Drugs and Sports

Lance Armstrong, Ray Lewis and now PGA star Vijay Singh, what do they have in common. All caught or admitted to using some type of performance enhancing drug. Humm---remember when Viagra was the only performance enchancing drug?

And all this a few weeks after voters kept some of baseball's biggest star's out of the Hall of Fame, same thing, drugs that made them better.  

So do we just let them cheat or kick them out?

Spending Toward Prosperity

Can we Spend Our Way to Prosperity?

One, very well respected economist thinks we can. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has stated many times over the past five years that U.S. government spending is critical to our economic recovery and we should not cut spending to reduce the deficit – at least not right now.  

Countries that have tried reducing government spending, (see Greece); also reduce country's employment and GDP, when they reduce employment and GDP, they, of course, reduce tax revenue, which increases the deficit.

For those who worry, our government spending, although, quite a bit, higher than our government tax revenue is still relatively low as a percent of GDP when compared to that of other developed countries.

So maybe we are OK interest rates are still low and new jobs seem to be popping up.

 

So How Hot Was It ?

Might be too warm here in Wyoming, it’s January 27, and at 2:30 in the afternoon temperature is above 60 degrees. If we continue with these warm days trees will soon state budding, which is not always a good idea when more cold weather could be coming. Top few inches of my garden is loose, a little deeper there still is frost. Feel like I should water the grass but I will hold myself back for another week.

Clouded up later and I noticed six people and two little dogs crowded under the same smallish umbrella. Amazingly not one of them was getting wet—then I noticed it wasn’t raining.

 

No Budget, No Pay – Yeah Right

 

Well here we go again, “No Budget, No Pay,” its all rhetoric, no substance at all – none.

First ask yourself, how many Senators and members of the House are living paycheck to paycheck like the good ol’ boy writing this?

 

The new bill says if either house does not pass a budget bill by April 15, (the senate has not passed a Budget Resolution since 2009) they will not get paid. Not until the current congress (2 year session) ends. Then they will get their money anyway. Not much of a threat to most of the very rich that make up congress. Oh-well!

Too many Ploiticians and Not Enough Statesmen

Well, we have the swearing-in finished and the President in place for another four years.

Looked to me like he has a lot more gray hair than a few months ago. Guess the job and the campaign will do that.

This old guy didn’t need a speech to know what needs to be done, cut spending, hold the line on taxes, more jobs, less unemployment, and get people back to work.

I thought the Presidents best line was - "We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate," Obama said from atop the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall.

Hope both sides try to get along and get something done looks to me like we still have too many politicians and not near enough statesmen.

Where Is My Invitation to the Ball?

Monday President Obama will be sworn in for the fourth time, only one other President, Franklin Roosevelt has this in common with President Obama.

Roosevelt was elected four times. Obama, well Chief Justice Roberts messed the oath up the first time and they had a do-over. And the Constitution states the president is to be sworn in on the twentieth of January, today, a Sunday. And for all of us out in TV land he will be sworn in tomorrow  when he makes the big speech, goes on a parade, then off to the dance and stuff like they always do on presidential inauguration days.

Feel bad, I did not get my invitation to the inauguration and the big ball afterward. DARN POSTAL SERVICE, they must have lost it, likely get it in March.

Oh-Well!

Throw The Bums Out

Voters sent almost everyone back to Washington in the November elections. Now a new Gallup poll says 75% of Americans are in favor of putting some kind of term limits on our elected officials. Only 21% say they are against a law limiting time in congress.

If you are a numbers kind of reader, both Donald Trump and the NFL replacement officials rated   an approval rating higher than our elected officials.

Problem is, most Americans feel it is the Senators and Representatives from other places that are the bad ones. Seems like we all like our own sleazy, corrupt, and ineffective elected officials, just not anyone else’s.

Put me down as one who really does not care for the elected officials from my state. They are all right people but too party-orientated, too fake conservative and all about re-election instead of the great state of Wyoming.

Debt Ceiling, Me and Entitlements

Time to raise the debt ceiling, so says Washington. I am having a tough time understanding how raising the debt ceiling is a deficit reduction plan- maybe it’s just me but seems like we need to lower dept to reduce the deficit.

The president wants a balanced approach and the speaker wants to match spending cuts to the debt. Are those plans, or just suggestions?

Remember in the old days we spent what we had then tightened up our belts and waited for the next pay check. Whatever happened to that?

As an old (or not so old) retired guy I am sick of listening to social security being called an entitlement program, as if it is some kind of welfare for us old codgers. I paid in for 47 years and now am a bad guy seeking an entitlement – i.e. – hand out from the government.

Just give me back my money with a reasonable amount of interest over the years and we will call it all square. Maybe just five or six percent compounded annually.

The government used my money, free of charge, for half a century, now I would like some of it back. Entitlement my ass!

Too Cold Last Night

Bit too cold for my old bones last night. Had nine below when I went to bed, it was up to six above when I got up. Not sure what it is now, both my thermometers froze last night.

So cold this morning when I went to the coffee shop today’s special was coffee on a stick. Heading back home, I saw a hitchhiker holding up a picture of his thumb.

Now that’s cold-can’t wait for spring!

Let It Snow

Looks like a winter storm heading in tonight-we have not had much snow yet, so let-er-blow. Weather app says blizzard conditions, yippee!

I once published a short story called, Where In the Snow is the Back Door. Hope it gets that bad again.

 

Government Job for Me ?

 Looks like I have been passed over again. With President Obama announcing Brennan as the new CIA Director and the nomination of Hagel for Secretary of Defense, looks like there won’t be anything else left for me. By the way have we ever had a high ranking government official called Chuck?

The Fiscal Cliff and a Four Point Shot

Looks like the fiscal cliff falling has only been delayed, not avoided. I ordered a parachute today, when they push me and my $300 savings off the cliff, I’m pulling the cord.

After last night’s Fiesta Bowl I have renewed hope for the government saving us from the dread cliff. If Oregon, or anyone else for that matter, can score a one point safety, anything is possible.

*What’s next-a four point shot in BB or a zero on the scorecard in Golf

Every Year It Starts Over

Jan 1, 2013 – Going on official record – “I love the New Year and I love New Year’s Resolutions.”

6:00 a.m. - Eight hours of sleep, healthy, balanced breakfast, went for a walk, did my stretching and lifting workout, spent some hobby time, did some putting away and picking up in my workshop.

8:00 a.m. - New Years are great-reinvigorating, life anew

9:00 a.m. - Feel like I need a nap, have a bit of an upset stomach, my shoulders, hips and feet ache.

10:00 a.m. – Doing much better now, reclining on the couch, watching first of many New Year’s Day Bowl Games, still resting after my workout, and dreaming about the next year.

11:00 a.m. - Very soar, dull pain starting on top of my head and ending on the bottom of my feet, not feeling well at all, will take a handful of pain killers and continue resting on couch.

I really do not like New Year’s—except for the Football

Noon – Drinking soda, eating chips and peanuts, still resting on couch, feeling some better, game has reached halftime, watching shootout on the Western Channel until second half starts.

“Maybe Next Year, never have liked New Years stuff, too much hype, just another day for this ol’ cowboy”

-Happy New Year-