I woke to the news that our President is once again touting his spending record as the "lowest of any administration." I've done a blog or two on the intellectual dishonesty of these types of statements, because frankly it flat ticks me off. If we are being lied to about something as cut and dried as budgetary numbers, what else is the government deceiving the public about?
In July of 2011, less than a year ago, Congress made a deal to raise the debt ceiling 2 trillion dollars. That's trillion...$2,000,000,000,000.00. As of right now the government has spent $1.2 trillion of that in deficit spending. That's not just spending, that spending money above and beyond what we have to spend. It's projected and backed up by cries from this administration to increase the debt ceiling once again, that the $2 trillion in additional debt will be spent prior to the end of 2012. Now how does any individual stand before another and proclaim they are the most frugal spender in history with that fact blaring the public in the face? Washington and our current President have spent above and beyond the country's means and additional 2 trillion dollars in a projected 16 month period.
You can play percentage games with numbers all you want. You can blame the previous administration till the cows come home, but you cannot justify spending above and beyond your means $2 trillion in 16 months. Remember that's not just spending, that's above and beyond tax revenues. It's borrowed money! Do they really think this country's voting population is that naive? Honestly if it is, we're goners!
I did a little of my own math and if the current deficit spending rate continues, by the end of the next Presidential term we will have overspent another 6 trillion dollars. That's $6,000,000,000,000.00 in borrowed money, debt! How long can we remain a solvent, independent nation at that rate?
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Community Discussion Groups!
have to tout our newest endeavor The Mental Fitness Challenge Discussion Group. Last night we all assembled and watched the video, then shared our thoughts as suggested in the discussion guide. What a great example of the power of association! Everyone invited had such great input and you could just feel the group stretching it's capabilities as we studied the character topic. A great time was had by all, and frankly, I won't be surprised to see the group grow and prosper!
Another great aspect brought about by the gathering of that small community is the bonding and forming of relationships. I'm certain we all feel just a bit closer to each other after sharing our personal feelings, trials, and tribulations. It was magical to see how the evening progressed, and I can hardly wait to see how many friends they all invite back in two weeks. The power of a community, when applied in a like minded manner, with proper goals and principled thinking is a staggering force! I can see this becoming very, very popular in a extremely short period of time.
Finally, what took so long? We've had historical examples of how small groups of like minded people have altered the course of events right in front of us all along. It took the genius of Orrin Woodward and the rest of the founders of LIFE to ignite a flame that has been dormant way too long. The recent examples of how this works could be called the tale of two extremes. The Tea Party movement was exactly the same type of community gathering, joining like minded people with principled thinking and like minded goals. They were the success story side of this type of movement. The Occupy Wall Street crowd is another example, basically a failed model. There is no principled thinking, nor do they have their goals aligned, or even defined. It's community with chaos! They've gone from uniting a community to just an angry, sloppy run mob. The difference in thinking defines the difference, and the results. But then most of the movement is based on thinking that falls outside what one might call success principles. So there you have examples and results from polar opposites of community building. I think they speak well enough for themselves!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Another great aspect brought about by the gathering of that small community is the bonding and forming of relationships. I'm certain we all feel just a bit closer to each other after sharing our personal feelings, trials, and tribulations. It was magical to see how the evening progressed, and I can hardly wait to see how many friends they all invite back in two weeks. The power of a community, when applied in a like minded manner, with proper goals and principled thinking is a staggering force! I can see this becoming very, very popular in a extremely short period of time.
Finally, what took so long? We've had historical examples of how small groups of like minded people have altered the course of events right in front of us all along. It took the genius of Orrin Woodward and the rest of the founders of LIFE to ignite a flame that has been dormant way too long. The recent examples of how this works could be called the tale of two extremes. The Tea Party movement was exactly the same type of community gathering, joining like minded people with principled thinking and like minded goals. They were the success story side of this type of movement. The Occupy Wall Street crowd is another example, basically a failed model. There is no principled thinking, nor do they have their goals aligned, or even defined. It's community with chaos! They've gone from uniting a community to just an angry, sloppy run mob. The difference in thinking defines the difference, and the results. But then most of the movement is based on thinking that falls outside what one might call success principles. So there you have examples and results from polar opposites of community building. I think they speak well enough for themselves!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Eradicate The Loser Mindset!
The thought process of a loser is a delicate balance of victim and complainer. A great example is when you hear another protest about success; success that isn't theirs. They, that committee who has something to say about everything, are quick to point out that success was the result of taking advantage of others. This immediately moves them to the victim side of the fence, applying a handy excuse for their nonperformance! "They" are above using other people to rise from mediocrity.
What "they" miss is that a rising tide lifts all ships. If an athlete has an outstanding performance, it's not at the expense of his teammates. The victory is a shared event they all participate in! If a business or individual makes obscene profits, it's not because the business held a gun to the consumer's head, it's due to their ability to provide a good or service that the public was willing to pay for, and the market allowed that pricing. Both are examples of a win/win principle, yet a loser will define this exceptionalism as abuse.
Just why is that? Well in the world of the selfish that victory belonged to them. So it's mandatory to find an excuse to rationalize a lack of success. Rather than celebrate the victory, they nitpick the performance. It's how a loser maintains their sanity. After all sitting on the couch watching TV and munching potato chips should be considered success. It's easier to complain than to perform. That's exactly why only a limited number of people or businesses rise to the top. And thank God they do! What would others do if they had nothing to aspire to? Suppose there were no role models like the loser proposes? Talk about a dull life, even the loser would have nothing to occupy their time like complaining about others.
When someone you meet goes into victim mode, do them a favor and fix that! Let's stop this infection of envy and lack of achievement. Give it a dose of encouragement and point those whiners on the path to success. Let's make the abundance shift to the side of the performers, and diminish the loser population. That's what originally made this country great!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
What "they" miss is that a rising tide lifts all ships. If an athlete has an outstanding performance, it's not at the expense of his teammates. The victory is a shared event they all participate in! If a business or individual makes obscene profits, it's not because the business held a gun to the consumer's head, it's due to their ability to provide a good or service that the public was willing to pay for, and the market allowed that pricing. Both are examples of a win/win principle, yet a loser will define this exceptionalism as abuse.
Just why is that? Well in the world of the selfish that victory belonged to them. So it's mandatory to find an excuse to rationalize a lack of success. Rather than celebrate the victory, they nitpick the performance. It's how a loser maintains their sanity. After all sitting on the couch watching TV and munching potato chips should be considered success. It's easier to complain than to perform. That's exactly why only a limited number of people or businesses rise to the top. And thank God they do! What would others do if they had nothing to aspire to? Suppose there were no role models like the loser proposes? Talk about a dull life, even the loser would have nothing to occupy their time like complaining about others.
When someone you meet goes into victim mode, do them a favor and fix that! Let's stop this infection of envy and lack of achievement. Give it a dose of encouragement and point those whiners on the path to success. Let's make the abundance shift to the side of the performers, and diminish the loser population. That's what originally made this country great!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memories Of Our Heroes!
There is no greater gift than for a fellow human being to lay down his life for another. That individual sacrifices the gift God himself bestowed upon them for the benefit of their fellow man. This is the act of selflessness we honor today. Included in our remembrance today should be those who also sustained injury. While their service to mankind wasn't ended on the battlefield, they carry the reminder of conflict through the rest of their days.
I vividly remember as a young man joining my grandparents at the Veteran's Hospital every year, serving hot dogs during their annual fair. I don't think the trauma I saw, both mental and physical, could be present in any other venue. We were in the heat of the Vietnam war, so many were just teens and early twenties, but just as many were older men having served in probably the Korean War. I'll never forget a older man hunkering down as if in a fox hole, curling up in a tight compacted ball, and efficiently covering the flame created by the match he struck to light his cigarette. The action was taken so to conceal his position so the enemy snipers couldn't target him as he enjoyed his addiction. Although he was safely within the borders of the freest nation on earth, far from the horrors of war, his mind was still in the battle. He'd never left the conflict that took his mind.
Another memory that haunts me to this day was, due to dietary concerns, having to tell some of the heroes in line that I couldn't serve them a hot dog. If they wore a blue tag it was a sign that the doctors had restricted what they could eat. Funny, these brave men had faced unfathomable horrors and dangers most of us will never know, and they had to worry about a hot dog doing them in. Some of them actually had tears in their eyes when told that hot dogs weren't on their menu that day. Thank God, orderlies were there to help explain and comfort these titans of war, as that task was far beyond my youthful reach. After all the pain these heroes had endured, the last thing I wanted to do was add to their misery.
Looking back I'm thankful I got to volunteer to serve the men that served me so faithfully. It gives me special pause on this day of remembrance, an appreciation I never would have had without the experience. I know there is a special place in Heaven for these angels who fought so we can enjoy our freedom. Please protect their sacrifice by protecting your freedom and the rights our forefathers realized for us. To pervert or to compromise what these brave men and women fought so valiantly for would be an injustice to their honor.
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
I vividly remember as a young man joining my grandparents at the Veteran's Hospital every year, serving hot dogs during their annual fair. I don't think the trauma I saw, both mental and physical, could be present in any other venue. We were in the heat of the Vietnam war, so many were just teens and early twenties, but just as many were older men having served in probably the Korean War. I'll never forget a older man hunkering down as if in a fox hole, curling up in a tight compacted ball, and efficiently covering the flame created by the match he struck to light his cigarette. The action was taken so to conceal his position so the enemy snipers couldn't target him as he enjoyed his addiction. Although he was safely within the borders of the freest nation on earth, far from the horrors of war, his mind was still in the battle. He'd never left the conflict that took his mind.
Another memory that haunts me to this day was, due to dietary concerns, having to tell some of the heroes in line that I couldn't serve them a hot dog. If they wore a blue tag it was a sign that the doctors had restricted what they could eat. Funny, these brave men had faced unfathomable horrors and dangers most of us will never know, and they had to worry about a hot dog doing them in. Some of them actually had tears in their eyes when told that hot dogs weren't on their menu that day. Thank God, orderlies were there to help explain and comfort these titans of war, as that task was far beyond my youthful reach. After all the pain these heroes had endured, the last thing I wanted to do was add to their misery.
Looking back I'm thankful I got to volunteer to serve the men that served me so faithfully. It gives me special pause on this day of remembrance, an appreciation I never would have had without the experience. I know there is a special place in Heaven for these angels who fought so we can enjoy our freedom. Please protect their sacrifice by protecting your freedom and the rights our forefathers realized for us. To pervert or to compromise what these brave men and women fought so valiantly for would be an injustice to their honor.
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Add This Up!
Just a couple of quick things on my mind spurred on by recent news reports. The Obama administration has been trying to convince the illiterate of America that he's been the most frugal president since sliced bread was invented. Now I've said time and time again that our school program has intentionally created math impaired graduates and this is exactly the reason why. They feed us this intellectually dishonest hooey and an astounding percentage of America buys it. When it comes to statistics, Orrin Woodward has always told me that "figures never lie," but he completes that observation with, "liars sure can figure though."
So let's say I told you that I'd kept my percentage of overspending lower than my predecessor. I back that up by saying I've only increased our debt by say, 8%, just for argument sake. I quickly point out that the man who previously held my position increased deficit spending by 10%. Who's bill would you rather pay?
Of course it's a trick question, my predecessor had 9 trillion dollars in debt and to increase it 10% would mean he overspent $900,000,000,000, or 900 billion dollars. My current debt is 16 trillion dollars so if I increase my deficit spending a mere 8% it's $1,200,000,000,000, or 1.2 trillion. While the 8% overrun sounds better, I'd sure rather pay off $900 billion, than $1.2 trillion. Obviously neither is desirable, but there is an actual $300 billion dollar increase by the 8% guy. This isn't the only accounting trick they use to pull the wool over the public's eyes, but it is a great example of how we are being misled. Aren't we suppose to put our full faith and trust in our government? If you do, I'm afraid your a fool. The next time your fed the line that deficit spending is down, your warning bells will go off. They are talking percentages, not dollars.
My next ramble is about the space program. All my life, since President Kennedy challenged America to place a man on the moon in the next decade, I've been led to believe that without the government funding the process, it would be scrapped. Low and behold after government funding is cut, private enterprise steps up and continues to service the space station. There is life after government funding! Kudos to the private sector for showing us that we do best what we do for ourselves. Now if we could just apply that to education.....
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
So let's say I told you that I'd kept my percentage of overspending lower than my predecessor. I back that up by saying I've only increased our debt by say, 8%, just for argument sake. I quickly point out that the man who previously held my position increased deficit spending by 10%. Who's bill would you rather pay?
Of course it's a trick question, my predecessor had 9 trillion dollars in debt and to increase it 10% would mean he overspent $900,000,000,000, or 900 billion dollars. My current debt is 16 trillion dollars so if I increase my deficit spending a mere 8% it's $1,200,000,000,000, or 1.2 trillion. While the 8% overrun sounds better, I'd sure rather pay off $900 billion, than $1.2 trillion. Obviously neither is desirable, but there is an actual $300 billion dollar increase by the 8% guy. This isn't the only accounting trick they use to pull the wool over the public's eyes, but it is a great example of how we are being misled. Aren't we suppose to put our full faith and trust in our government? If you do, I'm afraid your a fool. The next time your fed the line that deficit spending is down, your warning bells will go off. They are talking percentages, not dollars.
My next ramble is about the space program. All my life, since President Kennedy challenged America to place a man on the moon in the next decade, I've been led to believe that without the government funding the process, it would be scrapped. Low and behold after government funding is cut, private enterprise steps up and continues to service the space station. There is life after government funding! Kudos to the private sector for showing us that we do best what we do for ourselves. Now if we could just apply that to education.....
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Friday, May 25, 2012
The Power Of A Dream!
I found my mind wandering yesterday, (which is code for I was doing a meaningless task that couldn't hold my attention), straying back to the days of elementary school. Fifth grade to be exact, Sister Regina's class. Now you have to understand the challenges of a fifth grade teacher, even in a parochial school. The boys are just beginning to think about girls, it was the 60's so times were a bit unstable, the music that influenced us had overtones of rebellion, and we had little to no maturity. Sister Regina had her work cut out for her for sure. I think the school also realized what a tumultuous time this was as well, as they had our classroom removed from the school building to the basement of the church. Set apart from all the other children, we could experience our growing challenges without influencing the rest of the student body.
Well despite these obvious challenges, Sister Regina managed to reach us. She certainly was heaven sent, as most of our Nuns to date had little or no patience for anything but diligent study. Anything outside the assigned task was completely forboden! We had no room to dream or stretch our imagination, we had reading, writing, math, phonics, and religion to learn. There was absolutely no time for nonsense. This is where Sister Regina had a different tack. While she was no pushover, she read to us and encouraged our adventurous spirits. We read Call of the Wild, Ole Yeller, and countless classics that held our attention because the story plots involved adventure. Trust me this was miles departed from our previous curriculum. She allowed us to dream and use out imaginations, in fact she encouraged it!
Now Sister Regina had a love of science, and a hint of discipline. This was evident by her punishment structure for those who chose to disrupt the class. We were assigned to write the glossary in the back of the science book, as punishment for behavior she disapproved of. Sadly, I can still to this day recite that glossary from memory, as copying it appeared to be one of my favorite pass times. She also had a two by four she named "The Board of Education" which was used strictly for discouragement of extremely bad behavior. Sadly, it's demise was met while crossing my backside as it's grain was not as strong as Sister Regina's home run swing, nor my rock hard will. In spite of our discipline challenges, I survived fifth grade, grew from it, and now in my more mature years, appreciated it.
Sister Regina had an impact, and I don't mean her disciplinary measures. As young men encouraged to dream by her influence, we had some audacious plans. We designed and began construction on a raft we were going to set sail upon, to live out the adventures we had dreamed in our minds. We all had a purpose on this grand trip, because we had imagined it down to the last detail; and although the trip never came to fruition, it gave us purpose and direction. As part of that crew, who do you think the last person we could have, or would have invited to join our dream trip would be? Well you might be surprised to learn we had included Sister Regina in our adventure, as she was invited to share and she never discouraged our dream. Looking back it seems a little out of place for twelve year old boys to want their disciplinarian type teacher, dressed in a habit, to join them on their grand adventure; but for some reason it just seemed mandatory that the person who inspired us to dream be included on the voyage. There in lies the reason we should inspire others to dream, and build on those goals!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Well despite these obvious challenges, Sister Regina managed to reach us. She certainly was heaven sent, as most of our Nuns to date had little or no patience for anything but diligent study. Anything outside the assigned task was completely forboden! We had no room to dream or stretch our imagination, we had reading, writing, math, phonics, and religion to learn. There was absolutely no time for nonsense. This is where Sister Regina had a different tack. While she was no pushover, she read to us and encouraged our adventurous spirits. We read Call of the Wild, Ole Yeller, and countless classics that held our attention because the story plots involved adventure. Trust me this was miles departed from our previous curriculum. She allowed us to dream and use out imaginations, in fact she encouraged it!
Now Sister Regina had a love of science, and a hint of discipline. This was evident by her punishment structure for those who chose to disrupt the class. We were assigned to write the glossary in the back of the science book, as punishment for behavior she disapproved of. Sadly, I can still to this day recite that glossary from memory, as copying it appeared to be one of my favorite pass times. She also had a two by four she named "The Board of Education" which was used strictly for discouragement of extremely bad behavior. Sadly, it's demise was met while crossing my backside as it's grain was not as strong as Sister Regina's home run swing, nor my rock hard will. In spite of our discipline challenges, I survived fifth grade, grew from it, and now in my more mature years, appreciated it.
Sister Regina had an impact, and I don't mean her disciplinary measures. As young men encouraged to dream by her influence, we had some audacious plans. We designed and began construction on a raft we were going to set sail upon, to live out the adventures we had dreamed in our minds. We all had a purpose on this grand trip, because we had imagined it down to the last detail; and although the trip never came to fruition, it gave us purpose and direction. As part of that crew, who do you think the last person we could have, or would have invited to join our dream trip would be? Well you might be surprised to learn we had included Sister Regina in our adventure, as she was invited to share and she never discouraged our dream. Looking back it seems a little out of place for twelve year old boys to want their disciplinarian type teacher, dressed in a habit, to join them on their grand adventure; but for some reason it just seemed mandatory that the person who inspired us to dream be included on the voyage. There in lies the reason we should inspire others to dream, and build on those goals!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
Thursday, May 24, 2012
On The Shady Side!
Okay so my mind was wandering this morning as the dog and I took our predawn stroll. For some reason the plight of the paper industry crossed my mind. This absolutely has to be in decline! We no longer write letters; they are replace by electronic communication, and back in the day that had to kill some trees! A great deal of our billing is paid by electronic means, so there are no paper bills or checks being written. Newspapers and magazines are all but extinct, again replaced by other sources of media. And books are being digitally downloaded, so they are paperless as well. The only thing that currently threatens the extinction of trees, and keeps the paper companies in business, are the massive printed bills in Congress like The Affordable Healthcare Act. I can't help but wonder how many forests were devastated to manufacture copies of that behemoth!
This has to have an affect on the deforestation of the world and the prosperity of the paper mills that used to provide for all our paper needs. Heck even paper towels are downsized and more absorbent. Frankly the only irreplaceable product the paper companies make anymore is toilet paper! Your never going to replace that with a digital model! At least not without some major technological breakthrough. I can't see them downsizing that product either, so the paper industry does have one mainstay left.
Now all these extra trees are bound to have an affect on the environment. There will be more shade and greater habitat for animals. The conversion of carbon dioxide into oxygen should increase ergo the climate change people will have less to fret about. Now if they could just find a way to downsize the hot air emitted by politicians........
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
This has to have an affect on the deforestation of the world and the prosperity of the paper mills that used to provide for all our paper needs. Heck even paper towels are downsized and more absorbent. Frankly the only irreplaceable product the paper companies make anymore is toilet paper! Your never going to replace that with a digital model! At least not without some major technological breakthrough. I can't see them downsizing that product either, so the paper industry does have one mainstay left.
Now all these extra trees are bound to have an affect on the environment. There will be more shade and greater habitat for animals. The conversion of carbon dioxide into oxygen should increase ergo the climate change people will have less to fret about. Now if they could just find a way to downsize the hot air emitted by politicians........
God Bless!
Capt. Bill
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