In the 1700's America was populated under the rule of the British Empire.
History tells us many came to America to escape the tyranny of the King; looking for freedom and the pursuit of happiness. (sources: Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States; Bill of Rights)
The following evolution defines the path we have and are following.
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.
Where do you see us on this path?
Look back at history to all the past great civilizations.
What lies in the future for our children and children's children?
06 April 2012
27 February 2012
Occupy Thoughts
I have been thinking about the #Occupy Protests across America.
In 1970 when I returned from Viet Nam and got spit at by protesters and later called a baby killer by in a job interview; I somehow made my mind that I didn't much like protesters.
I'm an Old Dog but I don't mind learning new tricks; I understand the anxiety expressed when the #occupywallstreet movement started. I guess its human nature to try to find someone to blame.
If I were to join the protest, I would join a cause to change the basic reasons we are so out of whack! I don't think I can blame Wall Street for the huge debt each of us face due to the ridiculous spending by our federal government. Wall Street probably wouldn't advise to send billions of dollars in foreign aid and then add billions of dollars to "protect" the people that don't want our protection; just our money.
It is hard to really know where all the money is but simple research suggests we send around $22 Billion in foreign aid each year. The military budget is pushing $700 Billion (how much of that is protection services). I am a strong believer in defenses; I just have a limit to defending the good ol USA.
Recently it was disclosed that the CIA budget is somewhere around the $55 Billion figure.
Ok, we need some of those goods and services, especially the military for national defense. Just think if the government took out say $100 Billion and put it toward upgrading our infrastructure... what a concept; jobs, less welfare, all sorts of collateral energies...
I'm not blaming the rich for being rich or the protesters for protesting; I'm just suggesting maybe we should take a hard look at the way we do business with the rest of the world...
There is something fundamentally wrong with these people that spend Millions of dollars to get a temporary job that only pays in the hundreds of thousands... my opinion they are not worth $100k per year; just look at their history in making poor decisions.
Maybe we should Occupy America!
In 1970 when I returned from Viet Nam and got spit at by protesters and later called a baby killer by in a job interview; I somehow made my mind that I didn't much like protesters.
I'm an Old Dog but I don't mind learning new tricks; I understand the anxiety expressed when the #occupywallstreet movement started. I guess its human nature to try to find someone to blame.
If I were to join the protest, I would join a cause to change the basic reasons we are so out of whack! I don't think I can blame Wall Street for the huge debt each of us face due to the ridiculous spending by our federal government. Wall Street probably wouldn't advise to send billions of dollars in foreign aid and then add billions of dollars to "protect" the people that don't want our protection; just our money.
It is hard to really know where all the money is but simple research suggests we send around $22 Billion in foreign aid each year. The military budget is pushing $700 Billion (how much of that is protection services). I am a strong believer in defenses; I just have a limit to defending the good ol USA.
Recently it was disclosed that the CIA budget is somewhere around the $55 Billion figure.
Ok, we need some of those goods and services, especially the military for national defense. Just think if the government took out say $100 Billion and put it toward upgrading our infrastructure... what a concept; jobs, less welfare, all sorts of collateral energies...
I'm not blaming the rich for being rich or the protesters for protesting; I'm just suggesting maybe we should take a hard look at the way we do business with the rest of the world...
There is something fundamentally wrong with these people that spend Millions of dollars to get a temporary job that only pays in the hundreds of thousands... my opinion they are not worth $100k per year; just look at their history in making poor decisions.
Maybe we should Occupy America!
We see the riots and
trouble in Greece; hear about the problems facing countries like Ireland
and Italy; again a lot to do with their debt... when is the United
States going to wake up and stop raising our debt? Its time for us to
take action... its not a matter of redistributing wealth... it is very
much a matter of piss poor leadership making lousy choices! And we let
them do it to us.
Found this graph in The Weekly Standard dated 27 February 2012
Notice the Note embedded in the graph!
09 February 2012
Ethics Bill
I just sent the following letter to my congresswoman. I wish our government could govern themselves better!!! Pleas feel free to write your Congressmen as well... I really don't think they will find my approval by stronger language about their financial disclosures or insider trading rules. Why aren't they ethical to begin with?
Dear Congresswoman Lummis,
I just read that Congress is looking to pass an ethics bill in hopes to better your public image. While I applaud you for being concerned over public image we would rather you listen to us and pass self governing legislation that makes sense.
Pass legislation that places your salary and benefits in the same pool as the military. The pay grades all ready have a system, the Veterans Administration benefits is all you need when you are not reelected (no life time insurance program needed).
Place your staff on the existing GS pay structure. And put an end to spending millions of dollars to get a regular job. Maybe then your ethics will improve.
No you can't fly back and forth to a conflict or war to get hazardous duty pay unless you graduate from a military boot camp and actually come under enemy fire during your visit.
While you are at refreshing your image, put a cap on the office of the president in a similar way; ok, give him 5% more than an O-9.
We the people only hope you have the intestinal fortitude to act appropriately while you represent us. A rewind to reality is long over due.
Dear Congresswoman Lummis,
I just read that Congress is looking to pass an ethics bill in hopes to better your public image. While I applaud you for being concerned over public image we would rather you listen to us and pass self governing legislation that makes sense.
Pass legislation that places your salary and benefits in the same pool as the military. The pay grades all ready have a system, the Veterans Administration benefits is all you need when you are not reelected (no life time insurance program needed).
Place your staff on the existing GS pay structure. And put an end to spending millions of dollars to get a regular job. Maybe then your ethics will improve.
No you can't fly back and forth to a conflict or war to get hazardous duty pay unless you graduate from a military boot camp and actually come under enemy fire during your visit.
While you are at refreshing your image, put a cap on the office of the president in a similar way; ok, give him 5% more than an O-9.
We the people only hope you have the intestinal fortitude to act appropriately while you represent us. A rewind to reality is long over due.
29 December 2011
Amazing Technology
About ten this morning as I was having some coffee in Scottsdale, Arizona my daughter texts me for directions using her Blackberry. She is in Nevada heading for Salt Lake City. I did a quick google for Mapquest and used my iphone to let her know that I-15 was a straight shot. So, whether serious or not (I tend to believe she was serious) she asks where the nearest Starbucks drive-thru is. My wife has an app on her android called Coffee Fix so I text my daughter to find out what exit she is near... after her response; we figure she is pretty SOL until Mesquite... so I text her the location in Mesquite and she thanks me.
My wife and I look at each other and almost spontaneously smile and say can you remember when... I remember when we took my great great Uncle to town for some supplies and he saw his first TV in 1963... we both remember punching batch cards and leaving them in the basement of of a building at the University of Wyoming so the computer could run our programs... remember our first Apple II... our first cell phone I carried in a bag... I even remember getting crystal radios at Christmas as a kid and was amazed by the technology... I still get amazed by technology.
My wife and I look at each other and almost spontaneously smile and say can you remember when... I remember when we took my great great Uncle to town for some supplies and he saw his first TV in 1963... we both remember punching batch cards and leaving them in the basement of of a building at the University of Wyoming so the computer could run our programs... remember our first Apple II... our first cell phone I carried in a bag... I even remember getting crystal radios at Christmas as a kid and was amazed by the technology... I still get amazed by technology.
14 November 2011
11-11-11 Wheatland, Wyoming
I was a little tired from being at the local grocery store most of the day. Returning to the VFW hall with the remaining Buddy Poppies and the can of donations for our veterans; it seemed like just another Veterans Day. Not that Veterans Days are mundane by any means, its just that on this particular day I was taken completely by surprise!
As I was walking down the sidewalk toward the hall, I noticed two girls kind of looking around, a little out of place at 4 in the afternoon. They noticed my approach and came directly toward me. My first thought was they were looking for someone and I was going to see if I could help. Just before they got all the way to me the one girl started to go on about forgetting the paper that she had something all written down on and sounded like she was apologizing to me for being here unprepared. Then they both said that they came here to tell me Thanks for Serving and that they appreciated my sacrifice for our country. We exchanged a few more pleasant words and parted company. After dropping off my items in the VFW hall, I went back outside and the girls were gone. Amazed that two young ladies would come out in the cold just to tell some stranger thank you, I got in my car and went home.
40 plus years ago I served with the Marine Corps in an unpopular war in southeast Asia. When I returned from Vietnam, I remember the protesters outside the gate spitting at us... then my first job interview where the owner of the gas station called me a baby killer and to get the hell out! Never was I thanked for my service; these two young ladies really blew me away.
Isn't America fantastic! The change in attitude toward our veterans is amazing! The pride, patriotism and kindness that somehow these two young ladies were able to share with me will be cherished for the rest of my days. Who would have thought that you would find this type of Americanism in Wheatland, Wyoming. It's my turn to say thanks... to these young ladies and their parents, teachers and our community for instilling values some believe are lost.
The following are a few pics of the 236th Marine Corps Birthday Dinner on 11-10-11
The Birthday Ball in Wheatland was a great time. Prime Rib dinner; traditional cake cutting and the passing of the cake from the oldest to the youngest Marine present; toasts with a traditional rum punch; Singing the Marine Corps Hymn; the best was sharing the evening with Marines and family!
As I was walking down the sidewalk toward the hall, I noticed two girls kind of looking around, a little out of place at 4 in the afternoon. They noticed my approach and came directly toward me. My first thought was they were looking for someone and I was going to see if I could help. Just before they got all the way to me the one girl started to go on about forgetting the paper that she had something all written down on and sounded like she was apologizing to me for being here unprepared. Then they both said that they came here to tell me Thanks for Serving and that they appreciated my sacrifice for our country. We exchanged a few more pleasant words and parted company. After dropping off my items in the VFW hall, I went back outside and the girls were gone. Amazed that two young ladies would come out in the cold just to tell some stranger thank you, I got in my car and went home.
40 plus years ago I served with the Marine Corps in an unpopular war in southeast Asia. When I returned from Vietnam, I remember the protesters outside the gate spitting at us... then my first job interview where the owner of the gas station called me a baby killer and to get the hell out! Never was I thanked for my service; these two young ladies really blew me away.
Isn't America fantastic! The change in attitude toward our veterans is amazing! The pride, patriotism and kindness that somehow these two young ladies were able to share with me will be cherished for the rest of my days. Who would have thought that you would find this type of Americanism in Wheatland, Wyoming. It's my turn to say thanks... to these young ladies and their parents, teachers and our community for instilling values some believe are lost.
Just before the Chili Supper at the 4H Building
The following are a few pics of the 236th Marine Corps Birthday Dinner on 11-10-11
27 October 2011
On Going Battle with Delta Airline @delta
On the 15th of October I sent Delta a complaint (see my Post)- WOW - I finally got a response!! Their feeble response is in italics... My response is at the bottom...
Anyone else having less than satisfactory experiences from Airlines?
On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 10:58 AM, Contact Delta <ContactUs.Delta@delta.com> wrote:
I really expected Delta to blow me off... your feeble excuses are sadly the state of corporate America. As you have probably already predicted there is a slim chance that I would ever meet your terms and conditions for your pitiful voucher. Your statement that your company is safety minded leaves me laughing; thank you for that.
I see that Delta still refuses to grant our travel points SkyMiles acct #2127108229 . I guess SkyMiles is just a ploy for people to think they are "valued" ; so, please don't say that I am a "valued member" when it is perfectly clear that I am not!
Now that I have vented regarding your lackadaisical email. Who is the next person to contact or voice my request to?... if this were a phone call I would be asking for a supervisor... quite simply who do I talk to now to re-submit my complaint?
Thank you,
Joe Shelton
Anyone else having less than satisfactory experiences from Airlines?
On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 10:58 AM, Contact Delta <ContactUs.Delta@delta.com> wrote:
Dear Mr. Shelton,
RE: Case Number 4659444
Thank you for writing regarding
you and your wife's recent travel experiences with us. On behalf of
everyone at Delta Air Lines, I sincerely apologize for letting you down
in so many ways.
Let me begin by saying that we
take your concerns very seriously and I am truly sorry for the
inconvenience you have been caused. Please know Delta is committed to
providing our most loyal customers with the excellent service you
deserve and have every right to expect and I acknowledge that we fell
short of our goal on these trips.
Our goal is to surpass your
expectations in each and every way. Your comments were good examples of
how our aircraft maintenance, cabin conditions, and in-flight
entertainment systems affect our passengers who travel with us the most.
While the monitor malfunction that occurred onboard Flight 269 was not a
safety threat, as the necessary safety instructions are also included
on a placard in the pockets of all our seats, I do apologize for any
concern you felt as a result. Rest assured the safety of our passengers
is our number one priority and our future course of action is based on
feedback like that which you have provided. We are taking your concerns
very seriously and I have shared them with our Corporate Leadership team
for internal review.
With that being said, I
recognize your request for reimbursement of your pet boarding expenses
along with a partial refund of your airfare. However, regretfully, I am
unable to completely fulfill your request. We do understand the grave impact itinerary disruptions can have upon prepaid expenses but we do not indemnify our air transportation customers against the loss of expenses with other companies. Additionally, I am unable to provide a refund of your airfare on an already flown ticket.
Nevertheless, in an effort to show you how truly sorry we are for the negative travel experiences, I
have issued you and your wife each an Electronic Transportation Credit
Voucher (eTCV) in the amount of $150.00. Please note the voucher number
and associated Terms and Conditions will be arriving in a separate
e-mail. I encourage you to add Delta Air Lines to your receiver list so
the voucher document is not misdirected to your spam folder. Please keep
the voucher number and the Terms and Conditions since the number is
required for redemption. It is also important to remind you that there
is no Direct Ticketing fee for reservations confirmed online at delta.com.
In closing, I hope I have been
able to explain any concerns you have about the service you experienced
and our commitment to prevent a reoccurrence. As a valued SkyMiles
member, your comments are critical in our efforts of becoming the
premier global airline with a leading presence in the world's major
markets. We appreciate you and your wife trusting your business to us
and we look forward to the opportunity of serving you once again under
better circumstances in the near future.
Sincerely,
Heather Bennett
Coordinator, Corporate
Delta Air Lines
MY RESPONSE
Dear Ms Bennett,I really expected Delta to blow me off... your feeble excuses are sadly the state of corporate America. As you have probably already predicted there is a slim chance that I would ever meet your terms and conditions for your pitiful voucher. Your statement that your company is safety minded leaves me laughing; thank you for that.
I see that Delta still refuses to grant our travel points SkyMiles acct #2127108229 . I guess SkyMiles is just a ploy for people to think they are "valued" ; so, please don't say that I am a "valued member" when it is perfectly clear that I am not!
Now that I have vented regarding your lackadaisical email. Who is the next person to contact or voice my request to?... if this were a phone call I would be asking for a supervisor... quite simply who do I talk to now to re-submit my complaint?
Thank you,
Joe Shelton
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