemanly (or ladyly??) to have exercised the same tactics that were used against them when they held the majority in both houses of congress.

Jennifer's exasperation is shared by a lot of us, because we spend a lot of time reading each other (which is a good thing) and not enough time in the "enemy's" camp...even less than they spend in ours (witness Ducky's Here; et.al.)

So what do you see as the solution, Dear Reader?

Are we at a place where we need to stage a revolution?

Would we echo the words of Jimmy Durante: "What a revolting development this turned out to be."?

The following story was emailed to me. I do not know its origin, or I would gladly give credit.

Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?"

The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you." The student agreed.

At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool.

They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can." The student did as he was instructed.

The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it." The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.

The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.

The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"

The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.

The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough.

However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad.

The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!"

The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."

WHAT A REVOLTING DEVELOPMENT!

One of the most emailed videos of the day, yesterday, was this video of Rick Santelli "ranting" about home mortgages.



It was a passionate rage, and made the point that everybody would like to have a piece of the government bail-out for home mortgages, and that nobody "playing by the rules" wants to be penalized by those who don't play by the rules.

Santelli said that none of us would want to pay the mortgage of the neighbor next door who has a decent house with two bathrooms and can't, or won't pay for it.

This morning he appeared on the Today Show, to explain his position, and said that he may have used "wrong language..."

In the course of the interview, the blame for the current mortgage crisis was lain at the feet of the evil mortgage lenders and bankers who made all of those sub-prime loans out of greed and ambition.

They all agreed that this whole economic mess started with those sub-prime loans. Nobody, I mean NOBODY, pointed out that those sub-prime mortgages were made because they had to be made due to a quota system set in place by the federal government.

In my opinion, there is some pressure coming from somewhere (read: the government) to ignore the government's initial role in all of this.

Ordinarily I am not a conspiracy theorist, but in this case, there is no alternative conclusion to be drawn.

There is a pressure of fear and/or intimidation, complete with dire consequences, if certain "respected" (if that is not an oxymoron) reporters dare to take this back to its roots; ie: the federal government, under the then leadership of the Democrat Party.

After repeated insistence by the Bush administration that Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac be constrained from making these sub-prime loans, the House Financial Services Committee, lead by one of the slimiest, sleaziest, crooked people ever to serve in Washington DC, Barney Frank, required that these loans be made.

Not surprisingly, the people to whom these loans were made began defaulting on their loans in great number and thus began the downward spiral as the "housing bubble" burst under the load of those defaults.

Now we have entrusted the very people who mandated this economic crisis to fix it.

It's like asking the fox to go back to the chicken coop to repair the nests.

Every one of you who supports this approach to relieving our economic woes is a complete fool.

Your logic is faulty, your sense of history is faulty, your conclusions are faulty, and you have the inability to think in a "straight line."

You have elected a man who believes throwing good money after bad will help, you have supported a Congress who thinks the same and you have given them the encouragement they need to continue with the economic ruin of our great country.

Wake up!

Open your eyes!

Even you will not like the consequences of continuing on this ill-fated course of action.

You will look back and say, "I wish we hadn't done that," but it will be too late.

Why in the world would you, who enjoy the freedoms so valiantly fought for by our predecessors, so easily give them up?

Why in the world would you want a bunch of short-term politicians and bureaucracies to have power over every aspect of your life?

That is NOT the American way.

I, for one, join the revolt.

I say, "Get the government out of the economy and let the PEOPLE work this mess out." (Remember, Abraham Lincoln called this a government of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE and for the PEOPLE.)

(If you have trouble commenting, click on the title of this post and you should be able to comment)

YES, YOUR MAJESTY. WHATEVER YOU SAY, YOUR MAJESTY

The other day, an Oklahoma City Policeman pulled over a driver who had an anti-abortion sign on his car that read: "Abort Obama, not the unborn," meaning: "remove him from office and stop aborting babies."

The man's sign was confiscated, and he was "placed under investigation" as a possible threat to President BO.

The police finally decided that the man was not a threat, that he had told the truth about the meaning of his sign, and that they should return his sign to him. This after the Secret Service had visited his home, interrogated him and his family and declared him not a threat to President BO.

You can read all about it at Drudge Report .

Now, I understand the concern.

I even understand that President BO had neither knowledge of this event nor any involvement in it.

However, I have see many cars with anti-Bush bumper stickers on them, some much more direct than this one, none of which resulted in the arresting of the owners of the vehicles to which they were affixed.

My point here is an attitude that is overtaking the country relative to our elected leaders, President BO in particular.

President BO is being presented by the Mainstream Media as an almost messianic figure (which has been chronicled by many), who is the only hope for America's continued existence.

His own statements, in speeches, press conferences, etc., reflect a level of self-confidence (some would say arrogance) that seem to try to convince us that he has definitive answers to every area of the nation's issues.

In spite of his very obvious lack of leadership experience, ineptitude in selecting honest, ethical Cabinet members, and his expertise at using innocuous language, leading one to believe he is actually saying something, he still garners manic responses from his constituents.

President BO is quickly being elevated to monarchical status.

He makes a command to jump, and people around him jump, asking "how high" on their way up.

Frankly, I am uncomfortable with establishing a monarchy in the United States of America.

It seems to me that we came into being when we revolted against a monarchy.

Besides, King Obama just sounds so foreign.

AN END TO ONE MAN'S ERA

Over fifty years in ministry and 27 years in Christian radio has come to an end today.

The man who owns the station, a historically volatile person at best, came in today wanting to know what went wrong with a program.

I did not know the answer and said I would have to investigate, and would probably have an answer by this afternoon. That did not satisfy him and he went into a tirade, which set my heart into atrial fibrillation.

I am not afraid to die, and would gladly die for my wife, my country and/or for other just causes, but I will not die because of some one's inability to control his anger.

So I resigned my post as Production Director at the Christian radio station at which I worked.

I don't know how I am going to make it economically, or what God's next move in my life will be, but I'm going to take a few days to consider it before making a decision.

Please keep me and my sweet wife, who agrees with my decision, in your prayers.

We will need a lot.

IF YOU DON'T READ ANYTHING ELSE TODAY

There is an eloquent post over at The Doctor Is In entitled: A Brave New World .

This is a very thoughtful and well written post, presenting where we are as Americans, how we got here and what the real "cultural" battle is all about.

Please take the time to read it...it is very revealing and very accurate...worth the time it will take to read.

THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

The following is the text of a comment I left at Social Sense, one of the best blogs in the blogosphere:

I work at a small, 3,000 watt Christian radio station. (BTW, you can listen online at Kingdom FM Christian Radio . I'm on from 9:00 am until Noon weekdays.)

The so-called "fairness doctrine" could mean real trouble for us.

Our listeners listen because, and only because, they hold to a particular viewpoint...that of Christianity.

We do air "Focus on the Family" and "Jay Sekulow Live," both of which would be considered "right wing" by many. The bulk of our programming, however, is made of Bible studies, preaching and praise & worship music.

We would, under the "fairness doctrine," be required to broadcast some kind of "balance," which would mean that those who tune in for inspiration, Bible teaching, and great praise & worship music and ministry would have no reason to listen at all during those times we were forced to broadcast "balance."

Loss of listeners to a non-profit, means loss of revenue.

Loss of revenue would mean that we would be unable to sustain our station.

Many who need the encouragement, the positive uplifting programming we offer and who need a sense of withdrawal from the constant drumbeat of negative, shrill, left-wing screeching, will have no place else to turn.

That would be sad.

I suspect that the left is so enamoured with the "fairness doctrine" because they have been impotent when it comes to garnering listeners for their vulgar dribble.

In the world of radio, if you don't garner listeners, you don't broadcast.(Think "Air America," etc.)

My suggestion is for the left to learn how to present a program that people actually want to listen to, instead of forcing them to listen to what the left wants them to.

Rush Limbaugh has over 20 million listeners, none of whom are forced to listen, but choose to.

The left just needs to find a Rush Limbaugh of their own who could steal listeners from the real Rush Limbaugh and present their views accordingly.

All they need to do is to attract 25 million listeners and the job is done.

But due to their impotence, force is all the left has left.

So far they have been unable to compete in the market of ideas.

CROOKED IS AS CROOKED DOES

OK...I've been Mr. Nice Guy long enough.

What's that you say?

You hadn't noticed me being very nice?

Well, just compare how I've been up to now with how I'm about to be.

A crook may be defined as: criminal: someone who has committed a crime.

Using that definition, the following statements apply:

Tom Daschle is a crook.

Charles Rangle is a crook.

Timothy Franz Geithner is a crook.

Barney Frank is a crook.

Maxine Waters is a crook.

Eric Holder is a crook.

Shaun L.S. Donovan is a crook.

Steven Chu may or may not be a crook, but he is a liar.

I could go on, but why?

THIS IS SURRRRREAL!

RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MESS WE'RE IN

Do you remember Henrietta Hughs, the lady who pleaded for immediate help from President BO when he was in Fort Myers, Florida?

From The Fort Myers News Press:

LEE COUNTY: Henrietta Hughes, the woman known as the face of our nation's struggles, is now trying to clear her name.

Hughes spoke to Barack Obama during his visit on Tuesday. She and her son were homeless, living out of their car, and looking for help.

Well, she did receive help from Representative Nick Thompson and his wife Chene. They gave Hughes a home to live in rent free for as long as she needs it.

But Thursday Tonya Johnson, Director of We Care Ministry, says she has offered Hughes assistance in the past - even a place to live - and she didn't take it.

President BO, speaking before the Caterpillar company, said: "...if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off."

But asked if the stimulus package would be able to stop the 22,000 layoffs or not, Caterpillar CEO, Jim Owens said, "I think realistically no. The truth is we're going to have more layoffs..."

Remember: The truth is what actually happened (in this case, what will happen).

The Congress VOTED to post all bills on the Internet so everyone can see them at least 48 hours before the bill is voted on.

Truth: The so-called "Stimulus Package," which is now 1,071 pages long, has been read by few, if any members of Congress, and was put on the Internet in PDF format, so that word searches could not be done and so it would be awkward, at best, to download and read.

President BO said, "...Transparency and the rule of law shall be the touchstone of this administration."

Question: Is waiting until late February 1st to release the text of the bill a proper use of the word "transparency?

We're told that the "Stimulus" bill is a 787 billion dollar package.

The truth is the bill, as passed, will cost American tax payers over 3-trillion dollars.

Why do you suppose that members of Congress who pushed for the passage of the bill didn't tell you that?

Do you think it is the responsibility of the United States to pay for programs designed to keep citizens of other countries from leaving their countries?

One of our "stimulus bill's " provisions is to help Mexico provide benefits such as health care, retirement and other items to encourage Mexicans NOT to leave Mexico to go to the United States.

At least that's a unique way to limit the influx of illegal aliens.

Have you ever been to Mexico?

I'd leave if I lived there...even with health care.

President BO pledged to involve Republicans in his administration.

New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg withdrew from consideration as Commerce secretary Thursday, saying his differences with the Democratic White House ran too deep.

The announcement was a fresh embarrassment for an administration rocked by a number of setbacks.

Why would any true Republican even think of getting involved with this incompetent, sophomoric bunch of elitists?

Does the "stimulus bill" have to pass?

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell failed to keep his members in line and was eclipsed by three members of his caucus — Susan B. Collins, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. They negotiated with the Democrats and ultimately sided with them.

President BO promised us the most ethical, honest and transparent administration in history.

Geithner, appointed Treasury secretary, failed to pay his and his nanny's taxes...honest and ethical?

Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, voted for a war that she opposed...honest and ethical?

Eric H. Holder Jr, Attorney General worked in the pardon office, and he didn't know anything about who was pardoned...honest, ethical, transparent?

Is it just me, or is President BO proving beyond any shadow of a doubt that he is sophomoric, though articulate, in his "leadership?"

THE "POLITICS" OF GETTING WHAT YOU WANT

At President BO's Town Meeting in Fort Myers, Florida on February 10, 2009, a young man, Julio Osegueda, stood up and with great giddiness and passion asked the President what he was going to do to help people who have worked for a company as long as he has to get better pay and benefits.

You can see the video of his question and President BO's answer in my previous post below.

I find the young man's impassioned "question" disturbing. He is obviously of the generation that believes that he should be given what he wants.

Motivational sales speaker, Zig Ziglar, makes this statement in his presentation: "You can get anything you want out of life if you help enough other people get what they want out of life."

That is a very powerful thought, if you understand what it means.

See, nobody is guaranteed happiness in this country.

Nobody owes anybody anything in this country, except to those who have earned something.

Let me give you the secrets of getting what you want.

First, and this is the most difficult to both understand and accomplish, give up self.

I have met very few people who have really given up self-interests in favor of learning to give to others.

For years we were taught that we must first look out for numero uno...number one...self.

The result of that is a form of ambition that prevents us from helping others get what they want out of life, and therefore we fail at getting what we want out of life.

The Bible says, in Philippians 2:3, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

That is not true because it is in the Bible, it is in the Bible because it is true.

When we give up self and elevate others to an exalted position in our minds, we put ourselves in a position to give them what they want out of life, and thus gain for ourselves what we want out
of life.

For instance, let's say you are a salesman in an appliance store and are paid a commission of your sales.

If a couple comes in looking for a refrigerator, you can assume that a refrigerator is one of the things they want out of life.

Now if you sell them a refrigerator, you will receive a commission and will be able to get more of what you want out of life.

The second thing you need to do to get what you want is to get a good education.

I don't necessarily mean a college degree, but find out how to learn all you can about whatever job or career you want to be in.

A good education also means to learn the English language.

Yes, that can be tough.

English is the one of the most confusing languages in existence. Consider the letters "ough."

Through, though, tough, thought all use "ough" but are pronounced differently.

Consider Barack Obama.

His grammar, when giving a prepared speech, is absolutely impeccable!

The proper use of the English language, like it or not, will get you closer to your goal of getting what you want out of life than its improper use.

The next thing you need to do to get what you want out of life is to develop great work habits.

Nothing will get you further than dependability.

Show up for work...every day...no excuses...ever...unless you really ill with a contagious disease or unless you are dead.

If you don't want to go to work, go anyway. That will build your confidence and your self-esteem.

When you get to work, work hard!

This is not about whether your boss or company deserves your hard work. This is about your work habits and integrity.

If you are out of work, make finding work your work.

Spend eight full hours every day looking for work, just as you would spend eight hours every day at work.

We are never guaranteed happiness, but we are given the opportunity to pursue happiness, and trust me, your integrity, dependability, hard work and success at what you work at will do more to build your self-esteem and give you happiness than all of the praises from your mom, or your teacher or the best psychologist money can buy.

Next: be honest.

I mean painfully, diligently truthful.

Politicians believe something is true because they say it is true.

"Truth" is what actually happened.

If you lie to me once, then you will have to give me a list of things about which I can trust you and things about which I cannot trust you.

Otherwise, I won't know and I'll have to take everything you tell me with a grain of salt.

If you lie to me, your chances of getting ahead in my company decrease in direct proportion to the lack of trust I have in your word.

Finally (there are more...but this will be my final one for today, anyway), maintain a positive attitude of gratitude toward yourself, your situation, your boss, those employees around you and the customers you serve.

Julio (and dear reader), if you will do these things, you will succeed at getting all you want out of life, because you will have helped enough other people get what they want out of life.

You won't need President BO to give you anything.

GO FOR IT!

HOW EMBARRASKING

President Barack Obama (hithertoforthandevenforevermore known as President BO) came to our town yesterday (2/10/2009) for a "Town Hall Meeting.

After a non-inspiring speech in which he iterated and reiterated everything he has been saying since taking office (if we don't act NOW we're doomed), he received "questions," one of which was from this pitiful lady:



This lady embodies everything that the American public expects from President BO's reign.

He is going to fix it, because he is the mini-messiah.

He also received a question from this guy, Julio Osegueda, an Edison State College communications major. In this video, watch him communicate:



Here's a guy who has worked a McDonald's (an honorable job) for four-and-a-half years seemingly without advancing.

(Yeah, yeah...I know...he's "working" while going to school. I did that, too...at a university, no less).

Now I know that advancement is possible at Mickey Dees, because I have a friend who is now an assistant manager after two years.

The point is, the tone of the entire Town Hall Meeting had the tone of people who craved the Nanny State.

Except for one woman (whose name I missed and a video of whom I could not find...surprised?) who challenged his "only the most ethical administration..." stuff with a question about why so many of his Cabinet choices, etc. had had to be withdrawn or had significant "mistakes" with such things as taxes.

She was booed.

To his credit, President BO told the crowd that it was a legitimate question and then proceeded to not answer it.

I am embarrassed for Fort Myers that we (I actually live in Lehigh Acres, where the President was supposed to have come, but decided not to), have this gimmie, gimmie attitude toward the government.

Saddened and embarrassed.

(If you're having trouble commenting on this post, click on the title and you should be able to comment then.)

WHO'S COUNTING?

I have been reading a poll on President BO's progress with the people and his "stimulus" plan.

Admittedly, the poll is an unscientific poll. It is a voluntary political poll.

The results, nevertheless, are very interesting.

The questions asked were very straight forward and did not lend themselves to a diversity of interpretations, and thus were well formatted questions.

The results of the poll are as follows:

42% of watchers did not like President BO's responses at his press conference February 9th.

55% Do NOT want Congress to pass the stimulus package.

79% Believe Congress WILL pass the stimulus package

47% of the pollees report that their opinion of President BO has worsened since he took office.

I will draw no particular conclusion from this poll, except that Congress does not care what the people think...they do not care at all...they don't think they get paid to care what the people think...the think they were elected to do what they want, when they want, to whomever they want, however they want.

President BO is somewhat less well approved of than when he was running and since he was elected.

What does it all mean?

WHENCE COMETH IT?

Let me get this straight. The government is going to "give" us a stimulus package.

Goody, goody!

Well, where is the money coming from?

It will come from the tax payers.

Say what?

The government is going to take money from the tax payers so that it can give a stimulus to the tax payer?

Well, the government won't get the money directly from the tax payer.

It will borrow the money so that only future tax payers will have to pay for it.

Or, they can just print some more money, promising the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government to back it.

Frankly, I don't have much faith in the U.S. Government at this time.

Nor do I give them much credit for just about anything.

So, then, whence cometh the stimulus?

Your stimulus, dear citizen, cometh from you.

Sucker.

WE'RE SINKING!

Have you wondered what is in the "Bail-Out" package?

You can check it out below.

Tell me what these have to do with stimulating our economy.

"Sure are they all, all honorable men." William Shakespear

1. $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts
2. $380 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children program
3. $300 million for grants to combat violence against women
4. $2 billion for federal child care block grants
5. $6 billion for university building projects
6. $15 billion for boosting Pell Grant college scholarships
7. $4 billion for job-training programs, including $1.2 billion to provide "youth" summer jobs for people up to the age of 24
8. $1 billion for community development block grants
9. $4.2 billion for "neighborhood stabilization activities"
10. $650 million for digital TV coupons, including $90 million to educate "vulnerable populations"
POORLY DESIGNED TAX RELIEF:
11. $15 billion for business-loss carry-backs
12. $145 billion for "Making Work Pay" tax credits
13. $83 billion for the earned income credit
STIMULUS FOR THE GOVERNMENT:
14. $150 million for the Smithsonian
15. $34 million to renovate the Department of Commerce headquarters
16. $500 million for improvement projects for National Institutes of Health facilities
17. $44 million for repairs to Department of Agriculture headquarters
18. $350 million for Agriculture Department computers
19. $88 million to help move the Public Health Service into a new building next year
20. $448 million for constructing a new Homeland Security Department headquarters
21. $600 million to convert federal auto fleet to hybrids
22. $450 million for National Aeronautics and Space Administration
23. $600 million for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
24. $1 billion for the Census Bureau
INCOME TRANSFERS:
25. $89 billion for Medicaid
26. $30 billion for COBRA insurance extension
27. $36 billion for expanded unemployment benefits
28. $20 billion for food stamps
PURE PORK:
29. $4.5 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
30. $850 million for Amtrak
31. $87 million for a polar icebreaking ship
32. $1.7 billion for the National Park System
33. $55 million for Historic Preservation Fund
34. $7.6 billion for "rural community advancement programs"
35. $150 million for agricultural commodity purchases
36. $150 million for "producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish"
RENEWABLE WASTE:
37. $2 billion for renewable energy research
38. $2 billion for a "clean-coal" power plant in Illinois
39. $6.2 billion shall be for the Weatherization Assistance Program
40. $3.5 billion shall be for energy efficiency and conservation block grants
41. $3.4 billion shall be for the State Energy Program
42. $200 million shall be for state and local electric-transport projects
43. $300 million shall be for energy-efficient appliance rebate programs
44. $400 million for hybrid cars for state and local governments
45. $1 billion for the manufacturing of advanced batteries
46. $1.5 billion for green technology loan guarantees
47. $8 billion for innovative technology loan guarantee program
48. $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects
49. $4.5 billion for electricity grid
REWARDING STATE IRRESPONSIBILITY:
50. $79 billion for State Fiscal Stabilization Fund

ADDENDUM

Another White House Cabinet pick is dealing with questions about unpaid taxes, but White House officials insist the confirmation of Labor Secretary-nominee Hilda Solis is not in jeopardy.

I am considering becoming a Democrat...they don't pay income taxes!!

Pel-oops-i

Nancy Pelosi has given the most dire warning of the current economic crisis.

She said that we've got to pass the bail-out package quickly. In fact, she said that for every month we wait to pass it "...500 million jobs..." would be lost.

Oooo!

That's a lot of jobs.

In fact, that's more people than live in the entire United States!

Estimates have been that there are about 160 million people at work in the United States.

So now, not only are we destined to run a major budget deficit, we are going to run a job deficit.

Watch out!

By the end of this month, if we don't pass the bail-out bill, YOU will be out of a job (if you're not already).

And now we know that there will not be a single job for any of our children for at least another 10-15 years.

At 500 million jobs lost per month, that's not even long enough to make up for the job deficit.

But never fear.

We still have the good old United States government.

They're here to help.

They'll provide us with jobs.

Just as soon as they figure out how to tax people who have no jobs.

Now, I know Nancy Pelosi just misspoke (at least I hope she did).

But with a Party that seems to lose three out of nine cabinet appointments to one form or another of corruption, don't you think they would be a little more careful with their words?

What ever happened to that 7,000 page document each prospective government employee was going to have to fill out and submit before being hired?

(I know, I know...my mother told me a million times not to exagerate---but she was a Democrat - sort of).

What ever happened to the extraordinarily high level of integrity with which we were to have been adorned when BO became President?

What ever happened to....

Oh, nevermind.

Nobody cares.

The little messiah has arriven.

We're saved!

Goosengander

DECEMBER, 2008

"Now Mr. Car Maker, we see that you are going through troubling times, and we are willing to help, but you have to see the hypocrisy of begging us for money and then coming to see us in those big corporate jets."

"Yes, indeed, Mr. Car Maker. We will help you...but you just HAVE to give up some of that awful 'executive compensation.' You're just making way too much money, and the American people won't stand for it."

"Why Mr. Car Maker, if we're going to help you keep your company afloat, you're going to have to share some of your corporate dividends with us. That's the least the tax payer can expect from you fat cats."

"After all, Mr. Car Maker, if you hadn't just won life's lotto and gotten chosen as the CEO of this big auto maker, why you'd be just like the average American: unambitious, status quo, yucking it up in front of the TV with your adult beverage, just getting old and fat."

JANUARY 2009

Those same congress persons, without fanfare, justification or consultation, voted themselves a $93,000.00 each INCREASE in their petty cash fund to be used at their individual discretion.

I sure am glad they can spot hypocrisy when they see it.