Stop Spending Money (You Dummies)

Here are some highlights of the new 'stimulus' pacakge. It was supposed to be about roads / infrastructure / etc. and it is really about pork and advancing personal agendas.

The best part about it, you ask? Well, the best part is that it is more expense than the Iraq War which has been (justifiably) criticized for been wasteful.

How is this any different?

Stop with bailouts / stimulus (pork in disguise).

• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.

• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.

• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs


• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."

• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.

• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.

• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.

• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.

• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.

• $500 million for state and local fire stations.

• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

• $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.

• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.

• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.

• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.

• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

• $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

• $850 million for Amtrak.

• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.

• $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.

• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.

• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.

Embarassed over tax issues or poor choice in glasses?

Time to file your taxes....'The Millionaire Next Door'

So, amidst all of the 'economic stimulus' talk, it is just about time to file our taxes. Just waiting on the last W-2 and off we go. I read today on cnn that our new President would like a tax rebate for all 'working' Americans. First, you should understand that many of the people are receiving a 'rebate' are not actually paying taxes. Not to dive headlong into semantics, but it sounds more like a 'bate' rather than a 'rebate'.

That being said, for all of you who have filed your taxes, have you noticed that often times you receive a 1099 and you have to input a figure into your 1040 for 'unearned' income? Wait, 'unearned' income? Did it fall from the sky? If you have investments / rental properties / etc. how is this income 'unearned'? Should you be ashamed of that?

All of the class warriors would lead you to believe that folks with money were born with silver spoons and inherited it. Not true - I would recommend that everyone read 'The Millionaire Next Door'. The main lesson that I learned is that 9 out of 10 millionaires are first generation rich and contrary to popular(ist) belief these people work hard and spend less than they make...in fact, these people keep a pretty low profile (more substance than style). You probably would not even think that they are millionaires.

'Unearned' income is a misnomer - if you have worked hard and pinched pennies to invest, good for you. If you don't pay taxes because of the amount of money you make / number of kids you have, I do not want to hear about how you want your 'bate'...

Least shocking news ever...

So, I am not a big fan of the evangelicals. The idea of a paid clergy cashing in and building megachurches is a bit trifling.

At what point are people going to stop following churches led by these idiots?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/26/colorado.church/index.html

They all protest too much if you know what I am saying. Has everyone forgotten about Jim Baker? It happens all the time.
These guys have disasterous personal lives of these supposedly self annointed representatives of God (Dr. (hah) Charles Stanley - this one is for you)...

The only segment of the population more hypocritical than evangelical pastors might be politicians...I heard that Caroline Kennedy had a creeper (some NYT reporter?) and that is why she dropped out.

Is it that tough to find some people with a little bit of character or integrity or is it all do as I say, not as I do?

Historical Perspective Lesson #1: Bank Failures

Hey, I know that the economy is slow and that unemployment is rising, the market is down, etc.

I have seen people in my office being laid off, etc., but I am tired of 20 and 30 somethings talking about how we are somehow on the precipice of the Great Depression.

Just because this is the worst economy that you have seen, does not mean that the world is over.

7% unemployment does not equal the Great Depression (>25% unemployment, breadlines, etc.). Germany (and the rest of Europe) longs for 7% unemployment.

I do not know about you, but every store / restaurant that I go to is busy. Look at the gate for 'Paul Blart Mall Cop' - things cannot be that bad, right?

Let's have a discussion about bank failures. Today Drudge is leading with a story about a bank failing in California. Bank failures are never a good thing, but let's check the stats on bank failures by decade.

http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/economy/2008/07/15/the-10-biggest-us-bank-failures.html

2000-2007: 32
1990-1999: 925
1980-1989: 2,036
1970-1979: 79
1960-1969: 44
1950-1959: 28
1940-1949: 99
1934-1939: 312
Source: FDIC Historical Statistics

I realize that this is only # of failures and not $ and that the largest $ failure occurred during 2008, but give me a break. Let's examine the data and not what cnn.com wants to talk about.

It is not the end of the world (yet), so relax and spend your energy on putting your own house in order.

Like a Phoenix rises from the ashes...Christmas Miracles!

So, after a 2 month hiatus - I am back.

I cannot really say that there was a particular reason for my absence (other than busy w/ work and the holidays).

Please to be reading the following accounts of our two Christmas Miracles.

First, I lost my original wedding ring on a trip to Itay 4 years ago. Annie bought me a new one and it disappeared just about a year ago. I think that she was starting to question the stability of our holy union given my penchant for losing rings.

That being said, I always thought that I left the second ring at my in-laws' house on a Sunday. During the Christmas break I happened to be in their basement and Willie was looking for something in the chair cushion and guess what? There is my ring (as well as my old thumb drive). They both must have fallen out of my pocket and just sat there until they were discovered.

On to miracle two. As a Christmas present, Annie and I got a Dyson Animal vacuum. After setting it up, I went on a vacuuming rampage (under furniture, edges, etc.). As I was vacuuming our bedroom, I moved our red chair and lo and behold, our second Touareg key (that had been missing for 6+ months). A car key, not that big of a deal, right? Wrong, these VW keys are the laser cut type that cannot be replicated at Home Depot. You have to go to the dealership and pay $250.

The best part of finding the key was that I was able to clear my good name. Annie accused me of losing it, but it was found near her chair.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Change we all can believe in....

Hey, I believe so much in government to bail out every industry under the sun and to provide free healthcare to everyone that I am going to send my kids to a private school...

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/21/obama-daughters-to-attend-sidwell-friends/

As George Orwell said (and hopefully some of you will start to believe)..."All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."