Response to the answer of the universe, or my blog which ever comes first

Its difficult to argue with the comments received about the two blogs.  I cannot say I disagree, so I won't.
             How ever I did state and continue to state, that the regulations and rules need to be reviewed to see if they are simple a new way for government to get money, or are they legitimate rules placed to protect people.
               It is a sad state of affairs, that many of the fees, placed for permits, and inspections are intended to generate income for over extended governments at all levels Federal, State, Local.
              But that doesn't mean, that all regulations and rules need to be tossed aside.   The said truth is that most safety regulations and paper work are based on some one screwing up, causing harm.
               So the public demands action be taken, and governments use a "shot gun " approach.  They hit everything in there path, including well meaning people, who are trying to earn an honest living.   However while the person responding, is a case of a well meaning person, how about the cases of shops selling tooth paste with toxins in the tooth paste.  And the phony labels on the product, pretending to  higher priced brands.  Or the expired produce.  If some one gets sick than the public wants to know why nothing is being done to prevent this.  
              We have created our own monster including government.   To many of us want the cheaper product, but not the responsibility of  using a cheaper product.
              So governments, take out the shot gun and everyone has to file  paper after paper, permit after permit.  Fee after Fee.  If you want a more surgical approach a more business specifics style of  documentation than you have to support bigger government,  and tougher penalties for people who abuse the laws.   So that operating this shops that sell or produce a hazardous product have to worry about a penalty that far out ways the reward of their operation.  
           What rules do we get rid of??    Which small business do we let open up without checking them out first.   What I believe is sadder than even the rules and regulations and fees, is that I doubt most of that paper work is ever checked, or checked in a timely manner. Than there  are the  bribes, kick backs, favors, in return for over looking the missing fire protection.  The blocked exits, the undocumented products sold.
           To fix this broad based problem, we need a cultural change, so people accept, responsibility for their actions.  The rules need to applied  fairly, but they need to be realistic.  People breaking those rules either the merchant or the buyer ( when they know that a Rolex doesn't cost 25 dollars ) needs to pay a stiff penalty for supporting those operating outside the bounds of our society.  You knowly break the rules than you pay a penalty that will stick with you for a long time.  This proves that the people operating within the rules were not chumps.   A government official taking a bribe, I like the old Roman method, in a sack, throw into the Hudson river....but your not letting me do that are you??
          More to the point of why I wrote that blog.   I'm tired of politicians being elected via sound bite. 
I tired of hearing people talk about candidates going to do this or that based on a 60 second sound bite.
           If you like some one, investigate them.   This people control our lives, decide how our money is going to be spent, decide whats taught in our schools.   Isn't it worth a few hours over a campaign to see if these people do more than talk .
           My own son will "kill " me.  I voted for Obama, because I thought he had the guts to do something to help this country.   Well Obama does talk the talk, but that's all he does...  So this election I have a dilemma, the republicans so far are worse, their talk is primitive sub culture ignorant  rhetoric.  But I don't want 4 more years of fired up speeches that go no where.   Maybe if a candidate stated they would investigate all the rules and regulations to see what is still valid and useful, I could vote for that person.
         Perhaps I can start just posting  various regulations, and we readers can sent them off to our elected officials and ask  " What the hell is this one for ?"  and if they don't know, maybe its time to get rid of it.
           As to education,  none of us get to tell the people how to spend there money.  Besides  I don't want them sending up trust funds for education, I don't trust them any more than I trust our government.
           Yes, I am well aware of the College degrees that are pretty much wall decorations.  But the people who sign most of the checks like having their people with those wall coverings.   Hell,  I have a masters and bachelors  and would be the first to admit, they don't mean a damn thing.   Oh wait, the exercises of getting them did teach me a better  way to study what I do want to know.
             If you disagree with another tax, well we agree to disagree.   And I do realize that the 2 cents per unit of various energy actually cost you and myself MORE than 2 cents, however, it doesn't hurt as much when you look at it that way.   We pay tax for school up to high school, why not college and trade schools.
              This I know you are not going to like, but the expected return on investment, I would expect on my idea is just an increase of  5 to 10 percent in graduation with degrees that actually benefit society.
           I know I didn't write about it, but the original projection I did, had a bonus for people who studied math and science.
           No, it doesn't prevent people from taking advanced degrees in basket weaving, but in this the "market" does control the field.  How many lawyers does a society absorb, or how many MB A's  how many PhD.      I know people who are damn good at doing there job, but can't get in for the interview because they don't have the degree on there resume.   A free education would go a long way to help in that situation.
          The folks who reply,,,, "Well I didn't have a free ride "  I say,  in our society we hope to make the next generations path easier than we had it.    If I am going to be taxed, (  and I am)   than I would like to decide where that money goes.
             Entitlement programs, when it comes to that, I sure not your "Mother Teresa"   I have no moral problem shipping illegal or undocumented people, back from where they came from.  Nor breaking up families to do it.   But knowing that, I also have to expect the cost of the products I use going up so the people here, will do the work.    I also believe any one hiring illegal or undocumented workers  needs to do some very hard time with very high penalties, money, dollars  paid for punishment.
             If you are getting Social Security, or disability and you don't really need it, if the claim is phony, than you should be thrown off, and have to pay back every dime.  But the doctors, or people who put you on those social programs have to join you , paying fines and doing free social service work.
          We also need to stop giving  "Industrial welfare"  If pharmacy manufactures want to charge 200 dollars a dose, than they have to pay back ALL the government research funds they got for that product.
        Capturing and punishing fraud, has to be across the board, from the illegal worker to the corporate CEO who has lawyers working to abuse the system.
             It all comes down to what part of the 3 trillion dollars in our projected budget, are we willing to give up, and what elected official will listen to us when we tell them what we want to give up??
       

College education for 2 cents.

           I have not changed my view, that energy policy should be our number one priority.  Getting off fossil fuels and using re-newable fuels including nuclear fission and fusion.
             Nothing in an industrial society gets done without energy.  I dont want to go back to a farm culture, no thank you.   I like my  heat and air conditioning and not dying from an ingrown toe nail.   I also realize my title to this blog is mis leading, but I'm brushing up on my marketing skills
             But to get and maintain our society, we need to work on education.   That  is,  we actually need to educate our population.  
             While this is necessary  for  ALL  ages brackets, let us focus on a little experiment I did, about 3 years ago.
           It was a discussion about the rising cost of college, and what can we do about it. Additionally the subject of professional students and those wasting MOM & DADS money...etc.
          So, I opened a spread sheet and the internet and ran some numbers.
There are about 20 million people enrolled in college every year in the United States.  Now lets say its 100,000 dollars per year.  I know prices range but lets give it a round number.  So we need 20 trillion dollars to pay for their school.  
            Now for the 4 letter word  TAXS  ( yes I know it should be 5 letters but my  skoolling is so poor and 5 letters doesn't have any impact )
           If you put a  2 cents tax....  that is  point .02,    two whole cents tax on every gallon of gas, 2/3 of ever watt of electric power, and on natural gas used, it comes to over 20 trillion dollars.
A two cents tax pays for 20 million kids to go to college for free.
        But wait there's more, we'll include measuring cups.  No seriously, I'm not suggesting, continued give aways.  Wait  First, I said you are paying the tax of 2 cents, but than I said  you are not paying for college?  My idea is not  a give away, the students have to earn the free education.
         Its a tiered system, of grades to tuition.   Now  keep in mind this does NOT mean an end to grants, or scholarships ( although it could which would save more money )  but we offer the taxes to pay for college so any grants or scholarships could still be applied. As well as you paying for tuition if you so desire.  If you want the education you pay for it with your grades, and proving you are not just waisting every one's time.
         The united states will pay 100 percent of your tuition, books, lab fee, dorm, food card, health, if you maintain a 4.0
        Get a  3.9  and we pay  98 percent.   3.8 and we pay 96 percent and so on.   
 If you dont get the 4.0  you make up the difference, that is YOU pay the government back the difference between the two GPA.  For example, all your expenses are 100,000 dollars, you get a 3.9 GPA, you owe the government the difference of  $2,000 dollars.  Grades go down, you pay more, Grades go up you pay less.
Semester by semester.
        We are not paying for your pizza, your beer, your partying,  we pay for you to attend school, pass and actually do well.   You do well you or your parents have less money to spend on a college education.
        Please do not tell me about the possible abuses, the possible frauds,  they exist now.  If we find a teacher , a college/university, or student cheating the system, they will be executed them and dragged them by a bus than  have them sold to be turned into bio-fuel.
         If this works, we can put the 2 cent tax on other energy sources  to extend to trade schools, high schools, but the bottom line is there is a method that pays for education, that doesn't hurt as much as existing methods, and it has the nice ring to it,that the money is being earned.
          Your job Mr/Mrs student is to learn, not party but learn, we society reward that, by paying for your education.   If you dont do your job, of learning, than you pay a price, in this case its the expense of  going to school and coming up with the money we gave the schools to pay for you to attend.
          It doesn't matter if you have kids or not.   Hopefully in a society you benefit from having a portion of the population know what the hell there doing.   You may be single and childless, but that kid over there might be the one to discover the cure for bad hair days, or cancer.  If it seems unfair to those who have already paid for there schooling or in the process of paying the loans.  Get over it, here is an idea.  You already pay for guns, tanks and a section of the  interstate highway.  If you think you own everything you pay for, go try to have a picnic on the interstate or use an M1 Abrams tank next time your car is in the shop.
          This is an industrial society, we need educated people.  We really need people who are focused on learning, so here is the incentive, do well or pay money.
           How do we make sure they pay ?  "WE know where you and or your family live"  and your cat is awfully vulnerable while its in the litter box.    I dont care what is your excuse is for the grades, we get our money the following semester or you don't get your education paid for, and we get part of your pay checks until the money is paid back  SHOULD YOU  not maintain your grades.   What ever you owe gets paid that year or  OR  you pay interest on what you owe the tax payers.
           If you don't want to be in this system, fine, than you pay  the old fashion way, no problem.
But, this method provides that pretty much any one can  go to college, and if you deserve to be there, you will get good grades, and you will pay nothing or next to nothing. 3.7 you get 95% .
             Neither is it linear, we want you to study and learn.  Possible you don't belong in college, not everyone does,    But society and its tax money is giving you a chance.  At 3.0 GPA for the semester, we pay 89 percent of your college cost.  at 2.5 GPA  we pay 79 percent.  2.0 gets you 70 percent.  1.5 gets you 45 percent one semester.  Yes an arbitrary cut off.  2.0 is the lowest tax payers will pay for.
         Realizing that many schools have a different system, we can adjust.  But bottom line, is we are paying for college and performance, and it is do able.   Most families will be able to save a lot of money using this system. 
         While and entrance exam, needs to be used, to see if you can handle the material, the money is no issue.   If you can be accepted to Harvard,  MIT,  Ms. Jones Brownie University, than we tax payers will pick up the cost, as long as you maintain the grades.
         Higher education should like this, its pretty much guaranteed money for them.
        This is the computer age, so checking up to insure its working is not that hard.  Depending on how we do this, the grades are entered into a computer, its a click on the enter button to prove the grades have been made. 
           Knowing this would bother, some of my friends, I don't care why you didn't maintain your GPA.  To be honest, I would not qualify for full pay.  But paying 10 percent is far better than not going to school because you can not afford the tuition and don't want or can't get loans.    How many medical school students do you think would like this program ?
        The tax also covers the cost of administering the program.    There is really no justification not to do it.
Before you comment to me " We already have 20 million people going to college, or we have the most foreign students applying for our schools, or there is a system in place now"
         A) the university portion is a test program, if it works as well as I believe, we will use it for trade schools, any advanced learning schools beyond high school
         B)  the drop out rate for college is too high, and the debt for the students is too high.  And you MBA's out there can figure statistically, even though there will be a higher percentage of people who are a waste of flesh, we will still get a higher return on people who learn something despite themselves.  We would open this program to foreign students  AFTER 8 years, if it proved to work.    I would want to see at least two graduating classes with improved grades and higher rates of  graduation, or I would advocate dropping the program and using the money to open a  Blimp Pilot school.  the percentage of foreign students is dropping as our cost go up.
        C) the existing systems in place are too complicated, and costly.  Regardless of how hard you study and work in school , you still owe someone your soul for years.
          Finally, I like my idea...vote for me.  ( no, I'm not running but I needed a catchy close )

thank you for your response to the tax issue blog.

My fault if my view wasn't clear.  Your comments are correct.  I believe our tax code needs to be addressed and corrected.   My blog poking fun of the sound bite rhetoric, either 9 9 9 or 20 percent tax, is just poking fun at the sound bite and foolishness in believing it.   As you note there are already exceptions in the plan but neither the candidates or media focus on these.
         As to myself, I don't want to pay more taxes, however, if I believed that everyone was paying a fair share, and that the money would be used as intended, I would be willing to pay more taxes to get my country my society on a stronger economic footing.   Taxes don't have to be stagnant, the system can be fluid depending on what is needed.
        I resent the sound bites because, too many people will believe those sound bites, and make an election decision based on miss information.
            We do need to cut spending, and we do need to raise income.   My message is, what are we willing to cut.   I'm willing to pay for some department that actually goes after fraud and corruption and does something about it.
         Social programs do not condition all of the recipients to get lay back.  Yes a percentage do, but at least if the statistics gathered are accurate, 20 percent of those recipients are ashamed to have to receive them and more than 55 percent state they would prefer working to receiving hand outs.   Can I prove this, no wish I could.  of the remaining 45, that doesn't mean that 45 percent love staying home.  About 15 percent, feel its "owed" to them and its not there fault.
         But social welfare is a small portion of the government budget.
Yet like most Americans, I do support getting the fraud out of those same percentages.  Like most humans  I resent some one getting something for nothing.
      I also want the doctors who lie or cheat Medicaid falsely  prosecuted.  I want the corporate owners using those illegal aliens ( who are getting welfare ?? ) I want the owners jailed and fined.
           I want the system fair, its not happening in my life time.  But if enough Americans make that the rally ,   BE FAIR ACROSS ALL CLASSES, it could happen in your life time or your child's.  
          I want it to start, but not with a sound bite
thank you for your comments.

If you deny something long enough, won't it go away??

           Last winter in NY, as well as much of the country, was not much fun.  We were hammered by repeated snow storms, which the city of NY requires we home owners to clear the paths in front of our property.   And its not the best of idea's to stay home from work for 16 weeks waiting for it to melt.
              While shoveling the white powdery "joy" from our paths, I don't remember how many times I heard various folk ask the rhetorical question,  "Where is this global warming every one is talking about ?"
          When your looking at 7 foot mounds left to move, you don't don't give scientific answers. But the correct response is  " You are shoveling it now, this is your global warming "
              Ah ha you say, well maybe you don't but if you did, Ah HA....   Forget the ahha folks.  Once again our government, our media has failed us.  You have to dig to get to the truth, and for a large part of society, if its not, "New Jersey Wives, living with the mob, on survivor island "  the public just isn't interested.
           Global Warming makes a nice buzz word, but it doesn't explain what is really happening, ( beyond the obvious of the planet warming up)   Read deeper, and you will find, the rising temperatures, cause radical changes in the climate, which means  extreme swings. At least to start.   As the planet tries to get back to average, we humans experience extreme swings in temperature including the extreme cold and the storms of rain , snow, hail, etc.  
              Because of the 85 percent rule, the media doesn't try to equate, repeated snow falls, and blizzards to the warmer climate.    We haven't reached the point of no return YET.  The point of temperatures going up without coming back down.  So the planet tries to balance, or regulate temperatures, and the results are the extreme seasonal events.  Heat waves, cold waves, storms, and stupid jokes about "where is the global warming?"
                Obama, and most of the Democrats are to damn chicken to lay out the truth to us.  Its not popular in an election year to tell folk, they are rapidly heading to the extinction of a major portion of the world population.   The republicans, won't say it because, it would agree with those liberal Democrats and pinko godless lefties.   The  Michele, Perry, and Cain  are talking directly to God, and are preparing for  "Almond GET Some "  when the Lord will come down and smit the devil, so they are no help.
           Let us pretend that they are correct, ( their not but what the hell )  Lets just say so; pinko left wing terror loving scientist are just trying to get money and Global Warming is a fantasy !  ( which would mean even the Chinese are in on this one )
            So if we let them thar scientist get away with this fantasy.  Un-employment would have another round of rising.  Because to comply with Green Rules, initially cost more.  Companies spending money on Green Initiatives, would probable lay off more workers.  For a while, about 5 years max, American Manufacturing would be trying to recoup cost and would be slowed down.  While the rest of the world surged ahead in manufacturing.  ( not true but we are pretending here )  during this time, jobs would go over seas ( I think that is happening right now any way !)   And Cambodians would be laughing at us, because we would be so destitute they could  laugh at us without fear.
             But while this was happening, the United States would become energy independent.  That's right, the laid off oil and gas workers, would be rebuilding our energy grid.  Some one has to do it, and even before global warming it is agreed the grid needs to be redone.    The new transmission cables, carrying  power from, solar and wind farms, would need need to be installed.   And these energy farms need to be built.  Its not just solar cells and wind farms, but methods of storage.  We have tanks containing super heated sodium, vegetable oil, hydrogen cells.  
           Our transportation would be well on its way to bio-fuel operation, meaning we do NOT need oil of gas from the Middle East, from Mexico, Canada, Venezuela.  We would be growing our own "switch grass, soy beans, using animal fats, grease " to make fuel to run our cars, trucks, ships, planes.   If you read Oct 25ths blog, and you do a goggle search you will see this is slowly happening now.    Without importing  our energy needs, we wouldn't need to pay dictators for their fossil fuels.  Our Military would NOT need to fight to protect gas lines, and oil rigs.  For you die hard conservatives.  Our Military could extend our will without FEAR of cutting off our energy supply. The president and congress could decide to attack who ever you don't like, because we don't need their stinking oil !!!   How is that for a selling point.   And if we master green technology, don't you think other countries would want to buy into that??
           By  reducing  human effects of global warming or by slowing it down, it would give the planet a chance to recover and return to a more stable climate conditions.
         If you are concerned about the current energy providers, don't. Not so much concerned, but worried they will not let us switch our energy policy?    Let them buy the new companies and continue making billions, I don't care, and really you shouldn't.  Your paying them any way, now.   So if they can make the money without polluting the environment, Without using our military to protect there supply lines, who cares?   I don't care, and really you shouldn't care if Mobil makes 100 billion dollars in profits IF, they are not destroying the environment to do it, if the US Military has to protect shipping routes and ground convoys. Because you buy your gas and oil now.  
          But wouldn't it be nice to tell OPEC what they could do with their oil???
          I don't know if this will stop the global warming, but using renewable, even the bio fuels, the waste gases released are equal to what gases/elements went into them to grow, so you don't increase the amount of green house gases, it remains zero. 
          So, if the Republicans are correct that global warming, global climate change is a phony myth, our worst case scenario is the United States becomes an energy independent power house starting in about 5 years and we have 5 years now getting there, of  bad bad times.  Right now we only have bad times.
          But if the Republicans are wrong, and global warming caused or worsened by humans is REAL, the result is your grand children are lucky if they are dead !   Sound harsh?  Would you rather they watch several thousand miles of US coast line disappear under water?  Would you prefer if they have to fight in food and water wars for basic survival ?   You would rather see them, living in tent cities under attack from neighboring states.  Because with the rise in temperature, the seas raise, crop production fails in major food belts, technology will not be supported, and people get nasty under survival conditions.  You won't be able to afford the remaining medicine, and that is depending on if money even has value with a collapse like this.
           I don't think humans will disappear, but for the next 20 years it will not be pretty.  You might want to watch little house on the prairie to learn how to survive.
           But you get states like Texas, where evolution is considered a myth, and reports on Global warming are suppressed.  They must believe ; that if you deny global warming it will go away, much like telling a lie often enough a majority of people will believe the lie.   Global warming doesn't care if you believe in it or not.
        Statistically most of us won't be here to say "I told you so"      How do you want to bet in this world wide gamble?

Why pay 20 percent tax when I can pay 9 percent ?

I had planned to write about global warming, but  Candidate Perry, is more fun.
          If the republicans actually did do what they say they will do, I and my family would pay less FEDERAL taxes.  And that is a fact.   Boy that would be sweet.   I could run out and buy an American car made with Japanese , Chinese, Mexican parts, get a new washing machine, from a store with just above minimum wage and no benefits, the Washer is made in Mexico, if I'm lucky.
          But wait, if the Federal Government is getting less money, than the State gets less money from the Federal Government. So where does the state and city get their money???  I know, they raise my taxes !!

         The current tax laws on all levels need to be fixed.  The fact that you really need an accountant or lawyer to figure them out, speaks to an issue of over complexity.  However, we cannot escape, that as Americans, we expect certain services to be provided.  So we return to the question, which services don't you want?  Shall we cut out Medicaid?  How about medicare?  Hell with all that tax collection gone that should off set the cost of medical care.    How about not fixing roads and bridges, you don't need no roads or bridges, or wait, we can sell them and privatize them.  
          We all know how generous private businesses are in giving away free stuff,  and you wouldn't complain when there is a toll booth at each red light. 
         We don't need a military do we?  Or not a big one, hell, every American can get an M 16 and a hand grenade, and WE will protect our country.   But who goes over sees  to protect those private companies that now own America. 
           THERE ARE NO FREE RIDES !!!!!  There is no perfect form of government, no perfect tax system.
The republicans method of taxation would most likely be a huge help in  BOOM times.  When the economy is blasting along at 4 or 6 percent growth.  That's when a flat tax or a value added tax would actually help without destroying our economy.
          Lets be clear, I favor privatizing Social Security, as a choice.  Give me the choice to either invest on my own or put into the government pot, but not now.   We aren't in shape to do it now. The flat tax would help me on the Federal level, but not state or city.
          How can you pay the  9 9 9 tax rate and support our society?  We don't have enough money now.
Cut out waste and fraud, that is a great idea, but do it now with the current system.
          Right now, as we speak, with the current tax structure about 45 percent of the Americans do not pay taxes.  Its not fraud, but with the laws, and rules they deduct themselves into  NO Taxes. 
          So these people making 15 to 20 thousand dollars a year will pay 9 percent or 20 percent. And this is gonna grow the economy?
Time for a little math, and this is estimates...after all, I am not a noble winning economist
The estimated budget , money we need to spend for 2012  is   3,729,000,000,000  that 3 trillion dollars in 2012 to keep our society going
The next estimate is that of the 300, million Americans  many are children, or people not in a position to pay taxes, so based on returns, there are about  142,000,000 of those folk who pay taxes.
If the current tax structure has half those people 76,000,000 paying lets use Mr. Perry's  20 percent
20 % of 25,000 ( which is a high number for this group )  that means they pay 5000 dollars each. Still leaving the rest of us to pay 3,349,000,000,000 dollars.  Oh we are going to cut government programs !!!
Which ones?  Privatize social security ?   Are we going to tax the money made on our privatized accounts.  Well if yes than the tax is NOT 20 percent.   How about cutting out  college grants ?   Road and bridge repair?   What are we cutting out.   We don't need a space program, let the Chinese do that, and we can lease space on their rockets,  cause YOU don't depend on satellites for your phones, TV, news, and media ?
Oh wait you do, and I'm sure the Chinese will give us this for free??  How about getting rid of those annoying police, and firemen, paramedics and ambulances ?   We'll get volunteers to work out of there homes. Of course that will make up the difference.
I know  close those department that give us and enforce all those stupid government regulations?  Because we know how private industry will protect our air, water, and land, the very dirt you stand on.
Without government regulations in the way, business will grow, and toxic dumping in the ponds and streams by your house wont happen will it ?   How about something as simple as, construction at midnight next to your home.  Hell, its a government regulation that prevents that, but pay those guys some over time and you don't mind a month of two of construction  at 2 am outside your window, you can live with that noise for a month or two.  You have 20 percent tax rate.
         Of course with the reduction in government, those people getting aid who will not be getting aid any more, will just quietly disappear right.  They don't need food, medicine, housing, cause there will be plenty of jobs right.  Of course the taxes are low now ! and there are NOT plenty of jobs, but all that changes with the 20 percent tax code.   Those people won't turn to crime or violence when their survival is threatened. 
         But we can have more jails and striker laws....oh wait, the means the government has to grow ?  But it can't because we have a 20 percent tax code.  I know, we pay our police 30,000 dollars a year, and want ever bribes, kickbacks they get they only pay 20 percent taxes on.  Than who ever they kidnap they can pay a surcharge to supplement their incomes.
        Water belongs with private industry, just ask the folks out in the mid west how that is working out.   Yes, we in the city pay tax for water, but they don't get to reduce our water because the aluminum company of a indo-agriculture company wants more water.
         People, the tax codes sound great.  But if you are NOT dumber than a bunch of rocks, ask your self.
What government program gets cut ?  And before you say, you don't care, you really should see if that program, agency, department impacts you, your family, a close friend.
        If its true, if you really believe, that the world is really all about me, and no one else matters. than you are right...than it doesn't matter...20 percent taxes, 9 percent,  no social security, it doesn't matter. 
But I hope for all our sake  this is  a joke and you care about our society.  And if you care, take a closer look at what they are promising and HOW we get it.
         

Republicans favor use of whale oil to fuel our military !!

                Well my title just isn't true, but it does catch your eye doesn't it.  But, considering how the republican base thinks, I can see it now on the floor of the congress. Eric Cantor steps up to the podium.
" Mr President, I like to point out,  Whales, are biological, they have babies, so they are renewable, and we have reports , of some  whales linked  with  Al Quada, so their is a link with terrorism.  Further more, renewing our whaling industry will create jobs NOW, not years from now.  And our women folk will look much better in  whale bone corsets."
           Yes I made that all up.  In my defense, I had spent a good part of my life as a die hard Republican.  However, when a group of people, change there views, to a point that they take on the ridiculous, its time for me to rethink my support.  The Democrats haven't done much to inspire me, but they talk the talk that makes sense to me, or most of them do, and none of them are telling me that God spoke to them.
             So, once again we have the Republicans, shooting them self in the foot, and I bet you hadn't even noticed.    Republicans,  ( and its not a bad concept )  want business to grow, private enterprise will save the economy, grow the economy, and increase the tax base.  Republican, also talk about energy policy, not quit sure what their policy is, but they talk about it.  
               You mere mortals reading this, already realize, we need to get off the fossil fuel dependence.   A) because it is not renewable and it is finite   B)  a large portion of the really efficient fossil fuels come from countries that don't like us, or there population don't like us and their governments use us as an common enemy so the population doesn't realize how bad their governments are.  C) The carbon released is impacting our environment.  Regardless of how much you believe in Global Climate impact, the "laws of energy " are unforgiving, carbon-in ( oil, gas, coal ) carbon -out  ( when we burn oil, gas, coal )  Now renewables, bio fuels do the same, but the amount of carbon the plant releases, is the same amount  it took in to make the plant in the first place, so its carbon neutral. 
           Here I am making the argument for our government to sponsor and or support  renewable energy technology.    You would have thought this a natural for the republican party to climb aboard and support too.   YOU would be wrong.  According to the Republicans the renewable energy industry is to "risky"
         Lets see, the average cost to bring in a new oil well on land is about  1 million to 15 million dollars, if you are very lucky and the well is on a know deposit site and your well isn't a dry hole.   Deep water wells, well that can run you  100 million.
         I have to agree, renewable energy is new, but, I would have thought that the prospect of  A) bringing jobs to America, B) reducing our dependence on foreign energy,  C) increasing our EXPORTS of bio fuels and energy  would be sufficient for even the republicans to get behind.   How about national security ?? 
         The hayseed crowd loves to raise the flag, when all else fails, to prove their incorrect point of view.   Well the U.S Military has an energy bill of over 15 Billion dollars a year.  The Pentagon I guess by republican politician standards  has gone over to the enemy and betrayed the oil industry.  The U.S. Military is already working with green energy manufactures to produce 50/50 fuels for ground, air, and sea transport and military hard ware.  They are also supporting manufactures efforts to produce a dependable 100 percent bio fuel.    I guess the pentagon is a group of hippi subversives in the eyes of our Republican congress men and women, specially that thar  TEA  Part Tay.    Cause the military has been using  the "tree hugger" bio fuels in our war planes on a trial bases and have decided that the stuff works just as well.   The navy is using it ( trial )
           We use the word trial because, while the fuel does perform as well as the normal 100 percent petroleum fuel, the effects on engine life and maintenance have to be reviewed.
           But not only are the commie subversive terrorist loving pentagon, helping the tree hugging liberal bio fuel manufactures, by supporting the research and testing, but the bio fuels are being produced with plant life and animal by products NOT used in food.   That means it doesn't drive up the cost of wheat, corn, or rye of soy to make the newer bio fuels.  Damn those military hacks !!! How dare they be socially aware !!!!
        So lets get this very clear,    the republican party is  AGAINST a new technology that 
A) does provide jobs,
B) will provide more jobs in the United States as it expands 
C) will provide new tax revenue
D) will reduce the cost of energy for  the U.S  Military  
E) Will reduce the impact on the environment when the fuel is used.
F) The current energy industry can become part of, thus insuring continued income of their billions of dollars
G)  This source of fuel does NOT require American Military to get in harms way to protect, get involved with
H)  This source of fuel does not destroy several acers of wilderness to produce, it grows right now, in empty lots and fields.
Because its too risky??   New enterprise is too risky???   Does any one including the people who say this believe it?   Its new business, yes there are risk, but there are risk on ever one of those gas wells, oil wells, ton of coal mined.     Oh a solar panel company went  Chapter 11... oh my ... lions and tigers and wall street bull  sh..... sorry.  Getting excited.        The panel company was competing against a Chinese company, that is subsidized by the Chinese government, pays its people next to nothing and has no restrictions on the poison its dumps in its towns and villages.   NOT a balanced playing field.   So we backed the wrong pony, there are American companies in solar, wind, bio fuel that are making it and making it big time.
So our REPUBLICAN  representatives would prefer, to subsidize the fossil fuel industry to drill new wells, mine coal, etc.  They don't have the  "testosterone " levels to support nuclear, which I openly admit I do.
               Lets  keep our men and women in the middle east, protecting the oil routes, and providing target practice to some radical extremist determined to get his hands on 70 virgins and sweet dates in paradise by killing or maiming Americans.  So Mobil Exxon can pay less tax  ( by scale ) than you or me ?
Lets drain the last drop of oil, cause its there and GOD  commanded us to rule the earth and bleed it dry
Lets give tax breaks to the oil , gas, coal, industry but not to renewable energy ?????
       Those of you who agree with this, please  do not breed, ever.
This republican party scares me, not because I don't agree with it.   But its talking points are taking on the same tone as the Mullah's in Pakistan  Madrases, the Supreme Beings, manifest destiny theme.   God told us to do this.   I have to admit, it wouldn't surprise me to find out God was a major share holder of Mobil, but I would hope  God is smart enough to push the new bio fuels. 
        When your party tells you, that the KEY to economic recover is new business, lower taxes,  and than turns around and is not only not supporting but actively acting against
A new business, that the other party wants to give tax incentives,  hire Americans and gets  us off the foreign oil market,  you should be asking what is wrong with my party, against the things they say they support?????   Danger here.....why the conflict of interest?????
             So before you vote, listen to your preferred candidate really listen to them, and watch out for the ones got their directives from God.   As  Winston Churchill said...   "  Ah, 85 percent.. ah of   ah THE  world pop u.  lation... ah is  ah   dumber than a box of  ah rocks, and 5 percent are  in fact dumber than that "
Ok he didn't say it, but I bet he wished he had
      

I was dead, but Im feeling much better thank you

If you are reading this  Saturday Oct 22, than you are dead, stop reading go enjoy your afterlife, because Friday Oct 21 the world ended.

 

"The date was selected by Harold Camping, a Bay Area rapture advocate (rapturist?) who also previously predicted the world would be ravaged by the Almighty on May 21, 2011. When nothing happened, and we all awoke, still here, still having to pay our bills and eat some breakfast and go to work, Camping, a radio evangelist, came up with a handy explanation a few hours later, after a whole lotta prayin':

"On May 21[...] this is where the spiritual aspect of it really comes through. God again brought judgment on the world. We didn't see any difference but God brought Judgment Day to bear upon the whole world. The whole world is under Judgment Day and it will continue right up until Oct. 21, 2011 and by that time the whole world will be destroyed."

          Yet people still send this guy money, why the world is ending, what does he need money for?  Is there pizza in paradise?   Please don't tell me the Arch Angel is standing at the pearly gates in his Ray Band sun glass, and gold chains with a clip board, and a Velvet rope line.  " Yep your in,  you no, club is full,...let me see your proof of age, oh well you have that short skirt and halter top, your in"
          Meanwhile Europe battles across the "board room " table  debating the fate of  the European Union.  Because if the economy "tanks"  the union is pretty useless.  
          Back in the good Ol  U.S, of  A, our congress, turned down the jobs bill and the portion of the jobs bill that would provide 34 billion dollars to keep teachers and fire fighters working or rehired.  And they turned down the 1.5 percent surcharge on income over 1,000,000 dollars

President Obama  said as recently as today that any senators who vote  ”no” on the bill will have to explain their reasons. Today McConnell tried to flip that around a bit.
“Everyone who votes for this second stimulus will have to answer a simple but important question: Why on earth would you support an approach that we already know will not work?” McConnell asked. “The truth of the matter is most Democrats know as well as I do that passing another stimulus and tax hike has allowed the idea, which is why the Democrats are having such a hard time convincing their colleagues to vote for it.”

Lord knows  its hard to make ends meet when you are only making a million dollars.  How does the end of the world tie in with the Crisis in Europe and the Jobs Bill.   Its proof how stupid people really are.  Including the people we elect to represent us. 
           The reason our economy  appears so complicated is that dedicated people, work very hard at making the function of  trade and money look more complex than it really is.
           At the end of the "day"  the entire world economy, all the jobs, all the investing, all the sales and interest, is nothing more than  you balancing YOUR check book.   It doesn't take complex  math or calculus to balance your check book!   But if every American realized that the economy is not as complex as certain folks want you to believe, than this society would be in real trouble from some very angry people.
         Yes there are very complex formulas to work out investing and determining shares of taxes or profits.
But if you can get some one to explain the complex formula to you, you will find yourself asking " why are they making this so hard to understand"  
          Actually the complex portion of these equations are really  just to refine how much money is made or lost.  You could do the same with basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.   Another fun fact is the formula's do not work all the time.  Oh, let me clarify,  the dollars and cents need to add up, but the forecasting doesn't.
         Damn I made that more confusing than I should have.  People who's jobs depend on forecasting, have to come up with methods of forecasting, enter complex math.   These people are like you and me, they want to be paid.  So the fact that the formulas do not work on a consistent basis, is not relevant to them or the people who like them, get paid to make predictions no matter how wrong, as long as they can make up an equally stupid excuse for their poor reasoning.  
           Any of you watch the science channel ?  Did you watch any of the shows about physics, matter, atomic particles ?   The math for  quantum mechanics is also very complex.   But these people are honest unlike economics forecasters.    Quantum mechanics is used to predict where certain particles are, there power, their properties, etc.  The key word is PREDICT.  and the physicist will tell you that.  The complex math using data known, helps to determine the properties of particles at the  sub ( smaller than ) atomic level
than they do the experiment and refine the information.    Economist try to use this method, but the problem is, you and me.   They say we are predictable, and over certain periods we are, statistically we will do certain things, at certain times, under certain conditions.  However, we do NOT always follow even those patterns, so the mathematical formula does not work all the time.  
            This is not a bad thing, what it means is that a well done mathematical formula, will be limited by the data available.  It is a prediction, NOT a statement of fact. 
             When the data, or variable as it is call in a math formula, is a human being, the chance for a random action, something totally unpredictable, becomes a huge number.
          Example,  I say a ball will roll to a certain spot,  Force times mass divided by the Resistance x an unexpected wind equals  a certain chance the ball will end up where I said it would.
             Now try to figure, the price of new home x the cost of living x the given mood of a person on the day they are looking at the house equals the chance they will buy that house  divided by something happening that will change there mind again, once making the first decision.  equals the movement in the housing industry
         The math isn't a problem, it is when some people especially those in power use the math and expect or worse  pretend the math is perfect.   80 percent of all Latinos are lazy and on Welfare.   75 percent of all teenagers taught sexual education will have intercourse.  Unemployment insurance keeps 90 percent of the unemployed from looking for work.   
           First I made up those statistics, Second even if those were the actually numbers, for them to be of any use, they have to allow for enough randomness and you  have to be told that its an estimate, it is NOT a hard and fast number.  Light travels at about  186,000 miles per second,  This is measured and proven repeatedly.
 Numbers, statistics, formulas are not proven repeatedly, yet our elected officials  repeatedly will make statements as if these statistics are fact.  " The stimulus package failed "  ( see above ), our question should be based on what ?  Some jobs were created, several industries were saved, and many of the loans given by the government were and are being paid back with interest.  So what is the yard stick this republican is using to prove government stimulus fails?   Is the job package  really the same type of government stimulus as last time  ( the variables change)   The answer is this elected official is not bother to see if any of the information he is preaching is fact.  But he doesn't explain that to the voters.  He doesn't say,  I don't like the democrats so any thing they do is wrong. 
           Harold Camping  prediction of the end of the world is as factual as  Republican McConnell, statement that the jobs bill is proven to be a failed process.   Both use poor data for their results.   But we can laugh at Mr. Camping because it doesn't hurt us,  Mr. McConnell and those rolling the dice at our expense, do hurt us.    You can not look at things in a vacuum ( with poor data or no data ) and tell people this is a good path to follow.    Lower taxes  work under certain circumstance not all circumstance.  Do the work and find out when do they work.   Just like constantly raising taxes is not always the answer.   Handing money to victims of  Katrina proved to be good for some people but , many spent it on  not essential items.  On the other hand we gave money to the banks  so they could loan it back out to people to help with the loans, and the banks didn't loan it out but invested it.   Humans don't follow neat little lines, are not so easy to predict we learned that with the Banks and we learned that with the common people.
Now its time for our elected officials their offices and commissioners  to come up with real plans based on real information to get us out of this mess, no matter how unpleasant the fix is.
         Or we can wait for Harold Camping to be right, statistically it will happen. 
          

Its the end of days, what does it matter ??

   Did you know  Lindsay Lohan was in court again!!!!????   And that   Carson Kressly and  Annna Trbunskya  were removed from "Dancing with the Stars:"    Did you also know that the Dow Jones fell 72 points.   Unemployment is at about 14 million  or 9.1 percent and the underemployed is up from 8 percent to 9.3
             The only thing important about the "dancing with the stars " information is that more people know that information than know what they are currently paying on their credit cards for interest.   I also like to pick on this show, because of all the many many  completely useless shows on TV this one holds a special place.   You and I  are paying  ( our cable bill ) and the advertisements that WE  pay to watch, money to watch a bunch of spoiled and pampered people in a dance contest.  These  are supposedly famous people, well paid, with tons of time on there hand.  being paid to be on TV.   They have nothing but time on their hands, and are being trained to dance.  So millions of viewers can pay to watch them in a meaningless dance contest .   At least  America can Dance and American Idol are giving unknowns a shot at reaching fame and money.   Dancing with the Stars is about   pretty useless people, doing useless things, for no reason beyond making money for other people who couldnt give a rats butt about you or I .
          The Lindsay Lohan, is important , in that it made front page again about a  limited talented performer, who has repeatedly proven not to care about laws that the average person has to obey or pay the consequences.      If Lindsay was a  16 year old hispanic kid, do you think he would have gotten probation  time after time.   But rather than the public, saying....You dont care about us, so we dont care about you, which is done by not supporting this person, buying there products .... and or  writting the District Attorney and stating enough, she broke the law repeatedly, put her in jail . 
             Herman  Cains approval  is going up as presidential candidate.   I like the  999 plan...because  the lower income and middle income people are definitly not paying enough in taxes.  Thats right, this plan will increase the taxes for ME, and for people making a lot less than me, but reduce the amount paid by people making over 200, 000 dollars.  This is a good idea, it has to be  or else Herman wouldnt be doing so well, right????
           Any time there is the slighest doubt about how dumb people are, or that my 85 percent rule might be incorrect,  the 85 percenters  let there voice be heard and prove Im right.  Oh and if you have any doubt left. the  world is still going to end on Oct 21 2011....but the donations to this seer are down.   Not stopped but down.

Ok you guys win... now what do you want us to do?

         Living in New York, the take over of a small park down in Wall Street, has kept the media happy for over a month.  When I say happy, that means, the Occupy Wall Street movement, can be the head lines on a slow news day, or a filler for those  90 second spots, that just need something.
         For me, its a very mixed bag of views.  The main theme of this month old "sit in"  is the same as I have.
Our Financial Market is not working, and we need it to work correctly.  But with any protest movement, you will get the extreme groups, mixed in, and the media will focus on the extremist, which has a tendency to obscure the message of the main party or group.  
         During the civil rights movement, the core idea was to have a  equal rights, for minorities that were the same as whites in America.   This is not a bad idea, nor was it bad when they said  women should have the same rights, and Hispanics, in fact it should be equal across the board.  We had fringes, that wanted the Federal government to pay  "slavery reparations"  or establish a black only state.
         We also had the anti Vietnam War movement,  stop the war in Vietnam, get out.   Some of those people demanded the United States pull our of every where.   Give the land back to the Indians ( so they could turn it into a casino???)  
         The point is, ( hmmm much like religion or forms of government ) you start out with a good message you want heard, and too often it is over taken by the fringe groups, or worse its not taken over by them, but that's what gets focused on.   Now to be fair, its not the core groups fault that the focus is shifted.  In fact it is a powerful media tool, to focus on the crazier elements, so the 85 percent dumber than a rock population believes that is what every one in the movement wants.  
         Today the  media has to divide its time between social issues, world politics and who is the next couple  removed from "Dancing with the Stars"  you know the important stuff.
          The folks currently reading this blog, probable have only seen "Dancing to make money for the Network"  only once or twice, but unfortunately the people who are the target of this blog, know only to well  about that show and believe the Occupy Wall Street crowd are a bunch of lazy, commie subversives !!!
              ( Hey you readers, start pasting my blog next to advertisements for strip clubs, hooters, and all night liquor stores, the election is around the corner and I need readers !!!)
           Now in truth, the point at which American industry cared about the people, was pretty short lived.  I think between 1948 and 1970 and that was only because they could focus on destroying the lives of people outside the U.S while making money here. 
              Occupy Wall Street, if I understand their message, is not some radical  ( excuse me for this ) hippy movement, it only wants the economic power in the United States to be fair.  Pay their fair amount of taxes, distribute the wealth, and take a smaller profit in order to put Americans back to work.
                Oh I know several readers who understand economics, can jump on this statement. But what is better for a society?  Remember the only reason for a company is to provide a good or service for a society.
               60,000 years ago when  Arg, was napping flint, making spear heads the only reason to do this was so the group could hunt.   Maybe  Arg.....traded with the tribe  two valley's over  and got those nifty red sea shells, you know, the ones  Mabel likes so much and her birthday is coming up, so I'll trade an elk fur with Arg for the shells and..... sorry I digress.   But you get the idea.    Well if Arg wanted to be a lone caveman sorry caveperson, yes he could.  But if he wanted the benefit of the a society, he needed to do right by that society.  Including, not over charging on his flint spear points.
              GM  was good for the country, for maybe 10 minutes.  OK that's a sarcastic view, but General Motors lost its way.   Its function  in society was/is to make transportation vehicles.  It was not meant to be a loan company, a pizza franchise, it makes cars and trucks, and tanks.  You get the picture.  And it receives compensation ( money) for that  product. 
               I believe the majority of the people in Wall Street, and San Francisco, and Madrid ,  are saying , "You can make your profit, but remember us"    The level of a profit is more an ethical question than legal.  But if a society has no room for ethics, in its existence, than that society has truly regressed.   Face it, we are not all created equal.  And 60, 000 years ago, if   Kurt wanted that new spear head, he could knock the snot out of Arg, take the spear head for free.  Kurt was the strongest guy in the tribe.   He could take the spear head, the red sea shells and Mabel.   We  have decided as a society, that this system of economics, is NOT what this society wants.   Grog is not allowed to go into a show room, beat up the sales person and drive off with  new  car.    We have made a conscouse    decision, how to operate our society.
        Having said that, the folks protesting are trying to tell the world industries, and in our case United States industry,  " You have moved outside the  ethic  boundaries, you are no longer operating in what is an acceptable level of morality.... you  don't pay a fair level of taxes to this society, you don't put a fair number of our citizens to work, and you only care about money, not about the people or product."
             Legally??  Not a leg to stand on,  but morally, whats wrong with what they are saying.   My problem is to have a message.   They need to articulate, to explain to everyone, even the 85 percenters..." We are not anti American, in fact we are very much pro American, we want the companies selling stocks to become pro American  again.    We want them to care as much about the United States as we do"  
          Lets say, that just because  Caterpillar  can make more money investing profits in  Goldman Sacks than it can by investing back in Caterpillar, doesn't mean it should.  Legally  Caterpillar can invest how it wants, ethically it makes heavy equipment.  It will still make a profit.  Middle America is asking them to still make a profit, but not at the expense of our society.  Hire back the Americans, be fair, pay your taxes.
             That is what Occupy Wall Street needs to make clear as its message.   " We are for America, Industry should be too!) 

Its not a contradiction, Its a dynamitic diversity of none specific dycotamy

  That's a nifty title to suggest that my views could appear to be contradictory. This warning is because we have to get into religion again.   Before looking at the problem, turning America into a full blown theocracy, its necessary to explain, my view.
        To me all religion, is based on our species desire to identify things.  100,000 years ago there wasn't much in the way of science, so it was easy to assign acts of nature to "Supreme Beings "  male, female, both , neither.   Additionally since our species has not changed very much, it is not hard to imagine, some humans
A) truly believed in the supreme being/s
B) saw a chance to control people by convincing them  "God" wants this, do it our he will eat your brains"  maybe that's zombies, no its Gods
C) some of our species, truly wanted to do good, especially in the face of our species actions and developed rules of behavior for the species to follow
D)  We are herd animals we humans,  not very bright herd animals at that, so following the crowd is a pretty easy function for  we humans.
E) If you combine  A/B/C/D   you get world religions ( the plural is very important) 7.2 billion of us and its estimated that 95 percent believe in some type of religion.
         And just to cut off some debates on how I can stand in the percentage that don't believe when such an over whelming number do, consider the numbers of people who : believed the sun orbited the earth, the world is flat, man can not go faster than 60 miles per hour, and  last   Seinfeld was good TV.
        The majority does not make something true see item D.
        Having laid out this, there are social traditions that stem from our belief systems and our daily interactions.  The act of  saying  "God Bless You"  when a person sneezes, comes from a very old belief in the super natural. The children's poem/game  Ring Around the Rosy, is based on the deaths from the  Black Death that wiped out about a 1/3 of the worlds population.  
     Many traditions, wait traditions and culture are based on a collective or events from our past.  Certain foods prepared, rituals performed.   Most of them had a purpose, however wrong, when they were first performed, years ago, hundreds of years ago, thousands of years ago.
         Any Yuppie worth there salt,  ( worth there salt, salt was so valuable it was used for money) who has paid outrageous prices for  food dishes that are based on receipts  hundreds of years old, will know of tradition.  But look at the food, 300 years ago, that cut of meat was the cheapest you could get, and the lower class people when they could get even that, had to make it palatable, and they didn't have flash ovens, so food preparation over a slow fire, mixed with what ever was available, 300 years years ago, now cost you 75 dollars without a side dish.   Traditions of the past, cultures, carried forward to today.
           Back to ME... my blog,  I don't see these traditions spiritually, but many of these traditions do no harm.  That they have become commericalized and industrialized and money makers is not the fault of the people who carried the traditions forward.   There culture and traditions, are not in them self harmful
            Bring on some traditions.  Halloween, based on the several very frightening  traditions, some over a thousand years old.  Now is based around giving children candy for dressing up in costume.  Not terrible important, or useful, but it is a time to let go of the realities of the world that can be very stress ful and pretend its a simpler time.    Yes yes  I know all the reasons, people speak out against this,  poison apples, razor blades in the pop tarts, etc etc.   Its a kids holiday, at least in America.
           Christmas, now even if you are religious, you should know that Jesus was not born in Dec. 2000 years ago.   More likely he was born in April  ( no proof he existed but go with it ).   And even I could rail about what Christmas has become.  But the intent of  the holiday is not a bad intent.   I don't want to say happy holiday, I want to say  Merry Christmas.   Its a time to celebrate, the birth of Christ, or the middle of the dead time ( winter) a time of shiny lights, and exchanging gifts.  Its not a bad tradition.   Its not like this is the day we eat kittens, and sacrifice our virgins to the demigod  BMT !!.    Like everything else we humans have distorted the tradition, but its not a bad one.    Valentines day is the celebration of  a pagan spirit, or if you like the torture and murder of a young woman in ancient Rome, but Hallmark has turned it into something nicer, and despite the commercialization of the day, I believe it to be a nice idea.
           So there are some traditions that despite there origin, are basically good things to have around.
         I'm not looking forward to  ST. APPs  day, when we celebrate the 100) and 1 applications for your "I" phone.   Or dancing around the GPS, but this could happen.
          But why this lengthily explanation ?  Because I am watching our nation, turn from rational thought to one based on "God wants this "  which kind of reminds me of the Islam saying  " In Gods hands"
           While this nation was formed during a period when religion held a major role in most world powers, a closer look at the leaders of those nations,  indicates that the leadership while allowing religion did  not partake.   It has been said that our founding fathers were deeply religious, but again a closer look indicates  religion was a matter of convenience for them, and some were down right  atheist.  
           I really don't care what religion you follow or if you follow, just as long as your beliefs , do NOT impose a belief on me.  You believe God frowns on buying beer on Sunday....great, don't buy beer on Sunday.   You don't want your taxes to support stem cell research because God told you stem cell research is murder?   Get me a note from God and I will back you and support you, until than, back off.  I don't like my taxes paying for child support, for some  God Fearing red neck that doesn't  believe in birth control but they do.   I don't get to decide that.   My taxes help support the infrastructure to Church's that I do NOT support, so I suck it up and accept it.
           However the last time I looked our constitution has specific limitations regarding religion or use of religion in government.

Article. VI.....

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

than we have the first amendment to this same constitution...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

So we have written into our constitution,  no state religion and no religious "litmus" test for position in the government.    I am not so naive as to think people will not do this... humans are stupid creatures who do stupid things.    But now decisions for who should be president based on their religion, or which theocracy they do support  ( insert Israel )
     Ladies and Gentlemen,  even allowing for the 85 percent dumber than rocks and 5 percent dumber than that,  you cannot claim to be a patriot, you cannot claim to be a true American, while at the same time saying that you believe a persons  religious preference shall determine if that person can be president, vice president, head dog catcher !!    At least pretend to care about the constitutions. 
          Reverends, Bishops, priest, rabbi's, Televangelist   any religious figure, needs to remember that they are tax free, sponges living in a country that allows them to sponge off the system.  Their freedom of speech is supposed to have common sense attached to it.    Just like none of us can yell "fire" in a crowded theater, you should not be able to yell  " Mormon !"  in a presidential election. 
         For me personally any religious connection is a negative, so inversely  religious affiliation needs to be a wash.   If  I think you care about this country and the people in it, I don't care what your religion is.   Hell, if an Islamic  Em an is talking about fair taxes,  job creation, good national defense and moving away from fossil fuels and energy independence, than I'M voting for him/her/it.   You should really be thinking that people pointing out a religious belief of a candidate, is a dangerous person.   This means that the constitution has no value to this person.  Theocracies scare me.    You might consider yourself  safe.  You may be a Christian, and thinking   "me and family are good to go..."  Theocracies never end that simple.  Once in place than it becomes the  "way" you believe or practice.  Than it becomes, what kind of christian you are, what flavor.
Are you born again, baptist, evangelical ,  Jehovah Witness, Catholic, Protestant , Reformist??? What flavor Christian are you????  What flavor Christian do you want as leader of the United States???  And when you  have to start wearing an identifying piece of clothing or sign to make it clear what your religious beliefs are, will you remember this warning?    Avoid any one telling you to vote based on religious belief.   Some traditions are harmless, some are not, learn to tell the difference.  PLEASE.

And God said " what the hell happened here ?"

Some of the people reading this will wonder, why I am speaking up for a religion, any religion?   I wanted to avoid the religion issue for a while, but sometimes you have to "poke the bear"  and discuss the tough issues.
        I no longer believe in any supreme being.  I don't care if others do as long as it does not impact me.  Don't make laws that are religious based, and  control people ( me)  who don't practice a religion.   I have real concerns about elected officials or candidates who make use of religion and beliefs, to convenience others they should vote for them.    Its even scarier when a presidential candidate or vice presidential candidate are telling a crowd of people that the war in Iraq is a holy crusade that God wanted.  ( Look at U Tube, you know who I mean)
           Having made pretty clear my lack of religious belief, I am here to say to any person, including the phony  ministers and pastors of the evangelical hypocrites, they have some nerve to accuse the Mormons of not being Christian.   It should be insulting to any person with a brain capable of thought to have these free loading, waste of good air, ( pastors, ministers, clerical )  talking about what is Christian.
        
“It is only faith in Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ alone, that qualifies you as a Christian,” Mr. Jeffress said. “They embraced another gospel, the Book of Mormon, and that is why they have never been considered by evangelical Christians to be part of the Christian family.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says on its Web site that
“Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. He is our Redeemer.”
In introducing the Texas governor, Mr. Jeffress told the audience they would soon have a choice between a “conservative out of convenience” and a candidate of true conviction. Mr. Perry, upon taking the stage, thanked the pastor for his introduction and said he “knocked it out of the park.”
Mr. Jeffress said he hasn’t discussed those views with Mr. Perry. And he conceded that if Mr. Romney wins the nomination, “I’ll hold my nose and vote for Mitt Romney.” He went on to say: “I believe a non-Christian who embraces Christian principles is more palatable than a Christian, and I’m accepting that Barack Obama is a Christian by his own statements, I would rather have a non-Christian who embraces Christian principles than a professing Christian who governs by un-Biblical principles.”

         This is typical of people  dumber than the 85 percent.   " It is only faith in Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ alone, that qualifies you as a Christian"   This would suggest that faith in Jesus and not practicing the teachings of Jesus count!    Because if you believe in what Jesus taught, you are supposed to love your enemies, you are NOT supposed to judge people  ( insert gay, or any social non conformist )  that is up to God to decide, not you humans.   If the pastor is correct about this Christian thingy, no Christian should be involved in a law suite, perhaps as a witness, but never doing the suing, that is not very forgiving.   No Christian should be in military uniform, Jesus never said, its ok to go kill people that government doesn't like.
         And the excuse, when  Christians  ( all religions are guilty but Christians are in this box today ) that the old testiment God authorized wars.  Well  wrong, God authorized genocide, which indicats a twisted sadistic supreme being, but even that, God directed the murde..... er....the war.    God has not directly spoken to any one lately directing them to kill there fellow human beings.    Humans are failable  they make mistakes, God will forgive them.   Please dont tell me you think  going to war is a human error, a human mistake.   Its not like the leader of a nation or its population, is taking a pack of gum from the store.... " oh lord please forgive my falling from grace, I stole a pack of gum, let me pay the owner and say 10 our fathers"
          " Oh lord, I don't know what I was thinking, I had congress declare war, and I caused the death of 200, 000 people and 500,000 maimed and injuried, 100 billions in damage and pshycological scares for generations,"
"Say your sorry, and do 10 hail mary's and 10 our fathers"
If you are Christian than be Christian, which means you do not judge other people, that is Gods  job ( if he/she exist)    Mormons  belief in Jesus, belief in doing good, while believing you can have multiple wives and you can rule a planet when you die. Is no worse than the belief  God wanted you to test your faith by drinking poisen or letting snakes bite you, or dancing and hoping around the church/temple.
          I have repeated stated that there are very few absolutes in life.  Absolute good people and bad people does not exist.  There are shades of "gray" , however, when you choose a profession the expectations that you will do better than the average person is a justified expectation.   I know of the law, but I'm not a lawyer, I dont know all the rules for a courtroom.  We hire a lawyer to know them.  I know many medical facts, but trust me, you don't want me removing your appendix.  Clergy, Priest, Ministers, those of the religious following are supposed to be more knowledgable and more apt to following the teachings of the religion than are part off.   The Bible is reported to be Gods words, directions, rules.   
         I have read passages that talk about  homosexual relations, and the directive, not to be one, not to take part in the partice.  But I have not seen any text in the bible  saying to "beat them up"  Nor to deny them the same rights as others.    I have never seen any text that says its ok to go to war.
              There is a little known  heather, who might make more sense all be it, this person is NO Christian !

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Mahatma Gandhi, (attributed) Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

 

You might recognize the name?   The basic tenants of  Christianity, are a good form of living among our society.  Tolerance, of each other.   This is based on doing what God expects and not from what the people ( prophets )  added, supposedly what God said.     I added the Gandhi quote because this seems more Christian than the Christians.   Its funny having  Jeffress telling any one what is Christian.  Its funner that you need a council to tell people what is Christian.   The Bible seems pretty clear cut, what needs to be interpreted ?

         I will save my blog on religion for a later time. Two things should be considered by people living on this planet.   There are dozens of recognized religions, so if God does exist, the supreme being must be ok with this, cause he/she /it has not stepped in to correct this issue.  I mean, a supreme being could turn around and announce,  " He you down there, the ZEN Buddhist have it right, stop those other practices ! "  but so far that hasn't happened.  Second, the United States is a republic, NOT a theocracy,  it should not matter what religion a person is, running for a  electable position.  BECAUSE there religious convictions are not supposed to impact their decisions !  We are not voting for spiritual leader here.   If a candidate has a religious belief that does harm to other humans in a society, than it is a consideration.  Like eating a small child before the "state of the union" is given...We should frown on that.  That a person is Mormon, should not impact the decision to vote for that person, unless that person states or stated  they will create a national religion once elected or pass any laws supporting a religion.   Deciding which religion is Christian, should be left to the followers of that religion to decide.  Not a free loading , non tax paying hypocritical MORON ( not Mormon) who can't do any real work, so they claim to be a preacher.    

         When we pick a president based on their religious belief, it will truly be the death knell of this nation, for we will be no better than the nations that run their governments based on text supposedly from an invisible supreme being thousands of years old, not documented.  We might as well start praying to trees, rivers and the elk, for those beliefs are just as justified. 

          I don't know who I will vote for ?  But I tell you this, I will not vote for anyone who states they talk to God and God tells them too....( fill in the blank)    And I will not dismiss a candidate because they are  Catholic, Mormon, or Jewish.     

Its pointless If I don't follow my own advise

Well the individual I refer to as my conscience has pointed out my reference to the McDonald's hot coffee case was backwards.  Not there wasn't a supremely stupid act committed, but the act was that of MacDonald and not the woman injured.
1) I am guilty of slipping into the 85 percent for not getting facts before developing an opinion
2) the woman is still a little dumb for putting a cup of hot coffee between her legs in a car
3)  McDonald's takes the prize for "dumber than a box of rocks " for not allowing the coffee to cool a tab before serving.  The 190 degrees needed to brew coffee, is not drinkable by any of us, but a super small minority.   What makes McDonald's super dumb, is that had numerous complaints and suites for this very reason.  You have a product that has the potential to harm some one.  The fix to the problem doesn't cost you any thing beyond telling your staff,  "Don't serve the coffee  hotter than 170"  The excuse that "experts" insist that for the best taste from coffee it be served at 180.
Do we go to MacDonald's for its world renown  eloquence?
Does Mc Donald's have data indicating that 70 percent of their customers sniff, sip and swirl the first mouth full of scalding coffee before spitting it into  silver pails located at each table. Than order the "Colombian Dark 7:30 am"
   Watch the cooking channel and tell me the first coffee taster you see actually drinking the coffee at that temperature.
If you have over a 1000 complaints about people being burnt, figure another 10 percent don't complain, than do the right thing and lower the serving temperature.
          I will never agree to the warning labels stating the obvious, I must change my mind about the dumber of the two,  elderly woman vs. mega company that knows there is a problem.
          My son pointed out, the blog on higher taxes was misleading.  Deliberately so, but he is right, the question of taxes alone does not directly relate to job creation or loss.   I did, state I was using this 10 second sound bite because the republicans were using it.   If the American public can only handle single or double syllables words in short burst,  than I am correct, " High tax on  Rich, make more job, fire good !"
           Reality is that it depends on how the money is used, but it would seem the majority of those who vote, and those who don't vote but like to be interviewed, are not interested in the realities of the world, never mind the realities of the United States.   Over taxing middle income people, contributes to a slow economy.  Or it did, its possible in a new world order where it seems like people are NOT responsible for there actions, not having money does not stop them from speeding.
          That brings us back to what caused this mess, or contributed to this mess of  Depression ( I refuse to call it a recession  ).  Really stupid or foolish people borrowing money for homes, and other items that they should have known they had no real way to pay back.   The only ones dumber were the loaners of that money, who supposedly knowing better, with there years of expierence, and their higher educations should have determined,  " Client A  makes 15,000 dollars a year, Client A wants to borrow 500,000 dollars/
 Client A chance of paying this loan in 30 years, slim to none.   Approved !!!.  We will sell Client A's loan to some other lending organization, take less profit on the loan, but not have to worry about it.  Fire GOOD "
        Regardless, I  need to correct my errors, as in the McDonald coffee case and clarify my position as in the tax vs employment issue.   Its bad enough when the people you elect and trust, and depend on lie to you , cheat you , and ignore you,  that is to be expected.   But the author of a Blog, needs to be held to a higher standard than government officials.