Christmas... a not so pessimistic view

Well hello readers, After quite a long absence I decided to come back for a post I have wanted to do for awhile about your favorite holiday and mine... Christmas!

To many people the Christmas season means hours and hours of searching for gifts in overly packed stores who cater to the bargain shopper by offering the big .5% sale , or cleaning your house for the throngs of relatives and friends to come over for that over-indulgent dinner that leaves you with the cleanup that would be considered a 3 yr project by the EPA. As I am writing this I am looking at the pile of gifts that would send any toddler on a never ending adrenaline rush in the morning and although most were bought against my prodding, I am thankful for the ability to make Christmas morning an exciting "event" for my little girl. I also cannot wait to tell Mackenzie the "real story" behind this holiday, the one that doesnt include the jolly fat man and 8-9 reindeer and the only gifts mentioned are some perfumes, oil, and gold (back when it was only 3 drachma an oz.) lol.. I want her to have the understanding of how and why Christmas can be celebrated the way it is today without having the feeling that it HAS to be celebrated this way. I dont see the need push any religious beliefs down her throat at such a young age but her knowing that celebrating Christmas like we all like to should only be done knowing that wasnt how it started.

This Christmas she gets to enjoy the unwrapping of all the dolls, toys, clothing  and such while in the next yr or so I get to enjoy teaching her the real meaning of the season as well as the popular beliefs. I want her to come to me and ask me if Santa is real as well as asking me if Jesus was born in a barn (I can really just hear that question now). I want her to ask me the names of the reindeer and the names of the 3 wisemen and above all I want her to ask me what I think Christmas is all about ... I really cannot wait to have that talk with her.

Heres to everyone who shares or chooses not to share my beliefs on this subject.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! ;)

Obamacare.. an interesting take

If you have ever talked at length with me about politics you will know that I am in favor of universal health care.... Now, hold up on the stone throwing for just a sec as I explain something here. In MY terminology, Universal Health Care means that all Americans have access to AFFORDABLE health care procedures. The key to the last sentence is AFFORDABLE!!!! Does it really cost $36,000 to set a broken arm? Does it really cost $2800 for 2 nights in a hospital with nothing but a few bags of intravenous fluids as the primary treatment? NO, it does not... Any hospital bean counters who would like to argue with me please private message me with your numbers as I will make you look like a complete ASS. Knowing that some Americans do not have Insurance coverage (for various reasons) and that some Americans have lacking coverage (again for various reasons) I agree with the attempt to have some sort of "Universal Health Coverage" to offset major medical expenses.

Ok, now I got that out of the way... down to the heart of the matter. Most doctors I have dealt with are greedy self-serving capitalistic ASSES who would rather charge $30.00 to administer an aspirin than to remember that damn oath they took. One way to cut down expenses would be to universally CAP what doctors could charge for certain procedures (maybe Obamas' death panels could have a use after all). But, should we not choose this option, A Universal Health Coverage program would be the next step. A severe problem occurs with this however as the "Elected Leaders" of this country decided to implement a part of a plan that borders on insane as well as unconstitutional. According to the newly enacted law EVERY citizen must carry health insurance or risk fines.. HUH?? What? Congress and our esteemed President (note the sarcasm) are telling me I must spend my money on something THEY do not have to, hmmm, interesting, but lets continue.. Apart from HAVING to spend my money the way that they see fit, I have to spend it using gov't run health care exchanges... SORRY I AM STILL LAUGHING AT THIS! These people cannot balance a budget, and they want to control my health care expenses.. RIGHT! For Congress to mandate the usage of my money AFTER they have already raped me of my taxes (I mean taken my taxes away) and spend it with other gov't run entities is just LUDICROUS! Apart from being unconstitutional (certain there is no mention of having to take part in gov't run idiocy... trust me on this) you have to be a complete moron to think THIS is a good idea. As usual though, the "elected leaders" of this country have decided in their infinite wisdom to award some "exemptions" to the law... AWESOME... Interested in seeing a list of these exemptions??? Check out the list of donors to the campaigns of the top 10 ranking Congressmen and "Elected Leaders" who proposed and pushed through this wonderful piece of legislation.

I know I rant and rave about this stuff almost a point of incoherence, but I am starting to think that the general population has become so APATHETIC to the state of our country that they will just go along like sheeps being led to slaughter. I hope that among my little sphere of FB friends or people who just happen to read this on the side that I can incite some inquisitiveness as to the goings on in this country today....

If you are wondering what set me off NOW as its been over a year since this "law" went in to effect, below is a quote I read...

"Individuals who choose to go without health insurance are making an economic decision that affects all of us – when people without insurance obtain health care they cannot pay for, those with insurance and taxpayers are often left to pick up the tab," said White House adviser Stephanie Cutter.

This is simply a FALSE statement , when a medical bill does not get paid by the consumer several things can and do happen. The consumers are harrassed by collections agencies,  The bills are written off as bad debts, or as I have witnessed and taken part in when the hospital(s) make a mistake and you decide to enlighten the public about the mistake (not a lawsuit, just an editorial in the local newspaper) you suddenly become eligible for a "grant" that pays almost all your bill... LOL, seriously.. it has happened.

But I know that NO ONE is going to question Ms/Mrs Cutter on the validity of that statement and that in part is whats wrong with MY America

RANT TIME!!!

1st in a series of 3 things that are bugging the hell out of me...

#1 With the financial shape of this country in shambles I found a particular news story in the local paper angering! It seems a local municipality has decided (with the help of some overzealous volunteers) that they need a 3.5 million dollar new building built to house their fire apparatus. If it was a case of need, so be it but having some working knowledge of the issue it seems to be just another case of WE WANT MONEY, LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY. 1/2 of the cost will be furnished through a grant (not knowing what kind of grant and where it orginates from I wont comment on that) BUT the other 1/2 .. a full 1.75 MILLION dollars is going to be funded by the enaction of a 2 MIL FIRE PROTECTION TAX, I have to wonder if the citizens that this burden is being levied upon had the ability and/or prior knowledge of this proposal so they would have the opportunity to voice their opposition. With the current financial state of the federal, state, and local governments why do the elected leaders take it upon themselves to further burden the taxpayers with their trivial pet projects????

Looking a little deeper into the story, I see that that the $3.5 million price tag includes the demolition of a few homes, hmmm ... good lets tax the citizens with trivial taxes AND buy their houses out from under them. But in the end the local municipality will own this new building (from which no taxes are collected, thereby adding to the tax burden of the rest of the citizens).. Just another in a series of stories that show the utter ignorance and stupidity of the "ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES". Its time we as a collective group come together and put people in charge who have he best interest of US instead of themselves...

Racism in MY AMERICA....from an unlikely source

Here we go again! I have found yet another thing that IRRITATES the hell out of me and I think needs to be said...

Flipping through the TV channels with my trusty remote by my side I stop by a news story dedicated to an Irish-American festival. I dismiss it and continue in search of a better source of entertainment. The next day I am in Allentown to play some football and I witness some Hispanic-American signs during a rally. A couple days later I hear that a popular sports coach has received an African-American coaching award...

1st things 1st ... Congratulations to anyone who gets the recognition they deserve. NOW.. STOP WITH THE (-) AMERICAN CRAP!!!!!
I understand being proud of your heritage but you are a citizen of this country and that makes you a plain jane red white and blue AMERICAN!!!! If you are not a citizen of this country, perhaps you soon will be.

I have to wonder if some people are not ashamed to be an AMERICAN!?!?!? I understand this country has its problems but it remains the GREATEST COUNTRY ON THE PLANET and probably the only country where people could get away with the nomenclature that is used.
By strict definition anyone who groups themselves away from any other group is commiting RACISM! To understand this you have to step beyond the color lines and see racism in all its forms. Now I am not opposed to groups of people celebrating their heritage in ways that they choose but when they knowingly call themselves something other than or more than just AMERICANS they are separating themselves from me and are (you guessed it) committing RACISM! I think people need to be proud of this country that they call home and that allows them to celebrate their ancestral heritage.

The divisiveness needs to STOP! You are an AMERICAN and you should come to terms with that and be proud of it. I mean seriously, can you really call yourself anything other than an AMERICAN when you were born in HOBOKEN NEW JERSEY!!!???!!!

Maybe I should just call myself a Palmerton-Irish-German-Northumberland County American and join the "majority", or perhaps everyone should join me in singing Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" and really believe what that song says... just perhaps

In ending I will say RACISM (no matter where it comes from) is whats wrong with MY AMERICA


"If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA."

Lee Greenwood

End of the World... maybe!

Well May 21st 2011 has come and gone and I am still here (as is almost everyone I know). I must admit that I am not terribly surprised by this "development" as I can remember at least 3 other "END OF THE WORLDS!" We can all remember at least a little of the hysteria around Y2K... what a joke!!!

Time after time the "learned" among us claim to be able to fortell the destruction of humankind and our planet to boot. They post the most crackpot theories and back them up with some pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo from professor Hibab of the Southwestern College of AstroPhorensics somewhere in Burma (no offense to any professors named Hibab or any of my Burmese friends..) and of course the gullible readers of these posts believe EVERYTHING they read and go into world destruction mode! TV specials are aired breaking down what may happen, Hollywood cashes in on it and the sales of BOMB SHELTERS go through the roof. In this particular case an 89 yr old radio host had the "info" and decided to use tons of his "donated monies" to spread the word of the upcoming catastrophe... hmmm, yeah, that worked!

But Fear NOT!! Mr Camping (the 89 yr old in the previous paragraph) has stated that he misunderstood exactly what was to happen and has set the new END OF THE WORLD date for Oct. 21st 2011... Great !!!! Palmerton has trick or treat a week later, guess I dont have to worry about letting the porch light on. I guess we need not think about the previous 3 "END OF THE WORLDS" that Mr Camping has predicted, just mathematical errors or misunderstandings he claims... or.. he may be an idiotic crackpot! You choose!

One day the world will end and we may or may not be here when it happens. Humans may or may not be able to do much about it at the time but chances are we are not going to know about it very far into our future, even those "learned 89 yr old radio host preachers." In the end if you want something to obsess and worry over try decipering the latest congressional budget proposals.. MINDBLOWING!!

Millions of people taking these predictions seriously is one of the things wrong with MY AMERICA..

If you want something end of day-ish, try looking up the APOPHIS in 2029 and 2036.. its far more interesting then the Mayan Long Count calendar ending in 2012 (after all what do we do when the calendar runs out??? We change the year....  MORONS!)

Fear Mongering about Global Warming

"The sky is falling!" "The sky is falling!" "Be afraid, if we don't change our ways the sky may fall in the next 150 years!"

We've all heard similar statements that at times have scared the crap out of us, or if you're like me... makes you research and think about the issue.
With every new weather pattern or every glitch in long term predictions, the GLOBAL WARMING fear mongerers come out of the woodwork. Every time the rainfall reaches 1/2" more than normal or a tornado outbreak happens where it hasnt in 100 years then GLOBAL WARMING HAS to be the cause. I think its time to set the record straight with what I have found out and with what common sense tells me.
1st.. The Earth IS warming, or at least in most parts it is! UH OH..What??? Yep, the earth is in a warming trend. Should we all be afraid??? Nahh.... The earth is actually COOLER than it was less then 1000 years ago before the LITTLE ICE AGE. We hear constantly that burning fossil fuels is pumping so much CO2 into the air that it is creating a smothering blanket of heat over our planet. While it is true that we are polluting the atmosphere with ALOT of CO2 and other toxins and they do cause a greenhouse effect that raises the earths' temperature, it is also true that the raise in temperature of the climate of the planet is less then 2 degrees. We hear that just a 3 degree jump in temperature will cause the melting of the polar ice caps and absolute destruction of low-lying areas....well, uhhh... not ENTIRELY true on this part, When Normal temperatures are listed for a particular area at a particular time there is a + or - 4 degree window where the temp is still considered normal. Normal temps are also only normal for the last 150 yrs.....thats it!!! 150 yrs, and right away the scientists have a handle on the long term prognosis of the climate.
Just to show you how off the scientists are about the effect of Global Warming, you just have to look at the predictions for the summer hurricane season. Every year since '05 the weather services have stated that because of Global Warming we will have ABOVE AVERAGE number of hurricanes with increased ferocity.... Thats 7 yrs of predictions, they have had to modify that number DOWN 5 of those 7.... They have been wrong 5 out of the last 7 years, CRAZY!!!! And we should be listening to these guys, RIGHT!!!!
Lets say just for the sake of argument, that we have caused the earths' temperature to rise at a faster then normal rate. According to all the science that I have read on the subject, the long term effect... an ICE AGE... 
I dont know about you but I could use a tan, and I'll be putting a good PARKA on layaway...

I implore everyone though the next time they hear the dire predictions to do some of the research available over the internet from the many reliable sources including the same ones making the predictions.

Maybe the govt should tax homeowners of future beachfront property to close the budget deficit..just a thought  .. (LOL)

In the end Fear Mongering about Global Warming is one of the things wrong with MY AMERICA

Politics... Stupidity with a name

When I was in 3rd grade my 2 best friends got into a fight over a dollar. Best friend #1 wanted to spend the dollar on candy while best friend #2 wanted to save the dollar for a future purchase all the while both of them knowing that the dollar belonged to me. This is my dumbed down version of politics!

We have in this country 2 major political parties (sorry Tea-partiers.. not quite there yet) who have very different ideas on just about EVERYTHING. The problem with this discord of ideas is that these people are supposed ro be representing the will of US! Very recently we have been hearing of government shutdowns and debt ceilings and of course ELECTIONS. The Democratic party as a whole have a "spending spree" mentality that funds just about everything from studying a manure farm in Kentucky to helping Iowa farmers grow Cocoa (I wont go into too much detail why these are just useless ideas but take for granted that they are). Republicans on the other hand think this spending is FRIVOLOUS and want to cut spending drastically. Nothing  would make me happier than balancing the budget and gettting spending under control...BUT before we think the Republican party is the greatest thing since sliced bread and are totally magnanimous in this goal, we have to realize that even they would want to spend well over their means if it suited their ideals. Whereas the Democrats would love to pump millions of dollars into funding public transportation, the Republicans would love to throw a billion dollars at the development of a stealth aircraft that may or may not help the military in the near future.

A little history lesson for us all, our 1st president (commonly listed as one of our greatest presidents) despised political parties for these very reasons.. The leader of this country 200 yrs ago knew what we seem to have a very difficult time grasping, that political parties are in fact more bad then good.

While the issues with the parties seem almost impossible to fix, there are simple solutions available. Politicians could LISTEN to their constituents. They could actually act on our behalf like they are supposed to do, if they choose not to then they are removed from office after 1 term. If we increase referendums on ballots and require politicians to vote in line with the answers given. Until the elected officeholders start listening to the voters the policies that are currently have this country in flux are doomed to continue. We need to have people representing us that have our ideals, our backgrounds, our needs in mind. When the only 2 people on a ballot are a lawyer who lives in a half million dollar house and makes $250,000 a year and a trust fund baby that has never worked a day in his/her life.... how can they possibly represent us, how can they possibly know what we need? They can't !!! Until the political landscape improves to a point that Joe the Plumber can run for office and WIN, no improvements seem likely.

 I myself toyed with the idea of running for office in the 2012 elections but through research I found that it would cost me nearly a half million dollars to run for Congress.... a half million dollars, absolutely crazy money!!! We need someone like me to get this country back on track, back to its heyday, back to normalcy.

In the end I'm left with this... POLITICS, it's what is wrong with MY AMERICA