I Am The 53% #OMJ

Posted on October 11, 2011 | 2 comments
  • I am a child of a divorced family.
  • Growing up, my family qualified for free and reduced lunches.
  • I got my first job, literally, for my 10th birthday.  I’ve been collecting a pay check for 33 years.
  • I took out student loans to get through college
  • I worked 20-30 hours a week to get through college
  • I paid back my student loans
  • I once offered to work for free for two weeks in order to secure a job.
  • I later managed that business.
  • When the technology start-up company I worked for went out of business, I moved 1,200 miles.
  • To secure employment as a cafeteria cashier.
  • AND I worked a second job as a wedding bartender.
  • AND I worked a third job, on weekend days, as a bartender at a Ground Round.
  • For more years consecutive than I care to think about, I’ve worked my allotted number of yearly hours by the month of August.
  • I’ve purchased hundreds of dollars of books and trade magazines to remain educated in my field.
  • When there is no one else to go to, I raise my hand.

I am the 53%.  And I will do what I always do:  Occupy My Job

 

 

 

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Posted in Idiots on Parade, Life

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Domestic Oil Production: The Liberal Myth

Posted on October 11, 2011 | 3 comments

During the 2008 campaign, we heard a lot of Sarah Palin extolling America to “Drill Baby Drill”.  And, from the Left, we heard the mockery of such a policy.  Chief among them the complaint that any oil production is more than 10-15 years away.  We’ll simply never see the oil is what they would say.

It’s starting to look like that’s not a true statement:  Hat Tip to the incomparable Care Diem

A new record for monthly production: 13,768,395 barrels, a 34.6% increase from last August.  In just a little more than two years (since June 2009), oil production has doubled in North Dakota.

Like anything, expose it to the market and the benefits will astound you.

 

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Posted in Economics, Economy, Energy

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North Carolina’s Toll Road

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve long been an opponent of toll based funding of our public roads, highways and bridges.  However, as I’ve been enjoying my Libertarian blossoming, I have come to embrace the idea.  And mainly for two reasons:

  1. The closer we can get to real use based funding, the better our roads will be funded.  Those that use the road more will end up paying for that road.  Big corporation drives trucks over our publicly funded freeways?  Charge those trucks for that privilege.  Don’t drive those roads but DO purchase the goods and services of those corporations?  Pay that toll through pass through costs.
  2. Tolls can easily be adjusted using technology to influence traffic patterns.  Traffic begins to choke things up at 08:00?  Reduce the toll for drivers up until 08:00.  And then increase it slightly through the rush hour until the demand goes back down.  Over time, traffic will normalize.

And so North Carolina begins its foray into toll based funding:

MORRISVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina’s first toll road is almost ready for drivers…

….

When Phase I of the toll road – a stretch of 3.4 miles between Interstate 40 at N.C. Highway 147 in Durham County south to Interstate 540 in Wake County – opens in December, it and the existing portion of N.C. Highway 540 between N.C. Highways 54 and 55 will be the Tar Heel state’s first toll road.

Drivers will have one month’s grace, and tolls will begin in January 2012.

I’m excited to see how the toll goes.  I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to recover enough money to fund these “infrastructure jobs” that the Obama administration continues to talk about.  The direct tax from tolls should be able to be easily tracked to highway funding.  This should be a no brainer.

However, I also fear that the money we normally collect for our roads will simply be diverted to other uses and that, in net, our roads will continue to be underfunded.

Sigh.

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Posted in Government, Politics: North Carolina

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How To Address The Deficit

Posted on October 11, 2011 | 2 comments

All the talk has been about how we are going to reduce our debt and cut into our deficit.  Indeed, much debate has occurred over the proper way to accomplish this.  Those on the right are more willing to see a solution that attacks this problem only through reduction in spending.  More centrist folks want a raise in the tax revenues to be part of that solution.

I happen to fall in the middle.  While I really want spending to be the only method we use, I’m willing to compromise and agree to small tax increases.  But only because I don’t think the taxes being proposed are meaningful and amount to a political win only for the Democrats.

In other words, give ’em there trophy so that we can get to the business of fixing this mess.

But then I saw this:

Democratic leaders in the Senate are scrambling to avoid defections on President Obama’s jobs package, which appears headed for defeat on Tuesday.

…

Lieberman opposes the bill because the 5.6 percent surtax on millionaires is being used for new spending instead of reducing the deficit

This is why you can’t negotiate with these people.  And this is why this problem may never get fixed.

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Posted in Economy, Politics: National

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Occupy Wall Street: An American Spring

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

So, the hope of our fathers, our children marching into society, the future of America has elicited THIS editorial from, of all countries, Iran:

An Iranian military commander says that the protests spreading from New York’s Wall Street to other US cities are the beginning of an “American Spring” – likening them to the uprisings that toppled Arab autocrats in the Middle East.

General Masoud Jazayeri of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the protests against corporate greed and the gap between rich and poor are a revolution in the making that will topple what he called the Western capitalist system.

Oh my, what a nation we have built.

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Posted in Education, Idiots on Parade

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Medical Care In The United States

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

More proof that we have the best medical care delivery system in the entire history of the world:

Drugstore and supermarket pharmacies across the country have launched a marketing blitz to attract flu shot customers, touting the convenience of stopping at a local drugstore and often offering drop-in vaccinations anytime the pharmacy is open — sometimes even 24 hours a day.

“If you decided at 4 o’clock in the morning you wanted to go out and had nothing better to do than get a flu shot, you could walk right in and you could get a flu shot,” says Scott Gershman, pharmacy manager at a Walgreens drugstore in Springfield, Va.

Shelley Troff and her 13-year-old son dropped by Gershman’s pharmacy one afternoon in September to get their annual shots. Troff says she didn’t even consider going to her doctor’s office. “To be frankly honest, Walgreens is easier,” she explains. “Since this is one mile from my house and the clinic is 20 minutes from my house, this is where I come.”

Pharmacies usually charge between $25 and $32, while a shot at the doctor’s office generally costs at least $48

Really super sucks to be an American.

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Posted in Health Care

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How To Influence Corporate America

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

If you wanna graduate level course in “Impacting Corporate Greed”, just read the following:

Bowing to customers’ anger and confusion over its move to divide its streaming and DVD video offerings, Netflix is reversing itself, snuffing the plan to offer DVDs by mail via a new service called “Qwikster.”

Why did Netflix do this?

The decision to split the services was wildly unpopular among Netflix subscribers. Reacting to the announcement on Facebook, a customer named Willie Williams summed it up in a way that 1,877 people agreed with:

Individually your DVD and steaming services do not offer enough to justify their expense. As a bundled service they supplement each other and provide the value that made Netflix wonderful. DVDs allowed you to view newer releases in a fairly timely manner. Streaming allowed for viewing of the older catalog of movies that come up when you think of it but might not be worth waiting for to arrive in the mail….

By separating these services I fear you are weakening Netflix as a service and subsequently the brand. Together these services made Netflix a success, separated you lack the availability and pricing of your competitors.

Corporations have no power if they don’t produce stuff you don’t want.

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Posted in Economics, Rocket Surgery

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Something Just Didn’t Sound Right

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’m reading a report of Seattle’s version of Occupy Wall Street.  The gathering is taking place in Westlake Park.  Westlake is a great place.  Open spaces, great shopping and restaurants, close to everything.

I love it.

But, with all the protesters there, the local business owners are getting tired; turns out that tons of anti-capitalists aren’t good for business.

Anyway, that is surprising and isn’t what caught my attention.  This is:

Shelia Locke owns Bobachine Cafe, which is right on Westlake Park. She said she’s supportive of the protesters’ cause but that the crowds haven’t been good for business.

“There’s definitely fewer people you can identify as people out, just walking through the area,” she said.

Some customers are coming anyway.

“It’s no big deal — I’ve been unemployed for two years,” Cindy Hawk said.

Catch that?  I’ll quote again:

 “It’s no big deal — I’ve been unemployed for two years,” Cindy Hawk said.

Awesome.  Unemployed for 2 years, but still has money to eat at the tawny joints in downtown Seattle.

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Posted in Idiots on Parade, Lobby/PAC, Politics: National

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Governor Purdue And Gay Marriage Amendment

Posted on October 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

I shouldn’t be surprised.  Democrats have long ago abandoned any hope of defending individual liberty.  In so far that the Liberal Left picks up any cause, it’s done simply to gather that group’s vote in future elections.  You think the Democrats support civil rights?  Look at their record on civil rights votes.  Think that Liberals defend folks who are discriminated because of who they are?  Consider the same Liberals who demand their music not be played at certain functions.

Public schools?  Look where Obama sends his kids.

And now we have one more example of a Leftist going out in public displaying her finest pandering colors:

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Friday she’ll vote against a change to North Carolina’s constitution next May that would prohibit gay marriage…

See.  A hypocrite.

“But Pino”, you may claim, “she is voting against the amendment and FOR liberty!  Ahhh, but look closer:

Perdue said in a prepared statement she believes marriage is between one man and one woman and voted while in the Legislature for a 1996 law so that North Carolina couldn’t recognize same-sex marriages in other states.

“I continue to support that law today,” Perdue said.

So, how does the good Govna of the Great State of North by God Carolina explain her fllippy floppyness of her vote?

“But I’m going to vote against the amendment because I cannot in good conscience look an unemployed man or woman in the eye and tell them that this amendment is more important than finding them a job.”

This is crap.

But I shouldn’t be surprised.

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Posted in Liberty, Politics: North Carolina

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Brad And Britt And Congressman Miller

Posted on October 10, 2011 | 2 comments

I mentioned that North Carolina has the dubious distinction of having elected the latest legislature to try and “regulate” the banks into behaving.  Well, in addition to ignorant congressmen, we have talk radio as well.  And this morning, Brad and Britt had Brad Miller on their show to discuss his new proposed legislation.

As you can imagine, much goodness ensued.

While discussing Mr. Miller’s proposed legislation, Brad admitted to being a customer of one of the big banks.  The conversation drifted into the details of the proposed law and how “hard” customers have it today when dealing with and switching banks.  During that conversation, Brad mentioned how hard it would be to switch banks, and he cited the reasons:

  • Direct deposit
  • Electronic bill pay
  • On line banking
  • Centralized banking for the whole family

All of which struck me as hilarious.  Brad is basically complaining that he doesn’t wanna switch banks because the services offered by his current bank ROCK.  Somehow the convenience of his current provider is SO good, that he just can’t imagine switching.  And, by gawd, we need a law to fix that!

Further into the conversation, Britt asks Rep. Miller what he would say to those people who have been “preached to” about the evils of government regulation? What would you say to those folks who have been told how to think and what to say?

Miller’s response?

That’s just silly.

Ahhh…

And THAT folks, sums up the entirety of the Left’s response to their actions.

Bank of America added this fee to us customers as a direct, a DIRECT, result of the Durbin amendment.  And now, Brad, Britt and and their guest are shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you, that we people would rather they quit.

But never mind facts guys, keep on keepin’ on.

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Posted in Economics, Government, Politics: National, Politics: North Carolina, States Behaving Badly

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