Based on facts.
We had intended to make our 130th posting our last, basically because no one else appeared to even care. We, the two of us here on the hill, have passed our 75th and 80ieth anniversaries of our birthdates and, even though that isn't old, being ignored tends to be depressing. We were, and still are, concerned for the future of the country we have defended, in one way or another, for so many years
Before we shut down our computer and go back to our reading, puzzles and working in the flowers there are a few points we wish to restate.
Our politicans, all sides, are no longer just blowing smoke but are now consciously attempting to deceive us all.
(1)-One of the most frequent statements heard on television, by politicians and parroted by newscasters is that; "You can't balance the budget without doing something about entitlements" meaning Social Security and Medicare. Another is; "Entitlements are the biggest drivers of our National Debt". Both are wrong because of a law, passed in 1990, which states that Social Security and Medicare are not to be counted as part of the budget submitted by the President but was to be paid out of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds which are funded by the FICA (payroll) taxes.Surplus money from the payroll tax is invested in Special Government Securities which can be redeemed as needed to pay retiree benefits. That time has come and therein lies the problem. How do they tell the American people that they have used their hard earned savings as, what amounts to, a high stakes slush fund. (More on that later).
(2)-Let's see if we have this right. After months of gridlock and infighting in Washington, D.C. our upright and outstanding Government took us to the brink -- no, not default on our debts -- of a partial shutdown of services, with the implied threat of the withholding of Social Security checks, military pay and Medicare benefits before they finally agreed on a bill raising the Government's debt ceiling along with a minimal cut in Congressional spending.
With the, so called, budget cuts being, as they say, backloaded in order to delay the majority until after the 2016 election there will be no real savings. Even if, when it is finally all over, that Super Committee of Congressmen agrees to a 2.5 trillion dollar cut in spending over the next 10 years and it is passed into law, the Treasury Department will have to borrow about the same amount in the same 10 years in order to redeem the IOUs in the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. That is the excess funds payed into the Trust Funds by FICA over the years. Now, partly because of the 2 percentage points cut from the payroll tax last December, asked for by President Obama, while extending the Bush era tax cuts, the time has come to begin redeeming those IOUs which means that there will be no cut in our deficit or National debt. If we stay this course our National debt will rise from near 15 trillion dollars to over 20 trillion dollars - nearer 25 trillion dollars. Do we want that for our children and grand children?
(3)- This country, our United States of America, has reached or are fast approaching the point written about by the Frenchman "Alex de Toqueville" in his book published about 1840 as a study of the American People and their Political Institutions.He wrote; "America will be a great country until the people learn that they can vote themselves money from the Public Treasury, after that it will be a war of all against all with each person striving to get the greatest amount of free money possible." (Previously posted Feb. 27, 2011) Are we there yet or how long have we been there?
Unless something changes our minds this will be our last posting. With that in mind, thanks for your time and input. - William
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Why Bother
Nobody else cares?
We began trying to write in this blog about nineteen months ago and this will be our one hundred and thirtieth posting. During that same period we have written about that many or more letters and e-mails to our congress persons and various news outlets which includes newspapers and television with very little results with either. Several times we have talked about quitting because it appears that, with one exception, nobody else cares. This posting will probably consist of dates, titles and brief discription of earlier postings.
May 15, 2010 - "What Is This World Coming To (Will History Repeat itself)" This posting concerns the destruction of the Twin Towers of The World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 by terrorist, later identified as Moslems (Islamic) and members of Al Qaeda and the bloody beginning of Islam about fourteen hundred years ago.
Nov. 24,2010 - "Wake Up America (And smell the Manure)" Was about how elected and unelected officials in Washington have spent all the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund money and are now desperately trying to divert our attention away from their little secrets. There is nothing left in those funds except IOUs.
Jan. 16, 2011 - "Wrong Tax Cut (It adds to the deficit.)" We tried to point out how the cutting of two percentage points off the FICA (payroll) taxes would only further weaken Social Security and Medicare. That means they reach the break even point much sooner and will have to redeem more of the IOUs sooner thereby adding to the National debt.
Jan. 30, 2011 - "The Golden Horn of Plenty (Now running dry)" This was our way of explainig how the money from the payroll taxes came into the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund but there was a hole in it leading directly to the United States Treasury where it was exchanged for those IOUs and the money (we believe illegally) was spent as part of the budget.
Mar. 3, 2011 - "The Budget (Where to Cut.) Is our feeble attempt to set down a guideline as to where to start trying to balance the budget with part of it being the changing of our tax codes so as to get rid of the IRS.
June 5, 2011 - "Misrepresentation Thru Misinformation (More of the same)" We used this column to try explaining the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds and how many people, politicians and newspeople, use misinformation to convince the general public that we, retirees, are at fault for our debt problems.
June 15,2011 - "Reforming Social Security (And especially Medicare)" We agree that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed in order for them to survive for future generations and the quicker, the better. Last December, during the debate on extending the Bush era tax cuts President Obama asked for, and got, a two percentage point cut in the FICA (payroll) tax. That will cause Social Security and Medicare to begin redeeming the IOUs in the Trust Fund much sooner in order to pay current benefits.
July 21,2011 - "The Saga Continues (As the Ditch returns)" This column started as a letter to one of our local newspapers shortly after the election in 2006 and was updated after the 2008 election by adding "and the debacle of 2008". It is a critical look at our political system.
During the first few days of this month (August) we have already sent out several e-mails to various newspapers and televisions newspeople but with little response. We can't understand why there was so much surprise expressed when the credit rating agency "Standard and Poor's" downgraded the United States Credit from AAA to AA+. The whole world was warned that it probably would happen if the President and Congress didn't reach a deal to cut our spending much more than they actually agreed on. The following e-mail touches on that subject;
Friday August 5, 2011,
"Neil,
For sure we need a Balanced Budget Amendment. Although Social Security and Medicare are not a part of the budget you, and most politicians, insist that it is. If Congress eventually passes a $2.5 trillion cut in spending over the next ten years, it will only cover the amount Treasury will have to borrow to redeem the IOUs in The Social Security/Medicare Trust Fund in order to pay retiree benefits. I believe that adds up to a fat zero as far as cutting the deficit goes. Thanks,"
This same e-mail was forwarded August 7,2011 to;
Gerri,
This e-mail was sent to Neil Cavuto before our credit rating was cut but he didn't seem to care. Maybe you can understand it better. Thanks,
Not having anything else to do we sent this e-mail, a few hours ago, to Gerri Willis on Fox Business News;
"Gerri,
A few minutes ago you were on Shepard Smith's program and proved that you are intelligent enough to understand why the budget wasn't cut enough to keep Standard and Poor's from downgrading our credit rating. With the reduction of the FICA (payroll) tax by two percentage points there is less money flowing into the Social Security/Medicare Trust Funds, with less money going in, Treasury will have to borrow more to redeem IOUs in the trust funds so as to pay current retiree benefits. The amount of borrowing to supplement those trust funds will be more than is scheduled to be cut from the budget this year leading to more deficit and higher National debt. Over the next ten years Treasury will have to borrow as much or more to buy back those IOUs than will be cut in other spending resulting in higher and higher National debt. In ten years our debt will be well over twenty trillion dollars. If you can prove me wrong, have at it but if not, admit it."
We are now waiting to see if there will be any response from any of the e-mails but not holding our breath. From here on our hill, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned,- William
We began trying to write in this blog about nineteen months ago and this will be our one hundred and thirtieth posting. During that same period we have written about that many or more letters and e-mails to our congress persons and various news outlets which includes newspapers and television with very little results with either. Several times we have talked about quitting because it appears that, with one exception, nobody else cares. This posting will probably consist of dates, titles and brief discription of earlier postings.
May 15, 2010 - "What Is This World Coming To (Will History Repeat itself)" This posting concerns the destruction of the Twin Towers of The World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 by terrorist, later identified as Moslems (Islamic) and members of Al Qaeda and the bloody beginning of Islam about fourteen hundred years ago.
Nov. 24,2010 - "Wake Up America (And smell the Manure)" Was about how elected and unelected officials in Washington have spent all the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund money and are now desperately trying to divert our attention away from their little secrets. There is nothing left in those funds except IOUs.
Jan. 16, 2011 - "Wrong Tax Cut (It adds to the deficit.)" We tried to point out how the cutting of two percentage points off the FICA (payroll) taxes would only further weaken Social Security and Medicare. That means they reach the break even point much sooner and will have to redeem more of the IOUs sooner thereby adding to the National debt.
Jan. 30, 2011 - "The Golden Horn of Plenty (Now running dry)" This was our way of explainig how the money from the payroll taxes came into the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund but there was a hole in it leading directly to the United States Treasury where it was exchanged for those IOUs and the money (we believe illegally) was spent as part of the budget.
Mar. 3, 2011 - "The Budget (Where to Cut.) Is our feeble attempt to set down a guideline as to where to start trying to balance the budget with part of it being the changing of our tax codes so as to get rid of the IRS.
June 5, 2011 - "Misrepresentation Thru Misinformation (More of the same)" We used this column to try explaining the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds and how many people, politicians and newspeople, use misinformation to convince the general public that we, retirees, are at fault for our debt problems.
June 15,2011 - "Reforming Social Security (And especially Medicare)" We agree that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed in order for them to survive for future generations and the quicker, the better. Last December, during the debate on extending the Bush era tax cuts President Obama asked for, and got, a two percentage point cut in the FICA (payroll) tax. That will cause Social Security and Medicare to begin redeeming the IOUs in the Trust Fund much sooner in order to pay current benefits.
July 21,2011 - "The Saga Continues (As the Ditch returns)" This column started as a letter to one of our local newspapers shortly after the election in 2006 and was updated after the 2008 election by adding "and the debacle of 2008". It is a critical look at our political system.
During the first few days of this month (August) we have already sent out several e-mails to various newspapers and televisions newspeople but with little response. We can't understand why there was so much surprise expressed when the credit rating agency "Standard and Poor's" downgraded the United States Credit from AAA to AA+. The whole world was warned that it probably would happen if the President and Congress didn't reach a deal to cut our spending much more than they actually agreed on. The following e-mail touches on that subject;
Friday August 5, 2011,
"Neil,
For sure we need a Balanced Budget Amendment. Although Social Security and Medicare are not a part of the budget you, and most politicians, insist that it is. If Congress eventually passes a $2.5 trillion cut in spending over the next ten years, it will only cover the amount Treasury will have to borrow to redeem the IOUs in The Social Security/Medicare Trust Fund in order to pay retiree benefits. I believe that adds up to a fat zero as far as cutting the deficit goes. Thanks,"
This same e-mail was forwarded August 7,2011 to;
Gerri,
This e-mail was sent to Neil Cavuto before our credit rating was cut but he didn't seem to care. Maybe you can understand it better. Thanks,
Not having anything else to do we sent this e-mail, a few hours ago, to Gerri Willis on Fox Business News;
"Gerri,
A few minutes ago you were on Shepard Smith's program and proved that you are intelligent enough to understand why the budget wasn't cut enough to keep Standard and Poor's from downgrading our credit rating. With the reduction of the FICA (payroll) tax by two percentage points there is less money flowing into the Social Security/Medicare Trust Funds, with less money going in, Treasury will have to borrow more to redeem IOUs in the trust funds so as to pay current retiree benefits. The amount of borrowing to supplement those trust funds will be more than is scheduled to be cut from the budget this year leading to more deficit and higher National debt. Over the next ten years Treasury will have to borrow as much or more to buy back those IOUs than will be cut in other spending resulting in higher and higher National debt. In ten years our debt will be well over twenty trillion dollars. If you can prove me wrong, have at it but if not, admit it."
We are now waiting to see if there will be any response from any of the e-mails but not holding our breath. From here on our hill, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned,- William
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Whatever Happened
To Our Debt Ceiling?
The Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds probably would have shown a small surplus, or at least broken even, this year but for the two percentage points reduction in the FICA (payroll)tax which was tacked on to the bill extending the President Bush era tax cuts at the request of President Obama. It is the FICA tax money which funds the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds which, in turn, pays the retiree benefits. Now, beginning this year, our Treasury Department will be forced to borrow more and more money to redeem more and more IOUs from the Trust Funds in order to pay those benefits over the next ten years. That borrowing will amount to approximately $2.5 trillion. Does that sound familiar? That is almost exactly what the Debt Ceiling Bill proposes to cut from our budget (spending) over the same period of time. It appears that their intention is to cut other spending enough to cover the extra borrowing needed to redeem those IOUs representing the money (borrowed?) already spent from the Social Security/Medicare Trust Funds. (Check earlier postings on that subject) To us, not being economist, that adds up to a flat zero on all counts. Otherwise worthless.
And now to all the talk about taxes, especially on big Corporations and some millionaires and billionairs. Who could possibly feel sorry for those, so called, "fat cats" and not want their taxes raised? We have never been fans of highly paid athletes and Corporation CEOs etc., but the taking of their income by raising taxes will hurt the very poorest people the most. It has been proven, remember the "Stimulus Package", that the private sector can create jobs at a fraction of the cost to our Federal Government. For ever four jobs lost by the private sector because of higher taxes the public sector (Governments) can probably create about one job and most likely that would be in the government. Aside from that, major Corporations are not privately owned but have millions of stockholders. Every dollar lost to higher taxes will be passed on to those stockholders, which includes not only individuals but Retirement Fund of all kinds, from some of the smaller companies all the way up through the Federal Government. Individuals who collect dividends, many of them retired, from stock in big companies such as General Electric, big oil companies etc., probably will be subject to the paying of income taxes on those dividends. Revenue lost to the higher taxes on "Big Business" will result in lower income and less taxes paid by stockholders. Who can best handle the money? If you believe that President Obama and Congress can spend your money better than you can then you should let your choice be known or if you believe you can do better you should also let your views be known.
As for General Electric and probably others, not paying any income taxes in this country, raising the income tax rates probably won't change that. It will take a major overhaul of our taxing system to close the loopholes that allow special breaks to certain Corporations. We should scrap the income tax and Internal Revenue System and replace them with a fairer and simpler tax. What do you think?
To us,the most puzzling part of the budget cut proposal is the ten or twelve member panel which will attempt to come up with further cuts in spending. If they can't agree on a plan or if both Houses of Congress doesn't vote for their plan then there is to be an automatic trigger which will force across the board cuts but will do more cutting in defense and medicare. What kind of democracy allows twelve people to decide what programs will be cut and by how much?
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
The Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds probably would have shown a small surplus, or at least broken even, this year but for the two percentage points reduction in the FICA (payroll)tax which was tacked on to the bill extending the President Bush era tax cuts at the request of President Obama. It is the FICA tax money which funds the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds which, in turn, pays the retiree benefits. Now, beginning this year, our Treasury Department will be forced to borrow more and more money to redeem more and more IOUs from the Trust Funds in order to pay those benefits over the next ten years. That borrowing will amount to approximately $2.5 trillion. Does that sound familiar? That is almost exactly what the Debt Ceiling Bill proposes to cut from our budget (spending) over the same period of time. It appears that their intention is to cut other spending enough to cover the extra borrowing needed to redeem those IOUs representing the money (borrowed?) already spent from the Social Security/Medicare Trust Funds. (Check earlier postings on that subject) To us, not being economist, that adds up to a flat zero on all counts. Otherwise worthless.
And now to all the talk about taxes, especially on big Corporations and some millionaires and billionairs. Who could possibly feel sorry for those, so called, "fat cats" and not want their taxes raised? We have never been fans of highly paid athletes and Corporation CEOs etc., but the taking of their income by raising taxes will hurt the very poorest people the most. It has been proven, remember the "Stimulus Package", that the private sector can create jobs at a fraction of the cost to our Federal Government. For ever four jobs lost by the private sector because of higher taxes the public sector (Governments) can probably create about one job and most likely that would be in the government. Aside from that, major Corporations are not privately owned but have millions of stockholders. Every dollar lost to higher taxes will be passed on to those stockholders, which includes not only individuals but Retirement Fund of all kinds, from some of the smaller companies all the way up through the Federal Government. Individuals who collect dividends, many of them retired, from stock in big companies such as General Electric, big oil companies etc., probably will be subject to the paying of income taxes on those dividends. Revenue lost to the higher taxes on "Big Business" will result in lower income and less taxes paid by stockholders. Who can best handle the money? If you believe that President Obama and Congress can spend your money better than you can then you should let your choice be known or if you believe you can do better you should also let your views be known.
As for General Electric and probably others, not paying any income taxes in this country, raising the income tax rates probably won't change that. It will take a major overhaul of our taxing system to close the loopholes that allow special breaks to certain Corporations. We should scrap the income tax and Internal Revenue System and replace them with a fairer and simpler tax. What do you think?
To us,the most puzzling part of the budget cut proposal is the ten or twelve member panel which will attempt to come up with further cuts in spending. If they can't agree on a plan or if both Houses of Congress doesn't vote for their plan then there is to be an automatic trigger which will force across the board cuts but will do more cutting in defense and medicare. What kind of democracy allows twelve people to decide what programs will be cut and by how much?
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Debt Ceiling
Bill or no Bill?
We wrote in an earlier posting that we were not economist, didn't even play ecomomist on television, so no matter how we look at this bill which will raise the debt ceiling we can not understand how adding $3 trillion to our borrowing limit while cutting the budget by only $1 trillion over the next ten years will do anything except raise our National debt to over $17 trillion. That $1 trillion cut over the next ten years will not even cover the borrowing of money needed to redeem a portion of the IOUs in the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds in order to pay current retiree's benefits. Again we ask, Are all politicians born that way or do they go to a special school to learn deception?
As to the actual cutting of the budget, nobody talks about what will actually be cut but if history repeats itself all the cuts will be to needed programs while completely ignoring waste and fraud. Will they leave duplicate and overlapping programs while closing libraries and much used National Parks? Will they cut back on Federal employees even by not replacing retiring employees? Will they cut out the Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for all Federal employees as they have for Social Security recipients or will they cap all Federal salaries at current levels? If you think the President or Congress has done anything but lead us to the brink of default then we have a bridge for sale. Maybe the promise of a vote on a bill to balance the budget will be worth something. At least, if they vote, we will know who is against a balanced budget. That could be something to use in the next election.
We'll be waiting to see how things work out before we say much more but we, at this time, have our doubts. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
We wrote in an earlier posting that we were not economist, didn't even play ecomomist on television, so no matter how we look at this bill which will raise the debt ceiling we can not understand how adding $3 trillion to our borrowing limit while cutting the budget by only $1 trillion over the next ten years will do anything except raise our National debt to over $17 trillion. That $1 trillion cut over the next ten years will not even cover the borrowing of money needed to redeem a portion of the IOUs in the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds in order to pay current retiree's benefits. Again we ask, Are all politicians born that way or do they go to a special school to learn deception?
As to the actual cutting of the budget, nobody talks about what will actually be cut but if history repeats itself all the cuts will be to needed programs while completely ignoring waste and fraud. Will they leave duplicate and overlapping programs while closing libraries and much used National Parks? Will they cut back on Federal employees even by not replacing retiring employees? Will they cut out the Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for all Federal employees as they have for Social Security recipients or will they cap all Federal salaries at current levels? If you think the President or Congress has done anything but lead us to the brink of default then we have a bridge for sale. Maybe the promise of a vote on a bill to balance the budget will be worth something. At least, if they vote, we will know who is against a balanced budget. That could be something to use in the next election.
We'll be waiting to see how things work out before we say much more but we, at this time, have our doubts. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Default
Or Whose Fault?
Saturday morning late.
It has been a very interesting two days with most of the news having to do with the raising, or not, of the National Debt Ceiling and the consequences of not raising it. First it was the threat of withholding Social Security checks from 40 odd million retirees even though they are not, by a law passed in 1990, paid out of the general revenue but from the "Social Security Trust Fund" which in turn is funded by the FICA (payroll) taxes. No President has the authority to withhold those checks therefore it is most likely that they will go out as scheduled. Then there is the threat that our Triple A credit rating will be downgraded by at least one of the rating groups. There is talk about how our rating may be dropped from a Triple A to a Two A or Two A plus which might, but not necessaily, raise interest rates, not only at the Federal level, but for everyone who owes or borrows money.
This morning, on television, we saw and heard Senator Harry Reid bemoaning the fact, as he saw it, that the Republicans wouldn't allow his debt ceiling bill to have an up or down vote only a few hours after he had tabled the second debt ceiling bill sent over by the Republican controlled House of Representatives. It appears that it is okay, in his mind, to disallow votes in the Senate on all Republican passed House bills but it shouldn't be that way on his bill. Is that because he is so much more superior to the lowly Republicans? We, being Independents, believe we have the right to criticize either or both sides.
At this time, we here on the hill, believe the best plan which has been laid out and voted on is the "Cut, Cap, Balance" bill (which was one of the House passed bills that was tabled by Senator Reid) but with a few changes. One of those changes could be the deferring of the "Balanced Budget Amendment" and replacing it with a guarantee (written and published) to bring it up for a vote, not a vote requiring 60 votes to bring it to a vote, but a real up or down vote within 60 or 90 days. That way we could see who was against a balanced budget. Since, we believe, that is why Reid won't allow a vote on those House passed bills it is not likely he would allow a vote on this version either.
Having said all of that, there is still one way to get a debt ceiling bill passed before August 2, 2011 or a few days later. If Senator Reid and his Democrat cohorts will, as they say, tweek his bill enough to pick up 7 or 8 Republican votes (Brown, Collins, Snow, McCain etc.) then send it over to the house as a bi-partisan bill with the full backing of the Democratic Party there should be enough Republican support to pass it without the Tea Party. Or would that be too simple? Yesterday we sent the following e-mail to a few, so called, news anchors on television;
"There is still a way out for the Tea Party Republicans in the House. If Senator Reid will tweek his bill enough to get support from 7 or 8 Republican Senators and that bi-partisan bill is sent to the House it should have enough Republican support so as to let the Tea Partiers vote no. Simple or too simple?" (Of course no one mentioned such a thing)
Meanwhile, here on the hill, it is still hot and mostly dry but our outside work is still being done by getting out early. The blueberries are about finished for the year, our early pears have been gathered, the peas and beans aren't making anything so that just leaves the grass and weeds but that's enough. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Saturday morning late.
It has been a very interesting two days with most of the news having to do with the raising, or not, of the National Debt Ceiling and the consequences of not raising it. First it was the threat of withholding Social Security checks from 40 odd million retirees even though they are not, by a law passed in 1990, paid out of the general revenue but from the "Social Security Trust Fund" which in turn is funded by the FICA (payroll) taxes. No President has the authority to withhold those checks therefore it is most likely that they will go out as scheduled. Then there is the threat that our Triple A credit rating will be downgraded by at least one of the rating groups. There is talk about how our rating may be dropped from a Triple A to a Two A or Two A plus which might, but not necessaily, raise interest rates, not only at the Federal level, but for everyone who owes or borrows money.
This morning, on television, we saw and heard Senator Harry Reid bemoaning the fact, as he saw it, that the Republicans wouldn't allow his debt ceiling bill to have an up or down vote only a few hours after he had tabled the second debt ceiling bill sent over by the Republican controlled House of Representatives. It appears that it is okay, in his mind, to disallow votes in the Senate on all Republican passed House bills but it shouldn't be that way on his bill. Is that because he is so much more superior to the lowly Republicans? We, being Independents, believe we have the right to criticize either or both sides.
At this time, we here on the hill, believe the best plan which has been laid out and voted on is the "Cut, Cap, Balance" bill (which was one of the House passed bills that was tabled by Senator Reid) but with a few changes. One of those changes could be the deferring of the "Balanced Budget Amendment" and replacing it with a guarantee (written and published) to bring it up for a vote, not a vote requiring 60 votes to bring it to a vote, but a real up or down vote within 60 or 90 days. That way we could see who was against a balanced budget. Since, we believe, that is why Reid won't allow a vote on those House passed bills it is not likely he would allow a vote on this version either.
Having said all of that, there is still one way to get a debt ceiling bill passed before August 2, 2011 or a few days later. If Senator Reid and his Democrat cohorts will, as they say, tweek his bill enough to pick up 7 or 8 Republican votes (Brown, Collins, Snow, McCain etc.) then send it over to the house as a bi-partisan bill with the full backing of the Democratic Party there should be enough Republican support to pass it without the Tea Party. Or would that be too simple? Yesterday we sent the following e-mail to a few, so called, news anchors on television;
"There is still a way out for the Tea Party Republicans in the House. If Senator Reid will tweek his bill enough to get support from 7 or 8 Republican Senators and that bi-partisan bill is sent to the House it should have enough Republican support so as to let the Tea Partiers vote no. Simple or too simple?" (Of course no one mentioned such a thing)
Meanwhile, here on the hill, it is still hot and mostly dry but our outside work is still being done by getting out early. The blueberries are about finished for the year, our early pears have been gathered, the peas and beans aren't making anything so that just leaves the grass and weeds but that's enough. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Egotistics Again
Really Short Memories.
A few days ago we republished a posting which began life as a letter "To the Editor" of one of our local newspapers shortly after the 2006 elections. In that letter/posting we equated the Pharasees, of the Bible, to our modern day Republican Party (with many Democrats thrown in). We wondered, at that time, if they could find their way out of the very deep ditch they hads fallen into and it appeared for a while they were making some progress but in the last two days that progress has stalled and the entire party appear to be on the brink of falling back into that ditch. They have allowed their egos to become large and shiny so as to blind them to reality again. Have they not learned anything in the last four years?
In the March 3, 2011, the posting in this blog was titled "The Budget" and contained a few of our ideas on the balancing of our Federal budget. The first step called for a freeze on all new hiring by the Federal Government except in emergency situations (to be approved by congress) along with the capping of the pay for Federal employees at the current levels. Next we need to consolidate and eliminate the numerous (overlapping) federal programs, explore the possibility of replacing the IRS with some other form of taxation. Then we could move on to Obamacare and dismantle it by passing "Tort Reform, no money for abortions or the promotion of abortions, Insurance sold across state lines and the covering of pre-existing conditions and, if needed regulations on insurance companies to force them to justify any raise in rates."
We won't say much about Social Security and Medicare because we have already written about it many, many times with no results. We will say that we support reforming Social Security and Medicare so it will be there for future generations and we have offered to take a cut of up to five percent (to go back into the trust fund) if the federal employees will take the same percentage cut to be used to pay down the National debt but neither one to go back into the Treasury to be wasted again. No takers on that either.
We, here on the hill, are still keeping our heads above water by trying to get any outside work done before noon and spending the rest of the time inside with the air conditioner going. We still have blueberries to pick and the grass, along with the weeds, keeps growing. The hot, dry weather doesn't seem to bother them at all. The squash and cucumbers are about all gone, the okra is putting on a few pods but our beans and butterpeas aren't making anything. Oh well, that saves us gathering time. We got several pears off of our tree this year to can and to make pear jam.
Since all the news, especially out of Washington, seems to be bad we hate to even turn the television on but if we don't we may miss some small ray of hope. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
A few days ago we republished a posting which began life as a letter "To the Editor" of one of our local newspapers shortly after the 2006 elections. In that letter/posting we equated the Pharasees, of the Bible, to our modern day Republican Party (with many Democrats thrown in). We wondered, at that time, if they could find their way out of the very deep ditch they hads fallen into and it appeared for a while they were making some progress but in the last two days that progress has stalled and the entire party appear to be on the brink of falling back into that ditch. They have allowed their egos to become large and shiny so as to blind them to reality again. Have they not learned anything in the last four years?
In the March 3, 2011, the posting in this blog was titled "The Budget" and contained a few of our ideas on the balancing of our Federal budget. The first step called for a freeze on all new hiring by the Federal Government except in emergency situations (to be approved by congress) along with the capping of the pay for Federal employees at the current levels. Next we need to consolidate and eliminate the numerous (overlapping) federal programs, explore the possibility of replacing the IRS with some other form of taxation. Then we could move on to Obamacare and dismantle it by passing "Tort Reform, no money for abortions or the promotion of abortions, Insurance sold across state lines and the covering of pre-existing conditions and, if needed regulations on insurance companies to force them to justify any raise in rates."
We won't say much about Social Security and Medicare because we have already written about it many, many times with no results. We will say that we support reforming Social Security and Medicare so it will be there for future generations and we have offered to take a cut of up to five percent (to go back into the trust fund) if the federal employees will take the same percentage cut to be used to pay down the National debt but neither one to go back into the Treasury to be wasted again. No takers on that either.
We, here on the hill, are still keeping our heads above water by trying to get any outside work done before noon and spending the rest of the time inside with the air conditioner going. We still have blueberries to pick and the grass, along with the weeds, keeps growing. The hot, dry weather doesn't seem to bother them at all. The squash and cucumbers are about all gone, the okra is putting on a few pods but our beans and butterpeas aren't making anything. Oh well, that saves us gathering time. We got several pears off of our tree this year to can and to make pear jam.
Since all the news, especially out of Washington, seems to be bad we hate to even turn the television on but if we don't we may miss some small ray of hope. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Back to Old News
Sixty-one Years ago.
Nineteen and Fifty must have been a pretty good year. I graduated from High School and ten days later enlisted in the United States Army for three years eventually ending up as a paratrooper. A few months before I entered into my military service our United States Senate was debating a Health Care Bill. A portion of that debate was posted in this blog on February 6, 2010 under the Title "Old News". A part of that portion is re-published below.
"According to an article in our newspaper dated January 27, 1950, United States Representative Tom Murry (D. Tenn.) said in a speech that; - I presume that President Truman again will recommend to Congress the enactment of compulsory health insurance, or socialized medicine. The more I think about the question, the more I am opposed to it. It is unthinkable to me that our country should follow in the footsteps of England and adopt socialized medicine. We have the finest medical system in the world and we should encourage voluntary health insurance programs such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield instead of talking about socialized medicine. The cost of free medical treatment to our people would run into billions of dollars.
In voting, members of congress must realize our government does not create or make a single dollar - but that all of the money for expendures must come from the taxpayers."
That, as stated above, is old news but could have just as easily been written today. It's not that there isn't anything wrong with our present system but the massive bill as written by this congress won't fix the problems. One of our biggest problems is that we no longer have independent thinkers like Representative Tom Murry. He was, at that time, my Representative and I was a Democrat. My, how times have changed.
It is still our belief, here on the hill, that any changes in our health care should start with, "Tort Reform", the limiting of medical liability so as to prevent frivolous lawsuits which forces the doctors to practic defensive medicine, "Insurance" sold across state lines which should increase competition and lower rates, "Abortion" no income tax money going to any entity which performs or advocates the performing of abortions and "Regulations", if needed, to force insurance companies to account for any rate increases. We can, and must, hold doctors accountable but with limits set on judgements and penalties on meritless suits we could save billions of dollars in healthcare cost. That might not cure all the ailments but it would be a good starting point.
Many years ago we wrote a letter, which was published in a Sunday edition of the Commercial Appeal, condemning the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions. At that time we were still working (since retired) and paying income taxes. We still support that position and in a previous posting stated that we didn't believe the President's "Executative Order" concerning abortion and public funds was worth the paper it was written on which appears to have been proven true in the last few weeks.
Is there still doubt in anyone's mind about the financial straits of Social Security and Medicare and the need for those two programs to be reformed? If Medicare is in so much trouble financially then how can you justify the taking of about 500 billion dollars from that program to be used to finance a Medicaid like program under "Obamacare" or the cutting of two percentage points off the FICA (payroll) tax which goes into the Social Security Trust Fund which in turn pays for Social Security and Medicare? That lost Trust Fund money has to be made up to pay current retiree benefits and the only way that can be done is by borrowing and adding more to the National Debt. That's just one of many wrong-headed ideas coming out of Washington during this administration, Democrats and Republicans alike. We have been accused of favoring only the Republican viewpoint but if you check back through these blog postings you will find that it simply isn't true. We are equal opportunity writers and have outlined in great detail our encounters with our elected Representative and both of our Senators. Check it out. We welcome your comments either here or by e-mail.
As for us, here on the hill, most things are going better than we have any right to expect. It is, like most places, still hot and dry which keeps us inside with the air conditioner most of the time but we're sure that too will pass. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Nineteen and Fifty must have been a pretty good year. I graduated from High School and ten days later enlisted in the United States Army for three years eventually ending up as a paratrooper. A few months before I entered into my military service our United States Senate was debating a Health Care Bill. A portion of that debate was posted in this blog on February 6, 2010 under the Title "Old News". A part of that portion is re-published below.
"According to an article in our newspaper dated January 27, 1950, United States Representative Tom Murry (D. Tenn.) said in a speech that; - I presume that President Truman again will recommend to Congress the enactment of compulsory health insurance, or socialized medicine. The more I think about the question, the more I am opposed to it. It is unthinkable to me that our country should follow in the footsteps of England and adopt socialized medicine. We have the finest medical system in the world and we should encourage voluntary health insurance programs such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield instead of talking about socialized medicine. The cost of free medical treatment to our people would run into billions of dollars.
In voting, members of congress must realize our government does not create or make a single dollar - but that all of the money for expendures must come from the taxpayers."
That, as stated above, is old news but could have just as easily been written today. It's not that there isn't anything wrong with our present system but the massive bill as written by this congress won't fix the problems. One of our biggest problems is that we no longer have independent thinkers like Representative Tom Murry. He was, at that time, my Representative and I was a Democrat. My, how times have changed.
It is still our belief, here on the hill, that any changes in our health care should start with, "Tort Reform", the limiting of medical liability so as to prevent frivolous lawsuits which forces the doctors to practic defensive medicine, "Insurance" sold across state lines which should increase competition and lower rates, "Abortion" no income tax money going to any entity which performs or advocates the performing of abortions and "Regulations", if needed, to force insurance companies to account for any rate increases. We can, and must, hold doctors accountable but with limits set on judgements and penalties on meritless suits we could save billions of dollars in healthcare cost. That might not cure all the ailments but it would be a good starting point.
Many years ago we wrote a letter, which was published in a Sunday edition of the Commercial Appeal, condemning the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions. At that time we were still working (since retired) and paying income taxes. We still support that position and in a previous posting stated that we didn't believe the President's "Executative Order" concerning abortion and public funds was worth the paper it was written on which appears to have been proven true in the last few weeks.
Is there still doubt in anyone's mind about the financial straits of Social Security and Medicare and the need for those two programs to be reformed? If Medicare is in so much trouble financially then how can you justify the taking of about 500 billion dollars from that program to be used to finance a Medicaid like program under "Obamacare" or the cutting of two percentage points off the FICA (payroll) tax which goes into the Social Security Trust Fund which in turn pays for Social Security and Medicare? That lost Trust Fund money has to be made up to pay current retiree benefits and the only way that can be done is by borrowing and adding more to the National Debt. That's just one of many wrong-headed ideas coming out of Washington during this administration, Democrats and Republicans alike. We have been accused of favoring only the Republican viewpoint but if you check back through these blog postings you will find that it simply isn't true. We are equal opportunity writers and have outlined in great detail our encounters with our elected Representative and both of our Senators. Check it out. We welcome your comments either here or by e-mail.
As for us, here on the hill, most things are going better than we have any right to expect. It is, like most places, still hot and dry which keeps us inside with the air conditioner most of the time but we're sure that too will pass. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Saga Continues
As the ditch returns
Or was it ever gone? On Sunday June 13, 2010 a posting in this blog was titled "The Ditch". It was first written as a letter to one of our newspapers shortly after the election in 2006 and updated by adding these words "and the debacle of 2008" when it was posted in our blog. We thought, after the election of 2010, that there was a slim chance a change was coming to Washington. There was, but has it been the right kind of change? That letter - blog posting is re-printed below.
"The Ditch
There are some who think it all began in 1994, the mid point of President Clinton's first term in office, when the Republican Party won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This majority continued through the remainder of the Clinton Presidency and the first six years of President Bush's tenure, being a total of twelve years.
Let's, at this time, go back in history (as if there was any other way) to the Maccabean period (135 to 105 BC), to the beginning of the Pharisee party as opposed to the Sadduces. The Pharasees, meaning "The seperated ones" could properly be spoken of as seperating themselves from the King, the Sadduces, all sorts of impurities and the people of the land. They believed in the Messiah, the Resurection, Angels, Demons and so forth. This, because of its affiliation with the much malined Religious Right, sounds somewhat like our modern day Republican Party.
Even after the loss, by the Republicans, in 2006 of both Houses of Congress and the debacle in 2008, there are many who seem to have no idea what the problem was or how to right it which brings to mind a verse in the Bible where the Disciples came to Jesus and said, "Know Thou that the Pharisees were offended by this saying" and Jesus answered and said, "Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch".
Can anyone disagree with the premise that, at least, the National Republican Party has fallen into a very deep ditch. Too long in power, so it seems, had transformed very large egos into bright and shiny objects which appears to have blinded some to reality. Can it be overcome? For some, maybe, but for others who have been there for decades it is doubtful.
Lest anyone should foolishly believe that the Democrat Party has been immune to the allure of this malady, there is more than enough evidence to convict many of them of that same egotistical mind-set. The concept that we, as voters, can vote for and elect politicians solely on the promise of being rewarded from the public treasury is slowly but surely rearing its ugly head.
This monster, being a blight on civilization, must be exterminated down to and including its roots. How can we, as a civilized and orderly people, attack this growing malignancy which threatens the very heart and soul of our United States of America?
How can we get off this slippery slope which is surely taking us closer and closer to our own destruction? One way would be an attempt to impose term limits of no more than two terms for any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate, be it in Washington or our own State Catitols. But if we plan to wait for our elected officials to enact such laws then we had better not hold our breath.
Another way might be for the Electorate to refuse to vote for anyone running for a third term. Again, don't hold your breath. I'm sure you've heard it said, "you can vote out your rascal but I want to keep mine". That's exactly the kind of thinking that our elected officials are counting on.
Do you remember the story in the book of Daniel, where he read the handwriting on the wall? It was: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin and this is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it, Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting. Peres; Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Chaldeans slain".
Do you see the handwriting on the wall? More importantly, is there a Daniel in the house? Please think about it. Thanks, William"
That letter was written more than four years ago about what we, here on the hill, thought was a bad situation at that time. We don't believe things have changed for the better. Do you? Thanks for your time and input, stay tuned. - William
Or was it ever gone? On Sunday June 13, 2010 a posting in this blog was titled "The Ditch". It was first written as a letter to one of our newspapers shortly after the election in 2006 and updated by adding these words "and the debacle of 2008" when it was posted in our blog. We thought, after the election of 2010, that there was a slim chance a change was coming to Washington. There was, but has it been the right kind of change? That letter - blog posting is re-printed below.
"The Ditch
There are some who think it all began in 1994, the mid point of President Clinton's first term in office, when the Republican Party won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This majority continued through the remainder of the Clinton Presidency and the first six years of President Bush's tenure, being a total of twelve years.
Let's, at this time, go back in history (as if there was any other way) to the Maccabean period (135 to 105 BC), to the beginning of the Pharisee party as opposed to the Sadduces. The Pharasees, meaning "The seperated ones" could properly be spoken of as seperating themselves from the King, the Sadduces, all sorts of impurities and the people of the land. They believed in the Messiah, the Resurection, Angels, Demons and so forth. This, because of its affiliation with the much malined Religious Right, sounds somewhat like our modern day Republican Party.
Even after the loss, by the Republicans, in 2006 of both Houses of Congress and the debacle in 2008, there are many who seem to have no idea what the problem was or how to right it which brings to mind a verse in the Bible where the Disciples came to Jesus and said, "Know Thou that the Pharisees were offended by this saying" and Jesus answered and said, "Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch".
Can anyone disagree with the premise that, at least, the National Republican Party has fallen into a very deep ditch. Too long in power, so it seems, had transformed very large egos into bright and shiny objects which appears to have blinded some to reality. Can it be overcome? For some, maybe, but for others who have been there for decades it is doubtful.
Lest anyone should foolishly believe that the Democrat Party has been immune to the allure of this malady, there is more than enough evidence to convict many of them of that same egotistical mind-set. The concept that we, as voters, can vote for and elect politicians solely on the promise of being rewarded from the public treasury is slowly but surely rearing its ugly head.
This monster, being a blight on civilization, must be exterminated down to and including its roots. How can we, as a civilized and orderly people, attack this growing malignancy which threatens the very heart and soul of our United States of America?
How can we get off this slippery slope which is surely taking us closer and closer to our own destruction? One way would be an attempt to impose term limits of no more than two terms for any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate, be it in Washington or our own State Catitols. But if we plan to wait for our elected officials to enact such laws then we had better not hold our breath.
Another way might be for the Electorate to refuse to vote for anyone running for a third term. Again, don't hold your breath. I'm sure you've heard it said, "you can vote out your rascal but I want to keep mine". That's exactly the kind of thinking that our elected officials are counting on.
Do you remember the story in the book of Daniel, where he read the handwriting on the wall? It was: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin and this is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it, Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting. Peres; Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Chaldeans slain".
Do you see the handwriting on the wall? More importantly, is there a Daniel in the house? Please think about it. Thanks, William"
That letter was written more than four years ago about what we, here on the hill, thought was a bad situation at that time. We don't believe things have changed for the better. Do you? Thanks for your time and input, stay tuned. - William
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sanderstead Re-visited
For what it's worth
The posting in this blog dated FEbruary 23, 2011 and titled "Knights Templar" contained this paragraph: "In the book "Generations, A Thousand Year Family History" written by Ralph Sanders with his sisters , Carol Sanders and Peggy sanders Van Der Heide, there is a chapter championing the life and times of Sir Leonard de Sanderstead. These lines are taken from that book: "Who then was Sir Leonard de Sandewrstead? Although our knowledge of him stems from a single record, the record itself is particularly fertile. We find references to Sir Leonard in a seventeenth-century document called "Advente de Carmathenshire" [They came to Carmathenshire], indicating that Sir Leonard once held land in that County of South Wales. The record further indicates that he had at some point acquired knighthood and bore a Coat of Arms ---." These records also stated that Sir Leonard had, at least one son, Richard who sold land at Sanderstead in 1234. Thus the time line Ralph Sanders used to set Sir Leonard's birth date at about 1175 but I believe it probably was closer to 1150 and he was a contemporary of King Richard the Lionheart who led the Third Crusade. He probably was either a knight in King Richard's army or a member of the Knights' Templar. Was he one of my ancestors? I don't know for sure but according to Ralph Sanders' book he probably was. About 25 or 26 generations ago."
A few days ago we received an e-mail from Ralph Sanders, the author of the "Generations" book enquiring as to what information we were basing that time line on. Our answer had to be, like many genealogies, speculation. According to history, Richard the First, called Couer de Lion, or the Lion-Hearted, 1157 - 1199, was born in Oxford, England , the son of Henry the Second and Eleanoir of Aquitaine. Richard succeded his father as King in 1189 and immediately began raising money for a Crusade. Later that same year he led an army of 8,000 men and a fleet of 300 ships, embarking on the Third Crusade. He captured Cyprus and Acre in 1191, other wins followed but the winning of the battle of Arsuf (and probably Acre) was more from the efforts of the Knights' Templar than that of the Crusaders. King Richard died from a wound he received in battle in 1199 because of lack of medical attention. According to history, he wouldn't listen to his aide who urged him to have it seen to. During his 10 years as King he was in England only a few months, his brother, Prince John, (remember Robin Hood) ruled in his stead.
Because of the nearness of the time lines of King Richard and Sir Leonard de Sanderstead, I would, by speculation only, make them contemporaries. To the point, that was all I had except the book written by the Ralph Sanders family on which to base my opinions about the time line of Sir Leonard. If anyone reading this posting, or any other part of this blog, should wish to make comment they can make it here or contact me at williamlee100@netzero.com. Thanks for your time and input. - William
The posting in this blog dated FEbruary 23, 2011 and titled "Knights Templar" contained this paragraph: "In the book "Generations, A Thousand Year Family History" written by Ralph Sanders with his sisters , Carol Sanders and Peggy sanders Van Der Heide, there is a chapter championing the life and times of Sir Leonard de Sanderstead. These lines are taken from that book: "Who then was Sir Leonard de Sandewrstead? Although our knowledge of him stems from a single record, the record itself is particularly fertile. We find references to Sir Leonard in a seventeenth-century document called "Advente de Carmathenshire" [They came to Carmathenshire], indicating that Sir Leonard once held land in that County of South Wales. The record further indicates that he had at some point acquired knighthood and bore a Coat of Arms ---." These records also stated that Sir Leonard had, at least one son, Richard who sold land at Sanderstead in 1234. Thus the time line Ralph Sanders used to set Sir Leonard's birth date at about 1175 but I believe it probably was closer to 1150 and he was a contemporary of King Richard the Lionheart who led the Third Crusade. He probably was either a knight in King Richard's army or a member of the Knights' Templar. Was he one of my ancestors? I don't know for sure but according to Ralph Sanders' book he probably was. About 25 or 26 generations ago."
A few days ago we received an e-mail from Ralph Sanders, the author of the "Generations" book enquiring as to what information we were basing that time line on. Our answer had to be, like many genealogies, speculation. According to history, Richard the First, called Couer de Lion, or the Lion-Hearted, 1157 - 1199, was born in Oxford, England , the son of Henry the Second and Eleanoir of Aquitaine. Richard succeded his father as King in 1189 and immediately began raising money for a Crusade. Later that same year he led an army of 8,000 men and a fleet of 300 ships, embarking on the Third Crusade. He captured Cyprus and Acre in 1191, other wins followed but the winning of the battle of Arsuf (and probably Acre) was more from the efforts of the Knights' Templar than that of the Crusaders. King Richard died from a wound he received in battle in 1199 because of lack of medical attention. According to history, he wouldn't listen to his aide who urged him to have it seen to. During his 10 years as King he was in England only a few months, his brother, Prince John, (remember Robin Hood) ruled in his stead.
Because of the nearness of the time lines of King Richard and Sir Leonard de Sanderstead, I would, by speculation only, make them contemporaries. To the point, that was all I had except the book written by the Ralph Sanders family on which to base my opinions about the time line of Sir Leonard. If anyone reading this posting, or any other part of this blog, should wish to make comment they can make it here or contact me at williamlee100@netzero.com. Thanks for your time and input. - William
Friday, July 8, 2011
Independence Day
Freedom or not.
Monday night - late.
Today, the Fourth of July, is commemorated or celebrated as the anniversary of our Independence from England. Too many people observe it as just another holiday with an excuse to overeat, drink beer and shoot off fireworks. What does that have to do with anything?
I guess you could say that, here on the hill, we had a very good day. First we got up. We started it off a few minutes after 5:30 a.m. by picking part of our blueberries then walked more than a half mile to pick one and one half gallons of blackberries. When we got back to the house we ate a few bites of breakfast, then went back to picking blueberries. After we got those blueberries ready to freeze and the blackberries canned we ate lunch and rested a while. This afternoon it became cloudy (no rain) so we went back and picked more blueberries. Those will wait until tomorrow to be put in the freezer. I guess we had an extra-ordinary day. Should we celebrate?
Tuesday evening late.
Our day started off shortly before 6:00 a.m. picking blueberries then kept a 9:00 a.m. doctor's appointment, ate a late breakfast at Selmer, canned a canner of berries and fixed others to be frozen then ended the day back picking blueberries. The weather has been dry but so hot that we can't get out too much from 12:00 noon until 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. We'll probably be back at it again tomorrow.
Thursday night, again late.
Wednesday was just about the same as Tuesday except no doctor's appointment. We got up early this morning and walked the half mile to pick blackberries for about two hours then back home, showered and went out to eat breakfast. When we got home we picked a few blueberries, then canned a cooker of blackberries. The blueberreies were fixed for the freezer and even though it rained a shower we picked another gallon of blueberries late this afternoon.
Friday morning early.
I got up at 5:00 a.m. (over slept) prepared to go back to picking blueberries but it is raining. We need the rain more than we need the berries and also the berries will still be there this afternoon or tomorrow. We will probably go on over to Huddle House for breakfast and then get our shopping done this morning instead of waiting till afternoon.
All in all, it has been a very, very good year here on the hill. Of course we are both older and slower but we are thankful for what we have and the fact that we can still, with God's help, take care of ourselves. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Monday night - late.
Today, the Fourth of July, is commemorated or celebrated as the anniversary of our Independence from England. Too many people observe it as just another holiday with an excuse to overeat, drink beer and shoot off fireworks. What does that have to do with anything?
I guess you could say that, here on the hill, we had a very good day. First we got up. We started it off a few minutes after 5:30 a.m. by picking part of our blueberries then walked more than a half mile to pick one and one half gallons of blackberries. When we got back to the house we ate a few bites of breakfast, then went back to picking blueberries. After we got those blueberries ready to freeze and the blackberries canned we ate lunch and rested a while. This afternoon it became cloudy (no rain) so we went back and picked more blueberries. Those will wait until tomorrow to be put in the freezer. I guess we had an extra-ordinary day. Should we celebrate?
Tuesday evening late.
Our day started off shortly before 6:00 a.m. picking blueberries then kept a 9:00 a.m. doctor's appointment, ate a late breakfast at Selmer, canned a canner of berries and fixed others to be frozen then ended the day back picking blueberries. The weather has been dry but so hot that we can't get out too much from 12:00 noon until 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. We'll probably be back at it again tomorrow.
Thursday night, again late.
Wednesday was just about the same as Tuesday except no doctor's appointment. We got up early this morning and walked the half mile to pick blackberries for about two hours then back home, showered and went out to eat breakfast. When we got home we picked a few blueberries, then canned a cooker of blackberries. The blueberreies were fixed for the freezer and even though it rained a shower we picked another gallon of blueberries late this afternoon.
Friday morning early.
I got up at 5:00 a.m. (over slept) prepared to go back to picking blueberries but it is raining. We need the rain more than we need the berries and also the berries will still be there this afternoon or tomorrow. We will probably go on over to Huddle House for breakfast and then get our shopping done this morning instead of waiting till afternoon.
All in all, it has been a very, very good year here on the hill. Of course we are both older and slower but we are thankful for what we have and the fact that we can still, with God's help, take care of ourselves. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Gathering Time Again
Too much work.
Just a typical summer here on the hill, hot and dry with high humidity thrown in every now and then. The heavy dews make it uncomfortable, to say the least, when getting out early to gather fruits and vegetables but it gets too hot later in the day. We try to get started by the time it is light enough to see what we are doing so we can be back inside with the air-conditioner going before noon.
Our pole beans, planted on Good Friday, made enough vine, bloomed quite a bit but didn't put on any beans. May have been because of a lack of insects needed for pollination. We hardly ever see any honey bees any more. The squash and cucumbers are still doing fairly well but need watering every few days. We need to pick a few blueberries almost every day so as not to get behind in the harvest. Yesterday we picked enough blackberries to can seven quarts and put one quart in the freezer. We would love to get a few more.
Our butter peas seem to be loading up with pods but may not make any seeds in them and the tomato plants have good sized tomatoes on them but only a few salad tomatoes have ripened yet (too many tomatoes in that). A few of our late potatoes are up and growing but we don't really think that we will have many come up. Oh well, we tried.
We had spent much of June working in the flowers, taking up, dividing, cropping and re-setting iris but that job has been put on hold for a few days while we get all the picking, canning and freezing done. We started a few weeks early in the iris because we knew we couldn't keep up all the work when it really got hot as it always does in the summer time, especially here on the hill.
Speaking of the hill, all of us here are doing as well as could be expected , probably better, but we don't get out much in the afternoons. It feels so much better inside with the air-conditioner going. But that's still better than freezing. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Just a typical summer here on the hill, hot and dry with high humidity thrown in every now and then. The heavy dews make it uncomfortable, to say the least, when getting out early to gather fruits and vegetables but it gets too hot later in the day. We try to get started by the time it is light enough to see what we are doing so we can be back inside with the air-conditioner going before noon.
Our pole beans, planted on Good Friday, made enough vine, bloomed quite a bit but didn't put on any beans. May have been because of a lack of insects needed for pollination. We hardly ever see any honey bees any more. The squash and cucumbers are still doing fairly well but need watering every few days. We need to pick a few blueberries almost every day so as not to get behind in the harvest. Yesterday we picked enough blackberries to can seven quarts and put one quart in the freezer. We would love to get a few more.
Our butter peas seem to be loading up with pods but may not make any seeds in them and the tomato plants have good sized tomatoes on them but only a few salad tomatoes have ripened yet (too many tomatoes in that). A few of our late potatoes are up and growing but we don't really think that we will have many come up. Oh well, we tried.
We had spent much of June working in the flowers, taking up, dividing, cropping and re-setting iris but that job has been put on hold for a few days while we get all the picking, canning and freezing done. We started a few weeks early in the iris because we knew we couldn't keep up all the work when it really got hot as it always does in the summer time, especially here on the hill.
Speaking of the hill, all of us here are doing as well as could be expected , probably better, but we don't get out much in the afternoons. It feels so much better inside with the air-conditioner going. But that's still better than freezing. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, June 26, 2011
No Child Left Behind
Has it Worked?
That seems to be the new "hot topic" for the last few days. I don't know whether it has worked, or is still working, or not but I do know that of our four grandchildren two have already graduated from college and the other two are scheduled to graduate in December of this year. I suspect it is about as much up to the students as it is the teachers. It probably is a given that we have some less than competent teachers but for the most part you get out of anything about what you put into it. The two boys, who grew up here on the hill, were raised on the work ethics and both knew what they wanted to make of their lives well before they entered high school. They both put in a lot of time preparing themselves for their chosen fields. Is that not still the "American Way"?
What's the incentive? Too many in our current school age, or recent graduates (or dropouts), have been, or are being, raised in an environment where almost half of our citizens pays no federal income taxes and many of those who pay no taxes receive a refund check for money they didn't pay in. Why study in school, get a good job, work hard trying to get ahead and make a lot of money only to have it taken away and given to someone who doesn't even want to work? America, if not already there, is fast becoming a nation of people waiting for a handout.
We, here on the hill, have worked hard most of our lives, paid our taxes, never getting anything we didn't pay for, mostly paid for our two sons' education (both engineering) and still ask for no help (free) from any mortal. Someday, perhaps, that may change but God willing ----.
It is still hot and humid here, so much so that we can't get out and work very much. Our pole beans are still blooming some but no beans, we have a few tomatoes but none ripe yet, the squash and cucumbers are doing fairly well but we water them most days. The okra is the best of all our garden, blooming and putting on some pods. We picked about a quart of blueberries Thursday and about a half gallon Saturday. They are looking good so far. The next few weeks will probably be devoted mostly to the blueberries especially if it stays hot and muggy.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned.- William
That seems to be the new "hot topic" for the last few days. I don't know whether it has worked, or is still working, or not but I do know that of our four grandchildren two have already graduated from college and the other two are scheduled to graduate in December of this year. I suspect it is about as much up to the students as it is the teachers. It probably is a given that we have some less than competent teachers but for the most part you get out of anything about what you put into it. The two boys, who grew up here on the hill, were raised on the work ethics and both knew what they wanted to make of their lives well before they entered high school. They both put in a lot of time preparing themselves for their chosen fields. Is that not still the "American Way"?
What's the incentive? Too many in our current school age, or recent graduates (or dropouts), have been, or are being, raised in an environment where almost half of our citizens pays no federal income taxes and many of those who pay no taxes receive a refund check for money they didn't pay in. Why study in school, get a good job, work hard trying to get ahead and make a lot of money only to have it taken away and given to someone who doesn't even want to work? America, if not already there, is fast becoming a nation of people waiting for a handout.
We, here on the hill, have worked hard most of our lives, paid our taxes, never getting anything we didn't pay for, mostly paid for our two sons' education (both engineering) and still ask for no help (free) from any mortal. Someday, perhaps, that may change but God willing ----.
It is still hot and humid here, so much so that we can't get out and work very much. Our pole beans are still blooming some but no beans, we have a few tomatoes but none ripe yet, the squash and cucumbers are doing fairly well but we water them most days. The okra is the best of all our garden, blooming and putting on some pods. We picked about a quart of blueberries Thursday and about a half gallon Saturday. They are looking good so far. The next few weeks will probably be devoted mostly to the blueberries especially if it stays hot and muggy.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned.- William
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Sunday Morning
On the Hill.
A few minutes after five O'clock on another fine Sunday morning, here on the Hill, and we haven't really given much thought to writing anything to post here. We have been busy most of the week outside, except for Friday when we got a ground soaking rain, working in the iris and other yard and garden work. It has been warmer than normal for the last month and that makes it harder for us to get all the outside work done but we do what we can.
Our pole beans, planted on Good Friday, are looking good and blooming but not putting on any beans. Maybe it has been too hot and dry. We should know if the rain helped, or not, in a few days. We dug our Irish Potatoes last week and replanted the same three short rows just before the rain. Maybe they will come up. Also planted late cucumbers and tomatoes. Our earlier tomatoes and pepper are looking better. We have tomatoes that should be getting ripe before long but the pepper hasn't started blooming yet. Our cucumbers are about normal, whatever that is, but our squash, which was supposed to be yellow crook neck but turned out to be Zucchini, are doing fairly well.
In another week or two, our Blueberries should begin ripening. As we stated before, that will keep us busy for a few weeks. Right now it looks as though they will be better than usual. All in all, it has been a good first half of 2011. Healthwise, we are gettinbg older and that brings on more complaints, mostly minor, but, again, that is normal.
You may have noticed that, up to this point, we haven't mentioned anything about politics. We know that is what dominates the news but we haven't watched as much television lately and when we do it is more likely to be some of the older programs. We could use more of those.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
A few minutes after five O'clock on another fine Sunday morning, here on the Hill, and we haven't really given much thought to writing anything to post here. We have been busy most of the week outside, except for Friday when we got a ground soaking rain, working in the iris and other yard and garden work. It has been warmer than normal for the last month and that makes it harder for us to get all the outside work done but we do what we can.
Our pole beans, planted on Good Friday, are looking good and blooming but not putting on any beans. Maybe it has been too hot and dry. We should know if the rain helped, or not, in a few days. We dug our Irish Potatoes last week and replanted the same three short rows just before the rain. Maybe they will come up. Also planted late cucumbers and tomatoes. Our earlier tomatoes and pepper are looking better. We have tomatoes that should be getting ripe before long but the pepper hasn't started blooming yet. Our cucumbers are about normal, whatever that is, but our squash, which was supposed to be yellow crook neck but turned out to be Zucchini, are doing fairly well.
In another week or two, our Blueberries should begin ripening. As we stated before, that will keep us busy for a few weeks. Right now it looks as though they will be better than usual. All in all, it has been a good first half of 2011. Healthwise, we are gettinbg older and that brings on more complaints, mostly minor, but, again, that is normal.
You may have noticed that, up to this point, we haven't mentioned anything about politics. We know that is what dominates the news but we haven't watched as much television lately and when we do it is more likely to be some of the older programs. We could use more of those.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Reforming Social Security
And especially Medicare.
We have been writing e-mails, letters and blog postings for many years protesting or offering advice on various subjects facing the world. During the last three years we have limited our writing to a few subjects with the "Social Security-Medicare"delimma and "Obama Care" being high on the list. A few days ago, the news and the heat both being oppressive, we sent the following e-mail to several news anchors, mostly on Fox News, but there has been no indication that they were delivered.
"Reforming Social Security and Medicare is absolutely 'A MUST' if they are to be extended into the distant future for our younger generations. In the near future (next ten to fifteen years) there is nothing that can be done, short of cutting benefits for current retirees (run that up the flag pole and see who salutes) , that will affect the budget or our National Debt. It is already set in stone. The United States Treasury will have to borrow money to redeem those IOUs, in the Social Security Trust Fund, in order to pay current benefits which will add to the National debt but, by law passed in 1990, Social Security and Medicare are not a part of the budget as submitted by the President and they do not affect that budget in any way. You can take them out of your pie chart. Medicaid, Food Stamps and other unfunded government welfare programs are running wild and should be reined in but that is not a Social Security-Medicare problem.
Last December, during the negotiations pertaining to the Bush era tax cuts, President Obama asked for, and got, a two percentage points cut in the FICA (payroll) tax which is paid by each employee. It has been said on television (Fox News) that that cut amounted to nearly one hundred and fifty billion dollars. Again I heard on television (Fox News again) that the president is asking (could be just a trial balloon) for another cut in the FICA tax which finances Social Security and Medicare. How can anyone reconcile cutting the payroll tax or declaring a tax holiday with the fact that Social Security and Medicare are already depending on money from redeeming some of the IOUs in their Trust Fund to pay current benefits? The Trust Fund will be bankrupted much quicker if that is the course we follow. I believe the news media, especially Fox News, should do more to inform all voters what is happening in Washington. Try it, you might like it."
Neither our Senators nor our Representative will even attempt to address our concerns about the status of Social Security and Medicare and those contacted in the news media also ignore the subject. Our Senators only want to re-assure us that they won't allow our benefits to be cut and the media, for the most part, will only parrot the political line, i.e., "Social Security and Medicare are the biggest drivers of our budget deficits and National debt" and "In a few more years Social Security and Medicare will be consuming ninety percent of our disposable income."
At the very, very best that is a mis-statement and at the worst it is a lie. I believe it to be the latter.
In previous postings I wrote; I don't know if they (Washington politicians) are brain-washed, don't have a brain to be washed or are trying to brain-wash us. I still don't know the answer but I suspect it to be a combination of all three. Meanwhile, here on the hill, it is still hot and what little rain we got has dried up but there is more in the forecast. Blueberries should be getting ripe soon. That will keep us busy for several days. My working days start early (daylight) and end before noon, with time out for breakfast, but I sure can't complain about that. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
We have been writing e-mails, letters and blog postings for many years protesting or offering advice on various subjects facing the world. During the last three years we have limited our writing to a few subjects with the "Social Security-Medicare"delimma and "Obama Care" being high on the list. A few days ago, the news and the heat both being oppressive, we sent the following e-mail to several news anchors, mostly on Fox News, but there has been no indication that they were delivered.
"Reforming Social Security and Medicare is absolutely 'A MUST' if they are to be extended into the distant future for our younger generations. In the near future (next ten to fifteen years) there is nothing that can be done, short of cutting benefits for current retirees (run that up the flag pole and see who salutes) , that will affect the budget or our National Debt. It is already set in stone. The United States Treasury will have to borrow money to redeem those IOUs, in the Social Security Trust Fund, in order to pay current benefits which will add to the National debt but, by law passed in 1990, Social Security and Medicare are not a part of the budget as submitted by the President and they do not affect that budget in any way. You can take them out of your pie chart. Medicaid, Food Stamps and other unfunded government welfare programs are running wild and should be reined in but that is not a Social Security-Medicare problem.
Last December, during the negotiations pertaining to the Bush era tax cuts, President Obama asked for, and got, a two percentage points cut in the FICA (payroll) tax which is paid by each employee. It has been said on television (Fox News) that that cut amounted to nearly one hundred and fifty billion dollars. Again I heard on television (Fox News again) that the president is asking (could be just a trial balloon) for another cut in the FICA tax which finances Social Security and Medicare. How can anyone reconcile cutting the payroll tax or declaring a tax holiday with the fact that Social Security and Medicare are already depending on money from redeeming some of the IOUs in their Trust Fund to pay current benefits? The Trust Fund will be bankrupted much quicker if that is the course we follow. I believe the news media, especially Fox News, should do more to inform all voters what is happening in Washington. Try it, you might like it."
Neither our Senators nor our Representative will even attempt to address our concerns about the status of Social Security and Medicare and those contacted in the news media also ignore the subject. Our Senators only want to re-assure us that they won't allow our benefits to be cut and the media, for the most part, will only parrot the political line, i.e., "Social Security and Medicare are the biggest drivers of our budget deficits and National debt" and "In a few more years Social Security and Medicare will be consuming ninety percent of our disposable income."
At the very, very best that is a mis-statement and at the worst it is a lie. I believe it to be the latter.
In previous postings I wrote; I don't know if they (Washington politicians) are brain-washed, don't have a brain to be washed or are trying to brain-wash us. I still don't know the answer but I suspect it to be a combination of all three. Meanwhile, here on the hill, it is still hot and what little rain we got has dried up but there is more in the forecast. Blueberries should be getting ripe soon. That will keep us busy for several days. My working days start early (daylight) and end before noon, with time out for breakfast, but I sure can't complain about that. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Unusual Weather
All over the world.
Friday evening;
Our last measurable rainfall, here on the hill, was during the day on Sunday May 22nd with thunderstorms forecast for Monday night. We got the thunder but the rain mostly missed us, maybe like a big dew. There may have been one other night that we got a light sprinkle, not enough to even dampen the ground. Now, three weeks later it is getting really dry.
Since I have come to the realization that I had already passed my prime, as far as gardening is concerned, I started working in our Iris a few weeks early this year in an attempt to beat some of the worst heat. Now it looks like I picked a bad time. Last Thursday I was using my tiller in an attempt to re-work and re-set a few Iris but the ground was so hard and the dust so bad that I had to quit. Maybe it will rain soon.
After all that having been said and done, we have no legitimate reason to complain. With all the flooding through the Mississippi Valley, the tornadoes across the mid-west,south and even in some of our northern states, a little hot dry weather doesn't sound so bad. If we think about it, it could be much worse.
Sunday morning, fairly early;
There wasn't much chance in the forecast (20%) for rain last night but it paid off. We had a lot of thunder and a slow rain. It wasn't all that much, probably less than half an inch, but when it had been hot and dry for about three weeks it was a help. We didn't have to water squash and cucumbers this morning and the tomato plants we set out late yesterday afternoon are looking good this morning. Maybe that hot, dry weather pattern has been broken for a while.
Still, all in all, we haven't had it so bad and we should be counting our blessings instead of complaining about our weather. Others have had it so much worse without the complaints. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Friday evening;
Our last measurable rainfall, here on the hill, was during the day on Sunday May 22nd with thunderstorms forecast for Monday night. We got the thunder but the rain mostly missed us, maybe like a big dew. There may have been one other night that we got a light sprinkle, not enough to even dampen the ground. Now, three weeks later it is getting really dry.
Since I have come to the realization that I had already passed my prime, as far as gardening is concerned, I started working in our Iris a few weeks early this year in an attempt to beat some of the worst heat. Now it looks like I picked a bad time. Last Thursday I was using my tiller in an attempt to re-work and re-set a few Iris but the ground was so hard and the dust so bad that I had to quit. Maybe it will rain soon.
After all that having been said and done, we have no legitimate reason to complain. With all the flooding through the Mississippi Valley, the tornadoes across the mid-west,south and even in some of our northern states, a little hot dry weather doesn't sound so bad. If we think about it, it could be much worse.
Sunday morning, fairly early;
There wasn't much chance in the forecast (20%) for rain last night but it paid off. We had a lot of thunder and a slow rain. It wasn't all that much, probably less than half an inch, but when it had been hot and dry for about three weeks it was a help. We didn't have to water squash and cucumbers this morning and the tomato plants we set out late yesterday afternoon are looking good this morning. Maybe that hot, dry weather pattern has been broken for a while.
Still, all in all, we haven't had it so bad and we should be counting our blessings instead of complaining about our weather. Others have had it so much worse without the complaints. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Heat Wave or Just Summer
With no rain in sight.
Although we missed most of the really bad weather, the tornadoes, flooding, etc., we did get enough rain to keep the ground too wet to work right up to or past the middle of May. Then we got a couple of showers which did little more than wet the top of the ground. Now, after more than two week without any rain and the temperature hovering over the mid and upper nineties, we are getting dusty dry here on the hill. We have been watering the cucumbers and squash for several days but even that doesn't do much good with the sun being so hot. The tomatoes and peppers are faring a little better but not growing as they should. Even the grass and weeds are not as healthy as usual. We haven't started yet but it looks as though we will need to start sprinkling our front lawn, not to make it grow but to keep it alive.
To refresh my memory and to put everything into perspective I re-read the Book of Jonah. I'm sure most people remember what God told Jonah in Chapter 1, verses 1 - 4; "Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken."
Jonah apparently thought that he could hide from the Lord but it didn't work out that way. What happened? Chapter 1, verse 15 & 17; "So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." Then Chapter 2, verse 10; "And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."
Chapter 3, verse 1-5; "And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go into Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them." Apparently that was just what Jonah didn't want to happen. Nineveh was the enemy so why should he be sent to preach repentance to them?
Chapter 3, verse 10; And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not." Chapter 4, verses 1-2; "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil." Jonah said; I knew that was what would happen, that's why I didn't want to go.
Chapter 4, verses 5-11; "So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head , to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did rise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle."
Moral of the story; Jonah apparently cared more about the gourd, which he neither planted nor tended, than he did about other human beings and expected God to be the same way even though God made both. Isn't that the way most of us are? We sometimes care more about something we have planted in the ground than we do for our neighbors down the road. Like Jonah, many times we get our priorities bent out of shape and, again like Jonah, complain about things which we have nothing to do with. At least, that is the way it is here on the hill.
Meanwhile, here on the hill, it is still hot and dry but life goes on as usual. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Although we missed most of the really bad weather, the tornadoes, flooding, etc., we did get enough rain to keep the ground too wet to work right up to or past the middle of May. Then we got a couple of showers which did little more than wet the top of the ground. Now, after more than two week without any rain and the temperature hovering over the mid and upper nineties, we are getting dusty dry here on the hill. We have been watering the cucumbers and squash for several days but even that doesn't do much good with the sun being so hot. The tomatoes and peppers are faring a little better but not growing as they should. Even the grass and weeds are not as healthy as usual. We haven't started yet but it looks as though we will need to start sprinkling our front lawn, not to make it grow but to keep it alive.
To refresh my memory and to put everything into perspective I re-read the Book of Jonah. I'm sure most people remember what God told Jonah in Chapter 1, verses 1 - 4; "Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken."
Jonah apparently thought that he could hide from the Lord but it didn't work out that way. What happened? Chapter 1, verse 15 & 17; "So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." Then Chapter 2, verse 10; "And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."
Chapter 3, verse 1-5; "And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go into Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them." Apparently that was just what Jonah didn't want to happen. Nineveh was the enemy so why should he be sent to preach repentance to them?
Chapter 3, verse 10; And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not." Chapter 4, verses 1-2; "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil." Jonah said; I knew that was what would happen, that's why I didn't want to go.
Chapter 4, verses 5-11; "So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head , to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did rise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle."
Moral of the story; Jonah apparently cared more about the gourd, which he neither planted nor tended, than he did about other human beings and expected God to be the same way even though God made both. Isn't that the way most of us are? We sometimes care more about something we have planted in the ground than we do for our neighbors down the road. Like Jonah, many times we get our priorities bent out of shape and, again like Jonah, complain about things which we have nothing to do with. At least, that is the way it is here on the hill.
Meanwhile, here on the hill, it is still hot and dry but life goes on as usual. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Misrepresentation Thru Misinformation
More of the Same.
"Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Understanding the Social Security Trust Funds.
By Paul N. Van de Water, October 5, 2010
In years when Social Security collects more in payroll taxes and other income than it pays in benefits and other expenses - as it has each year since 1984 - the Treasury invests the surplus in interest - bearing Treasury Bonds and other Treasury Securities. Social Security can redeem these bonds whenever needed to pay benefits. The balance in the Trust Funds thus provide legal authority to pay Social Security benefits when the Social Security Program's current income is insufficient by itself.
Debt held by Social Security by contrast, provides information about the adequacy of the program's dedicated financing. Debt held by trust funds does not have the same broader economic significance as debt held by the public. Since it does not need to be financed in private credit markets, it cannot lead to a refinancing crisis. As legal authority to spend money in the future, it is essentially similar to legal authority to meet spending commitments for other entitlement programs that are not financed through Trust Funds and are not included in measures of Federal debt. In addition, an increase in Trust Fund balances that provide authority for higher Social Security expenditures in some distant year is not equivalent to issueing more publicly held debt to finance additional spending today. If additional spending authority leads to more Federal borrowing at sometime in the future, that borrowing will add to debt held by the public when that spending occurs. (note; will add to National debt --- when that spending occurs).
Debt held by the public is a measure of the Federal Government's overall financal health. It represents money that must be borrowed and periodically refinanced in private credit markets; Interest payments on that debt represent a current drain on Government resources. If the specter of excessive debt led investors to lose confidence in United States Government securities, Federal interest cost could increase substantially, with potentially troubling implications for United States and world economies."
Even Representative Paul Ryan misrepresents the part Social Security and Medicare plays in our budget deficit by stating that they are the biggest drivers of our National debt and in a few more years these two, so-called, entitlements, if not reformed, will be consuming almost all of the budget. If, by a law passed in 1990, they are not a part of the budget as proposed by the president or by congress then how can they consume it? The only way they can become a part of the general budget and our National debt is when the Treasury begins borrowing money to buy back those Government Securities (IOUs) that are in the Social Security Trust Fund so as to pay benefits to retirees and disabled.
I can only speculate as to what their political motives are for filling the airways with such propaganda but one could very well be an attempt to cover up their own, at the least, incompetence. How will they explain away all that extra borrowing? If they can convince enough people that it is all the fault of a bad system initiated by President Roosevelt in 1935 and then made worse in 1965 by the adding of Medicare by President Johnson they may still have a chance of coming out of another crisis smelling like a rose. Right now it still smells like a barnyard to me. Can you not smell it?
We, here on the hill, are having to stay in most of the day on account of the heat. We try to get what little work it takes, to keep it looking like someone lives here, done very early in the morning then stay in under the air conditioner. The garden and flowers still look fairly well but there is no rain in sight. That may not be good for us here. Thanks for your time and input. stay tuned. - William
"Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Understanding the Social Security Trust Funds.
By Paul N. Van de Water, October 5, 2010
In years when Social Security collects more in payroll taxes and other income than it pays in benefits and other expenses - as it has each year since 1984 - the Treasury invests the surplus in interest - bearing Treasury Bonds and other Treasury Securities. Social Security can redeem these bonds whenever needed to pay benefits. The balance in the Trust Funds thus provide legal authority to pay Social Security benefits when the Social Security Program's current income is insufficient by itself.
Debt held by Social Security by contrast, provides information about the adequacy of the program's dedicated financing. Debt held by trust funds does not have the same broader economic significance as debt held by the public. Since it does not need to be financed in private credit markets, it cannot lead to a refinancing crisis. As legal authority to spend money in the future, it is essentially similar to legal authority to meet spending commitments for other entitlement programs that are not financed through Trust Funds and are not included in measures of Federal debt. In addition, an increase in Trust Fund balances that provide authority for higher Social Security expenditures in some distant year is not equivalent to issueing more publicly held debt to finance additional spending today. If additional spending authority leads to more Federal borrowing at sometime in the future, that borrowing will add to debt held by the public when that spending occurs. (note; will add to National debt --- when that spending occurs).
Debt held by the public is a measure of the Federal Government's overall financal health. It represents money that must be borrowed and periodically refinanced in private credit markets; Interest payments on that debt represent a current drain on Government resources. If the specter of excessive debt led investors to lose confidence in United States Government securities, Federal interest cost could increase substantially, with potentially troubling implications for United States and world economies."
Even Representative Paul Ryan misrepresents the part Social Security and Medicare plays in our budget deficit by stating that they are the biggest drivers of our National debt and in a few more years these two, so-called, entitlements, if not reformed, will be consuming almost all of the budget. If, by a law passed in 1990, they are not a part of the budget as proposed by the president or by congress then how can they consume it? The only way they can become a part of the general budget and our National debt is when the Treasury begins borrowing money to buy back those Government Securities (IOUs) that are in the Social Security Trust Fund so as to pay benefits to retirees and disabled.
I can only speculate as to what their political motives are for filling the airways with such propaganda but one could very well be an attempt to cover up their own, at the least, incompetence. How will they explain away all that extra borrowing? If they can convince enough people that it is all the fault of a bad system initiated by President Roosevelt in 1935 and then made worse in 1965 by the adding of Medicare by President Johnson they may still have a chance of coming out of another crisis smelling like a rose. Right now it still smells like a barnyard to me. Can you not smell it?
We, here on the hill, are having to stay in most of the day on account of the heat. We try to get what little work it takes, to keep it looking like someone lives here, done very early in the morning then stay in under the air conditioner. The garden and flowers still look fairly well but there is no rain in sight. That may not be good for us here. Thanks for your time and input. stay tuned. - William
Thursday, June 2, 2011
When One Plus One
Is still one.
Just over 16 months ago I stumbled into this blog and now, after falling several times, I am still feeling my way. When I first began writing I knew nothing about what it took to keep going in the right direction and haven't learned too much in all those months. I was using a computer which belonged to someone else (I had a Hotmail address) and I was checking other blogs when I noticed the invitation to "create blog". I clicked on it and, as they say, the rest is history. One day, with nothing else to do, I attempted to become "a follower" of the blog I was checking but never did get it right. What I ended up with is becoming a follower of myself and didn't, at least at that time, know how to delete it. I just gave up and left it there. Imagine my surprise when, a few days ago, I found a real follower on my blog postings. I have had a few comments posted (good and not so good) and an e-mail or two but nobody else has had the nerve or where-with-all (like myself) to become a follower.
That is my explanation as to why one plus one is still one and I'm sticking by it. As for us, here on the hill, everything is as well as could be expected. It's too hot to get out and work much so we try to start early, then come in and hunker down under the air-conditioner for the rest of the day. Everthing in the garden is still growing slowly and the blueberries are, to this point, better than usual. They should be getting ripe in the next couple of weeks. The grass and weeds seem to like this kind of weather but the beans, pepper, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers aren't doing as well.
I welcome any comment, good or bad or even indifferent, so let me hear from you. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Just over 16 months ago I stumbled into this blog and now, after falling several times, I am still feeling my way. When I first began writing I knew nothing about what it took to keep going in the right direction and haven't learned too much in all those months. I was using a computer which belonged to someone else (I had a Hotmail address) and I was checking other blogs when I noticed the invitation to "create blog". I clicked on it and, as they say, the rest is history. One day, with nothing else to do, I attempted to become "a follower" of the blog I was checking but never did get it right. What I ended up with is becoming a follower of myself and didn't, at least at that time, know how to delete it. I just gave up and left it there. Imagine my surprise when, a few days ago, I found a real follower on my blog postings. I have had a few comments posted (good and not so good) and an e-mail or two but nobody else has had the nerve or where-with-all (like myself) to become a follower.
That is my explanation as to why one plus one is still one and I'm sticking by it. As for us, here on the hill, everything is as well as could be expected. It's too hot to get out and work much so we try to start early, then come in and hunker down under the air-conditioner for the rest of the day. Everthing in the garden is still growing slowly and the blueberries are, to this point, better than usual. They should be getting ripe in the next couple of weeks. The grass and weeds seem to like this kind of weather but the beans, pepper, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers aren't doing as well.
I welcome any comment, good or bad or even indifferent, so let me hear from you. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Flag Waving
Not My Style
In the days leading up to and during May 30, 2011, I saw a lot of flags. The same thing takes place on various other holidays, July 4th and November 11th especially. I have no problem with flag waving. In fact, I have no problem with whatever a person does with the flag if it was bought and paid for by that person but I would have somewhat different feelings if I, in any way, had money or blood invested in it.
To all of those who would or will say that too much blood has been invested in our United States Flag to allow it to be dis-respected in any way, I respectfuly disagree. Many of my ancestors were in the colonies long before the idea of the stars and stripes, as a flag, was even conceived. As for my Native American Heritage, I no longer long to see the white man's blood spilled on the field of battle and it has been years since I've had the urge to take a scalp.
On November 1, 1951 I, along with my comrads-in-arms from the 11th Airborne Division, walked in the desert at Yucca Flats, Nevada within two hours of the Atomic Bomb test known as "Buster-Jangle". We were less than seven miles from ground zero at the time the bomb was detonated. (See posting dated February 27, 2010). There is no doubt in my mind that we were delibertly exposed to the radiation generated by that explosion in order to study the effect atomic warfare would have on troops if encountered in future wars. For about fifty years we lived under the threat of being tried for treason if we talked, even amoung ourselves, about that experience.
I served my time during the Korean Conflict - Police Action which wasn't a war. All my time was spent here in the States, helping to reactivate the 11th Airborne Division, but if I had been in combat I would have been fighting for my Country because my family helped build it. I would have been fighting for our Constitution (even though I might not fully agree with parts of it) because it is what keeps us free. It is more important now than ever before. I wouldn't have been fighting for a flag or for any of our elected officials. I have no confidence in any official, including my own Senators and Representative, who say one thing and does another or in most cases - nothing.
In a statement recognizing July 16, 2002 as a "National Atomic Veterans Day of Remembrance", President George W. Bush compared the Atomic Veteran's exposure to a nuclear radiation, as being as grave as any war veteran who was wounded in action, in both instances, standing in harm's way while doing his duty, and protecting The United States of America.
That was almost nine years ago. It is up to Congress to act on this lack of recognition but there is no hurry. Almost all of us human guinea pigs are already dead. A few more years and it can be completely forgotten.
By this time you probably suspect that I'm not a flag waver but, on the other hand, I don't support any action which could normally be viewed as desecration of anything which represents this Country.
I know this posting has been somewhat rambling but; "If you don't really want to know / then don't ask. / If you detect a note of bitterness / just let it pass. / My country right or wrong / I must love it. / For only God and family / goes above it."
Here on the hill, everything is about as usual, just getting hotter and drier. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
In the days leading up to and during May 30, 2011, I saw a lot of flags. The same thing takes place on various other holidays, July 4th and November 11th especially. I have no problem with flag waving. In fact, I have no problem with whatever a person does with the flag if it was bought and paid for by that person but I would have somewhat different feelings if I, in any way, had money or blood invested in it.
To all of those who would or will say that too much blood has been invested in our United States Flag to allow it to be dis-respected in any way, I respectfuly disagree. Many of my ancestors were in the colonies long before the idea of the stars and stripes, as a flag, was even conceived. As for my Native American Heritage, I no longer long to see the white man's blood spilled on the field of battle and it has been years since I've had the urge to take a scalp.
On November 1, 1951 I, along with my comrads-in-arms from the 11th Airborne Division, walked in the desert at Yucca Flats, Nevada within two hours of the Atomic Bomb test known as "Buster-Jangle". We were less than seven miles from ground zero at the time the bomb was detonated. (See posting dated February 27, 2010). There is no doubt in my mind that we were delibertly exposed to the radiation generated by that explosion in order to study the effect atomic warfare would have on troops if encountered in future wars. For about fifty years we lived under the threat of being tried for treason if we talked, even amoung ourselves, about that experience.
I served my time during the Korean Conflict - Police Action which wasn't a war. All my time was spent here in the States, helping to reactivate the 11th Airborne Division, but if I had been in combat I would have been fighting for my Country because my family helped build it. I would have been fighting for our Constitution (even though I might not fully agree with parts of it) because it is what keeps us free. It is more important now than ever before. I wouldn't have been fighting for a flag or for any of our elected officials. I have no confidence in any official, including my own Senators and Representative, who say one thing and does another or in most cases - nothing.
In a statement recognizing July 16, 2002 as a "National Atomic Veterans Day of Remembrance", President George W. Bush compared the Atomic Veteran's exposure to a nuclear radiation, as being as grave as any war veteran who was wounded in action, in both instances, standing in harm's way while doing his duty, and protecting The United States of America.
That was almost nine years ago. It is up to Congress to act on this lack of recognition but there is no hurry. Almost all of us human guinea pigs are already dead. A few more years and it can be completely forgotten.
By this time you probably suspect that I'm not a flag waver but, on the other hand, I don't support any action which could normally be viewed as desecration of anything which represents this Country.
I know this posting has been somewhat rambling but; "If you don't really want to know / then don't ask. / If you detect a note of bitterness / just let it pass. / My country right or wrong / I must love it. / For only God and family / goes above it."
Here on the hill, everything is about as usual, just getting hotter and drier. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Prophesy, End of the World
Having come and gone.
As I begin this writing on May 22, 2011, with no deadline as to the publishing, it has been less than 24 hours since, according to Pastor Harold Camping, the world would end. Obviously that didn't happen. In a posting dated May 21, 2011 I wrote: "Another point is that no one knows when the end of time will come." I stand corrected. I have been told that there is one who knows all and, I too, believe that God is more than capable of seeing and knowing all things including the future but I don't, at this time, think He spends a lot of time contemplating the life you or I will be living years from now. If he dwelt on the future very much He would probably turn to Jesus and say; "Go bring them home Son, go bring Our Children home" but even God has been recorded as changing His mind about some punishment He was on the verge of meting out to His chosen people. As a case in point I turn to the Bible and the Book of Amos.
The Book of Amos is said to be the oldest written Hebrew Prophesy which has been preserved. Amos was a native of Tokoa, a village about twelve miles south of Jerusalem. His Prophecies were delivered during the reign of King Jeroboam, probably about 760 - 750 b.c.. Amos, as stated by himself, "I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophet's son but I was a herdsman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit" but God called him to go and prophesy to the Northern Kingdom which was Israel.
Amos Chapter 1, verse 1
"The word of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake."
I dont know what the significance the words "two years before the earthquake" hold, whether it was the first or the strongest to be recorded but it must have been an event from which others were dated. Was it a part of God's judgement?
Amos Chapter 1, verse 2
"And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither."
Maybe that was the earthquake from verse one and there were two years before the prophesy took place.
Amos Chapter 7, verses 1 through 9
"Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, He formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said,O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee; by whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small.
The Lord repented for this; It shall not be, saith the Lord.
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Then said I, O Lord God cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small.
The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.
Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them anymore;
And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
Twice God showed Amos the means by which he intended to punish His people, Israel and twice Amos begged him not to be so harsh. Both times The Lord repented and said that it shall not be but the third time He said; "I will not pass by them again."
Amos Chapter 9, verses 8 and 9
"Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord.
For, lo, I, will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."
These prophesies took place over a number of years probably spanning the period between 755 and 735 b.c.. Israel was taken by the Asserians in 722 b.c. and Judah was conquered by Babylon about 135 years later in 587 b.c.. Probably the punishment promised by God through Amos years before. Does anyone know where the remnants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel ended up or where they are today?
I began this posting by writing about how God had been recorded as changing His mind about punishing His chosen people, the Israelites but I want to end it with His promise about their future. Some say that the last two verses of the Book of Amos are pointing toward the coming of the Messiah but I believe that it is more about present day Israel. In 1948 what was left of the Israelites were granted the right to move back to, what should already have been, their homeland. Now, as it was in the time of Amos, they are surrounded by their enemies.
Amos Chapter 9, verses 14 and 15
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.
That, to me , sounds like a promise to the present day Israelites that they would never lose their homeland again. What do you think?
Meanwhile, here on the hill, all is as well as could be expected. The garden and the blueberries are growing along with the grass and weeds. All in all, it keeps us fairly busy. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. _ William
As I begin this writing on May 22, 2011, with no deadline as to the publishing, it has been less than 24 hours since, according to Pastor Harold Camping, the world would end. Obviously that didn't happen. In a posting dated May 21, 2011 I wrote: "Another point is that no one knows when the end of time will come." I stand corrected. I have been told that there is one who knows all and, I too, believe that God is more than capable of seeing and knowing all things including the future but I don't, at this time, think He spends a lot of time contemplating the life you or I will be living years from now. If he dwelt on the future very much He would probably turn to Jesus and say; "Go bring them home Son, go bring Our Children home" but even God has been recorded as changing His mind about some punishment He was on the verge of meting out to His chosen people. As a case in point I turn to the Bible and the Book of Amos.
The Book of Amos is said to be the oldest written Hebrew Prophesy which has been preserved. Amos was a native of Tokoa, a village about twelve miles south of Jerusalem. His Prophecies were delivered during the reign of King Jeroboam, probably about 760 - 750 b.c.. Amos, as stated by himself, "I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophet's son but I was a herdsman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit" but God called him to go and prophesy to the Northern Kingdom which was Israel.
Amos Chapter 1, verse 1
"The word of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake."
I dont know what the significance the words "two years before the earthquake" hold, whether it was the first or the strongest to be recorded but it must have been an event from which others were dated. Was it a part of God's judgement?
Amos Chapter 1, verse 2
"And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither."
Maybe that was the earthquake from verse one and there were two years before the prophesy took place.
Amos Chapter 7, verses 1 through 9
"Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, He formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said,O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee; by whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small.
The Lord repented for this; It shall not be, saith the Lord.
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Then said I, O Lord God cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small.
The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.
Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them anymore;
And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
Twice God showed Amos the means by which he intended to punish His people, Israel and twice Amos begged him not to be so harsh. Both times The Lord repented and said that it shall not be but the third time He said; "I will not pass by them again."
Amos Chapter 9, verses 8 and 9
"Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord.
For, lo, I, will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."
These prophesies took place over a number of years probably spanning the period between 755 and 735 b.c.. Israel was taken by the Asserians in 722 b.c. and Judah was conquered by Babylon about 135 years later in 587 b.c.. Probably the punishment promised by God through Amos years before. Does anyone know where the remnants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel ended up or where they are today?
I began this posting by writing about how God had been recorded as changing His mind about punishing His chosen people, the Israelites but I want to end it with His promise about their future. Some say that the last two verses of the Book of Amos are pointing toward the coming of the Messiah but I believe that it is more about present day Israel. In 1948 what was left of the Israelites were granted the right to move back to, what should already have been, their homeland. Now, as it was in the time of Amos, they are surrounded by their enemies.
Amos Chapter 9, verses 14 and 15
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.
That, to me , sounds like a promise to the present day Israelites that they would never lose their homeland again. What do you think?
Meanwhile, here on the hill, all is as well as could be expected. The garden and the blueberries are growing along with the grass and weeds. All in all, it keeps us fairly busy. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. _ William
Saturday, May 21, 2011
No Excuses
This time anyway.
A Beautiful Sound
I looked up in the sky and thought I saw Jesus
descending with His Angels gathered round
Gabriel was blowing on that golden trumpet
and Lord it was a beautiful sound.
That's how it's going to be sometime in the future
when Jesus comes to claim His rightful throne
and all of us poor sinners who have made the right decision
will rejoice to see our Savior coming home.
This could be the last day and for some of us it is
to repent and give our soul to Him
so that when He comes followed by His Angels
we'll be taken up to forever be with them.
Livinng in Heaven's glory with our friends and loved ones
praising Him who was Master all along
helping with the celebration for each new arrival
and knowing all the words to ever song.
I looked up in the sky and thought I saw Jesus
descending with His Angels gathered round
Gabriel was blowing on that golden trumpet
and Lord that was a beautiful sound
and Lord that was a beautiful sound
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned, - William
A Beautiful Sound
I looked up in the sky and thought I saw Jesus
descending with His Angels gathered round
Gabriel was blowing on that golden trumpet
and Lord it was a beautiful sound.
That's how it's going to be sometime in the future
when Jesus comes to claim His rightful throne
and all of us poor sinners who have made the right decision
will rejoice to see our Savior coming home.
This could be the last day and for some of us it is
to repent and give our soul to Him
so that when He comes followed by His Angels
we'll be taken up to forever be with them.
Livinng in Heaven's glory with our friends and loved ones
praising Him who was Master all along
helping with the celebration for each new arrival
and knowing all the words to ever song.
I looked up in the sky and thought I saw Jesus
descending with His Angels gathered round
Gabriel was blowing on that golden trumpet
and Lord that was a beautiful sound
and Lord that was a beautiful sound
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned, - William
Friday, May 20, 2011
The End of the World
According to who?
It has happened again - whatever it was. I had no intention of writing a blog posting this week or maybe forever but several times in the past ten days I have heard mentions as to how a television preacher (I can't recall his name) had done the math and arrived at the conclusion that the world would end on May 21, 2011. There has been so much talk about it that I decided it might be my last chance but probably not really.
When I first heard the preacher's explanation as to how he arrived at his conclusion that the world would end that particular day, I thought he was using the wrong numbers and if you begin with the wrong numbers it won't matter how accurate the multipliers are the answer will always be wrong.
Herod the Great was born about 74 b.c. and died about 4 b.c.. He became King of Judea in 40 b.c. and it was in the last year of his life that he ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents" in and around Bethlhem which was an attempt to kill Jesus because he (Herod) believed Him (Jesus) to be a threat to his Kingship. Therefore Jesus would have probably been born in 5 or 6 b.c., not in 1 a.d. as most people suppose.
When He was about 30 years old, Jesus began His teaching in towns around Galilee. That would have been about 25 a.d. and His crucifixion probably took place in late 28 or early 29 a.d.. I don't believe that is the dates that television preacher started with and besides that, there is no way to be sure how many years (or days) have passed since that day on Golgotha - " a crowd had gathered on the hill / to watch the valiant struggle / of a man carrying a heavy cross / along a busy highway // Thru tears and jeers it's moved along / upon the back of Simon / to the hill known as the skull / where men before had died / there they nailed Him to the cross / for all the world to see / Jesus who came to redeem our sins / that day was crucified." (From the poem "Jesus - Crucified") Another point is that no one knows when the end of time will come.
Here, on the hill, everything is going fairly well. Beans, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, weeds and grass all beginning to grow. Some more than others but that's life. Speaking of life, tomorrow probably won't be the end of the world and if it is it won't be because some human predicted it. To be ready for that time we should all live our lives as though it was the last day. As for me, I feel as though I am somewhat short of that goal. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned - William
It has happened again - whatever it was. I had no intention of writing a blog posting this week or maybe forever but several times in the past ten days I have heard mentions as to how a television preacher (I can't recall his name) had done the math and arrived at the conclusion that the world would end on May 21, 2011. There has been so much talk about it that I decided it might be my last chance but probably not really.
When I first heard the preacher's explanation as to how he arrived at his conclusion that the world would end that particular day, I thought he was using the wrong numbers and if you begin with the wrong numbers it won't matter how accurate the multipliers are the answer will always be wrong.
Herod the Great was born about 74 b.c. and died about 4 b.c.. He became King of Judea in 40 b.c. and it was in the last year of his life that he ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents" in and around Bethlhem which was an attempt to kill Jesus because he (Herod) believed Him (Jesus) to be a threat to his Kingship. Therefore Jesus would have probably been born in 5 or 6 b.c., not in 1 a.d. as most people suppose.
When He was about 30 years old, Jesus began His teaching in towns around Galilee. That would have been about 25 a.d. and His crucifixion probably took place in late 28 or early 29 a.d.. I don't believe that is the dates that television preacher started with and besides that, there is no way to be sure how many years (or days) have passed since that day on Golgotha - " a crowd had gathered on the hill / to watch the valiant struggle / of a man carrying a heavy cross / along a busy highway // Thru tears and jeers it's moved along / upon the back of Simon / to the hill known as the skull / where men before had died / there they nailed Him to the cross / for all the world to see / Jesus who came to redeem our sins / that day was crucified." (From the poem "Jesus - Crucified") Another point is that no one knows when the end of time will come.
Here, on the hill, everything is going fairly well. Beans, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, weeds and grass all beginning to grow. Some more than others but that's life. Speaking of life, tomorrow probably won't be the end of the world and if it is it won't be because some human predicted it. To be ready for that time we should all live our lives as though it was the last day. As for me, I feel as though I am somewhat short of that goal. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned - William
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Quotes & More
On Television
Quote - On Television May 11, 2011
"Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are the biggest drivers of our budget deficits" or "Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid take up almost half of our budget." We have never had anything to do with Medicaid (don't know much about it) so we are leaving it out of this discussion.
The Social Security Trust Fund is the means by which the Federal Government accounts for excess money paid in contributions, from workers and employers alike through the FICA (payroll) tax, into the Social Security system which is not needed to fund current benefit payments to retirees, survivors and the disabled or to pay Administrative expenses. These surpluses are invested in "Special United States Government Securities". The Trust Fund is "Off Budget" and treated seperately from other Federal spending. From the United States Code; "Exclusion of Social Security from all budgets, Pub. L, 101-508, Title X111, Sec. 13301(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat: 1388-623, provided that notwithstanding any other provision of law, the receipts and disbursement of the Federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund shall not be counted as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surpluses for purposes of (1) the budget of the United States as submitted by the President, (2) the congressional budget or (3) The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control act of 1985. (From posting dated February 14, 2011)
The claims, mostly by politicians but repeated by many in the news media, that Social Security and Medicare are driving the budget deficits by taking half or more of the tax money are only smoke and mirrors at best and outright falsehoods at the worst. Although it could be that some just don't know any better. Social Security and Medicare are paid out of the Social Security Trust Fund which in turn is funded by the FICA (payroll) tax which is paid by employee and employer equally. The Social Security Trust Fund has a surplus of over two and a half trillion dollars at this time which has been borrowed by the feds and replaced by "Special Government Securities" (IOUs) which will have to be redeemed to pay future benefits to retirees and the disabled and that will add to the National debt and deficit. Social Security and Medicare can be reformed today so as to shore it up for future generations but nothing short of drastically cutting benefits to current retirees and the disabled will have any effect on out budget and national debt. All other claims are only, the already mentioned, smoke and mirrors by people trying to confuse the issue or by the mis-informed. Again, Social Security and Medicare are self financed through the FICA (payroll) tax and does not come out of the general fund (income taxes, etc.) but it should be reformed today.
Quote on Television
"Report; bin Laden was still the driving force behind planned attacks on America and American interest abroad." This report was based on information leaked by our White House as to how Osama bin Laden kept journals filled with notes outlining attacks upon Americans. Does those notes confirm that he was still the leader of Al Qaida?
We, here on the hill, have written hundreds of letters and e-mails detailing our ideas on how to solve our country's pressing problems. We have also written more than a hundred postings on this blog, many of them being on the same subjects. Would the mere writing of those letters, e-mails and blog postings make us leaders of the United States? We hardly think so due to the fact that we have been mostly ignored. Maybe we are in the wrong business.
Quote on Television
"Osama bin Laden wasn't Moslim, he highjacked the Islamic religion." According to our copy of the book "Outline of History" published in 1929 by Funk and Wagnalls, the Islamic religion was founded in 611 A.D. by Mohammed. Quoting from that book; "In Medina a vision came from God to Mohammed, at a convenient hour, informing him that if his countrymen will not be persuaded by fair words then the sword must be the instrument of their salvation. Then began the era of bloody evangelism ---. Soon after Mohammed's death the Moslims began their holy war against the pagans and more particularly against the infidels, meaning the Hebrews and the Christians." Convert by the sword or die by the sword. Doesn't that sound familiar? (From posting dated May 15, 2010) This war on Christians and Jews started long before America came into being with no end in sight. We don't believe bin Laden highjacked the Moslim religion, he just reverted back to the time of Mohammed.
Meanwhile we are still working some in the yard and garden when it's not raining but those 90 degree days were a little too much. Squash and cucumbers are blooming, the beans are running and the blueberries are looking good. We will probably have enough work to keep us busy, maybe too much so. For now, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Quote - On Television May 11, 2011
"Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are the biggest drivers of our budget deficits" or "Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid take up almost half of our budget." We have never had anything to do with Medicaid (don't know much about it) so we are leaving it out of this discussion.
The Social Security Trust Fund is the means by which the Federal Government accounts for excess money paid in contributions, from workers and employers alike through the FICA (payroll) tax, into the Social Security system which is not needed to fund current benefit payments to retirees, survivors and the disabled or to pay Administrative expenses. These surpluses are invested in "Special United States Government Securities". The Trust Fund is "Off Budget" and treated seperately from other Federal spending. From the United States Code; "Exclusion of Social Security from all budgets, Pub. L, 101-508, Title X111, Sec. 13301(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat: 1388-623, provided that notwithstanding any other provision of law, the receipts and disbursement of the Federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund shall not be counted as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surpluses for purposes of (1) the budget of the United States as submitted by the President, (2) the congressional budget or (3) The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control act of 1985. (From posting dated February 14, 2011)
The claims, mostly by politicians but repeated by many in the news media, that Social Security and Medicare are driving the budget deficits by taking half or more of the tax money are only smoke and mirrors at best and outright falsehoods at the worst. Although it could be that some just don't know any better. Social Security and Medicare are paid out of the Social Security Trust Fund which in turn is funded by the FICA (payroll) tax which is paid by employee and employer equally. The Social Security Trust Fund has a surplus of over two and a half trillion dollars at this time which has been borrowed by the feds and replaced by "Special Government Securities" (IOUs) which will have to be redeemed to pay future benefits to retirees and the disabled and that will add to the National debt and deficit. Social Security and Medicare can be reformed today so as to shore it up for future generations but nothing short of drastically cutting benefits to current retirees and the disabled will have any effect on out budget and national debt. All other claims are only, the already mentioned, smoke and mirrors by people trying to confuse the issue or by the mis-informed. Again, Social Security and Medicare are self financed through the FICA (payroll) tax and does not come out of the general fund (income taxes, etc.) but it should be reformed today.
Quote on Television
"Report; bin Laden was still the driving force behind planned attacks on America and American interest abroad." This report was based on information leaked by our White House as to how Osama bin Laden kept journals filled with notes outlining attacks upon Americans. Does those notes confirm that he was still the leader of Al Qaida?
We, here on the hill, have written hundreds of letters and e-mails detailing our ideas on how to solve our country's pressing problems. We have also written more than a hundred postings on this blog, many of them being on the same subjects. Would the mere writing of those letters, e-mails and blog postings make us leaders of the United States? We hardly think so due to the fact that we have been mostly ignored. Maybe we are in the wrong business.
Quote on Television
"Osama bin Laden wasn't Moslim, he highjacked the Islamic religion." According to our copy of the book "Outline of History" published in 1929 by Funk and Wagnalls, the Islamic religion was founded in 611 A.D. by Mohammed. Quoting from that book; "In Medina a vision came from God to Mohammed, at a convenient hour, informing him that if his countrymen will not be persuaded by fair words then the sword must be the instrument of their salvation. Then began the era of bloody evangelism ---. Soon after Mohammed's death the Moslims began their holy war against the pagans and more particularly against the infidels, meaning the Hebrews and the Christians." Convert by the sword or die by the sword. Doesn't that sound familiar? (From posting dated May 15, 2010) This war on Christians and Jews started long before America came into being with no end in sight. We don't believe bin Laden highjacked the Moslim religion, he just reverted back to the time of Mohammed.
Meanwhile we are still working some in the yard and garden when it's not raining but those 90 degree days were a little too much. Squash and cucumbers are blooming, the beans are running and the blueberries are looking good. We will probably have enough work to keep us busy, maybe too much so. For now, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Mother's Day
To One and All.
Every year there is a day
Set aside in a special way
Dedicated to the memory of another,
She's the one who gave us life
Comforts us in times of strife
When the world has passed us by
There's always Mother.
Dedicate it, celebrate it and remember it.
That's all for today, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned, I may be back later. - William
Every year there is a day
Set aside in a special way
Dedicated to the memory of another,
She's the one who gave us life
Comforts us in times of strife
When the world has passed us by
There's always Mother.
Dedicate it, celebrate it and remember it.
That's all for today, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned, I may be back later. - William
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Osama bin Laden is Dead
But his house didn't burn down.
"His house" is not in reference to that million dollar compound in Pakistan where he was killed last Sunday night but rather to the loosely-knit network of terrorist known as al Qaida which he had been assembling since the Soviet Union gave up their attempt to take over Afghanistan and withdrew in 1989. In 1979 bin Laden was recruited, by our Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to help form a group which would become known as the "Mujahadeen" (freedom fighters). (See posting dated October 3, 2010 and titled "Afghanistan War - Part Two.)
After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan bin Laden had no war to fight so decided to create his own war of terrorism. For many years bin Laden had not been the field leader of that organization but was only a spiritual or inspirational leader. Maybe something like a high priest.
I'm sure he has inspired many young Muslims to follow in his footsteps and continue his "Mujahadeen" movement. Too many of them are willing to give up their lives in order to murder innocent people. I think it was Yogi Berra who said, "It ain't over till it's over"
Here on the hill it is to be a nice day with better days to follow. We should dry out enough to work some outside. Our beans are up and growing, the squash will soon be blooming and the cucumbers are starting to put out runners. Our tomatoes are still doing okay but not growing much yet - too cool and wet. The grass and weeds seem to like this kind of weather, as they say, growing like weeds. There is much work that needs to be done but some of it will have to wait. We must admit, we're not as young as we used to be and not getting any younger. We just came in from checking out the garder and it looks like it may be dry enough to begin work tomorrow.
I didn't really intend to put out a posting today but then the bin Laden thing came along and I just couldn't pass it up since that is all you hear on television. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned - William
"His house" is not in reference to that million dollar compound in Pakistan where he was killed last Sunday night but rather to the loosely-knit network of terrorist known as al Qaida which he had been assembling since the Soviet Union gave up their attempt to take over Afghanistan and withdrew in 1989. In 1979 bin Laden was recruited, by our Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to help form a group which would become known as the "Mujahadeen" (freedom fighters). (See posting dated October 3, 2010 and titled "Afghanistan War - Part Two.)
After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan bin Laden had no war to fight so decided to create his own war of terrorism. For many years bin Laden had not been the field leader of that organization but was only a spiritual or inspirational leader. Maybe something like a high priest.
I'm sure he has inspired many young Muslims to follow in his footsteps and continue his "Mujahadeen" movement. Too many of them are willing to give up their lives in order to murder innocent people. I think it was Yogi Berra who said, "It ain't over till it's over"
Here on the hill it is to be a nice day with better days to follow. We should dry out enough to work some outside. Our beans are up and growing, the squash will soon be blooming and the cucumbers are starting to put out runners. Our tomatoes are still doing okay but not growing much yet - too cool and wet. The grass and weeds seem to like this kind of weather, as they say, growing like weeds. There is much work that needs to be done but some of it will have to wait. We must admit, we're not as young as we used to be and not getting any younger. We just came in from checking out the garder and it looks like it may be dry enough to begin work tomorrow.
I didn't really intend to put out a posting today but then the bin Laden thing came along and I just couldn't pass it up since that is all you hear on television. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned - William
Sunday, May 1, 2011
One More Time
Or maybe two.
Last Wednesday night we sent the following e-mail to several, so called, news anchors (Fox News) with very little hope that it would even be acknowledged. So far, we were right.
E-mail;
"For the last several months, aided by the news media, there has been an attempt to perpetrate a giganic hoax on the American voters. All politicians and most of the media blame Social Securitry and Medicare for being, as they say, "the biggest drivers of our massive debt and deficits" which is completely false.
Granted, the borrowing of money to redeem those "Special Government Securities" (IOUs) from the "Social Security Trust Fund" in order to pay future benefits to retirees will cause more deficits and add over two and a half trillion dollars to the National debt but that is not the fault of either Social Security or Medicare. Our government took it upon themselves to manage the Trust Fund but it is their mis-management which is causing the problems. In the next ten to fifteen years all of those IOUs will be needed to pay retiree benefits. Even Representative Paul Ryan's proposed budget (without knowing what cuts would be made) does not go far enough. In my opinion, at the end of ten years the National debt will be over twenty trillion dollars. I have, several times, offered to return up to five percent of my Social Security check to the Trust Fund to be used to shore it up for future generations IF highly paid Federal workers will give back the same percentage of their salaries to pay down the National debt. Anyone would be welcome to join in. Please do some research on this subject or for more information go to - (williamlee100.blogspot.com)."
Thursday afternoon (April 28) We got a phone call from someone in Senator Alexander's office in response to our last e-mail, the one threatening to sit out the next election. After getting the trivia out of the way we had a very productive talk. We believe that we (us and him) agreed more than we disagreed. Basically, we explained our views on the status of Social Security and how it and Medicare were not the biggest drivers of our National debt and budget deficits and he agreed. (See e-mail above) Our main concern with getting the call is that it makes us wonder,why use the telephone when he could have returned our e-mail. Did he not want to leave a paper trail?
After the last two weeks of stormy weather all around us, we here on the hill have had several days of fairly nice weather. It is beginning to dry out enough to think about getting back to work. After seeing on television all the destruction and hearing about all the deaths associated with the tornadoes which swept through at least seven states here in the south then headed north to do more damage there, we wonder why it wasn't that bad here but at the same time we are thankful to have been spared. The weather forcasters say there is more on the way. We'll pray that it won't be as bad the next times. Meanwhile thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Last Wednesday night we sent the following e-mail to several, so called, news anchors (Fox News) with very little hope that it would even be acknowledged. So far, we were right.
E-mail;
"For the last several months, aided by the news media, there has been an attempt to perpetrate a giganic hoax on the American voters. All politicians and most of the media blame Social Securitry and Medicare for being, as they say, "the biggest drivers of our massive debt and deficits" which is completely false.
Granted, the borrowing of money to redeem those "Special Government Securities" (IOUs) from the "Social Security Trust Fund" in order to pay future benefits to retirees will cause more deficits and add over two and a half trillion dollars to the National debt but that is not the fault of either Social Security or Medicare. Our government took it upon themselves to manage the Trust Fund but it is their mis-management which is causing the problems. In the next ten to fifteen years all of those IOUs will be needed to pay retiree benefits. Even Representative Paul Ryan's proposed budget (without knowing what cuts would be made) does not go far enough. In my opinion, at the end of ten years the National debt will be over twenty trillion dollars. I have, several times, offered to return up to five percent of my Social Security check to the Trust Fund to be used to shore it up for future generations IF highly paid Federal workers will give back the same percentage of their salaries to pay down the National debt. Anyone would be welcome to join in. Please do some research on this subject or for more information go to - (williamlee100.blogspot.com)."
Thursday afternoon (April 28) We got a phone call from someone in Senator Alexander's office in response to our last e-mail, the one threatening to sit out the next election. After getting the trivia out of the way we had a very productive talk. We believe that we (us and him) agreed more than we disagreed. Basically, we explained our views on the status of Social Security and how it and Medicare were not the biggest drivers of our National debt and budget deficits and he agreed. (See e-mail above) Our main concern with getting the call is that it makes us wonder,why use the telephone when he could have returned our e-mail. Did he not want to leave a paper trail?
After the last two weeks of stormy weather all around us, we here on the hill have had several days of fairly nice weather. It is beginning to dry out enough to think about getting back to work. After seeing on television all the destruction and hearing about all the deaths associated with the tornadoes which swept through at least seven states here in the south then headed north to do more damage there, we wonder why it wasn't that bad here but at the same time we are thankful to have been spared. The weather forcasters say there is more on the way. We'll pray that it won't be as bad the next times. Meanwhile thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Alpha - (The Beginning)
Omega - (The End)
"And if the blind leads the blind, both shall fall in the ditch."
Almost fifteen months ago we, here on the hill, embarked upon a journey into that great unknown (at least to us) world of the computer or to be more exact into web logs better known as "blogs". To us, not being computer literate, entering that vast unknown lurking somewhere out there in space, was somewhat like stumbling around in unfamiliar territory in total darkness, without a light.
In the beginning the sole purpose of this blog was to supply a format to jot down, as the title indicates, stray thoughts which we felt the need to record as something like a chronicle of our beliefs to be left as our views of an imperfect world. We have never deliberately set out to trash talk anyone or anything but to, whenever possible, point out the flaws to either or both sides of any given argument. Sometimes, we're sure, our bias shows through but it has been said that to err is human.
During the past fifteen months we have touched on many subjects, too many of them political, and after a slow start it has evolved into a twice a week chore. It's not that there isn't any controversial subjects lying around just waiting to be put down on paper but it is becoming increasingly harder to write about politics without getting depressed. Both, or all, sides in the debates appear to be losing sight of the prize, "Bi-partisanship", and are focusing on "What will this do for me". Please read, or re-read, the posting dated June 13, 2010 and titled "The Ditch". It was first written as a letter to a newspaper shortly after the 2006 election and updated at the time of posting by adding these words -"and the debacle of 2008". Is there a Daniel in the house?
During the last twenty-five to thirty years dozens of letter were written to various local and regional newspapers covering many of the subjects found in these postings. We have, at times, felt rather naive afterwards and have been called delusional for expressing some of our views. That could be true but after all that is someone else's view. We believe that our first published letters were in the Memphis papers but we soon moved up to our local and semi-local papers.
The title of this posting, "Alpha - (The Beginning)" and "Omega _ (The End)" may be more of a reality than was first thought because the subject of closing this blog down has been discussed here on the hill but there may be a few subjects out there in the future that we would want to address. We'll wait and see. We just came in from a walk around through the flowers and other greenery, admiring God's handiwork on a beautiful Easter morning. At this time, we pray for peace on earth and good will to all men. If we all join together it could happen. Meanwhile, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
"And if the blind leads the blind, both shall fall in the ditch."
Almost fifteen months ago we, here on the hill, embarked upon a journey into that great unknown (at least to us) world of the computer or to be more exact into web logs better known as "blogs". To us, not being computer literate, entering that vast unknown lurking somewhere out there in space, was somewhat like stumbling around in unfamiliar territory in total darkness, without a light.
In the beginning the sole purpose of this blog was to supply a format to jot down, as the title indicates, stray thoughts which we felt the need to record as something like a chronicle of our beliefs to be left as our views of an imperfect world. We have never deliberately set out to trash talk anyone or anything but to, whenever possible, point out the flaws to either or both sides of any given argument. Sometimes, we're sure, our bias shows through but it has been said that to err is human.
During the past fifteen months we have touched on many subjects, too many of them political, and after a slow start it has evolved into a twice a week chore. It's not that there isn't any controversial subjects lying around just waiting to be put down on paper but it is becoming increasingly harder to write about politics without getting depressed. Both, or all, sides in the debates appear to be losing sight of the prize, "Bi-partisanship", and are focusing on "What will this do for me". Please read, or re-read, the posting dated June 13, 2010 and titled "The Ditch". It was first written as a letter to a newspaper shortly after the 2006 election and updated at the time of posting by adding these words -"and the debacle of 2008". Is there a Daniel in the house?
During the last twenty-five to thirty years dozens of letter were written to various local and regional newspapers covering many of the subjects found in these postings. We have, at times, felt rather naive afterwards and have been called delusional for expressing some of our views. That could be true but after all that is someone else's view. We believe that our first published letters were in the Memphis papers but we soon moved up to our local and semi-local papers.
The title of this posting, "Alpha - (The Beginning)" and "Omega _ (The End)" may be more of a reality than was first thought because the subject of closing this blog down has been discussed here on the hill but there may be a few subjects out there in the future that we would want to address. We'll wait and see. We just came in from a walk around through the flowers and other greenery, admiring God's handiwork on a beautiful Easter morning. At this time, we pray for peace on earth and good will to all men. If we all join together it could happen. Meanwhile, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Weather and Politics
Not much difference
We talked to folks in North Carolina Saturday afternoon and it wasn't so bad around Charlotte but when we turned on the television Sunday morning we learned it got worse later. Over 20 people killed in North Carolina alone. More bad weather predicted for later in the week with a pattern forming that will carry it into early summer. About the same thing can be said for Washington politics. At least the Senators and Representatives will be out of Washington for the next two weeks. Maybe things will calm down there for a while. The biggest difference between the weather and Washington politics is that politicians don't usually kill anyone except when they agree to a war, mostly they're just a bunch of hot air.
About 9:00 PM Sunday night I sent e-mails to both of our United States Senators in response to their non-response to my earlier letters and e-mails (See earlier postings). In those e-mails I wrote - "Ignore me or not, that's your choice. Read my blog or not, that's your choice. Vote for you or not, that's my choice."
Monday morning at about 5:15 AM I turned my computer on to check my e-mails and a few blogs. I found this e-mail from Senator Corker's office; "Thank you for taking the time to e-mail me to share your thoughts and concerns.
I want you to know that we read every single letter and e-mail that is sent to us in order to best understand the issues that are important to you. It is our commitment to respond to your input as thoughtfully and efficiently as possible. I meet with my staff regularly to discuss the issues raised in correspondence like yours and will be back in touch with a more thorough response soon. Thank you again for your e-mail. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me." Any other correspondence from either of our Senators or Representative will be included in future postings.
Why, oh why, did it come down to President Obama agreeing with me about the status of Social Security when I couldn't get anyone else to listen to me? You know that I don't agree with Obama about anything. Yesterday on "Your World With Neil Cavuto" he (Neil) played a clip of President Obama, at a Town Hall Meeting, saying that Social Security was not the biggest driver of our budget deficits and National debt. Of course, Neil and his guest adamantly denied that statemen even though I had been writing, in e-mails and this blog, the exact same thing for many months. Short of drastically cutting Social Security benefits for current retirees or raising the payroll tax, there is no way to keep Social Security from adding to the budget deficit and National Debt because the U.S. Treasury will have to borrow money to redeem those "Special Government Securities" (IOUs) as needed to pay future Social Security and Medicare benefits. (See previous postings).
I worked some in the garden Monday afternoon even though it was still a little wet. It looks like everything is doing okay, not growing all that fast but still living.
Worked a couple of hours Tuesday getting the bean rows ready to plant Friday if it doesn't rain too much but at this time, Wednesday morning, it rained for much of last night and predicted to continue off and on into tomorrow.
Whenever it gets dry enough, we will try to be ready to plant. Meanwhile, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned, - William
We talked to folks in North Carolina Saturday afternoon and it wasn't so bad around Charlotte but when we turned on the television Sunday morning we learned it got worse later. Over 20 people killed in North Carolina alone. More bad weather predicted for later in the week with a pattern forming that will carry it into early summer. About the same thing can be said for Washington politics. At least the Senators and Representatives will be out of Washington for the next two weeks. Maybe things will calm down there for a while. The biggest difference between the weather and Washington politics is that politicians don't usually kill anyone except when they agree to a war, mostly they're just a bunch of hot air.
About 9:00 PM Sunday night I sent e-mails to both of our United States Senators in response to their non-response to my earlier letters and e-mails (See earlier postings). In those e-mails I wrote - "Ignore me or not, that's your choice. Read my blog or not, that's your choice. Vote for you or not, that's my choice."
Monday morning at about 5:15 AM I turned my computer on to check my e-mails and a few blogs. I found this e-mail from Senator Corker's office; "Thank you for taking the time to e-mail me to share your thoughts and concerns.
I want you to know that we read every single letter and e-mail that is sent to us in order to best understand the issues that are important to you. It is our commitment to respond to your input as thoughtfully and efficiently as possible. I meet with my staff regularly to discuss the issues raised in correspondence like yours and will be back in touch with a more thorough response soon. Thank you again for your e-mail. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me." Any other correspondence from either of our Senators or Representative will be included in future postings.
Why, oh why, did it come down to President Obama agreeing with me about the status of Social Security when I couldn't get anyone else to listen to me? You know that I don't agree with Obama about anything. Yesterday on "Your World With Neil Cavuto" he (Neil) played a clip of President Obama, at a Town Hall Meeting, saying that Social Security was not the biggest driver of our budget deficits and National debt. Of course, Neil and his guest adamantly denied that statemen even though I had been writing, in e-mails and this blog, the exact same thing for many months. Short of drastically cutting Social Security benefits for current retirees or raising the payroll tax, there is no way to keep Social Security from adding to the budget deficit and National Debt because the U.S. Treasury will have to borrow money to redeem those "Special Government Securities" (IOUs) as needed to pay future Social Security and Medicare benefits. (See previous postings).
I worked some in the garden Monday afternoon even though it was still a little wet. It looks like everything is doing okay, not growing all that fast but still living.
Worked a couple of hours Tuesday getting the bean rows ready to plant Friday if it doesn't rain too much but at this time, Wednesday morning, it rained for much of last night and predicted to continue off and on into tomorrow.
Whenever it gets dry enough, we will try to be ready to plant. Meanwhile, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned, - William
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Bewildered, Bemused
Or Depressed
I have delayed the writing of this post for several weeks in the hope that one or more of our senators or representative would break their silence and answer our questions which we sent to them several weeks ago. In my posting dated March 23, 2011 I wrote about the letters and e-mails which we sent to our Senators (Alexander and Corker) and our Representative (Blackburn). Two of those e-mails to Alexander were answered with form letters which didn't even address our concerns. The third e-mail to Alexander, sent about the first of March, has gone unanswered. The letters to Corker and Blackburn which were sent in early February (same questions) have not, at this time, been answered. I invited all three to check out this blog spot but I have no way of knowing whether they did or not.
I know, from all they have accomplished there in Washington, they are extremely busy but surely they could spare a highly paid aide for a few hours a day to answer the questions posed by their constituents who might be searching for a way to justify their continued support. Or not.
We are not, at this time, prepared to emphatically state that we will vote against them in their next elections but we are thinking about sitting out our first election since Eisenhower's second term. I guess what it boils down to is "who else is running". Tea party, maybe?
In the April 10, 2011 posting I wrote these lines; "In my opinion the best thing to come out of that 11th hour compromise on the Continuing Resolution for the 2011 budget was not the almost forty billion dollars cut from that budget, as proposed by President Obama, but the promise extracted from Senator Harry Reid. Almost all the way up to that 11th hour Senator Reid had always said outright that a vote on the de-funding of "Obamacare" and "Planned Parenthood" would never be brought to the floor of the Senate but it has been reported that he agreed to such a vote".
Thursday afternoon it was announced on television that the bill(s) to de-fund "Obamacare" and "Planned Parenthood" were brought to the floor and voted down. Nothing was said about who or how many senators voted for the bill(s). If that is all the attention that vote gets in the media then it will mean nothing in the 2012 election and will only go toward strenghtening my belief that all politicians, Republican, Democrats and Independents, are the same. All have the "Me First Syndrome". It is so depressing, I feel as though I have aged years in the last few months.
So many of the commercials (infomercials) on television are by lawyers solicitating clients with these words; "If you have been injured - in a car wreck, by this medicine, blah blah blah - you may be entitled to compensation. Call the law office of so and so. Has this whole world become lawsuit crazy?
We had thunderstorms again Thursday but Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and the Carolinas had tornadoes with at least 25 killed (as of Sunday morning) so, again, we here on the hill came out pretty good.
It was damp and cold yesterday and overnight and I didn't feel up to getting outside very much. Hopefully it will be better next week and we can do a little more work in yard and garden. The Iris are beginning to bloom but they don't look as good as they have in the past, probably because they haven't been taken care of the way they should have been.
It is cooler this morning than was predicted. We covered up our tomatoes, cucumbers and squash last night but we'll have to wait a while to see if they made it. I believe they should have but if not we can replant.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
I have delayed the writing of this post for several weeks in the hope that one or more of our senators or representative would break their silence and answer our questions which we sent to them several weeks ago. In my posting dated March 23, 2011 I wrote about the letters and e-mails which we sent to our Senators (Alexander and Corker) and our Representative (Blackburn). Two of those e-mails to Alexander were answered with form letters which didn't even address our concerns. The third e-mail to Alexander, sent about the first of March, has gone unanswered. The letters to Corker and Blackburn which were sent in early February (same questions) have not, at this time, been answered. I invited all three to check out this blog spot but I have no way of knowing whether they did or not.
I know, from all they have accomplished there in Washington, they are extremely busy but surely they could spare a highly paid aide for a few hours a day to answer the questions posed by their constituents who might be searching for a way to justify their continued support. Or not.
We are not, at this time, prepared to emphatically state that we will vote against them in their next elections but we are thinking about sitting out our first election since Eisenhower's second term. I guess what it boils down to is "who else is running". Tea party, maybe?
In the April 10, 2011 posting I wrote these lines; "In my opinion the best thing to come out of that 11th hour compromise on the Continuing Resolution for the 2011 budget was not the almost forty billion dollars cut from that budget, as proposed by President Obama, but the promise extracted from Senator Harry Reid. Almost all the way up to that 11th hour Senator Reid had always said outright that a vote on the de-funding of "Obamacare" and "Planned Parenthood" would never be brought to the floor of the Senate but it has been reported that he agreed to such a vote".
Thursday afternoon it was announced on television that the bill(s) to de-fund "Obamacare" and "Planned Parenthood" were brought to the floor and voted down. Nothing was said about who or how many senators voted for the bill(s). If that is all the attention that vote gets in the media then it will mean nothing in the 2012 election and will only go toward strenghtening my belief that all politicians, Republican, Democrats and Independents, are the same. All have the "Me First Syndrome". It is so depressing, I feel as though I have aged years in the last few months.
So many of the commercials (infomercials) on television are by lawyers solicitating clients with these words; "If you have been injured - in a car wreck, by this medicine, blah blah blah - you may be entitled to compensation. Call the law office of so and so. Has this whole world become lawsuit crazy?
We had thunderstorms again Thursday but Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and the Carolinas had tornadoes with at least 25 killed (as of Sunday morning) so, again, we here on the hill came out pretty good.
It was damp and cold yesterday and overnight and I didn't feel up to getting outside very much. Hopefully it will be better next week and we can do a little more work in yard and garden. The Iris are beginning to bloom but they don't look as good as they have in the past, probably because they haven't been taken care of the way they should have been.
It is cooler this morning than was predicted. We covered up our tomatoes, cucumbers and squash last night but we'll have to wait a while to see if they made it. I believe they should have but if not we can replant.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Truth About Medicare
And My Part In It.
Monday Morning - Early
Medicare was enacted in 1965, as an amendment to the already existing Social Security Administration, by President Johnson as part of his "Great Society" agenda. What, at that time, was thought to be an adequate tax was added to the FICA (payroll) tax to be paid into what would later become the "Social Security Trust Fund" and would be available to pay future Medicare benefits. What went wrong with that plan in the ensuing 45 years? Do you remember the Frenchman who in 1835 wrote, in his book about America and its Government, that "America will be a great country until the people learn that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury, after that it will be a war of all against all with each person striving to get the greatest amount of free money possible"? Are we there yet? Or to be more accurate, how long have we been there?
Monday Night - Late
I am past 80 years of age (old) and I have been on Medicare for the last 15 years. After it was enacted I paid into the "Fund" for almost 30 years before I retired and, along with most other retirees, have paid a premium every month for the last 15 years. Since I have been on Medicare it has not paid as much in benefits as I have paid into the system through that monthly premium and that is not counting the first, almost 30 years, of payroll taxes. In the three years, 2007 - 2009, I received very little more than the cost of a flu shot from Medicare and about what it cost for the deductables (doctors) from my Medicare Supplemental Insurance which, at this time cost me over 250 dollars a month. I can't believe that I am the only person left in America who is not out to milk the system for every dime I can get out of it. Doctors practicing defensive, or rather protective, medicine is the cause of many of the problems. Tort reform, limiting legal actions, would go a long way in cutting cost. On more than one occasion we could have filed a suit against a doctor or hospital but we didn't. That doesn't fit into our beliefs.
Tuesday Morning - Early
Representative Ryan's cure for Medicare sounds a lot like the Medicare Advantage Plans which "Obamacare" has taken away. How is it different?
Monday afternoon I heard a Democrat from South Carolina say that Representative Ryan's plan to save Medicare would force seniors to go out into the world of private insurance companies. Maybe I am naive but I thought the buying of Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medi-gap) had already included us in that catagory. Is there some way, legally and morally, to not buy supplemental insurance?
Each month, after the $96.50 deduction for Medicare, the Social Security Administration deposits $766.00 into my bank account. Out of that I pay, right off the top, $254.00 for my Medi-gap insurance. Am I not paying my own way?
Tuesday Night - Late
Meanwhile, back at the farm. After a windy and rainy day Monday that kept me inside for most of the day I was glad to get back outside for a light workout. I mowed over half of the front yard then worked out the cabbage, onions and one row of the potatoes. We also have squash, cucumbers and tomatoes growing in the ground and more tomatoes and peppers in individual pots waiting to be set out. It may be too early and we may have weather cold enough to kill what is out but if so we will try to replant. We plan to plant pole beans and butterpeas in two to three weeks, depending on the weather. That, along with the blueberries, should keep us busy for a while.
Wednesday Morning - Fairly Early
According to the weather forcast we will have a fairly nice day to work outside again. Allergies are bad at this time of year and we, here on the hill, have had our share. Some more good warm weather might help out.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Monday Morning - Early
Medicare was enacted in 1965, as an amendment to the already existing Social Security Administration, by President Johnson as part of his "Great Society" agenda. What, at that time, was thought to be an adequate tax was added to the FICA (payroll) tax to be paid into what would later become the "Social Security Trust Fund" and would be available to pay future Medicare benefits. What went wrong with that plan in the ensuing 45 years? Do you remember the Frenchman who in 1835 wrote, in his book about America and its Government, that "America will be a great country until the people learn that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury, after that it will be a war of all against all with each person striving to get the greatest amount of free money possible"? Are we there yet? Or to be more accurate, how long have we been there?
Monday Night - Late
I am past 80 years of age (old) and I have been on Medicare for the last 15 years. After it was enacted I paid into the "Fund" for almost 30 years before I retired and, along with most other retirees, have paid a premium every month for the last 15 years. Since I have been on Medicare it has not paid as much in benefits as I have paid into the system through that monthly premium and that is not counting the first, almost 30 years, of payroll taxes. In the three years, 2007 - 2009, I received very little more than the cost of a flu shot from Medicare and about what it cost for the deductables (doctors) from my Medicare Supplemental Insurance which, at this time cost me over 250 dollars a month. I can't believe that I am the only person left in America who is not out to milk the system for every dime I can get out of it. Doctors practicing defensive, or rather protective, medicine is the cause of many of the problems. Tort reform, limiting legal actions, would go a long way in cutting cost. On more than one occasion we could have filed a suit against a doctor or hospital but we didn't. That doesn't fit into our beliefs.
Tuesday Morning - Early
Representative Ryan's cure for Medicare sounds a lot like the Medicare Advantage Plans which "Obamacare" has taken away. How is it different?
Monday afternoon I heard a Democrat from South Carolina say that Representative Ryan's plan to save Medicare would force seniors to go out into the world of private insurance companies. Maybe I am naive but I thought the buying of Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medi-gap) had already included us in that catagory. Is there some way, legally and morally, to not buy supplemental insurance?
Each month, after the $96.50 deduction for Medicare, the Social Security Administration deposits $766.00 into my bank account. Out of that I pay, right off the top, $254.00 for my Medi-gap insurance. Am I not paying my own way?
Tuesday Night - Late
Meanwhile, back at the farm. After a windy and rainy day Monday that kept me inside for most of the day I was glad to get back outside for a light workout. I mowed over half of the front yard then worked out the cabbage, onions and one row of the potatoes. We also have squash, cucumbers and tomatoes growing in the ground and more tomatoes and peppers in individual pots waiting to be set out. It may be too early and we may have weather cold enough to kill what is out but if so we will try to replant. We plan to plant pole beans and butterpeas in two to three weeks, depending on the weather. That, along with the blueberries, should keep us busy for a while.
Wednesday Morning - Fairly Early
According to the weather forcast we will have a fairly nice day to work outside again. Allergies are bad at this time of year and we, here on the hill, have had our share. Some more good warm weather might help out.
Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Breaking News
Bits and Pieces.
Thursday Night - Late.
Today I saw a news item on Fox News about a mother being charged with attempted murder for not following the doctor's directions about giving her son his medication. All the details were not presented in that breaking news but what few facts that were given indicated that her son was having adverse reactions, health-wise, from the medication and she had lied, by telling the doctor that she was still giving it to him. I didn't know it was against the law to lie to a doctor. I guess I'd better be careful. If a parent or parents can be charged with attempted murder in a case such as this, can we be far from that "Big Brother" state as was written about by George Orwell in his book titled "1984"?
I have known parents who, from all appearances, loved their children but bought, or allowed them to buy, every known fat food product that was asked for. If those children developed a life threatening disease could the parents be charged with attempted murder? How far should we allow the government to go in dictating our actions? What is legal anymore?
Friday Late, 7:00 pm
After working (piddling) in the yard and garden most of the day, with breaks quite often to keep up with what has been taking place in Washington, I have come to the conclusion that there will be an 11th hour compromise to keep the government open. At least that is what I have been telling everyone I have talked to today. Like that will make any difference in the outcome. Most everyone on television keeps trying to tell us how bad it will be if the government does shut down for even a few days but I can't think of even one thing that would affect me in any way except our military personnel not getting their pay on time. They are just being used as pawns in this, for lack of a better word, squabble. Congress (and President) get real, you were elected to take care of all the people in the United States, not to stoke your own egoes. By tomorrow morning we should know what has come out of all this name-calling.
Saturday Morning, Fairly Early
I got up and turned the television on at 5:00 a.m. so as to find out if we still had a functioning government. Whether you consider it to be good or bad, we do. I still don't know what the main details are but maybe we all will by the end of today, that is, if we really want to know.
Saturday Night, Fairly Late
Someone on television said that Representative Paul Ryan's 2012 budget proposal may be looked at as a marker to be used in the upcoming election campaigns for not only the Presidency but also the House and Senate races. I suppose that it can be looked at as true but it is not the only thing that will affect those elections.
In my opinion the best thing to come out of that 11th hour compromise on the "Continueing Resolution", which funds the government for a few more days, was not the almost 40 billion dollars cut from the budget, as proposed by the President, but the promise that was extracted from Senator Harry Reid (if it is true). Almost all the way up to that 11th hour compromise, Senator Reid had always refused to even consider allowing a vote on the defunding of either "Obamacare" or "Planned Parenthood" but it has been reported that he agreed to allow those votes to take place as stand alone bills. No, they won't pass but if they come to a vote every Senator will have to vote either yes or no and their votes will become the most prominent marker in the 2012 elections. More about that later.
We spent most of another day doing odd jobs that needed to be done, nothing really important but needful. We did get some of our squash, tomatoes and cucumbers set out in the ground, watered and shaded. The sun was really hot about noon.
Sunday Morning, Not Too Early
Ryan's 2012 budget proposals have been talked about a lot, especially his plan to fix Medicare and Medicaid. That may not be the next big fight but it won't be far behind. This morning the news has only been a re-hash of the last three day. Who needs that?
The temperature here is in the upper sixties, starting off very warm, and will probably push ninety before the day is gone. That's hot for this time of year. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
Thursday Night - Late.
Today I saw a news item on Fox News about a mother being charged with attempted murder for not following the doctor's directions about giving her son his medication. All the details were not presented in that breaking news but what few facts that were given indicated that her son was having adverse reactions, health-wise, from the medication and she had lied, by telling the doctor that she was still giving it to him. I didn't know it was against the law to lie to a doctor. I guess I'd better be careful. If a parent or parents can be charged with attempted murder in a case such as this, can we be far from that "Big Brother" state as was written about by George Orwell in his book titled "1984"?
I have known parents who, from all appearances, loved their children but bought, or allowed them to buy, every known fat food product that was asked for. If those children developed a life threatening disease could the parents be charged with attempted murder? How far should we allow the government to go in dictating our actions? What is legal anymore?
Friday Late, 7:00 pm
After working (piddling) in the yard and garden most of the day, with breaks quite often to keep up with what has been taking place in Washington, I have come to the conclusion that there will be an 11th hour compromise to keep the government open. At least that is what I have been telling everyone I have talked to today. Like that will make any difference in the outcome. Most everyone on television keeps trying to tell us how bad it will be if the government does shut down for even a few days but I can't think of even one thing that would affect me in any way except our military personnel not getting their pay on time. They are just being used as pawns in this, for lack of a better word, squabble. Congress (and President) get real, you were elected to take care of all the people in the United States, not to stoke your own egoes. By tomorrow morning we should know what has come out of all this name-calling.
Saturday Morning, Fairly Early
I got up and turned the television on at 5:00 a.m. so as to find out if we still had a functioning government. Whether you consider it to be good or bad, we do. I still don't know what the main details are but maybe we all will by the end of today, that is, if we really want to know.
Saturday Night, Fairly Late
Someone on television said that Representative Paul Ryan's 2012 budget proposal may be looked at as a marker to be used in the upcoming election campaigns for not only the Presidency but also the House and Senate races. I suppose that it can be looked at as true but it is not the only thing that will affect those elections.
In my opinion the best thing to come out of that 11th hour compromise on the "Continueing Resolution", which funds the government for a few more days, was not the almost 40 billion dollars cut from the budget, as proposed by the President, but the promise that was extracted from Senator Harry Reid (if it is true). Almost all the way up to that 11th hour compromise, Senator Reid had always refused to even consider allowing a vote on the defunding of either "Obamacare" or "Planned Parenthood" but it has been reported that he agreed to allow those votes to take place as stand alone bills. No, they won't pass but if they come to a vote every Senator will have to vote either yes or no and their votes will become the most prominent marker in the 2012 elections. More about that later.
We spent most of another day doing odd jobs that needed to be done, nothing really important but needful. We did get some of our squash, tomatoes and cucumbers set out in the ground, watered and shaded. The sun was really hot about noon.
Sunday Morning, Not Too Early
Ryan's 2012 budget proposals have been talked about a lot, especially his plan to fix Medicare and Medicaid. That may not be the next big fight but it won't be far behind. This morning the news has only been a re-hash of the last three day. Who needs that?
The temperature here is in the upper sixties, starting off very warm, and will probably push ninety before the day is gone. That's hot for this time of year. Thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned. - William
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