Mandatory Savings?

I don't get it. Maybe someone can explain it to me.

"Obama’s plan for IRAs does not make the accounts universal. Instead, it targets employers that don’t offer a retirement plan to workers. But like Social Security, the benefit would be automatic. If workers aren’t given a 401(k) or similar option, then their employer must automatically open an IRA on their behalf and make contributions through direct deposit, pulling the cash from the workers’ paycheck. Employees who don’t want to participate could opt out."

1. "But like Social Security, the benefit would be automatic."
2. "their employer must automatically open an IRA on their behalf"
3. "pulling the cash from the workers’ paycheck"
4. "Employees who don’t want to participate could opt out"

Now (if I understand this right) his plan would force (the word "must") employers to automatically take our money like Social Security (whether we like it or not - again, "must"). With all that definitive talk, we could opt out if we wanted. So I ask you.....

Why would we want the government to make us do another Social Security-like thing, as well as they've handled it?

What's the point of forcing employers ("must") to take our money for an IRA - and allow us to opt out if we want to?

You have to do it, but you don't have to????

How about "do nothing" and let me contribute to an IRA if I want to - through payroll deductions if I want? Stay out of my wallet.

All I can see is that they want to control more of our personal finances. If this goes through, they will have control of yet another aspect of our personal lives.

• Ask and ye shall receive.
• You get what you ask for.
• "Change" is not always good.
• "Fundamental change" can be catastrophic.
• Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

The sad thing is, only Liberals/Democrats can change it. Think about it. Does the Democrat [sic] Congress listen to the Republicans? Or do they just let them talk and ignore them - and do what they want without any consideration? Are there any Liberals that will listen to a Conservative and take them seriously? Are you taking my comments seriously? For our sake as a Free Country - I hope so. If not, it will fundamentally change, and very few will like it.

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Energy Control Bill

It passed the House. Does anybody know what's in it? The ones who voted for it don't. I've looked a some of it over, and I don't like what's there. You wouldn't either. I went to the Library of Congress and other official sites.

I really hope the Senate shoots it down, but I have little hope that it will.

I never wanted to "fundamentally change" my Country. I kind of liked it as a Representative Republic form of Freedom. I wonder if anybody asked what he and his Democrat Congress wanted to "fundamentally change" it into?

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Monsoon?

The last three years have given us little rain. We've been very dry around here. The main lake we get our water from has been very low. This year has been pretty wet by comparison. We have been getting rain fairly often. By comparison to previous years, it's been monsoon season. No, it hasn't been a lot really. We could use a lot more, that's for sure. So far this year, we've gotten 5.9" of rain at the airport. That's about 2.5" below normal. Normally, we would have 8.35" by now.

Let the monsoons come!



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New Blog

Shelley and I started up a new blog today. We will display our photography there, along with various happenings in our life together. Feel free to stop by and take a peek if you take the notion. It is new - and a work in progress - so stop by now and then to see what's changed. It's called

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New Ice Age?

Global warming is changing the currents in the Atlantic, according to a 2005 National Geographic News article. So much so, that fears are emerging that we will encounter a mini ice age much like that of the 1300's. We have already been in a cool-down cycle for a couple of years.

Interesting, isn't it? The self-regulating nature of the Earth. The Earth warms a bit for a while, then it finds a way to cool itself. When it does, it will counter that with a warm-up cycle. This cycle is never ending, just like the thermostat in your house. That's why there have been several ice age scares over the last 100-150 years, alternating with global warming scares. Recently, the global warming crowd even recognizes this happens. It's why they changed the terminology to "climate change".

More recently, a National Geographic News report dated May 4, 2009 indicated that the sun's activity is the lowest it's been in decades and the dimmest it's been in 100 years. This tends to support the cooling statistics over the last couple of years. What will happen? We shall see. It won't be catastrophic though, either way. You can bank on it.

Do I buy the ice age theory? Nope. No more than I bought the man-caused global warming hysteria. I have no doubt that the Earth is self-regulating. It's all part of the natural order of things. Us silly humans have to be just a bit arrogant to think that we can actually control the climate. We can't even control it on a very minimal scale - day-to-day weather. In the grand scale of things, we are nothing.

A Leap

We have been talking about getting rid of our landline and DSL service over recent weeks, maybe months - just kind of toying with the idea. A recent brochure in the mail piqued our interest again. Friday, I went down to our cable provider to ask about cable internet. The offer sounded promising with 6 times the speed we were getting, not to mention saving a fair chunk of money each month. I came home with the starter kit and got it all hooked up with our router and all was well. Much faster, indeed!

Since we'll be shutting off our landline, we'll need phone service of some sort - besides our TracFones. I have been using Skype for outgoing calls because we didn't have long distance with our AT&T service and have been well pleased with it. I opted for a very cheap yearly subscription with Skype that would give us unlimited US/Canada long distance service. That, along with the higher speed internet service, will still yield us a fair savings per month.

There is one little thing, though. Ole "Murphy" is paying us a visit now and then. Occasionally our cable internet will lose synch and drop connection. Don't know why yet, but we have a tech coming out to check things out. I hope it's nothing serious and they can fix it quickly. I won't be able to shut off our landline until we can have some reliable service. If we can't get it, we might have to go back to DSL.

A Game of Cat and ........Squirrel?

The neighbor's cat, Binx, decided to try some squirrel hunting this afternoon. He used a natural tree stand in the crotch of some branches, and waited for an unsuspecting squirrel to run up the tree.

It was really a pretty good idea, but this squirrel saw him up there and waited him out. When Binx got tired of waiting and headed back down, they met halfway. I can only imagine what the squirrel was saying as they passed. Binx got a good scolding, I assure you!

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Traditional Values are Gone?

Chuck Schumer has declared that traditional values and a strong foreign policy are over. See for yourself.




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Renaissance Festivals

Anybody go to 'em? Shelley and I will be going to one near Dallas this year - Scarborough Faire. We went once before and had a blast! This year, two things will be different. We both have digital SLR cameras now. And we both have the beginnings of period clothing. Shelley has a peasant blouse and I have a peasant shirt and vest. I'll be adding a wooden stein to my belt. We will look a little more like we're part of it, I think.



(Oh, BTW.....Hi, Kathy!)

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Poetry

My best friend and soul mate presented me with a book that she ordered for me - without my knowledge. My wifey's such a sweet angel. The book is titled "Poems of Patriotism" by Edgar A. Guest - almost 100 years old. After reading over a couple of them, I see that it's a very fitting collection for today. It portrays an attitude that seems to be long gone Here is one that really jumped out at me.

The Time for Deeds
We have boasted our courage in moments of ease,
Our star-spangled banner we've flung on the breeze;
We have taught men to cheer for its beauty and worth,
And have called it the flag of the bravest on earth
Now the dark days are here, we must stand to the test.
Oh, God! let us prove we are true to our best!

We have drunk to our flag, and we've talked of the right
We have challenged oppression to show us its might;
We have strutted for years through the world as a race
That for God and for country, earth's tyrants would face;
Now the gage is flung down, hate is loosed in the world.
Oh, God! shall our flag in dishonor be furled?

We have said we are brave; we have preached of the truth,
We have walked in conceit of the strength of our youth;
We have mocked at the ramparts and guns of the foe,
As though we believed we could laugh them all low.
Now oppression has struck! We are challenged to fight!
Oh, God! let us prove we can stand for the right!

If in honor and glory our flag is to wave,
If we are to keep this—the land of the brave;
If more than fine words are to fashion our creeds,
Now must our hands and our hearts turn to deeds.
We are challenged by tyrants our strength to reveal!
Oh, God! let us prove that our courage is real!

-Edgar A. Guest

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