First, and foremost – go on over to Political Pistachio and wish good old Doug a very happy birthday.

Alaska Steve is always a good place to start, as his Sense of Place is always relaxing to view.

Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings has a cartoon at the top (Ol’ Broad is at the Dr this morning, prayers for her) that says that sometimes, interrogation procedures have to be aggressive… The Ozark Guru wants to know why Blue State Digital was in Iraq – details, like who the heck Blue State Digital is, on ARRA News Service. Assoluta Tranquilita wonders if conservatives of all stripes will build on the momentum from the TEA Parties.

Richard (At The Water) spotted his lifer bird #90 – go see what it is!

Basti has a nifty video up about the “volunteer service” bill that TEH ONE signed into existence. Bloviating Zeppelin points out hypocrisy in the Dem-run DC area (yeah, like it’s hard to hit a target that big). GuyK wanders about casting his eye on smoke screens, back fires, and fish frys – and only two of those are political themes.

mdconservative talks about the budget and Obama’s upcoming comedy tour on Conservative Intelligence Report. cookiecrumbexpress passes on information that looks like the recent attempt by the DHS to brand people concerned about politics as extremists and terrorists has become a trend with the release of a report from the Maryland National Guard. CyberPastor has an inspirational video posted about a certain Lady Wildcat form Indiana. (and prayers to AnnieB for complete healing)

Is there still a deck of cards that is getting thinner and thinner? Gateway Pundit reports on the capture (unconfirmed by the US) of al-qaeda leader al-Baghdadi by Iraqi forces. Gawfer wants to know what part of US Code Title 8 Chapter 12 subchapter II part VIII § 1325 Napolitano does not understand – he’s guessing it’s that part that says “illegal.”

Wanna watch the liberals pop blood vessels? Wait ’til they try to figure out how to deal with Condi Rice’s OK of waterboarding. Join the discussion on Jenn’s Jungle. Findalis has the latest on the Flight 93 memorial on Maggie’s Notebook. Kathi has the Wednesday Hero spotlighted on Mail Call! Supporting the Troops.

Mary points us to a chance to win some cool stuff on Mary’s World – and here’s my entry attempt:

Bible Study Magazine and Eternal Perspective Ministries are giving away 40 signed copies of Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven. Not only that, but they’re also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Randy Alcorn page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

Findalis is a busy little Monkey – besides posting on Maggie’s, there is also an excellent article on Monkey in the Middle about just how much of a state Palestine really wants. There is a review of the Rally on the Green by Oath Keepers.

Old Soldier has no words for his top story.

Scott Welch has a good post up about God’s Incomprehensible and Unchangeable Love on Our Sovereign Joy. Good stuff over on Pitchpull – don’t stop at the top, keep reading down…

Samantha has the latest batch of promotions in the world of USMC officers. Ablur has a graphic demonstration of just what 100 million dollars looks like – in relation to the rest of the budget – on Some Things Just Need To Be Said. Texas Fred is always interesting to read, and now you have a chance to hear him speak (in case you didn’t attend the TEA Party in his hometown):

The Make-A-Statement Radio Show, hosted by David Hill with your co-host author and commentator Melissa Pehle-Hill. We will talk about politics and issues facing Henderson County, Texas, and the United States. Tonight we will be talking to *Texas* Fred Witzell, the author of the blog, TexasFred’s at http://TexasFred.net/

Fred says, “I’m a highly opinionated blogger, if you ask for my opinion I’ll let you know exactly what’s on my mind. I don’t play the PC game, so, be very careful what you ask for.” Our topic for the evening will be the upcoming Texas Governors Race and the Tea Parties.
Make A Statement Radio

The show starts at 10:30PM CDT tonight, 04-23-09, I hope you will tune in, this should be interesting.

During the show tonight I will have this email and my Yahoo Messenger open. If you have a thought you’d like addressed, let me know… Yahoo IM: texasfred_53
If you do, please keep it topic specific, Texas Governors race, Texas Sovereignty, The Tea Parties…

TexasFred

The Black Sphere just wants you to know that, hey, Obama just wants to be loved. the BLOG points out my reason for not going with context-sensitive ad placement services.

(Has anyone heard from The Bull lately?)

Chief Roland shares the news that Obama wants to charge Bush officials for the aggressive interrogations that a bipartisan committee OK’d on The Roland Blog. Hammer has some questions to tickle your brain housing group on this fine Thursday.

Last but not least, Yid With Lid has a few words about the investigation into the enhanced interrogation techniques…

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

I knew that eventually, someone, some day, would recognize what an awesome job I’m doing by maintaining this little corner information kiosk on the information superhighway.

Well, actually, it was awarded last month, and I only just today found out about it because – well, read through and you’ll figure it out.

Mary of “Hidden Treasures” thought I deserved this award. From the obligatory pass-ot-on verbiage:

“This award is bestowed upon a fellow blogger whose blog’s content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant.”

“When accepting this auspicious award, you must write a post bragging about it, including the name of the misguided soul who thinks you deserve such acclaim, and link back to the said person so everyone knows she/he is real. Choose a minimum of seven (7) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have seven friends. Show the seven random victims’ names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog. Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon. List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself. Then pass it on!”

OK, first, the ten (10) honest things about myself:

Sometimes, things that I receive in e-mail pile up a bit, and although they are not directly related, they all have a common theme – the current economic climate. We have a couple of lessons, a petition, and a letter from the boss, so let’s dig in, shall we?

First, James Baxter sends a lesson in socialism:

A SIMPLE ANALOGY from a Texas Tech University professor:

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism.

All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A. After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great; but when government takes all the reward away; no one will try or want to succeed.

Next up is a note from Gawfer and the politics of change – or rather, the change of politics:

I recently asked my friends’ little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, “If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?”

She replied, “I’d give food and houses to all the homeless people.”

Her parents beamed.

“Wow…what a worthy goal.” I told her, “But you don’t have to wait until you’re President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I’ll pay you $50. Then I’ll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house.”

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Why doesn’t the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?”

I said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.”

Her parents still aren’t speaking to me.

I promised a petition, and I deliver on my promises (unlike certain career crooks in suits…). Texas Fred first posted about this petition on April 10th. He has all the details, regarding who started the petition and what it hopes to accomplish; to read it for yourself and (hopefully) sign it, take a leap of faith on this link.

Finally, a letter from the boss, passed on to me by James Baxter again:

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a Back Story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You’ve seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I’m sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don’t see is the BACK STORY:

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn’t have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom’s for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn’t look like it was birthed in the 70’s. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, someday, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don’t. There is no “off” button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden — the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations… you never realize the Back Story and the sacrifices I’ve made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bailout all the people who didn’t. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I’ve paid is steep and not without wounds.

Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don’t pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my “stimulus” check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (read: stole) 50% of your paycheck you’d quit and you wouldn’t work here. I mean, why should you? That’s nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don’t understand … to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn’t need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don’t defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this?

It’s quite simple.

If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I’ll fire you and your coworkers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child’s future. Frankly, it isn’t my problem any more.

Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I’m done. I’m done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

So, if you lose your job, it won’t be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about….

Signed, THE BOSS

“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Margaret Thatcher

So there’s my Monday catch-up/lecture on the economy. Hope you enjoyed it, and I pray you had a blessed Resurrection Sunday.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

1378 and a wake-up!

Please, take a moment of your valuable time and go read and then sign the petition to have the Secretary of the Navy rescind the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award recently awarded to that vile non-supporter of the troops, John Murtha. I signed – I’m number 12236. Gawfer signed – he’s number 11022, and he’s the one who let me know about this. Once you sign, let me know in the comments which one you are! If you signed it because of hearing about it through somewhere else, let me know what number you are, anyway. I would love to give you an update on the number of signatures, but it is climbing so rapidly that anything I write here would be outdated by the time I clicked “update post,” but here goes, as of 0921 MST there were 13594 total signatures.

UPDATE (courtesy of Prying1): According to this, Mutha – I mean, Murtha – is very proud of bamboozling – I mean, receiving – this award.

I’ve gotta up my meds. My blood pressure is rising fast right now.

God Bless the United States of America.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

1401 and a wake up.

MEG is sleeping – she didn’t sleep a whole lot last night – so I’m going to take advantage and try to squeeze in a round-up.

First off, please note there are a few additions to the Daily Read list – Hidden Treasures with Mary of Mary’s World; Last Refuge of a Scoundrel with Larry, a retired Navy type; Oath Keepers, because the oath I took when I served this country did not have an expiration date; and When Your Only Tool is a Hammer with Hammer, who refuses to be labeled.

And now, the run-down:
Over at Amboy Times there is news about ProPiganda’s new book. Chris (filling in for Ol’ Broad) reports on the stowaway on the shuttle over on An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings. Look to ARRA News with Bill Smith for the latest money and market terms. Richard is experiencing the spring thaw – a few days ago, it thawed right into his basement. Basti says the latest influx of civilian workers into Afghanistan is a bad idea. Bloviating Zeppelin is shocked – shocked, I tell you – and wants to let you know that the Obama Administration has been obfuscating about who knew what (and when!) about certain bonuses at a certain government-run banking company. And these people want to run our health care? GuyK has been building fences and entertaining relatives and accidentally got a glance at the news this morning. The cookiecrumbexpress is glad that the Obamanation figured out that making vets use their private insurance was a bad idea. Cyber Pastor thinks that Shep Smith got one right about AIG. If you have questions about the “TEA Parties” going on around the country, you can get the scoop at Dumb Looks Still Free. Seems like even the Jocks “get it”: Gateway Pundit mentions that Coach K would prefer that Obama pay more attention to the economy, and not so much on the Final Four. Gawfer has a piece up about the brilliant idea to bill vet’s insurance for combat-related injuries. Jenn has her priorties straight – support her in the Walk for Animals, and read all about the administration that thinks it knows better. If everyone is calling the same person an idiot, does anyone think that maybe, just maybe, that person is and idiot? Check out Maggie’s Notebook for more Obamanations. Findalis updates us on Obama’s plan to abandon Israel on Monkey In The Middle. Old Soldier has noticed that it’s getting tougher to find any ammo lately. Scott has a darn good preaching over at Our Sovereign Joy. Greybeard managed to make lemonade out of his 401(K) lemons. Doug over on Political Pistachio wonders what would happen if the teleprompter king got slipped a visual mickey. Rattler Gator has a question about the one-sidedness of the MSM. Everyone’s favorite blogging redhead posits about the needs of the military and the awareness of the administration on Samantha Speaks.

Let’s not forget Texas Fred and his calls to awareness. Seems that has become a password, eh? Lest we all start thinking that Zo over at MachoSuaceProductions is the only black conservative, take a look at The Black Sphere. It was only a matter of time! Obama’s Teleprompter got it’s own blog! (news courtesy of the BLOG) Speaking of Obama, the issue of his birth certificate (as opposed to a certificate of live birth) won’t die, and Andrea Shea King has an interview regarding the whole mess. Details on Third Wave Dave. The Texas Jew Boy (Yid With Lid) asks if the American People are waking up to what they have brought upon themselves yet.

Prying1 sends me this little tidbit via e-mail:

In a time where so much is being made about our first black president, Ann Coulter made the following observation in her column of 2/25/2009:

” But as long as the nation is obsessed with historic milestones, is no one going to remark on what a great country it is where a mentally retarded woman can become speaker of the house?”

Are you a handy-type? Do your friends ask you about how to fix something? Do you have a bucket organizer for your tools? If this sentence makes sense to you, and you want a bucket organizer, then drop me a line and I will arrange for you to get one. The bonus is that I get one for referring you to the Handy Man Club of America Yes, I am a life member. You can be, too.

Now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to go race on my PS2 (Dirt to Daytona) until MEG wakes up, then we’re going to the library and then downtown to have lunch with TMBWitW.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

1402 and a wake up!