Posts
Well white Christmas lovers, you got it! The Blizzard of 2009 has arrived in Lincoln and there is plenty of snow, wind, and of course, big drifts.
Now for me, that's a problem. I am "afoot" as it were and frankly, folks just don't scoop their sidewalks like they use to scoop them. My Dad would have nothing to do with this meandering path stuff. He wanted the entire walk scooped so you could see grass on either side. That would mean when it started to melt, it would melt into the grass and not on the walk to re-freeze and put up a nasty hazard for Mrs. Lubeley. (I never understood why he was so worried about her. She never went out except to bring me a freshly baked apple pie for scooping her walks and that was usually a day or so after the storm.)
Well I am not that smart. I was born with cabin fever. (Not to be confused with a manger.) When the storm slows down, I have to get going. That's why I have three cracked ribs right now. Thanks for the lousy job of clearing your walks Bennett Martin Library!
So much for complaining. It's beautiful outside right now. I get the Bing Crosby song today. I am alone, my choice, and have had my morning oatmeal and coffee. We were "Eve" people so Christmas morning was never any big thing unless it snowed or we got something really cool that required the outside environment to use--bunnies beware!
But, I miss it. I miss the dear head with the blinking red nose that mom fashioned from a flashing bulb in a liquor display and a musty old dear head. She was an early recycle fan, don't you know.
Lutefisk? Well I can't say I miss that. Mice, sugar cookies we helped her make; and mint cookies where she could never seem to find "those" mints until the last second; all fond memories. I miss Uncle Bill showing up on Christmas Eve in his best overalls and Dekalb hat. I miss Uncle Jelly and Aunt Rebe coming in from the country. I miss the crowded kitchen full of wonderful smells. I miss the golden brown huge turkey. I miss Penny, our Scottie zooming in and out picking up crumbs and more from young hands under the table. I miss the quiet of the night except for the last pieces of wood crackling in the fireplace downstairs. (The whole house smelled of smoke because some bird forgot to tell Dad he had built a nest in the chimney and the smoke backed up.) I miss that huge tree in the alcove with all of those lights and ornaments. I wonder where all of those things went?
I miss the tink tink tink sound of snow hitting the window pane, just like it did last night. It's a White Christmas after a blustery snowy night. That's neat that God created a memory for so many young boys and girls that someday far in the future, they will sit down and remember...and miss.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Science of Economics
I "learned" economics from Campbell McConnell at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Back then, the course was taught on television and was mandatory for first year business students. There were a lot of us and not enough space at UNL so Econ 101 was one of those "eliminator" courses. UNL operated on a 9 point scare-that's ADCD with the plus and minus stuff put in there. Most important, the draft was hanging over the heads of every able-bodied male student. Get below a 3.0 and the letter would soon come..."Greeting...you're going on an extended vacation to sunny Viet Nam."
There were no big screen TV's back then. A 30" screen was a monster. The TV's were mounted on top of metal stands and put in front of the class so you could squint and watch Dr. McConnell go through the science of Economics. He presented a series of graphs as the TV flickered along.
There was also a lab taught by an underling. In my case, a Korean underling. He was very hard to understand and therefore, so was McConnell's course. Tests were impossible.
Micro. Macro. Macroroni and cheese. I really didn't give a damn. This was not why I came to UNL. Next to Statistics, this was the most worthless course I have ever taken. UNL got good money for a bad presentation and that was the bottom line. The economy didn't gain a thing. Only the Army benefited.
As you might guess, I am not a big fan of Economics. I am not a big fan of Economists, either. All I got out of that class was eyestrain; Korean pig English; and a new definition of economics that still works today.
Economics is the science of applying labels to cover theft by the government, banks, and the stock market. Today, we call that kind of theft...bailouts. The Korean might have actually nailed this one...bailrouts.
Back then, the course was taught on television and was mandatory for first year business students. There were a lot of us and not enough space at UNL so Econ 101 was one of those "eliminator" courses. UNL operated on a 9 point scare-that's ADCD with the plus and minus stuff put in there. Most important, the draft was hanging over the heads of every able-bodied male student. Get below a 3.0 and the letter would soon come..."Greeting...you're going on an extended vacation to sunny Viet Nam."
There were no big screen TV's back then. A 30" screen was a monster. The TV's were mounted on top of metal stands and put in front of the class so you could squint and watch Dr. McConnell go through the science of Economics. He presented a series of graphs as the TV flickered along.
There was also a lab taught by an underling. In my case, a Korean underling. He was very hard to understand and therefore, so was McConnell's course. Tests were impossible.
Micro. Macro. Macroroni and cheese. I really didn't give a damn. This was not why I came to UNL. Next to Statistics, this was the most worthless course I have ever taken. UNL got good money for a bad presentation and that was the bottom line. The economy didn't gain a thing. Only the Army benefited.
As you might guess, I am not a big fan of Economics. I am not a big fan of Economists, either. All I got out of that class was eyestrain; Korean pig English; and a new definition of economics that still works today.
Economics is the science of applying labels to cover theft by the government, banks, and the stock market. Today, we call that kind of theft...bailouts. The Korean might have actually nailed this one...bailrouts.
Monday, November 2, 2009
For the Children...
KFAB had an item on it's newscast this morning that caught my attention. Some city government type wants the schools to pony up with some of the money they get from fines and share with the cities. The cities need the money because they are running out of ways to collect it. (The recession has caused cash flow problems and things like the $200,000 payoff to a mayor's mistress are causing problems.)
These folks are going to run into a brick wall.
Schools are never going to give up a dime. Make that a penny. They tell you they are in the business of creating the next generation of great Americans and they are running on a shoestring right now. If you doubt that, walk into Lincoln's Northstar or Southwest high schools. Dumps.
School administrators are suffering through impossible budgets because they are better than the rest of us. Their lives are devoted to making life better...for the children.
Anyone who goes after the school system budget may as well stand up at the NAACP convention and use the "N" word in the greeting. It's for the children. Hands off.
Well, maybe it's time we put that to the test. What is for the children? Unless times have drastically changed since I was there, children still hate going to school. Children hate homework. Children hate cafeteria food. The only folks who appreciate all of the nice stuff that got put into the new school budget at the teachers.
Maybe all of this untouchable money is "for the teachers..."
Administrators will tell you students are more difficult these days and the classroom is out-of-control. What do you expect from people who view success as being a rapper, or a drug dealer, or a pimp driving around all night in a black SUV with dark windows? Who needs an education to do that? Well firearms training maybe.
These are tough times. I don't think they will get much better very soon. At some point in time-probably sooner rather than later-the tax payer will be taxed out and those without children are going to say..."enough of the children."
Schools, you have enough money. You have adequate facilities. You have adequate training. Teach. Show us something for all of that money you get. Teach. Stop bitching that the conditions are deplorable. Teach.
And to parents, if you can't supply a home environment that points children in a positive direction other than dealing drugs and prostitution, take birth control pills.
We could make those free for the asking by diverting some of that fine money. Now that would make a difference.
These folks are going to run into a brick wall.
Schools are never going to give up a dime. Make that a penny. They tell you they are in the business of creating the next generation of great Americans and they are running on a shoestring right now. If you doubt that, walk into Lincoln's Northstar or Southwest high schools. Dumps.
School administrators are suffering through impossible budgets because they are better than the rest of us. Their lives are devoted to making life better...for the children.
Anyone who goes after the school system budget may as well stand up at the NAACP convention and use the "N" word in the greeting. It's for the children. Hands off.
Well, maybe it's time we put that to the test. What is for the children? Unless times have drastically changed since I was there, children still hate going to school. Children hate homework. Children hate cafeteria food. The only folks who appreciate all of the nice stuff that got put into the new school budget at the teachers.
Maybe all of this untouchable money is "for the teachers..."
Administrators will tell you students are more difficult these days and the classroom is out-of-control. What do you expect from people who view success as being a rapper, or a drug dealer, or a pimp driving around all night in a black SUV with dark windows? Who needs an education to do that? Well firearms training maybe.
These are tough times. I don't think they will get much better very soon. At some point in time-probably sooner rather than later-the tax payer will be taxed out and those without children are going to say..."enough of the children."
Schools, you have enough money. You have adequate facilities. You have adequate training. Teach. Show us something for all of that money you get. Teach. Stop bitching that the conditions are deplorable. Teach.
And to parents, if you can't supply a home environment that points children in a positive direction other than dealing drugs and prostitution, take birth control pills.
We could make those free for the asking by diverting some of that fine money. Now that would make a difference.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
The Light on Your Path
I am part geek. I like computers and Internet stuff. I do things like Twitter and Facebook.Tech has allowed us to do so much in such and short time. Information is exploding and the flip side, privacy is eroding. Anyone who thinks otherwise is only kidding themselves. There is way too much money on the tech side of things to ever expect the government to do anything to curb the way information is gathered and disseminated.
But that is not my subject today. The look at the past is. And that look comes to me through Facebook. There are some people I found on Facebook that were very important to me a long time ago. One would or could have easily been my bride but things didn't work out and she went a different way. I have always wondered about her path and all of a sudden, along comes Facebook. Not only is her path there, it's a superhighway of links to her children and their children. I am very happy for her and glad life treated her so generously with love.
As for me, my path went a different way, never quite finding another one to share it with. It wasn't in the cards. So my picture album is smaller. The links are fewer.
Am I happy about that? I suppose so. I have done a lot of interesting things with what I have. I have also scratched my way up mountains and fallen all the way down only to find another mountain. That is my life. And, it is certainly a different path from her life. I am content knowing she found her path, lived well, and is surrounded by love.
Thank you Facebook.
How to change the country
Clearly, something has to change. But what?
You hear the Republican drum beating all day long. You hear the Conservative message all day long. You hear Lou Dobbs pushing the Independent message. But will any of these groups really change anything?
I doubt it. Once people get elected and go "there" they change. They learn how to speak a different language other than understandable, clear, English. They fall in love with TV cameras. They look for ways to steal the spotlight and if that doesn't work, they pack good bills with bad spending and name buildings and roads after themselves to remind you how great they are.
They work their way into committee positions that they think are lifetime appointments. That's the heart of Greedyville. Committees. That's the heart of power. It doesn't matter what party you were in back home, if you are the chairman of a powerful committee you're in. Sometimes, you're in until the eventual scandal of power is going to be too much and the rest of your "friends" will have to turn you out. (Don't expect the Attorney General to do it. He is part of the team that got you there in the first place.)
The people can't do anything about those powerful committee chairmen other than vote them out. But, if this day of the 50/50 split in the electorate, that's a tough order. Plus, powerful men generate mega pork.
So what has to be done?
How about term limiting committee positions? How about a new rule that will only permit people to serve on the same committee for no longer than two terms? That would get fresh ideas in there at the least and get corruption out of there at the most.
Let's term limit committee chairmanships. Maybe that will work while we wait for the political parties to rise to the values of the people who started this country.
You hear the Republican drum beating all day long. You hear the Conservative message all day long. You hear Lou Dobbs pushing the Independent message. But will any of these groups really change anything?
I doubt it. Once people get elected and go "there" they change. They learn how to speak a different language other than understandable, clear, English. They fall in love with TV cameras. They look for ways to steal the spotlight and if that doesn't work, they pack good bills with bad spending and name buildings and roads after themselves to remind you how great they are.
They work their way into committee positions that they think are lifetime appointments. That's the heart of Greedyville. Committees. That's the heart of power. It doesn't matter what party you were in back home, if you are the chairman of a powerful committee you're in. Sometimes, you're in until the eventual scandal of power is going to be too much and the rest of your "friends" will have to turn you out. (Don't expect the Attorney General to do it. He is part of the team that got you there in the first place.)
The people can't do anything about those powerful committee chairmen other than vote them out. But, if this day of the 50/50 split in the electorate, that's a tough order. Plus, powerful men generate mega pork.
So what has to be done?
How about term limiting committee positions? How about a new rule that will only permit people to serve on the same committee for no longer than two terms? That would get fresh ideas in there at the least and get corruption out of there at the most.
Let's term limit committee chairmanships. Maybe that will work while we wait for the political parties to rise to the values of the people who started this country.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Bonehead
It's a little slow at the Burlington yard these days. In fact, I haven't had a trip today. Much of that has to do with the big snowstorm out West. I imagine the tracks need to be plowed out in coal country before the mile- long iron snakes can get moving again and the calls will start coming in to take the pride of the various unions off the trains and back to the yard or the hotel. (They almost get more than I make in two weeks just to ride in a van from Lincoln to Ravenna!)
Most are nice. Some sleep so I don't know if they are nice. Some are not nice. Sounds like America, doesn't it.
And some are dealing with some tough stuff when they get in my van. That happened a couple of weeks ago. I got a call that I was going to take a train crew from Waverly to Creston, IA which is a hub for Burlington. They were being relieved because of an "incident."
The incident started when a motorist noticed an erratic driver on Highway 6 by Waverly. That motorist called 911 and a Nebraska State Trooper responded and caught up with the minivan. He turned on his red and blue lights but the weaver decided to extend his trip. The trooper chased him and finally the guy turned off onto 148th Street near Waverly. He made another turn after that. The problem was he turned onto one of the main tracks of the Burlington Railroad.
Sure enough, a train was coming. The heroic trooper, and I do mean HEROIC ran to the minivan and tried to pull the guy out before the train, now honking like a trumpet player in a Dixieland band, arrived.
The bonehead fought the trooper until there was no time left. The trooper jumped out of the way just a few seconds before the train hit the minivan and turned it into a Mini Cooper.
"The windows just exploded out of that car," the engineer told me as we motored through the Iowa countryside. He was still shaking. It was his first one. The conductor was equally shaken. It was her first crash, too. In the railroad business, the conductor is the one that gets out of the motor and goes back to see what's left. Most of the time, it isn't pretty.
Bonehead lived after the Waverly Fire Department cut him out of what was left of his car and a life flight chopper flew him to the hospital. It took a few hours to do the investigation and get things cleaned up. (Bonehead will get billed for that including $500 for each train that got held up because of his actions.)
But this crew will remember bonehead. These crews remember every crash they have ever had.
People who try to beat trains and people who decided that's a cool way to end things never think about the crew running the train. They just see that huge iron horse coming right at them and never hear the screams from inside the cab.
Most are nice. Some sleep so I don't know if they are nice. Some are not nice. Sounds like America, doesn't it.
And some are dealing with some tough stuff when they get in my van. That happened a couple of weeks ago. I got a call that I was going to take a train crew from Waverly to Creston, IA which is a hub for Burlington. They were being relieved because of an "incident."
The incident started when a motorist noticed an erratic driver on Highway 6 by Waverly. That motorist called 911 and a Nebraska State Trooper responded and caught up with the minivan. He turned on his red and blue lights but the weaver decided to extend his trip. The trooper chased him and finally the guy turned off onto 148th Street near Waverly. He made another turn after that. The problem was he turned onto one of the main tracks of the Burlington Railroad.
Sure enough, a train was coming. The heroic trooper, and I do mean HEROIC ran to the minivan and tried to pull the guy out before the train, now honking like a trumpet player in a Dixieland band, arrived.
The bonehead fought the trooper until there was no time left. The trooper jumped out of the way just a few seconds before the train hit the minivan and turned it into a Mini Cooper.
"The windows just exploded out of that car," the engineer told me as we motored through the Iowa countryside. He was still shaking. It was his first one. The conductor was equally shaken. It was her first crash, too. In the railroad business, the conductor is the one that gets out of the motor and goes back to see what's left. Most of the time, it isn't pretty.
Bonehead lived after the Waverly Fire Department cut him out of what was left of his car and a life flight chopper flew him to the hospital. It took a few hours to do the investigation and get things cleaned up. (Bonehead will get billed for that including $500 for each train that got held up because of his actions.)
But this crew will remember bonehead. These crews remember every crash they have ever had.
People who try to beat trains and people who decided that's a cool way to end things never think about the crew running the train. They just see that huge iron horse coming right at them and never hear the screams from inside the cab.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Surviving
I do some part time driving hauling railroad crews to their trains patiently waiting on siding around the Nebraska countryside. I go as far West as Ravenna, NE and as far East as Creston, IA. Toss Sioux City in on the North and Kansas City on the South and you have my box of influence.
Sometimes, the conversation is very interesting. Most of the time it isn't. But last night was very interesting. The crew was engaged in a conversation about surviving. No, I am not talking about surviving my driving or them surviving their train trip, I am talking about people surviving in a country that could see total collapse.
Can't happen you say. I heard that on my Kilo Mike book tour and then 9/11 happened. Now this crew was a little different than most. They were Iraq and Afghanistan vets. I might add, highly trained ones.
And unlike most Americans, they are prepared. If the food supply got interrupted it wouldn't take long before shelves went empty and people started looking at your food as their food. Your animals would be their food. Your water would be their water. They are prepared for a total civil breakdown.
They discussed the various ways to purify water. They discussed the best places to go for such a problem. They discussed food. They discussed guns and which ones to have and for what purpose.
(My 380 is almost worthless because I can't find ammo for it.) They own 40 and 9mm guns. They own AK's. They own 22's and 17's. They are trained in how to use these guns and others and they have trained their wives and children.
They're ready. I am not. Are you?
Don't think it can't happen. A lot of things that can't happen already have.
Sometimes, the conversation is very interesting. Most of the time it isn't. But last night was very interesting. The crew was engaged in a conversation about surviving. No, I am not talking about surviving my driving or them surviving their train trip, I am talking about people surviving in a country that could see total collapse.
Can't happen you say. I heard that on my Kilo Mike book tour and then 9/11 happened. Now this crew was a little different than most. They were Iraq and Afghanistan vets. I might add, highly trained ones.
And unlike most Americans, they are prepared. If the food supply got interrupted it wouldn't take long before shelves went empty and people started looking at your food as their food. Your animals would be their food. Your water would be their water. They are prepared for a total civil breakdown.
They discussed the various ways to purify water. They discussed the best places to go for such a problem. They discussed food. They discussed guns and which ones to have and for what purpose.
(My 380 is almost worthless because I can't find ammo for it.) They own 40 and 9mm guns. They own AK's. They own 22's and 17's. They are trained in how to use these guns and others and they have trained their wives and children.
They're ready. I am not. Are you?
Don't think it can't happen. A lot of things that can't happen already have.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The End of Fee Fargo
Let the horses and the chariot of the Wild West past on. I am done with this lame excuse of a bank. An overdraft fee on an insurance fee on a Wells Fargo insurance plan that I canceled finally sealed the deal. In questionable practices lingo, that's called a fee on a fee.
I was furious.
What set me off was a call from the "overdraft department" of Fee Fargo. "You will have to pay this our we will report it to the check approval companies and you won't be able to write any checks," the dizzy bitch on the other end of the phone said. She apparently thought I would drop to my knees and plead for mercy.
I unloaded. I told her that the overdraft was caused by a trial of an insurance product. The product came in a Fee Fargo promotional letter to me. The product had a two month "Free" trail period. I made a mistake and said OK. I corrected the mistake and called them after one month and canceled. At the end of two months, they billed and caused an overdraft to the no-longer-used account. Close the damn account!
Miss Sure of Herself told me she could not close the account because guess what..."it has a negative balance."
You caused the negative balance, Miss Dizzy Bitch. Close the account.
No, she didn't have the authority to do that. She was just a phone harasser.
About that time, CNN ran a story about how big banks, the big three, to be exact, were charging their customers more fees to make up for losses in their credit card division. Good for you Fee Fargo. Off to the bank.
I was hot when I entered the main downtown branch of Fee Fargo. After enduring their pleasantries of "Welcome to Fee Fargo, how can we help you today?"
"Close my damn account."
The "personal" banker looked around at the people waiting in lines to get some service from Fee Fargo who were now looking and listening to me.
"Well our systems are down so I can't close it right now," Mr. Helpful said.
I told him about the overdraft.
"Well I can't close a negative account. We will have to file a fraud request and recover that and then refund your overdraft fee."
"Send it back, return the fee NOW, and close the account," I said. "It's not that hard."
We went round and round and the volume went up and up until some in the line were listening.
"Please give me two minutes in my office," he said.
Twenty minutes later, my account was still overdrawn. My account was still open. I would receive a packet in a few days from the great Fee Fargo out there. I needed to fill out and sign what was ever in the packet and return it. Pending that, the fee would be credited to my account.
If Warren Buffet thinks this outfit is a winner, he is about to lose a lot of money.
Fee Fargo is good at screwing people and they use a network of local dummies with no authority to get the job done.
Some of my business friends have been teasing me for a long time about why I still banked at Fee Fargo. They learned the poor service/high fee lessons a long time ago.
Most people feel shame when they overdraw an account and banks play on that. Your "free checking" account at some institutions is planned to generate 9 overdrafts a year with overdraft fees ranging from lows around $20 to the real stinger in the mid to high $30 range that you will find at place like Fee Fargo.
To hell with shame. Let's remember who is really writing the biggest bad checks. 1929. The South American loan crisis. The Savings and Loan crisis. And now the current mess. In all of those instances, Fee Fargo had a hand in creating them and had a hand out for a taxpayer bailout to save them. Maybe this time, they should go the route of the DeSoto or Chrysler.
If we are going to have a secure banking system, the people overseeing them have to be more upright than the ones we have doing that job now. Sen. Dodd got a sweetheart deal from Countrywide. I don't want to know about Congressman Frank's sweetheart deals. Both have to go and some of the corrupt banks have to go with them. Gitmo might be a good place for them to go.
Get a smaller bank like Pinnacle. You'll get the service you really should get instead of the screwing you might get from a bank that has a history of screwing the country.
I was furious.
What set me off was a call from the "overdraft department" of Fee Fargo. "You will have to pay this our we will report it to the check approval companies and you won't be able to write any checks," the dizzy bitch on the other end of the phone said. She apparently thought I would drop to my knees and plead for mercy.
I unloaded. I told her that the overdraft was caused by a trial of an insurance product. The product came in a Fee Fargo promotional letter to me. The product had a two month "Free" trail period. I made a mistake and said OK. I corrected the mistake and called them after one month and canceled. At the end of two months, they billed and caused an overdraft to the no-longer-used account. Close the damn account!
Miss Sure of Herself told me she could not close the account because guess what..."it has a negative balance."
You caused the negative balance, Miss Dizzy Bitch. Close the account.
No, she didn't have the authority to do that. She was just a phone harasser.
About that time, CNN ran a story about how big banks, the big three, to be exact, were charging their customers more fees to make up for losses in their credit card division. Good for you Fee Fargo. Off to the bank.
I was hot when I entered the main downtown branch of Fee Fargo. After enduring their pleasantries of "Welcome to Fee Fargo, how can we help you today?"
"Close my damn account."
The "personal" banker looked around at the people waiting in lines to get some service from Fee Fargo who were now looking and listening to me.
"Well our systems are down so I can't close it right now," Mr. Helpful said.
I told him about the overdraft.
"Well I can't close a negative account. We will have to file a fraud request and recover that and then refund your overdraft fee."
"Send it back, return the fee NOW, and close the account," I said. "It's not that hard."
We went round and round and the volume went up and up until some in the line were listening.
"Please give me two minutes in my office," he said.
Twenty minutes later, my account was still overdrawn. My account was still open. I would receive a packet in a few days from the great Fee Fargo out there. I needed to fill out and sign what was ever in the packet and return it. Pending that, the fee would be credited to my account.
If Warren Buffet thinks this outfit is a winner, he is about to lose a lot of money.
Fee Fargo is good at screwing people and they use a network of local dummies with no authority to get the job done.
Some of my business friends have been teasing me for a long time about why I still banked at Fee Fargo. They learned the poor service/high fee lessons a long time ago.
Most people feel shame when they overdraw an account and banks play on that. Your "free checking" account at some institutions is planned to generate 9 overdrafts a year with overdraft fees ranging from lows around $20 to the real stinger in the mid to high $30 range that you will find at place like Fee Fargo.
To hell with shame. Let's remember who is really writing the biggest bad checks. 1929. The South American loan crisis. The Savings and Loan crisis. And now the current mess. In all of those instances, Fee Fargo had a hand in creating them and had a hand out for a taxpayer bailout to save them. Maybe this time, they should go the route of the DeSoto or Chrysler.
If we are going to have a secure banking system, the people overseeing them have to be more upright than the ones we have doing that job now. Sen. Dodd got a sweetheart deal from Countrywide. I don't want to know about Congressman Frank's sweetheart deals. Both have to go and some of the corrupt banks have to go with them. Gitmo might be a good place for them to go.
Get a smaller bank like Pinnacle. You'll get the service you really should get instead of the screwing you might get from a bank that has a history of screwing the country.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
941 Freedom Day-01/15/2010
They were called Minutemen. They were simple farmers and shopkeepers who were trying to live in peace and freedom in our nation's early history. But, the government at the time pushed them too far. They taxed them too much. They restricted their freedom. One named Patrick Henry said..."give me liberty or give me death."
That was the kind of passion that created this country. Not only did they have passion, those simple farmers and shopkeepers backed up their passion by putting down their rakes and brooms and picking up their muskets. They took on the best and biggest army in the world and they won. The prize was the free country that has been handed down to us.
What have we done with that prize? We spend our days pointing fingers at each other. We elect people and put them into powerful positions where they expect to be treated better than the rest of us. They pass laws which reward the incompetent with billions of dollars of our money instead of dozens of years in prison. Not only have they ruined the retirement plans of millions of our elderly by destroying the free market economy, they are destroying the future of Americans yet to be born.
What would those brave Minutemen think of us? What would they say? Would they praise the way we take such abuse from a new type of ruling class who lives above us all in Washington? Would they call us cowards like our new Attorney General did? Would they tell us to rise up?
No, I am not advocating a violent overthrow of the the federal government but I do think it is time to get their attention. But how? They already have our money. We live in fear of April 15 and the IRS audit. Our elected officials can give grand speeches but they do nothing because they know we can't do anything. Or can we?
It's early spring in Nebraska. I am grateful for that because I have spent the winter living in my car. And on those coldest of nights, when sleep was almost impossible, an idea kept coming back to me. How can we get Washington's attention. How can we stop this spending madness and corruption? The answer is 941 Freedom Day.
Any small business person knows, a 941 is a quarterly tax form that the business owner is required to fill out which details and employee's wages and deductions. A check for those deductions has to be sent to the IRS along with the report. That's how the government gets our money. That is the critical link.
What if, in a massive display of civil disobedience, small business owners stopped filling out that form and stopped collecting taxes for the federal government. What if January 15, 2010 became 941 Freedom Day?
What would be the purpose of 941 Freedom Day? We have five demands:
1. By election day in November 2009, the congress and the senate must pass legislation that:
Eliminates the Internal Revenue Service
Eliminates the Tax Code
Offer the voters a choice of two new means of federal taxation not based on current methods. The plan that receives most votes, becomes the new means of collecting government revenue AND it goes into effect on January 1, 2010. No ifs. No ands. No buts.
2. The congress and the senate must pass legislation that restricts the terms of committee chairmen to a term no longer than the current term of the body. Let's get new blood into old chairs and clean up corruption. That also includes the Speaker of the House.
3. The congress and the senate must pass legislation that makes it illegal to buy political candidate advertising in the private media for senate and congressional races. Those candidates will have an equal amount of time given to them on two or three specific dates to offer their ideas live on public television. That will eliminate their need to spend so much time raising money and put them back to work doing the people's business instead of being perfect targets for bribes.
4. No more earmarks. If the ideas is good enough to stand the light of public scrutiny, let the bill be introduced by itself.
5. The Congressperson or Senator must sign off that they have read any proposed bill-not just their staffers-before they can vote on a bill. That bill must also be put online for a period of three days so the public can read it.
It's time to let the congress know their games are done. It's time to let the congress know that a new breed of Minuteman is alive and well and ready to act.
Here's what we would like you to do:
On April 15, send your representatives and senators a hand written postcard that simply says:
I Support 941 Freedom Day. January 15, 2010.
On October 15, send another one.
Send this email to every small business owner you know. If you don't know their email address, drop off a printed copy.
There are no lists to sign up for so their will be no "enemies list" threat for you to worry about. There are no dues or fees to pay.
If the congress does nothing and if no bills are passed or no new tax measure are scheduled for the November election, AND if you are a small business owner, simply stop filling out the 941 form and stop collecting tax payments. If only 10% of you take that action, it will cripple the IRS. This action is no different than the Civil Rights Marches of the 1960s.
941 Freedom Day
January 15, 2010
Are you one of the new American Minutemen?
That was the kind of passion that created this country. Not only did they have passion, those simple farmers and shopkeepers backed up their passion by putting down their rakes and brooms and picking up their muskets. They took on the best and biggest army in the world and they won. The prize was the free country that has been handed down to us.
What have we done with that prize? We spend our days pointing fingers at each other. We elect people and put them into powerful positions where they expect to be treated better than the rest of us. They pass laws which reward the incompetent with billions of dollars of our money instead of dozens of years in prison. Not only have they ruined the retirement plans of millions of our elderly by destroying the free market economy, they are destroying the future of Americans yet to be born.
What would those brave Minutemen think of us? What would they say? Would they praise the way we take such abuse from a new type of ruling class who lives above us all in Washington? Would they call us cowards like our new Attorney General did? Would they tell us to rise up?
No, I am not advocating a violent overthrow of the the federal government but I do think it is time to get their attention. But how? They already have our money. We live in fear of April 15 and the IRS audit. Our elected officials can give grand speeches but they do nothing because they know we can't do anything. Or can we?
It's early spring in Nebraska. I am grateful for that because I have spent the winter living in my car. And on those coldest of nights, when sleep was almost impossible, an idea kept coming back to me. How can we get Washington's attention. How can we stop this spending madness and corruption? The answer is 941 Freedom Day.
Any small business person knows, a 941 is a quarterly tax form that the business owner is required to fill out which details and employee's wages and deductions. A check for those deductions has to be sent to the IRS along with the report. That's how the government gets our money. That is the critical link.
What if, in a massive display of civil disobedience, small business owners stopped filling out that form and stopped collecting taxes for the federal government. What if January 15, 2010 became 941 Freedom Day?
What would be the purpose of 941 Freedom Day? We have five demands:
1. By election day in November 2009, the congress and the senate must pass legislation that:
Eliminates the Internal Revenue Service
Eliminates the Tax Code
Offer the voters a choice of two new means of federal taxation not based on current methods. The plan that receives most votes, becomes the new means of collecting government revenue AND it goes into effect on January 1, 2010. No ifs. No ands. No buts.
2. The congress and the senate must pass legislation that restricts the terms of committee chairmen to a term no longer than the current term of the body. Let's get new blood into old chairs and clean up corruption. That also includes the Speaker of the House.
3. The congress and the senate must pass legislation that makes it illegal to buy political candidate advertising in the private media for senate and congressional races. Those candidates will have an equal amount of time given to them on two or three specific dates to offer their ideas live on public television. That will eliminate their need to spend so much time raising money and put them back to work doing the people's business instead of being perfect targets for bribes.
4. No more earmarks. If the ideas is good enough to stand the light of public scrutiny, let the bill be introduced by itself.
5. The Congressperson or Senator must sign off that they have read any proposed bill-not just their staffers-before they can vote on a bill. That bill must also be put online for a period of three days so the public can read it.
It's time to let the congress know their games are done. It's time to let the congress know that a new breed of Minuteman is alive and well and ready to act.
Here's what we would like you to do:
On April 15, send your representatives and senators a hand written postcard that simply says:
I Support 941 Freedom Day. January 15, 2010.
On October 15, send another one.
Send this email to every small business owner you know. If you don't know their email address, drop off a printed copy.
There are no lists to sign up for so their will be no "enemies list" threat for you to worry about. There are no dues or fees to pay.
If the congress does nothing and if no bills are passed or no new tax measure are scheduled for the November election, AND if you are a small business owner, simply stop filling out the 941 form and stop collecting tax payments. If only 10% of you take that action, it will cripple the IRS. This action is no different than the Civil Rights Marches of the 1960s.
941 Freedom Day
January 15, 2010
Are you one of the new American Minutemen?
The Gift to Gaza
Hilliary Clinton, our much heralded Secretary of State, gave $900 million dollars to Gaza reconstruction on his first outing in her new job. Isn't that wonderful!
That's almost $2,200 each for the 410,000 or so folks living there. Remember how much those folks love us, too. I can still remember that large woman in a black Berka dancing and clapping in a Gaza street after they learned that the two World Trade Towers had been destroyed and 3,000 American had been killed.
Why in the hell are we giving these people $900 million dollars when we could have used that money to do something here at home like more bank bailout money for Barney Frank, or redo Chris Dodd's mortgage, or pay Charlie Rangel and Tom Daschle's taxes?
Have the wheels totally fallen off the lame brain Washington train? Giving money to the Palestinians is about as popular as running Heidi during the NCAA National Championship basketball game. And to be totally Barney Frank, I could use the $2,200 to help pay my taxes.
Where is the outrage? The Palestinian people need to rebuild their mud huts because Israel knocked the hell out of them because they wouldn't stop shooting little missiles into Israel.
Maybe we should have given them 410,000 shovels and 410,000 bags of good 'ole American cement. As long as the shovels didn't come in at $2,000 each, we would have done a better thing than giving them a turbo ton of much needed-at-home cash.
After all, they may create a truck bomb and kill more American Marines somewhere in the desert hood. Nice job Hillary. We can't wait for act II.
That's almost $2,200 each for the 410,000 or so folks living there. Remember how much those folks love us, too. I can still remember that large woman in a black Berka dancing and clapping in a Gaza street after they learned that the two World Trade Towers had been destroyed and 3,000 American had been killed.
Why in the hell are we giving these people $900 million dollars when we could have used that money to do something here at home like more bank bailout money for Barney Frank, or redo Chris Dodd's mortgage, or pay Charlie Rangel and Tom Daschle's taxes?
Have the wheels totally fallen off the lame brain Washington train? Giving money to the Palestinians is about as popular as running Heidi during the NCAA National Championship basketball game. And to be totally Barney Frank, I could use the $2,200 to help pay my taxes.
Where is the outrage? The Palestinian people need to rebuild their mud huts because Israel knocked the hell out of them because they wouldn't stop shooting little missiles into Israel.
Maybe we should have given them 410,000 shovels and 410,000 bags of good 'ole American cement. As long as the shovels didn't come in at $2,000 each, we would have done a better thing than giving them a turbo ton of much needed-at-home cash.
After all, they may create a truck bomb and kill more American Marines somewhere in the desert hood. Nice job Hillary. We can't wait for act II.
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