Congressional Perks

The song seemed so appropriaste for this text.

Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years. If you've ever wondered why our so-called representatives in Washington think about Medicare and Social Security differently than the rest of us, this may explain it. Our Senators and Congressmen do not pay into Social Security. Many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congress person has felt the need to change it. For all practical purposes their plan works like this: When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die, except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000 - that's Seven Million, Eight Hundred Thousand, with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each. Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00. This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Fund--our tax dollars at work! From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into --every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer) --we can expect to get an average $1,000 per month after retirement. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits! Social Security could be very good if only one small change was made. And that change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us and then watch how fast they would fix it. If enough people are made familiar with this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve. WE, each one of us... can make a difference. Start writing those letters and emails today. Get your Congressional people on the phone NOW and tell them you've had enough!

It would be really great if some of you with high-profile blogs would repeat this and ask your readers to repeat it also.  Perhaps we could get somemthing going.

French Ban on Genetically Modified Corn Loses Another Round 

Long lines as Egyptians vote in historic poll

Dumb Law of the Week: In Montana, a wife cannot open her Husband's mail!!

À la prochaine, mes amis.

Blah Blah Blah

Spent most of the week feeling like crap...blah, blah, blah. My Primary Physician thought it might be helpful if I went for a heart stress test, so that is scheduled for the beginning of December. I've never had a heart problem and don't expect them to find anything, but it's a precaution.  My new doctor surprised me yesterday.  He called to simply see how I was doing.  I've NEVER had a doctor call me, much less just to inquire into my well-being.  He may be a keeper.

Dear Mobile Phone manufacturers, it is NOT necessary to have a volume control on the side, top, or bottom of the phone. Love, Bob

To ALL the stupid Hollywood TV writers out there. Why do you insist on putting the star of the show in a "life threatening" situation? Everybody in the whole damned world knows you are not going to kill the star of the show. If you can't write any better than that, get out of the business. Producers, what the hell is wrong with you, why don't you cut those stupid scripts and fire the writers?

I wonder how much the drug companies paid to get this ruling: Doctors: Test all kids for cholesterol by age 11 CHICAGO (AP) - Every child should be tested for high cholesterol as early as age 9 - surprising new advice from a government panel that suggests screening kids in grade school for a problem more common in middle age.

LHC May Have Found Crack in Modern Physics. In late 2008, a few onlookers believed that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) would bring the end of the world. Three years later, our planet remains intact, but the European particle smasher may have made its first crack in modern physics.

How Many Neutrinos Does It Take to Screw Up Einstein?

Dumb Law of the Week: In Minnesota, it is illegal to tease skunks!

À la prochaine, mes amis.

Not Feeling So Good Myself

Was having trouble breathing for the past few days and finally forced myself to go to the Emergency Room last night. I was going to have Robb drive me, but then realized I didn't even have enough energy to get to the car, so we called 911. A funny thing happened when they came in to get me. The said they couldn't get the gurney into the apartment and could I walk? I thought they meant for me to walk downstairs, so I replied that I couldn't. Then they suggested I could sit in my office chair and be wheeled out. Seemed like a plan to me, but I had this vision of me being wheeled all the way downstairs. They, of course, only took me as far as the door where I got onto the gurney. As soon as they put the oxygen on me, I was fine. I knew that was all I really needed, but as far as I know, there is no place you can call and ask them send oxygen. We were at the hospital for about three hours and then came home. I'm hoping this little incident will convince my insurance company that I really do need an oxygen unit in the apartment, but knowing how insurance companies work, I very much doubt it.

So let's say there was a "Big Bang". What was it that went "bang?" Why did it go "bang"? Where did it come from? What was it doing before it went "bang"? If one "thing" went "bang", could something else go "bang" some day?

Anyone wonder where Sam and Dean on Supernatural get the money for the uniforms, disguises, badges, credit cards, motel rooms, food. etc, etc????

Hundreds of police officers in riot gear raided the Occupy Wall Street encampment in New York City in the pre-dawn darkness Tuesday, evicted hundreds of demonstrators and demolished the tent city that was the epicenter of a movement protesting what participants call corporate greed and economic inequality.

Isn't it great to live in a FREE COUNTRY?!?!?! Oh wait, this isn't France where people are FREE to PROTEST!!!!!

Only place in America >100 miles from a McDonald’s 

Dumb Law of the Week: In Michigan, a woman's hair is property of her husband!

À la prochaine, mes amis.

Party Party

Our friend Dee retired from the library system after thirty-eight years with the County. Dee was the Building Maintenance Supervisor, and was responsible for all thirty-eight branches of the Broward County Library System. A big party was held Friday night at the Signature Grand in Davie, Florida, which is just west of Fort La-de-da. It is a huge place consisting solely of banquet rooms. There are at least ten of which I'm certain because I saw them the night of Dee's party, and all of them were full of people having some kind of social affair. Rosa, who put the thing together, was expecting about seventy-five people, but a hundred and forty showed up. It was so strange for me. I recognized almost everyone I saw but could not for the life of me, remember their names

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Big Asteroid to Pierce Earth-Moon Orbit Tuesday

Obama health care law has unexpected beneficiaries

China Builds World Class Supercomputer Sans Intel, AMD

Dumb Law of the Week: In Massachussets, it is illegal to Shave while Driving!

Bad Choice Logo of the Week:  Happy Man Bottle Stopper

À la prochaine, mes amis.