Government Cell Phone Program

I have a bone to pick. I would think this would be obvious, but from the attitude of many people, it either isn't obvious, or nobody really cares.

Have you heard of the "free phone" program the government is offering? People with low income, or inability to support themselves can go get a prepaid phone from the government, with a certain amount of talk time, free of charge.

Since when did a cellular phone become a necessity of life? Who's hairbrained idea is this? It ranks up there with the woman trying to get all gun owners to put a sign on their front doors saying "I own firearms". Wtf. Great idea. Advertise to the criminals, but I digress.

I wonder if the folks who supply the raw materials to build circuit boards work for free one day? Likewise raw mat'l for plastic cases that every single cell phone has to have. How about the factory worker on the line arranging electronic components for that circuit board. Does he or she work a day for free? The folks assembling the phone, packing the phone for shipping? There is some more raw material, and more people employed for the purpose of making paper and plastic shipping material. You also have the shipping companies, whether that is the USPS, UPS, the carriers hauling this stuff from one coast to another, raw or finished.

How about the cellular provider? It costs money to buy and maintain the equipment to provide a phone service, to pay administrative groups to run the company. Do all these people take an unpaid day of work out of the goodness of their hearts so that someone who is not working can have the amenities that they themselves must pay for?

The answer is a big, fat, no. These phones, this program, is paid for by somebody. You say, "yeah, the government does", right? Hm. Think about that for a second. Where does government money come from? Do they just print it? They just magically come up with more money, because they decided they needed it? Folks, it comes out of your paycheck. That's what the IRS does. It takes money from your paycheck to fund government activities. That "free" phone is paid for by your neighbor, your brother or sister, mother, father, uncleauntgrandmagrandpacousinfriendfoe... you get my point. Each year, someone comes up with a new way to "help" the general population with a new gov't program.

Each year, gov't has to take more and more money out of your paycheck to fund these ridiculous programs. Every time someone takes advantage of this, it costs you and me money. There are hundreds of these programs soaking up your paycheck. government spending is beyond out of control.

If these programs were not taking money out of your pocket, what do you suppose would happen? How would your quality of life be affected? What more would you have? What sort of memories could you make on vacations you aren't able to take right now? What sort of christmas gift could you have gotten your wife or husband or child last year that would have blown his/her mind?

Where would our country be if it would have just stuck to the rule book, as it did for so many years? For a very long time, our country grew and grew, became the richest and most prosperous country in the world, because it's citizens had control over their capital. Once "income taxes" came into being, things started going downhill. Politicians started being able to vote themselves raises.

That's not the government our ancestors fought and died for. That's the government that our ancestors fought and died AGAINST.

I had the opportunity to take advantage of this program a few days ago. I refused. I will not be a drain on society. I will not be part of the problem. I'll take care of my own things, my own self, even if it means a little bit of suffering, as if we really suffer today. Stand up, and make people aware of what they are doing when they stand in line to take "free" money from the government. Stand up, and say, "no, I won't have anything to do with that". Be an example. One person is ineffective alone, but if others see the fortitude, and follow example, all of a sudden that one person is one hundred, then one thousand, then one hundred thousand.

Free is never free. Free has to be paid for, somehow, somewhere.

Perhaps the tree of liberty is a bit thirsty.

America is waking up

I saw ,in the Virginia area, a sheet or blanket that someone had fastened to an old, broken down, billboard. It was white or light gray, written on it was the following: "Time to refresh the tree of liberty". It sent chills up and down my spine. For those of you who aren't familiar with the reference, Thomas Jefferson once said "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants". He was speaking of going to war with a tyrannical government, of taking back control of a country from power hungry politicians. Big Government, you ought to watch out, Americans are growing uneasy, and becoming willing to spill your blood.

Indecent (?) Exposure??

I don't remember where, exactly, I was at, but I saw something that floored me. I was driving down the expressway when a car drove past me around 5 mph faster than I was going. When I looked down, I saw a woman that was around 50-70 lbs overweight, wearing jeans and a button up sweater. Nothing wrong with that, right? This woman was pretty well endowed, and had arranged her sweater so that it was tucked under her, um... shelf. She had her love pillows in a black lacy overtheshoulderboulderholder, displayed for the world to see. Don't get me wrong, there are bikinis that show more skin than many bras, but come on. I guess she was proud of what her momma gave her...

I miss home.

That is all for now.

No Consistency

Here I sit, waiting for the wheels to start turning. We've had two loads to take, and didn't leave on either one. Now we've got a third load, which we MIGHT take.
I hate waiting. I hate not knowing what is going to happen from one hour to the next. Sitting is one of the very few things I don't do well. I have a job to do, a goal to reach, in order to get out of this training program, and I want it done. I hope things get better once I get into my own truck. This is friggin ridiculous. I should have been out of this yard three days ago. WTF!!!

Rest in Peace

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well- intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing

I don't know

Sorry, no title today. I'm not in much of a thinking mood. There are so many things going on out here that my mind is incredibly occupied. This company is really good at keeping people busy, even when they aren't doing anything. It's an amazing feat. I don't much care for that, though. It means I don't have a lot of time to think about things like home, and family, and important stuff like that. Not that I really have a place to call home right now, but you get my point.
There is so much beautiful country out here. I've only seen a little tiny bit of it, and I've only seen it during a short period of one season. I don't think I could ever get tired of the natural scenery. It's changing from day to day, whether it's because I'm driving through somewhere different, or the weather makes the appearance different.
It doesn't matter, though, because there are a lot of things going on at home that I want to be a part of. One person in particular I miss like crazy. I'm sitting here in the rain, two thousand miles away, wishing I could have just one hug from her. It's hard to take. Everything I see, I want her to see too.
My family is in the middle of the yearly get-together in the U.P. right now. I know they are waking up to some nice, crisp, early winter mornings, smelling the campfire and bacon and coffee, talking about everything and nothing, listening to nothing but nature whispering for miles around. I look so forward to that time every year. I don't even care much about the hunting. It's the solitude and companionship that mixes so strangely up there.
I suppose I should probably get to sleep, I'm gonna have to drive at some point tomorrow, and this is not going to make for a very good day. I'll sign off for now. Maybe there will be time again in the near future for more writing.
I like it out here, but I miss home.