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If I could be the supreme ruler of the US for a day...

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Thursday, May 22, 2008 11:46:41 AM

We all have said if I could run things for a day...  Well, I will put it in print.  Some of it will not be politically correct.  :)

1)  Allowing drilling of oil in ANWR 

         This is just common sense.  As an added response, I would also commit to building three new state of the art refineries

2)  Commission 5 new nuclear reactors with facilities to produce hydrogen for fuel

         Again nothing special about this, just common sense

3)  Fast track the fence on both borders.  Shot to kill orders

         Well, simply, duh

These are three big ones.  You would, "Great, how will we pay for this?"  Again, complaints without solutions are worthless.  So here are some serious solutions.

1)  Shut down the IRS.

         Let get a flat tax.  Currently the IRS employs 86,585 people.  If you average a salary of $50,000 a year, that equals 4.3 billion dollars.  The reports show that about 2.2 trillion dollars is collected each year from returns.  I flat type tax would increase the revenue and save government funds. 

2)  Shut down the Department of Education

         A disastrous organization that has done nothing to better the education of the people.  After working in the field, I can honestly say they do a great job of paying Superintendents and building obnoxious schools for millions and millions of dollars.  They spend $70 billion dollars a year and have 5000 employees.  Just Crazy.  Education is a state issue; give it back to the state. 

3)  Shut down the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

         Good idea but needs to go now.  28.5 billion dollars and 10,000 employees.  I could go all day about why this should go.

4)  Shut down about half of the Department of Health and Human Services

         

Administration on Aging (AOA)

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 

Indian Health Service (IHS) 

Program Support Center (PSC) 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

         640 billion dollars a year.  Needless to say this is would take several hours in a day to reorg.  Some is good some not

5)  Clean up the Department of the Interior

            The Dept of Indian Affairs needs to go away along with all lease payments.  Just a waste of money

Overall that should fill up a day pretty well.  As a final act I would set term limits on congress.  12 years for senators, 8 years for representatives.  And yes, it would be retroactive.  If you have served it already, your done when you term is up.  I think that I would also be unconstitutional and not allow anyone who have served in congress to be allowed to run for President.  You did your service.  Let someone do theirs.  Oh, and finally, it will be mandatory for all males to server in the military for at least 4 years.  NO MATTER what.  If anyone can go to school in this country, there is no reason why everyone cannot serve. 

That is my day as ruler. 

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Time for term limits

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 4:05:02 PM
All the coverage of Ted Kennedy getting a tumor has made me think.  First of all, I cannot say enough things about the man, none of them good, but I would never wish this type of cancer on anyone.  I had a cousin die from one.  I was not a pretty site.  So after reading the coverage I realized something not so profound.  He is the second longest serving Senator currently in office.  Only trumped by Robert Byrd.  Another individual I could talk a while about.  Anyhow, after reading blogs and comments, I can see that this opinion of mine is not unique.  It is time for term limits. 
 
This seems simple, but it is amazing how many people are against it.  Makes a person wonder why.  The only thing that makes sense is corruption.  I have put a lot of thought into the subject.  I have read all the arguments for and against.  It has to be that people who have "broken-in" officials would have to go through it more often.  It is probably well known that the President has a four year term that has a lifetime maximum of two rounds.  Only one President has served more than two terms, President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Arguably one of the top 3 worst president in our history.  * There is a footnote about him at the bottom.  Okay a little more than a footnote.  He is not the focus of the posting. 
 
States have the right to set the limits on the local government officials.  Many have done so.  The damage that one person can do to the country through out the years is staggering.  Kennedy is a good example.  43 years.  While a very long list of things that he has done that has hurt the US, ones that affect us today and will never go away.  No Child Left Behind was more his than Bush's.  He has not been a friend to hard working Americans.  Continually raised taxes and increased benefits for the poor and lazy.  His college John Kerry is another one to look at.  Until the election Kerry has been there 24 years and really has little to show for his efforts.  Kennedy at least got a lot done.  There are many others that have been there for longer than 30 years:

Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) 49 years
Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) 45 years
Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) 45 years
Theodore F. Stevens (R-AK) 39 years
Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) 35 years
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) 35 years
 
Senators serve 6 year terms.  Two of these terms would be sufficient. 
 
Representatives serve 2 year terms.  This could easily be increased to 4 years and two terms.  John David Dingell is the longest serving at 54 years.  That is just absurd.  While he has done much in that time, we were set up to be a Representative government of the people.  And yes we have the right to elect anyone we choose, but two generations of the same people in power does not help the country.  companies never have CEO's that are in power for 40 years.  The more we allow people to be lazy they will.  While I disliked the movie, The Distinguished Gentleman, I fear that the simple fact that we vote based on who we know has truly hurt the involvement of the people.  Give the people an option, they will look a little harder. 
 
There also needs to be a serious change in the way elections are paid for.  A solution...  cap the amount that can be spent.  Two million, no more on state elections.  Clear the field and make it affordable to run.  That is the rant for the day.  
 

* President Franklin D. Roosevelt began the run-a-way government that we have today through his policies of the New Deal. While his intentions were well founded in the relief, recovery, and reform of the U.S. after the great depression he opened a flood gate that has never been closed. It was a brilliant plan that responded to a critical situation in America. As the great economist Milton Friedman observed after the plan was in place, "The ‘cure’ came close to being worse than the disease." There will more of the details of this plan in the American History section.

F.D.R. was responsible for the formation of Social Security, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and labor unions. His first term as President, 1933-1937, has been deemed one of the better Presidential terms ever. The following two proved disappointing to many historians. In retrospect his policies created a nation that relies on the government too much. Milton Friedman stated that the New Deal worsened and prolonged the Depression.

Why the focus on F.D.R.? The modern day 'liberal' began with his time in office. The problem is that liberal is the wrong term in my opinion. Socialist would be better. The term socialist has a negative connotation to it, but in simple terms it is a group that believes the government should take care of the people. Communism is a belief that everyone should be equal in society, equal in social, economical, and educational class.

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Homosexuality does nothing to further the Human race

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 12:10:02 PM
Seldom is there a good argument against such things as homosexual marriage.  Here is one case that might compel someone to think instead of react.  In the current world we live in, there are two main theories of how humans became humans.  There is there the more secular view of evolution and the religious view of creation.  While I hold to the latter, there is good cause to show that neither support homosexual behavior. 
 
Evolution is defined b: a theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations; also : the process described by this theory.  http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=evolution
 
The key to this argument is with the phrase, due to modifications in successive generations.  Another point to the process of evolution is known as survival of the fittest.  The concept is self-explanatory, but can be researched at http://www.bartleby.com/11/4003.html. 
 
For the sake of argument this statement needs to be made...There are no known cases of naturally-occurring mammalian parthenogenesis in the wild.  In layman terms, mammals cannot produce offspring (children) without a partner of the other sex.  Simple logic then becomes clear.  In the theory of evolution, if homosexual activity was anything other than choice, there would be no mammals left on Earth.  There are those that will argue against this, but in the light of facts, it would just better to admit it is a choice. 
 
Religious creation is simple as well.  God made them man and woman.  Adam in the Garden could not have reproduced without Eve.  For the sake of the next statements, it needs to be clear that there is a deference between religion and philosophy.  Religions are not tolerant or flexible in nature.  The term religious is: 3 a: scrupulously and conscientiously faithful.  Philosophy is: b: a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means.  Once religion becomes flexible or tolerant it crosses over to philosophy.  So from the religious prospective, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhism all discourage homosexual acts.  In the Jewish and Muslim faiths, it is a death penalty. 

The premise being simple, the act of homosexual activity adds nothing to the Human race.  It does nothing to further the Human race.  If it was practiced exclusively there would be no Human race.  Evolution made them man and female.  So did God. 
 
Why the rant?  The insistence of the movement to accept the behavior just because we should is annoying.  People have said, "it is the right thing to do".  Honestly and the empirical evidence shows that is it the wrong thing to do, scientifically and religiously.  Humans tend to enjoy things that do nothing to further the human race or make it better.  This will always be the case, but stop pretending that it is okay and that it should be accepted just because. 
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I was wrong - 31,000 scientists reject global warming

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Monday, May 19, 2008 10:24:10 AM

Scientific Consensus? - That Global Warming is Natural - and BENEFICIAL?


Dr. Arthur Robinson will be announcing Monday that over 31,000 scientists reject’s IPCC’s contention of anthropogenic global warming. They further hold that the natural global warming is beneficial. The site gives an excellent summary of supporting research. This cite and its history are instructive on the methods to overturn the ruling paradigm and media mentality.
 
The Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine (OISM) will announce that more than 31,000 scientists have signed a petition rejecting claims of human-caused global warming. The purpose of OISM’s Petition Project is to demonstrate that the claim of “settled science” and an overwhelming “consensus” in favor of the hypothesis of human-caused global warming and consequent climate damage is wrong. No such consensus or settled science exists. As indicated by the petition text and signatory list, a very large number of American scientists reject this hypothesis.

It is evident that 31,072 Americans with university degrees in science - including 9,021 PhDs, are not “a few.” Moreover, from the clear and strong petition statement that they have signed, it is evident that these 31,072 American scientists are not “skeptics.”

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21,000 Scientist gather to deny global warming

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Monday, May 19, 2008 9:24:45 AM
 I heard that 21,000 scientist are gather today to publicly denounce global warming.  FINALLY!  I doubt it will have much of an impact on the World, but at least they are standing up and making the statement.  I will post after the event or at least admit if I am mistaken. 
 
 
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Well my thoughts are not unique

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Friday, May 16, 2008 4:24:28 PM
No big shock there.  I looked to see why hydrogen cell cars are not used...  It is an odd thing.  Every car company that I looked at showed various models of hydrogen cars that they are working on or have produced. 

I was pleasantly surprised that Ford and BMW are the two most active, at least from what I can tell.  The reasons that we are wasting time and money on hybrids is because producing the hydrogen is not simple.  So this brings me to a real question...
 
Why are we, in the USA, not building nuclear plants left and right?  Clean energy, and lots of it, plenty of hydrogen production.  It makes no sense.  Build them. 
 
I have researched this hybrid thing.  The truth is simple - worthless.  The emissions from the hybrids are only a fraction less then that of a standard car.  One might argue that if everyone had one it would add up.  Well, it might, but nothing that will make a difference at all.  Some say it is better than nothing, and I say it is nothing.  A fad to make us feel better about ourselves.  Some have told me that it is a way to save money.  Of all the arguments, that is the one that is the easiest to laugh at. 
 
Hybrid Camry vs Standard Camry  - if you have a hybrid, you might not want to read the rest of this, especially if you bought one to save money because the following is not flattering to your intelligence.
 
Hybrid MSRP:      $27,389
Standard MSRP:   $21,855   both with the 2.4L engine
Difference: $5,535.00
 
Hybrid MPG:      33 - average from Toyota.com
Standard MPG:   26 - average from Toyota.com
Difference:         7 MPG
 
Averaging 15,000 miles annually driven
 
Hybrid:      455 gallons of gas   (15,000 / 33)
Standard:  577 gallons of gas   (15,000 / 26)
 
Price as of today:     $3.75 (PA)
 
Hybrid:      $1,706 cost of gas (455 * 3.75)
Standard:   $2,164 cost of gas (577 * 3.75)
Difference:  $458.00
 
Savings over 5 years:   $2,290
Over ten years:           $4,580   (WOW, that is not bad)
 
BUT....
 
You paid $5,535.00 more for the hybrid...
You have lost close to a $1000.00
 
Of course very few people really keep a car for 10 years, the average is 5, so if you are average, you lost $3,245.00.  Think about that.  If you would have just put that $3,245 in a ROTH IRA, in ten years you would have an estimated $7000.00
 
Some will say I don't get it.  I don't.  I have seen as many reports verifying global warming as I have on global cooling.  I can tell you that the Sun, that big yellow ball in the sky, has not had sun flares for several years now.  Since that is the major contributing to warming on the planet, I have a feeling that warming will not be too much of an issue over the next ten years.  Oh, maybe it will.  20 years ago we were all heading into a new ice age.  Or was that yesterday. 
 
 
If you really want to make a difference in the World, push hard for nuclear and hydrogen.  But hey, if you want to spend a little more, get nothing in return, but feel good about yourself, buy a hybrid. 
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Thinking about energy

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Friday, May 16, 2008 2:15:23 PM

I thought about gas prices last night and how really worthless hybrids are.  I certainly have no control over the world, and no matter how good of an idea a person has, convincing someone else of the idea is often futile.  So, I will research my idea and see if it will work.  Check back later today.

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The Stimulus Package arrived today...

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:29:01 AM
 I feel complete now.  I woke up to an email that my bank account was increased by $1400.00 dollars.  My SS ends in 99.  I took the time to use the IRS.gov calculator to see what I should get.  It was right on.  Though still disappointing.  If you do the math of what they offered back to us the amount should have been $1800.00.  Me, my wife and two kids.  Yet, something on the tax return made what I received less.  As far as I know I have never taken anything from the government that was not mine.  Welfare or assistance is not something that I have every needed or wanted.  Of course, ultimately this is my money, so there is no guilt. 

What amazes me is the fact that I am in some tax situation that excluded four hundred dollars from the distribution.  I will probably never figure out why.  I know that for some people this amount of money is a lot.  Ten years ago it would have made my month, now it is a 15th of my normal salary.  This month is one of those, "3" paycheck months for us.  I will literally have about that amount deducted from my paychecks over this month of May. 
 
So what will I do with this new windfall?  Should I keep it, invest it, spend it, or fill up my cars?  Stimulus - something that rouses or incites to activity.  The ultimate goal of the giving me my money back is to boost the economy.  I wish that we, Americans, would have planned better and pulled all this money together as a group and purchased ANWR and started drilling for oil, build a refinery, and sell gas.  Even though "most" people do not approve of drilling there, even 20 billion dollars would have been enough to at least get a company started.  Band-aids.

My daughter gets a scratch and the band-aid helps her feel better.  Maybe I will invest in a gross of band-aids.   When I start to wonder why we allow our government to do the things it does, I can just wear a band-aid to make myself feel better. 
 
 
 
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My wife is 30

Posted by Greg the Great's Nanobrain on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:08:25 PM
This maybe the beginning of a mid-life crisis for me.  I used to think that when I hit a certain age that uneasy feeling of, why am I here and here I am, would hit.  Some would say that a cradle was robbed when we were married.  She is seven years the junior, and I was almost 30.  I know that I still love her and will not be tempted to find another one, but in some respects I feel that need to get a motorcycle or the classic sports car. 
 
The nanobrain of existence that I call life has convinced me that I am the one that is old and she is just...  30.  She is still beautiful and fun to be around.  The only thing that comes to the nanomind is ...  I am not that fun anymore.  So maybe the car is a good idea. 
 
Since I know that the car will not happen - sigh - a blog is just as good!  Happy reading!
 
Greg Kiker
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