Keep your eyes open.

With so many "BIG" things going wrong, we sometimes forget about the little things. The saying was "if you take care of the nickels and dimes, the dollars will take care of them self". How you manage you funds starts with the little things. Here is an example.

I take an over the counter allergy pill. You can purchase it with a R/x but it costs more. You can purchase the name brand but that costs more than the generic store brand. 10mg is 10mg regardless of who's name is on the cover.

I'm at the store today to purchase some. I look at the store brand and it is $9.95 for a thirty count bottle. I don't remember them being that costly so I looked again. Right next to the thirty count bottle are sixty county bottles of the same thing. The box is a different color but the wording is the same. The cost is $7.95. That's $2.00 less for double the number of pills.

Go figure.

Russian blogger has it right

Posted in Pravda from Russian blogger Stanislov. Shortened but still long.

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people. First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe. Then came Barack Obama's command that GM's (General Motor) president step down from leadership of his company. That is correct, dear reader, in the land of "pure" free markets, the American president now has the power, the self given power, to fire CEOs and we can assume other employees of private companies, at will. Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our "wise" Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride. Again, the American public has taken this with barely a whimper...but a "freeman" whimper. So, should it be any surprise to discover that the Democratically controlled Congress of America is working on passing a new regulation that would give the American Treasury department the power to set "fair" maximum salaries, evaluate performance and control how private companies give out pay raises and bonuses? Senator Barney Franks, a social pervert basking in his homosexuality (of course, amongst the modern, enlightened American societal norm, as well as that of the general West, homosexuality is not only not a looked down upon life choice, but is often praised as a virtue) and his Marxist enlightenment, has led this effort. He stresses that this only affects companies that receive government monies, but it is retroactive and taken to a logical extreme, this would include any company or industry that has ever received a tax break or incentive. The proud American will go down into his slavery with out a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker.

This outsider has us pegged.

Losing our Freedom

A Dallas HOA asks a Marine vet to remove pro marine bumper stickers from his car or be fined. A San Diego Pastor and his wife are fined and threatened with escalating fines for holding weekly bible study's for 15 people in their home. A hospital supervisor in the Dallas/Fort woth area was asked to remove her 3' x 5' American flag from her cubicle because another supervisor was offended.

I have a flag on my house, I hold weekly Bible studies and our son has anti-Obama stickers on his truck. How long until they come for me?

This has got to end and people need to wake up! There is a right and wrong, a black and white. We have become so PC that if anyone is offended by anything it is illegal. Well, I'm offended by liberals telling me what I can and can't do. Can we outlaw idiots?

Elections have consequences.

What happened?

What happened to our new blogger? I checked in earlier today but now the post I saw is gone. Was he even crazier than I am?

Supreme Court Pick

Word is out that Obamas first pick is Judge Sonia Sotomayor. She is single, Hispanic and has been a federal judge since 1992. At first glance she seems to have been involved with very few profile cases in which to grade her. She was first appointed by George H Bush and later named an appeals judge by Clinton.

Since the Republicans have no hope of stopping any pick Obama would nominate I think we could have done a lot worse. We'll see what evolves in the months ahead.

It doesn't get much better than this.

This was one of the many we caught today. Tonight in a period of less than thirty minutes I caught five of them. Even the small ones put up a fight on an ultra-light rod and reel.

Next month our daughter, son-in-law and four grandchildren will be coming to the cabin for a ten day fishing trip. Needless to say I better keep practicing to be ready for the six annual Grandpa. Dad and Grandson fishing tournament.

As I said, life can be good.

Life is good.

Got up this morning, it was raining. The thunder rumbled as I rolled out of bed. I headed to the den and finished writing checks and paying bills. We still have enough to make it to the next payday without having to sell our plasma.

Went to evil Wal-Mart and purchased a new rod and reel. I have all of my other ones stripped down ready to re-string. Made it down to the cabin and my brother and I took the pontoon out for just over an hour. Eighty-one degrees, plenty of sun but no breeze, the lake was a smooth a glass. He caught the first one but I caught the largest one. I caught two Large Mouth Bass about 15 inches long. He caught three smaller one and a Bluegill.

I have two more days to get in some more fishing.

LIFE IS GOOD!!

Has it begun?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090522/ap_on_re_us/us_assisted_suicide

First the volunteers then those who are volunteered. Parents who don't want to be a burden on their children. Children who don't want to be burdened by their parents. Citizens with physical or mental defects sent there by the government, their care givers. Citizens who are told that they no longer qualify for the medical treatment that they need.

Will you look back in ten-twenty years and say, That crazy grouchy old man was right. Will I be around to tell you, I told you so?

The Dems and your credit card

Congress wrapped up the legislation Wednesday on new credit card standards and sent it to President Obama, who is expected to sign it on Friday. The new rules are to protect consumers from rate increases and over limit fees. Sounds wonderful.

Generally the only way you get an increase in the interest rate is by not paying your bill on time. Usually over limit fees happen when only the minimum has been paid and you continue to use the card past it's allowable limit. The banks now will have to take on more risk as they can't charge the slow pays or no pays more than they do everyone who pays on time.

So how will they cover their increased costs? By charging the account holder who is doing everything right. Proposals range from monthly fees to no more airline miles to interest accruing from the date of the transaction (no grace period).

Who needs credit cards more? Those who are cash strapped. So who will be hurt the most by these proposals? The people the Dems love to say they are for, the poor. People with cash will just quit using the cards or be very selective of when they do. The poor need them to buy groceries and gas. If fewer people use the cards then the CC companies will lay off people. Do you think these will be executive positions or entry level? The people who cannot afford to lose their job will be the ones to go first.

Once again the Dems talk like they care but their actions show how short sighted they are. While making big business pay they are hurting the constituents they claim to care about.

Why belong to a club you don't agree with?

If you were black would you be part of the KKK? If you were Muslim would you attend the Catholic church? If you thought global warming was a joke would you work with Al Gore? Probably not. If you truly hold beliefs about something you couldn't be part of a group that didn't think like you.

So why do Jews vote Democratic and why did Catholics vote Obama into office? Catholics voted for Obama 54-45% in 08. A major belief of Catholicism is no abortion. Obama clearly is Pro Choice. How can you vote for a guy that doesn't hold the same ideal on this item? If you don't believe in the Pro Life stance why are you a Catholic?

A recent Gallup Poll showed 79% of Jews approved of Obama's job approval. As a Jew why would you vote for a party that has clearly shown over the years a disregard for Israel? Why would you vote for a party that wants Israel to weaken itself while being surrounded by enemies?

If you don't believe in the group you belong to on the most basic of issues why not join another group?

FEMA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P-hvPJPTi4

Put aside the tin foil and black helicopters and watch this post on youtube.

Can anyone give me a rational explanation for this?

$$ for minority owned broadcasters

House Dems are asking the Treasury Dept. for funds for minority owned broadcasters who are struggling. In a letter to Treasury Sec. Geithner they argue that minority-owned broadcasters are sound businesses, but that the recession could undermine the government’s efforts to diversify the airwaves. They are looking for continued access to capital to continue their otherwise fundamentally sound operations,the members write.

You can guess who is part of the letter. Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, Barbara Lee and Bobby Rush among others. My question is, if these are so fundamentally strong why do they need bailing out? Like every other business if it is a good idea with a good plan it can succeed. There are ups and downs all the time. These are business' that were barely making it when the economy was good. This is like saying "I have this great product that would have made me rich but the public was too stupid to realize its value".

Where do these bailouts stop?

Obama and abortion

In Obama's speech to Notre Dame he said the two sides of the abortion issue need to find some common ground. He said that we need to reduce abortions but make them safe.

Rush among others said it much better than I could but here goes. Why seek common ground? If the Pro-life side believes in their cause why would they OK abortions? If the Pro-abortion side is comfortable in their stand why would they want to limit abortions? By Obama's past votes he seems fine with abortions so why do we need to reduce them? If there is nothing wrong with an abortion either spiritually, mentally or physically why reduce them?

If they must be reduced then I can only conclude there is something wrong with them. He and his followers arguments that they are OK but we should cut back does not make any rational sense. But I guess when does a liberal argument make sense?

09 Grads and where the jobs are

For the class of 09 things are a little bleaker than past years. Unemployment is up and large firms have cut back on hiring but there is a profession that will boom in the next few years if things continue the way the are.

Medicare and SS are in trouble. Health care is going to get a major tweaking and probably go the way of the European system. Government will run things and decide who gets what treatment. That being said the next booming profession will be morticians and grave diggers! When the old become too much of a drain on the US budget and push comes to shove where will the government be able to save money on health care? By denying heart transplants, hip replacements and many other assorted treatments needed by elderly for their quality of life. You have already heard the talk from some that abortion is good because it keeps the population down. Same goes for assisted suicide. To help Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and health care we need to let the people who are a drain on those resources pass on to the next life so the younger more vital citizens can thrive. Thus the funeral business will boom. It may not be glamorous but there will always be customers.

The Rule of Law

It doesn’t take a genius to understand that the Obama administration has crossed over the line of federal government authority, failure to uphold constitution rights and committed what appears to be quid pro quo actions to favor the union movement. The question is whether the federal bankruptcy judge and the state of California will have the strength to push back after being leaned on by Obama?

The duly elected representative of the state of California, after much discussion and debate, took measures to trim the budget. Part of the reduction came in a percentage decrease in state employee wages. One of the unions that raised millions of dollars for the democrat’s presidential campaign called the President and enlisted his interference in the state of California’s internal budget process. President Obama threatened to withhold billions of dollars in stimulus money if the state didn’t cancel the pay cut.

The federal bankruptcy laws are clear on who has preference in a bankruptcy settlement. Secured creditors who have paid a premium to be secured creditors have preference when funds are being dispersed. The Obama plan would have secured creditors receiving 30% on the dollar while union creditors would receive 50%. Where in the constitution or federal bankruptcy law does the president of the United States have the right or power to make such decisions? Again, a powerful union, which raised millions of dollars for the democrats, would be on the receiving end of a presidential power play.

What happened to "The Rule of Law"? Where are the protectors of the provisions written in the United States Constitution? Why is the Congress sitting by saying little to nothing about the trampling of Federal Bankruptcy laws? Where is the federal or special prosecutor looking into what appear to be quid pro quo favors to powerful union by the man and his administration that are honor bound and have taken an oath to uphold the laws of this nation and it’s Constitution?

The unbiased media

Where do I begin?

On Friday on CBS' The Early Show the former Miss California co-executive director stated that the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is a hate group. This was in response to her quitting her position because Carrie Prejean was not forced to give back her Miss California title. There was no rebuttal or follow up question about the NOM hate group comment from commentator Julie Chen.

Leon Panetta, current CIA director, came out swinging at Pelosi and her comments that the CIA lied to her about waterboarding. On Friday CBS and NBC made no mention of his comments. Only ABC found it newsworthy enough to report on. That being said it took all three networks 3 weeks to finally report on the Pelosi shifting stories on her briefing. ABC spent a whole 28 seconds on Good Morning America reporting on it showing the importance of the story. Interestingly that was the same amount of time they spent on a report about a the rescue of a kangaroo caught in deep water off an Australian beach.

On Friday's inside Washington Evan Thomas, talking about the Pelosi controversy insisted “it doesn't” matter, maintaining “this is all noise, this is all noise.” NPR's Nina Totenberg declared “I don't think it matters, except that it is a diversion that is encouraged by former Bush people who don't want to have this conversation.”

Watch and see how the speech at Notre Dame by Obama is presented by the media. How much coverage have you seen about the latest Gallup Poll showing more Americans are Pro Life than Pro Abortion. News is not what it use to be.

Dems looking for money anywhere

The Senate Finance Committee has begun looking for more money. Proposals range from a higher tax on cigarettes, Pepsi and booze to taxing health savings accounts and your health benefits. It's clear nothing is safe. So what could be next? Where could big $$ lie?

I know this isn't new but it's been mentioned that government is trying hard to find a way into our 401 K's and retirement accounts. Perhaps offering a "safe" alternative to the risky stock market. Loan them your money and they will pay you 3% guaranteed interest!! How about tapping into your home equity for the government? Taxing the internet will be just too hard to resist, it's only a matter of time. Increasing taxes for gas, cell phone use, cable services and anything else people won't want to give up.

Isn't this a tax on the Dems constituents? Don't more poor people (Dem voters) use cigs, and alcohol and would have a tougher time paying a higher bill for gas or their cell phone. Will these people ever wise up?

Obama at ASU

Perhaps it was fitting that the Pres. came to the top party school in the US. An institution that is more focused on fun, pop culture and political correctness than actual academics.

Obama was his inspirational self. Telling graduates that they can do anything and challenging them to "step up". He talked about the environment of greed and irresponsibility. He made the call for sacrifice and told the audience that hard choices would need to be made. He stressed that the new job seekers should consider forgoing the corner office for jobs that will "benefit" society. Things such as inner city work and volunteerism. He reminded graduates that they are beginning their careers in troubled times. All in all a very nice speech.

Pondering what the President had said I'm a little bewildered. His call for giving back to society instead of moving up the ladder is nice in theory but if we all do volunteer work who will have the money to give to the needy? If we forgo the million dollar companies where will government get their money to waste? It's a nice thought but how many millions have Bill Gates and Warren Buffet given to charities? Would they have been as beneficial to society if they had served in a soup kitchen for the last 50 years?

My next problem is Obama's comment about greed and irresponsibility. This coming from a guy who throws parties each week for his supporters. Who's wife spends $540 on tennis shoes and makes over a million dollars a year. The projected deficit by his administration is higher than all the formers presidents combined. I think he needs to look in the mirror and at his party to see irresponsibility. Look up irresponsibility in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of a politician.

And then he tells graduates to step up. This from a President who is trying to nationalize the nation. Who is telling people it isn't their fault and we (the government) are here to bail you out. I believe his message to his supporters is vote for me and I can take care of all your needs. Hardly a message to step up.

Once again Obama has shown a skillful manipulation of the press and the people who follow it. One one hand he delivers a message of boot strap economics and sacrifice and on the other he enacts policies that are completely the opposite of his rhetoric. Are the American people really that stupid?

Twitter and Tweets

Maybe it's my age or lack of tech knowledge but I do not get twitter. Not only do I not get it but I think it's ridiculous. Can someone tell me why I care what Ashton Kutcher is eating or thinks of Obama's dog? Also why would anyone care what I'm thinking while sitting on the john or what movie I'm seeing tonight. Isn't this the pinnacle of self love? "I'm so important that everyone wants to follow my every move" Please explain!!

The Mafia would be proud

A man that owns a brewery also likes to bet on the horses. He likes to pick his horses but will listen to his bookie once in awhile. His bookie pressured him to bet some on long shots or he wouldn’t take any more of his bets. Sometimes he does ok but other times he loses big time. During one such period of loss, his bookie came to him offering to loan him some money to over his bad bets.

The brew master knew that it wasn’t wide to take loans from bookies. If you failed to pay off on time, they broke your legs. When he informed his bookie that he would borrow the money from his uncle to pay off the bets, the bookie said that he better borrow enough to pay for any damages that might occur at the brewery. The bookie then broke the windows out of the front of the building.

Realizing that the bookie had him by the short hairs, the brew master borrowed the money from the bookie. He stopped betting the horses and soon his cash flow turned around. He thought to himself, now I can pay the bookie off and get him out of my hair. The bookie had other ideas. He told the brew master he had better keep the money, as you never know when you might need it for unexpected damages. Remember the broken windows?

The bookie said that the loan made him a partner in the brewery. Much to the brew master’s dismay there wasn’t anything that he could do. A few weeks later, the bookie returned to say that with the interest now due, he was majority shareholder of the brewery. Don’t worry, the brew master was told, he still had a job, for now anyway.

What the brew master didn’t know was that the bookie had cut the same arrangement with all of the other large breweries. Now the bookie controlled of how much beer was brewed, what style of beer was going to be brewed and who was going to be able to buy it and at what inflated price. Any tavern that didn’t go along with the bookie’s game plan would soon find himself high and dry.

This may be a fairy tale but it sounds an awful lot like what is happening with the national banks. First it was a bail out loan with little or no strings attached. When banks said that they didn’t need the money they were forced to take it. When they tried to pay it back they were discouraged. Little to on strings went to owning stock with no voting rights to becoming heavy hitters in the corporation with voting rights.

Now banks that were previously OK are in trouble because they have been given a "stress test". The test requires them to add billions dollars to their assets. They were given thirty days. Where do you think that they are going to be getting those billion of dollars in thirty days? That’s right, from the bookie, I mean the government. Once they take the money the stock grab will start again and the power to make loans will be in the hands of Washington bureaucrats.

Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create 'Islam Day'

Isn't this an issue of seperation of church and state? Or does that only apply to Christianity. Do we have a Christian day...a Catholic day...a Jewish day? We all have our religious holidays...but the islamists do to.

Maybe I'm ignorant in these subjects, but it sure seems likes tolerance, once again, only goes one way.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/06/hawaii-lawmakers-pass-create-islam-day/