Hey, I be back in a bit ... havin fun on bacation ......Shark, what shark!

Barack Obama, the president of the United States, on Christmas holiday, swimming in the waters in Hawaii. Sorry about using the word Christmas, he is just on a holiday.

First, I have been writing and setting copy for probably sixty years. I used to always capitalize certain words, God, North, South the Pope, and other words. I, and others, generally capitalized the word President. Few, if any, do anymore, and I don't know when that happened.

It was always President Eisenhower, President Reagan, President Kennedy, President Bush, and then I think the R was dropped when Clinton was in office. It was president Clinton and definitely president Obama. I wonder why that happened?

I look upon Obama and his presidency as I would an ex-wife. You support them financially, but have nothing to do with their life and/or action or activities or what they do, in any way.

Does he abuse the office, yes, since day one. Is he concerned with the American public, or himself and his life. Action speak louder than words, that is a "no brainer."

What is the largest event of 2013, who was the LARGEST personality?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that Obama is just like an ex-wife, and, I am an authority on that, have had three of them ...........

12/31/2013 - New Years Eve

First, my thanks to Him for giving me another year on this earth. At my age, each year is a gift, I often wonder "why" he is allowing me this time. It certainly is not because of my productivity or my contributions to humanity. Regardless, I thank Him for this time.

I forget the exact year, mid 40's, my family was in New York. We were staying in a hotel right downtown. I went down to the lobby to see the crowd outside, stepped outside and was swept into the crowd milling around. I had to do a few blocks up and a few blocks down before I got back to the front of the hotel.

In '44 we took a trip to Miami, Florida to meet my brother who was going to fly up from Cuba, where he was stationed. I remember the morning after, looking out of the window, the town was full of service personnel, many who had really celebrated the night before, bodies, in uniform, everywhere, some walking, some staggering, some sleeping. I was the official "gofer" every morning, going to a nearby Orange Juice Vendor who had great donuts.

I vaguely remember "trying" to stay up for that magic moment when we proclaimed "Happy New Year." I remember "Kippers," I think they were called, some sort of fish, and an appropriate food item to eat on the New Year.

The "Blackboard" is erased at midnight, the slate is clean, a whole new year to change your ways, so many things to accomplish, and a whole new year to do it in, a "second chance" on life.

I'm off to Walmart, boneless port ribs, sauerkraut, masked potatoes for dinner, gonna slow cook them, I think, Caraway seeds and apples in the sauerkraut. I must admit, It has been a few years since I was "awake" at midnight, seems like the year arrived without my assistance ... Happy New Year to ALL.

I am Bowled over by all these Bowls

TAXES and Fufu

I don't know why, I was sitting in the parking lot today, at the hospital, waiting for my wife to get her monthly blood test done. What came to mind, taxes, have no reason why. I wonder if people every REALLY think about and consider all there is to know about taxes.

Eve decided to get gold from Adam, every time they had sex. In those days, they ate and had sex, that was all there was to do. He refused to pay for the food that generally he had procured, that Eve prepared. The menu was very skimpy, to say the least. They didn't really refer to it as sex, they called it Fufu. Eve realized that if she held back on the Fufu long enough, she could have her way with him.

So, one day, she looked Adam, right in the eye and told him, "Wantum gold for Fufu, no gold, no Fufu." He originally objected, but a few days without Fufu was enough for him, he went to the river, found some gold, gave it to her, and Eve was happy. Oddly enough, they didn't refer to it as gold, they called it Taxamatious, which, being too long, was shortened to Tax, thus, the first Tax was actually charged for Fufu.

Taxes, in a way, are still being thrust upon us, and Fufu enters in to it, somewhat. Actually, we now pay the Tax and still be Fufu'd, so to speak.

Ironic in a way, that the people responsible for us paying Taxes are the ones who reap the rewards of the Tax. How did we all become so immune to the sting of taxes. We "bitch" and complain a little, and then pay them. Odd, too, the people who collect the taxes, pursue us when we don't pay them, prosecute us for not paying them, incarcerate us as a penalty, and then, even feed us while serving the penalty for not paying them, are all payed by our tax money.

"Protection" money, as collected by the mob years ago, was considered illegal. Yet, we pay taxes to pay our police, to protect us. A thin line there, between what is "legal" - "right" - and "wrong."

A small minority of the population analyze these things, the vast majority, accept it, unquestionably. If the voting populace does not become more "politically articulate" .... the disastrous path we are on now, will not only continue, but grow and grow and become insurmountable..

A football observation

Watching Navy versus Middle Tennessee. A Navy player ejected on, in my opinion, a very controversial call, he should not have been. A Middle Tennessee player ejected after TWO Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties, dumb, stupid actions, on the players part.

I don't think I have ever seen Middle Tennessee play before, I will make it a point to never watch them in the future. In my opinion, a team conducts themselves in accordance with their coach. I was very UNimpressed with many of the actions of the team, all of which, I think, was a reflection of the coach. My "uneducated" guess, many JC transfers, few graduate, few go to class, and all in all, an unimpressive Athletic Director to allow such a situation to exist.

Impressive to me, the other night, Kansas State. The coach, Bill Snyder, impressive and I think his personality and class showed in the entire makeup of the team, very impressive. I have watched a number of games in the last few days, all impressive until today. Middle Tennessee should hang their heads in shame for allowing such a program to exist. I hope their other sports activities exhibit higher quality athletes than their football team.

There is no place in any form of athletics as Middle Tennessee exhibited today, and, the coach seemed to be supportive of the player as he headed for the locker room. Most coaches might have had a few harsh words for the player. During the game, the Navy quarterback had to get "eye protectors" put in his helmet, some protection for the fingers that were being directed towards his eyes. I wonder which of their coaches taught those to them?

Another LATE HIT penalty on MT, their tactics won't end, hopefully, till the game is over. Spoke too soon, now another penalty, same thing. Maybe the coach was a professional wrestler. .....

"OK, boys, we got beat, pretty bad, but I was proud of you. How many of you managed to poke an eye? Hey, great, you to, you're just supposed to be the punter, well done. Now, this off season, we've got some things to work on. We did not send one Navy player to the hospital, that is not acceptable, and today, we only had 18 unsportsmanlike penalties. That is not acceptable, 25 was our goal. We have to work, too, on getting fingers under those damn eye guards, we'll work on that. Remember, gouging, punching, using the thumbs more effectively, a lot to work on ......... practice this summer boys .....

Nothing need be said..........

HAPPY NEW YEAR

FOOTBALL$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

There was a football game, college, the other night, came on late, I knew I would fall asleep, so I recorded it.

The next day, I got some munchies, got comfortable, and started watching the game. It looked boring, so I fast forwarded it ..... do it sometime. About all you see is commercials. It seemed like almost three to one, commercials over the game. The longest were the TV Time Outs, they worked in MANY shorter commercials.

Who actually wins during football season? TV, the networks, by far, they are the winners. Commercials, interrupted by a few glimpses of a game. If you take the ads plus the replays, and all the other "color"  comments made by the "sports commentators" ..... four or five to one. 35 Bowls, I think it is, they should be honest about it and just call them ........... "The MONEY BOWL"

New Years Eve - '59

In my "casino" days I had a few memorable NYE's. I generally worked graveyard, so I went to work at 3AM, so I caught the after midnight crowd.

One of the more memorable found me working at the Primm, The Primadonna, in downtown Reno. Graveyard shift, I arrived at the club around 2:30, walked in the front door, and everyone was crying, most were carrying a box of tissues, tears streaming down their cheeks. Most of the "slots" were being played, "pull the handle, wipe the eyes, pull the handle, wipe the eyes." Crying, but not missing a pull.

I could not imagine what disaster had occurred to create so much emotion. As it turned out, a New Years Mob got out of control. It was an annual event that got out of hand. Tear gas was used, and one somehow was hurled through a front window at the Primm, and the gas filled the club. Most of it had dissipated, but it would somehow get in to pockets, under the slots and in different places, and as I walked by, it would stir the air, and I too, joined the criers.

It was a bit difficult dealing and crying, crying and dealing. They said that some of the "slot players" did not miss a pull when the gas entered the club. The change aprons went around passing out boxes of tissues, so "no coin went unplayed."

I have heard stories of Reno Floods, when the Truckee River would overflow its banks, water would fill Virginia Street, enter the clubs, and people would continue to pull the slots, and crap games would continue till the water reached the bottom of the table, Fitz would gather his money boxes and the table, but I have heard that all the other games continued.

Ripley .....

CIVIL RIGHTS - 0 NSA - 1 more

My telephone answering message, that's how I feel about the subject......

NEW YORK (AP) — The debate over the National Security Agency's collection of millions of Americans' telephone records fell squarely into the courts when a federal judge in Manhattan upheld the legality of the program, citing its need in the fight against terrorism, just days after another federal judge concluded it was likely unconstitutional.

The ruling Friday by U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III and the opposing view earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., sets the stage for federal appeals courts to contemplate the delicate balance between individual rights set out in the Constitution and the need to protect national security.

Pauley concluded the program was a necessary extension of steps taken after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He said the program lets the government connect fragmented and fleeting communications and "represents the government's counter-punch" to the al-Qaida's terror network's use of technology to operate decentralized and plot international terrorist attacks remotely.

"This blunt tool only works because it collects everything," Pauley said. "The collection is broad, but the scope of counterterrorism investigations is unprecedented."

Pauley's decision contrasts with Leon's grant of a preliminary injunction against the collection of phone records of two men who had challenged the program. The Washington, D.C., jurist said the program likely violates the U.S. Constitution's ban on unreasonable search. The judge has since stayed the effect of his ruling, pending a government appeal.

Both cases now move to appeals courts and a conflict that some believe will eventually be settled by the Supreme Court. The chances that the nation's top court will address the issue increase if the appeals courts reach differing opinions or if the current use of the program is declared illegal.

In ruling, Pauley dismissed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union earlier this year after former NSA analyst Edward Snowden leaked details of the secret programs that critics say violate privacy rights. The NSA-run programs pick up millions of telephone and Internet records that are routed through American networks each day.

Pauley said the mass collection of phone data "significantly increases the NSA's capability to detect the faintest patterns left behind by individuals affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations. Armed with all the metadata, NSA can draw connections it might otherwise never be able to find."

Thousands remain without power across northeast United States

Utility crews are working overtime in states like Maine, where tens of thousands remain without power after a winter storm. 

The photo at the right was taken by Carlos Mortran, a photographer with National Geographics. It was taken at night, in Bangor, Main using a Leico 6/28 lens and a pancrhomatic digitally enhanced 400 bit Seismore reconstitutor and further enhanced with the use of a Jayndor 4000 enhancor. My thanks to Carlos for sharing this moment in time with us.

NAMES TO REMEMBER AND QUESTION??????

I WONDER HOW MANY OF THEM ARE VETERANS??????

Family photo captures shark lurking just a few feet from two kids

Can there be such thing as a shark photobomb?

That’s what many are calling an eerie and eye-catching photo inadvertently snapped by a California mother that shows a large shark swimming near her two children.

"It was quite a shock to see” the photo, June Emerson told KTLA about her photo, which appears to show the outline of a large shark swimming underneath a breaking wave close to the shore on Manhattan Beach.

“Many local surfers and lifeguards have seen this and believe it to be a shark,” Emerson said. “Of course, I told my kids it was dolphin, as we live at the beach and are in the waters here almost daily.”

Emerson said her 12-year-old twins were also unaware of the fish swimming so close to them as they played in the waters off the popular beach on Friday.

Emerson posted the picture to her Facebook page and said she has received thousands of comments from people, nearly all of whom are convinced that the creature in the image is a shark, possibly even a great white, which are relatively common to the area.

Back in November, paddleboarders captured video of a great white in the same area. That video was taken just 50 yards from the shore. And while most people would be terrified by the thought of sharing personal space with what is arguably the Earth’s deadliest predator, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife actually issued a warning for people to leave the sharks alone – for the protection of the sharks.

For her part, Emerson said she’s more than happy to just go on pretending that it was nothing more than a friendly dolphin passing by during an otherwise pristine day.

“Another beautiful day at the beach,” Emerson wrote on her Facebook page. “Big waves and apparently Big Fish! (Look into wave to right of Quinn Emerson, who’s out catching a few!) – Manhattan Beach, California.”

Schumacher in coma, 'critical' after France ski accident

Grenoble (France) (AFP) - Michael Schumacher, the retired seven-time Formula One champion, has undergone brain surgery and is in a "critical" condition after striking his head in a ski accident in the French Alps on Sunday, doctors said.

The 44-year-old German was "suffering a serious brain trauma with coma on his arrival, which required an immediate neurosurgical operation", the hospital in the southeastern French city of Grenoble said in a brief statement.

"He remains in a critical condition."

Schumacher had been skiing off-piste with his 14-year-old son in the upmarket Meribel resort, where he reportedly has a property, when he fell and hit his head on a rock.

He was airlifted to a local hospital, then, an hour later, to the better-equipped Grenoble facility. A surgeon and brain specialist from Paris was rushed in to oversee his treatment.

The director of the Meribel resort, Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte, had said just after the accident that Schumacher had been wearing a helmet and was "conscious but a little agitated", suggesting he had not received life-threatening injuries.

A Simple explanation of OBAMACARE

Gunman waits patiently before robbing a CVS

The Sun Sentinel is reporting on a robber who waited patiently to rob a CVS in Pompano Beach, and was so calm and quiet about it that customers continued shopping around him, unaware they were witnesses to a holdup.

The crook, who is yet to be identified, walked into the pharmacy earlier this month, proceeded to show a gun and demanded money from a young clerk. The employee told the gunman that she needed to check with her manager first. Amazingly, the man waited for the manager to come to the front of the store, and even hung around as the cashier helped ring up an actual customer.

WSVN 7 News reports that the store manager finally showed up and then was shown the gun and given the same demand for the money. However, he and the gunman then had to wait for the aforementioned customer’s order to be taken care of. The customer walked away with his purchased items, then the thief got his money.

It seems it was all pretty low-key. The station spoke with Broward Sherriff’s Office spokesperson Dani Moschella, who told the station, “He was fairly calm. It's likely no one else in the store even knew that he was armed.” Police are asking anyone with useful information regarding the matter to call them at 954-493-TIPS.

Kid discovers adult material on new Nintendo DS bought at Walmart

And by adult material, we mean pornography. WAVY 10 On Your Side News is reporting on a Hampton, Virginia family that is none-too-pleased with what they found on a Nintendo DS bought at a local Walmart: over a dozen sexual images.

Tom Mayhew had bought the gaming system for his eight-year-old son. It started out fine, the kid played some games not knowing anything was lurking inside. But, when he and some of the other children at Mr. Mayhew’s home took a picture and went to go look at it, they were met with the surprising images.

Tom wants to know how this happened, telling WAVY, “There is no reason for them to be even really on there. It's disgusting for one. It seems that this was the only thing left on it." He’s also annoyed that this item he bought believing to be new, was obviously used. Not as annoyed as he is about those pictures, though.

10 On Your Side is waiting to hear back from Walmart as to how this could’ve happened. As for Tom Mayhew, he’s now been forced into a conversation about the pictures with his son, a topic he hadn’t wanted to approach this soon.

Family buys Beats by Dre headphones at Walmart, but finds cans of tuna instead

Carmen Lopez, 14, of Bothell, Washington opened her biggest Christmas present last and was happy when it appeared to be the Beats by Dre headphones she asked her parents for. 

However her excitement was dashed when she opened the sealed box and discovered the case was filled with four cans of Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light tuna.

Reports of sexual assaults in military on rise

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heightened attention to the crime of sexual assault in the U.S. military may be causing more people to come forward and report problems. Defense officials cite the increased awareness as a possible reason the number of reported sexual assaults rose by more than 50 percent this year.

More than 5,000 reports of sexual assault were filed during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, compared to the 3,374 in 2012, according to early data obtained by The Associated Press. About 10 percent of the 2013 reports involved incidents that occurred before the victim got into the military, up from just 4 percent only a year ago.

That increase, officials said, suggests that confidence in the system is growing and that victims are more willing to come forward. While cautious in their conclusions, officials said surveys, focus groups and repeated meetings with service members throughout the year suggest that the number of actual incidents — from unwanted sexual contact and harassment to violent assaults — remained largely steady.

A string of high-profile assaults and arrests triggered outrage in Congress and set off months of debate over how to change the military justice system. Military leaders launched a series of programs intended to beef up accountability and encourage victims to report crimes.

I have often wondered who the genius was who decided that men and women could live together and not have problems. Eve once told Adam, "Enough is enough, go for a walk in the woods, or something, but keep your mitts off of me." Perhaps they should administer a Testosterone Test to to all in the service .... A  B  C  D ... designations, then only an A and a D can be assigned to the same task. 

Some of my Kids ..........

My Son, Daughter, Grandkids and Daughter in Law

Pileups block turnpike, interstate in eastern Pa.

READING, Pa. (AP) — Highways in eastern Pennsylvania have been reopened after being shut down for hours because of chain-reaction pileups that ensnared dozens of vehicles on snow-covered roads.

No deaths have been reported.

Pennsylvania Turnpike officials say 35 vehicles piled up Thursday, blocking westbound lanes and causing a 4-mile backup about 50 miles west of Philadelphia, between the Morgantown and Reading (REH'-ding) exits.

Turnpike spokeswoman Renee Colborn says the highway reopened after 5 p.m. and about 10 people were taken to hospitals.

Meanwhile, state police say 25 to 30 vehicles piled up on Interstate 78 and shut down about 5 miles of westbound lanes, also in Berks County.

The lanes reopened after 3 p.m. Trooper David Beohm (BAYM') says 25 people were taken to hospitals and 44 were treated at the scene.

A gift to last a lifetime ... as long as you don't get too much exposure

Well, I had some people on my Christmas List that, well, they have everything. So, what to do, what to get them, something that they may not have.

Then, it hit me, Uranium Ore. I doubt that any of them had a can of this laying around the house.

It was a bit pricey, $39.95, but it was reduced down from $49.95, so, I saved $10 right there.

Uranium Ore samples are useful for testing Geiger Counters, and in checking further, they are License exempt.

I quietly checked around to see if any of my friends had Geiger Counters, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that many of them did, so this sample of "low level" radioactive material would come in handy for them.

I called the post office and they concurred, that if the item is shipped in accordance with Postal Service activity limits, specified in Publication 52 and if the Radioactive minerals are for educational and scientific use only, and to test and calibrate their Geiger Counter, then the shipping was, in fact, legal.

I am including a little "Thank You" card with each gift, to be signed and returned, stating that the recipient of the gift had no intention of, well, making a bomb, or anything like that, just to be on the safe side. "Thanks for the gift, I will not use it in the preparation of making an explosive device of any kind."

Duck Dynasty

I have been asked to comment on the present upheaval created by a person or persons on Duck Dynasty.

First, let me say this, I have never watched it and know nothing about any of it. I did notice, by the front door, a room, at Walmart, devoted to their merchandise, and the selling thereof. That did whet my appetite as to what it was about, but not enough to watch it or even ask what it was all about. Apparently, their merchandise sale are tremendous.

The name "Duck Dynasty" conjures up thoughts of, well, ducks. I thought it might be associated with Ducks Unlimited, but apparently not. Knowing nothing of it, I cannot imagine what a Duck Dynasty might be.

I saw photographs of people, wearing camo clothes, some with beards, apparently living in the woods, and then, one told of his beliefs and it caused an uproar. I would surmise that their billions of dollars in sales and apparently a high TV rating, would somehow overshadow his personal convictions, maybe not.

I heard that Sarah Palen commented on the situation having NOT read what he said. A Politician commenting on something he/she knew nothing about. What was new about that? Obamacare has had billions of words directed at it, and few, if any, have ever read it.

From what I have seen and heard, it indicates, to me, that he lacks .... "common sense" ...., or, he has amassed enough money to not care, and apparently feels that people are concerned with his opinions and his philosophy on life. He was not aware that airing ones opinions, in this day and age, are going to offend, someone, somewhere, and we are in a "slow news cycle" and any comment will be aired in the hopes that it may be controversial, and thus, be "analyzed" by the thousands of "news analysts" who have nothing much to do.

The Morning After - Christmas

How was the dinner I fixed, you ask? Well, the turkey did not cook long enough. I went by that pop-up thing, which I never do, took it out, and not done properly. My Green Beans, which I am famous for, and always a big hit .... well, Walmart had Ham Hocks, reduced, only a buck, I bought 4 nice big hocks. I thought they would be "marvelous." They fell apart while cooking, many little bones and had no flavor. (On my behalf, I was not feeling that good yesterday, did not taste the beans or the dressing, which I always do). Fortunately someone brought a ham and REAL mashed potatoes, so they went well. I hope I live till next Thanksgiving and can redeem myself.

All of the sad stories on the news this morning, FedEx and UPS underestimated millions of packages and their delivery time. The news showed one lady and her family, sitting, dejectedly in a present absent living room, she apparently had ordered everything off the internet with Christmas Eve delivery, and none of it showed up. My Mom used to shop at Rikes, during the month of December, hid the presents in the attic. Her only problem, she would forget one or two that she had hidden and then find them, sometime during the year, and even she was surprised.

I am sitting here, looking t our little Christmas tree and decorations of the season, minimal decorating in comparison to the "old days." They certainly lose significance the day "after." May take them back to their fifty week resting place, and get ready for Spring. It is cold but the Sun is shining brightly. /they are hyping up March Madness already on the sports channels and the basketball season is barely under way. Spring Training, baseball season, they are advertising some new shows airing this Spring, so it must be getting near.

Took some trash to the dumpster, it ain't Spring ............ forgot I had shorts on ..........

I'm worn out, check 'em yourself ....

AP Exclusive: Al-Qaida leader targeting UN workers

Thousands left without power across US and Canada

UN in South Sudan denies report of mass grave

Disabled could lose some free parking privileges in Washington State

Phil Robertson defender Sarah Palin admits to not having read his interview

This just in ...............

XXXXXXXXXAir Force base in Iceland reported an object on their ATK23SKYLAB Radar unit ... it was not shaped like an airplane .... Colonel Jason Benton indicated it appeared to be more "sleigh like" ...... in shape .... Reported at 1642 ZULU timeXXXXXXXX

Too little too late .....

About 150 Marines arrived in Djibouti on Monday to be ready to quickly protect U.S. interests amid the growing South Sudan violence.

U.S. Africa Command said the Marines were deployed from Morón Air Base in Spain to the U.S. base in Djibouti, Camp Lemonnier, so they could better guard against potential threats to U.S. personnel and facilities in South Sudan.

“By positioning these forces forward, we are able to more quickly respond to crisis in the region, if required,” an AFRICOM spokesman said in a statement.

“One of the lessons learned from the tragic events in Benghazi was that we needed to be better postured, in order to respond to developing or crisis situations, if needed. These precautionary movements will allow us to do just that.”

How I made $103.42 in quite a few years on the internet, and I don't even know how......

I have been on the Internet, well, almost since it started, many, many years. At some point in my Internet Career, I decided to do a Blog, this blog. Then, at some point, it was AdWords, or AdSense that came along, and I said something clever, like, OK.

Then, the money started rolling in, a penny here, two cents there, some months, I made well, almost three or four dollars.

I had to choose how I wanted my remuneration to arrive, I first chose a check, and then, months later, I chose to have it put in the bank. I had a series of options about different things I could or could not do with my account. All the time, the money was growing.

The threshold to receive any remuneration was $100, and, I have watched those pennies, over a long period of time, turn to dollars, and after many months, I got there, and, as stipulated, they put the money in our bank account. Well, really, my wife's bank account, I don't have one. She placed my name on one account and even gave me the password so I could periodically go in and check it out.

But, the $103.42, well, it came almost on Christmas Eve, how great is that. but, as I check my progress, I am almost $5 per month. I am hoping to get another check, next December. I will have an ad available soon, "How to make Money on the Internet." It will sell for around $19.95, and for additional Shipping and Handling, I may include a FREE one. I am going to use a portion of the method some credit cards use. Upon acceptance, you owe as much as your limit, is that great, or what?

I may give the "Internet Public" an opportunity to SELL this OPPORTUNITY, and then sign others to SELL that OPPORTUNITY to others, etc., etc., etc. I only hope "they" do not somehow hear about this and, well, put the "lid" on it. Another Internet Secret, soon to be revealed. 

Just look what I was able to do in a few, well, some, well, many, years.

Christmas Eve .........

I am beginning to think that certain things become programmed in to us. It is now 12:30 PM on 12/24/2013, the sun is shining, there is some snow on the ground, I got some last minute shopping done at Walmart, actually, me and half of the city. I was there around 11:30 AM, a time generally reserved for some leisurely shopping, park near the store, plenty of warm carts, but not today.

I had to park in the outer perimeters of the lot, there were only a few carts, way back in the back, and the store was crowded. I got the few things I needed, found out last night that I was doing the dressing tomorrow, got stuff for dinner tonight, so I am done shopping.

As I sit here, on Christmas Eve, I am experiencing thoughts and feelings that are a part of my past. I am feeling like, I am done, the battle is over, all is in readiness for ..... tomorrow.

Did we get more for Melissa than Brad, maybe we better head back in and get some things for Brad. Is Jim gonna be here to help wrap tonight. 

It is nice living in this dream world, reality tomorrow ... but for now .....

Rather awesome Capella group

Payday .... the Eagle has ............................

Please note that we've recently issued a payment to you for your Google AdSense earnings on Dec 23, 2013. Your payment has been sent and should be arriving shortly. For more information, please log into your account and visit your Payment summary page. You may also be able to find a reference number there to track or pick up your payment. 

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

Unlike many, the  been Internet has been a source of income for me. I have been doing the marketing things for many, many, many years, almost since it inception. I have followed many new adventures and innovations and tried ALL of the many ways to get rich off of the Internet. All of my hard work, diligence and patience, has finally been rewarded.

Above is proof ..... Today I received the fruits of all my labor, a check was deposited in our account, money deposited, as ye sow, so shall ye reap ..... We are now, thanks to Google, richer today, than we were yesterday, by how much you ask ............ $103.42

Is this a great resource, the Internet, or not?

December 23, 2013

What a magical time this used to be, the "night before" the "Night Before." Time stood still, Christmas Eve will never get here, the agony of youthful anticipation. I've spent many minutes, under the tree, on my elbows, mesmerized by the fairyland under the tree, or on my back, looking up through those branches, what glorious minutes and hours those were.

There is a line in a song, sad words,

Toyland, toyland
Little girl and boy land
While you dwell within it
You are ever happy there

Childhood joyland
Mystic merry toyland
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again

LISTEN HERE

That is somewhat of a milestone in ones life, "There really is NO Santa Clause?" I solved that, I am not 100% sure that he does not exist, I have left the door open a little. There are many things in life that rely on "faith." It is much more fun to glance up at the sky, close the eyes very tight, then open them ... you can see and visualize all sorts of images.

I have "passed the borders" though. I still enjoyed those "all night" wrapping sessions. We would go from wrapping to a short spell in bed, and then wake the kids up to see what Santa had brought them. Magical times. 

Tomorrow night will be the "quietest" night, the air will be "still" and there will be a peaceful quiet that only happens on Christmas Eve. After 81 years, Christmas Morning will still feel special, even though we will have no "kids" opening gifts, I think the memories of all those years keep that feeling going on that morning.

I wish to thank Him, for keeping me free, as of now, of those afflictions that might erase those memories of Debra and Dean, and Marilyn and Melissa and Brad, and now all the Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. It has been such a pleasure to see so many young lives, grow and blossom and prosper, and leave me with a trail of pleasant memories. 

Wise words

“We're in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone is arguing over where they're going to sit” 

― David Suzuki

Everyone has to get it ...

OMG, we have to get Obamacare too!!!!!!!

What are the odds?

I like sweatshirts, heavy large, bulky sweatshirts. I have no idea how many I have, quite a few. 20 or 30 years ago we had a Sears Discount Outlet nearby, I bought many there, for a dollar or two. Then we had a Gabriels, a discount house, sold them for a buck or two, on occasions, and I would stock up there. And for probably 50 years, Goodwill Thrift Shops. We used to hit them once a week, get stuff we didn't need, for not much money. I have bought items I didn't even know what they were, but they were inexpensive.

I remember once, probably ten years ago, did our Goodwill visit and on the front rack, probably 30 or more nice sweatshirts, like new, then had gotten them from a retail outslet, I think they were $3, I bought all in my size.

Today I grabbed one off the pile, a purple one, had it on all day. Went to Facebook, and saw there was a Bowl Game on that I wanted to watch, Ohio University was playing. I got it on, the game had just started, noticed they were play East Carolina ...... I said to myself, "Self, that sounds familiar," I looked down at the writing on the sweatshirt, E  A  S  T     C  A  R  O  L  I  N  A ... in big 4 inch letters. Now, what are the odds on that/

At least 35 House Members Set to Sue Obama

On Dec. 19, the Obama administration made its 14th change to Obamacare without requesting congressional action to make the amendments. Such a move is precisely why an effort is underway in the House of Representatives to sue President Obama and force him to abide by constitutional restraints.

The measure is known as the Stop This Overreaching Presidency, or STOP, Act and is sponsored by freshman Rep. Tom Rice, R-S.C. He told WND this is about abiding by the Constitution.

“Article II, Section 3, requires the president to faithfully execute the laws of the United States. Everybody’s bound by the law, including the president. He is not exempt,” Rice said. “If a president is allowed to pick and choose which laws he wishes to enforce, it creates tremendous opportunities for wrongdoing.

Now, this is football...........................

The Steelers and the Packers, Green Bay, Wisconsin, the snow is falling, it is COLD ..... really cold ......KICKOFF ..... what sure what they are playing on, it is brown .... all in short sleeves but the QB.... finally, a game I can watch ............

Commercials

Commercials, ads, advertising, do you realize how we are inundated with them, everywhere we look, everywhere we go, everything we do, ads, advertising, commercials.

Go to You Tube, find a song you want to hear, commercial first, Facebook, now ads on the side. On TV, anything you watch is inundated with commercials. The only shows which do not have a lot of commercials, are InfoMercials, which are commercials themselves, but they are not interrupted by commercials.

I am a channel hopper, and there are instances that I can go through out entire list of programs, and hit commercials on almost every one. I watch a game, there comes a commercial, I go to another channel, commercial, etc., etc., etc.

Do we remember them. Bob hope did Pepsodent, Godfrey, Lipton tea and Bufferin. Other names bring back products they advertised. We are sheep, being led, by advertising, probably the largest industry in the country, maybe the world, and now, with the Internet, methods we never dreamed of will be utilized.

Those toothache drops would be a big seller today!

Pa. man wins $1M Picasso with $138 raffle ticket

WEXFORD, Pa. (AP) — A man looking for art for his new home has won a $1 million Picasso painting with a $138 raffle ticket.

Jeffrey Gonano told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he's not sure he'll ever hang the masterpiece in his home in Wexford, in western Pennsylvania, given its value.

The 25-year-old Gonano, who works for his family's fire sprinkler business, learned Wednesday that his ticket had won the Paris raffle. Organizers say nearly 50,000 tickets were sold worldwide, for 100 euros apiece, to benefit a Lebanese charity.

The 1914 work, "Man in the Opera Hat," dates from Spanish master Pablo Picasso's cubist period. Picasso died in 1973.

Gonano said he wants to keep the artwork, which features vivid shapes in opaque gouache paint.

"Maybe I'll lend it to a museum and let them put it on display rather than putting it in a vault, so other people can enjoy it," he told the newspaper. "It all depends. I don't know what the taxes are or anything."

Gonano's girlfriend, Gloria Spataro, said he liked the odds in the contest and felt optimistic. Nonetheless, she presumed he was joking when he said he'd won.

"He thought the odds were actually pretty good compared to something like a lottery," said Spataro, of Pittsburgh. "He said, 'This will be my only chance to actually own something like this.'"

Vesta, Stoney and Margie

I had a "thing" yesterday, not sure what to call it, I looked up some definitions, but none seemed to fit. A friend visited yesterday, had coffee and donuts, and during the conversation, she mentioned a name, a relatives name, part of which was .................. Vesta ..................... I had not heard that name in probably 50 or so years, and it opened a flood of memories. By the time my subconscious opened up and poured forth all the memories associated with that name in to my conscious mind, well.

Vesta Guild was a neighbor, lived next door, on the alley. She was married to Stoney, and their daughter was Marg. Names from the past, long forgotten. As I recall, Stoney worked at NCR or Frigidaire, one of the manufacturing plants in town. Looking back, I only remember he sitting on the porch. In those days, beer drinkers kept clear glass gallon jugs on hand, went to corner bar, filled it with draft beer and headed home.

I think Margie used to walk me to school. I wish my memory was better. We lived on Brown Street, a busy thoroughfare. I had to cross it to get to school, don't remember how I did that, I think Margie was the answer.

A whole flood of memories opened up, just with that word, Vesta......

Mass. police find heroin stamped with 'Obamacare'

HATFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Massachusetts state police say they've stopped a car carrying 1,250 packets of heroin stamped "Obamacare" and "Kurt Cobain" and arrested the four people inside it.

Police say a trooper was making a traffic stop in Northampton when another car passed and he noticed several violations. He stopped the car a short time later in nearby Hatfield and found the driver wasn't licensed to drive it. A state police dog found the bags of heroin.

The four arrested people have been charged with heroin trafficking.

State police Lt. Daniel Richard says it's not unusual for heroin to be stamped with numbers, words or symbols to identify who's selling it. But he says the "Obamacare" stamp is one he hadn't heard of.

Listen to this .................

This is outstanding, it should bring tears, it did for me. David has perhaps the finest voice I have ever heard, and this rendition awesome. Excuse the ads and interviews, I had nothing to do with them. Just enjoy David. I met him in Columbus years ago, very gracious and unassuming, we had a nice chat.

Enjoy this LISTEN HERE

Now, I know ..............

I now know the reason for this season, Football, Bowl Football, shall college Championship Football, football season is not over, it is being "highlighted" this is Bowl Season, 35 Bowl Games and many "championship games." ....... Merry Bowling, Happy Footballing ..............

Secret contract tied NSA and security industry pioneer

By Joseph Menn

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - As a key part of a campaign to embed encryption software that it could crack into widely used computer products, the U.S. National Security Agency arranged a secret $10 million contract with RSA, one of the most influential firms in the computer security industry, Reuters has learned.

Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden show that the NSA created and promulgated a flawed formula for generating random numbers to create a "back door" in encryption products, the New York Times reported in September. Reuters later reported that RSA became the most important distributor of that formula by rolling it into a software tool called Bsafe that is used to enhance security in personal computers and many other products.

Undisclosed until now was that RSA received $10 million in a deal that set the NSA formula as the preferred, or default, method for number generation in the BSafe software, according to two sources familiar with the contract. Although that sum might seem paltry, it represented more than a third of the revenue that the relevant division at RSA had taken in during the entire previous year, securities filings show.

The earlier disclosures of RSA's entanglement with the NSA already had shocked some in the close-knit world of computer security experts. The company had a long history of championing privacy and security, and it played a leading role in blocking a 1990s effort by the NSA to require a special chip to enable spying on a wide range of computer and communications products.

RSA, now a subsidiary of computer storage giant EMC Corp, urged customers to stop using the NSA formula after the Snowden disclosures revealed its weakness.

RSA and EMC declined to answer questions for this story, but RSA said in a statement: "RSA always acts in the best interest of its customers and under no circumstances does RSA design or enable any back doors in our products. Decisions about the features and functionality of RSA products are our own."

The NSA declined to comment.

Its the season .

I don't think I am complaining, but watching the news, they give SO MUCH coverage, all channels, even the national stuff ............ of ............... giving .................... TOYS to the needy. Michelle Obama was giving toys to the needy, not sure where, a lot of Marines in dress uniforms surrounded her, and they all stopped giving gifts and "posed" for a picture. The ONLY news coverage is that, and, feeding the needy, clothing the needy, getting Winter coats for the needy, getting back to school stuff, for the needy ...... where to you sign up, I am needy. I want a toy, maybe one of those heliocopters, radio controlled, I can fly it all around the apartment here, maybe even outside. And, I want a Motor Scooter, with lights, I could ride it to Michigan or even over to Indiana, and like that guy here in town, get a big thing on the back and collect cans and sell them to get money to buy gas for my Motor Scooter, I could do so many things, if I just has a Motor Scooter. Does anyone have a drive to give Motor Scooters to the needy?

Is Barack Obama Using a Fake Soc. Sec. Number? Gov't May Be Forced to Answer

Get ready birthers, Orly Taitz has won a small victory for those of you who think Obama is not a U.S. citizen. It seems that the US government may have to answer to why it seems that the Social Security number the President is using doesn’t quite seem legitimate.

Birther queen Orly Taitz has been filing one lawsuit after another to try to “learn the truth,” she says, of Obama’s true background. Is he a U.S. citizen? Taitz says no and has been trying for years to find the smoking gun that proves it.

But this time she has a small opening toward that end. Taitz contends that Barack Obama is using the Social Security number of a man named Harry Bounel. Taitz has filed with the Social Security Administration to get these records but the SSA has stonewalled Taitz when she has filed for Freedom of Information Act requests saying there is “no information” in their records to send to her.

Unrelated but listen to this ..............

Hey, it's Friday ...

Friday

Friday morning, around 7:30. the world is very "quiet" outside, rather dreary, but warmer this morning.. I is "quiet" ... no TV or radio yet, I put my laptop on my lap, duh, where else, glanced down at the date ..... 12/20 ..... I was allowed to experience an old, old, momentary glimpse of myself, many years ago, "OH, five days till Christmas." I thank YOU for letting that happen, it was a beautiful experience.

Remember that "anticipation" when you were a child, you couldn't wait, it was agony. Oh, the wonders of youth. My Mom was responsible for many of those memories, it was she who made them special, her decorations around the house, the visits to friends, to church, it was she who wanted to make sure that we had good memories. I was fortunate to have a Mom and Dad like I did.

We had "carolers" last night, I didn't know who they were till they left, they handed me a little sack which I opened later on. Turned out they were the people who manage our apartment complex, it was a surprise when they knocked, they were singing "We wish you a merry Christmas," and it was a while till I got over the shock. It was an unexpected surprise. Unfortunately, their next surprise will occur when we sign a new lease, and learn of our annual rent increase, then I may sing to them, a different song, though. If I can't figure out some way to generate some income from the web, we may not be able to afford that increase. Ho, Ho, Ho.

I see the Mandela "signer" is hospitalized,  we have 35 Bowl Games to watch, $$$$$ and 25 more, probably all in warm climates. Ryan O'Neal gets the Warhol painting, it was his, and that's all he got.

Have a nice day ................. 

"I vanted to sprinkle it wit "nuts" but the president said no .... I thought it was appropriate"

How very nice ...............

WOW .... just had "Carolers" at my door .... how lovely it was ..... I didn't know people did that any more ... I want to thank them, they made the Season for me ........... oddly though, I am watching on the TV ... the "Birth of Christ" and there they were at the door ....   .... have a lump in my throat .... they will never know how much I appreciated that ................... Thank you, whoever you were .............. I wish I had taken a picture of them, they caught me off guard and flabbergasted to boot ..................

Tis the season ....................

Now, everybody sing, let's get in the buying spirit, it's the season to buy, and nothing is better than singing, and here is one of everyone's favorites ... all together ...........one last thing, don't forget to buy on the Internet, Amazon and all, shop 24 hours a day, check with Capital ONE if you need any more credit, fill them shopping carts, and, don't forget the needy ...... buy them stuff and leave it at Walmart, better yet, buy it at Walmart and leave it there, so easy, remember the "reason for the season" ..... "turn the red to black"

Silent night, Holy night

All is calm, all is bright

'Round yon virgin , mother and child

Holy infant so, tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

New stanza

Silent night, Holy night

Shepherds quake, at the sight

Glory streams from heaven afar

Heavenly, hosts sings Hallelujah.

Christ the Savior is born,

Christ the Savior is born.

New stanza

Silent night, Holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord at thy birth,

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Jamie was discharged today ........

I'm sure you have heard me speak of our neighbor, Tom Klauder. As you know, his son, Jamie, has been in the Navy for four years and we have followed his career with interest. We  attended his graduation when he finished his high school, here in Newark, and were at their apartment the night before Jamie went in to the Navy, and even drove to Chicago when he graduated from Boot Camp.  Brought back memories of when our son, Brad, went in to the Navy.

Anyway, he was discharged, and flew in from California today, and one of his  first stops was here, Tom was naturally very proud of him, he made Second Class in just four years. He showed us some souvenirs he had gotten in Japan and China and Okinawa, and some others he had gotten when he served on the East coast, and started in on his Seal training. An injury, a foolish blunder on the part of his instructor during a swimming school session, where he had gotten his foot caught in a drain, in an area of the pool that was restricted, but, following his instructors commands, had entered. It was not severe, but he had a noticeable limp when he walked.

He was proud of his uniform, and we joked at how warm his P-coat would be in this cold weather. He proudly showed us his DD-214, his discharge papers, with an Honorable Discharge. He was very proud.

Then I asked what other papers he had received at the Receiving Station, so he showed he the manila envelope. I opened it and looked in, and pulled out a handful of papers. I was interested because when I was in the Navy, I discharged many, so was curious to see how things had changed.

The first form was an application form he was to fill out and take to his local agency, it was for Food Stamps. Then a form to fill out which he was to send to the Newark Veterans Association, which would be forwarded to get him treatment at the VA hospital in Columbus. A yellow form was a guide to receiving "housing assistance" from the county. Another was a form for a Student Loan and available scholarships he could apply for, one brochure for available Salvation Army Stores in the area, and the locations of food pantry's in the area. The last was a from for his "Disability" for his service related injury,which was to be filled out and sent to his local Congressman, who would forward it on to the Pentagon, who would evaluate it, and forward it to the VA, who would re-evaluate it and send it to his local VA, who would forward it to his home in Newark. He asked at the Receiving Station where it went from there, and no one seemed to know, one sharp tongued Seaman, suggested he put it in the trash, Ha, Ha.

He also showed us his new discharge pin, The Finger, which cost him $47.50, and had to be paid prior to leaving the Receiving Station. He asked what it meant .... not as smart as I thought he was.

Veterans Day, henceforth, will only be observed on a February 29

The old Veterans Button on  the left, below is the new lapel pin given to each veteran upon discharge. The price is $47.50 which must be received prior to discharge and is, in fact, one of the "conditions" of discharge. The proceeds from this sale will be applied to a fund which assists illegals in paying the taxes, no, that's right they don't pay them, ah, their hospital bills, no, we're already doing that, OK, we will use it to assist in their college tuitions.

Some comments on my last posts.

I would think that benefits to Veterans would be somewhat etched in concrete. You have left your home and life behind you, tone where you were told, trained as we wanted you to be trained, sent you off, perhaps in "harms way," perhaps you were wounded or lost a limb, or were incapacitated in some way, we honored your service, we agreed to certain financial commitments, BUT, things are a little tough now, we have all these "illegal immigrants" that need our support. We weighed the two, VETERANS vs ILLEGALS, and, well, we appreciate your service,  but YOU lost.

INCONCEIVABLE .... but it is apparently happening.

We, as a country, have hit bottom, we are  now a country of "bottom feeders." Our commitments mean nothing, at least to those in this country. I imagine to other countries that we support, we honor those. 

I have some other "Good Old American" suggestions.

How any veterans are buried in this country, and around the world. Why not go around and collect all the grave markers, got to be millions of them, maybe billions, and have a gigantic National Yard Sale, at one of the Veterans Memorials in Washington, and sell them for $100 each, then, give that to the "illegals," that should take care of them for a while. AND, empty out all the Veterans Hospitals and let the illegals live in them, there are already doctors and kitchens, it would help many of them. They could register to vote there, and maybe even designate each one as a "Polling" place, they would not even have to leave home to vote, how great is that. What? The veterans. They could go home, let Mom take care of them. Hey, we gave them a job, paid them, trained them, fed them, so they got a little sharapnel or a bullet , or lost and arm or a leg, we took care of them, while they were in.

And, who will go out and collect all those headstones, the elderly, those on SS, let them work for it, pay them a little, could be their annual increase, be more than they are getting now, and the old bas ... aw .... folks .... will get a little cardio out of it.

Obama’s Brother: President’s Life a Lie

Posted on December 19, 2013

It almost seems that the one thing everyone can agree on is that Obama is a liar.
Check it out:

President Barack Obama’s half brother is publishing an autobiography that details the domestic abuse that served as the theme for his earlier semiautobiographical novel, which featured an abusive parent patterned on their late father.

Mark Obama Ndesandjo also recounts his sporadic but intense encounters with his brother over the years in “Cultures: My Odyssey of Self-Discovery.” The self-published book, to be released in February, also tries to set the record straight on some points in the president’s bestselling 1995 memoir, “Dreams From My Father.” In that book, Obama seeks to learn more about their father, a mostly absent figure, after learning of his death in a car crash in 1982 at age 46.

Ndesandjo’s book comes four years after his novel, “Nairobi to Shenzhen: A Novel of Love in the East.” As in his first book, Ndesandjo wanted to raise awareness of domestic abuse by using his family’s story, although he said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday that the president’s relatives have not universally welcomed his airing of private matters in public. Ndesandjo spoke ahead of a news conference to launch the book in Guangzhou on Thursday.

When asked how he would describe his relationship with his brother, he said, “Right now it’s cold and I think part of the reason is because of my writing. My writing has alienated some people in my family.”

Even though he felt their relationship was distant, “I hope that my brother and I can really hug each other after he’s president and we can be a family again,” said Ndesandjo, who resembles Obama. Like the president, Ndesandjo also has a white American mother, Ruth Ndesandjo, a Jewish woman who was Barack Obama Sr.’s third wife.

If you think candy's sweet

There's a president guy you oughta meet

Sugar drips from his lips when he sighs

But the reality that lies

Within his baby eyes

How he lies, how he lies, how he lies

Senate GOP fails in final bid to block military pension cuts in budget bill

A final effort by Senate Republicans to halt cuts to pensions of military retirees failed late Tuesday, after Democrats blocked an amendment to the controversial budget bill. The two-year budget agreement, which cleared a key test vote earlier in the day, was expected to get a final vote no later than Wednesday.

Ahead of the final vote, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., tried unsuccessfully to use a parliamentary tactic to force a vote on the amendment, which he wrote to undo the cuts for military retirees. A provision in the already House-passed bill would cut retirement benefits for military retirees by $6 billion over 10 years.

Sessions wanted to instead eliminate an estimated $4.2 billion in annual spending by reining in an IRS credit that illegal immigrants have claimed.

He and fellow senators argued the bill unfairly sticks veterans and other military retirees with the cost of new spending. “It’s not correct, and it should not happen,” Sessions said on the floor.

"By blocking my amendment, they voted to cut pensions for wounded warriors," he said afterwards. "Senators in this chamber have many valid ideas for replacing these pension cuts, including my proposal to close the tax welfare loophole for illegal filers, and all deserved a fair and open hearing. But they were denied.”

Sessions’ office claimed the vote Tuesday to block the amendment was a vote to "cut military pensions instead of cutting welfare for illegal immigrants."

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash.,who brokered the budget deal with House counterpart Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., argued the GOP effort was really an attempt to kill the entire bill.

The Republican-led House passed the bill last week in an effort to avoid another stalemate leading to a potential government shutdown, like the one in October that polls showed was largely unpopular with voters.

The two-year budget deal would ease for two years some of the harshest cuts to agency budgets required under automatic spending curbs commonly known as sequestration. It would replace $45 billion in scheduled cuts for the 2014 budget year already underway, easing about half of the scheduled cuts.

Christmas Dinner - coming up soon.......

"Mary, is your Mother a good cook, is your Christmas Dinner really going to be something special and have the family all around the table."

"Yes my Mom is a great cook, all the family will be around the table, her dressing is especially good, it is from a recipe of my Grammas, really special."

"Jane, are you having a  big dinner at your house this year, is your Mom a great cook?"

"Yes, she is a great cook, everything from scratch, her gravy is made in an old iron skillet and she uses the drippings from the turkey, and her potatoes are made from scratch, she peels them and boils them and then uses butter and cream when she mashes them, she cooks everything from scratch. My mom can even make cranberry sauce in the shape of a can.

Military Update: Veterans could see benefits cut in effort to reduce federal deficit - WHY?

Military members, retirees and veterans have a few more reasons to be wary of politicians who say their top priority is to cut federal spending.

The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday released a report of more than 100 options for reducing budget deficits. It’s a timely product as House and Senate conferees strive to negotiate by mid-December a new debt-cutting deal to replace automatic budget cuts of sequestration.

More than a few of the CBO options are fresh ideas to roll back compensation for categories of veterans or to raise TRICARE fees for military retirees, on suggestions that the government is being too generous.

To be fair, CBO is not singling out veterans here. There are options in the report to make nervous many segments of society dependent on federal payments, from Social Security recipients to drug manufacturers.

But for select veterans’ programs, CBO makes some hard-edged points that lawmakers bent on cutting spending might find compelling, if not persuasive, to help address the nation’s debt crisis.

Here are some of those ideas:

Cap Military Pay Raises: From 2000 through 2010, Congress approved basic pay raises that averaged a half percentage point above private sector wage growth. The military could save $25 billion from 2015 to 2023 by reversing course, capping raises yearly at .5 percent below civilian wage growth. CBO predicts only a “minor” effect on force retention.

Evidence in favor of this move are data showing cash compensation for enlisted members now exceeds wages of 90 percent of civilian counterparts, well above the Defense Department’s goal of keeping service pay ahead of 70 percent of civilians of similar age and educational background. CBO says officer compensation exceeds 86 percent of private sector peers.

The case against capping raises is that recruiting and retention goals could be compromised, CBO says, and smaller raises also dampen other elements of military compensation including retirement annuities.

Raise TRICARE Fees: CBO floats two options to have military retirees pay more for health care. One is to have TRICARE-for-Life users — retirees, spouses and survivors age 65 and older — pay the first $550 of costs not covered by Medicare and then 50 percent of the next $4,950. CBO says this would slow TRICARE costs by $31 billion from 2015 to 2023 but also save Medicare dollars as older beneficiaries seek fewer health services.

The drawback is some TLF users might not seek needed preventive care or manage their chronic conditions as closely as they do now.

The second option targets “working age” retirees and families enrolled in TRICARE Prime by raising fees, deductibles and co-pays in a complex combination too detailed to describe here. The Prime changes for retirees could save from $2 billion to $11 billion by 2023, depending on final details.

Concurrent Receipt: Until 2003, military retirees who drew tax-free compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service-connected disabilities saw retired pay reduced by an equal amount.

Congress phased out this ban on “concurrent receipt” over several years to for retirees with disability ratings of 50 percent or higher. As a result, last year 420,000 retirees received $7 billion in concurrent receipt payments.

Lifting this ban, CBO suggests, encouraged many more retirees to seek a VA disability rating. In 2005, only 33 percent who served 20 or more years received VA disability pay. By 2012, that proportion of longevity retirees drawing disability pay had climbed to 45 percent.

CBO says $108 billion could be saved from 2015 to 2023 if the ban on concurrent receipt were restored for current and future retirees. They “would still receive higher after-tax payments than would retirees who are not disabled,” CBO noted.

The argument against is that retired pay and VA pay compensate for “different characteristics of military service: rewarding longevity in the former case and remunerating for pain and suffering in the latter.…Moreover, some retirees would find the loss of income financially difficult.”

That CBO floated such an option could dampen hope among military retirees with disabilities rated 40 percent and less that Congress someday will lift the concurrent receipt ban for them too.

Narrow Eligibility for VA Compensation: The law requires VA to define “service-connected” ailments broadly so if symptoms occur in service the condition usually is compensable. Last year, CBO says, VA paid 520,000 veterans a total of $2.9 billion “for seven medical conditions that… are generally neither caused nor aggravated by military service.”

VA could save $20 billion, from 2015 to 2023, if it stopped compensating veterans for the following: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; arteriosclerotic heart disease; hemorrhoids; uterine fibroids; multiple sclerosis; Crohn’s disease and osteoarthritis.
Indeed, if Congress eliminated “compensation for all disabilities unrelated to military duties,” CBO says, the savings would be far greater, though, admittedly, this “would be more difficult to administer.”

The argument in support is that VA disability pay should be more comparable to civilian systems, which “do not typically compensate individuals for all medical problems” that develop during employment.

The opposing argument is that military service “imposes extraordinary risks” and hardships, which justify current pays and benefits including compensation for those who become disabled in any way while in service.

Tighten VA “IU” Benefits: VA will supplement regular disability compensation for veterans not rated 100-percent disabled if they are deemed “unable to engage in substantial work,” CBO explains. The “Individual Unemployability” (IU) benefit is paid today to 300,000 veterans, boosting monthly incomes by an average of $1,800 a month.
A third of IU veterans, however, are over 65, the age by which many American workers are retired and drawing full Social Security benefits. CBO said VA could save
$15 billion by 2023 if it stopped IU to older veterans.

These are not recommendations, CBO says, only options intended to inform lawmakers.