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Monthly Archives: July 2013

The Case For…


We have what is known as a Home Warranty. This is a service you pay for annually or monthly ( depending on the company). This covers most household  repairs to appliances and some plumbing and or electrical. Coverage depends on what you feel you need. Some items you may not need or want but it is part of the coverage you select. This explanation is an entrée to the rest of this blog. In the past  few years we have had to have the heating plant replaced, the AC unit replaced, refrigerator repaired  twice and  a few other repairs that in total would have cost in excess of $3900.00 compared to $420.00  for the annual cost and 60.00 for service charge each occurrence ( 4 times). So for $660.00 I got my furnace replaced, AC replaced and several other repairs. Current situation: refrigerator defrost switch went out (unit does not cool or freeze). Switch was replaced, next after a few months, the defroster coil went out, now waiting for it to come in. My family room has 4 ice chests with contents of refrigerator and the frozen food in the small freezer in the garage. Imagine having to but ice over several days to keep the food fresh and draining the melt water twice daily, not fun but necessary. This is a case for having  a home warranty on appliances rather than the extended warranty offered by  the appliance sellers as most appliances last for years before any repairs are required. All of this does not accelerate my repairs but just mentioning the advantage of having a Home Warranty Contract.

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TIred or Should Be.


Aren’t we all tired of ongoing and seemingly never ending media farming and   political rhetoric coming out of Washington? Since the advent of internet, tweets, face book and other electronic media the politicians have assailed us with “their side” of things. During all of the media deluge, where are the results of their so called work in the legislature? These folks can readily appear on TV, radio and give interviews but they cannot seem to do what they are paid to do. They all have staffers who are supposed to do the “grunt” work but it appears that these staffers have an agenda of their own and not necessarily in the public interest. Many of the legislative work is done by staffers so the legislator can get a synopsis of the bill to vote for not, offer changes or other pertinent information. These dilutions result in flawed legislature that “bites” the citizens in the butt. We already have the likes of Bill O’Reilly, Karl Rove (by the way the spelling is Teutonic), Ann Coulter and Mr. Krauthammer  proselytizing the downside of the current administration but every administration has a downside (even Lincoln’s ). Our job is to take an overview of all of the media output and dismiss half, filter a quarter and make a  judgement on the last quarter. This will give you a starting point to be an informed voter. It is the purpose of all of these pundits to sway us to their cause but didn’t Jim Jones and Charles Manson do the same?

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Ok


 This is a old spiritual sung a freedom song yet no many has heard it or remembered it. It is as pertinent today as it was years ago. It tells about the struggle to survive and suffer what ever consequences that might arise. It is imperative that we all heed the message and understand that no struggles are ever over until the end result is achieved. Do not believe our elected representatives have our best interests at heart. Unfortunately WE have allowed them too much leeway and they have picked our pockets.

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  Climbing up the mountain children (Oh Lord I) Didn’t come here for to stay (Oh brother) If I never more see you again Goin’ to meet you at the judgement day Repeat Verse 1
Moses went down into Egypt land He told ole Pharoah That the good Lord sittin’ on His heavenly throne Said, let my people go
Daniel in the den of lions He did begin to pray That the Angel of the Lord locked the lion’s jaw That sho’ was a mighty day (good Lord) Sho’ was a mighty day
Chorus: (I’m gonna ride) Ride the chariot in the mornin’ Lord (I’m gonna ride) Ride the chariot in the mornin’ Lord (I’m gettin’ ready) I’m gettin’ ready for the judgment day My Lord, my Lord
Repeat Chorus
Are you ready, my brother? (oh yes) Are you ready for the journey? (oh yes) Do you want to see your Jesus? (oh yes) I’m waiting for the chariot ’cause I’m ready to go
Are you ready, my sister? (oh yes) Are you ready for the journey? (oh yes) Do you want to see your Jesus? (oh yes) I’m waiting for the chariot ’cause I’m ready to go
Repeat Chorus
Ride the chariot in the mornin’ Lord Ride the chariot in the mornin’ Lord (I’m gettin’ ready) I’m gettin’ ready for the judgment day (I’m ready for) For the judgment day (I’ll be ready for the day)

Pundits Don’t Run


Several high profile pundits make suggestions and solutions to various party programs and platforms. The suggestions while certainly not necessarily bad .good or even plausible serve to only to fire up segments of the public to no good end. Their opinions while allowable under our Constitution often require a wider view. To assume or accept that their premises are correct is to accept sometimes flawed information. These pundits sometimes are the hardliners of a party and often their opinions are not in the best interest of the ordinary members of the party. These folks do not run for office but (and)  sometimes succeed in swaying voters. Each person has the ability to read and decide how truthful (or not) the information is yet many of us follow their activities as blindly as the  “zombies” in movies. I am certainly happy that we live in America where these narrowly focused writers offer their opinions as if they  were the opinions of the greater part of society and are still not in jail.

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What If- Again


What if the elected, selected and optioned government officials were all on survivor? Could we see some decisions that were  more rational?  What we currently have are many talking heads who at best are under informed or at worse so self centric that they feel invulnerable and totally correct. There have been many movies that involve government conspiracies and these movie plots many times involve someone in politics who has reached  high office but feels the power of the office puts them above the law. There are a multitude of “what ifs” that could be applied but what if we did not have the doubt of “what if”?

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We Know More.


Has anyone noticed that we know more about the workings of our government since Mr. Obama took office. This is  probably due the extensive attempts to foil the President’s  efforts at changing how Washington works, making a workable health care plan and other changes that did and does not sit well with the long serving Congress ( Dupublicans and Scamocrats). Through the constant media blurbs after any Presidential speech, presentation or even just an acknowledgment of a national tragedy, it has become clear that some of us would rather have a poorly functioning government than one headed by a non white. The some are  fewer than in years past yet our elected officials have  not arrived in this century. This is well after  several Presidents who have been competent at the job and some not so competent. Looking at the job itself, there is no manual or list of do’s and don’ts, just on the fly training with a lot of people wanting to be served (sometimes at the detriment of others). What we as voters need to take note of is: Our Congress has  and is spending more time covering what is in their litter box than actually governing. That is enough to pay particular attention to them from now until their next election cycle and we can then send clear messages about what we like and dislike. Given that our Constitution is a flexible document which allows it to used  for all of us and can change as times change. The interpretation is the big issue, some parts are written in stone and others are not. The hard part is to have the Governing bodies really understand the document  as it was written and apply it with the same intent as it was written. There have been and will continue to be challenges to the Constitution but most will fail if the instrument is considered as it was written. My opinion is: The current Congress has failed and been failing for years, now some of the sitters are attempting to use the Constitution to subvert any changes to the status quo (which means any change to “their” status quo). It is my hope that we all (voters) know more about what the Constitution is, how it works  and its content. Please remember the establishment known as Congress will never make any changes to their status Quo (pensions, perks, etc.) not to mention step down at any point or set term limits for their seats. We as citizens are as much at fault as the 500 plus Seat fillers because we  want what we  want and have no thought  of how we get it and what effects it has elsewhere. If you remember 1973 when prices rose to where they should have 15 to 20 years before, we were all outraged but very happy when we were living in a “manufactured paradise” of low prices. Now we know more than we ever knew before and we do not like it but as always the truth is not always pleasant but always the truth.

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Native Americans and Trayvon Martin


I am including a link below to a column on Trayvon Martin. This is the blue or underlined  link.
Native American Journalists on Trayvon Martin

“We have our own system of injustice, and we’ve been living it for 100 years,” one veteran Native journalist said.

 

 

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Trayvon Martin-Maybe Not My last Word


I was listening to ON Point on Wbur rehashing and adding to the Trayvon Martin tragedy. I have listed the information on this discussion:

Race In America Today_ go to http://onpoint.wbur.org for the whole discussion. I think all of us pro or con should read or listen to it.
Thanks
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My Last Word on The Sanford Incident


Trayvon Martin is gone but not forgotten, that in its self is a punishment for Sanford Florida and George Zimmerman. People will not easily forget Mr. Zimmerman but they will never forget Trayvon martin. Mr. Zimmerman will answer to a higher power while looking over his shoulder for the remainder of his life. His action alone precipitated this untimely death and then he altered the facts with the assistance of  Sanford law enforcement.  While this does not amount to real justice, real justice always favors the right even if we never see it. The other victims in this are the jurors who were not given all of the facts REQUIRED to render a just verdict.

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Illinois First?


The seemingly never ending media based discussion on  legislation and actions that have long lasting  and often deleterious effects on the public continue. The Concealed carry issue, the pension issue and other highly publicized items all have been played out in the media but no real solutions are put forth. My opinion is: the elected seat fillers (Scamocrats and Dupublicans) all need to  reread Roberts Rules of order or some Parliamentary procedure that would enable them to get some real work done in the normal allotted time instead of expensive special sessions. We all want these elected representative to work for us but we pay no attention until it hits the front pages of  newspapers. We still elect these people  on their words and not their performance. If you made a purchase  at a store and the product did not perform, you have the right to return it for a refund or replacement. We have the same right with elected officials. Thereby keeping the electorate honest and above board (we hope).

Only in Illinois ( I think) can simple issues of law and government be convoluted until it so complicated that no one can administer it , aside from understanding it. This puts a terrible burden on the people who have to handle the paperwork, explain any questions and take the heat from frustrated users of the service. The lack of complete and pure resolution in these cases amounts to malfeasance as far as I am concerned, the Legislators and Governor seem to have an issue with doing the work but no problem in taking the pay for this work. The most waited event in this state is the arrival of some honest or honorable people to be the legal and administrative arms of the State.

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