Departure day is getting closer...

I've been running around trying to get things ready to go to Saudi Arabia...and trying to get the "Honey do" list cut down to size. Spent the last two days sick (projectile vomiting and diarrhea), still feeling like crap, but finished grouting the slate tile in the kitchen.

Picked up an ASUS G50Vt laptop for the year overseas...it looks hot and runs nice (even though it's a Windows Vista 64 bit machine). Still figuring out how to use all the built in goodies on it, but it's a nice toy (I've usually bought Sony Vaio's for the wife, so this was a out of the norm for us).

I'll try to post a couple of more times before I go...BTW, I've been invited to post over at "The Loose Cannon on the Right" on my time in the KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) to let those that visit these two sites what is happening over there.

Things are happening...

FYI - I have a hew job...will be going to Saudi Arabia for a year, so I'm trying to take care of the "honey do" list before I go. If you come across this, please be patient...I'll be back...

Crap Sandwich (aka the "stimulus" bill)

I'm sure that all of you have read about the Crap Sandwich that the Donks and RINO's in Congress and Obama are about ready to shove down out throats. I'm not a fan of pork barrel politics and this is full of so much pork that it gives me hypertension. I'm not a economists, but here are my ideas of how to jump start the economy:

1. Tax breaks for families that make less than $250K
2. Tax break for small business
3. Waive collection of FICA for 6 months for working families (income less than $250k)
4. Top to bottom review of business practices and employee utilization in all government offices - done by an outside company. Report to President within 120 days, with recommendations for improving business practices, including using contractor/outsides sources that can work more effectively that current organization. Terminate/early retirement for personnel that are considered "redundant" to reduce workforce. Employees terminated from job to get 3 months severance pay; employees forced into early retirement to be paid on a scale based on total years of federal service. Recommended changes to take effect within 180 days of approval by the president.
5. Termination of government programs that are ineffective or performing a redundant function. This includes programs that do not benefit ALL AMERICANS (read funding for ACORN and other organizations like them).
6. Consider merging some cabinet posts/departments that have overlapping functions.
7. Sell off/privatize PBS/NPR/NEA
8. Terminate government funding for research grants that do not have an immediate (less than 5 years) payoff in the following areas - National Defense, Health care, Energy, Agriculture.
9. No payouts to banks or business that can not return to profitability within 2 years.
10. Slash the pay of members of Congress, President, VP, Cabinet members, senior executive staff and federal judges by 15%.

The federal government will never be taken seriously when it comes to looking out for us...this bill shows all of us that they don't have a clue about what is happening to us out here. Until they "get a set" and make some hard decisions, then they need to find other employment at the first available opportunity....courtesy of the voters.

Poor leadership in action...

Just a few thoughts about leadership...

1. President Obama and using fear as a means of getting your way - If you're doing this, your base is going to fade away real quick. This isn't Chicago...so get over it and be the leader that you "claim" to be. Oh, BTW - stop with the campaign machinery that is on the Internet...if you can't get things straightened out by Labor Day, the electorate is gonna turn on the Democrats in 2010, and you'll find yourself dealing with the GOP in the majority in the House.

2. Jerry Jones (owner of the Dallas Cowboys) - this was off the Dallas Cowboys blog maintained by the Dallas Morning News:

Jerry made it clear that the Reeves departure was not about a control battle. And Jerry made it clear that no coach/consultant/executive has ever or will ever get ultimate control as long as he's roaming the Valley Ranch hallways.

"Not one time with any head coach in 20 years does anyone have an authority to hire a football player, fire a football player, draft a football player, hire a coach, an assistant coach," Jerry said. "In 20 years, not one coach has ever had it. I've always had it. I want to make that clear."

The Cowboys are a team that seem to be a textbook case of "the inmates running the asylum", where teamwork is a dirty word for some of the players, and Jerry seems to let the team run itself. This is a franchise that is in an almost constant state of turmoil, with problems on and off the field, and the Owner/GM (Jones) calling all of the shots.

I've worked both of these situations before while in the Navy, and I've told the "leaders" the truth - THEY SUCKED! Both people paid for the ineffective leadership with their promotion chances diminished, and they were the butt of jokes in the Officer's Wardroom and CPO mess....

Democrats and taxes....

Just a few thoughts about President Obama's recent choices having to remove themselves from consideration due to "tax issues". If this was anybody else (like you or me), we would be under the IRS' hammer if we failed to file or accurately report our taxes, to include bank accounts seized, wages garnished and liens on property. What slays me is that these individuals, who obviously have further designs on future employment with a democratically controlled White House and knowing that they would be scrutinized by the Senate (especially after what happened to Joe the Plumber), all of a sudden have an epiphany and realize that they didn't pay their taxes???

Are they that stupid? Do they just sign their returned mindlessly, thinking that TurboTax/their accountant did his/her job? And some in power feel that they are "qualified" to be advisers to the President and his Cabinet??? I wouldn't trust any of them with my checkbook, and they were going to provide oversight on "government performance" or healthcare reform.

Memo to Obama and his "advisers"... maybe you need to vet your people by looking at their taxes first before asking them if they would like a job working for President Hopeychangey...