WAR-POW-MIA

WAR-POW-MIA

If you are able, save for them a place inside of you, and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the place they can no longer go.

Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always.

Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying, and keep it with your own.

And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.

By----Major Michael O’Donald, Jan 1, 1970,  Dak To,  Vietnam

Major O’Donald, a helicopter pilot, went MIA on 3/24/1970 during a rescue attempt.

His remains were returned in 1995 and identified in 2001.

 From: AllPOWMia.com

A friend, who was O’Donald’s Commanding Officer, pointed me to this Poem after reading my Novel The Last American Hero.

I include the poem in my closing when speaking about my novel, at book signings and appearance.

They first dozen times I could not finish the poem.

If you have lost a family member or friend in a war I’m sure you will understand.

Media and Poltical Crap

Ft Myers News-Press opinion page, March 10, 2012

WOW-Five mailbag letters, a guest opinion and a cartoon all with a pro Obama theme.

I’m an independent who observes politics from the right and left. I watch MSNBC and Fox News, read The News Press and follow many bloggers from the left and right. The News Press published my mailbag letter requesting readers to do the same and base their voting on their own conclusions. A recent Dan Warner editorial made the same point and request.

I’m retired, living on a fixed income. During the last 3 years the huge increase in the cost of food and gasoline has been damaging. The cost of my Part B Medical Care Supplement just increased 30%. The appraised value of my home has decreased but taxes haven’t.  The bailout of GM did not help me. The value of my investments in GM went to zero. I didn’t receive a “bail out” for the loss of my investments.

I’m also aware that the President and his staff are frequently disingenuous. When the President declared that if you bought a hybrid car the fuel savings would pay for the car in three years I was amused. Pay for the increase in cost yes, total cost no.

The Government issues frequent report on the number of people filing for first time unemployment benefits. That number, currently around 300, 000 is followed by the “good news”   that 200, 000 new jobs were created. The Media reports the good news. Most thinking people know we have had a net loss of 100,000 jobs in that period. So, how is that good news and how many of the new jobs were government jobs and how many will produce something that can be sold?

Obama’s present theme that Buffett paid a lower tax rate than his secretary is misleading. Define the difference in rates and disclose the $$ paid by both.

His push for Green power has led to financial disasters like Solindra.

His declaration that the Tea Party people (I’m not a member) are misinformed (stupid) and should “let the politicians do their job” was demeaning. So was the president’s statement that he would go around Congress.

The constant declaration that Republicans are doing nothing is misleading; Congress has passed many Bills that the Democratic Senate has refused to consider.

The “Occupy” people and the Gimme Generation irritate me. I served in the Military, worked full time and attended night school for 8 years to earn a degree, worked hard for 2 major Corporations for 30 years and ran my own business for 20 years. Today some young adults think they are entitled to Freebies.

During past presidential elections I had similar opinions about both Republican and Democratic candidates programs and actions.

During this Primary election season both sides have been pointing fingers and slinging mud. The coming Presidential election cycle will be viscous. When the Republican candidate is established I’m sure we will become advised of his similar “failures”.

George Soros, during a TV interview, stated he doesn’t care who wins. That is scary. Think about that!

Many of the voters will not be influenced by political rhetoric or the media. Unfortunately they may not be watching, listening or thinking and just vote based on party.

This, however, may change,. Even the most detached are affected by the obvious steep increase in food and gasoline prices. An empty wallet is difficult to ignore.

Remember the Clinton theme “It’s the economy, stupid”?

This year the Republican theme should be “It’s the high prices, stupid”.


 

How many zeros in a billion

Received this by e-mail

How many zeros in a billion? This is too true to be funny!

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think
 about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

 A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases:

 A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
 A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
 A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes,at the rate our government
 is spending it.

 While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans ...
 It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. After hurricane Katrina

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) asked Congress for
 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number...
 What does it mean?
 Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child)
 you   each get  $516,528.
 Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787

Or... if you are a family of four your family   gets  $2,066,012.
 Hey Washington, D. C.,HELLO! Are all your calculators broken??

Take a look at this list of Taxes!
Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax     Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax,
 Food License Tax,  Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Gift Tax,  Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax
 Inventory Tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax) IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)  Liquor Tax,
 Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes,
 Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Recreational Vehicle Tax, Sales Tax, School Tax,
 State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax,  Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
 Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax,
 Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax.
 STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
 Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago. and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
 We had absolutely no national debt...
We had the largest middle class in the world... and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What happened?
Can you spell 'politicians!'

 I hope this goes around the U S A at least a billion times!!!

Today’s Ponderism:

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water?
Try spelling Evian backwards: NAIVE !!!