QUICKWIT

Volunteer to run government

2012-01-27T10:40:00.002-05:00

Yes, Europe now realizes that they can not afford socialism and have to do some quick changing and volunteerism is the new catch word.
Here the price of permitting in cities and towns is going up substantially. With what construction jobs that are proposed, companies are paying 5 to 10 per cent of the entire building cost for just a permit to build the darn thing. Companies from out of state are finding out how cumbersome and pricey the permitting process can be.

Spain

The Mayor of Madrid, Ana Botella, has called for volunteers to man municipal installations and facilities, so they can ‘return something to society’.

She made a call to the Madrid people on Thursday, ‘given the exceptional situation we find ourselves in’, referring to the recession and the lack of money in the City Hall, that we have a series of public facilities which we have built, but now find ourselves unable to run. She said the idea of volunteers was ‘imaginative’ and means that the facilities can continue open and become profitable. It’s expected that cultural and social centers will be at the center of the plan.

High School Graduates

2012-01-27T08:19:00.001-05:00

FACT: 30%, on average, of our kids do not even graduating from high school. Would not the money (if we really had this money) be better spent in the hands of the tax payer to do what he or she sees fit in the education of their child. You can lead a child to school but can not make him learn. Passing out dollars does not change the fact that kids are not graduating form high school.

Obama College Aid Proposal Puts a Focus on Affordability

Under the plan, which the president is expected to outline on Friday morning in a speech at the University of Michigan, the amount available for Perkins loans would grow to $8 billion, from the current $1 billion. The president also wants to create a $1 billion grant competition, along the lines of the Race for the Top program for elementary and secondary education, to reward states that take action to keep college costs down, and a separate $55 million competition for individual colleges to increase their value and efficiency.

That's the Spirit

2012-01-27T07:56:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, (please don't tell) when my kids were young, I hid carrots in the meatloaf. I tell you this in reference with our government hiding their own carrots. What you don't know won't hurt you? What you do know will make you stronger and help in decision making.

Spirit on Tuesday emailed its passenger mailing list to decry recent Federal legislation aimed at getting airlines to divulge their full fares including taxes.

Spirit's email read:

New government regulations require us to HIDE taxes in your fares.

This is not consumer-friendly or in your best interest. It's wrong and you shouldn't stand for it.

Starting January 24, 2012, fares are distorted.

Why?
Thanks to the U.S. Department of Transportation's latest fare rules, Spirit must now HIDE the government's taxes and fees in your fares.

If the government can hide taxes in your airfares, then they can carry out their hidden agenda and quietly increase their taxes. (Yes, such talks are already underway.)

And if they can do it to the airline industry, what's next?
As the transparency leader and most consumer-friendly airline, Spirit DOES NOT support this new USDOT mandate. We believe the better form of transparency is to break out costs so customers know exactly what they're buying.

What can you do to help stop this injustice?
Join us in keeping government taxes and fees low and transparent by contacting your elected officials....

This is the same poorly drafted, well-meaning legislation that forced Travelocity to drop its unique, wildly popular "low fare" searches which found the lowest fares available over a 300+ day period. The government did consumers no favors here.

Officials demand Greenway ‘transparency’

2012-01-26T11:17:00.000-05:00

Yes, Massachusetts also has it's share of Czars who get paid top dollar. Now what these government employees do for that pay is not always clear nor is it easy to find out per following article. In this recession, state jobs remain the best paying.

Alarmed by the Rose Kennedy Greenway’s brazen attempt to dodge a Herald inquiry about its finances, top state officials are demanding that the embattled chief of the taxpayer-funded nonprofit open the books and hand over details of the conservancy’s hefty salaries, bonuses, expenses and contracts.
“I am concerned about the Conservancy’s transparency in providing information,” state transportation czar Richard Davey wrote to Greenway Executive Director Nancy Brennan yesterday, after a Herald report revealed her efforts to withhold the latest information on her own six-figure salary.
“We believe strongly that this organization should be held to the same standards of transparency as all quasi-public agencies,” Davey told the Herald.

State transportation funds pay roughly half of the Greenway’s $4.7 million annual budget to oversee the 15-acre park over the Central Artery tunnels. Brennan has earned up to $225,000 a year in salary and bonuses and employs nearly 40 people, while separately contracting out maintenance work.
“This is a real stinker,” said House Minority Leader Rep. Bradley H. Jones (R-N. Reading). “I certainly think someone should ask to see the books. We need a full accounting of what has been raised and spent and what taxpayer dollars were used directly and indirectly.”

The Downward Spiral Continues

2012-01-26T09:13:00.001-05:00

We have no money. This president still thinks we need government to create jobs. He also is hell bent on raising taxes on the rich to pay/promise for his spending spree. How much should someone pay in taxes on investments that were already taxed when it was earned income?

Are our roads and bridges in rough shape? Yes, so where did the money go the last time it was printed and handed over to the mayors to do repairs? I recently heard the story of two young Chinese economist in Washington asking the question on why we want to look more like China when socialism does not work???????????

Obama’s Clean Energy Plan for an America Built to Last: How to Use Less, Save More, and Put People Back to Work

Please Disregard my Previous Post

2012-01-25T09:32:00.001-05:00

Thank your God that our President SAVED the auto industry in this country ( his words not mine)! I have purses larger than this car!

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (R) and the president of HIRIKO Jesus Echave unveil the electric fold-up car named Hiriko at the European Union heasquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Jan 24, 2012. The Hiriko car developed by a consortium of Basque companies in Spain is unveild at the European Union heasquarters on Tuesday.[Photo/Xinhua]

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles.............and bus

2012-01-25T08:11:00.003-05:00

Here comes another "when I was a girl" stories. Don't run away, age and treachery will always trump youth and inexperience.

I can remember the time before my Mom got her license. We would wait at the top of the street for the bus to come. It was an adventure for a nine year old and seemed at the time to be like hours instead of a short ten minutes to get to the square. No shopping centers back then, all business was conducted in the center of town with occasional visits to the neighboring city of Salem where "Mr. Peanut" also walked.

Today most every household has two cars in the driveway. This changes when a child turns sixteen and for some reason also gets a car of his or her own.

Just like hem lines going up and down, society changes. What is old is new again. We are told to take public transportation, ride a bike, or walk which safes fuel in turn saving the planet. These are all good things, but put in government control, all bets are off. One form of transportation is maybe not the best for all but all transportation is costing more. Even if you decide to walk more, it will be costing more and you will be getting less........

SALEM — Locals have a chance to weigh in tonight on proposed changes that will drastically affect MBTA fares and service on the North Shore.

Facing a multimillion-dollar budget deficit, the MBTA is considering two scenarios, both of which contain fee hikes and cuts to services — including canceling all commuter rail service on weekends.

Tonight is one of a series of public forums MBTA officials scheduled to explain the proposed changes and get feedback from the public. The forum at the Salem City Hall Annex begins at 7.

The MBTA has laid out two plans, one that imposes overall fare increases of 43 percent and a second with increases of 35 percent. The first plan has a smaller reduction in services, and the second has more cuts to services.

Parking perks

Parking has always been a problem for people with business at the courthouses in downtown Salem, including even those called to jury duty. It was one of the arguments made years ago for building the new regional courthouse on an open site somewhere out on the highway in Peabody or Danvers.

But for a favored few — judges, clerks of court, other administrative personnel — parking was not a problem then, nor is it today following the opening of the new J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center on Federal Street.

Don't Occupy This

2012-01-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

Boston Bruins [team stats] all-world netminder Tim Thomas [stats] ignited a political firestorm — and drew a barrage of verbal slapshots from furious Democrats — when he brazenly snubbed President Obama by skipping the team’s Stanley Cup garden party at the White House yesterday.
“My advice to him is to stick to hockey,” said Phil Johnston, a top state Democrat who served under President Clinton. “I think Bruins players are taken seriously for their hockey, not for their politics.”
Thomas was the only member of the 2011 champs to skip yesterday’s ceremony honoring the team for its first Cup since 1972. In a posting on his Facebook page last night, Thomas wrote: “I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties and Property of the People . . . Because I believe this, I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party.”

I can only hope for the same response to a White House photo op by Tom Brady when the Patriots win the Super Bowl this February!

Manufacturing Jobs..................not in Massachusetts

2012-01-24T08:20:00.002-05:00

The truth can be a painful thing, along with the facts that accompany it. My small company has seen our customer base shrink in the past ten to fifteen years. Manufacturing, the base of our service 65 years ago, has gone completely or has gone across the sea. We have less work, hire fewer employees, and lower our pay base in turn.

Politicians of all faiths like to tell a gathering that they will bring back jobs. Sounds fine and just what most people want to hear. The tough part is when you ask the question how that is to be done. Will we allow fair completion between union and non-union shops? Do we cut back on government red tape, regulations, and fees per project? Can we compete with China and Brazil and would you pay more, or could you pay more, for a washer or sneakers made in this country? We haven't in the past so why do we think it will change.

Bialecki: Manufacturing jobs not coming back to Massachusetts

Massachusetts state government has worked to keep high-technology manufacturers like solar, energy and robotics firms in state, but the state is unlikely to rebuild its manufacturing workforce even to pre-recessionary levels, Economic Development Secretary Gregory Bialecki acknowledged in an interview with the Boston Business Journal, Friday.
In fact, the number of manufacturing jobs in the Bay State is likely to decline from this point forward, he said.
“If you promised me that 20 years from now we'd only have the same number of people working in manufacturing as we did today I would take your offer in a second,” Bialecki said.
Massachusetts manufacturing jobs had long been on a steady decline when the recession began. They hit a low in December 2009, at about 250,000. They’ve crept back up, since, to above 270,000 - but remain shy of the more than 280,000 the sector employed before the recession hit.

Trash talking

2012-01-23T10:36:00.000-05:00

You may linger or pass me by for today.................. I will be trash talking.

The newest law in town takes effect this week. Rethinking my first option of dressing in black in the middle of the night and heading to my neighbor's house with my trash on trash day, I decided to march in line with all the other citizens that feel it their duty and obligation to safe the planet by recycling. Now, don't hate me because I am beautiful nor because I am surrendering to the government. I also feel for my husband who has enough to do (he should be retired) and doesn't need to be dumpster diving at his age.

This brings me to the reminder that I received over the weekend stuffed in with my electric bill. If this recycling scheme is the way to go, why not just regress to the ways when I was a girl, burn the trash and dump the garbage? And in my pamphlet it says, and I quote, "glass, cans, and plastic can comingle." What the hell does comingle mean and is it safe or even wise? Will the trash police be also carrying rulers to measure cardboard to make sure it is properly cut and wrapped? Oh no, I think we can do better than this. We should have separate bins/barrels for paper, for tin, for plastic, for wood, for kitty litter! Yes, just line the street, on what used to be called trash day, with container after container. Wind, snow, rain, whatever... Wait, I am already rethinking this and might just go with my first plan, my husband looks better in black than I do! Stay tuned, pictures to follow.

Now What?

2012-01-22T08:55:00.002-05:00

Okay fellow conservatives, constitutionalists and those who just plan admired Artilla the Hun, would Newt on the ticket just be guaranteeing a second term for Obama? Not to panic, we are still months away from the election. The vote for Newt yesterday, to me, just confirmed how pissed the American people are with the establishment in Washington and the liberal press that they would overlook the moral character of a potential world leader, not to mention that of the next "first lady". Maybe in this race character is just further down the list than in years past. Who among us, except myself, does not have something or someone hidden in a closet? I will still need to listen and do some more research on my own before I, confessed Tea Party radical that I am, make my decision while I remember holding my nose while I voted for Mr. McCain in the last election.
On a lighter note: Go Patriots!!!!!

Yes, the money does eventually run out

2012-01-20T12:16:00.000-05:00

I have not heard much in the news of the fiscal policies that are being put into place in the European countries. While some politician in this country want us to look more like Europe, they are seeing that government can not pay all or is the answer to a health society. Eventually all money runs and we are expected to pay more and to receive less for it, wages included.

Portugal:

A tripartite agreement between the government, bosses and a labour union after marathon talks earlier in the week is promising to revolutionise the labour market. The Prime Minister termed the deal “historic”, explaining the agreement had gone much further than the stringent reforms which had been imposed by the bailout Troika last spring. In essence, the deal has laid the foundation for easier and cheaper sackings, fewer worker subsidies, a reduction in leave and bank holidays and support for ailing small and medium enterprises. The majority of stipulations contained within the new labour legislation will come into force in 2013.

Massachusetts:

That's right, Senate President Therese Murray used the r-word yesterday while addressing the fiscal plight facing the MBTA.

"I think the pressure is on for us to come up with a revenue (solution). ... We've done the reforms," Murray told a group of political and business leaders gathered for the quarterly meeting of the North Shore Alliance for Economic Development at Salem State University.

Her comments came in response to complaints from representatives from Salem and Gloucester regarding proposed cutbacks in commuter rail service. Under one scenario being considered by the transit agency, all weekend and late-night service on the commuter rail system would be discontinued.

The MBTA is currently conducting a series of hearings on proposals for fare hikes and service cutbacks at which users of the system can have their say. (There's one Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Salem's City Hall annex; another Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Lynn City Hall. Both are at 6 p.m.).

But Murray made it clear that maintenance of service will require new revenue. The question that will likely be debated this spring is whether that new revenue can come entirely from fare hikes, or whether it will require an increase in taxes. The MBTA currently receives a penny of every 6.5 cents raised by the sales tax, but there's been talk recently of a possible gas-tax hike to help fund public transportation.

It appears Murray is bracing for this discussion and will make the point that there have already been significant reforms — new employees can no longer retire after 23 years with full pensions and health benefits for life — so now it's time to talk about revenues.

During this recession, stimulus was just passed out to the cities and towns and in turn was used to pay pension responsibilities. How much can the taxes and fares continue to be raised to support these government programs and bureaucracies that we can not afford. Time for this country to take a good hard look at pension reform and right to work states.

Pipeline Rejection Angers Manufacturing Groups

2012-01-19T10:10:00.004-05:00

"The decision to say no to a project that would create 20,000 manufacturing and construction jobs - with an additional 118,000 indirect jobs -- defies logic when the U.S. is suffering from high unemployment and a struggling economy," said National Association of Manufacturers President Jay Timmons in a prepared statement. "For America's future, it's always better to choose sound policy over politics. Instead, the administration followed the political winds and rejected a clear way to create jobs."
Obama issued a statement saying Congressional Republicans rushed a Feb. 21 deadline to approve the project before a full assessment of the pipeline's impact was conducted.
"The announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people," Obama said in a statement. "I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my administration's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil."

President Obama Stands Up to Big Oil by Robert Redford

Let's face it: Big Oil is used to getting its way. But not today... and we have President Obama to thank for standing up to them in spite of the political risk.
President Obama has just rejected a permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline -- a project that promised riches for the oil giants and an environmental disaster for the rest of us.
His decision represents a victory of historic proportions for people from throughout the pipeline path and all across America who have waged an uphill, years-long fight against one of the most nightmarish fossil fuel projects of our time.

For this one term president to say his first priority is for JOBS, JOBS, JOBS......is both a lie and laughable. Believe me, we have enough environmental regulations and laws on the books to set your mind at ease if accidents is really his reasoning for saying no to this project. Are we better off handing money to the post office or Kermit???? We need the jobs and we need the energy.

The Republican proposed tax cuts

2012-01-19T09:08:00.001-05:00

This was sent to me this morning. Read it and weep. This is very overwhelming for the average taxpayer who continues to get up every morning (or night) and head to the job that, in most cases, is today paying him minimum wage. The focus in the media is now on Mr. Romney's account in the Caymans and his tax returns. Let's all remember Charley Rangel and his illegal doings in the Dominican republic and Timothy Geithner who did not even pay his tax bill! Yes, all politicians are honest and always pay for their wrong doings (sarcasm) and of course your best interest is at the top of their priorities.

Notice S.S. and the military are NOT on this list.

These are all the programs that the new Republican House has proposed cutting. Read to the end.

* Corporation for Public Broadcasting Subsidy -- $445 million annual savings.

* Save America 's Treasures Program -- $25 million annual savings.

* International Fund for Ireland -- $17 million annual savings.

* Legal Services Corporation -- $420 million annual savings.

* National Endowment for the Arts -- $167.5 million annual savings.

* National Endowment for the Humanities -- $167.5 million annual savings.

* Hope VI Program -- $250 million annual savings.

* Amtrak Subsidies -- $1.565 billion annual savings.

* Eliminate duplicative education programs -- H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

* U.S. Trade Development Agency -- $55 million annual savings.

* Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy -- $20 million annual savings.

* Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding -- $47 million annual savings.

* John C. Stennis Center Subsidy -- $430,000 annual savings.

* Community Development Fund -- $4.5 billion annual savings.

* Heritage Area Grants and Statutory Aid -- $24 million annual savings.

* Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half -- $7.5 billion annual savings

* Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20% -- $600 million annual savings.

* Essential Air Service -- $150 million annual savings.

* Technology Innovation Program -- $70 million annual savings.

* Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program -- $125 million annual savings.

* Department of Energy Grants to States for Weatherization -- $530 million annual savings.

* Beach Replenishment -- $95 million annual savings.

* New Starts Transit -- $2 billion annual savings.

* Exchange Programs for Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Their Historical Trading Partners in Massachusetts -- $9 million annual savings

* Intercity and High Speed Rail Grants -- $2.5 billion annual savings.

* Title X Family Planning -- $318 million annual savings.

* Appalachian Regional Commission -- $76 million annual savings.

* Economic Development Administration -- $293 million annual savings.

* Programs under the National and Community Services Act -- $1.15 billion annual savings.

* Applied Research at Department of Energy -- $1.27 billion annual savings.

* Freedom CAR and Fuel Partnership -- $200 million annual savings.

* Energy Star Program -- $52 million annual savings.

* Economic Assistance to Egypt -- $250 million annually.

* U.S. Agency for International Development -- $1.39 billion annual savings.

* General Assistance to District of Columbia -- $210 million annual savings.

* Subsidy for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority -- $150 million annual savings.

* Presidential Campaign Fund -- $775 million savings over ten years.

* No funding for federal office space acquisition -- $864 million annual savings.

* End prohibitions on competitive sourcing of government services.

* Repeal the Davis-Bacon Act -- More than $1 billion annually.

* IRS Direct Deposit: Require the IRS to deposit fees for some services it offers (such as processing payment plans for taxpayers) to the Treasury, instead of allowing it to remain as part of its budget -- $1.8 billion savings over ten years.

* Require collection of unpaid taxes by federal employees -- $1 billion total savings.   WHAT  IS THIS ABOUT?

* Prohibit taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees -- $1.2 billion savings over ten years.

* Sell excess federal properties the government does not make use of -- $15 billion total savings.

* Eliminate death gratuity for Members of Congress.   WHAT???

* Eliminate Mohair Subsidies -- $1 million annual savings.

* Eliminate taxpayer subsidies to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- $12.5 million annual savings   WELL ISN'T THAT SPECIAL

* Eliminate Market Access Program -- $200 million annual savings.

* USDA Sugar Program -- $14 million annual savings.

* Subsidy to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) -- $93 million annual savings.

* Eliminate the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program -- $56.2 million annual savings.

* Eliminate fund for Obamacare administrative costs -- $900 million savings.

* Ready to Learn TV Program -- $27 million savings..   WHY?????

* HUD Ph.D. Program.

* Deficit Reduction Check-Off Act.

*   TOTAL SAVINGS: $2.5 Trillion over Ten Years

Girls Scout Cookies

2012-01-18T09:46:00.000-05:00

I myself was a girls scout and today my grand daughter is. The smaller size of the cookies is not the only change this organization has seen. These days they also make it a "contest" for the girls to sell as many boxes as they can to win some useless little token like a key-chain.

True. According to the Girl Scouts’ website, the lion’s share of the money goes not to the troop but to bureaucrats up the chain of command in multicounty councils. The national office gets a piece of the pie, too, in the form of royalties based on gross annual sales volume - about 200 million boxes per year.
It’s a sacrifice, because I love the cookies and the cuties who sell them, but enough is enough.
I remember the Girl Scouts being flaky way back in the early 1970s. When I was a Brownie, I was told to recite some chant and step over a mirror. If I had known the word, I would have called it “pagan.” Even an unchurched girl of 7 could smell a rat.
Last year, the Girl Scouts decided to admit boys who dress as girls. When asked to admit a cross-dressing 7-year-old boy, a Colorado troop leader demurred, explaining to his mother, with tact and irrefutable logic, that her son couldn’t be a Girl Scout because he has “boy parts.”

Ticket to Ride

2012-01-18T09:17:00.000-05:00

The Republican debates are interesting to watch, but I like to make my decisions based on fact, not banter. Don't count Gov. Romney out just because he has not shown his tax return. And besides, he may pay less on his income that some people would like, but he does pay. How many Americans pay no taxes at all? It is not the amount of money one pays, it is the whole tax code that needs to be overhauled and simplified. Is not Obama and his family now very wealthy? Now it is the government that spends more than it collects and also needs to down size. No need to raise taxes when so much waste is ready to be cut. God helps those who help themselves, janitors included.

Limousine liberals? Number of government-owned limos has soared under Obama

Limousines, the very symbol of wealth and excess, are usually the domain of corporate executives and the rich. But the number of limos owned by Uncle Sam increased by 73 percent during the first two years of the Obama administration, according to an analysis of records by iWatch News.
Most of the increase was recorded in Hillary Clinton’s State Department.
Obama administration officials said most of the increase reflects an enhanced effort to protect diplomats and other government officials in a dangerous world. But a watchdog group says the abundance of limos sends the wrong message in the midst of a budget crisis. The increase in limos comes to light on the heels of an executive order from President Obama last week that charges agencies to increase the fuel efficiency of their fleets.

On that note, take a look at how many limos were in the caravan last night at the birthday bash for the first lady in Washington DC

Chinese Food?

2012-01-17T08:47:00.001-05:00

Growing up in the age that I did, "politically correct" had not been born yet. Back then the saying, " people are starving in China" was often used so children would appreciate the dinner prepared and set in front of them and would eat everything on the plate.
Much has changed in this country but it looks to me as people are still starving in China, as sad as this story is.
I know people in other parts of the world have strange customs but for myself, I will think twice when ordering Chinese take-out.................

A little dog peers out from a cage after being saved from going to the slaughterhouse by a courageous blogger, Jan 16, 2012. A truck loaded with more than 1,000 dogs heading for South China's Guangdong province was intercepted by local law enforcers and volunteers on Monday after a micro blogger posted a plea for help online when he spotted the animals in a truck on the highway. The dogs, some in critical condition, were taken to a rundown pig farm in Changsheng town, Southwest China's Chongqing. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

Main or Bain, that is the question

2012-01-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

Wake up! If your business is in a holding company and it is not producing it has to be closed, shareholders money on the line.
If your company is held by the union or government, you are still not in charge of bad performance and I have to keep paying to keep it open i.e. the post office and Amtrak.......ALL Americans lose!
The Democratic party must have infiltrated the Republican election troop and are smiling because of the stupid fighting amongst them and not making this loser president the main target of their attack ads.
In closing, please do the research yourself and do not count on the TV or the written press to tell you the truth or ALL the truth. TALK IS CHEAP

GM creating more Jobs...........in Russia

2012-01-13T10:33:00.004-05:00

President Obama keeps talking of bringing jobs back to this country.............and?

GM plans to increase production in Russia from 232,000 units in 2010 to more than 520,000 in 2015, said Alan Draper, vice president in charge of purchasing at Ford of Europe. The company will invest $1 billion.
"The reason we are there is we see opportunity," James Bovenzi said on Jan. 12 on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show. "There is a lot of pent-up demand in Russia... The average vehicle is more than 10 years old," he said. "The middle class is growing and nine of the 10 best-selling cars in Russia are foreign brands," he said, adding that GM's Chevrolet was a top-seller. "Russia will (soon) be one of the most important markets in the world," Draper said. He added that plants established there by respected parts suppliers could improve quality and let international firms meet local content requirements.

You Asked if the President's Uncle is Still in the States???

2012-01-13T10:23:00.002-05:00

Yes he is still here. Let's make his story the one below the crease and concentrate on the diversion made of the arresting officer???

Defense attorneys digging for something to latch onto in a Framingham cop’s driving past are being bashed by the police brotherhood who argue the bust of President Obama’s half-uncle on a drunken-driving charge is the issue, not the officer’s history behind the wheel.
The Framingham cop who arrested Onyango Obama has about a dozen on-duty accidents — mostly minor — to his name, according to records requested by defense attorneys and obtained by the Herald yesterday.

Obama wants tax breaks for the Rich

2012-01-13T08:47:00.003-05:00

Our one term president wants to show concern for the people who create the businesses and bring work back to the shores of the US of A. Remember, every working tax payer is money to the state and federal governments. If jobs are to come back, and I am not sure that they will, lets have free competition and not require every business owner to pay a minimum or union wages. One's benefits would be included in the wage scale. How are we to compete with a country like China where the people are working for a bowl of rice? Is the world customer willing, or able, to pay more for goods made in the states when our own workers, including union workers, have looked for the cheaper items and sent production overseas?

from tax news:

United States President Barack Obama has announced that he will put forward new tax proposals in the coming weeks designed to reward companies that choose to invest or bring back jobs to the United States, and to eliminate tax advantages for companies moving jobs overseas.
While the President did not elaborate on the proposed tax measures, they are expected to form part of the 2013 federal budget blueprint, which is due to be sent to Congress during the first week in February.
The President's past budgets have contained many proposals to deter US firms from 'shipping jobs overseas', for example by ending the corporate deferral rules, which allow US businesses that invest overseas to take immediate deductions on their US tax returns for expenses supporting their overseas investments but then "defer" paying US taxes on the profits they make from those investments. This proposal has, however, never been enacted, but is almost certainly to figure again in the forthcoming budget.
Obama made the announcement during an "Insourcing American Jobs" forum at the White House, attended by senior executives from some of America's largest companies which have recently switched production back to the United States or are planning to invest there, including Ford, DuPont and Intel.
"I don’t want America to be a nation that’s primarily known for financial speculation and racking up debt buying stuff from other nations," Obama said. "I want us to be known for making and selling products all over the world stamped with three proud words: Made in America. And we can make that happen."
"I don’t want the next generation of manufacturing jobs taking root in countries like China or Germany. I want them taking root in places like Michigan and Ohio and Virginia and North Carolina. And that’s a race that America can win," he added.
"[My] message to business leaders today is simple: ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to the country that made our success possible," the President said. "And I'm going to do everything in my power to help you do it. We're going to have to seize this moment."
.

Doing Business in Massachusetts, part who the hell knows

2012-01-12T11:27:00.002-05:00

Massachusetts Republican lawmakers have filed legislation that would prevent an automatic, 31 percent hike in the amount of money employers pay into the unemployment insurance trust fund. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester and House Minority Leader Bradley Jones, R-North Reading, co-sponsored the bill.
Without such a freeze, the average annual cost to businesses would rise to $935 per employee, up from $715 last year. Similar freezes have been enacted in each of the past three years.
“Unemployment insurance is already a major cost for employers in Massachusetts, and one that relates directly to the number of people they employ. A substantial rate increase now will not only imperil a struggling economic recovery, it will also put a new obstacle in the way of getting people back to work,” Tarr said in a statement.
The rate hike was effective as of the beginning of the year, but the legislature still has time to approve a freeze because employers don’t have to start paying the tax until the end of the first quarter.

Obama extended tax break for employees and extended the unemployment checks, but someone still has to pay and it is business, or what is left of business.

Do you know who owns your bank, it ain't Mr. Potter

2012-01-12T11:23:00.002-05:00

Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, the parent company of Citizens Bank, has unveiled a restructuring plan that includes shaving 3,500 jobs over a three-year period, the Wall Street Journal reports.
RBS said the move is in response to changed market and regulatory challenges, the Journal reports. The financial services giant is positioning the restructuring as part of a strategy it announced in 2009. The Associated Press reports that the cuts will largely affect employees in RBS' Global Banking and Markets division, which offers advice on mergers and acquisitions.

................or do you even care who owns your bank?

No Twinkies or cigarettes per government orders

2012-01-12T11:17:00.001-05:00

North Shore Community College in Danvers has gone smoke-free, making it the latest and last college campus on the North Shore to enforce a campuswide smoking ban, the Salem News reports.
Salem State University and Gordon College in Wenham already have full smoking bans. And as the Salem News reports, more than 260 colleges and universities nationwide have gone smoke-free.

Cigarettes are bad for ya, I quit on my own without even the government knowing, at least I do not know if they knows???? Did you ever think that your government in the US of A would be in charge of what you could put into your own body? All industry will be next on the ban wagon!

Twinkies, Snowballs, and Hostess Cupcakes

2012-01-12T08:24:00.003-05:00

Another company that is not making it in America. I will now save those Twinkies in my freezer for the grand kids to sell on eBay when I am gone. I grew up on this brand, yes I was a chubby kid but I myself made the choice to lose the weight on my own without a government agency telling me I had to or them taking the food off the table to safe me from myself. Why does a company really stop to exist or decide to close it's doors? It is union, management, government rules and regulations that finalizes the deal to shut down production.
The hope is that with a new President the country will turn around and create the jobs, good paying jobs, that American's need to survive and feed their families. The American people will continue to settle for less and see their standard of living continue to go down. It is a fact family business, farms, and fishing, whats left of it, will soon disappear or at best be owned by some large financial group headquartered overseas. Inferior product is now out there and what people, who can, buy. I see this in my own business. Most factories have been replaced by public housing and those that are left are now owned and operated by some foreign entity or giant financial group. I know, I see the payment checks coming from Japan and from China.

example, Gorton's of Gloucester

Gorton's History At-A-Glance

1849 – John Pew & Sons emerges as an official company
1874 – Slade Gorton & Company is founded
1875 – “Gorton’s” becomes a registered trademark
1889 – Gorton’s codfish becomes the first record of nationally advertised fish and Gorton’s codfish becomes a household word. Gorton’s billboards line railroads and roads across the United States
1899 – Slade Gorton & Company patents the Original Gorton Fish Cake
1906 – Gorton-Pew Fisheries is founded
1926 – Gorton-Pew introduces Gorton’s Ready-to-Use Codfish in a can
Late 1950’s - Gorton’s Research Laboratory achieved a revolutionary new frozen process, exclusive under the brand name of Gorton’s of Gloucester, Inc., known as the Fresh-Lock Process. The “Fresh Lock” process was patented in 1963
1957 – Gorton-Pew Fisheries name changes to Gorton’s of Gloucester
1963 – Gorton’s acquires BlueWater Sea Foods, a Canadian brand
1964 – The Gorton’s Fisherman first appears on a Gorton’s box
1965 – Gorton’s of Gloucester becomes The Gorton Corporation
1968 – Gorton’s merges with General Mills as a wholly owned subsidiary
1978 – First production of the Gorton’s jingle “Trust the Gorton’s Fisherman, Gorton’s of Gloucester”
1995 – Unilever purchases Gorton’s from General Mills
2001 – Unilever sells Gorton’s and BlueWater Seafoods to Nippon Suisan (USA), Inc.
2005 – Gorton's removed trans fat from its entire line of products one year ahead of the January 1, 2006 U.S. federal deadline

Follow the Wealth

2012-01-10T11:23:00.001-05:00

Today is the second day of the auto show in Detroit. I will not be purchasing a vehicle this year or next, according to plan and budget. I did find it interesting that with all the government demands on the auto industry on providing better fuel mileage it is still not good enough. The industry has spent millions, and added the cost onto the consumer no less. Now our government is spending our money on hybrid cars that no one wants and still can not afford to buy even with the high subsidy provided by us the tax payer????

China now largest market for Rolls-Royce

LONDON – China has overtaken the US for the first time to become Rolls-Royce’s largest market in 2011, the company announced on Monday.
Rolls-Royce, one of the UK’s most prestigious brands, sold 3,538 luxury cars in 2011 – the highest in its 107-year history, eclipsing the previous record set in 1978 when 3,347 cars were sold.
Sales in the Asia-Pacific region grew 47 percent in 2011 while business in Britain rose by 30 per cent.
“China and the US were the most significant individual markets for Rolls-Royce,” the company announcement goes.
In China, “Beijing is our strongest selling point,” told Andrew Ball, communications manager of Rolls-Royce, but he declined to unveil how many cars the company sold in China in 2011.
Rolls-Royce’s announcement came as the UK economy is at a critical stage amid looming fear for a double-dip recession.
“We had an outstanding year in 2011 and we should take a moment to reflect on this Great British success story,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
“Our business is in excellent shape. We are developing our dealer network, moving into new markets like South America, expanding our manufacturing operation in West Sussex to meet global demand and plan to develop our product range.”
Rolls-Royce, which is based in Goodwood, West Sussex, but owned by Germany’s BMW, said sales were driven by booming demand for the Phantom and the £165,000 Ghost.
The company said the outstanding performance was a “Great British success story”.

The Government Can

2012-01-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

Was just sent this and had to share it. Will the coming elections make a difference and return to us the rights we have let get away? No? Notice the small number of people in the audience that are really laughing and enjoying the performance.

White House threw secret 'Alice in Wonderland' bash during recession

2012-01-08T08:07:00.002-05:00

Just in case you do not have enough reasons to get this man and his crew out of the White House, the news of a "secret party" comes to light. This is no reason in itself to get rid of the president, but I want to know what other secret parties or plans for us minions he has arranged in the last three years? One lump or two?

t was the tea party the Obamas just couldn’t resist.
A White House “Alice in Wonderland” costume ball — put on by Johnny Depp and Hollywood director Tim Burton — proved to be a Mad-as-a-Hatter idea that was never made public for fear of a political backlash during hard economic times, according to a new tell-all.
“The Obamas,” by New York Times correspondent Jodi Kantor, tells of the first Halloween party the first couple feted at the White House in 2009. It was so over the top that “Star Wars” creator George Lucas sent the original Chewbacca to mingle with invited guests.

The book reveals how any official announcement of the glittering affair — coming at a time when Tea Party activists and voters furious over the lagging economy, 10-percent unemployment rate, bank bailouts and Obama’s health-care plan were staging protests — quickly vanished down the rabbit hole.
“White House officials were so nervous about how a splashy, Hollywood-esque party would look to jobless Americans — or their representatives in Congress, who would soon vote on health care — that the event was not discussed publicly and Burton’s and Depp’s contributions went unacknowledged,” the book says.

Planned Parenthood Doesn't Need Half Billion in Tax Dollars | LifeNews.com

2012-01-07T05:56:00.000-05:00

Again I say, it really isn't that hard to cut back government spending. The harder part is to have a politician vote to enact term limits on his time spent "serving" the public. Planned Parenthood Doesn't Need Half Billion in Tax Dollars | LifeNews.com: Planned Parenthood Doesn’t Need Half Billion in Tax Dollars

My Mother also would tell me to eat those peas, children are starving in China

2012-01-06T11:52:00.000-05:00

I guess some would say this is money well spent from a country who's books are in the red. It was just another job creator? I was not called on to quote any of this renovation work, but I am a non union shop. When the government and politician say there is no where to cut costs, I say bull feathers. Will this be just another monument to a bygone society, may be the Chinese would like to own a museum. Is it nice, yes, do we really need it, no.

Thirty years is a long time in museum life. Collections grow, tastes change, and so do the way curators and the public view art. After being closed for four years these galleries, on the second floor of the Met’s American Wing, will reopen on Jan. 16 after a complete renovation. It is the third and final phase of a $100 million project that includes new galleries dedicated to the neo-Classical arts of America and an overhaul of the period rooms and the Charles Engelhard Court, a light-filled pavilion punctuated by the Greek Revival limestone facade of Martin E. Thompson’s Branch Bank of the United States. The neo-Classical galleries opened in 2007, and the period rooms and court reopened in 2009.

Rick Santorum faces off yesterday in New Hampshire on the subject of gay marriage

2012-01-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

You decide, I say well done Rick.

State sponsored Thievery

2012-01-05T12:53:00.000-05:00

How will our government continue to promise and to spend. Have you noticed you are paying more in taxes and receiving less for said. I was leaning toward Romney with my vote, but I saw him with McCain and they both just look like politicians. A favor returned by Romney after bowing to McCain and leaving the race so McCain could take his rightful place in line last election? I held my nose when I voted for Mr. McCain last time round and although a war hero of many years past, it is past time for him to retire, he is part of the problem our country is in today.

By Larry Sand
Teachers and other public employees use “air time” to pick your pocket. The California State Teachers Retirement System tries calming words. David Crane tells the truth and loses yet another job.
Saying that the state teachers’ retirement system is underfunded is the understatement of this or any year and now, CalSTRS is giving us specifics. On December 27th, it said,

“Recent media reports have suggested that to solve the unfunded liability the state will have to increase CalSTRS funding by $3.8 billion a year for 30 years for a total of more than $114 billion. Although this is an accurate statement based on current projections, achieving adequate funding can occur several ways that would be phased in over time. The CalSTRS $56 billion funding shortfall can be managed, but it will require gradual and predictable increases in contributions.”
In fact, saying that the shortfall has to be “managed” is like saying that World War II had to be managed. No, the reality is that there has to be major destruction and rebuilding, no matter how unpopular this will be with the beneficiaries of the theft, their unions and their kick-the-can-down-the-road buddies in Sacramento who are occasionally known as legislators. Tinkering around the edges and “managing” the problem will do little.

Who is Watching Who or What and Should you Even care

2012-01-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

I can not imagine having only one TV program to choose from. What am I saying, I have many and still there is nothing on TV to watch half the time....

China campaign cuts entertainment TV by two-thirds

An order by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) to curb ''excessive entertainment'' came into effect on 1 January.
The number of entertainment shows aired during prime time each week has dropped to 38 from 126, said the watchdog.
The news came as the president warned of the influence of Western culture.
In the piece published in a Communist Party magazine, President Hu Jintao also urged efforts to boost the country's own soft power, said Xinhua.
The order, which was issued in October 2011, limits each of the country's 34 satellite channels to two entertainment programmes each week and a maximum of 90 minutes of entertainment content every day from 19:30 to 22:00.

What Happens when Governments take Control

2012-01-04T09:38:00.002-05:00

I have been paying attention to how large our government is and how most people are just trying to live their lives and think nothing of the changes around them. A good politician will promise you anything to get elected.
This month in my town the governing "know-betters" are ruling that no one's trash will be picked up unless a recycle bin is right their standing beside it on trash day. And please, even if your barrels are blowing in the wind, do not, I repeat, do not take that recycle bin from the curb ( or your neighbor's yard ) unless you want the forces in charge to think you did not put out that bin and leave your trash behind. Oh yes, you say recycling is a fine and an earth conscience thing to do, but is not water a natural recourse to also be of concern when wasting it by washing out empty bleach bottles, creamed corn and tuna cans? What of the poor elderly and those with hip and back problems or those on blood thinning medicine. Will falls on the ice and bleeding to death be considered grounds for legal action against the town or even the state?
I do not want to sound too grumpy, a new year and such. But some of us have worked hard for many a year and find that our remaining years are not for us at all but are controlled by the whims of the few and those who know no other way and call it progress.
Please, when you do vote consider the rights we are letting slip through our fingers. Just like in business, it is harder to get new customers than to keep the one's you have now. Once a right is gone, it will take generations, if that, to get it back.

Greece

Deputy Health Minister Michalis Timosidis assured on Wednesday that an agreement has been reached with Greece's pharmacists, who were on strike on Monday and Tuesday in protest at a government decision to reduce their profit margin on medicine sales and social security funds' failure to settle their outstanding bills.
The union of pharmacists had said that they will stop providing customers with medicine on credit unless they were paid back a total of 400 million euros that they claim they are owed by social security funds.
Speaking on Skai TV on Wednesday, Timosidis said that a settlement has been reached on the outstanding debts, adding later that he hopes customers will be able to purchase their medication as usual within the next few days.
Timosidis also said that the staffing of the new national healthcare provider EOPYY is picking up pace, with a rising number of doctors signing with the new body that is expected to cover around 98 percent of the population. He also said the organization will launch the process for hiring 5,500 new doctors within the next few weeks.
Doctors at Greece's main social security fund IKA meanwhile are on a four-day strike until Thursday in protest at the new body, which they fear will lead them to losing their patients to doctors working for EOPYY, putting their jobs at risk. They are also concerned that they will not be able to treat their patients, as the Health Ministry has yet to clarify in writing whether doctors that are not with EOPYY will have the right to see patients and issue them with prescriptions.
Timosidis, speaking on Vima radio said that such concerns are «to be expected,» adding that «we are here... to see whether there is good cause for such reactions."

You Might Be A Wall Street Occupier, If:

2011-12-29T10:42:00.002-05:00

   Yes it is rumored today that Occupy will be showing up at the Rose Bowl Parade. I do not know if it will be on a float or with some high school band twirling a baton, regardless, they should not be that hard to pick out either way.

1. You moved to a tent in Zuccotti Park because you always wanted a
nicer place to live.

2. You quit your "job" to attend the protests, but your mother
continues your allowance and now does the dishes herself.

3. You are confused that you can't find the Wal-Mart on Wall Street.

4. You are enraged that the taxpayers had to bail out Wall Street even
though you've never paid taxes or know anyone who has.

5. You hate capitalism but expect a capitalist to provide you a good
paying job with great benefits.

6. You think Socialism has something to do with Facebook, and
Capitalism has to do with Washington, DC.

7. You demand a job, forgetting that you were fired for not doing the
one you had.

8. You despise the rich even though they pay your share of taxes.

9. You're a little behind in your rent because your drug dealer
insisted on cash.

10. You are very clear in your protest objectives:
   "Screw the USA";
   "Save the ______ (fill in the blanks - whales, spotted owls,
sturgeon)";
   "Self-realization is the first step toward self-actualization";
   "Down with ... uh... everything!";

11. You think 99 weeks of unemployment is the least the government
should give you for the 3 months you put in at McDonald's.

12. You drove a KIA to the protest, you're plugged in to a Sony
Walkman, talk over a Samsung phone, and play a Yamaha keyboard in a
punk band, but you are incensed over jobs being outsourced to other
countries.

13. You demand your rights, but can't quite recall where they are
enumerated.

14. You believe you have a right to every penny earned, but the rich
do not, and you base your claim on equality.

15. You believe a man is greedy if he worked his way up to CEO on
16-hour days, runs a company employing thousands, and made $10 million
last year, but is not greedy if he made $50 million last year for
making two motion pictures or shooting a ball through a hoop.

16. You are convinced the "system" is holding you back from gaining
wealth, status, and position. Dropping out of high school, dulling
your mind with crack and MJ, a few arrests on your record, and
stealing from your employer had nothing to do with it.

17. You left behind trash, feces, urine-soaked sod, discarded
clothing, and used condoms after your "Save the Environment" protest.

18. You know you're not a Socialist because you stick pretty much to
yourself at parties.

19. You want to improve the environment and you have the tattoos and
piercings to prove it.

20. You don't pay taxes, but somehow that's more than your "fair
share.";

21. You hate the rich, but hope you win the lottery.

22. You haven't bathed in over a month, but demand to be taken
seriously.

23. From the looks of it, "greening" the environment means starting
with your teeth.

24. You know your cause is just - because the President and Nancy
Pelosi admire you.

Just let the old people go, it will save on costs

2011-12-28T09:09:00.002-05:00

Unprecedented access to Medicare claims data found 40 percent of cancer screenings for patients 75 years and older to be medically unnecessary. Not only are many of the tests invasive, as health writer Joe Eaton reports, but they place a sizable financial toll on Medicare — for instance, $31 million was spent to screen people in their 90s.

Ah yes......... Back when Obamacare was only a socialist's dream, my mother-in-law, then age 80, was screened for cancer. Cancer was found and treated and she lived to be 90. Now who is to say when the cut off date will be for our elderly patients? I could probably sit with Congress and go down the list of foolishness and check off 100 wasteful and useless cash cows to be done away with.

What's Moving in Massachusetts.....Forclosures

2011-12-28T08:45:00.002-05:00

Boston Business Journal

The number of completed foreclosures in the state rose by 70 percent over November, 2010. In total, 714 foreclosure deeds were recorded last month in the Bay State. In the same month, last year, just 418 deeds were recorded. November, 2011 was the fifth consecutive month in which foreclosure deeds were above 1,000. According to a news release from The Warren Group, the data shows lenders are coming out of a 12-month slowdown in foreclosure paperwork. Foreclosures are still down for the year, to date. By the end of November, 2010, lenders had completed 11,752 foreclosures, compared to 7,685 foreclosure deeds completed in the same period this year. Meanwhile, lenders in November initiated fewer foreclosures in Massachusetts, filing 1,015 petitions to foreclose, an 8 percent decline from November, 2010. That “modest” decline could indicate an “improving employment picture is leading to fewer mortgage delinquencies,” said Warren Group CEO Timothy M. Warren Jr. in a statement. It's the fewest petitions filed since June, when 990 foreclosure petitions were filed. To date, lenders have filed 11,625 petitions, down by nearly half from 23,200 during the same period in 2010.

Peter right, Harry sit down!

2011-12-28T08:41:00.000-05:00

I have been following Peter for quit a few years and agree with his thoughts most of the time. What I still do not understand is why people keep voting for Harry and those like him who have gotten us into the state we are in today and continue to work against job creators. I would like to know how much Harry is now worth since his stay in Congress. I am sorry, I do not see how we will ever return our country to fiscal responsibility until the minions storm the gates of the rulers who are creating the downfall. Sure, the government keeps sending out checks and printing money that is backed by nothing!

The Sun is Still Free...........

2011-12-27T12:24:00.000-05:00

It still might seem to some that more government is better government. If our government can not tax it then it must be bad for you and me. Just say that if everyone was able to avail themselves of Solar heat or even take the dip into Solar hot water, what would happen to the revenue stream that flows to the government controlled and regulated municipalities? Don't get me wrong, the day is still ahead where homeowners will be able to afford Solar on the roof if not subsidized by government dollars.

Prompted by pressure from clean energy advocates, Hawaii and California are quietly working to remove a regulatory obstacle that is slowing a boom in rooftop solar systems in the nation's leading solar states.

Thank you!

2011-12-23T07:10:00.001-05:00

How thankful we are that our politicians had a change of heart and granted us minions an average of $40 more dollars in our paychecks.....guarantied at least for a couple of months till they are back at it to extend the deal! The time has come for these and all government workers to pay into social security. The bigger issue is how are we to pay for this foolishness?

IndustryWeek

Congressional leaders reached a deal Thursday to give 160 million Americans an extended payroll-tax holiday, handing President Obama a year-end political victory over his Republican foes.
The showdown over a payroll-tax-cut extension worth about $40 per pay check to average Americans was the latest fierce showdown for control of power in polarized Washington ahead of Obama's 2012 re-election race. Obama earlier had fumed at the fact that Republicans and Democrats agreed that passing a payroll-tax cut was necessary, but were unable to agree on the length of the extension. "Has this place become so dysfunctional that even when people agree with things we can't do it? It doesn't make any sense. Enough is enough," Obama said.

2011-12-23T06:57:00.001-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY LAST OBAMA YEAR AS PRESIDENT!

A year of aggressive antitrust oversight

2011-12-22T09:50:00.002-05:00

It is clear that the government is prepared to use litigation and pressure on transactions that it really doesn’t want to see happen and it has been more aggressive this year than in previous years,” said Steve Axinn, partner with the New York law firm of Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP. “They will be just as aggressive and I believe they may be more aggressive in 2012.”

How much government interference is warranted in day to day business. I know we need rules and regulations but is it better to have a business fail or move to another country or is it better for a fair merger of said company before this happens. Guess the lawyers will be busy next year anyway.......

Another One Bits the Dust

2011-12-21T08:46:00.000-05:00

Seems still another Solar Company is shutting down. Does this mean Solar is completely a none issue in the alternative energy field or is it the sign of the times and too pricey for most of us to take advantage of.
We have installed many privately funded commercial systems, but just keeping the roof over one's head is the first concern of most home owners in today's economy. Towns and Cities are mandated by our government to provide that a percentage of power comes form Solar, but again, that is you and me paying per government regulations, laws, and added fees.

After 40 years and multiple efforts to remain commercially viable, parent company BP has decided to exit the business entirely, according to spokesperson Robert Wine.
BP Solar had already closed manufacturing in the U.S., Spain, and Australia in an effort to lower costs. In July, it said it would only pursue only larger projects, rather than residential and commercial rooftop installations.

Congress: The Jokes on Us

2011-12-20T10:35:00.000-05:00

Please, all the talk today is that the "average" working person will lose $1000.00 out of their pay check if Congress does not pass the payroll tax. Yes that is a lot of money to some people, but is extending unemployment really going to create jobs or just stop those from looking.
The talk should be today on how much Congress men and women get compensated for stock tips and why they leave public service much wealthier than they came into public service. Let us all take a closer look to what is added to this bill and added to other bills just to get them passed on the floor and sooth us little people.
The jig is up! Let's demand now that the tax rules get overhauled now, completely, and not just spot fixed for a couple of months to make some politician look like he cares and is doing the job that we pay lots of money for him or her to do...............

No Red Carpet for this Movie in China

2011-12-16T11:25:00.000-05:00

Batman Star Christian Bale Punched & Stopped in China from meeting a Blind Activist Lawyer

They try to tell me the economy is improving/Bridgestone Creates Subsidiary in Vietnam

2011-12-16T11:10:00.000-05:00

The economy is improving? Trick question? The growth, if any, will be seen overseas where large companies are rushing to build plants or make product to ship around the world, not in these United States. Ya own a company, you have to go where the business growing. Let bygones be bygones as is what is happening in another country we had troops and saw many of our young men and women die.

article in Industry Week

To accompany a new tire factory in construction, Bridgestone said on Dec. 15 it would open a subsidiary dealing with production and sales in Vietnam next year, to accompany a new tire factory in construction.
The subsidiary company, Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing Vietnam, will be 100% owned by Bridgestone and will manage a factory in Vietnam due to begin operations in 2014, making tires for export to Europe, the United States and Japan.
The factory in Vietnam is expected to employ some 1,900 workers and have an output of 24,700 tires per day by 2016.
The company said the new subsidiary was necessary as it had already raised the production capacities of its factories in Thailand and Indonesia.
Bridgestone, which vies with France's Michelin to be the world's top tire maker, saw a net profit of 98.9 billion yen (US$1.18 billion) in 2010, a huge rise from a 1.04 billion yen profit in 2009.
The worldwide recovery in auto sales has been driven by emerging market demand from the likes of China, India and Brazil.

Who Won the Debate Last Night on Fox...............

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

Although I did not watch the complete debate last night, I did feel much better with the candidates put before us. I have not made up my mind yet as to who I would cast my vote for just who I would not vote for. As far as Romney; I must say I have met the man and seems like a decent human being. He did have a life in the private sector and gets points from me for that. Yes, he was the governor of my state which then and now is in the hands of the Democrats. Many of his bills and amendments to the healthcare legislation were vetoed. And I know in today's society morals and commitment does not mean much to many people, but I can certainly identify with his long term marriage and business experience. I just wanted to get that out there for people to ponder. I still have more to see myself before I cast my vote for the replacement of the socialist in chief of our country now!

Behind the Times or Hooked Line and Sinker

2011-12-15T12:18:00.000-05:00

To this day my husband and I have stayed ATM free and own only few credit cards. I also know what is in my wallet and in my account. Some of these new services always reminded me of the phone companies trying to get me to switch at a lower rate and then after 60 days....up the rate would go. Now I have my Iphone and computer but still prefer to read my books while turning the pages and using some cute little bookmarks I have made from old grocery list or photos. Some change is good and productive, but I still am not sold on all and would think very carefully about replacing my actual book or magazine for a machine.................higher fees are a nobrainer.

Readers getting cheaper, but rising e-book prices causing sticker shock

Sesame Street Character Pushes Government Dependency Programs

2011-12-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

The letter A is for Apple and the letter G is for Government
Even the muppets have turned into puppets of this administration.

By John McKay

Now about all the people who defend PBS and the CPB, along comes a new Sesame Street character pushing government food dependance programs.
At a meeting of the National Press Club thursday, a character called Emily, a muppet like creature, extolls the virtues of poor families seeking out nutritious food, and ‘eating on the taxpayers tab.’ Part of the dialogue went like this:
“Sometimes we can’t always afford to buy all the food that we need,” Lily said. “I mean, but we’ve been finding lots of ways that we can get help…Yeah, for example, at school I get a free breakfast and a lunch…part of the meal plan.”–courtesy CNS News.
The piece was part of a Federal Food For Thought program, that even comes complete with a website. The national director of the WIC (Women, Infants, Children) nutrition program even linked the Food For Thought plan to defecit reduction, although most critics say they have no idea how that works. Officials claim the response to Emily and the Food For Though program has been so strong, they plan to expand her message. So much for PBS NOT being a puppet for the Feds and political agendas.

TIME'S PERSON OF THE YEAR

2011-12-15T08:45:00.000-05:00

I thought for sure I would have a shot at "person of the year" according to Time's magazine this year. I guess not all protesters are judged alike by a magazine or even a president. I too spent many an hour at town meetings and on street corners with my fellow Teaparty protesters, and not once was my group in the paper or on the local TV news. Well, we did not disrupt traffic of people's lives either.

What happened? Aside from the protesting, I have kept busy at my job keeping a company going and hiring people who want to get paid for an honest day's work. What I did not do was take over someone's private property, stop people from going to their jobs, make children cry, or cause damage and overtime costs for police detail...........I guess my taxes will be going up.

Let me close by congratulating the Time's and those who even choose to read it. As for me, I will continue to resist government takeover, higher taxes, bath regularly, and keep gathering a written library of history books and other printed material and maybe a picture or two that has not made the local news. This I do for my grand kids. What is right is still right and what is wrong is still trashy.

What we could Look Like if Obamacare is not overturned

2011-12-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

The stock market is down today as the fears of Europe have not gone away. And they should not go away as some in this country would like America to be more like Europe even though their way is collapsing around them.

Greece:

Pharmacies in Athens and Piraeus will be closed on Wednesday due to a dispute over the public sector’s unpaid bills that could lead to pharmacists refusing to issue prescription medicines to customers unless they pay in cash.
Pharmacists say they will have to stop supplying customers with drugs on credit from January as they have no hope of collecting the millions they are owed by social security funds.
Unionists accuse the government of striving to settle its debts with pharmaceutical companies but not taking any steps to ensure that social insurance funds can pay for their members’ prescriptions.
Civil engineers are due to join the strike action on Wednesday. They are protesting the rise in their social security contributions and doubts about the future of their pension funds.

Sooner than later all governments will run out of other people's money.

Another one bits the Dust...........More jobs lost

2011-12-14T09:52:00.000-05:00

Berlin-based solar panel manufacturer Solon filed for insolvency, another sign of how brutal price competition is shrinking the industry.
Solon yesterday said it was unsuccessful in restructuring its loans with banks. It will now seek to restructure those loans for three of its subsidiaries through insolvency proceedings.
The move follows the company's decision earlier this year to close its Tucson, Arizona manufacturing operation.
Solon is the latest victim in a wrenching consolidation that's spreading through the global solar industry.
In the U.S., once-successful solar panel maker Evergreen Solar filed for bankruptcy this summer and has sold off its assets. Less established companies Solyndra, SpectraWatt, and Stirling Energy Systems have also gone out of business this year.

Being in business, I want no one to fail! Is anyone in this Obama administration on watch or telling the Pres that jobs are still being lost in the feared Private Sector! What good paying jobs will take the place of a lost industry? This Pres is even against a pipeline that would provide jobs here and now for our own people.

Not too late to Use that Brain God gave ya.........................

2011-12-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

    Growing up in the age when using one's brain was the norm and insisted upon to get along in this world, I find it interesting that still another panel or another government office is finding that cell phone use while driving could be dangerous. Well, I must admit, I did know this fact and did not need the government to tell me so and yes, I do not do it!
Being an informed person, I also knew that cigarette smoking was bad for me and I quit before the government told me I had to or forced my health insurance company not to cover me or before I was forced to stand by a snow covered tree or an empty field to smoke that dirty cigarette.
   May I? Because I still do not know what is good for me, my government has decided (for me) that as of this coming January, my trash will no longer be collected unless I have a recycle bin set out next to it with washed (my cost) cans and bottles and wrapped (my time) newspaper. Has it been taken into account that I must take a blood thinner and now am told to wash bottles and sharp tin cans? Boy, how nice not to remember to do anything, go anywhere, or think anymore because this government is now in charge of these functions for me!
    Now do not get me wrong and think I do not believe in laws and law enforcement because I do. I just think that we are being lead down the path of total government control, fewer rights, and paying more for what we do not want or need. Maybe I am just old fashioned. God Bless my country, where ever it went...............

The five-member board unanimously agreed to the recommendation today, according to a press release. Specifically, the agency is recommending that the ban apply to both hands-free and handheld phones. Several states have already passed laws restricting text messaging while driving and many require drivers use hands-free devices while talking on the phone. The NTSB's recommendations go far beyond these current restrictions.

I'm Back.............

2011-12-13T10:27:00.000-05:00

I did make my way back into the country with little fanfare. It is good to get away but being part of the 80 per-centers, I had to take a couple of days to catch up on work load, household chores, and Christmas decorating/shopping.
Nothing much has changed. Today a company is getting some tax breaks to stay in town and continue to employ at a good paying wage. Not much is moving in Gloucester these days but Gorton's Fish has been in town for years and is expanding, good news.

After clearing a few local government hurdles, one of Gloucester's most iconic waterfront businesses has moved closer to firming up a $13 million expansion project at its Rogers Street facilities.
City Council has approved an $18,672 tax increment finance agreement (TIF) for the company, which city officials say helps pave the way for additional tax relief from the state.
Gorton's, a part of the city's harborfront landscape since 1849, is clear to build its new product line as well. The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a height exemption for the new production line last week, with the company emphasizing there will be no expansion of the building's footprint at the Gorton's complex.
Next week, Gorton's will head to the state to request additional tax relief, according to city Chief Administrative Officer James Duggan.
Gorton's TIF agreement starts in 2014, according to the deal approved by City Council.
The city agreement calls for the company to receive a tax break benefit of somewhere around $3,700 each year for five years, topping off at $3,856.
At the same time, the company will pay roughly 90 percent of the increase the new line adds to Gorton's assessed value in the city.
Gorton's could build its new production line for less out of state, says Duggan. But the city provided the TIF to help keep that expansion in Gloucester, he said, to send a message that Gorton's has local support and is eligible for a state-level subsidy.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T10:47:00.000-05:00

I will be out of the office tomorrow preparing for my guests this Thanksgiving, then out of town for a while. This does not mean I will not be keeping track of you.
Things in our country sure have changed since that first Thanksgiving day turkey I cooked for my then new husband and me 45 years ago. Some changes are not for me, including heading to the mall Thursday or decorating for Christmas before the turkey soup is made.
I hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful day with your families......

Talking about Turkey!

2011-11-21T10:39:00.000-05:00

Just a few words about that 'super committee' that really did not live up to it's name. Who named them anyway? Did anyone really expect these people who have been in Congress way to long to make a decision that would benefit the country and not their own interests and re-election hopes. Nothing will ever change until new people are elected to do a job that these people, many removed from the citizens that put them in office many years ago, are incapable of doing. Who pays if these people fail..........you and I. And if new people fail, so be it............elect new people. Let the finger pointing begin!

Who says we don't look like Greece

2011-11-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

For the many who say we are not like Greece I say, read it and weep. What public employee here in the states would give up a raise or pension increase for the good of the community, never mind that the community is out of money. Our mindless wonders in town are solving the shortfall of dollars by decreasing the services, not the pay scale like us in the private sector. Yes, the library will only have the lawn cut twice a season instead of three times..... And as far as bonuses go, I will only say the two words Fannie and Freddie!

Greece:

Speaking on Skai TV, Giorgos Koutroumanis said that unless Greece's creditors agree to disburse 8 billion euros of funding within the month, the state may be unable to pay workers' Christmas bonuses or pensions for January.
He also said that subsidiary are in for further reductions of up to 20 percent, and maybe even 50 percent, over the course of a few months, while this reduction will probably also affect existing pensioners and not just newly pensioned workers.
The labor minister said that the simultaneous payment of salaries, social security benefits and income tax will begin on March 1, adding that the so-called «work card,» or an electronic record of payments, will also go into effect on the same date and that businesses using the electronic system may be given a break on social security payments by up to 10 percent.

Going to Hell in a Hand Basket

2011-11-18T10:34:00.000-05:00

The Church my husband and I got married in is no more. Gone are many of our Catholic Churches by way of the Vatican. Money was needed to pay all the child abuse charges and Sunday Mass attendance has been declining for years. Soon a large Church in Salem will also be demolished to make room for housing. Back in the day, these churches were physically and monetarily build from and with the sweat of the Polish, Italian, and French immigrants who came to this country to work and pray, legally of course. Today comes news the the Catholic Church intends to buy the Crystal Cathedral...................What and Why?????

A federal bank bankruptcy judge ruled late Thursday that the Orange diocese can buy the building for $57.5 million.The 31-year-old glass structure, designed by architect Philip Johnson, was created by church founder Robert Schuller, who conducted services and broadcast his worldwide Hour of Power television program from there.

Stationed at my post at "Occupy Office While Making a Paycheck and Paying Taxes for my Government to Spend Unwisely"

2011-11-18T08:59:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am here, since 7:08 this morning. Because TV and print is so limited on informing of all that is happening overseas, I do check for myself via the web. Being the skeptic of all media and realist at heart, I do not believe everything I read or what people tell me to be true. The Occupy movement is getting a little old if not down right dangerous. The police are getting plenty of overtime, taking plenty injuries for the survice and and funds are not there to pay them. Will more have to be hired while some are out of work on worker's comp? We in the Tea Party never hurt anyone let alone stop anyone from going to work and making a living. The unions are now heavily entrenched in the Occupy movement and we will see more journalist and young people joining the ranks of the ill informed and just don't give a damns.

Italian author who has been living under police protection since
the publication of his Naples mafia expose' Gomorrah in 2006,
announced Friday on Twitter he will speak before Occupy Wall
Street demonstrators in New York City. "I am happy to have been invited by the organizers of
Occupy Wall Street to talk about how the economic crisis is
being exploited by the mafia in order to gain more and more
money and power," he said in a related video statement.
Saviano, 32, invited attendants to come to Zuccotti Park on
Saturday at noon to stand against the "financial Camorra", a
reference to the Neapolitan mafia that threatened to kill him
after his book revealed their reach and corruption to an
international public and was turned into an award-winning film
of the same name.

Back to work for me............

What's Old is new again

2011-11-17T08:18:00.000-05:00

How often do I repeat myself.............don't answer. I hate being told what to do and how to think. Years ago I and my brothers had the chore of taking the daily household trash to the back yard and burn it in a "burn barrel". A little smoke, job done!

Groups oppose clean energy funds for trash burning

Environmental groups are pressing state regulators in New York to reject a petition seeking renewable energy subsidies for trash-burning power plants, saying the incinerators are big polluters that destroy paper, plastic and other materials that should be recycled instead.
The Public Service Commission is expected to rule on Covanta Energy's petition at its meeting Thursday in Albany. Covanta, based in Morristown, N.J., operates 44 energy-from-waste plants in the United States, including seven in New York.
Covanta has asked the PSC to add trash burning to the list of renewable energy technologies eligible for state subsidies. At a news conference Tuesday, the New York Public Interest Research Group and several other environmental organizations said they've asked the commission to reject Covanta's petition, saying incinerators generate air pollution and toxic ash.

Who gets deported and who stays...................

2011-11-17T05:44:00.000-05:00

Just found this story and thought it fitting to share on the day that president Obama's uncle, here illegally for years, has still another day in court.

Sunny and Mark

Who's Watching the Watcher.....................

2011-11-16T17:38:00.000-05:00

Why do we need Congress to be in session for as many days as they are. The cry of some is that our legislators are "a do nothing Congress". I think the less they are seated and voting, the better off we would all be! Also, why do we need so many politicians. With all the cell phones and computers available to the public, we can text or e-mail our vote on, say, Obamacare.

Another bankruptcy besides Fannie and Freddie, Harrisburg. PA

2011-11-16T11:16:00.000-05:00

How sad is this. Maybe these bankruptcies are being reported on the nightly news but I have not seen any.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania filling for bankruptcy

They may have other things in common, but right now, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Jefferson County, Alabama share a dubious distinction.
Both are in the midst of record-breaking financial woes. And just to keep the headline writers happy, both sets of difficulties stem from costly ventures in waste management.
Populous Jefferson County is saddled with more than $4bn (£2.4bn) in debt, the bad odour emanating from a sewer project that went awry amid allegations of corruption.
In Harrisburg, a small city of 50,000 people groaning under more than $300m (£190m) of debt, the offending project - a waste incinerator - is no less symbolic.
"Everyone says the incinerator is burning the city's future," says Eric Veronikis of the local Patriot News.
'Mini-Greece'

Occupy This

2011-11-16T10:51:00.000-05:00

Boy, do feel sad that those New York protestors got kicked out of the privately owned park they have been trashing for two months. Oh, and thank those lucky stars and liberal judges for disallowing the police and ruling that they can stay after all. Whats the problem? Come to Boston. Last week we had volunteer doctors distributing flu shots to the bunch and today we have lawyers who will represent these people to head off what happened in New York, as far as having them leave. How's that for ya New York???????

Occupy Boston protesters vow they won’t be forced out of their tent city like New York’s Wall Street campers were yesterday — even as Mayor Thomas M. Menino promised they can stay — but legal advocates launched a pre-emptive strike anyway to bar the city from evicting them.
“Mayor Menino you should know, hell no, we won’t go!” a protester tweeted at @Occupy_ Boston, marking progress online as a chanting group marched through downtown last night.
Menino is assuring the Dewey Square tent city dwellers he isn’t looking to give them the boot like New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg did yesterday.

And let's also hear it for our 35 term mayor, huh??????????????

You and I to Pay Higher Taxes.............why?

2011-11-16T10:18:00.002-05:00

Last night was our yearly tax classification meeting in town, or what I like to call the yearly battle between the homeowners vs businesses. And yes, the selectmen crunched the figures with furrowed brow while the residence made their way to the podium to try to convince the elected to tax the ever dwindling businesses at a higher rate. We usually attend but were unable last evening. You guessed it, taxes will be increased 4%. The following is yet another letter to the editor written by my husband.

   The, as Howie Carr calls it, dreaded private sector incomes, not only don't increase anymore, they continue to plummet....if they exist at all. This trend is going to continue for quite some time. How then can we continue to increase taxes by 4%? The justification for these increases is that the cost of government demands it - that's true.
The problem is that there is absolutely no correlation between what happens in the real world and what happens in government. When the economy was good there was more tax revenue collected - government spent more. But when the economy continually declines, there are less and less tax dollars to support government. Yet, government spending continues along without skipping a beat. There should be some kind of mechanism that automatically kicks in to reduce spending when the revenues CANNOT keep pace with the cost of service.
Instead of trying to balance the tax load between business and residence, (we are both) why don't we stop this UNSUSTAINABLE spending.
    Just because citizens or governments want something doesn't mean that we can actually AFFORD it!

Just saying...............................in English

2011-11-14T15:32:00.000-05:00

Was at the Lowe's store last evening and noticed all the isles labeled in English and in Spanish. Now I am all for equality so I inquired to management when the signs would be posted in Italian and French also. Gives a new meaning to "press one for English" doesn't it?
Same subject, different verse; received in the mail coupons for McDonald's fast food restaurant. I intend to soon learn the real meaning of "Happy Meal" as I will be using my coupons and paying with pesos instead of dollars.

Fly the Friendly Skies............................I think Not

2011-11-14T09:59:00.000-05:00

How much would this country safe if only to cut spending and allow private industry to flourish. Our government has gotten way too big and I see no change even with a new administration. Don't think that your money is only going to poorly run solar companies.

American airlines have slammed U.S. government subsidies given to foreign rivals who buy Boeing planes, and the airlines want $3.4 billion of loan guarantees given to Air India to be reconsidered, a report said Sunday.

The Wall Street Journal said the Air Transport Association -- in a letter to Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg earlier this month -- called on the federal agency to slash funding to international buyers of Boeing jetliners.

"The bank's support for foreign airlines injures U.S. carriers," said ATA lawyer Michael Kellogg in the letter, the newspaper reported on its website.

The letter centered on Air India, according to the Journal, arguing that the state-owned carrier's long-running losses and management problems should bar it from U.S. financial assistance.

The Woman who wants to replace Scott Brown

2011-11-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

This women was at the White House for a while until Obama replaced her. I am not in favor with all of Mr. Browns votes, but he is better than the alternative who leans towards socialism and lets everyone know that no business has made a go of it with out government help...........

Boston

Hawkish Republicans opened fire on Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren yesterday, after the Harvard Law professor called for a “nuanced” response to Iran’s purported nuclear weapons program.
“It is both perplexing and extremely troubling that on the same week a report indicated Iran is moving closer toward obtaining nuclear weapons, Elizabeth Warren would call for a ‘nuanced’ approach toward this growing threat,” said Nate Little, executive director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, just one of several conservatives to draw a line in the sand over Warren’s televised remarks.

Shunned or Black Mailed

2011-11-14T09:38:00.000-05:00

What do the super powers discuss when they get together in places like Hawaii to plan for the little people like you and me? It is a fact that most countries are in need of cash and are trying not to lower budgets, fraud, and outdated programs, but instead raising taxes on the producers of society. Why is it that in this country more politicians leave office richer than when they went in? Oh, good investing....

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados--France's president Nicholas Sarkozy has named Barbados among 11 so-called tax havens which he says will be shunned by the international community. But a Government minister has stoutly defended this island's reputation.
"I would want to stress that Barbados is a low-tax jurisdiction; we are not a tax haven," Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Maxine McClean insisted, as she disclosed that Sarkozy's country was among several nations with which Barbados was negotiating tax information exchange agreements (TIEAs).
She was responding to comments made by the French leader at the close of the G20 meeting just over a week ago, as he indicated he was losing patience with countries that failed to meet transparency standards.
In addition to Barbados, he made specific mention of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, Brunei, Panama, Seychelles, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. (Sunday Sun)

Bend over

2011-11-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

Who needs Obamacare, which will mean me paying more and getting less in benefits and options, when all one needs to do is join a "movement" stamped and approved by the Democrats/Socialists. From the land that sanity forgot comes this!

A team of two dozen volunteer doctors, nurses, social workers and medical students set up a clinic yesterday at Occupy Boston to dispense flu shots, check for diabetes and trench foot, and spread their message of “health care justice for the 99 percent.”
The free influenza vaccines and health screenings, open to anyone, were conducted at the Dewey Square encampment before a march to the State House, where medical professionals joined Occupy Boston protesters in an afternoon rally calling for better access to health care.
“We stand with Occupy Boston in the general idea that income inequality in our society is leading to worse health for everybody,” said Mathew Malek, a family medicine doctor at Boston Medical Center.

and....

If we can have "free clinics" and "free medical" services for people breaking the law, why not for those who fall on hard times who have worked and contributed all their lives to family and country? Hell, makes you want to head down to the Occupy in your city, again, no deterrent for illegal action here. I am all for legal protest, being a flower child myself, but how long will the needs of these people be put ahead of us who pay the wages for the overburden police officers and the politicians now praising these gangs? Soon it will be winter, will I be called upon to make the chicken soup as well?

Where do bad students go

2011-11-09T11:49:00.000-05:00

This is funny seeing you can not get rid of a "bad student" of "bad teacher" in this country. Would this make the 6'oclock liberal media if it happened in your town? How awful, consequences being paid for not obeying the rules or just being naughty.

Two rows of students, considered naughty or not performing well academically, sit an exam outside a classroom at a middle school in Jinxian county, East China's Jiangxi province, Nov 8, 2011. The temperature dropped by a dozen degrees and many students were shivering in the cold.

The Rich will move.......Because they Can

2011-11-09T11:40:00.000-05:00

One pirates is changing his port of call.

France:
PIRATES of the Carribean star Johnny Depp has said he is quitting France even although he says in an interview in the December issue of The Connexion it is a "country that has made me very happy - the culture, the feeling of the place".
Depp, long-time partner Vanessa Paradis and their two children have moved back to the US and he said in an interview with The Guardian it was because France wanted him to become a permanent resident - and to pay taxes.
As an American citizen he has to pay US taxes wherever he is in the world and said that if he spent more than 183 days in France a year he would have to pay French and US taxes. He told the paper's Decca Aitkenhead: "So, you essentially work for free."
He added: "I'm certainly not ready to give up my American citizenship. You don't have to give up your American citizenship.”

Party Like It's 1999!

2011-11-09T11:19:00.000-05:00

Whoopee........ what a hollow victory for those who depend on a union and us who pay them. There is no more money to continue to pay these "public servants" such unsustainable and outlandish salaries and benefits for the rest of their lives. Ohio might consider changing it's name to Greece or maybe Italy because they too will soon be gone. My only regret is that I have been working and creating jobs in the private sector for forty years...............I wish I had became the cook in the firehouse instead!

The Law of the Land should be for all, including the law makers

2011-11-09T10:11:00.001-05:00

Is there really any politician who is honest and trustworthy? Most today basically make the rules for others to follow but disregard them for themselves. Yes, I too will be picking and choosing the rules and laws to "obey".
Why no national coverage on this case?

U.S. Rep. John Tierney and his wife, Patrice, dined at the lavish Antigua offices of a gambling enterprise federal prosecutors say was run by her indicted brothers, Robert and Daniel Eremian, a former lover and gal Friday of Sports Off Shore’s manager testified yesterday.
John Tierney has claimed ignorance of his wife’s involvement in filing false tax returns on illegal gambling income for her fugitive brother, Robert Eremian, who is accused of running the multimillion-dollar betting operation.
Linda Richardson, 60, a Gloucester mom granted immunity for her testimony, told jurors at U.S. District Court in Boston that she saw the congressman and his wife visiting the gaming headquarters on an unspecified date. Richardson, an ex-girlfriend of Richard Sullivan, the fugitive authorities claim managed Sports Off Shore, testified there was no mistaking what went on there.

2011-11-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

On Friday, you met John Monteith, a Charlotte, NC print shop executive who was told that he would not be awarded any contracts in conjunction with the upcoming 2012 Democratic National Convention to be held in his town because his shop was not unionized. Given that Charlotte is located in a right-to-work state, this upset John enough that he sought media attention to shine light on what he viewed to be in stark contrast to the stated goals of Mayor Anthony Foxx, a close ally of President Obama. Foxx claimed that the convention would be a boom to the Charlotte economy creating plenty of jobs for everyone and plenty of work for local businesses while fervently denying that unionization was the primary factor in decision making:

Good News for the World Economy, John Deere expanding

2011-11-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Bad news for good paying jobs in American, expanding in Russia.

Deere & Co. announced plans to invest approximately $32 million to expand its production capacity in Orenburg, Russia. Moline, Ill.-based Deere said it has purchased and will renovate a factory in the city and move existing operations in Orenburg to the new facility.
"We believe Russia will continue benefiting from demographic and macroeconomic trends that require increased food production from global agriculture," said Mark von Pentz, president of John Deere's Agricultural & Turf Division. "Russia has the agronomic potential to become a pan-Eurasian breadbasket."
The expansion project will increase John Deere's available manufacturing space in Orenburg by 600%, the company noted.

Why? It could be because it is less expensive to produce in other countries. There once was a time when we wanted to raise everyone's standard of living. The reality is that we are now lowering our standard to compete.
Have you gotten a raise lately? Are all the old manufacturing plants in your city full of workers, in full production, and running three shifts? Some choose to dream on and expect these jobs to come back...they will not.

2011-11-08T08:30:00.000-05:00

For years, many in my generation (over 60) have watched the rights of the individual disappear and put in it's place more controlling government agencies. Where once one was free to ride a bike without a helmet or fish in the pond down the street with your Dad, rules, laws, and fees have taken over..............for your own good of course. Everyone is stuck in mediocrity, so what, ya get a trophy just for participating. And if you do not participate, well that's okay here's your trophy anyway.
We are the world they tell me. Well, Europe is in deep trouble and is now trying to head off more financial problems by calling for austerity, this the people who have been taken care of for so many years are not happy about. Imagine in France one plan calls for raising the retirement age to 62 by the year 1915! Anyway, I have always found it to be true, the more ya give the more they take....just saying.

Rome

Almost a quarter of young
Italians aged between 15 and 29 do not work or study, the Bank
of Italy has said in a report.
The report said that Italy had 2.2 million NEETS (people
Not in Education, Employment or Training) in that age group in
2010, 23.4% of the total.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano recently called youth
unemployment ''central'' to social unrest in Italy, which
manifested itself in mid October when an initially peaceful
protest against corporate greed and the lack of opportunities
for young people attended by around 200,000 people in Rome
turned into a riot.
Last month statistics agency ISTAT said 29.3% of Italy's
15-to-24-year-olds were out of work in September, the highest
level since the beginning of 2004.

Congress Hits new low....80% Disapprove

2011-11-06T09:20:00.000-05:00

Lets just say this is correct, then why don't we all try something new and vote for a new candidate and get rid of all who have held seat more than two terms? Even if you think your guy is the greatest since sliced bread, it is unwise and foolish to allow any politician to remain in office for life. My point!

Massachusetts congressman Ed Markey is slamming the way Republicans are probing President Obama’s ties to failed solar-panel maker Solyndra, saying the GOP only wants to embarrass the president and kill “green” energy.
“The White House is saying they want to cooperate, (but) you’re saying ‘no,’ ” Markey (D-Malden) told Republicans on a House subcommittee that yesterday voted 14-9 along party lines to subpoena administration records.

No, Mr. Markey, he does a fine job of embarrassing himself with no help from you.

Another Country's government that will soon run out of other people's money

2011-11-04T10:37:00.001-04:00

''I see this as evidence of how important Italy's reform
process is for the country and for the eurozone as a whole''.
The Commission will also oversee implementation of the
package amid concerns that the whole eurozone will sink if Italy
becomes unable to service a national debt that amounts to about
120% of GDP.

Now that could become worrisome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be Afraid, be Very Afraid.....................oh, and hide your check books also

2011-11-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

When this one term president speaks, I wind up paying in some way or another. With his trip abroad and all the promises he is making I will be lucky to have money to take a cab next November to go and vote for anyone other than him for president..........

Words from France:

AMERICAN president Barack Obama has backed President Sarkozy in his efforts to stabilise the euro and resolve the crisis in debt-ridden Europe which overshadowed the opening of the G20 summit in Cannes.
Obama had his first meeting of the summit with Sarkozy and praised his "impressive leadership", adding: "With him, the European Union has taken important steps towards a global solution. We have a shared view on the way to turn the world back to a strategy of growth and stability.
"But, here at the G20, we are going to have to flesh out details about how the plan will be fully and decisively implemented."
Greek prime minister George Papandreou, who disrupted the initial timetable for the G20 with his call for a referendum on the Franco-German plan to refinance his country's debt, has called off the vote after he won some backing from opposition leaders in Athens on plans for a coalition government. He faces a no-confidence vote in parliament today.
Sarkozy said later that he and Obama had found "common ground" over his hopes to impose a new international financial transactions tax. So far the US has not come out in support of the plan, but has not rejected it.
Obama, who is due to appear with Sarkozy on French television tonight, on TF1 and Fr2 at 20.00, congratulated the president and wife Carla on the birth of baby Giulia, and said: "Now we share our biggest challenge, to be the fathers of our daughters." He joked: "I'm confident Giulia inherited her mother's looks, rather than her father's."
Tonight's TV interview is an unprecedented appearance for the two leaders - although both sides said the other had requested the joint interview.

Oh no he didn't!

An Apple doesn't fall far from the Family Tree................

2011-11-04T10:14:00.000-04:00

Some of us do wrong and pay the consequences. Yes, this is a picture of my rep who got re-elected to still another term. This is a picture of his wife who did a whole month in jail because she had no idea what her family was up to.

The wild-child stepson of U.S. Rep. John Tierney was so strung out on drugs, booze and betting that he was fired twice as a bookie and debt collector for his family’s Internet gambling empire, John Chew testified yesterday at his uncle’s racketeering trial under a grant of immunity from prosecution.
“After I was thrown off the island the second time, I wasn’t allowed to have anything to do with SOS,” said Chew, 37, referring to the Antigua headquarters of Sports Off Shore, which prosecutors allege was run by Tierney’s brothers-in-law Robert and Daniel Eremian, employed their late father, “Big Bob” Eremian, and illegally took in some $22 million in sports wagers from Bay State bettors alone. Daniel Eremian is on trial in U.S. District Court in Boston on racketeering, illegal gambling and money laundering charges. His brother Robert, facing the same charges, is a fugitive.
One of those bettors was former fitness tycoon David Laird of Weston, a “bored” multimillionaire and father of four, who yesterday told jurors he was placing $10,000 bets on each of “many, many games” in a single week — and the losses were piling up.

and.............

Too Little, Too Late

2011-11-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

We just went through two years of rezoning in our town. It was messy and left some businesses with little say and lower property values. For years the restriction on businesses have become more and more cumbersome, from the hours you can actually run your operation to how many shrubberies you need to plant, never mind that watering is more times than not restricted during the summer months and they all die anyway..... Business and industry is a plus for any community. They hire the workers and pay the taxes and donate to all town activities. Towns are going bankrupt and town officials are looking at each other wondering what happened. Homeowners have seen their taxes increased while town budgets have increased. Fewer businesses are in town and the once busy workplace has been turned into housing for the elderly and low income. Once these properties are gone...where will business set up shop? This is happening all over this once proud country.

ASHLAND —
The Planning Board and selectmen last night talked about making it easier for businesses to set up shop downtown, where they say exceptionally sticky zoning bylaws send many retailers running in the other direction.
"You have to make these decisions up front," said Town Manager John Petrin. "Do you want to be business-friendly or not?"
The Planning Board wants to revamp downtown zoning rules to make the town more friendly to businesses, but officials said last night they also want to make sure people have a say in downtown development.
"We're balancing streamlining against public involvement," Town Planner David Manugian said.
He said the town could easily change the laws and reduce a business's wait time for a permit from eight weeks to two, but that would eliminate time for public comment.
"The thing that gets lost is significant opportunity for public input," Manugian said.
The Planning Board said Ashland created its stringent zoning laws several years ago, while the economy was booming, in hopes of creating a historic but retail-oriented center like those in Wellesley or Lexington.
The town has 300 different uses in the zoning bylaws and 12 different definitions of a restaurant.
One Ashland property owner at the meeting said the town's plethora of rules makes it impossible for businesses to develop.
"If you want to truly get businesses in town, don't put hurdles people have to jump through," Steve Hickey said.
Members of the two boards said the public should have a voice in any changes to the bylaws.
Town Manager Petrin suggested a special Town Meeting with zoning as the only article, which the groups said most likely won't happen until next fall.
The first public hearing about zoning changes will be held on Dec. 8.
Also at last night's meeting, the Planning Board, selectmen and town employees discussed whether the town's building inspector, who recently became part-time, is able to do a good enough job working only 16 hours.

As far as hiring a FULL time building inspector, I would wait! This is a case of creating more GOVERNMENT jobs with no money to do so!

The Tax Man Coming for my Candy

2011-11-02T10:51:00.000-04:00

Some people believe it fine to tax everything we do and use and eat. It is a known fact that when cigarettes and liquor are taxed it is a sin tax, so no problem. Well now we are being told candy is also in the category of "sin" and should be taxed or at least harder to manufacture or buy?????????? Stand up people! Too many laws, too many taxes, and too many politicians. Let them eat cake indeed..........let them eat candy too.

A new study by the Tax Foundation has found that US states are increasingly extending higher tax rates to products like candy and soda, ostensibly to fight obesity, and that this is creating a complex and confusing classification system to divide the ‘good’ food and drink products from the allegedly ‘bad’ ones.
According to the study, 17 states tax candy at a higher rate than other groceries, while four states collect a special excise tax on soda. In addition, in 2011, 14 more states have proposed new soda taxes and two states proposed new candy taxes, and some of the soda tax proposals would have raised prices by as much as 264%.
"While reducing obesity-related health problems is a worthy goal, adding an additional tax burden to particular food and beverage categories is a clumsy and inefficient strategy," said Tax Foundation analyst Scott Drenkard. "Obesity taxes fall on all consumers, including those who consume candy and soda in moderation and have no weight-related health issues."
The Tax Foundation adds that recent studies suggest that, even when selective taxes on certain food products do cause individuals to consume less, those same individuals replace the calories avoided with other foods, resulting in no net decrease in caloric intake.
In addition, it points out that, to questions about the effectiveness of reducing obesity rates, the systems already in place for taxing candy and soda illustrate the unexpected difficulties in deciding what does and what does not count as candy and even soda.

   What is "a little chubby" and will we be hiring new government employees to check our weight and our kitchen cabinets???
   Sidebar:
           We were hit hard this past weekend with snow and many lost power. It also has been cold and people are upset with the power companies and the time it is taking to get the power restored. Some are heading to motels, some have had to close businesses. I learned today that some cities and towns had put in an ordinance that before a tree limb is able to get cut, to free power lines and remove from car tops, a licensed arborist must be on sight before any work can proceed. Now I love trees, but I love being warm more. Please stop helping me..................................

What's In a Name

2011-11-02T10:04:00.000-04:00

I hope that these parents use a bell or whistle when it comes time to call the kids in from the back yard for supper. This could be a good reason for renaming the parents of these three kids Shit Head and Bird Brain, but I see no reason to take the kids away unless they are otherwise bad parents. Thank God one can legally change one's name but in the mean time, here's hoping some cleaver nick names will be used by more intelligent and caring people these kids come in contact with. Some people are just stupid but as of yet, that is not against the law.

Parents who named two of their children "Adolf Hitler" and "Aryan Nation" lost custody of all three of their children Thursday, even though they say a New Jersey appeals court found no evidence of abuse, ruling the children have been taken away without cause, MyFoxPhilly reports.
“Actually, the judge and DYFS told us that there was no evidence of abuse and that it was the names. They were taken over the children's names,” Heath Campbell told NBC 10 Tuesday.

More of our Technology being bought by China?

2011-11-01T08:46:00.000-04:00

Because they have the money. China allows American company and product to enter China. China copies and take as their own. American company out, in more ways than one. Will this be happening again? Who's watching the store?

Today’s scheduled auction of Evergreen Solar’s defunct Devens factory and technology assets has been delayed at least a week while a bankruptcy court judge sorts out objections to the sale.
The Marlboro-based company agreed to a stipulation, subject to a hearing tomorrow, that excludes certain patents to which the U.S. Department of Energy claims ownership rights.
The DOE wants to “prevent foreign entities from gaining control over federally funded technology and competing with American industry unfairly,” according to a court filing.
Many of the bidders are reportedly from China, whose heavy subsidies of its solar industry helped push Evergreen into bankruptcy.
MassDevelopment objected to the sale of Evergreen’s 450,000-square-foot Devens plant, saying the company’s ownership of the factory where 800 people used to work is tied to a lease with the quasi-state financing agency.

The Green Thing..................

2011-11-01T08:29:00.000-04:00

This green thing is driving me crazy. It just seems as though our government keeps dictating how all of us should conduct our lives. If we choose not to comply, think differently, or not step in line, a new law is created. Our town has just made it a law starting in January of next year that if we do not recycle, they will not pick up our trash! It just seemed fitting that I received this e-mail today and will now share. Now this I can tell you first hand is recycling!

diaper pail

trash burning barrel

The Green Thing

In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

washing glass milk bottles to reuse

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana.

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person.

The Green Thing
P.S.
And by the way, we didn't have plastic grocery bags back then!! We used brown paper bags, which were then used to cover our school books, mail packages, use for our artwork, make paper hats. Not to mention, they were also used for garbage bags, etc.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE MEANING OF GREEN!!!!!!!

trick or treat

2011-10-31T16:16:00.000-04:00

King Obama???

2011-10-31T11:49:00.000-04:00

It can not happen fast enough that we send this self proclaimed King of The United States of American, Barack Hussein Obama packing and back to Chicago. He can take with him the Attorney General Holder who also picks and chooses the laws he will and will not enforce!!!!

WASHINGTON -- Acting once again ahead of Congress, President Obama is directing the Food and Drug Administration to take steps to reduce drug shortages, an escalating problem that has placed patients at risk and raised the possibility of price gouging.
A White House official said the president planned to sign an executive order Monday instructing the FDA to take action. The order would be the latest in the president's campaign to move on initiatives that do not require congressional approval.

I am deeply offended and embarrassed to call this man president.

We were warned months ago that this would be a dirty campaign

2011-10-31T09:53:00.000-04:00

     As the president's numbers start to fall and many who voted for him see the error of their way, look for more political types and politician to start with dirty attacks on front runners in the Republican field of candidates. I do not know who I will be voting for yet, but I do know our country can not afford four more years of the people now in power.
   As far as the sexual harassment claim on Herman Cain, I will wait to see what comes of the story. In all my years, I have been witness to false claims and also know that the party bringing the charges in some cases is the person who sees to it that the settlement includes terms that forbid any of the case be known so the "victim" is free to pursue future job opportunities without any record of such charges of payout. I also know that our country is "sue" crazy and some see no other way to survive but to play the system and load the courts with frivolous law suits.
Personal story: I once held a job where the owner of the establishment told me he liked the suit I was wearing and quickly added, "you are not going to sue me for sexual harassment, are you?"   I laughed and took it as a compliment at the time but do know that real sexual harassment does exist. Years ago certain matters would have been taken care of differently, but we are so much more civilized and better off today, yes?????????

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain kept his Washington campaign schedule Monday even as his team accused "inside-the-Beltway media" of attacking him with allegations that he sexually harassed two women while he was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.
In a statement Sunday to The Associated Press, his campaign disputed a Politico report that said Cain had been accused of sexually suggestive behavior toward at least two female employees.
The report said the women signed agreements with the restaurant group that gave them five-figure financial payouts to leave the association and barred them from discussing their departures. Neither woman was identified.

Do you know where you were 45 years ago today????

2011-10-30T17:28:00.001-04:00

Some of you were not even born yet. I was starting my journey with my husband by my side. it has not always been easy for either one if us, we have certainly had our good and our bad times. Just because the road gets a little bumpy, does not mean you turn yourself around and cancel the trip. Life is an adventure, don't forget to pack love, understanding, humor, and clean underwear...........................

President Sarkozy:‘We have avoided catastrophe’

2011-10-28T08:43:00.001-04:00

No, you have just pushed it down the street a bit. The people of Greece will not go quietly into the night with new austerity programs soon to be implemented. Italy is next in line for a bail out seeing they are number three of the top money borrowers. Continually low growth will be the norm for Europe and America. This is just like the stimulus our president tried and it too failed. For those who want us to look more like socialist France, forgiving debt, whether college or government, will not lead to a happy out come or a successful one.

PRESIDENT Sarkozy insisted “we took important decisions that have avoided catastrophe”, as he spoke on French television after the euro summit.
However he admitted more austerity measures were on the way for France.
He told TF1 and France 2 that he was “confident” Greece would come out of the serious financial straits in which it finds itself.
Furthermore the salvage plan as worked out consists of loans at interest that are meant to be paid back, he said.
“If the Greeks make the efforts we’ve asked for, it will cost France nothing and Europe nothing. For the moment it has cost the banks €100 billion.”
As to the French economy however, he confirmed rumours that more austerity measures were on the way, to the tune of €6-8 billion in savings; not to be discussed further until after the G20 summit in Cannes early next month.
He said priorities will include reducing the social security debt, adding it is because of this that France finds itself under scrutiny from the credit rating agencies.
France has reduced its predictions for next year’s growth to 1%, down from 1.75%, he said.

Rome: UNIONS THREATEN TO STRIKE OVER LAYOFF PROPOSAL

2011-10-28T08:19:00.000-04:00

Just in case you decide to take the time and want to risk life and limb, you should be skilled in these hand signals that the "occupiers", you are paying to support, will be using. I will post my respond "signals" at a later date. Have a nice weekend.

MIT to build Russia a Kendall Square

2011-10-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

One would say on face value that this looks like a good venture. I, on the other hand, look deeper into stories because I am older now and I do not believe all that I read or am told. I keep getting told that we are a village and a global society. That is fine, but will the populace in this country be the leaders of the followers, let alone be able to compete.
Is this just an exit strategy for this institute not unlike industry that is heading abroad? Do you have your exit strategy in place?

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has launched a new venture in Russia, announcing Wednesday an agreement with the Skolkovo Foundation, representing the Russian Federation, to "evaluate options for collaboration in education and research," according to a news release issued by MIT.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was on hand in Washington DC to sign the agreement.
MIT and the Skolkovo Foundation together will assess opportunities for MIT to work with Russia's top universities and research institutes on educational and research activities. Establishing a network of joint research laboratories with researchers from MIT and Russia might be one outcome, according to the press release. The creation of a new academic institution in Skolkovo, a suburb of Moscow with a special economic development zone, might be another.
MIT will also evaluate a participation in the creation of an "innovation city"at Skolkovo, as one of the project’s partners, the news release said. The Russian Academy of Sciences, Rusnano Corporation, Russian Venture Company, Bauman Technical University, and others already are working on the innovation city project.
Indeed, the Skolkovo Foundation is a nonprofit organization with direction from Medvedev to create the proposed science and technology city in Skolkovo. Among the city's elements will be a university, research institutions, centers of collective usage, business incubator, technology transfer and commercialization office, corporate offices and research and development centers, as well as housing and social infrastructure, according to the press release. Skolkovo city is governed by laws that provide residents with incentives for running their businesses.

Yes, we in this country once had incentives for creating and running a business now didn't we?

Recession and Europe

2011-10-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

October 25

A recession awaits Italy's
economy if the government fails to implement immediate growth
measures, according to a report released Tuesday.
"Without growth, stagnation is at the threshold and a
recession is around the corner should," said the analysis from
the influential Italian retail association Confcommercio.
"Everyone must do his and her part, but first and foremost
those who sit in government," it added. "Time has run out".

What a mess since Obama became president of these United States. Think it ain't gonna happen here my friends, you would be wrong. I do not blame Obama for all the hell in the world at this time, but it does not change the fact that we need strong men and a strong leader for the people to see and believe in.

If you think those in government are too powerful and too intrusive.....................

2011-10-25T08:36:00.000-04:00

............oh no, wait. Because of the world economy imploding, governments will be tapping the wallets of the earners more and more, here and abroad. We, the earners, will be held accountable with higher taxes and more poorer people to care for. The fact is we are creating a country of poor people. No way will any politician sign on to a flat tax or consumption tax because that means ALL would have to pay some sort of tax which in turn would mean supporting the government's high spending and increasing deficits. The first order of our new president must be to overturn Obamacare.

The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has successfully developed a plan to implement the new tax provisions included in the ~~Affordable~~ Obama Care Act (ACA), according to a report released by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
TIGTA pointed out that the ACA became effective in March 2010, and contains USD438bn in revenue provisions that are in the form of new taxes and fees. At least 42 of the ACA provisions add to or amend the Internal Revenue Code, and at least eight require the IRS to build new processes that do not exist in current tax administration.
The provisions provide incentives and tax breaks to individuals and small businesses to offset health care expenses. They also impose penalties, administered through the tax code, for individuals and businesses that do not obtain health coverage for themselves or their employees. Other provisions raise revenue to help pay for the overall cost of health insurance reform.
TIGTA conducted an audit to assess the IRS Modernization and Information Technology Services (MITS) organization’s planning efforts in implementing the law. It found that, early on, the MITS organization realized the vastness of the information technology work required by the ACA.
In an effort to meet this challenge, the MITS organization created, staffed, and received funding for a new ACA Programme Management Office (PMO). In addition, the MITS obtained approval of the PMO’s charter and prepared a governance plan. This PMO is responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of ACA information technology changes.
“The new Affordable Care Act provisions represent the largest set of tax law changes in 20 years,” said J. Russell George, the TIGTA. “I commend the IRS for its successful creation of a plan to implement them.”

from global tax news

For Sale..........................

2011-10-21T10:34:00.001-04:00

Although mortgage rates are the lowest in years and it is still a buyers market, the economy is still in the dumps.
You can add to the mix the fleeing and closing businesses with for sale signs still up at our industrial parks. Years ago it was proposed to send industrial facilities to relocate from the city and town centers to these massive parks sometimes located miles away from where they sat for years and people could see them. Sounded good to some, and in their place public and low income housing units took over the buildings. Well, the people came and the industry is now gone. Everyone can now breath easier as the smell of leather and industry has left the region and not seen to return anytime soon.

ATTLEBORO - A glut of industrial properties on the market is hampering efforts to sell the cash-strapped industrial business park under development by the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority.
ARA Chairwoman Judy Robbins said vacant land, developed land and empty industrial buildings are available throughout the area, making efforts to sell very competitive.
The depressed economy has created the glut of properties, most of which are less expensive to develop than the hilly, rock-laden and mostly roadless business park.
Empty buildings that companies can simply lease or buy are more attractive than the forested ARA park, which has just one road and a limited number of available lots.

and..........

The president is now in campaign mode and claiming his new jobs plan/stimulus will help our country. I do not think hiring back more teachers will make our schools any better or kids any smarter. I know hiring more fire and police will not make lower the crime rate or put bread on the table for the person who's job went overseas along with the company he used to work at.

Lowe's which is shuttering eight stores throughout New England as part of an overall cutback, is apparently killing plans for a $25 million development in Salem, which as the Salem News is coming as a nasty shock to local officials. Lowe's troubles notwithstanding, the proposed development on the Lynn line was the subject of a major court victory when a judge dismissed all but one of the allegations in a lawsuit filed by the city of Lynn against the planned development, the News reports.

Dog or Cat?

2011-10-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Personally I have always favored cats and have given happy days and many years to six that have found their way to my door front in the past 60 years. I know danger was the top story, but those large cats on the farm in Ohio that were released only to be shot down, was tragic. Hopefully, in the future, wild animals will be kept and controlled by only experts and people who do care for them. As with kid, just because you are capable of having one does not mean you should................

Four Bengal tiger cubs make their debut at a zoo in Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, Oct 20, 2011. The quadruplets were born 51 days ago from a 5-year-old tiger couple. The zoo now has a total of 14 tigers.

How Much Should You be Allowed to Give to A Charitable Organization....

2011-10-19T11:18:00.000-04:00

In the eyes and minds of our elected that is.

Just one more reason why our tax code really does need to be restructured and made much more easy to understand and enforce. Is it now the idea of some to group all charitable organizations, along with donations to said, into one big pot? It would not be fair if one got more than another, kinda like pooling the tips at the end of the night and distributing to all waitstaff, not just to the people who actually received the tip that evening. Really, can all of this be sustainable? Are more rules, regulations, and taxes be the way to make a strong society?

The United States Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing on October 18 to consider the various proposals that have been made to alter the income tax treatment of charitable giving by individual donors, to ensure that such donations are encouraged in the most efficient way possible.
In its testimony, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) pointed out that, under current law, taxpayers who itemize deductions may deduct the amount they donate to charities from their gross income within their tax returns. The Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated, at current levels of charitable giving, the total cost of that deduction - measured as the additional revenues that could be collected if the deduction was eliminated - at about USD230bn between 2010 and 2014.
The CBO looked at a number of proposals that have been made to alter the income tax treatment of charitable giving by individual donors. Some proposals aim to reduce the cost to the government by imposing a floor (or minimum level) that a person's charitable giving would have to exceed to qualify for preferential tax treatment.
Other proposals would extend the current charitable deduction to taxpayers who do not itemize deductions, or would replace the current deduction with a non-refundable tax credit, equal to, say, 25% of a taxpayer's charitable donations, with or without a floor.
Max Baucus (D - Montana), Chairman of the Finance Committee, discussed the need to guarantee that the tax treatment of charitable donations is fair and equitable, especially as people with different income levels tend to give to different types of charities. This, he said, results in the tax code giving large subsidies to some charities, such as health organizations, and smaller subsidies to churches and basic-need non-profits.
However, Orrin Hatch (R - Oregon), the Committee’s Ranking Member, in his testimony, confirmed his opposition to the federal government’s current proposal to cap itemized deductions at 28%, in that it has been projected that it would lead to a drop in total charitable giving (in that case of USD6bn), as would most of the proposals listed by the CBO. He also felt that it was not the time to experiment with the charitable deduction by converting it to a tax credit, and that the current system should be retained.
Hatch also attacked the premise that “it is unfair for a donor in a higher marginal tax bracket to receive a larger deduction than a donor in a lower bracket,” as that kind of reasoning misses the point that the tax code should encourage the direction of sufficient resources to charities.
It therefore “makes perfect sense to provide the greatest tax incentive for giving to the donors with the greatest capacity to give. The upper income donors, the ones in the high marginal tax brackets, are the very donors that are in a position to give substantial amounts to charity.”
He also discouraged the proposals to put a floor on the charitable deduction, as such a deduction should begin “with the first dollar given”. He did not believe that Congress “should change current law and take away the charitable deduction for modest gifts merely because we can rely on citizens to continue giving their hard-earned money to churches and charities regardless of the tax benefit they receive.”

2011-10-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

What our Country has come to. Ask not what you can do for your country............hmmmm

We're Smaller, We Try Harder............

2011-10-19T09:26:00.000-04:00

You have to love the Capitalist system. I do while watching as some try to destroy it. The government ( you and me) bailed out many a large bank and business because we were told they were too big to fail. Nothing is too big to fail, no one, no how! If you are a small bank or business you are always trying to grow. Let the small ones who are doing a good job get bigger and replace the 'too big to fail' establishments who did not play by the rules and needed a bailout.

The smaller your bank, the less likely that you pay a fee to use a checking account. The four largest banks in Massachusetts all charge fees for basic services like checks, ATMs or teller use.
Last month, the Bay State’s largest bank, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) announced it would charge debit card users $5, on top of its monthly service fee. At $15 for a full-service checking account, BofA’s fees are already the highest in the state.
We looked at the top 25 banks in Massachusetts (ranked by assets as of Dec. 31, 2009, per the BBJ research department’s 2011 Book of Lists), and had to count to 16 before we found 10 that don’t charge fees or require a minimum balance for checking. (See the slide show, at right.) In general, the smaller the bank, the less likely it is to be drawing revenue from its checking-account holders’ wallets.
That may soon change, as the Boston Business Journal reported Friday. For now, community banks are keeping fees low or nonexistent, in hopes of boosting deposits. While new banking regulations don’t constrain small banks as tightly as they do large ones, banks of all sizes are facing the same narrow margins on loans, due to rock-bottom interest rates.

Let's keep in mind these banks, and all business for that matter, are only as good as those who make the rules that govern them. The demonstrations now happening around the world should be focusing the blame on the politicians who's job it is to make you more dependent on government, the ruling party.