Thanks

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It's Friday. For some people it becomes a TGIF day. Well, what are you thankful for.?

I am on vacation so I have had a few minutes to think about what I am thankful for.
I am thankful that I have a job, and was able to  take a vacation of any sort. I know people who are struggling with their current job situation. So, maybe I am not in the position I would like right now, at least I have a job.

I am thankful for my wife. She has stuck with me for 14+ years. We have four wonderful children, who I am thankful for also.

I am also thankful to God for just keeping me safe in some tuff situations and have His hand upon my life.

Thank you to anyone who has read my postings and to anyone who has left a comment.

The Art of the Vacation

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It's funny that when you go on vacation, especially with family, how many things people can suggest for you to do. Which leads me to the question, "What is the point of going on a vacation?" I always thought it is was to rest, recuperate and rejuvenate. But, most people think it is to spend the most money while enjoying yourself the least.

For me, if I am visiting my family, the point is to get to know each other again and catch up.

So, here I am on vacation, enjoying my family.

My two youngest children really enjoyed chasing a leaf down a little stream with the cousins. Did I get a picture? Of course not. I'm on vacation. In the town of Aspen, Colorado there is a sidewalk fountain that changes height. No charge for maximum fun. One hour of dodging water, memories for a lifetime. Did we get pictures? Yes.

So, my vacation is going fine. My family is having a good time. That's what it's all about.

No Tax Tuesday: The Minimum Wage Tax

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Yea, yea I know that the minimum wage law is not officially a tax. But, because it is forced upon employers to pay employees a minimum wage, it acts like a tax.

Now, I know some of you bleeding hearts out there will ask,”But don’t you think people should earn enough to provide for themselves and there families?” Who said they didn’t ? Conservatives believe even more strongly that everyone should earn a fair wage for their services or product. That is why we know that raising the minimum wage is a farce and hurts those it purports to help more than it helps.

Why I know that minimum wage increases sound good, in reality, like all other liberal ideas, hurts the most the ones it profess to want to help.

It is pretty simple actually. When the minimum wage increases the price for any goods or services that rely on minimum wage employees rises also. The price rises because the cost for labor is part of a simple formula used to calculate profit. Let’s take McDonald's for instance. McDonald’s has been around for a long time. Their business model and profit formula is set. So, anytime the government raises the minimum wage, the price for a Big Mac rises also. Because McDonald’s needs to at least maintain its profit margin if not increase it.

Now, let me ask a question. Who does it affect more when they go to buy that Big Mac for their children, the minimum wage earner or the “wealthy” wage earner? Isn’t that a no brain-er? Of course the minimum wage earner will feel it more! Yes, s/he makes more, but everything s/he buys costs more. So, it doesn’t help the minimum wage earner, it only frustrates them because while they are making more money the end result is zero gain and the carrot stays the same distance away.

Now I know that liberals will blame those horrible capitalists (who provide jobs) for being greedy. Please, grow up. Just because someone wants to make a profit, which is another way of saying make a living and provide for their families, that doesn’t not make them an evil person.

The minimum wage “tax” hurts, it does not help.

The President's Religion: The Cult of Self

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I read a news caption asking why the POTUS doesn't wear his religion on his sleave. What? That's like asking why a Zebra doesn't show us it's stripes.


The President is an obvious charter member of the cult of self.  He's got to be the biggest poser since Duran Duran and the 80's poser boy bands. The signature siloete looking to the left, waiting for the cameras to flash.


I mean, really, the POTUS 's self glorification almost makes former POTUS  Wild Bill s addiction with self-gratification seem childish. How many vacations must unemployed US citizens watch him take?


"It sure is hopeful  seeing pictures of the POTUS  and his family on vacation while I'm on welfare looking for job.

Nancy Pelosi, I'll Tell You Where to Look

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Who does Nancy Pelosi think she is? Just what kind of power does she think she wields? It is one thing to ask who is possibly behind the resistance to the building of a mosque so close to the site of a Muslim attack on the United States of America, which sounds foolish in its’ own right. But, it is entirely different as a Senator of the USA to say she is going to look into it.

Just what does Nancy Pelosi think she is going to do? What does she think she can do? Would she do what her party does and bring a law suit against those who are against the mosque?  Attempting to litigate those who disagree with her into submission.

This, to me, it is just another arrogant remark by a power hungry liberal. If she hadn’t already proven to be the type of person who cares little about those she professes to represent, I would think of it as a dumb comment. But, she actually believes that she can and she should control those who would disagree with her about building this monument to the attack on the very nation she professes her allegiance to. That is exactly why she is one of the most dangerous people in government. If she doesn’t believe that the health care bill, which took over 1/6 of the economy, and the bail outs and take over of Wall Street, which take a generation just to figure out how badly we have been enslaved to debt, if , she doesn’t really believe that those actions will help Americans, then she is evil. If she believes that she is helping the country then she is just plain daft.

For those of you who like a nut cracker white liberal. She is custom built for you. Arrogance in politics is believing that your going to “help those people” (yes it sounds condescending to me too) rather than assuring people the freedom to help themselves.


So, Nancy Pelosi, look elsewhere. Look at American and listen to us say, “Get out!”

The Educational Blame Game

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Since the beginning people have been blaming others. But God, "It's the women you gave me."

Now, in education the blame game goes to teachers. The LA Times has been running articles about teacher effectiveness. The LA Times is making public a data-base of teachers that purports to allow parents to see how effective, or not, their child's teacher is. The funny thing is that if LAUSD was using this information to evaluate teachers it would not be public anymore.

I've been in education for 21+ years. Evaluations are usually just a royal pain in the asterisk. Why do I say this? Because they normally are not geared to actually helping a teacher improve. I have been on both sides of the evaluation process. It takes a lot of work and preparation, as an administrator to use the evaluation process in a positive manner.  I will say that without the ability to dislodge un-teaching teachers it is hard to always make progress.

The reality is that on the whole, good students come from good families, no matter the socio-economic situation. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The block-head doesn't fall to far from the cliff.  If you haven't taught you probably have no idea what it's like to teach a "won't learn" student from a "don't care" parent. If you are a good parent, your children will probably be successful because you will do what you need to do to make sure your child succeeds.

While I do believe teachers should be accountable, parents and students need to be accountable too.

NoTax Tuesday: They tax My Coffee, They Tax My Tea...

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They tax my coffee
They tax my tea
They tax my baby
They tax me.
I make, they take.

They say my money is their to take
To redistribute for those they hate.
"Let's tax the wealthy!" they always say,
But it's my money that doesn't stay.

Giving money to banks to play
To car makers not intending to pay.
The goods and services are green they say,
Which means more money I will pay,
for goods and services
that do not last a day.

Ah, enough of the bashing you will say,
Listen to the President, to what he say.
"Have hope, my dope, it will be OK,
'Cuz I'm the President, that's what I say!"

So, they'll tax my coffe
They'll tax my tea
They'll tax my baby
And they'll tax me.
I'll vote in November
and any time between
To rid this country of this vile scene.

 PTVoice