Friday, August 27, 2010

DickMorris.com - A Couple Of Good Posts That All Should Read - "Why We Need To Let States Go Broke" AND "A Contract With America For 2010"

WHY WE NEED TO LET STATES GO BROKE

By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN
Published in the New York Post on August 10, 2010

Federal Band-Aids won't cover the fiscal problems of such states as New York, California, Michigan and Connecticut forever. State bankruptcy and fundamental restructuring of state and local finance -- and labor relations -- is at hand.

Take Connecticut. In the current fiscal year, $2 billion in federal subsidies have helped tide it over the recession -- a hefty share of its $15 billion budget. But these infusions are one-shot grants, renewed only if Congress acts affirmatively to do so. Other states depend on similar manifestations of federal largess.

In Washington, the House is set to pass a $26 billion aid package this week -- fresh federal aid amounting to about 2 percent of state and local spending. But if the Republicans win control of Congress this fall, it is hard to see any legislative willingness to renew these subsidies.

Instead, GOP lawmakers will point to the examples of New Jersey, Virginia and Indiana -- where conservative governors have slashed spending to avoid tax hikes. In Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell has reduced spending to pre-2006 levels.

If Congress fails to renew its subsidies, the more profligate states will face cash shortfalls in the current fiscal year. They'll threaten school closures, prison releases and all manner of mayhem if their subsidies aren't renewed. But the Republicans in Washington are likely to refuse -- asking why the responsible states should bail out the spendthrifts in Albany, Sacramento, Lansing and Hartford.

At that point, the bond markets will start eyeing state (and local) balance sheets more critically -- demanding higher rates or even refusing to lend. California won't be the only one trying to get by on IOUs.

But beyond this tale of woe lies a golden opportunity to reform state governments and redress the imbalance of power between elected officials and public-employee unions.

Absent endless federal subsidies, states will simply no longer be able to afford to give the unions everything that they want. And governors -- many of them newly elected Republicans -- will realize that they can't even afford to honor agreements their big-spending predecessors OK'd.

The GOP Congress should then amend the federal bankruptcy law to provide for a way -- now absent -- for states to declare bankruptcy. (Municipalities can do so under current law, but states have no such relief.)

Here's the key: The reforms must require that states abrogate their public-employee union agreements in the bankruptcy process, just as private corporations like Delta and Chrysler have done. The wage hikes, the work rules, the pension plans all go out the window.

Few states will have the starch to cut benefits for those now receiving them. But most will cut pensions for current workers and all will slice them for future employees. Even the threat will be a powerful bargaining tool.

And beyond the fiscal adjustments, the power of the municipal- and public-employee unions will be broken.

Voters throughout America will loudly applaud if Congress tells the profligate states, "Work it out on your own. Don't look to us for a bailout."

President Obama could veto the bankruptcy reforms -- but a Republican Congress need do nothing to assist states in their plight until he relents. All of the political and financial leverage will be on Congress' side.

The result could be the greatest revolution in state and local governance since public-employee unions came on the scene. The public and the voters would get their local governments back, and the grip of public unions will be weakened. It would be the state and local equivalent of President Ronald Reagan's tough stand against the air-traffic controllers' strike.

Politically, the unions that fund and fuel the Democratic Party would be emasculated, dramatically shifting the national balance of power.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's prediction about socialism will have come true for America's states: "Sooner or later, they run out of other peoples' money."

Go to DickMorris.com to read all of Dick's columns!

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A CONTRACT WITH AMERICA FOR 2010

By DICK MORRIS

Published on TheHill.com on August 9, 2010

My observations from the campaign trail are that this year's elections will be a total and complete disaster for the Democratic Party. In fact, it will amount to the obliteration of an entire generation of Democratic officeholders. It will become very rare to find a youngish baby boomer white Democrat in elective office in the United States. I believe that almost half of the white Democratic congressmen who are seeking reelection will lose!

A wipeout of this magnitude cannot be explained, alone, by Obama's ratings or his policies. He has fallen sharply since he took office, but even ratings in the 40s do not explain this type of result. It is increasingly obvious that Congress has earned much of this disaster by itself, quite unrelated to Obama. The vision of the deal-making that accompanied healthcare was too disgusting for the average American to stomach. And now the failure of the Congress to expel Reps. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) underscores its inability to police itself.

RED SKY IN THE MORNING: CIC agents thought they were communist spies. The Philippine constabulary just wanted them dead. Two men made it out alive - one didn't. But Republicans need to remember that when they lost the House in 2006, about 5 percent of their incumbents were under indictment, convicted or in prison, or resigned. Washington has always been the crime capital of America, but the House of Representatives was its highest crime-rate neighborhood!

Republicans should embrace specific ethical reforms, which they should showcase in their campaign advertising in 2010. These positive ads will do as much as any good negative to underscore the difference between a Republican challenger and a Democratic incumbent.

The reforms should include:

• The establishment of an office of special prosecutor for Congress, with its head appointed by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court for a fixed term. The office should have subpoena power, a well-funded staff and the right to convene grand juries and issue indictments. Self-policing by ethics committees obviously does not work.

• All earmarking should be banned. Congress cannot be trusted with this power.

• A ban on spouses of members of Congress serving on boards or accepting employment by any company or organization that receives federal funds. In cases like Mrs. Chris Dodd and Mrs. Evan Bayh, corporate board employment was a way for special interests to influence their husbands and pad the family checkbook.

• A ban on families of members of Congress serving as lobbyists.

• No free travel, whether sponsored by foundations or lobbyists. Only government trips on official business -- real business -- should be allowed.

• Full disclosure of the precise amounts of members' net worth, debts, investments and holdings, including home mortgages.

• Full publication, online, of all committee votes.

• No student loan repayments for congressional staffers.

• A five-year ban on lobbying for members of Congress or their staffs after leaving office. The ban should also apply to employment by a company that performs lobbying services.

• If a senator or congressman is absent more than 10 percent of the time for reasons other than illness -- including running for president -- his pay should be docked proportionately.

• Term limits for congressional staffers. No staff member of Congress should be permitted to serve in a job that pays above $100,000 a year for more than eight years. If we can't get term limits for Congress, let's at least clean out the professional staffers!

A smart candidate in 2010 will take elements of these proposals -- particularly the special prosecutor -- and put them in his or her campaign ads. Cashing in on Obama's unpopularity and his failed agenda is only half the battle. Capitalizing on the dismal state of congressional ethics is the other part!

RED SKY IN THE MORNING: CIC agents thought they were communist spies. The Philippine constabulary just wanted them dead. Two men made it out alive - one didn't.

Go to DickMorris.com to read all of Dick's columns!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Jokes - The Little Boy Writes God AND God's Sense Of Humor

The Little Boy Writes God

A Little boy wanted $100.00 very badly and prayed for weeks, but nothing happened. Then he decided to write God a letter requesting the $100.00.

When the postal authorities received the letter to God, USA, they decided to send it to President Obama.

The president was so amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5.00 bill.

President Obama thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.

The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 bill and sat down to write a thank-you note to God, which read:

Dear God:

Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you sent it through Washington, D.C. and those assholes took $95.00 in taxes!

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God's Sense Of Humor

God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him resting on the seventh day.

He inquired, "Where have you been?"

God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet," replied God, and I've put life on it.. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place to test Balance."

"Balance?" inquired Michael, "I'm still confused."

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things."

God continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

The Archangel, impressed by God's work, pointed to a land area & said, "What's that?"

"That's the State of Texas, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful rivers, mountains, streams, lakes, forests, hills, beaches and plains.

The people from the State of Texas are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, humorous, and they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, carriers of peace, and producers of good things."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, "But what about balance, God? You said there would be balance."

God smiled, "There's Washington DC. Wait till you see the idiots I put there."

Obama Administration Gives Illegal Aliens Backdoor Amnesty -- Redstate.com AND Some Illegal Alien Cartoons That I Just Received Via Email

(Read the article on Redstate.com for more info... Scroll down for Illegal Immigration cartoons)
Obama admin gives illegal aliens backdoor amnesty

Posted by Dan Spencer (Profile)
Wednesday, August 25th at 1:30PM EDT

The so-called backdoor amnesty for illegal aliens is no longer merely another bad idea from the Obama administration. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Department of Homeland Security is trying to dismiss thousands of deportation cases against “suspected illegal immigrants.”

The Chronicle reports the Obama amnesty effort began “about a month ago” in Houston, where the Department of Homeland Security now has five attorneys working full-time on this backdoor amnesty for illegal aliens. The amnesty program is expected to be rolled out nationwide soon.

Senator John Cornyn blasted the Obama amnesty:

This situation is just another side effect of President Obama’s failure to deliver on his campaign promise to make immigration reform a priority in his first year. Until he does, state and local authorities are left with no choice but to pick up the slack for prosecuting and detaining criminal aliens.

Earlier this year, President Obama affirmed his support for the Schumer/Graham immigration legislation outline.

Obama ran for president promising secure borders, increased number of legal immigrants, to remove incentives for illegal immigration, and to allow undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.

President Obama promised to make immigration reform a top priority of the first year of his presidency. When Obama backed away from that promise, Politifact rated his promise stalled.  (LV adds... so much for Politifact being unbiased as they claim to be... seems they're just another left leaning media outlet.)

As I have said before, Amnesty for illegal, whether it is backdoor or contained in a comprehensive reform bill, sends a simple message - get into the United States anyway you can because eventually you will be legalized. That message will be heard loud and clear just as it was with the adoption of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (”IRCA”). That “immigration reform” legalized four million illegal aliens. IRCA was a monumental failure. Twenty-odd years later there millions of new illegal aliens to legalize.

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AND... now to lighten things up a little with a little humor!  Open each picture in a separate window/tab to see it full size.
















Monday, August 23, 2010

ObamaCare... Finally Explained!!!

So let me get this straight...

The ObamaCare health care plan was written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it and whose members will be exempt from it, signed by a president who smokes, funded by a treasury chief who did not pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese and not properly financed by a country that is dead broke... and up to 70% of the people don't want it!

What could possibly go wrong?

Doesn't this put all your worries to rest?

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Click the ObamaCare link on the left for more about ObamaCare.

Joke - Are There Any Mexican Jews???

Sid and Al were sitting in a Mexican restaurant. "Sid," asked Al, are there any Jewish people in Mexico?"

"I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?"

When the waiter came by, Al asked him, "Are there any Mexican Jews?"

"I don't know Senor, let me ask," the waiter replied, and he went into the kitchen.

He returned in a few minutes and said, "No sir, no Mexican Jews."

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"I will check again, sir", the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen.

While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in Mexico. Our people are scattered everywhere."

When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Mexican Jews."

"Are you really sure?" Al asked again. "I cannot believe there are no Mexican Jews."

"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have orange Jews, prune Jews, tomato Jews and grape Jews, but no one ever hear of Mexican Jews!"

LOL

For more Jokes, click the link on the left side.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Michael Savage Radio Show - "Stupidest Caller Ever" - Welfare Money From Obama Stash; Illegal Aliens; Open Borders!

This YouTube audio says it all... and is just further proof of "How Obama Got Elected!"



Read more here... http://visiontoamerica.org/story/radio-show-michael-savage--stupidest-caller-ever.html

See and hear more of Michael Savage Radio Show clips here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg0pDPK56Ys

How Obama Got Elected - http://www.howobamagotelected.com/



God help us all!!!

Lenny Vasbinder

20 Questions For The Obama Regime - By: Center For Individual Freedom

I got this e-newsletter last month and had it on the back burner of things to post but I didn't mean to take this long to post this important information!

20 Questions for the Obama Regime
By Troy Senik
Thursday, July 08 2010

As the headlines remind us daily, the Obama Administration is quickly moving towards its halfway mark. Thus, it’s now time to subject the White House to a midterm examination. Here are 20 questions for the panjandrums of Pennsylvania Avenue:

1. The stimulus program was sold to the American people partially on the promise that it would keep the national unemployment rate below 8%. Yet in each of the 17 months since the bill was passed, unemployment has been over 8%. If such basic empirical claims are repeatedly disproved, how can they provide a basis for national economic policy?

2. At $877 billion, the stimulus was the largest spending bill in U.S. history. The administration claims that the package was a success because every dollar the federal government pumps into the economy generates more than a dollar of economic activity. If that is true, why place any limit on government spending? Why not appropriate 50% of GDP if the net result is always a return greater than 100%?

3. The administration claims that (A) the stimulus was a success and (B) more stimulus is required. How are these two propositions reconcilable?

4. Prior to becoming the chair of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors, Christina Romer wrote in a scholarly paper that a tax increase of 1% of GDP would reduce overall GDP by 3%. With President Obama seemingly prepared to let at least some of the Bush tax cuts expire – and to entertain the notion of a national value-added tax – is it Romer’s scholarly credentials or Obama’s understanding of economics that is deficient?

5. Attorney General Eric Holder has pointedly refused to cite radical Islam as the proximate cause for terrorism aimed at the United States. What does he believe Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan meant when he shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“Allah is the greatest”) as he killed or wounded 43 at the Texas military installation?

6. During his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo, President Obama said, “we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected.” What meaning does a phrase like “human nature” have if it refers to a condition that can be transcended?

7. During the 2009 uprising against the Iranian government, the president refused to even rhetorically intervene, lest the United States be seen as “meddling.” Today, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still the President of Iran and the country is closer than ever before to a nuclear weapon. What worse scenario did the president’s forbearance prevent?

8. At an April 28 speech in Quincy, Illinois, President Obama said, “I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money." What is the maximum amount of money an American citizen should be allowed to earn?

9. In a May discussion about human rights violations, Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner reportedly used Arizona’s new immigration law to illustrate to Chinese officials that the U.S. is also derelict in its protection of individual freedoms. Which provision of the law does he believe most closely approximates the murder of 3,000 protesters in Tiananmen Square?

10. President Obama repeatedly promoted his plans for health care reform by promising that Americans who liked their health insurance could keep it. Since 62% of Americans receive their health care coverage through an employer – meaning it is the employer who will decide the relative merits of ObamaCare’s costs and benefits – how can this promise be effectuated?

11. During his Oval Office address on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Obama said of the Minerals Management Service, ““Over the last decade, this agency has become emblematic of a failed philosophy that views all regulation with hostility - a philosophy that says corporations should be allowed to play by their own rules and police themselves.” Which public officials have voiced support for this philosophy?

12. Amidst the fractious disunity of the President’s team in Afghanistan, he has replaced General Stanley McChrystal with General David Petraeus – a man whose view of war policy is little different from McChrystal’s. How does the president propose to achieve the “unity of effort” he has spoken of while keeping in place a heterogeneous group of principals?

13. If programs like “Cash for Clunkers” and the home buyers tax credit provided durable economic growth for the automobile and housing industries, why weren’t they made permanent?

14. The expansion of entitlements and spending that the Obama Administration is pursuing in the United States closely mirrors the policies of social democracies of Europe. Which European nations does the president believe boast superior economic performance when compared to the United States?

15. Obama agreed to remove missile defense from Poland and the Czech Republic to soothe Russian anxieties. Why would a peaceful nation fear a purely defensive weapons system?

16. The president contends that “green jobs” will be good for the environment and the economy. How can the government increase overall economic productivity by subsidizing inefficient forms of energy and taxing efficient ones?

17. President Obama criticized the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case for allowing undue electoral influence by special interests. What example, foreign or domestic, does he cite to prove the virtue of allowing the government to regulate what can be said about the government?

18. After the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day – an attempt that was only stopped by the vigilance of fellow passengers – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said, “the system worked”. In what instance, where “the system” is defined as “the government,” can that judgment be said to be true?

19. The president’s recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick – a self-appointed rationing enthusiast – to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was justified on the grounds that congressional Republicans were “going to stall the nomination as long as they could.” No Republican had any plans to prevent confirmation hearings. Does the President feel that opposition, rather than obstruction, meets the threshold for circumventing the constitutional appointment process? If so, what purpose does the process serve?

20. Is America better off than it was two years ago?

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Which leads us to my blog that I wrote about "Question 20" last month...
http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/2010/07/is-america-better-off-today-than-it-was.html

Thanks for visiting!

Lenny Vasbinder

Monday, August 16, 2010

Announcing "Lenny The Computer Guy - Computer Tutoring, Repair And Malware Cleaning Services"

This will be my new blog for all of my past and future computer related blogs since I'm starting my new business.

http://LennyTheComputerGuy.blogspot.com
Here's a copy of my first Craigslist Ad for my services...

Do You Need Help With Your Computer Or Most Common Programs?

Introductory Pricing ONLY $30 for 2 hours or $50.00 for 4 hours.

Are you having trouble learning the basics or do you need help cleaning up your computer from spyware, viruses, etc?

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your computer or computer problems? Is it running slow or causing you more problems than you like?

I can help you in your home or office, days, evenings, nights or weekends.... or we can meet at a free public wi-fi hotspot like the Jefferson Parish Public Library (W. Napoleon between Clearview and Transcontinental), a coffee shop, etc., if that would be more convenient for you.

I can help you with most Windows and Microsoft products as well as most other commonly used software, not only teaching you how to use it but installing it, updating it and getting it set up right on your computer.. If I don't know your particular software already, I'll still help you learn it and not charge you while we're both learning it!* I'm also good with Microsoft Accounting, Quicken, Outlook and there aren't many common programs I can't help you with.

Most folks like one-on-one help instead of attending a class or reading a book.

I can also teach you how to use the popular search engines so you get better search results.

I can help you get your computer set up and secured, downloading and setting up Microsoft security updates, internet security suites, firewalls, antivirus, antispyware, etc. (and teaching you how at the same time) As well as downloading and setting up all of the other commonly needed programs on a new or older computer. I can help you clean up old stuff off of your older computers and get them running faster and more secure for you. I can teach you how to organize your computer files, backup your computer, etc. If you need your internet service set up and secured, I can help you with that also.

Here's my computer related blogs if you want to read some of my articles that I've written over the past ten years, mainly to help other people in many of the computer help forums. http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/  AND http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Computers

As you'll see, my computer related blogs go back to 2005, which is when I started it. Prior to this, I had a GeoCities website but Yahoo shut down GeoCities so I've moved a lot of my content to my blogs now.

I can also teach you how to surf the internet more safely, teach you how to do internet searches and get more successful results, etc.

I can diagnose and fix some computer issues although I'm ot a certified computer repair technician. I have upgraded RAM on my computer, clean them on a regular basis to remove dust and dirt buildup from the inside, fans, etc., so your computer will run more efficiently and not be subjected to overheating issues which will then cause a computer to have many other problems, including shutting down, blue screen errors, etc.

I've been computer literate for more than a decade and have been helping friends and relatives and helping in online forums and Yahoo Groups for the past decade but I've never really done this as a business before but I'm suffering from an injury right now so I can't do my normal work so I thought I'd give this a try and see if I can help people and help myself at the same time. I've been doing it for free for so long, I don't know how much to charge so my rates will probably be low while I'm getting started building this new small business.

I'm thinking $30.00 for the first two hours or $50.00 for four hours... of in home/office help. After that, I can probably give you lower priced one on one help via phone, instant messaging or email (don't worry... I'll help you learn how to email and instant message also, if you don't already know how) or if you need follow-up in home/office help, I'll keep the initial rates the same, regardless to whether I go up on my rates later as I get more customers.

Send me an email or give me a call and let me see if I can help you out... while you help me grow my new business! I'll try to make this a win-win situation!

Also, if you are on a fixed income or you are having financial difficulties, I may be able to give you a discount or give you more of my time for my already low rates.

Lenny Vasbinder
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/
Phone - 504-667-5111
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
Yahoo Msgr. - LennyTheComputerGuy
Email - LennyTheComputerGuy@gmail.com

Thursday, August 12, 2010

New Orleans Saints - Superbowl XLIV Champions - 2010 Pre-Season Starts Tonight On Primetime!!!

Obviously, like everyone who grew up in N'Awlins (New Orleans)... and for most people who have ever spent much time here, the Saints are a BIG part of the sports and party culture of N'Awlins.  I'll add to this blog throughout the season but here's some starting reading for folks who may not know about Dem Saints... and the Who Dat Nation!!!

Official Saints website - http://www.neworleanssaints.com/

Saints' Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Saints

Who Dat Nation official page - http://www.whodatnation.com/ (check out the Saintsations' Calendar preview video at http://www.whodatnation.com/2010/08/11/saintsations-calandar-shoot-preview-video/)

Who Dat? Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Dat%3F

The game is on and the Saints just finished a 20 play, 86 yard scoring drive for their first of many touchdowns this season!

Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfEjZunhEvY


Kenny Chesney's "The Boys Of Fall" music video featuring Saints Head Coach Sean Payton - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI


OK... I guess that's enough for the first Saints blog of the 2010 season and that should keep you going till next week!!!

Lenny Vasbinder

Excellent Post On Stu Blog... "The Most Poorly Named Blog On The Internet"

The title of this blog says it all.

Lenny Vasbinder

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/stu/?p=980

The most important chart on the Obama budget?

August 11th, 2010

Oh yes…there are many things worth pointing out in this chart showing the deficit to GDP of the Bush and Obama administrations, based on numbers from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL SIZE OR OPEN IN ANOTHER TAB OR WINDOW
For example, the worst year before the crash of the Bush administration was 3.5% deficit to GDP. The best year of the Obama administration over two terms would be 4.1%. But that’s NOT the most important thing.

The Bush administration averaged debt that was less than the historical average of past presidents for his entire two terms, only rising above that in the crash year of 2009, (when he obviously was not in office anymore, but was still largely responsible for the budget.) But that’s NOT the most important thing either.

In 2009, the projected Bush budget deficit was 8.3% of GDP, by the time Obama was done with it–it had skyrocketed even further—to 9.9%. But that’s NOT the most important thing either.

Even when you include the entire crash year of 2009, Bush still averaged only a 2.7% debt to GDP ratio—the historical average is 2.6%. Throw in the fact that he had 9-11, corporate scandals that started long before he was in office, and the great recession—that’s pretty amazing. Even as a partial Bush apologist, that surprised me. But that’s NOT the most important thing either.

The average deficit of the Bush years was 2.7%, the average of the theoretical deficit of two terms of Obama is 6.4%. But, that’s not the most important thing either.

What is? The years 2014-2020. Let’s say you blame the entire crash on Bush, and give Obama 6 full years to make up for it. If everything goes according to plan, Obama’s deficit falls to 4.1% of GDP in 2014. Yes, that’s still worse than any full Bush year, and 58% worse than the historical average—but the most vital thing is what happens NEXT. Even after he magically “steadies the economic ship”—the deficit is projected to GET WORSE EVERY YEAR UNTIL 2020, which is when estimates stop.

Even using rosy government estimates—there is no balanced budget under President Obama. There is no year that beats Bush’s worst full year. There is no year that approaches the historical average of past presidents. And, even after the crash passes, Obama continues to make things worse, and worse, and worse.

For once I agree with Obama. He is “bending the curve.” Perhaps we should focus on what way it’s being bent.

Read a very solid analysis of these facts by Keith Hennessey here
http://keithhennessey.com/2010/07/12/spiraling-deficits/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+KeithHennessey+(Keith+Hennessey:+Your+guide+to+American+economic+policy)

UPDATE: A comment that points out another important observation:

Chris Norman Aug 11

One very important thing is missing from the graph. Senator Barack Obama and the Dems controlled the Senate and the House after the 2006 election. Congress controls the deficit, not the President, except for vetoes. If you consider that, the deficits in the last 4 years up to 2006 were decreasing. Once the Dems took over, the curve bends up dramatically.


For all of you aspiring graph-geeks out there, remove the financial crisis by drawing a line from 2007 to 2014 and see the frightening yet consistent rise…

Petition to Renew the Bush Tax Cuts

Everyone should go to http://leagueofamericanvoters.com/petition.aspx and sign the petition. Watch the video and read the URGENT letter from former Senator Fred Thompson (also a star on Law & Order).

Lenny Vasbinder

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Petition to Renew the Bush Tax Cuts

I, the undersigned, an American citizen, taxpayer, and voter.

Whereas the U.S. is facing one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression;

Whereas consumer spending and economic activity has contracted causing the downturn and high unemployment;

Whereas the Bush tax cuts, enacted in 2001 and 2003, will fully and automatically expire as of Dec. 31, 2010;

Whereas the expiration of these cuts will cause a massive tax rate increase for almost all working Americans, including those in the:

35% bracket which will increase to 39.6%

33% bracket which will increase to 36%

28% bracket which will increase to 31%

25% bracket which will increase to 28%

10% and 15% will condense to 15%

Whereas the capital gains tax will increase from 15% to 20%

Whereas the tax on dividends will increase from 15% to 39.6%

We demand that our representatives in Congress fully and completely renew the Bush tax cuts; and do so without delay to ensure public confidence in the markets and economy.

Signed Today,

Leonard Vasbinder

Obama Attacks You And Americans For Prosperity By Name - Tim Phillips

I received the following email from Americans For Prosperity. There's not much for me to say since the email says it all.

Lenny Vasbinder

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-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Phillips, Americans for Prosperity [mailto: tphillips@afp-mail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 5:39 PM
To: Leonard Vasbinder
Subject: Obama attacks you -- AFP by name


Dear Leonard,

Want to know the difference you are making with Americans for Prosperity?

President Obama, his poll numbers down in the dumps because of his big government agenda, is now making shrill, desperate attacks on Americans for Prosperity and our 1,200,000 AFP grassroots activists across the nation - folks like you.

Here's what the President said:

"Right now all around this country there are groups with harmless-sounding names like Americans for Prosperity, who are running millions of dollars of ads against Democratic candidates all across the country. And they don't have to say who exactly the Americans for Prosperity are. You don't know if it's a foreign-controlled corporation. You don't know if it's a big oil company, or a big bank. You don't know if it's an insurance company that wants to see some of the provisions in health reform repealed because it's good for their bottom line, even if it's not good for the American people."

The President and his friends on the Left are back to accusing you and me of being front groups for "foreign-controlled corporations" or for "big banks" or a "big oil company" - the President personally denigrates the integrity of over 1,200,000 Americans just because he's angry that we're taking an effective stand against his liberal policies.

How sad. How outrageous. (And Lenny says: HOW PATHETIC!!!!!)

Across the nation, literally thousands of our fellow Americans are turning out for our November is Coming bus tour events and grassroots training sessions. I was in Michigan earlier this week and across Pennsylvania last week. The atmosphere is electric. CLICK HERE for pictures of these events and our upcoming schedule.

The President is right about one thing - Americans for Prosperity is running ads across the nation urging Americans to call their member of Congress to tell him or her that they better stop supporting big government legislation like the health care takeover, cap-and-tax, and yet more big bloated spending. CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME OF THESE ADS.

President Obama can continue his attacks but that won't change the fact that November is Coming. Commit today to doing your part to make sure our fellow Americans send a powerful message to our fellow citizens and to Congress on behalf of freedom and prosperity. You can knock on doors, call citizens, become a neighborhood leader and so much more. CLICK HERE to sign up for our November is Coming efforts.

Take heart -- the President is attacking us by name. He knows, and the Left knows, we are making a crucial difference.

Tell us your story about your grassroots activism by clicking here, http://capwiz.com/americansforprosperity/utr/1/JSHQNAWRME/FVVINAWRZG/5644375261. We'll share the stories and let Obama and the Left know you're not "big oil" or "big banks".

Let's keep fighting because much lies ahead.

Sincerely,

Tim Phillips

PS: You know the real story about AFP. We're supported by over 70,000 Americans just like you. Please consider making a contribution to support our efforts. Any amount will go a long way to defeat President Obama's big government agenda.

http://capwiz.com/americansforprosperity/utr/1/JSHQNAWRME/BUYANAWRZH/5644375261

Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than one million members, including members in all 50 states, and 31 state chapters and affiliates. More than 60,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation.

For more information, visit http://www.americansforprosperity.org/

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Click the Politics OR Americans For Prosperity links on the left panel for more of my blogs about this GREAT organization.

Please feel free to leave your comments.  Click the Comments link below, if the Comments section isn't already open.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Political Joke - How To Prove You Are From Chicago And An American

A guy traveling through Mexico on vacation lost his wallet and all of his identification.

Cutting his trip short, he attempted to make his way home but was stopped by the U.S. Customs Agent at the border.

"May I see your identification, please?" asked the agent.

"I'm sorry, but I lost my wallet," replied the guy..

"Sure buddy, I hear that every day. No ID, no entry," said the agent.

"But I can prove I'm an American!" he exclaimed. "I have a picture of Ronald Reagan tattooed on one side of my butt and George Bush on the other.."

"This I gotta see," replied the agent.

With that, the guy dropped his pants and showed the agent his behind.

"By golly, you're right!" exclaimed the agent. "Have a safe trip back to Chicago."

"Thanks!" he said. "But how did you know I was from Chicago?"

The agent replied, "I recognized Obama in the middle."

Joke - The Power Of Cosmetics

Wow... these before and after pictures really speak volumes about "The Power Of Cosmetics".

(Click on an image or open it in a new tab or window to see it larger)




Enough said???

Yeah.... I know, I should have titled this as a political joke.  LOL

Lenny Vasbinder

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For more jokes, click on the Jokes link under the labels / list of articles and categories section on the left.

Political Joke - Out Of The Mouth Of Babes

A little boy goes to his dad and asks

'Dad, what is Politics?'

Dad says, 'Well son, let me try to explain it this way:

I am the head of the family, so call me the President.

Your mother is the administrator of the money, so we call her the Government.

We are here to take care of your needs, so we will call you the People.

The nanny, we will consider her the Working Class.

And your baby brother, we will call him the Future.

Now think about that and see if it makes sense.'

So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what Dad has said.

Later that night he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him.

He finds that the baby has soiled his diaper.

So the little boy goes to his parent's room and finds his mother asleep.

Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny's room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny.

He gives up and goes back to bed.

The next morning, the little boy says to his father, 'Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics now.'

The father says, 'Good, son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about.'

The little boy replies, 'The President is screwing the Working Class while the Government is sound asleep.

The People are being ignored and the Future is in deep shit'.

Political Joke - American History By Chandrasekhar Subramanjan

The first day of school and a new Indian-American legal immigration student named Chandrasekhar Subramanjan entered the fourth grade.

The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American History. Who said 'Give me Liberty or give me Death'?"

She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Chandrasekhar, who had his hand up: "Patrick Henry, 1775," he said.

"Very good! Who said 'Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth'?"

Again, no response except from Chandrasekhar. "Abraham Lincoln, 1863," said Chandrasekhar.

The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed. Chandrasekhar, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do."

She heard a loud whisper: "F**k the Indians."

"Who said that?" she demanded. Chandrasekhar put his hand up. "General Custer, 1862."

At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna puke."

The teacher glared around and asked, "All right! Now, who said that?"

Again, Chandrasekhar said, "George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991."

Now furious, another student yelled, "Oh yeah? Suck this!"

Chandrasekhar jumped out of his chair waving his hand and shouted to the teacher, "Bill Clinton, to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"

Now with almost mob hysteria someone said, "You little shit. If you say anything else, I'll kill you."

Chandrasekhar frantically yelled at the top of his voice, "Michael Jackson, to the child witnesses testifying against him, 2004."

The teacher fainted.

And as the class gathered around the teacher slumped on the floor, someone said, "Oh shit, we're screwed!"

And Chandrasekhar said quietly, "I think it was the American taxpayers, during the first 6 months of the Obama administration."

Monday, August 09, 2010

Political Joke - Dying Priest

In Washington, D.C. an old priest lay dying in the hospital. For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital.

He motioned for his nurse to come near. Yes, Father?" said the nurse.

"I would really like to see President Obama and Speaker Pelosi before I die", whispered the priest. "I'll see what I can do, Father", replied the nurse. The nurse sent the request to The President and Congress and waited for a response.

Soon the word arrived; President Obama and Nancy Pelosi would be delighted to visit the priest. As they went to the hospital, Obama commented to Pelosi, "I don't know why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images and might even get me re-elected. After all, I'M IN IT TO WIN".

Pelosi agreed that it was a good thing. When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Obama's hand in his right hand and Pelosi's hand in his left hand.

There was silence and a look of serenity on the old priest's face.

Finally President Obama spoke. "Father, of all the people you could have chosen, why did you choose us to be with you as you near the end?"

The old priest slowly replied, "I have always tried to pattern my life after our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." "Amen", said Obama. "Amen" said Pelosi.

The old priest continued, "Jesus died between two lying thieves; I would like to do the same."

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And I'll say a big AMEN to that!

I just got this one via email and thought it was good enough to further spread around the net!

It's just too bad we can't hang Obama, Pelosi and Reid from crosses... of course, they'd have to on inverted crosses for them three since they certainly don't belong on any kind of cross that emulates Jesus Christ.

Lenny Vasbinder

Saturday, August 07, 2010

CCleaner - How I Use It To Manage My Cookies And Clean Some Crap Off My Computer

When you first download CCleaner from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner, in the default download mode, it will clean a LOT more than some folks might want.  The things it cleans may not cause folks any problems but could cause inconveniences if folks relied on the things that CCleaner cleaned in the dafult mode.

Here's how I have MY CCleaner set up.  You can follow the way I do it or use something more or less than what I am doing.  Just make sure you understand how cleaning that particular item will affect your computer and web browsing.

This first image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Windows Tab.
 
(Open images in a new tab or window to see them full size while reading this article)


This next image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Applications Tab


This next image shows how I clicked Options, then Cookies to show how I manage which Cookies I allow to stay on my computer.  The ones on the right are the ones I keep, the ones on the left are the ones that I'll review and possibly move one or more to the right and keep them, otherwise they will stay in the left column and be deleted when I run the Cleaner.


This next image shows how I just ran the Analyze button but haven't actually cleaned anything yet.  You can click on any of the items to see more details.


This next image shows the Cleaning is complete.


This next image shows where I've gone back to the Options > Cookies section to show the left column is now empty after the Cleaning was completed.


This next image, shows the Registry Section and I've already clicked the Scan For Issues button.


This next image shows how I've Cleaned the 10 Registry Issues that CCleaner found when it scanned my Registry.  Please note that I also use WinASO Registry Optimizer or the online scan from Windows Live OneCare to scan and fix registry entries. 


Well, that's how I use CCleaner on a Daily basis for Cleaning out my browser's temporary internet files, cookies and flash cookies.  If you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment below or you can go to the CCleaner Help section or their own forums.

I hope this helps!

Lenny Vasbinder

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Click this link, http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Computers, to read all of my other Computer related blogs.

Please feel free to leave a comment below.  Click the Comments link if the Comments section is not already open.

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Obama's Deepwater Drilling Moratorium Is Also Being Used Against Shallow Water Drilling As Well!!! The Graph Says It All!!!

I don't have to say much here since the graph says it all!!!  Open graph in new tab or window to see it larger.


OCS means Outer Continental Shelf but the above graph is ONLY for projects in waters less than 500 feet deep.  Obama's MMS has only approved less than 5% of the APD's (Application for Permit to Drill) compared to the same time period in 2009.... even in the shallower waters less than 500 feet deep.  There is a complete moratorium against ALL deep water drilling... except for the two relief wells being drilled by BP to take pressure off of the Macanado well that caused the "BP Oil Spill".

Read http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2010/08/02/the-shallow-water-non-moratorium/ for more information.

Lenny Vasbinder

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Click this link, http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/BP%20Oil%20Spill, to read all of my other related articles about the BP spill.

You can click on the Comments link below to open the Comments section to leave your comments.

10 Reasons That Your Friends Voted Democrat... Since We Know That "You" Didn't Do It! ;-)

Update - August 20, 2010 - See my blog on this "typical" Obama voter to see just how much trouble America could be in because of ignorant Obama voters... http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/2010/08/michael-savage-radio-show-stupidest.html

Based on this next article, that I just read, I thought I'd do my own list, since the article was simply TOO nice! I've added my commentary at the end of each of their 10 reasons.

http://www.visiontoamerica.org/articles/10-reasons-i-voted-for-the-democrats.html

When your friends can't explain why they voted for Democrats, give them this list. They can then pick a reason.

10. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.

LV: Actually, the taxes are much higher than 15%. Depending on which State and City you live in, the total taxes per gallon can run as low as 60 cents a gallon to as high as just under a DOLLAR a gallon... meaning a gallon of gas that costs $2.40 a gallon at the pump, with 60 cents in taxes, would cost only $1.80 a gallon without the taxes, so the 60 cents of taxes is a 30% tax rate on that gallon. That same gallon of gas in a city/state with a dollar a gallon of taxes would have a 50% tax rate.  These already ridiculously high taxes may change upward soon with a new round of tax increases by cities, states and Washington, D.C., because instead of cutting the size of government to be in line with the shrinking economy, goverments continue to grow by leaps and bounds.  Right now, just the federal tax is 18.7 cents per gallon, not counting the taxes they charge on the oil as it's extracted from the wells.... which runs as high as 18% the last I checked so it's taxes on top of taxes... whereas the so-called BIG oil companies are making around 4 cents per gallon profit and then they have to pay income taxes on that amount. When gas was $1.25 a gallon, not that long ago, the effective tax rate would have been enarly 100% since without the 60 cents in taxes, the gas would have been 65 cents a gallon.

9. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

LV: If folks really believe that after all the news stories that have been done showing how often and how much government wastes their money, then these folks should be locked up in an asylum as they have completely lost their minds.

8. I voted Democrat because Freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

LV: Political Correction and the LSM have done almost as much to harm Freedom Of Speech than ALL of the communist, fascist or socialist dictators combined. OK.. I know that's not really true but at least when folks were being muted by a dictator, they knew who the enemy was and it was uaually only the government... but with political correctness brain-washing so many college students, the media and others, the enemy isn't as easily defined or identified.

7. I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves.

LV: Actually, the inner cities, which are most likely to vote democrat see and live in many crime infested neighborhoods and have to cower in fear in their homes to avoid being in contact with the criminals that own their streets. They don't trust the police to protect them so they just live like prisoners in their own homes. As far as being irresponsible, well that happens to them because they rely on the government too much for running their lives... the same government that is miserably failing them at every step... instead of taking responsibility for their own lives.

6. I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.

LV: I've talked many times, about how meteoroligists can't predict tomorrows weather in a specific city or the path of a hurricane in a specific region... and yet we are supposed to believe they have a clue about what is going to happen to the world's climate over the next 10 or 20 years. The Climate-Gate email scandals have PROVEN that global warming or climate change or whatever their name-du-jour is... IS PURE BULLSHIT!!!

5. I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies through abortion so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.

LV: Well, I think I've made my points so far, so my answer to this and the next four are painfully obvious. If you want more details, look down the list of Labels and Articles to the left and read more of what I think, know and feel.

4. I voted Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free health care, education, and Social Security benefits.

3. I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the democrats see fit.

2. I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.

1. I voted Democrat because my head is so firmly planted where the sun doesn't shine that it is unlikely that I'll ever have another point of view.

Lenny Vasbinder

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Click on the Comments link below to leave your comment.

ABCNews.com Gets In On The Government Waste Reporting Act... There May Be Hope For The Lame Stream Media Yet... But I Doubt It!

Now, you know that when the LSM starts getting in on reporting Government Waste during the Obama outrageously-wasteful spending regime, things are getting bad for Obama.

Of course, they're reporting on waste of only $1.7 MILLION when there's actually BILLIONS, HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS AND POSSIBLY TRILLIONS of dollars of government waste that could be reported... since pretty much, nearly ALL of Washington, D.C. is a COMPLETE WASTE OF TAXPAYER'S MONEY!!!

As you can see, NONE of these government employees seem to have been fired or arrested... they all seem to have their jobs and just have to pay back the money THEY STOLE... HOW PATHETIC IS THAT FROM OUR GOVERNMENT?????

Lenny Vasbinder


From:  http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/disability-payments-latest-government-waste/story?id=11316378&page=1

Disability Payments: The Latest Example of Government Waste?

Government Accountability Office Cites Fraudulent Claims that Cost Social Security $1.7 Million

Around 1,500 federal employees may have improperly received Social Security benefits, according to a new report from a government watchdog obtained by ABC News.

The Social Security Administration is supposed to provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. It is supposed to deliver benefits to people with disabilities who are unable to work. However, at the request of Senators Tom Carper, D-Delaware, John McCain, R-Arizona, and Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigated to see if the SSA was doing its job effectively. In its latest report, the GAO highlights 20 cases in which federal workers either fraudulently claimed and received disability payments or notified the Administration they were back to work but continued to receive benefits.

One beneficiary was a Transportation Security Administration screener who worked in California. In 1995, she was approved for disability payments for mood and anxiety disorders. Fast-forward eight years to when she began full-time employment as a screener, but failed to report the disqualifying change in employment status to Social Security. According to the report, SSA requested a Work Activity Report in 2005 and got no response, but continued to make payments. She continued receiving payments to the tune of $108,000 over 19 years and currently lives in a house that is listed for sale at about $1.8 million. The GAO provides undercover footage with its report that highlights workers who fraudulently claimed disability benefits. All of them failed to notify the SSA they had returned to work, a requirement if they receive Disability Insurance.

In one such case, a postal worker who receives $23,000 in disability benefits for mood disorders is shown carrying her heavy mail bag and unloading it onto a table. This particular worker was awarded Disability Insurance beginning in 2006 for a brain tumor. Although she returned to work in 2007, she did not report her change in employment status to SSA. When the agency investigated and discovered the beneficiary had in fact been dishonest about her working status, she was informed she would be required to pay back $19,000 in benefits. She agreed to pay $100 a month. She admitted she will probably be dead before she pays back all she owes.

Another case involves a letter carrier who received $45,000 in disability funds before she was caught for not contacting the agency as required. She can be seen in the GAO's undercover footage delivering mail to houses on foot with no obvious immediate problem.

In all, the 1,500 federal employees cited in the report received approximately $1.7 million a month in payments -- 1,097 of them from the Disability Insurance program, 306 from the Supplemental Security Income program, and the remaining 87 from a combination of the two.

In 2008, the Disability Insurance program paid out around $104 billion in financial benefits to some 9 million beneficiaries, with the Supplemental Security Income program giving $38 billion to about 7.5 million recipients.

In response to the GAO report, the Social Security Administration's Michael Astrue told the watchdog that the agency is "concerned that your overall message is misleading and in some cases factually incorrect."

Astrue said the title of the GAO report – "Cases of Federal Employees and Transportation Drivers & Owners Who Fraudulently and/or Improperly Received SSA Disability Payments" – may be "an overstatement and raise unwarranted concerns that there is widespread fraud in this area."

Astrue said that "curbing improper payments" was the first objective in the agency's 2008-2013 Strategic Plan Goal to "preserve the public's trust in our programs."

Jonathan Karl contributed to this report.
(END OF ABCNews.com REPORT)

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To read more of my blogs about Government Waste, click this link...
http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Government%20Waste

Feel free to leave a comment.  Just click the Comments link below if the Comments box isn't already open.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Summertime Blues - $50 BILLION In Government Waste In Obama's Stimulus - Spendulus Packaged Has Been Exposed

Late Breaking News....  AT LEAST $50 BILLION OF CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT WASTE AND PORK TYPE PROJECTS FOUND IN OBAMA'S STIMULUS / SPENDULUS PACKAGE!!!

Lenny Vasbinder

(SEE YOUTUBE VIDEO BELOW)

(WASHINGTON, DC) - U.S. Senators Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) today released a new oversight report: “Summertime Blues: 100 Stimulus Projects that Give Taxpayers the Blues.” (Download FULL PDF version of report here) The report, a third in a series, highlights questionable stimulus projects that are wasteful, mismanaged, and overall unsuccessful in creating jobs. The projects featured in the report cannot be considered as an investment in long-term priorities to create and sustain economic growth that the Stimulus was designed to do.

Coburn and McCain write in the report:

“Eighteen months since the passage of the stimulus bill, millions of jobs are still gone and the economy is as uncertain as ever. The only thing getting a boost is our national debt. The stimulus has helped push it 23 percent higher, to $13.2 trillion, a new record.”

“We owe it to all Americans that are paying taxes and struggling to find jobs, to rebuild our economy without doing additional harm, and to do it in a way that expands opportunities for future generations. Too many stimulus projects are failing to meet that goal.”

“Washington should focus on re-igniting the unmatched power of the American entrepreneurial spirit by sweeping away government red tape, expanding markets for U.S. goods, making it easier for small businesses to obtain credit, and reducing our national debt by eliminating wasteful Washington spending.”

“We owe it to every American to rebuild our economy without doing additional harm and in a manner that expands opportunities for future generations of Americans. Job creation should be a national priority, but torrential, misdirected government spending is not the way to do it.”

Examples of wasteful projects include:

• $554,763 for the Forest Service to replace windows in a closed visitor center at Mount St. Helens

• $762,372 to create “Dance Draw” interactive dance software

• $62 million for a tunnel to nowhere in Pittsburgh, PA that even Governor, Ed Rendell called “a tragic mistake”

• $1.9 million for international ant research

• $1.8 million for a road project that is threatening a pastor’s home

• $308 million for a joint clean energy venture with…BP  - (Lenny adds... this sounds like payback for BP's HUGE contributions to Obama's campaign... see the BP Oil Spill Timeline for more info... http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/2010/06/bp-oil-spill-was-all-obamas-fault-bush.html)

• $89,298 to replace a new sidewalk that leads to a ditch in Boynton, OK

• $3.8 million for a “streetscaping” project that has reduced traffic and caused a business to fire two employees

• $16 million to help Boeing to clean up an environmental mess it created in 2007

• $200,000 to help Siberian communities lobby Russian policy makers

• $39.7 million to upgrade the statehouse and political offices in Topeka, Kansas

• $760,000 to Georgia Tech to study improvised music

• $700,000 to study why monkeys respond negatively to inequity

• $193,956 to study voter perceptions of the economic stimulus

• $363,760 to help NIH promote the positive impacts of stimulus projects

• $456,663 to study the circulation of Neptune’s atmosphere

• $529,648 to study the effects of local populations on the environment…in the Himalayas



Permalink: http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2010/8/today-sens-coburn-and-mccain-released

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Click this link, http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Government%20Waste, to read more of my blogs about Government Waste.

Click the Comments link below to leave your comments. All comments are welcome.

Monday, August 02, 2010

Why You Should ALWAYS Do A Custom Install Of Any New Programs... So You Don't End Up With The Toolbars From HELL Browser

(CLICK ON EITHER IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL SIZE)

(CLICK ON EITHER IMAGE TO SEE IT FULL SIZE)

The top image was from someone I was helping to clean up their computer.  The bottom image is from an online forum "friend" that showed me their worse case customer.  Neither of these customers knew about the F11 key, which will compact all of the toolbars of a browser to give you more web page viewing real estate on your monitor so they only had an inch or two of web page viewing and had to scroll down one or a couple of lines at a time to read a website.

Now... for the way you SHOULD install a new program... to make sure you avoid this toolbar HELL situation.

After downloading many common programs, during the initial installation process, the program almost always offers you the choice of doing a custom installation or their "recommended" installation.  ALWAYS choose "custom" as many programs, as part of being FREE, have various add-on's installed when installing the main program.  Other companies pay to have their program added-on or piggybacked onto the main program you actually wanted.  Oftentimes, these add-ons are one of the many toolbars or search bars offered by all of the legitimate BIG companies like Google, MSN/Bing, Yahoo, etc.... but many other toolbars or add-ons are from smaller and sometimes less scrupulous companies, many times being actual spyware, depending on what program you downloaded and installed. 

Legitimate programs like various computer security programs (most antivirus, antimalware, antispyware), Adobe Flash, Sun Java, instant messengers, media players, etc., will offer various add-on's but give you the option to un-check them during the regular or custom installation process... and in my opinion, UNLESS you absolutely have to have the toolbar or add-on, you SHOULD UN-CHECK them since more than one toolbar and too many add-ons will start to cause problems with your browser and cause you to suffer from much slower web surfing or your browser will constantly freeze up or have other issues.  They will also use up a lot of your computer's resources and/or slow down your computer.

Some of the less scrupulous or outright malicious companies will add-on a malware infested toolbar and will not even tell you they are doing it during the installation... or seriously misrepresent what it does.  This is why you should ALWAYS Google or search for more information about any program you are going to install on your computer... BEFORE you install it and then find out it's a program from HELL with yet another toolbar or add-on from HELL.  Malicious add-ons will hijack your browser's home page and/or add adware that will only send you to sites that are part of their advertising network.  Other malicious add-ons will install trojans, viruses, spyware, adware, etc., on your computer and you will have to spend hours cleaning all the crap off of it.  Until you do, your computer could become part of a bot-net where the masterminds of the malware are using your computer and surfing habits to track everything you are doing on your computer... or to send spam, send out infected emails trying to infect others, or they will go through your computer looking for banking information or other personal information and steal your identity.

I hope this helps save one or two people from the BROWSER TOOLBAR FROM HELLLLL!!!!!!

Lenny Vasbinder

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Click this link, http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Computers, for all of my other Computer related blogs.

I welcome your comments.  Please click the Comment link below if the Comments section is not already open on the page.
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