rickdogood's Blog

Am I really that much smarter than the Governor of Pennsylvania?

Gov. Rendell wants to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to private enterprise so that the state can acquire money to do need repair of that State’s infrastructure. This means private enterprise will go to the moneylenders for the funds to purchase the lease, this will result in higher tolls.

So why doesn’t the state eliminate the middleman and go directly to the moneylenders the result may be that tolls although increased will not be increased as much. Of course the lawyers and brokers of the leasing deal won’t make any money so the State will also save those millions.

Besides wasn’t it the taxpayers and the federal government who paid to build the Turnpike in the first place. So how is it the Governor has the authority on his own to contract a lease for a federally funded project.   Mr. Rendell if you are so quick to give public property to privatization why not start with Harrisburg? How about selling the State Capitol and the various government offices to acquire this money. The State could lease them back. Why not? Because, Just like your proposal. it’s a stupid idea, that’s why.

  Seems to be more likely than my worst enemy did it. Why? Simply because we trust our friends with more opportunities than we would ever trust our enemies.

   Sadly this seems to be the case of Hillary Clinton. I longed to vote for her. First because she is a woman and it has always been my belief that women are more sedate and sensible than men, and secondly because women are the reason for civilization whether directly or indirectly to protect the children they bore and nurtured.
  Point one: But HRC has proven to be the snake fostered in the Garden. She promised to give us Health care back in 1992 and has not promoted one health care issue in the halls of legislation. Instead in true Politico fashion she proudly waves the flag of her failure and begs America for another chance. We are supposed to believe her 15 years of do-nothing-ness are  an aberration, a mistake. I’m sorry I have always been taught that long term conduct is a habit and like all habits once acquired is difficult to break.
    Hillary disappointed me when she plagurized the ideas of others both good and bad on this issue. Many older Americans remember the fiasco of Mandatory Automobile Insurance touted by the politicians. Their reasoning then as now was mandatory insurance will reduce insurance costs, a direct contradiction of the Economic laws of supply and demand: the more who demand a product the higher the price.  In response to this the Insurance Industry provides no coverage insurance, this provides low income people with an auto insurance card to show to law enforcement without providing any actual coverage. One example of this is recently my parked vehicle was hit by another car. Their insurance company refused to pay because the owner of the other car had not given permission for it to be used, thereby enforcing the non-insured clause of the policy. In effect providing an insurance card while not actually providing insurance. People will be compelled to pay an insurance fee for the mandatory proof of insurance card but the fee will cover absolutely nothing. To enforce this law Hillary will enact fines and prison sentences for those without insurance.
   Point two: Then there is the case of accepting illegal fund raising monies. When confronted with the indictment by Law enforcement of   her most prolific fund-raiser she pooh-poohed it as nothing. Finally being forced to accept the facts when he became a fugitive of Justice and jumped bail. So what does she do with the money. Why ,I’m going to give it to charity, hrc states. Which Charity? I want to know. Some non-profit founded or staffed by her husband. It amazes me how politicians don’t give the money back to the people it was raised from. Why not? They gave it in good faith. But if not to them then the money should be given directly to the  poor and needy of America.

   Pennsylvania spends $35,500+ per inmate per year and climbing every year.
   Jeffrey Beard the highest administrator of the Penna. Prison system insists building prisons is the wrong way to fight crime.
   "I'm convinced that this is not the best way to do it. From a public safety perspective, what we're doing is not the best thing," he said while at the same time asking for three more 680 million dollar prisons be built. His answer is to let more criminals out on the street.
  I have a simpler solution. Since mandatory sentencing has been enacted the prison population and costs have exploded.
  Of these almost 15% are illegal aliens slated for deportation after we have housed and fed them for years.
  The United States provides Grants and other Aid to the Home Country of most of these criminals.
   The plan is simple, you,The Home Country want the money you take your criminals. NOW.
   You imprison them, at your own expense to the terms of incarceration they have been sentenced.  This is just an extension of holding the parent responsible for their children's behavior.
   The prisoners will be exported and incarcerated in less cushy prisons and won't be so hasty to come back.
   Penna. will free up more space, won't need three more prisons and will have approx. 240 million dollars more money a year; Plus the 680 million saved from new prisons+ 80 mil yr. operating costs.
    Penna. saves over a Billion dollars.
         Just think if this program was expanded to all the States and  the Federal Prisons.
  51 Billion dollars a year savings and no illegal alien criminals in America.

                                  rd

 Partial information source:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_510849.html

 Well, there was a brouhaha in Philadelphia about the discovery of ruins of America's first two President's residence. In the midst of all this was proposed a memorial be built honoring the slaves of these fighters for freedom. Philadelphia has almost 17,500 abandoned houses, this does not include those in dire disrepair or in today's terminology 'structurally deficient' meaning they might fall down but you can still use them.
You might ask what was the selected design for the memorial to the Afro-American slaves in the City of Brotherly Love and you're right; The 'Powers that Be' have chosen to build remnant walls of brick in other words another abandoned house which in fifty or sixty years will collapse from deterioration.
What ever happened to constructing memorials of granite and marble like the ancient civilizations. Memorials which still stand 500 to 1,000  years later. Edifices which truly endeavor to consecrate those being honored by the memorium.
Amazingly not one organization or group has stepped forward to complain so obciously they consider it appropriate to honor ong ago slaves with another abandoned house.

            Huffing. Ever heard of it? The signs are easy to spot if you have ever interacted with someone who is huffing. There is a list of signs to aid in identifying huffers. Most leave you to discern if it's drug use; like slow or staggering walk because you're not sure he or she isn't doing what kids are always doing; messing around, experimenting with motions their bodies make, playing zombies with their friends or weight loss and getting thinner could be from dieting, excess activity, growth spurts. Dilated pupils are an obvious sign; but again is the person affecting surprise causing the dilation.

   The prominent ones not mentioned are He or she will generally have a red nose. From pale pink to deep red. And they continually place a cupped hand over their nose and mouth. Lots of times its a tightly closed fist, so they can clog the nose while filtering the air coming into their lungs by using the closed fist to breathe through.  To cover up what they are doing they might cough. But half a minute later they are at it again covering their mouth or breathing through their fist.

   You don't need to say anything, whether it’s your child or your neighbors, even if they are young adults. Ask them to open up their hand. Oh some will argue and turn away, stuffing their hand in a pocket to discard what's there. But occasionally he or she will open their hand to brazen it out. There in the center of the palm will be a bit of cloth or a cotton ball that they will promptly disclaim as nothing more than something to wipe their mouth with.

  Pluck it quickly, and I mean quick or they'll have it hidden again. Pluck it quickly and sniff lightly. What's that strange smell? Oooh. Who'd want to smell that?

  They do and strangely the only information out in Net land is in small paragraphs of fluff here and there. Why? 

  Why do they Huff? Because it creates a temporary euphoria, a distorted reality that the huffer lives briefly then tries to retain or  to regain.

  Why shouldn't you Huff? The reasons we have for not huffing are not adequate for them. Not appropriate for the life experience they lived. Their Life goal is to be eighteen. So how do you explain what twenty-five is; let alone fifty?  

   Because it erodes the interior of the nose causing you to lose your sense of smell.  HUH?    Because it eats at the innards; like a tiny mouse nibbling on a large piece of cheese. At first you hardly notice the missing piece but soon it’s gone, never to be replaced, kidney, liver, stomach; eroded and gone.    Then there is it causes memory and/or hearing loss.   This we're telling a kid who can't remember to pick up his underwear and deposit it in the laundry basket right next to the shower and doesn't hear half of what you say because they have already perfected selective hearing.    Permanent brain damage you might explain if they know someone with a mental disability but for them like most of us that's hard to relate to: 'cause that won't happen to me'.

   And then there's the clincher death. How can they be afraid of death when they haven't begun to live life?

   All the reasons adults have are hard to explain to a pre-teenager. Their whole life has existed for less than one-third of yours. Their view of life is compressed into less than a decade and most of that is in the enclosed environment of home or elementary school.

   Oh we can say it’s against the law and they'll go to prison. But again what is prison? So they have to stay in. Have to do what they are told. Can't have what they want, when they want it. Told what to wear, what to eat. How does this differ from what they have now? 

  The threat of years in prison is only a threat if you have lived life and know what you are being deprived of.    Oh sure after prison with hindsight and reflection they'll realize what they have lost but prison to a pre-teen or a teen is not a deterrent.

   Should we hide the products they use to huff? Will that help?

  Forty years ago it was a common paint additive Toluene, street pronunciation tol-all. Easily purchased at any paint supplier until laws were enacted to make it very hard to acquire.  

  Today's inhalants consist of  hair sprays  and anhydrous alcohol used in gas line antifreeze also acetone commonly used in glues for model and craft construction and who'd think it vegetable oil cooking spray and the nitrites used to treat heart problems. Most if not all are common household products.

   It is not a question of if; huffing does lead to other illegal drug use.

  Seems the best we can do is be aware that the problem is out there that our friends and loved ones can become involved and addicted and that the best deterrent we have is Love.  Keep reminding them we love them as they are, without the drug. 

   Ordinary day to day, Chitchat is the best advice I know take the time to talk to the ones you love. And that hug, the warm embrace that lets every person no matter how old know they are loved here in this physical reality.  

 Some information in this article was acquired from the below sources. 

 To view the non-generic paragraph of the National drug Intelligence Center ::   http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs07/708/index.htm  

  A more comprehensive article can be viewed at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/01/eveningnews/main620528.shtml

  But do click the link on the left hand column under INTERACTIVE is a link  entitled 'Substance abuse in America'. This is very informative.

                                        rickdogood

   First let's clear the air.  I think that the only reason the vast majority of illegal immigrants is here is because they are trying to improve their lives and the lives of their families back home. Most of them send a good portion of the money they make back to their families so they can buy the necessities of life. I praise them for their goals, ambition and commitment to family.        Now let's look at the other side of this coin.

      Twelve million illegal immigrants. They broke the law to come to our country. They break the law every time they collect money for services and don't pay the required taxes. This means most of them break the law four times a month. But they have to do that to stay here. They have to break the law. But they only break these laws. For now. But what about in the future will they choose to break other laws and are we supposed to turn a blind eye because after all 'they're illegal immigrants trying to earn a  living'. 

    And then there are those other laws they have to break; after all they are only trying to get to work  at least 2x's a day we're supposed to turn our heads and let them drive without legal licenses, insurance or registration.   But these are the only laws they are breaking the one time they snuck into the country the four times a month they refuse to pay income and unemployment taxes. And the 40 times a month they break the law to get to work. They each only break the law 528 times a year plus that one time they crept into the country. 

    And in return for letting illegal immigrants break the law what laws are we the 350 million law abiding Americans permitted to break with impunity and immunity. I mean after all this is America. America is about Justice and Justice is the balancing of the scales. If 12 million people are allowed to break the law why should 350 million people obey the law?

  But they do the jobs nobody else wants because they are under pay scale, without benefits, no social security or unemployment compensation.       Of course this too has another side. And this side is why Congress refuses to realistically do something about illegal immigration. The businesses and private individuals who hire illegal immigrants. Why? Because they are less expensive and we all know for business it is the bottom line that counts.

 What does big business save by hiring illegals?    For one it doesn't have to pay an appropriate wage it can undercut its competition.   And then there are the taxes, income and unemployment.” Income tax amounts to about 20 percent on average wages"            source:http://www.landvaluetax.org/badtaxes.htm   Taxes are split by the employer and employee each is responsible for half. Well now underpaying employees, not paying another ten percent in taxes. No reason there for big business to interfere with legislation.      

   Unless of course the American public wants not only the illegal immigrants to pay up on back taxes but as a condition for the opportunity of becoming a legal immigrant they are required to provide the names of all the businesses and people they worked for.      Whoo, eee what a windfall to the United States Treasury. And look how many god fearing self-righteous businesses and individuals will suddenly be found hiding in the closet.

   You want to reflect now, how long has the problem existed? How many sessions of Congress have refused to do anything about it? How many legislators are being paid directly; cash in the pocket  and/ or indirectly in campaign funding; to ignore, stall and block legislation to correct the illegal immigration problem.

   Last nut to chew on. According to statistics the current rate of illegal immigrants entering the country are 500,000 per year and growing. Soon the illegal immigrants will outnumber the legal citizenry.

  The only upside to that is then we all can choose which laws we want to break with impunity and immunity.

                                                       rd

Nothing is more degrading to me an ordinary American citizen than to see politicians politickin in response to a tragedy. Case in Point: the Minneapolis bridge disaster. I'm not stupid and I have faith neither are the rest of the American Citizenry, but you the elected and appointed officials are imbeciles.

   Tony Snow, spokesperson for the White House stated, The highway bridge that buckled, in 1991 had  been declared structurally  deficienct and been rated 50 on a scale of 120 for structural stability.

   "This doesn't mean there was a risk of failure, but if an inspection report identifies deficiencies, the state is responsible for taking corrective actions," he said.

     Will somebody please inform Mr. Snow the bridge didn't just buckle. The BRIDGE  collapsed, split apart, went kaput, it fell down and go boom.

   If he had a tool in his garage that was less than 50% efficient and subject to breaking and hurting him he'd have scraped it and bought a new one.

    Why because he is responsible for his safety and when government is responsible for public safety then everybody in government who was responsible should be Fired.

    And criminal charges brought against them.

   Instead of everybody covering your ass consider that for 16 years everybody knew the bridge was in peril and nobody did anything, somebody could have told someone there was danger but they all knew it was the other guy's job.

    The only thing they did was minor patch work similar in style to the Philadelphia Nightclub Pier tragedy  that killed and maimed innocent Americans.

    The Nightclub owners were tried and convicted and then got away with murder because the Mayor of that fair city wrote a letter to the judge saying let them go.

  But back to the bridge.

    The people responsible are the bridge inspectors for not informing the public of the possible damage.

    The intermediate heads of repair crews who knew of the problem and let it ride. 

      Repair crew members who saw the danger and kept their mouths shut.   

    The heads of the State and Federal Highway Commissions responsible for overseeing the safety of us peons.

   Mr. Snow don't tell me that it is the other guy's fault. I pay federal and state taxes on every gallon of gasoline I purchase.

     Congress enacted those taxes to pay for the building, care and maintenance of the Highways of America. What'd you do with the money??

     Did Congress take the money that was meant for Minneapolis and spend it on the bridge to nowhere in Alaska??

    Then it's not the state's fault the blame belongs with Congress and the White House for letting them squander public safety to line somebody's pocket.

 

    2)  Politicians across the Nation are calling for bridge inspections. Why?

           Haven't the bridges been getting inspected?

    3) Senators on TV talking and talking endlessly about how they are going back to congress and senator so & so and so & so are going to have a meeting.

     Yoohhh! listen up we could care less about the name dropping and the committees. 

   4)  What is being done right now for the victims??

   Who right now has arranged that all medical bills are to be paid for, no red tape,

   They came from the disaster; their bills are paid.

   They need special doctors and special treatments and special medications it's paid for.

   Not one bill is to be sent to any victim or any victims family or to their insurance companies.

      Do your politickin later.

   All the vehicles in the tragedy.

    To Be Replaced with Brand new off the show room floor no expenses spared . 

   Every vehicle, I don't care the age or condition before the collapse. These victims were not responsible for the government negligence and they should not have to prove anything. Give then new Cars, Trucks, buses whatever. 

   Family members should recieve a cash payment up front to cover the expenses of going to and from hospitals, government meetings, losing days of work to care for their loved ones, baby sitting fees, and the multitude of other things that will come up and eat away at the family's finances. 

   Up front money not to be confused with any money they might recieve in compensation when they sue. 

   This is what the American Public wants to hear.

     They want to know that in case of emergency they wont' suffer twice once from the disaster and once at the hands of government drones

   Don't tell us how many millions of dollars you're gonna spend in the future to repair and replace the bridge that doesnt do squat for the victims.

    You're gonna replace the bridge so that people can go to work so they pay their taxes so you get money in your pocket.

      Take care of the victims FIRST. The men, women and children who were affected by this government fiasco.

   Ooh Look! Giuliani is going to give everyone a $15,000 tax credit. So they can buy health insurance. This is the magician's trick of  'Smoke and Mirrors'.  He is not giving the public any real cash. But he and his posse will continually and yearly vote pay raises to the tune of $4,000 annually plus additional benefits for themselves. If you don't use your tax credits this year you can save them for next year. In other words, you can take what we're not giving you and save it so we can not give it to you again next year.

   The ex-mayor said." as more people buy plans, insurers will drop their prices, making insurance affordable to those who lack it now."  You the stupid public are supposed to forget the basic proven business law of  'Supply and Demand' the more people who demand a product the higher the price to purchase it..  And how soon before the politicians make it mandatory that you must have health insurance.

    This is the same spiel politicians fed the public when they legislated mandatory auto insurance. And look at auto insurance rates now, why for the privilege of carrying an insurance card that covers nothing you must pay $500.oo per year. 

    Giuliani further stated, "Government cannot take care of you. You've got to take care of yourself, as more of us do that, the cheaper it will become and the higher in quality it becomes."  This is truly a politician's glib fabrication. But of course all government employees will continue to receive health and welfare benefits at the public trough.

     C'mon people open your eyes to what he's truly saying,…look at my right hand while I put the latest pay raise in my pocket with the left.  . He has no plan for national health care and has no intention of presenting one. 

    Our family was blessed in 1985 to host a Norwegian foreign exchange student. 

      Kristian came to our Country with Norwegian National Health Care and it was accepted here and is accepted anywhere in the world. In 1985, every Norwegian had health coverage and they still do today.  We don't even have a whiff of hope. But we do have the best thaumaturgies ever graduated from law school.

                                                 God Bless America!

    UPDATE

     Edwards has already proposed mandatory health care. So I guess this means we have to expand the prison system to cover those who can't afford it.

      And Obama has already proposed a plan similar but different than the one now covering federal employees, not the same plan because of course government employees are entitled to more. This will entail creating a new government agency to hire more relatives and descendants of current government employees.

     The only people government helps are the people who work for the government.

  

Source for some information: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/7/31/122346.shtml?s=al&promo_code=37E1-1

  Well Senator Spector, the proponent of the miraculous Kennedy Assassination bullet, has decided he can take a cofidential report as to why Gonzalez did or did not commit perjury.

   Here is another politician who has arbitrarily decided 'The People'  Are NOT entitled to  Open Government.  In Mr. Spector's opinion the People are not intelligent enough to be given the facts to make their own choice as to whether the Attorney General of the United States is a liar or not.

   Of course us ordinary folk find it difficult to make a decision when you politicians enact laws giving the same word two opposing definitions.

  ie: The word SANCTION  in Wikipedia is defined :: Sanction is a provision of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience.

    This way whenever a government employee  is sanctioned, down the line he or she can point to the definition of choice and say see I was rewarded and sure enough they are given another position with higher pay.