Pain at the pump

Like the weather, everybody talks about it. The daily news makes a point of informing us of the national average price of gasoline and the daily fluctuations in the price of crude oil. When we fill up our cars, we wince at the final receipt, but we do it anyway because we have to get to work (at least those of us who still have jobs). But, like the weather, no one seems to do anything about it.

The other night I went to the gas station to fill up because it was supposed to rain the next day and I didn't want to stand in the rain in the morning filling my car with gasoline. I also wanted to take advantage of a small decrease in the pump price before it went up another 15 cents overnight. So, I pulled up to the pump, fished out my credit card and approached the pump. As I moved to the pump, my eyes went to the previous transaction still displayed on it. The total purchase was $3.00 and the amount of gasoline dispensed was 0.77 gallons. I looked again, because frankly, I thought I had misread the display. Then I realized the painful reality of the situation. I was looking at the widow's mite of gasoline transactions. Someone had put their last dollar into the gas tank and didn't even get a gallon of gas for their trouble.

Had I been there when the transaction happened, I know that I would gladly have filled their tank as I have done this before when panhandled at a gas station....but I wasn't there and I thought sadly of the plight of the person who was there before me. With a highly fuel efficient car, they could likely only have gone 20-25 miles, on a motorcycle, perhaps 45-50 miles, but someone who can only afford to put 0.77 gallons of gas in their car likely drives a beater that is not fuel efficient and may be relegated to a much shorter drive.

Our President has said that people should buy more fuel efficient cars, but if one can only afford to buy gasoline 1 gallon at a time, it is not very likely that they can pony up $40K for an electric car or a hybrid vehicle. Besides, even if they could afford the $40K electric car, I have never seen a charging station anywhere. Personally my commute one way is 27 miles, so even with an electric car I might not be able to get home even if I charged my car fully everyday....not very practical in the very large country in which we live. The reaction of the President to the high price of fuel is to appoint a committee to look into speculation.....Big woo. Let's face it, the President is sabotaging our country at every turn in order to advance his green agenda and is crippling us. The best thing we can do for our country is to work diligently against the re-election of this President and the rest of the progressive incumbents in the House and Senate.

Size does matter

With the peaceful and respectful transfer of power in the House of Representatives yesterday, Nancy Pelosi (D) CA remarked that the gavel that she was passing to John Boehner (R) OH was very large.



In fact, it was larger than the gavel that she marched through DC after the passage of Obamacare. No matter that the gavel was a gift to Speaker Boehner by a friend in honor of this occasion, the gigantic gavel could be symbolic of the size of government at the start of Speaker Boehner's tenure. One can only hope that when Speaker Boehner hands the gavel off to another Speaker somewhere down the line that it is a very tiny gavel that symbolizes what he has been able to accomplish during his time as Speaker of the House.

Where would you rather live?

Today, the Rasmussen Report published statistics on a recent poll of 1000 likely voters that indicated that 79% of those polled believe that in spite of the problems we are having, America is still the best place in the world to live. Then the pollster went on to indicate that this number is down from the same survey conducted in June, 2010 when 82% indicated that given the chance they would still stay in the USA.

On the surface, this sounds positive, but it goes without saying that there are still 21% of respondents who, given the opportunity, would choose to live somewhere else. Go to a mall and walk around this weekend. Look at the people around you. 1 in 5 of the people you encounter don't like our country and would prefer to live elsewhere. That is truly disturbing, particularly in light of the fact that there are few places on the globe that these people could freely express their dissatisfaction without personal or political repercussions. If you think our tax structure is oppressive or our health care system is broken, look around and see that in places where taxes might be lower, other aspects of life are less welcoming. If you prefer another country's health care structure, you need to be prepared for oppressive taxes and long lines to wait for that universal medical care paid for by.....guess what.....more taxes on the backs of the waning number of citizens who are still working and being productive.

Come on, people, the socialized countries in Europe are paying the dues of heavy taxation and a government dole that is out of control. Riots broke out when President Sarkozy and the French government dared to suggest that the retirement age in France should be increased from 60 to 62. While we watched the news in the run up to that vote, we saw rioters in the streets, cars burning and rampant vandalism...a lot like Detroit in the run up to Halloween. The rioters managed to cripple metropolitan areas by keeping gasoline from being sent to gas stations so transportation was hobbled. European countries are very good at "worker strikes" and it is a game played by workers and students to cripple a city or a country on a regular basis when things aren't to the liking of the "workers." Look at France and Germany who are moving away from some of their social programs in order to save their own economic hides. Where on earth would there be a better place to live than in America?

If you are one of the 79% who still believe that America is the best place on earth to live, make sure that your voice is counted on Tuesday to keep it that way. VOTE on November 2, 2010 to keep America strong and free.

Tales of the Toilet Paper Rollers

In June 2008 I went to McArthur's Bakery in Kirkwood to see my good friend, Dr. Randy Tobler, do his Saturday morning radio show live. At that radio show, Dave McArthur's son, Moose, was interviewed and he expressed his desire to be a Marine. Now 2 years later, Randy was back in town to do another live broadcase at McArthur's Bakery in Chesterfield. The theme of the show was "Pimp My Platoon" and those who came to the live show were asked to bring items to use in creating care packages to send to soldiers in Afghanistan....with particular emphasis to LCpl David "Moose" McArthur, USMC and his battalion.

On Friday morning, Moose's father, Dave McArthur, was on the radio promoting the event and what he said was sobering. As he went down the list of things that soldiers in Afghanistan need to make their time in a stone age country more bearable, he mentioned toilet paper. Now, toilet paper is something that I am sure we all take for granted, but not so the Marines in Afghanistan. It seems that in the daily MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) given to each soldier is also their daily ration of toilet paper.......5 squares of single ply toilet paper (Cheryl Crow would be proud!). Everyone with whom I shared this little factoid was singularly appalled and then there were also the requisite toilet paper jokes like.....so that's why they also ask for hand sanitizer....etc.

The request, however, was not just for toilet paper on rolls, but rather folded flat toilet paper in stacks of 30 squares in a plastic zipper lock bag. This packs easily, stays dry and is easy for a soldier to carry in his gear. So last night I folded the equivalent of three double rolls of toilet paper and added it to the items that we had already gathered for this event.

When we arrived today at 7 AM, there were a couple of collection boxes that were partially filled with small bags of assorted items, however by the end of the live broadcast at 10 AM, donations had engulfed these containers, spilled all along the inside front window and when that space was filled, donations were left all over the walk in front of the bakery. It was amazing to see all of the things that had been donated to the troops in addition to several large and very generous monetary donations that were given to defray the cost of postage for all of these care packages.



When we were leaving, I noticed that a number of very big multi-roll packages of toilet paper were among the donations. Now....who will be folding all of this paper and packaging it in little plastic bags???? I went back in and asked Dave McArthur what his plan would be for this toilet paper. He said it would all need to be folded and packaged, so I volunteered to take some home and bring it back on Monday folded and bagged.

I left the event with 48 double rolls of toilet paper and have spent the afternoon clearing recorded programs from the DVR while unrolling toilet paper and folding it into little piles of 30 sheets and then stuffing them into little plastic sandwich sized bags......To date I have completed 24 of the rolls and I am on track to finish with time to spare for Monday drop-off. But what a learning experience it has been! I talked to several ladies today who also folded toilet paper last night and we shared tips on the best ways to unroll and fold.....who would have thought there were multiple techniques? But there are. There is the 30 square continuous fan fold, the 3 strips of 10 folded together, the 30 square strip wound around a CD case and then slipped off into the bag and I am sure I will learn others! In World War II there were the ladies who were Red Cross bandage rollers, but in the War on Terrorism (yes, I meant that) there are the ladies who unroll and fold toilet paper.

Health Care Reform is Necessary

Our health care system is in need of reform, but the reform might best be applied at the teat of the government pig rather than taking the insurance companies to task.

Today my office received the provider's newsletter from one of the Medicaid providers in Missouri. You know, the PUBLIC OPTION. The one you and I pay for with our tax dollars. In the newsletter, the provider boasted about the new programs for subscribers. Here are your tax dollars at work in Missouri:

1. Patients will get a $30 gift card for every 5 OB prenatal visits that they attend.
2. If you need a ride to get to your doctor's office, they will provide transportation.
3. This PUBLIC OPTION provider will pay for memberships for children to join a local 4-H club, Boys or Girls Club, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, Girls Inc., Discovering Options or Select Caring Community Out-of-School Time Programs
4. Oh, and the doctor will be paid $25 for a postpartum visit, WOW!!!

Ladies and gentlemen....THIS IS THE PUBLIC OPTION AT WORK. Providers get a pittance for seeing patients, BUT patients are paid to go to the doctor, rides are provided and their children's membership dues are paid to join after school clubs and activities.....all from taxpayer dollars that are ostensibly for health care. Just ask yourself....if you have private insurance that you or your employer pay for, do you get a free ride to the doctor if you want one? Do your kids get their extracurricular activities paid for out of your health insurance premiums? Do you get gift cards for visiting the doctor? I think not, and yet, if the government gets control of your health care, this is the kind of thing that will dilute out the dollars that are there for actual health care. Since there is only so much money in the pool to spend, and if these kinds of perks are part of the public benefit, when you need a serious medical expenditure, you can bet it will be scrutinized and possibly denied because it costs too much or there are no dollars left for it. In other words, your care will be rationed.

Yes, health care may be in need of reform, but it is the public option that needs the reformation. In addition to paring the fraud and abuse, the taxpayers might also want to demand that government programs actually pay for health care and ONLY health care. No wonder Obama and his minions tout the fact that those people who have the public option LOVE it!

Goodbye 2009!!!

As you read this, I am preparing for our annual New Year's Eve party for those who would otherwise sit at home on New Year's Eve. If you recall from last year, this is our annual geriatric party with several widows and widowers present, octogenarians abound, and this year, I believe the age range will be 18 months to 88 years!

We will eat, sit and talk, and I am sure that there will be discussions of the economy, health care, Medicare changes and the direction of the country. While I am not advocating that our party become a political free for all, I am sure that this year, unlike years before, there will be discussions of this kind.

There has been a change in the tenor of the country and the willingness of ordinary people to be engaged in political discussions and actions. This year, my husband and I stopped for lunch at a Hardee's while we were Christmas shopping. There were only about 5 people there when we arrived and took our seat to eat our meal. There were two men next to us who engaged us (total strangers) in a discussion of the wrong track that our country is taking. This happened without our saying anything to these gentlemen and without my husband and I having any conversation in that vein that would have sent them a clue that we were of a like mind. Last year at this time, I am pretty sure that this would not have happened. Or at least before engaging a perfect stranger in conversation about the government, there would at least have been an overture to let them know that the topic was "safe."

But then, last year I would not have been standing on a street corner holding up signs on Sunday afternoons. I would not have been emceeing a health care reform protest rally, and I would not have even heard of a Tea Party. 2009 has indeed been a year that finds many of us in roles and situations that seemed impossible only a year ago. I have to say that I am not sorry to see 2009 close and the possibilities of 2010 are very appealing. Those of us who have found ourselves more politically active than we could ever have imagined can relish the prospect of a chance to change the direction that the current administration has taken our country and perhaps right the ship of state, or at least block the legislative tsunami that has swept over our country.

So here's to a better and brighter 2010, or at least a New Year that begins to show us the promise of a return to the values and principles on which our country was founded.

Walking in a Bomber's Underwear

After listening to all of the banter about the underwear bomb and seeing the pictures all over the internet and news of the remains of his under pants, I could not help myself, so with apologies to Felix Bernard, composer of Winter Wonderland, I offer this parody.

Walking in a Bomber's Underwear

Sleigh bells ring are you listening?

In the plane someone's blist'ring.

An absolute fright

En route to Detroit

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

Gone away are his privates

Here to stay is Al Qaeda.

Now he's singing a song

As he goes along

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

Back in Yemen there are lots of others.

But we pretend that he is all alone.

We'll say: Are you Jihadi?

He'll say: No man,

But I can do the job

When I'm in town.

Later on, he'll conspire

As he dreams by the fire

To face unafraid

the plans that he's made

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

In his panties he can build explosives

And pretend he has a tummy ache

He'll have lots of fun with his explosives

Until the irate travellers take him out.

When it blows, ain't it thrilling,

Though your nuts get a grilling.

He'll frolic and play the Jihadi way,

Walking in a bomber's underwear.