What Is It About Pizza?

Of all the politically charged posts I wrote on my other blog, none has gotten so much attention as the one I wrote about food stamps being accepted for pizza. I've published all comments, both good and bad because I'm not all that passionate about the issue. I don't really think people should use food stamps for Papa Murphy's, but it's just my opinion. Obviously the policy says they can.

I wrote this post nearly a year ago and it's STILL getting comments. I have no idea how people are still finding it. It's not like I write on that blog any more these days.

One poster called me ignorant, which I thought was kind of funny. How is it ignorant to want my tax dollars to be used properly? I see SO many people on food stamps at the grocery store with blinged out cell phones, cigarettes, and nice purses. Clearly they're not so hard up that they can't afford those things, but yet they are using food stamps to buy crap food. And they're allowed to use them to buy Papa Murphy's. I still think it's lame.

Feel free to disagree with me...as so many others have. Disagreements aren't bad things as long as they are polite. It kind of makes me laugh that of all the obnoxious posts I've written, this is the one that gets people all hot under the collar. :)

Tell the CR Blog They are WRONG

I am disgusted. I usually consider Consumer Reports a decent publication and company but their blog post about the recent CPSIA rally is disgusting. Their promotion of the law is pathetic and truly lazy reporting.

Head over to their blog and leave your comment about their complete lack of investigation.

Picked Up by the Big Boys

Wow...totally awesome. Forbes magazine picked up the case against CPSIA. Awesome. Now if the law makers will listen.

I got a response back from my Senator and it was standard though did mention that she would monitor the situation. Yeah right.

I'm so glad that Forbes is on top of this now.

"With few exceptions, the law covers all products intended primarily for children under 12. That includes clothing, fabric and textile goods of all kinds: hats, shoes, diapers, hair bands, sports pennants, Scouting patches, local school-logo gear and so on.

And paper goods: books, flash cards, board games, baseball cards, kits for home schoolers, party supplies and the like. And sporting equipment, outdoor gear, bikes, backpacks and telescopes. And furnishings for kids' rooms.

And videogame cartridges and audio books. And specialized assistive and therapeutic gear used by disabled and autistic kids."

It's a really great article and touches on handmade items and thrift items.

"Contrary to some reports, thrift and secondhand stores are not exempt from the law. Although (unlike creators of new goods) they aren't obliged to test the items they stock, they are exposed to liability and fines if any goods on their shelves (or a component button, bolt, binding, etc.) are found to test above the (very low) thresholds being phased in."

And check out this protest listing on Etsy. HILARIOUS!

Send Your Testimony

Things continue to move forward on the movement to get changes made to the hideous new law going into affect on February 10.

The Handmade Toy Alliance has sent an update asking people to send their testimony to the House Committee on Small Businesses and tell them how the CPSIA harms and affects your business. They are having an open meeting this week, and you can send your testimony to darienne.gutierrez@mail.house.

Please spread the word to others so they can get their testimony in as well.

Also, don't forget to vote at Change.org. Apparently this issue is up to #4 - the top ten ideas will be presented to the Obama administration. Will he care? I doubt it. But maybe some of the congress members will take more notice. I can only hope.

Take Action - Save Handmade Businesses

This issue really upsets me, and it doesn't really affect me that greatly. Except that I am a small business person and independent artisan ... so what affects other handcrafters affects me. Or could someday. Not to mention the fact that I like to buy handmade items and when we have a baby I want the option to purchase clothing and toys from artisans on Etsy.

I'm writing a letter to my local paper and encourage everyone who cares about small folks like me to do the same. You're welcome to use my wording or modify it as you see fit. I mostly used the wording directly from the Save Handmade Toys facebook site but cut it down to less than 250 words for my paper.

In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China violated the public's trust - selling toys with dangerous lead content, toys with unsafe small parts, and toys that made kids sick. Almost every problem toy in 2007 was made in China.

The Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in 2008, which bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and permanent labels on each toy with a date and batch number.

All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and updating their molds to include batch labels.

For small American toymakers the costs of mandatory testing, to the tune of up to $4,000 per toy, will drive them out of business. American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007. Toy aren’t the only ones impacted – used toys and clothing will be eliminated from thrift stores – artisans who design children’s clothing will be shut down.

Unless the law is modified handmade toys will no longer be legal in the US.

Thriving small businesses are crucial to the financial health of our nation. Please write or call your Congressperson and ask that this law be revised to ensure the economic well being of small U.S. businesses. Visit www.handmadetoyalliance.org for more details and for how you can help.

I wish I had more room to include my frustration with the government overreach and Nanny State-ism. Government "do something" disease often has unintended consequences and The Simple Dollar brings up one that I had not even considered.

"Currently, all of their secondhand children’s clothes will have to be tested for lead and phthalates. Given that many such stores aren’t high-income operations - many are nonprofits - these shops simply cannot afford to do the testing on the children’s clothes on their shelves."

USED CLOTHING and children's items are also included in this law. !!!!! This means that used clothing stores, thrift stores, etc. will no longer be allowed to offer discounted, used children clothing or toys. Non profit stores will go out of business (there are several in my area alone) and places like Goodwill have apparently already stopped accepting children's clothing.

In these economic times it is absolutely insane to force people to buy brand new clothing - not to mention a complete waste of resources. I'm all for used clothing if it is still clean and wearable. And someone posted a good question in the comments at The Simple Dollar - what about garage sales? I know lots of people who go around to garage sales for used kid's clothes. My aunt has sold all of her four girls' clothes at garage sales over the years. I suppose this puts a stop to that as well.

Please spread the word on this issue. The Help Save Handmade Toys group now is on Facebook. Please join them there and add your thoughts.

Also, the US Consumer Protection Agency is soliciting comments on the new law. Please PLEASE go to their website and implore them to revise the law and help them recognize the significantly negative impact (and unintended consequences) that this law brings to our economy.

Unintended Consequences

Cross Posting from my other blog Amid Clutter. It's that important.
--------------------------------

The "do something" disease is an epidemic in government. They have to try to make themselves seem relevant so anytime the slightest thing happens that might have a negative impact on their constituents, politicians rush to "do something" to prove that they can solve the problem.

Here we have the government trying to protect our children (it's always all about the children you know) with stringent new requirements for products intended for kids under 12.

Why does this matter? Because, once again, the politicians, in their rush to protect us, did not think through their new law.

One of my favorite things in the world is handmade items like the ones found on Etsy. I sell there and I buy there. When I have a baby I want to be able to buy clothing and toys made from the amazingly talented folks who sell their products on Etsy.

But this law may make that impossible. And it really ticks me off!

I can understand regulating manufacturers importing things in from China. But to affect the livelihoods of super small, sometimes one person, businesses who are crafters and artisans is unnecessary and harmful to the economy.

These are people who are trying to make it on their own by working for themselves. Many of the people on Etsy are understandably concerned that this law will make it impossible for them to sell their goods. And I'm worried that I won't be able to buy their products.

For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however, the costs of mandatory testing will likely drive them out of business.

• A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
• A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
• A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
• And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.

There is an alliance of artisans and crafts people who are trying to call to the attention of lawmakers the negative consequences of this overreaching bill. Can you help???

Write to your congress person and your senator. Post about this issue on your blog. Sign the petition.

Because the more government sticks its fingers in our lives the more they will do so in the future. First they came for the toy makers ... soon they'll come for the jewelry designers. After all, we know that Chinese jewelry will contain led.

Should I Split?

No, I don't mean leave.

I have lots of thoughts in my head. About all sorts of subjects. I already split off my pet related blogging to Home Zookeeper ... though I don't blog there every day.

I've been pondering another split to start another blog that allows me to rant and rave about politics and cultural stuff. Then this blog, which would still be my main blog, would be solely focused on arts and crafts and my jewelry.

What do you think? I know I have at least two people who read me. :) *grin* Should I split up my politics from my craftiness?

I just can't think of what to call it. Something catchy and easy to remember.

Anyhoo...I am working at home and thankfully that gives me two extra hours today to get ready for my craft show tomorrow. I'm so glad that my work allows me to participate in this show without even taking vacation time. Since it's a company sponsored event the participants get paid to sell their goodies. =)

I really do like my company even when I get frustrated with some of the bureaucracy. I've been blessed with a lot of flexibility and challenging work, which I like.

Happy Thursday!

First Amendment Rights Anyone?

Wow. I'm not sure what is more disturbing. That the guy was arrested for wearing a "dissenting" t-shirt or the crowd's ecstatic reaction to his arrest and their eerie chanting and the looks on their faces.



Of course, we don't know what the guy did before but from the look of this video he was just there. Wearing a McCain/Palin shirt. NOTHING illegal about that. I thought dissent was the highest form of patriotism...unless it's against "the one."

I don't believe there was ANY reason to tell him to leave the area ... except that he is clearly insane and putting his life in danger. But the arrest was made because he refused an officer's orders and I have a hard time being angry at that particular point. But the fact that they did not defend his right to free speech and association scares me a bit.

I hope they just drove him back to his car. Hope. Change.

Edited to add...there is of course more to the story. The guy was apparently drunk and had a plastic sword. Stupid idiot. The part that scares me more is the chanting. *shudder*

Do You Really Know?

Do you really know what you voted for? I have a feeling some people will be in for some very big surprises...

Via Pamibe...I love this.

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

‘Welcome to heaven,’ says St. Peter. ‘Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.’

‘No problem, just let me in,’ says the man.

‘Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.’

‘Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,’ says the senator.

‘I’m sorry, but we have our rules.’

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly & nice guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises..

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

‘Now it’s time to visit heaven.’

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

‘Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.’

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: ‘Well, I would never have said it bef ore, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.’

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he’s in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. ‘I don’t understand,’ stammers the senator. ‘Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, dr ank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.
What happened?’

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, ‘Yesterday we were campaigning…

Today you voted.’

*snort* Too funny.

And this should scare if you ... really. It should. Seriously. I'm not kidding. "REQUIRE" is the key word here.

"Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year."

Riiiiiiggghhhhttttt.

Do you understand? You will be REQUIRED to perform services for your "community" whether you want to or not. If that does not scare you then you have not studied history. Nor have you learned from history.

Yet another reason why I refuse to remain unarmed. An unarmed citizenry is ripe for the taking. I'm not saying that we're approaching some revolutionary shift in fundamental civil rights akin to the horrific bloodshed that was China and Russia ... but it is there on the horizon and we can choose to allow it or fight it. I choose to fight. No one will FORCE me to do anything.

And if I had a teacher try to do this to me I would have been sick ... of course at the time when I was in school I probably agreed with all my teachers. And if I were this girl's mother I would be OUTRAGED. Beyond outraged. Furious and mama bear dangerous. I love the kids supporting Obama ... Why? *blank stares* They don't know. Because their parents do because that's what kids do. Duh. And way to try to put words in their mouths teacher. Force your opinions much?

*sigh*

I'm not feeling very optimistic right now. Can you tell? Which is NOT like me. I'm a very optimistic person by nature. So it ticks me off when I'm not.

Important Stuff Before Tuesday

I don't really get how anyone can be undecided at this point ... but just in case anyone is ... the "mainstream" media won't share these with you.



Obama Kicks Off Disagreeing Reporters - No Dissent Allowed (and yes, the article mentions McCain not allowing access from the Dowd...but come on...it's the Dowd!)

It's Going to be like Christmas? Obama-Claus

Are You a Citizen, or a Subject?

This gave me chills!



It's Clearly the Government's Job. Not ours as individuals. Duh.

Read and Laugh


Be Afraid. Be VERY Afraid.



Who Would Iraqis Vote For?

Tipping Less? - I like the note idea.

Have a Happy Halloween and a great weekend!

Something to Ponder

"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government."

~Thomas Jefferson~

I wonder what our great founding fathers would say about our government today.

Only Another Week

And the madness will be over. I'm really really really looking forward to next week. Our governor's election here in Washington State is just nasty. My husband's union has worked their damnedest to scare him into voting for the Democrat nominee ... and it's partly working. He hasn't finished filling out his ballot. *sigh*

The State Patrol union "dissed" the Republican nominee last time ... I guess. They gave their support to the Dem. I didn't care. The unions almost always support the Democrats - after all the Dems are the ones who give them what they want. Money and power.

The current govna has done her best to buy the support of the unions and the tribes. But I refuse to be bribed. I know it would be in my family's "best interest" to vote for her this year. In the long term though it will NOT benefit us. Our economy has started to slow down just recently. Our unemployment in the state has started to rise. We are "behind" the rest of the country in this respect. Home prices are still pretty high but falling.

And our state budget is out of control - we have BILLIONS in deficits now. I have an inside contact in the Treasurer's office and know that the state budget is insane. And she wants to spend MORE and tax more. That is not going to help us in the long term.

But the powers that be in hubby's union are doing their best to sway him from his conservative standards. It's really sad.

I guess people think it's better to give the state control over their lives. Obama wants to take from the "rich" and give to the "poor" ... oh so Robinhood like ... except that Robinhood took from the GOVERNMENT and gave it back to the people. The exactly OPPOSITE of what he wants to do....taking from the productive in society and giving to the non-productive.

It means redistribution of wealth. Not the creation of wealth and certainly not the creation of opportunity, but simply taking money from the successful and hard-working and distributing it to those whom the government decides “deserve” it.

Socialism (more so than we already have) approaches and I dread the results for the country. I'm trying my hardest to be positive but it sure is difficult.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under the robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” C.S. Lewis

Please read Bill Whittle's article and think about your decision this coming Tuesday, November 4. McCain / Palin may not be the best choice out there but they are far and away the better choice than the "One".

I Am Outraged

Is there no common sense left in the world? Are low level politicians so drunk with power that they will harass an 83 year old woman for a 30 year old "violation" ... You have got to be freaking kidding me.

Face Off Over Converted Garage

Really? REALLY!?! This is what we need code inspectors to waste their time on? Making sure an 83 year old woman spends money that she does not have to turn a bedroom back into a garage. Seriously!

The inspector who first noticed her "violations" must have been really bored that day ... or out looking for someone to slap with a violation.

This is just sick.

Almost as sick as the 89 year old woman arrested for not giving kids their ball back. Yeah ... kids are such angels aren't they? It's all about the kids. Or at least that's what they've been told their whole short lives.

Just sick.

I John Stosell

Even as a young gal I used to love to watch John Stosell as a kid...I know. That's sad. But true.

And maybe he helped shape some of my libertarian / conservative views that I hold today.

I meant to record 20/20 from last Friday and totally forgot. Thankfully, Nikki at The Liberty Zone posted the YouTube videos from the show. I highly recommend heading over and watching them.

Government is NOT the answer. =)

Tell Me Something I Don't Know Survey

Interesting Survey but I don't like the options they allow me to pick for each question.

Like the first question...the answers are "she's out of touch" or "she's right on" ... I picked the middle one. I don't think she's right on but I do think, sadly, that she may be correct. But she's right on makes it sound like I think it's a good thing. Which I don't.



Oh and I love the comments on my last blog entry. =) Even if you disagree with me I'm happy to have comments...but I'd really prefer not being called a racist or greedy as neither apply to me. Thanks!

Leave Me Alone!

* Warning ... very long rant ahead ... I tried to avoid it but I just can't anymore. I wish I knew how to do one of those "read more" links to hide this ridiculously long post ... scroll down past it if you don't want to read it. =)

I really am tired of the election cycle...especially since it's been going for what...two years now!

But this chaps my hide (emphasis mine).

"It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too. I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody."

What THE HELL!?! That is called redistribution and it's WRONG...it's legalized THEFT by the government. And it absolutely DOES punish success, you stark raving lunatic moron. You clearly do NOT understand economics.

I do not work my butt off (basically I have two jobs...though one is arguable more fun) to have the government take my money and give it to someone else (which they already do too much). If I want to donate my money to those less fortunate that is MY choice to make. If I want to stick all my money in my mattress and sit on it that is also MY choice to make. Who the hell in government is going to decide who "deserves" my money more than me???

I really am starting to hate (okay, hate is a strong word...how about loathe?) "the Messiah". When he first started running I liked him well enough...not enough to vote for him because I knew even two years ago that he was too liberal and lacked experience. But the more we learn about him and his ideas the more he freaks me out. The idea of this neo-Marxist Socialist gasbag in office with no opposition (because the Dems will hold onto the majority in the House and Senate...it's pretty much a given) scares the ever loving pee out of me.

Have you fallen for the claim that you'll get a tax cut as long as you make less than $250,000? Or that 95% of the country will get a tax cut? Sorry...jokes on you. (link may require subscription but it's so important that I quote most of here anyway...emphasis added is mine)

It's a clever pitch, because it lets him pose as a middle-class tax cutter while disguising that he's also proposing one of the largest tax increases ever on the other 5%. But how does he conjure this miracle, especially since more than a third of all Americans already pay no income taxes at all? There are several sleights of hand, but the most creative is to redefine the meaning of "tax cut."

For the Obama Democrats, a tax cut is no longer letting you keep more of what you earn. In their lexicon, a tax cut includes tens of billions of dollars in government handouts that are disguised by the phrase "tax credit." ...

In other words, they are an income transfer -- a federal check -- from taxpayers to nontaxpayers. Once upon a time we called this "welfare,"...

The Tax Foundation estimates that under the Obama plan 63 million Americans, or 44% of all tax filers, would have no income tax liability and most of those would get a check from the IRS each year. The Heritage Foundation's Center for Data Analysis estimates that by 2011, under the Obama plan, an additional 10 million filers would pay zero taxes while cashing checks from the IRS.

Excuse me?!?! Why is it a good idea for so many to have ZERO stake in how the government is funded and instead simply suck off the tits of the (so called) rich? Why should the hard working have to work even harder to pay for so called "tax cuts" (aka welfare)?

And may I just add that I probably fall into the category of those who would get one of those checks and lower my tax liability. But it's still WRONG. Just because I benefit doesn't mean I support it. I can't be bribed...which I try to tell my husband's union this season when they support the "wrong" candidate who bribes the heck out of them.

It gets worse...

The total annual expenditures on refundable "tax credits" would rise over the next 10 years by $647 billion to $1.054 trillion, according to the Tax Policy Center. This means that the tax-credit welfare state would soon cost four times actual cash welfare. By redefining such income payments as "tax credits," the Obama campaign also redefines them away as a tax share of GDP. Presto, the federal tax burden looks much smaller than it really is.

The political left defends "refundability" on grounds that these payments help to offset the payroll tax. And that was at least plausible when the only major refundable credit was the earned-income tax credit. Taken together, however, these tax credit payments would exceed payroll levies for most low-income workers.

It is also true that John McCain proposes a refundable tax credit -- his $5,000 to help individuals buy health insurance. We've written before that we prefer a tax deduction for individual health care, rather than a credit. But the big difference with Mr. Obama is that Mr. McCain's proposal replaces the tax subsidy for employer-sponsored health insurance that individuals don't now receive if they buy on their own. It merely changes the nature of the tax subsidy; it doesn't create a new one.

Please...PLEASE at least pay attention to these last points...I've added emphasis not in the original article.

There's another catch: Because Mr. Obama's tax credits are phased out as incomes rise, they impose a huge "marginal" tax rate increase on low-income workers. The marginal tax rate refers to the rate on the next dollar of income earned. As the nearby chart illustrates, the marginal rate for millions of low- and middle-income workers would spike as they earn more income.

Some families with an income of $40,000 could lose up to 40 cents in vanishing credits for every additional dollar earned from working overtime or taking a new job. As public policy, this is contradictory. The tax credits are sold in the name of "making work pay," but in practice they can be a disincentive to working harder, especially if you're a lower-income couple getting raises of $1,000 or $2,000 a year. One mystery -- among many -- of the McCain campaign is why it has allowed Mr. Obama's 95% illusion to go unanswered.

Notice that chart...right now if you make $45,000 a year you have zero marginal tax responsibility. Under Obama you'll have 40%! How in the heck is that a tax cut???

I'm all for having those who make more, pay more. That doesn't bother me...though I don't believe they should be completely and totally soaked. But I also believe that everyone should pay SOMETHING. We all have a stake in this great country and when you have a stake in something monetarily it means that much more. How can I appreciate my small stake when people in the top 2% of income earners pay almost 50% of the total taxes?!? Sure seems like I'm getting a free ride from them...or at least a half off ride.

Okay...deep breaths...

Of course, I don't believe all of the hype being talked about ... that an Obama presidency will bring about another Depression (though it could if he tries to hike up the taxes and implement the isolationist policies he preaches) ... that all opposition will be shut down and prosecuted (though they will try to pass the Fairness doctrine which will silence a lot of dissent) ... And I will do my best not to become a victim of ODS (similar to BDS). I think the office of the President deserves a lot more respect than its been given the last eight years.

I really just want to live my life with no government interference and lower taxes. WHY is that too much to ask?!?!?!?!?!?!

Alrighty...this is a great illustration of why the proposed tax plan of "the Messiah" is so screwed up...I'm stealing it from Dust Bunnies who borrowed it from someone else but it's been around for awhile so you may have already read it ...

Barstool Economics...
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers, he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

'I only got a dollar out of the $20,'declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!

''Yeah, that's right,' exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!'

'That's true!!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!

''Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

Tired, Frustrated, Disappointed

I'm trying really really really hard to not watch the news. Seriously. It's just utterly depressing and I need no help being depressed.

Of course I'm still listening to my favorite talk radio shows ... but for the most part they are up beat. Not all of them of course, but Medved is my favorite and he tends to have a very positive outlook. So does Hugh Hewitt, who I adore. He's been taking calls from ONLY female first time callers for the last two weeks. Which is apparently unheard of in radio. I haven't called yet but only because everyone else has said what I've been thinking.

This whole bailout thing is ticking me off though. My hubby and I work very hard to pay all of our bills and save our money. When we bought our house we were offered a variable rate but turned it down. I have a low risk tolerance and didn't like the idea of a rate that went up in the future, even hypothetically.

I don't know who some of these people went through to get their home loans that they didn't have to prove that they could actually PAY for the house...our mortgage folks required all sorts of crazy paperwork and proof of employment. But I wasn't offended ... it makes sense that you have to prove that you can AFFORD to pay for a house. Duh!

Nor did we try to buy more house than we could afford. As much as I would love the $500,000 home with acreage, I'm not stupid enough to think that the stress of trying to pay for it would not kill me. We'd be so screwed right now if we'd tried to do that.

And since some people got greedy, wanting more house than they could really afford or trying to buy homes to "flip" them for a profit...and because the government tried to play social experiments by forcing businesses to give loans to those who couldn't really afford it in order to increase home ownership for "minorities" ... and because a few lenders got greedy ... hubby and I will potentially suffer.

I do not want my taxes paying for someone's home just because they were greedy, stupid, or "tricked" (in which case how smart were they really?). I don't have a ton of sympathy for people who got in over their heads. I was only 24 when we bought our home (and we weren't even married yet!) and I knew better than to do some of the things people did to get homes.

If the bailout doesn't go through, the company I work for will probably be hurting a bit. I don't *think* that I'll lose my job but who knows. I'm trying not to worry about it and leave it in God's hands. There's nothing I can do at the moment to fix or change anything.

Do I think we're headed into the next "great" Depression? No idea. I don't think so. I think the government is running around crying "wolf" when really it's just a wolf cub. Is it serious? Oh heck yes. But I just don't think it's as doom and gloom as some of the politicians want us to believe.

We'll see how it turns out. *sigh*

Oh...and I'm disappointed because my monthly friend just showed up. I was kind of hoping there'd be a reason for her to stay put for 9 months. :( No such luck.

Where Were You?

As I got ready for work on 9/11/01 I had the TV on the local morning news, as was my habit. Right before I left they announced that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.

My first thought was that some drunk pilot had steered wrong. The buildings are so large that it really did look like a small commuter plane.

I picked up my car pool buddy and we headed off to work and right before we arrived the second plane hit and we knew that it was no accident.

No work was started that morning. Everyone on the floor was gathered around the various TV monitors watching the news. When the first tower collapsed there was just shock. I ran into one coworker's office to tell him and he didn't believe it. When the second tower fell he thought they were just replaying the first tower. Unfortunately not.

We didn't know where all of our New York associates were - were any of them in meetings there? Thankfully no one from our offices were there - one had been there just the night before and one or two were scheduled there on that day but hadn't made it yet.

One of our associates in another office had been on the phone meeting with someone in one of the Towers when the planes hit. That someone did not make it and the conversations were tragic. But at least they were able to say goodbye - to convey their messages to family.

Thankfully my company sent people home if they wanted - and I wanted. Sometimes when things get too overwhelming I shut down. And I shut down that day. I went home and slept on the couch after crying. I slept and slept. There was nothing but coverage on the news - showing us people jumping to their deaths. All I wanted to do was escape and watch a sitcom.

It was also my sweet little cousins' 16th birthday. Not the best way to celebrate but she's handled every year remarkably well.

Seven years later we have not been hit again and even though it was a powerful hit we did not bend to the destruction that they hoped to force on out nation. I don't think that a similar attack would work today - passengers on planes are more aware and not willing to be flown to their deaths. I think if those on the first two planes knew where they were headed they would have fought back the way those on Flight 93 did. Americans are not ones to sit and 'take it'. We don't back down from a fight.

God Bless all of those who died - and all of those who fought. Those who ran toward the collapses to try to rescue people, even with their own lives at risk. Those who rushed the cockpit to fight the monsters. Those at the Pentagon who lost their lives.

They can try to hit us but we will not fall! Evil will not prevail. Life and Light will emerge victorious.

EDITED TO ADD: Please visit Sandee's blog for a heart breaking and amazing tribute. I had managed to go all day without crying ... until I saw her video.

Rumors and Truths

My own mother "hates" Sarah Palin. Why? Because she's a Republican.

My mother is generally a sane person but somehow the idea of a female Republican horrifies her. Yes, even her own daughter's conservatism (not that the GOP and conservatism always go hand in hand).

So for those of you who have flown off the deep end against this woman here is a link to some of the rumors.

For Sarah Palin.

For Barrack Obama.

Facts matter. Truth matters. I am not against BO because I think he's a closet Muslim or not an actual citizen. Those are rumors and aren't true. I'm against him because of his socialist quasi-Marxist ideas.

My Uterus Hurts!

This little girl is freaking adorable!



=)

Let me just say that I was NEVER that nice to my brother. My mom tells the story ... When my brother was born I was 2 1/2. I walked out into the kitchen and told my mom "Anthony's crying. Do you wanna know why he's crying?"

"Yes" she said.

"Because I bit him. Do you want to know why I bit him?"

Of course she did.

Now you have to imagine a fairly precocious little girl who always had attitude...a little Shirley Temple-ish with hands on hips.

"Because I don't like him!"

I was not the nicest of sisters. =)