At a time when unemployment is at stupid levels, when rural areas are threatened with loss of people, jobs, incentives, and the government is in a turmoil over it, what would you think stupid is? Close down post offices and lay off the workers!
Small towns have enough against them as it is. There are high numbers of elderly, low numbers of job opportunities, and the cost of traveling is prohibitive in these areas.
The Postal Department in their rupture of money picks on an area that only constitues .9% of their budget to cut. Even though there is a congressinal mandate to provide the service. Senators and Representatives are being bombarded with angry citizens concerns and what do they do to respond? Well lets see, as I write this on 11-8-11, on 11-9-11 the Coats, Kansas post office closes, and soon it's neighbor Sawyer. Then of course Isabel and Nashville. These residents will be forced to have service out of Spivey between 30 & 70 miles away. Yet there is enough business to keep most of these going.
Of course the mis-management of the service is always compensated not where the problems lie but where there is no way to effectivly fight back. And the job loss continues. Where is the lip service that the president, congress, and both parties at? There you go again, STUPID!
A large company that auctions livestock on line and TV has announced to their customers to send the deposits to them by FED EX or UPS because the Postal Service sometimes takes two weeks to get the deposits to them. What a state of affairs we have come to.
WASHINGTON WAKE UP instead of extending un-employment try keeping jobs active, cut rediculous interference with job creation, and keep the mandates that have been set down by congress. Cutting a little waste would help also but this requires intelligence and initiative.
I fully expect Webster to add new definitions for the word STUPID soon. Like USPS, Washington, Buraucrat, Government Intelligence.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
COURAGE
COURAGE: THE QUALITY OF BEING BRAVE, VALOR. Webster
The ability to be scared to death and yet still act is one of the other definitions of courage. Courage is often ridiculed today in a world of parties, unions, pop culture. Those that dare to do the right thing or go against the popular trend of the day are often thought of as odd.
Yet we have young people that join up to serve the nation no matter where or when or the reason. To serve in a military where the Comander in Chief shows little respect other than the minimum necesary.
We have men and women that join religious organizations as clergy, teachers, lay service, and service work when the courts and ACLU claim that they cannot be proactive in their churchs or synagogues in the public view. Concepts of religion cannot be studied in schools yet paganizm, mythology, and humanism can be.
The founders of the Republic clearly stated in the Constitution that mixing church and state would not be acceptable because of choosing a state religion. There is the clause freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
In being involved in boards, organizations, and agencies over the years it always amazed me how hard it is for them to do the right thing. Right is ignored for popular reasons, expiedient reasons, or just because that is always the way it has been done.
In todays economy there is so much talk of creating jobs and improving the economy that the fundamentals that make it work are shackled by regulation, politics, and bureaucracy.
The big banks that were infused with bailout money now set on the money and find new ways to add fees. Small banks do not seriously try to loan money without a government agency. And then the smaller banks who used to recirculate the money thru the community sell bundles of loans to the big banks.
Imagine the terror of starting a new business today. Yet 60% of new jobs come from the small business person. The risk of losing anything that you might have acumulated for a new veture is paralyising. Yet the government can go after companies who back the wrong party and cause jobs to be lost and pushed overseas.
Small town America is hurting because of the buy in too the lie of drawing talent and labor away to large urban centers just to leave them high and dry when the job goes overseas.
To continue with a tax code, that not even those who enforce it can understand. Is it any wonder that corporations move their offices to a freindly country? Everyone knows that the tax code needs to be scrapped for fairness and simpicity. Attention is focused on the top end of the economy even though they pay most of the taxes. Yet the bottom 40% pay nothing and get money from the government. They are as opposed to anything fair as the tax attorneys who would have to get a real job if the tax code is done away with.
The people who propose fairness are attacked because they are with the wrong party. Yet both parties created the mess to begin with.
I sat in on an economic meeting recently and yet thru all the mess of today, there are still those who have an idea and will create their own job in spite of what is stacked against them.
Courage comes in many sizes and shapes. Some are life threatening, some threaten livings. I always go to my favorite saying from a famous president, Teddy Roosevelt:
IT IS NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS, NOT THE ONES WHO POINT OUT HOW THE STRONG MAN STUMBLED, OR WHERE THE DOER OF DEEDS COULD HAVE DONE THEM BETTER. THE CREDIT BELONGS TO THE MAN WHO'S ACTUALLY IN THE AREANA, WHOSE FACE IS MARRED BY DUST AND SWEAT AND BLOOD; WHO STRIVES VALIENTLY; WHO ERRS AND COMES UP SHORT AGAIN AND AGAIN, WHO KNOWS GREAT ENTHUSIASMS, THE GREAT DEVOTION AND SPENDS HIMSELF IN A WORTHY CAUSE; WHO AT BEST KNOWS AT THE END TRIUMPH OF HIGH ACHEIVEMNT, AND WHO AT WORST IF HE FAILS, AT LEAST FAILS WHILE DARING GREATLY. SO THAT HIS PLACE SHALL NEVER BE WITH THOSE COLD AND TIMID SOULS WHO KNOW NEITHER VICTORY NOR DEFEAT.....
The ability to be scared to death and yet still act is one of the other definitions of courage. Courage is often ridiculed today in a world of parties, unions, pop culture. Those that dare to do the right thing or go against the popular trend of the day are often thought of as odd.
Yet we have young people that join up to serve the nation no matter where or when or the reason. To serve in a military where the Comander in Chief shows little respect other than the minimum necesary.
We have men and women that join religious organizations as clergy, teachers, lay service, and service work when the courts and ACLU claim that they cannot be proactive in their churchs or synagogues in the public view. Concepts of religion cannot be studied in schools yet paganizm, mythology, and humanism can be.
The founders of the Republic clearly stated in the Constitution that mixing church and state would not be acceptable because of choosing a state religion. There is the clause freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
In being involved in boards, organizations, and agencies over the years it always amazed me how hard it is for them to do the right thing. Right is ignored for popular reasons, expiedient reasons, or just because that is always the way it has been done.
In todays economy there is so much talk of creating jobs and improving the economy that the fundamentals that make it work are shackled by regulation, politics, and bureaucracy.
The big banks that were infused with bailout money now set on the money and find new ways to add fees. Small banks do not seriously try to loan money without a government agency. And then the smaller banks who used to recirculate the money thru the community sell bundles of loans to the big banks.
Imagine the terror of starting a new business today. Yet 60% of new jobs come from the small business person. The risk of losing anything that you might have acumulated for a new veture is paralyising. Yet the government can go after companies who back the wrong party and cause jobs to be lost and pushed overseas.
Small town America is hurting because of the buy in too the lie of drawing talent and labor away to large urban centers just to leave them high and dry when the job goes overseas.
To continue with a tax code, that not even those who enforce it can understand. Is it any wonder that corporations move their offices to a freindly country? Everyone knows that the tax code needs to be scrapped for fairness and simpicity. Attention is focused on the top end of the economy even though they pay most of the taxes. Yet the bottom 40% pay nothing and get money from the government. They are as opposed to anything fair as the tax attorneys who would have to get a real job if the tax code is done away with.
The people who propose fairness are attacked because they are with the wrong party. Yet both parties created the mess to begin with.
I sat in on an economic meeting recently and yet thru all the mess of today, there are still those who have an idea and will create their own job in spite of what is stacked against them.
Courage comes in many sizes and shapes. Some are life threatening, some threaten livings. I always go to my favorite saying from a famous president, Teddy Roosevelt:
IT IS NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS, NOT THE ONES WHO POINT OUT HOW THE STRONG MAN STUMBLED, OR WHERE THE DOER OF DEEDS COULD HAVE DONE THEM BETTER. THE CREDIT BELONGS TO THE MAN WHO'S ACTUALLY IN THE AREANA, WHOSE FACE IS MARRED BY DUST AND SWEAT AND BLOOD; WHO STRIVES VALIENTLY; WHO ERRS AND COMES UP SHORT AGAIN AND AGAIN, WHO KNOWS GREAT ENTHUSIASMS, THE GREAT DEVOTION AND SPENDS HIMSELF IN A WORTHY CAUSE; WHO AT BEST KNOWS AT THE END TRIUMPH OF HIGH ACHEIVEMNT, AND WHO AT WORST IF HE FAILS, AT LEAST FAILS WHILE DARING GREATLY. SO THAT HIS PLACE SHALL NEVER BE WITH THOSE COLD AND TIMID SOULS WHO KNOW NEITHER VICTORY NOR DEFEAT.....
Friday, October 14, 2011
WESTERN MUSIC
I am a Western Music singer and have had the great satisfaction of just participating in a program I originated. The Western Music Association - Kansas Chapter has now put it on twice. KANSAS-HOME ON THE RANGE is the story of Kansas in song, poetry, narration, and video celebrating Kansas 150th year of statehood. All participants were Kansans, some coming back from out of state to participate. The Governor, Wichita Mayor, and 4th district Congressman were on hand to greet the crowd and kick off the show. It was evident that they all enjoyed the show. We have also gotten a lot of good comments about it.
There was a symphony that was hand picked by the conductor of the Hutchinson Symphony that provide support and a wonderful sound. At the city's request we added a group of drummers and dancers from the All American Indian Center. We also added the African American group Arise, Mexican youth Charro trick ropers, and the Asian Dance group to round out the story of immigration and the diversity of our culture.
The western artists in combination with the diverse talent created an educational and enjoyable afternoon. So now I get back to the point of this blog.
Western Music was once a part of the Nashville Country & Western. When the music industry was bought by the Japanese and Dutch they asked how we can make the most money from this industry. The answer was the pop music model from the west coast. Western, acoustic, and the other genre' that fall under the 'Western' catagory were dismissed from the major labels and modern 'country' radio.
Western and all it's components are truely the music of the people, the people of the land and the western experience. It can incorporate Bluegrass, Western Swing, Classic Country, Folk, Ethnic, Big Band, Broadway, and the traditional songs of the west. Even the movie cowboy songs are an important part of Western.
So what happened to Western? It is alive and well. There are hundreds of artists many belonging to the Western Music Association and the Academy of Western Artists. How come you don't hear them? You generally have to be at a live concert, festival, or purchase independent produced CD's and downloads.
There are two universal things that every artist hears after a show. One is, we brought our (daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson, neice, nephew, ect.) kicking and screaming to this show and when they heard the music, they loved it.
The second thing that is said is "this is the music I always loved and just forgot about". People are dictated to everytime they turn on the radio, TV, or read an industry magazine about the offerings of the mainstream industry and tell them that this is what they love. In the 50's music and radio people went to court over the paying to play certain music. This is still happening legally today because of the interdependence of the two. Is money changing hands? You bet but it goes around the law and is now 'just business'. Sounds familiar, oh yes it is from the Godfather as a person is about to be whacked they always say "it is just business not personal".
What can you do to bring back the music you love and wrestle control from the industry bosses? First you quit buying music from acts that are no more than bad rock and roll.
Second - you find artists that you love in Western and other independents and buy it.
Third - go to the shows and support Western when you can.
Fourth - and most important, call in requests for your favorite artist to the radio stations and have your friends call and create the demand that the radio will have to find the music and put it on the air.
Another thing is to tell the advertisers that you are not happy with the mix at the stations they do business with.
And the most effective with all these combined, start a petition to the radio stations, their ownership group, and the TV programs that ignore the artists for the 'Hat Acts'.
Send copies of the petitions to the Grand Ole Opry, RFD TV, CMT Network, PBS, and other networks and producers that exclude the Americana mix of Western artists.
You know there is no more effective way to affect change than with your pocket book. Money is the universal language that all those involved understand.
This is my View From the Hill.
There was a symphony that was hand picked by the conductor of the Hutchinson Symphony that provide support and a wonderful sound. At the city's request we added a group of drummers and dancers from the All American Indian Center. We also added the African American group Arise, Mexican youth Charro trick ropers, and the Asian Dance group to round out the story of immigration and the diversity of our culture.
The western artists in combination with the diverse talent created an educational and enjoyable afternoon. So now I get back to the point of this blog.
Western Music was once a part of the Nashville Country & Western. When the music industry was bought by the Japanese and Dutch they asked how we can make the most money from this industry. The answer was the pop music model from the west coast. Western, acoustic, and the other genre' that fall under the 'Western' catagory were dismissed from the major labels and modern 'country' radio.
Western and all it's components are truely the music of the people, the people of the land and the western experience. It can incorporate Bluegrass, Western Swing, Classic Country, Folk, Ethnic, Big Band, Broadway, and the traditional songs of the west. Even the movie cowboy songs are an important part of Western.
So what happened to Western? It is alive and well. There are hundreds of artists many belonging to the Western Music Association and the Academy of Western Artists. How come you don't hear them? You generally have to be at a live concert, festival, or purchase independent produced CD's and downloads.
There are two universal things that every artist hears after a show. One is, we brought our (daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson, neice, nephew, ect.) kicking and screaming to this show and when they heard the music, they loved it.
The second thing that is said is "this is the music I always loved and just forgot about". People are dictated to everytime they turn on the radio, TV, or read an industry magazine about the offerings of the mainstream industry and tell them that this is what they love. In the 50's music and radio people went to court over the paying to play certain music. This is still happening legally today because of the interdependence of the two. Is money changing hands? You bet but it goes around the law and is now 'just business'. Sounds familiar, oh yes it is from the Godfather as a person is about to be whacked they always say "it is just business not personal".
What can you do to bring back the music you love and wrestle control from the industry bosses? First you quit buying music from acts that are no more than bad rock and roll.
Second - you find artists that you love in Western and other independents and buy it.
Third - go to the shows and support Western when you can.
Fourth - and most important, call in requests for your favorite artist to the radio stations and have your friends call and create the demand that the radio will have to find the music and put it on the air.
Another thing is to tell the advertisers that you are not happy with the mix at the stations they do business with.
And the most effective with all these combined, start a petition to the radio stations, their ownership group, and the TV programs that ignore the artists for the 'Hat Acts'.
Send copies of the petitions to the Grand Ole Opry, RFD TV, CMT Network, PBS, and other networks and producers that exclude the Americana mix of Western artists.
You know there is no more effective way to affect change than with your pocket book. Money is the universal language that all those involved understand.
This is my View From the Hill.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
WHAT WE LEARN OR FAIL TO LEARN
As a self styled historian(I have had a lettered historian tell me to claim the title), I have always used as my motto 'THOSE WHO IGNORE HISTORY ARE CONDEMED TO RE-LIVE IT'. As a former commisioned law enforcement officer and a private detective, I have always subscribed to the fight against illegal drugs. But time and history are slowly changing my mind.
There is probably very few who are as conservative as me but facts are facts. There has always been a small fringe group that has advocated the legalization of Marajuana. As a student of the prohibition era I have long wanted to write a book on the Kansas moonshine business, and have had encouragement. But, there are too many families and participants still alive that have discuraged me. See in Kansas we started the prohibition movement in 1880 and did not leave it until the 1950's and actually we still have remnants of it left today.
I am looking forward to Ken Burns new documentary PROHIBITION. It takes an indepth look at the whole era of National Prohibition. Are we going to learn that Prohibition gave rise to the transformation of small time criminals into huge organized crime syndicates. We learned a hard lesson too late and still have these organizations with us today. Many have actually gone mainstream and have legitimate business.
So what is the link to the drug business? We have to take all the hype and lies away from the argument and talk real results. Not one death has been attributed to using marijuana in the 70 some years of illegal status. There is an amazingly large amount of people who have used or do use in the country today. A related crop in the same genus as marijuana, Hemp, has been banned from commercial production even though it has none of the chemicals that make the illegal plant a asource of getting high. Commercial hemp has as many uses and products that can be made from it as soybeans and peanuts. But it is totally opposed by DEA for production. There is an alternative crop here that our farmers do not get to grow because of demonization and lies.
Over one third of of our prison population and court cases have to do with marijuana. We have seen millions of untaxed dollars funding the same type of organizations that rose during the prohibition period. And the really big problem is that they are worse than any group from that period.
The sad fact is that the cartels that have terrorized Mexico are here in Kansas now. Why do I say that? Common sense. Every year in late summer and fall there are pot patch raids all over the state. In the past it has been the moonshiner type of grower that is generally caught. In the raids this year there is evidence in every case that there are illegals tending the patches. There is one thing that is eirily common, no one is caught.
It has long been the disdain of the American people of the corrupt officials that permiate the Mexican governmental culture. Now there is evidence of that corruption here in our own state. It is no coincidence that no one is every arrested at the time of seizure of this years pot patches. Someone that knows what is going on is tipping off whoever is responsible for them. It remains unsaid in the media (which is real unusual) but it is evident that there is someone paid off somewhere. This is what is so alarming.
After the lessons of prohibition I am finally persuaded that you cannot legislate morals and it is high time to make the pot business controlable by legalization and taxation. I don't have to like it but there are more pressing problems today. And we don't need anymore crooked officials.
There is probably very few who are as conservative as me but facts are facts. There has always been a small fringe group that has advocated the legalization of Marajuana. As a student of the prohibition era I have long wanted to write a book on the Kansas moonshine business, and have had encouragement. But, there are too many families and participants still alive that have discuraged me. See in Kansas we started the prohibition movement in 1880 and did not leave it until the 1950's and actually we still have remnants of it left today.
I am looking forward to Ken Burns new documentary PROHIBITION. It takes an indepth look at the whole era of National Prohibition. Are we going to learn that Prohibition gave rise to the transformation of small time criminals into huge organized crime syndicates. We learned a hard lesson too late and still have these organizations with us today. Many have actually gone mainstream and have legitimate business.
So what is the link to the drug business? We have to take all the hype and lies away from the argument and talk real results. Not one death has been attributed to using marijuana in the 70 some years of illegal status. There is an amazingly large amount of people who have used or do use in the country today. A related crop in the same genus as marijuana, Hemp, has been banned from commercial production even though it has none of the chemicals that make the illegal plant a asource of getting high. Commercial hemp has as many uses and products that can be made from it as soybeans and peanuts. But it is totally opposed by DEA for production. There is an alternative crop here that our farmers do not get to grow because of demonization and lies.
Over one third of of our prison population and court cases have to do with marijuana. We have seen millions of untaxed dollars funding the same type of organizations that rose during the prohibition period. And the really big problem is that they are worse than any group from that period.
The sad fact is that the cartels that have terrorized Mexico are here in Kansas now. Why do I say that? Common sense. Every year in late summer and fall there are pot patch raids all over the state. In the past it has been the moonshiner type of grower that is generally caught. In the raids this year there is evidence in every case that there are illegals tending the patches. There is one thing that is eirily common, no one is caught.
It has long been the disdain of the American people of the corrupt officials that permiate the Mexican governmental culture. Now there is evidence of that corruption here in our own state. It is no coincidence that no one is every arrested at the time of seizure of this years pot patches. Someone that knows what is going on is tipping off whoever is responsible for them. It remains unsaid in the media (which is real unusual) but it is evident that there is someone paid off somewhere. This is what is so alarming.
After the lessons of prohibition I am finally persuaded that you cannot legislate morals and it is high time to make the pot business controlable by legalization and taxation. I don't have to like it but there are more pressing problems today. And we don't need anymore crooked officials.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
ON AND ON AND ON
It is a never ending supply of garbage. Watching TV the politics just goes on. It is maddening to watch the news media trying to manipulate the politics of this nation to their liking. It amazes me how admitted left wing commentators,(I can not call them journalists), try to push one Republican after another changing from week to week as if they know what is best for the other party and America. They had their way the last time, don't you think they would go OOPS!!!
My opinion is getting to be the rest of America's, throw the whole bunch out lock, stock, and barrel. There is never going to be any representation of the people by those who have the power to feather their own nests.
I keep getting e-mails on the 28th Ammendment. By which the pork barrel lid is nailed on. All special benefits, retirements, exemptions, and term limits apply. No special golden parachute for one term crooks who call themselves the guardians of society. Acording to Snopes this movement is a myth. WELL IT IS TIME TO MAKE IT REAL.
Our founding fathers had it right when they wanted no professional politicians. Our leaders were to be citizen legislators, serve a specified period of time, then go back to their jobs. It is high time.
When the 18 year olds were given the right to vote it only took 18 months to ammend the Constitution. The states are the only ones that can clean the mess up in Washington. Pass the 28th ammendment in 35 states and ratify and we throw the bums out with the mandate to clean up the mess.
Until the Progressives changed the law our Senators were elected by the State Legislators. We need to take back what our founders intended and what our forefathers, sons, and daughters have (and are still) dying for.
My opinion is getting to be the rest of America's, throw the whole bunch out lock, stock, and barrel. There is never going to be any representation of the people by those who have the power to feather their own nests.
I keep getting e-mails on the 28th Ammendment. By which the pork barrel lid is nailed on. All special benefits, retirements, exemptions, and term limits apply. No special golden parachute for one term crooks who call themselves the guardians of society. Acording to Snopes this movement is a myth. WELL IT IS TIME TO MAKE IT REAL.
Our founding fathers had it right when they wanted no professional politicians. Our leaders were to be citizen legislators, serve a specified period of time, then go back to their jobs. It is high time.
When the 18 year olds were given the right to vote it only took 18 months to ammend the Constitution. The states are the only ones that can clean the mess up in Washington. Pass the 28th ammendment in 35 states and ratify and we throw the bums out with the mandate to clean up the mess.
Until the Progressives changed the law our Senators were elected by the State Legislators. We need to take back what our founders intended and what our forefathers, sons, and daughters have (and are still) dying for.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
IT'S ABOUT TIME
I was delighted at the report on the national news about a businessman who is getting tired of the inferior work and materials that his Chinese factory is producing. Going to inspect the plant, which is in the largest manufacturing area of the country, he pointed out the problems to his Chinese manager. The response was that the cost of labor was rising at a rapid rate and also the cost of materials. Kind of a familiar excuse, huh?
The major attraction to overseas manufacturers is for the most part that you still can get sweatshop conditions and if not slave labor, indentured servants. Is it the greed of the corpiorations? That would be the knee jerk reaction that I would expect of the typical liberal reaction.
Although it is pointed out over and over again that the consumer dictates the market, it is largely ignored. The number one rule of business is provide what the customer will buy. Number two is, that to survive, there has to be a return to the stockholder and owners or there is no business at all.
I am no lover of Wal-Mart but if droves of people were not buying what is there, they would not be in the position they are today. The consumer has to make a concerted effort to not buy the inferior products from overseas. I have learned to read labels and make it known that I will not buy cheap foreign goods. If everyone would do that we would be putting people back to work.
There is a joker in the deck, the Federal Government. Besides the rediculous attempts to regulate and control everything in the economy, by the way that is called Facisim, the politicians from the top down believe they can create jobs. Balderdash!!!!! The only thing that the government does is kill jobs and seize assets. If there is any job created by politicians and bureaucrats, it is more government jobs. This only takes from the private sector.
Everytime our fearless leader opens his mouth we in Kansas lose jobs. The Liberal Mob in Washington is waging class warfare in this country for votes. Our second largest industry is Aircraft and everything that relates to it. 50% of the worlds aircraft and components are made in Kansas. When the assualt on the auto industry was undertaken by the president one entire factory, that ribbon cutting was about to take place, in Wichita was canceled. And entire production line of the most modern business class jet and all the jobs (over 600) went away.
Even this company, which is no longer local owned, has not learned the lessons themselves. In a plant in Mexico where the company sent American jobs to, the workmanship was so bad on the wings they produced, that when the FAA was testing the plane a 7 foot section of the wing fell off. In the 80 some years that this company has been in business I have never heard of a failure like that.
Back to the company in China. The owner is moving his equipment back to the USA and is going to employ Americans. Other companies are considering the same thing. IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!
I was at the State Fair the other day and was delighted at the booths that proudly proclaimed that their products were all American made. IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!
I was delighted when watching a congressional panel when the senator told the agency spokesperson that the American people are tired of the government telling them what light bulb to buy, what toilet to buy, and causing people to use poisonous and dangerous products made in other countries that have no controls or standards. IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!!
I have been trying to start a retail store in our local town and when I ask friends who are in business why an all American Made Store would not be a great draw, they say if you can find the products it would be great. It is sad that these friends go to the major markets in Las Vegas and have no American made products to choose from. Well I have been looking and guess what? There are hundreds of American companies still out there and thousands of products, you just have to look.
We have become a society that takes no responsibility for anything. We can have jobs, we can have a good economy, we can put America back on solid footing again. We simply have to choose to.
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN DO IT! Forget the government, read labels and refuse to buy overseas goods. There are still solid qualilty products that can be bought from overseas but if we shift our buying habits to only buy American and top quality, we can put America back into it's position as that shining light on the hill. A great man said that once and we were and are.
WILL YOU TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY? IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!!!
The major attraction to overseas manufacturers is for the most part that you still can get sweatshop conditions and if not slave labor, indentured servants. Is it the greed of the corpiorations? That would be the knee jerk reaction that I would expect of the typical liberal reaction.
Although it is pointed out over and over again that the consumer dictates the market, it is largely ignored. The number one rule of business is provide what the customer will buy. Number two is, that to survive, there has to be a return to the stockholder and owners or there is no business at all.
I am no lover of Wal-Mart but if droves of people were not buying what is there, they would not be in the position they are today. The consumer has to make a concerted effort to not buy the inferior products from overseas. I have learned to read labels and make it known that I will not buy cheap foreign goods. If everyone would do that we would be putting people back to work.
There is a joker in the deck, the Federal Government. Besides the rediculous attempts to regulate and control everything in the economy, by the way that is called Facisim, the politicians from the top down believe they can create jobs. Balderdash!!!!! The only thing that the government does is kill jobs and seize assets. If there is any job created by politicians and bureaucrats, it is more government jobs. This only takes from the private sector.
Everytime our fearless leader opens his mouth we in Kansas lose jobs. The Liberal Mob in Washington is waging class warfare in this country for votes. Our second largest industry is Aircraft and everything that relates to it. 50% of the worlds aircraft and components are made in Kansas. When the assualt on the auto industry was undertaken by the president one entire factory, that ribbon cutting was about to take place, in Wichita was canceled. And entire production line of the most modern business class jet and all the jobs (over 600) went away.
Even this company, which is no longer local owned, has not learned the lessons themselves. In a plant in Mexico where the company sent American jobs to, the workmanship was so bad on the wings they produced, that when the FAA was testing the plane a 7 foot section of the wing fell off. In the 80 some years that this company has been in business I have never heard of a failure like that.
Back to the company in China. The owner is moving his equipment back to the USA and is going to employ Americans. Other companies are considering the same thing. IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!
I was at the State Fair the other day and was delighted at the booths that proudly proclaimed that their products were all American made. IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!
I was delighted when watching a congressional panel when the senator told the agency spokesperson that the American people are tired of the government telling them what light bulb to buy, what toilet to buy, and causing people to use poisonous and dangerous products made in other countries that have no controls or standards. IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!!
I have been trying to start a retail store in our local town and when I ask friends who are in business why an all American Made Store would not be a great draw, they say if you can find the products it would be great. It is sad that these friends go to the major markets in Las Vegas and have no American made products to choose from. Well I have been looking and guess what? There are hundreds of American companies still out there and thousands of products, you just have to look.
We have become a society that takes no responsibility for anything. We can have jobs, we can have a good economy, we can put America back on solid footing again. We simply have to choose to.
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN DO IT! Forget the government, read labels and refuse to buy overseas goods. There are still solid qualilty products that can be bought from overseas but if we shift our buying habits to only buy American and top quality, we can put America back into it's position as that shining light on the hill. A great man said that once and we were and are.
WILL YOU TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY? IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!!!
Friday, September 9, 2011
OF BROTHERHOOD AND EMOTIONS
As the anniversary of 9/11 comes it always brings a flood of emotions. Even though my life has been the love of the farm & ranch life I have had the opportunity to have the three greatest jobs that anyone can have in life. I have spent many hours on a tractor and in the saddle and know the wonder and quiet of the country. I have been on stage and have people clap for the things that I sing, recite, or talk about, and I have been a firefighter/emt.
In two of the three vocations there is a lot of reality and you have to seperate out feelings in order to sometimes get the job done. In the other you have to bare your soul and release emotion to do justice to the material and the expectations of those you entertain.
On the fire department I found that helping people was a particularly sticky job at times because you deal with people at their best and worst. Things you see are like the soldier, things that no human should see. You deal with emotions by building baracades and developing goofy senses of humor. The one thing that you find on the inside of the service is the brotherhood. It is something that is there no matter what happens. Even after moving on to other things it is still there. There is no such thing as a retired or former firefighter we are just off duty.
Even after health problems stop me from even the concept of picking up a hose and going after the flames the urge is still there. When there is smoke in these hills, which is generally not a good thing, the desire is to jump in the truck and go towards it. Seeing a fire truck or an old fire truck turns my head as quick as an attractive woman.
I was watching the Today Show on September 11, 2001. The word came in that something was happening at the World Trade Center and they turned on the roof camera. As the seeming accident was attracting so much attention I watched the second plane, live, crash into the second tower. And then the reports of the Pentagon and another airline crash. It was no leap to assume that we were under attack.
It takes me back to the same program a few years earlier when the Today Show mentioned that something happened in Oklahoma City. As the unknown explosion turned into a massive incident I was watching live. The call went out for assistance from medical and fire personnel from anywhere remotely close. I almost packed up my kit and went there, that same pull.
Though not superstitous there is on thing that haunts me to this day. As the buildings came crashing down and I yelled that the firefighters are still in there, the eventual number chills my spine. I lived on 343rd street west for 32 years, the number of firefighters killed was 343. Some coincidences bother you wether they should or not.
I have had other people say in the past that they cannot understand the instinct of a firefighter to run into or upon something that everyone else, or anyone in their right mind, runs away from. I cannot explain it, it is just a part of what we are.
As long as I live the haunting of watching 343 brothers perish will always affect me. Luckily I have been able to let emotions do what they are intended to do. And the brotherhood is still as real to me as the day I recieved the badge and threw my coat, boots, and helmet on the fire engine.
In two of the three vocations there is a lot of reality and you have to seperate out feelings in order to sometimes get the job done. In the other you have to bare your soul and release emotion to do justice to the material and the expectations of those you entertain.
On the fire department I found that helping people was a particularly sticky job at times because you deal with people at their best and worst. Things you see are like the soldier, things that no human should see. You deal with emotions by building baracades and developing goofy senses of humor. The one thing that you find on the inside of the service is the brotherhood. It is something that is there no matter what happens. Even after moving on to other things it is still there. There is no such thing as a retired or former firefighter we are just off duty.
Even after health problems stop me from even the concept of picking up a hose and going after the flames the urge is still there. When there is smoke in these hills, which is generally not a good thing, the desire is to jump in the truck and go towards it. Seeing a fire truck or an old fire truck turns my head as quick as an attractive woman.
I was watching the Today Show on September 11, 2001. The word came in that something was happening at the World Trade Center and they turned on the roof camera. As the seeming accident was attracting so much attention I watched the second plane, live, crash into the second tower. And then the reports of the Pentagon and another airline crash. It was no leap to assume that we were under attack.
It takes me back to the same program a few years earlier when the Today Show mentioned that something happened in Oklahoma City. As the unknown explosion turned into a massive incident I was watching live. The call went out for assistance from medical and fire personnel from anywhere remotely close. I almost packed up my kit and went there, that same pull.
Though not superstitous there is on thing that haunts me to this day. As the buildings came crashing down and I yelled that the firefighters are still in there, the eventual number chills my spine. I lived on 343rd street west for 32 years, the number of firefighters killed was 343. Some coincidences bother you wether they should or not.
I have had other people say in the past that they cannot understand the instinct of a firefighter to run into or upon something that everyone else, or anyone in their right mind, runs away from. I cannot explain it, it is just a part of what we are.
As long as I live the haunting of watching 343 brothers perish will always affect me. Luckily I have been able to let emotions do what they are intended to do. And the brotherhood is still as real to me as the day I recieved the badge and threw my coat, boots, and helmet on the fire engine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)