Surviving on Less Addendum...

A couple of other really good suggestions were brought to my attention regarding our elected representatives who only represent themselves these days. And I believe a concerted effort to implement these changes would do us all a world of good.

(1) I think we should also initiate a lottery system for their removal to match the official national unemployment figures. If 10% of the nation loses their job, that should be matched to the percentage point in their august body. That way, when the rest of the nation loses jobs, some of them should also lose theirs without any advance warning. Then, just maybe, they will understand how the rest of us feel when we see our family and friends suffering due in large measure to stupid decisions they make on Capitol Hill.

(2) Their salaries should be tied to the same index used to pay SSI and SSI Disability payments. If our disabled and elderly can't be afforded a rise in their cost of living, then the Federal Government can't afford one either.

(3) Salaries of all elected officials should be mandated to be set at a national average wage that is not to exceed $75,000.00 per year. It can most certainly be LESS - especially since the politicians keep screaming about what an 'honor' it is to serve the nation and they are, for the most part, more than capable of living on their dividends, stocks, bonds and offshore accounts.

(4) When a simple majority of their constituents are not happy with their performance for the public good, oh, say like right now - when they aren't listening to us on this health care debacle that is about to destroy our nation - we should be able to vote their butts out of office immediately.

and finally,

(5) This idea is the brainchild of Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and is worth a great deal of merit. "Nearly 100,000 civilian federal employees owe the IRS $962 million in back taxes. He thinks they should pay up or be fired. Chaffetz has introduced a bill that calls for the federal government to "ferret out" civilian employees who have "seriously delinquent tax debt" and prevent the hiring of other tax delinquents."

To put it into perspective (quoting from the article): "More than 3 percent of the 2.8 million federal civilian employees owed the Treasury unpaid federal income taxes in 2008, according to the IRS. If you include retirees and military service members, the numbers go from nearly 100,000 up to 276,000 current or former workers who owe $3 billion in taxes.


If you get to the point where the government is putting a lien on their property and they've exhausted their appeals… the right thing to do is fire them as a federal worker," said Chaffetz. "If you're going to take federal tax dollars, you should be paying your federal taxes."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Tax/100000-federal-employees-owe-irs-back-taxes/story?id=10125860 

All I have to say is: AMEN, brother, AMEN!!!

Just a few things to keep in mind about those who are alleged to serve us, but who increasingly serve only themselves.

Nigerian Bank Scam In Reverse

I've decided I've had enough with those emails begging for my help with transferring the multi-gozillion dollars of some Nigerian Prince/magnate who has to ask a total stranger over the internet in a random email for assistance in transferring his valuable holdings from his woefully unstable nation and its collection of undermanaged and risky banking entities.

Now, I'm going to strike a blow for the REST of us.

From now on, I'm going to send out random emails from "my solicitor" (a.k.a. ME) to strange people over the Internet and have them take over the payments of my bills.

To be sure, I am not offering them anything in return but that warm feeling deep in the heart from knowing they have eased the suffering of my wallet. But hey, if enough suckers (uh, excuse me, I meant to say philanthropists!) are around, they can feel better about themselves and I can be debt free by nightfall tomorrow.

Because I am not stupid enough to do this haphazardly, I will set up a PayPal account with a completely new and separate banking organization that will only do one-way transfers from their wallets into mine. I will issue each and every person who is caring enough to get involved in my personal financial meltdown a certificate which they can print off using the cardstock of their choice and which will then be rendered suitable for framing.

Even a philanthropist wants a pat on the back and a few public accolades will certainly boost their stock at the Country Club come the weekend.

This way, they get something for their money so kindly invested into the future of my personal fortunes and hopefully make up for a few reversals, unexpected medical expenses and help replace an aging and tired van.

I can even send them sponsorship photos of the van and of me crying at the mailbox and while answering the phone for yet another bill collector and collection agency screaming about how they want their money even if they have to squeeze the blood out of this particular little Southern turnip green.

I am quite sure the Nigerians and those lovely people in England who claim I am the relative of some Duke of Cheesecake or whatever it was will be happy to donate to ME. After all, they were all confident that they could count on me when they needed help...

Sadly, the only thing I can donate to them is my indebtedness and a heart brim with gratitude when they help me break the yoke of the oppressive compound interest from draining my checking account.

I know it might sound self-serving on the surface. And it is. But why should downtrodden, humble, decent people who only need my help getting their vast fortunes out of Nigeria get all the breaks?

This is America, baby, and the proud, poor and slackers all are deserving of an equal chance to redistribute the wealth from someone else's wallet into their own. Proudly, I am willing to be the first to accept the donations to make my life better through absolutely no work on my own.

I do wonder though, how much tithing you owe on extortion?

If Only I'd Been Faster...

Slow reflexes prevented me from getting to the remote control in time.

Now, I am doomed until I can get the stupid song out of my head.

Those kids programs that are on television during the morning on the educational channel have some of the most annoying music in the ENTIRE world on them! Once the catchy, mind-numbing tune is in your head, it NEVER LEAVES!

I find myself hanging up freshly laundered shirts and humming along to the tune... then I realize what I am doing and scream!

Where is my recalled memory of Whitney Houston or Kansas? But nooooooooo... I get the music to Super Readers or some other such garbage.

Then, I have to be careful about the afternoon programs too.

There is some program called Sid, the Science Kid that comes on about the time I am flipping through the channels to find the afternoon cooking show that I enjoy watching with the nice helpful vegetarian lady who makes some nice looking food. Instead, I accidentally pass the channel with the blue haired, freaky looking animated Sid and his equally freaky family.

The music is horrible, the lyrics are worse but I can't get it out of my head!! AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!

We are wasting valuable resources on the war on terror. Can't we just drop planeloads of these hateful little songs on our nation's enemies and drive them crazy?

I can guarantee that after a couple of run-throughs of this junk they would be certifiably insane and fit for a nice rubber room somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Well, I have finally changed to something more fitting for Jared since he is home for the week for Spring Break in less than Floridian temperatures. The only place the temps are suited is Spring Break at the Arctic Circle. And I just don't want to contemplate seeing the bears in Speedo's. Too gruesome...

May your day be filled with music you WANT to hear and no annoying repeats of something that is guaranteed to drop your I.Q. by 40 points with every repetition.