JUST SOME POSTS

This post is prompted by the hysteria being ginned up by politicians over the United States Postal Service (hereafter to be referred to as the USPS).  First some facts and history about the USPS. The USPS (it's predecessor actually, but for all intents and purposes - the same organization) was an original part of the US Government and even before that Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress in 1775 to oversee the newly formed Post Office Department (he had been Postmaster General of the Colonies). It was recognized that the efficient and timely movement of the mail was critical to communication in a large and widespread land. The Post Office Department was made a Cabinet level department by President Washington in 1792 after the Postal Service Act of 1791. The Post Office remained a Cabinet level department until 1971 when the USPS was formed. It is now a semi-autonomous organization that has its own budgeting and is administered by ...

I have wanted to write something about the election, our candidates, and our “choices” in the upcoming election for a while. I waited as I watched, read, listened, and tried to get a handle on what I actually want to write. With that introduction, here I go. Every election since the1990s has been presented by one or both parties as “the most important election of our lifetimes. We are again faced with “THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIMES”! Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. The bottom line is, we have survived all the other votes and will survive this one as well. The real danger here, as I see it, is the lack of empathy, understanding, and acceptance of those with thoughts other than your own. I have seen more name calling and hatred in this election cycle that I think I have seen in at least any other two cycles. There has always been rancor and name-calling, but most were in understanding that it was an election, and life must go on afterwards. Now seems more of a “scorched-...

It's time for a refresher course. I have done too much of the "fun" stuff lately. Take notes if you wish - there will be a test in November. 1) There is NO government money. When you hear about a "government stimulus" or "federal funds" or anything like that - think "my tax dollars". The government has no money and has no way of getting money without taxing us, or borrowing it. 2) Corporations (companies) do NOT pay taxes (or fees, or fines). Taxing companies to help with the deficit, or adding a fee to banks to help cover the shortfall, is a tax or fee on US. When you hear of a new tax, fee, or fine, to be levied against corporations (like the one proposed for banks currently), think of it as being taken from YOU. Corporations HAVE NO MONEY except for what they get from their customers and/or shareholders. All banks will do if this fee is levied against them is raise our fees to bank with them. "We contend that for a nation to tr...

I have been told that I have offended some with my last post. I am glad there were people to offend. That being said, I thought a bit of follow up and explanation was in order. First, I do not think being a democrat makes you inherently any worse or any better than being a republican or an independent (of which I am one). In fact, the current republicans are not much (if any) better in practice than the democrats. Given the history of control (see the last post for details) where the democrats have controlled Congress for the vast majority of the post WWII era, I do feel the democrats and their core beliefs to be flawed greatly. Some current commentary - see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs The democrats are going on and on about how the George Bush policies of deregulation caused the financial mess we are in. - B.S. The problem has been of "half ways". The financial sector (like the airline and transportation sectors, and others) have never been...