Hi Everyone:
A very good friend of mine recently sent me the following. I had seen it years ago, before I starting blogging about it and had forgotten about it. These are not my words but it is very true. What do you think?
Obituary
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were lost long ago in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain.
- Why the early bird gets the worm.
- Life isn't always fair; and
- Maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your home since the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents: Truth and Trust, by his wife: Discretion, by his daughter: Responsibility and by his son: Reason. He is survived though by his 4 stepbrothers:
-I Know My Rights
-I Want It Now
-Someone Else Is To Blame
and
-I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
Again, I didn't write this and I believe that common sense isn't completely dead. But the majority of people need to learn it asap!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Here We Go Again!
Hi Everyone:
Have we as a nation become so complacent that we just swallow whole anything big businesses say? Case in point is the rising oil prices, hence rising gasoline prices? I don't see people hanging out their windows and yelling I'm mad as hell and I not going to take it. Per some experts, it appears that by springtime we may be heading for gas that costs $4.00 per gallon AGAIN! It is when gas prices reach $4.00/gallon that people get upset and start to complain. I previously blogged about this very subject twice before on 3/8/09 and 6/21/09.
Last month I read somewhere that for the first time in U.S. history (since total U.S. oil consumption was tracked), that we as a nation, have consumed less gasoline for 2 years in a row. That has never happened before. Not even during the 2 OPEC oil embargoes of the 1970's did we use less gas 2 years in a row. In my opinion, gas prices above $4.00/gallon had a lot to do with it but the Great Recession also had a lot to do with it. The American driving public using vehicles that get better mpg including hybrids also helped a lot. Soon as more electric vehicles are in use the consumption should be even less. So why are gas prices rising and may hit $4.o0 again?
The answer that we hear is the same old story as before in 2008. Developing countries like India and China are using more oil/gas hence the reason for the increases. Well, when prices hit $4.00 several years ago, it was determined that speculators had more say in the price of oil/gas then actual consumption had on it. So you can throw out whatever you learned in economics 101. Supply and demand economics is meaningless when it comes to oil prices. Greed is the main driving force for the current price increases. With the world trying to recover from the Great Recession, (remember that the experts have said that the recession is over, lol) steep price hikes in oil will send numerous economies that were already on the brink, in a tailspin.
What I don't understand is why we are all so complacent and being so quiet about the increases? The complacency is deafening to me. How can speculators be so damn greedy that they are willing to risk a double dip recession that will have detrimental effects on this country as well as many others? Oh right, greed sure does seem to be the most important aspect with them.
I now firmly believe that common sense should be used with oil speculators. Oil speculating should be outlawed and let supply and demand be used to determine prices.
Common sense rules and greed drools!
Til next week.
Peter
Have we as a nation become so complacent that we just swallow whole anything big businesses say? Case in point is the rising oil prices, hence rising gasoline prices? I don't see people hanging out their windows and yelling I'm mad as hell and I not going to take it. Per some experts, it appears that by springtime we may be heading for gas that costs $4.00 per gallon AGAIN! It is when gas prices reach $4.00/gallon that people get upset and start to complain. I previously blogged about this very subject twice before on 3/8/09 and 6/21/09.
Last month I read somewhere that for the first time in U.S. history (since total U.S. oil consumption was tracked), that we as a nation, have consumed less gasoline for 2 years in a row. That has never happened before. Not even during the 2 OPEC oil embargoes of the 1970's did we use less gas 2 years in a row. In my opinion, gas prices above $4.00/gallon had a lot to do with it but the Great Recession also had a lot to do with it. The American driving public using vehicles that get better mpg including hybrids also helped a lot. Soon as more electric vehicles are in use the consumption should be even less. So why are gas prices rising and may hit $4.o0 again?
The answer that we hear is the same old story as before in 2008. Developing countries like India and China are using more oil/gas hence the reason for the increases. Well, when prices hit $4.00 several years ago, it was determined that speculators had more say in the price of oil/gas then actual consumption had on it. So you can throw out whatever you learned in economics 101. Supply and demand economics is meaningless when it comes to oil prices. Greed is the main driving force for the current price increases. With the world trying to recover from the Great Recession, (remember that the experts have said that the recession is over, lol) steep price hikes in oil will send numerous economies that were already on the brink, in a tailspin.
What I don't understand is why we are all so complacent and being so quiet about the increases? The complacency is deafening to me. How can speculators be so damn greedy that they are willing to risk a double dip recession that will have detrimental effects on this country as well as many others? Oh right, greed sure does seem to be the most important aspect with them.
I now firmly believe that common sense should be used with oil speculators. Oil speculating should be outlawed and let supply and demand be used to determine prices.
Common sense rules and greed drools!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Tragedy in Tuscon
Hi Everyone:
Today's blog is not the one I intended. But yesterday's tragedy in Tuscon begs to be discussed, so I will do just that.
Newly re-elected 40 year old Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat, Arizona, was shot in the head Saturday by 22 year old Jared Loughner, who opened fire outside a grocery store. Remarkably, Rep. Giffords is alive and in ICU. She was at a grocery store to meet and talk with her constituents after being sworn in to her new term last week.
All total there were 13 people injured and 6 killed, including a 9 year old child and a U.S. District Judge. Loughner had bought the handgun legally and then added a 30 round clip to the gun. As he was firing, Loughner was taken down by 2 witnesses, who held him until police arrived and arrested him.
This past election, Rep. Giffords fought a fierce campaign against a Tea Party candidate, but ultimately won re-election. Rep. Giffords was just doing the job she loved and was elected to do. She really cared about the people she represented and it showed. Rep. Giffords had met regularly with her constituents like the one yesterday, since she was originally elected.
Pima County, Arizona Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said that Giffords was the target and Loughner acted with an accomplice. The Sheriff pointed to the political rhetoric that has consumed the country and how some people respond to politicians talking about tearing down the government. "The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on this country is getting to be outrageous," the sheriff said. Then I heard that Sarah Palin posted a sympathy note to the victims. I thought that was odd but then I remembered that last year, Palin had posted a map of the United States with crosshairs of a rifle on targeted non-tea party politicians. Not surprisingly, Giffords was part of Palin's crosshairs. That was probably why Palin posted her statement.
My questions are: Did Palin's crosshair posting inspire or helped to inspire Loughner to commit this outrageous and senseless act? Only Loughner knows that answer for sure. But, does Palin have any remorse for her own outrageous rhetoric using the crosshairs? Or does Palin bear any responsiblity for this tragedy due to her crosshair posting? I guess time will tell as answers will be found as the investigation is only in its infancy.
Since this shooting, I strongly believe now more then ever, that all political rhetoric from all parties must end now, today, period! Common sense demands it, damn it! No good can ever come out of the rhetoric that makes people hate our political system and most of it members. Remember that there will always be people in this country, be they normal or not who sometimes need just a little push to do unimagineable things. Something pushed Loughner over the edge and now look at the consequences of his hateful actions.
Today, I would like to start a new campaign to stop rhetoric. It will be called, Ban All Rhetoric Now or BARN. If you believe in BARN, now is the time to start the BARN raising by calling, writing, texting or emailing your elected officials to stop all rhetoric. I can only hope!
Til next week.
Peter
Today's blog is not the one I intended. But yesterday's tragedy in Tuscon begs to be discussed, so I will do just that.
Newly re-elected 40 year old Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat, Arizona, was shot in the head Saturday by 22 year old Jared Loughner, who opened fire outside a grocery store. Remarkably, Rep. Giffords is alive and in ICU. She was at a grocery store to meet and talk with her constituents after being sworn in to her new term last week.
All total there were 13 people injured and 6 killed, including a 9 year old child and a U.S. District Judge. Loughner had bought the handgun legally and then added a 30 round clip to the gun. As he was firing, Loughner was taken down by 2 witnesses, who held him until police arrived and arrested him.
This past election, Rep. Giffords fought a fierce campaign against a Tea Party candidate, but ultimately won re-election. Rep. Giffords was just doing the job she loved and was elected to do. She really cared about the people she represented and it showed. Rep. Giffords had met regularly with her constituents like the one yesterday, since she was originally elected.
Pima County, Arizona Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said that Giffords was the target and Loughner acted with an accomplice. The Sheriff pointed to the political rhetoric that has consumed the country and how some people respond to politicians talking about tearing down the government. "The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on this country is getting to be outrageous," the sheriff said. Then I heard that Sarah Palin posted a sympathy note to the victims. I thought that was odd but then I remembered that last year, Palin had posted a map of the United States with crosshairs of a rifle on targeted non-tea party politicians. Not surprisingly, Giffords was part of Palin's crosshairs. That was probably why Palin posted her statement.
My questions are: Did Palin's crosshair posting inspire or helped to inspire Loughner to commit this outrageous and senseless act? Only Loughner knows that answer for sure. But, does Palin have any remorse for her own outrageous rhetoric using the crosshairs? Or does Palin bear any responsiblity for this tragedy due to her crosshair posting? I guess time will tell as answers will be found as the investigation is only in its infancy.
Since this shooting, I strongly believe now more then ever, that all political rhetoric from all parties must end now, today, period! Common sense demands it, damn it! No good can ever come out of the rhetoric that makes people hate our political system and most of it members. Remember that there will always be people in this country, be they normal or not who sometimes need just a little push to do unimagineable things. Something pushed Loughner over the edge and now look at the consequences of his hateful actions.
Today, I would like to start a new campaign to stop rhetoric. It will be called, Ban All Rhetoric Now or BARN. If you believe in BARN, now is the time to start the BARN raising by calling, writing, texting or emailing your elected officials to stop all rhetoric. I can only hope!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Unsustainable and Getting Worse
Hi Everyone:
On 5/24/09, I wrote about excessive overtime in municipalities and the consequences of including OT in calculating monthly/yearly pension amounts. It took some time since then, but the issue is back at the forefront and people and finally politicians are looking closer at the cost of pensions for teachers, firefighters, police etc.
I recently found out that a firefighter in a certain New Jersey town with 25 years of service can retire with 65% of their yearly pay. If that firefighter waits until completing 30 years of service, they can retire with 70% pay. I would be the first in line to stand up for firefighters, police and teachers. But retiring at 70% pay or even at 65% pay is not only unsustainable due to the ever increasing taxes needed to pay for it, but it also no longer makes any common sense.
In New York State, for the Employees Retirement System, the average 2011-12 contribution rate will increase from 11.9% of payroll to 16.3%. For the Fire and Police Retirement System, the average rate will go from 18.2% of payroll to 21.6%, according to the state comptroller's office. The payroll and benefits are soley paid for by taxpayers and the percentages are way out of line and will continue to get worse if it isn't fixed.
The old saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Well the system is broken and now is the time to fix it. I know that the biggest obstacle to fixing the system will be the numerous unions that represent all those employees. Their stance will be that a legally binding contract is in place and no changes will be permitted. That fight will be an interesting one to say the least. We can only hope that common sense will be used and cooler heads will prevail to be able to fix the system and relieve taxpayers of the huge burden that school and city/county/town and village taxes have become.
Til next week.
Peter
On 5/24/09, I wrote about excessive overtime in municipalities and the consequences of including OT in calculating monthly/yearly pension amounts. It took some time since then, but the issue is back at the forefront and people and finally politicians are looking closer at the cost of pensions for teachers, firefighters, police etc.
I recently found out that a firefighter in a certain New Jersey town with 25 years of service can retire with 65% of their yearly pay. If that firefighter waits until completing 30 years of service, they can retire with 70% pay. I would be the first in line to stand up for firefighters, police and teachers. But retiring at 70% pay or even at 65% pay is not only unsustainable due to the ever increasing taxes needed to pay for it, but it also no longer makes any common sense.
In New York State, for the Employees Retirement System, the average 2011-12 contribution rate will increase from 11.9% of payroll to 16.3%. For the Fire and Police Retirement System, the average rate will go from 18.2% of payroll to 21.6%, according to the state comptroller's office. The payroll and benefits are soley paid for by taxpayers and the percentages are way out of line and will continue to get worse if it isn't fixed.
The old saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Well the system is broken and now is the time to fix it. I know that the biggest obstacle to fixing the system will be the numerous unions that represent all those employees. Their stance will be that a legally binding contract is in place and no changes will be permitted. That fight will be an interesting one to say the least. We can only hope that common sense will be used and cooler heads will prevail to be able to fix the system and relieve taxpayers of the huge burden that school and city/county/town and village taxes have become.
Til next week.
Peter
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