Fakebook - One Shot Challenge Entry

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The social media place where no one is real.

Director: Kimber Leigh
Producer: Kimber Leigh
Photography: Russ Williams
Graphics: Russ Williams

It's A Different World, Dad (part 2)

I'm really sorry sometimes that not everyone had the chance to have my mom and dad as their mom and dad. The older I get, the more I appreciate their influence and the more I recognize their wisdom and skill in child rearing. I think they were superior to most, but then, I might be biased. One thing my folks taught me was that if you made a commitment to be somewhere or do something ... come hell or high water ... you kept your commitment. I'm surprised at how many people either didn't get that guidance from their parents or just didn't pay attention the day it was being demonstrated.
There are a host of good reasons for keeping commitments, not the least of which include honoring the other people involved. If you've made lunch or dinner plans, chances are someone has made reservations, which required some time and effort from someone. As a result of the reservation, there are now more than just two who are now involved. Someone is making lunch or dinner for two more people .. there is a host or hostess holding a table, maybe at the inconvenience of a couple that actually did show up.
In the last half of my life ... and in so far as it affects me ... I'm past tolerating, excusing or entertaining this kind of behavior. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but if you want my friendship ... keep your word, keep your appointments, and in so doing, honor my time.

Patterns of Behavior

I grew up with very few rules: Don't lie, don't steal, ask permission, and speak kindly. Pretty simple rules, and if you think about it for even a few seconds, you can discern the wisdom in them ... they pretty much cover any trouble a young boy might himself facing. For a time, I thought that these rules were being universally applied to everyone ... everywhere. But even as a young boy, I began to realize that there were some people in this world who were not required to live by the same rules I had to follow. When I was in first grade, an older student stole a pocket knife from me, and of course he suffered no consequences for his bad behavior. He was bigger, smarter, and a lot more street-wise than me. He simply conned me into letting him see it and then just kept it. Like it or not ... he was able to break one of the rules that I was taught not to violate ... and get away with it.
Now I'm older, and I'm finding that I'm still attempting to live by the same rules that dominated my childhood. And I'm still finding that some people ... bigger, smarter and more street-wise are still stealing from me. I'm not talking about big business. I'm talking about D.C. and in some cases the State Government of Arizona. I've listed below just a few of the taxes imposed on upon Americans at the State and Federal level.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines (indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax Interest expense (tax on the money)
Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Taxes (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and
local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes
Traffic Fines (indirect taxation)
Trailer Registration Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

This list is a general accounting of the taxes imposed upon us. There are several sub categories associated with many of these taxes. Sale tax, for instance, might include taxes on some specific items, such as alcohol and or tobacco. Utility taxes have several sub categories.

I think we're not a lot different than that first grade boy who was coerced into showing his pocket knife to the bigger, smarter, more street-wise boy. He's still waiting for some justice.

Are You Paying Attention?

Help me out here, ladies and gentleman. Am I and Glenn Beck the only people in the United States that give a rip about what's going on in America today? Do you not realize that the very fabric of our nation is being torn for the sake of a failed ideology? We have to look no further than than the justice department. Take a hard look at their priorities .. what they choose to prosecute and what they choose not to prosecute:
What they are prosecuting:
1. Arizona's Law to stem the tide of ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
2. Military personnel voting rights
3. CIA operatives that interrogated terrorists under the Bush Administration
4. Sheriff, Joe Arpaio
5. Civilian Trials for Military combatants
6. et. al the list is too long

What Holder isn't prosecuting:
1. The Black Panther's involvement in voter intimidation
2. Terrorist airline bomb attacks
3. Private property intrusions
4. SEIU involvement in criminal activity
5. ACORN involvement in illegal activity

It's all upside down.

Reation to Inside Higher Ed Article

The link below will take you to a recent article that appeared in the blog "Inside Higher Ed"
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2010/07/22/nelson
The article makes a salient point about academic freedom and the unrestricted exchange of research; that restricting or skewing significant research may lead to unwanted consequences. The insinuation inside the article is that private corporations are particularly susceptible to corruption and malfeasance, and advances the notion that public institutions ... i.e. state universities, or government ententes are best equipped to conduct research that may have regional, national, or global significance.
What a crock of horse hoof pudding! To think for a moment that public universities or government sponsored research is immune to corruption or special interest is either naive or beholding to a ideology that embraces government as the solution to all problems.
I see this as just one more attack on corporate America and Capitalism. There is no evidence that government entities are better equipped, more noble or even more capable of securing the best interests of the citizenry. In fact .... the empirical evidence of recent history will lead us to the conclusion that government isn't any more responsible that corporate America when it comes to protecting the economic structure and social fabric of the nation.

It's A Crazy World

Want some news that will make you scratch your head?
http://abcnews.go.com/US/TheLaw/montana-teen-charged-homicide-sues-slain-womans-family/story?id=11323133

Social Security and How it Got Screwed Up

Your Social Security

Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn't know this. It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it. Be sure and show it to your kids. They need a little history lesson on what's what and it doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts!

Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message was removed.

An old Social Security card with the "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION" message.

Our Social Security

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social
Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be
Completely voluntary,

No longer Voluntary


2.) That the participants would only have to pay
1% of the first $1,400 of their annual
Incomes into the Program,

Now 7.65%
on the first $90,000


3.) That the money the participants elected to put
into the Program would be deductible from
their income for tax purposes each year,

No longer tax deductible


4.) That the money the participants put into the
independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the
general operating fund, and therefore, would
only be used to fund the Social Security
Retirement Program, and no other
Government program, and,

Under Johnson the money was moved to
The General Fund and Spent


5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

Under Clinton & Gore
Up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are
now receiving a Social Security check every month --
and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of
the money we paid to the Federal government to 'put
away' -- you may be interested in the following:

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the
independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the
general fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically
controlled House and Senate.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax
deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democratic Party.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -----

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social
Security annuities?

A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the
'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the
Senate, while he was Vice President of the US

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

Q: Which Political Party decided to start
giving annuity payments to immigrants?

A: That's right!

JIMMY CARTER and the Democratic Party.
Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65,
began to receive Social Security payments! The
Democratic Party gave these payments to them,
even though they never paid a dime into it!

------------ -- ------------ --------- ----- ------------ --------- ---------

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA),
the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of
awareness will be planted and maybe changes will
evolve. Maybe not, some Democrats are awfully
sure of what isn't so.

But it's worth a try. How many people can YOU send this to?

Actions speak louder than bumper stickers.

AND CONGRESS GIVES THEMSELVES 100% RETIREMENT FOR ONLY SERVING ONE TERM!!!