The Rich Do Not Create Jobs

How do the people who receive millions if not billions of dollars as executives personally create jobs? They do not. They give their money to people like George Bush and other unethical, immoral already rich folks such as our congress and president. Raise their taxes and eliminate all tax deductions for people as well as corporations. If you receive a dollar you owe fifteen cents. 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

"Find a priest who understands English and doesn't look like Rasputin."

---Aristotle Onassis

Verify Request for Abortion

Prior to performing an abortion it appears reasonable to require visual proof a fetus exists. Doctors who perform abortions upon request just might be likely to pretend they actually performed a procedure.  

Rules vs Regulations Private vs Public

Athletic events have rules which differentiate are thletic events. If not for rules how would the participants know they were playing football or basketball. Rules are necessary they define what one may and may not do and what is considered a rules violation and punishable what what that punishment should be. Rules define what is fair. Without rules games and matches could not be played. The participants would not know what to do.

 

Businesses have the same problem. Rules or as they are known as regulations. Businesses need rules so they will know what they may and what may not do. Regulations define what is fair. 

 

Sports have their rules committees to define the rules. Businesses do not. Government, representatives of The People, sets the rules. Government defines what is fair.

Arkansas Rejects Ban on Sex Between Teachers and Students

Neither government nor the majority have ever been nor will they ever have the final decision of what is right. 

Throughout most of the 19th century, the minimum age of consent for sexual intercourse in many of the states was 10 years old. In Delaware it was seven; as late as 1930 twelve states allowed boys as young as 14 and girls as young as 12 to marry with parental consent. 

So, go ahead and decide what you prefer but never consider that your preference is "right." 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

"Find a priest who understands English and doesn't look like Rasputin."

---Aristotle Onassis

Hate Crimes

Why does it make us want to increase the punishment if the killer hates the victim? If the killer liked the victim do we really want to punish the killer less? Why does it make us feel better if the killer apologizes for killing the victim? We are a weird people.   

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

"Find a priest who understands English and doesn't look like Rasputin."

---Aristotle Onassis

Protecting the Saints

Knowing the Saints or at least an unknown number of Saints were attempting to injure their opponents can you imagine how the rest of the NFL will treat them on the field next year? Imagine, every play every opposing player trying to permanently injure the Saints players. No bounty no fine no suspension just getting even. Should be great for ratings.

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

"Find a priest who understands English and doesn't look like Rasputin."

---Aristotle Onassis

Colt's Move On

The NFL is all about making money and secondly winning. Win enough games to keep the fans buying tickets, buying memorabilia, buying products endorsed by NFL players.  The ultimate win is the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning played for 14 years, helped the Colts win a lot of games but the Colts appeared two Super Bowls and won one of them. Hardly impressive when you look at a few other quarterbacks. Manning appears to be nice guy; he takes his job very seriously; does all the things NFL quarterbacks are supposed to do and then some but have you wondered why the Colts had no number two quarterback ready to step in if Manning got hurt? Do you suppose Manning had contractual control over all players brought into the Colts' organization and used that power to ensure he had no competition as quarterback? He is cares not about the team.

 

The Colts' owner bet Manning would not play another full season at an acceptable level and Manning was betting he would. Manning could have postponed the $28 million bonus until after next season, after he had proved the Colts wrong. But he did not. Could his reason have been Andrew Luck was coming in to be behind him and eventually in front of him?

 

Manning tells the Colts' fans he loves them but apparently he does not like where they live, Indianapolis, enough to live there. The University of Tennessee never beat Florida with Manning at quarterback and had to wait until Manning was gone and his backup stepped in to win the National Championship. Make no mistake Manning is probably a nice guy and says the right things so people like him but he is all about Peyton Manning. If he really loved the Colts' fans he would have stayed with the Colts, ensured there was someone to step in and do the job when he could not.     

 

Now he will go to another team and hope they have an offensive line to protect him; hope they have the runners to give him time to do his thing; hope they have receivers to catch the balls he throws; and hope the fans take to him now that he has shown the world who is most important to him. After all if he makes a mistake Sundays will be very long days and he just might spend some time going to and staying in hospitals.

 

The Sports Analysts talk about how tough various quarterbacks are and how they take hits and keep going. Manning dives for the ground; Manning is not tough. No one talks about that. A new era is beginning in Indianapolis and I wish them luck.

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning does not know life without football. But in this case it is all about the money. The Colts are betting Manning will not play up to an acceptable level. Manning is betting he will. He could have changed the contract to something like if he played a full schedule next year he would get the $28 million. But he did not. He wanted the money and the Colts did not take the bet.  He will now go to a team without an offensive line to protect him, without runners to take the pressure off the passer and without the receivers to catch the ball. He will be beat up and possibly seriously injured. He should follow Jim Brown and go out in style. Instead he will follow Brett Favre and be pitied. He is no longer the prize he once was. He will be remembered as that old quarterback who could not quit.

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

"...for many in today's society,  success now has more to do with public image and the appearance of success than it does with the quality of our work and our character." 

Richard E. Simmons III

Russ Limbaugh and Other Talk Show Idiots

What are considered conservative and liberal, right and left radio talk shows are breeding grounds for hatemongers.  The more hatred they spew the higher the ratings and the more money they put in to the bank. The "hosts" are famous for their hatred. They are not "for" anything, they are only "against."  But the public listens and we deserve what we tolerate. For me I do not listen to any of them. If you didn't report their rantings I would be oblivious of them.

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

"...for many in today's society,  success now has more to do with public image and the appearance of success than it does with the quality of our work and our character." 

Richard E. Simmons III

Foreclosure Settlement Puts Americans Saving for Retirement at Risk

Sometimes we lose sight of the original objective. Step back for a second and consider:

 

In a free market, why is the government involved in guaranteeing home loans? Organizations such as governments who have no income other than what someone gives them begin to think the money is their money instead of it being the government's money. As a taxpayer I want government out of the home loan business. I want the government out of the business of providing tax deductions associated with home loans or the interest paid on them. Government has better things to do than be the insurer of anything.  Where in the Constitution is the government assigned the authority? Get government out of the home loan business. 

If You Wonder

EarthPolicy.org reports: "Qatar, where more than half of the nation's income comes from oil and natural gas, has the world's highest average income: almost $103,000 per person. The United States and China have average incomes (as measured in GDP per person) of $48,000 and $8,000 per person, respectively. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a failing state plagued by government corruption and violent conflict, has the world's lowest average income, at less than $350 per person. Thus the world's highest national average income is now almost 300 times the lowest."

In the United States consider those bringing home millions of dollars each year paying less taxes than the average American. 

Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid

Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare changes can be made in the following manner: those born beginning in 2051 will become eligible for Social Security five years after they have reached life expectancy at that year of their birth. That age will be adjusted every 50 years after that. Also in 2051 changes required for the survival of both Medicaid and Medicare will be implemented. As with Social Security adjustments will be made every 50 years.  

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

No amount of observations of white swans can allow the conclusion that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.

Karl Popper

A Regime Change will Change Nothing

If we have a regime change in November it will become obvious to even the most obtuse of us that Obama did as well as anyone could have done. 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

No amount of observations of white swans can allow the conclusion that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.

Karl Popper

Raising Taxes on the Rich

Specifically how does raising taxes on CEOs receiving hundreds of millions of dollars affect jobs? This is money they are receiving to go into their bank accounts? 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

No amount of observations of white swans can allow the conclusion that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.

Karl Popper

Walls Don't Work

Countries building walls are an interesting phenomenon. During its lifespan 5000 people attempted to cross the Berlin wall. A couple of hundred died a couple of hundred were arrested apparently the rest were successful. Granted it probably stopped a few hundred thousand from even trying. The Great Wall of China did not stop invasions from enemy countries. The invaders bribed the gate keepers.  What makes us think a wall around the United States will be any more successful? Who do you think will be the gate keepers?

The Real Results of Government Assistance

email sent to Rep Roe, and Sen Corker and Alexander

The purpose of this email is to inform you of the results of your efforts. My guess is you and your compatriots get so involved in working with the "other guys" you lose sight of what you initially were attempting to accomplish. You know, you get so up to you're a** in alligators you forget you were meaning to drain the swamp.

Remember the Cash for Clunkers program? The people who were driving the clunkers could not afford to buy a newer car but your rich friends such as millionaire Bill Frist, a former associate of yours, could and he even bragged how he took advantage of the government program. The Cash for Clunkers was a stimulus for your rich friends all at the expense of the taxpayers.

Reverse Mortgages do not help those of us who are having a difficult time financially because due to the way the program is structured a substantial amount of cash is required at "closing." But your rich friends, 62 years of age and older who own million dollar houses can take advantage of the program. The individual making minimum wage remains overwhelmed while your rich friends take the money they would have paid on their mortgage invest it and make even more money all at the expense of the taxpayers.

The most recent program announced will qualify 1 million of 11 million individuals owing more on their mortgage than their house is worth. Apparently you and your fellow senators or representatives think giving a person who has lost their house due to foreclosure a check for $2,000 will replace their house. Last year, following ten months of rejections and threats of foreclosure Chase Bank "blessed" me with a Home Loan Modification. The result is the length of the loan was extended the interest rate was lowered resulting in a $500 per month reduction in the payment. No expense to the taxpayer since I owe the same amount.

Whether we like it or not in cases such as a homeless person living on the streets they can do nothing to help themselves. Someone has to give them clothes so they can apply for a job. Someone has to give them a place to live so they can prepare to apply for a job. Someone has to give them food so they can be healthy enough to apply for a job. Someone has to give them money to go to school so they can be qualified for a job. In each of these cases to truly help there cannot be complex qualifications or processes to apply. So far you are doing nothing to help people like that.

But we all see how you are helping your rich friends. 

NBC Anchor Bitten on the Face

Going face-to-face with a dog plus making eye-contact is a direct challenge. Stupid people. On the other hand there is no reason to "rescue" animals. We have millions of dogs and cats and more are added to the excessive population every year. Everyone and everything would be better off if all dogs and cats that find their way into police custody or into animal shelters should be killed. Avoiding avoidable situations such as this one.

Friend of Syria

Russia and China want the Syrian government to continue to kill Syrian citizens. They are Muslims so now we will see if Muslims hate Russia and China or the United States where we are on both sides.

Anyone but "The People"

John Adams, like other Federalists, believed that men of money and position should govern America. They did not trust the common people. This lack of trust resulted in the election of the president and vice president and senators being isolated from direct input by the people.

The president was to be elected by the Electoral College and Senators were to be chosen by state legislators. It was thought senators elected by state legislatures would be able to concentrate on the business at hand without pressure from the populace.

It appears their lack of confidence was well placed. The People are not to be trusted. The People do not vote for what is best for the country but to receive.

The People's vote is determined by advertising. The People have no idea whom to cast their vote for so they let the candidate with the most money tell them how to vote. John Adams' belief that men of money and position should govern America has come to fruition.

"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance."

---H. L. Mencken

NC State’s Scott Wood explains how losing to your rival feels

Reporters ask the dumbest questions.  Call a person "a news anchor" or "a reporter" or "an analyst" or "a contributor" and watch the stupidity settle in. 

How does it feel to lose to your rival?

When you heard your wife was dead, what did you think?

When the ship was sinking, how did you feel?

I did not hear the answer, had the reporter's wife ever cheated?

Good one. 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

No amount of observations of white swans can allow the conclusion that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.

Karl Popper

Capitalism is Not Sustainable

Capitalism needs consumers.

Capitalism is not sustainable. Twenty-five of the 100 highest paid U.S. CEOs earned more last year than their companies paid in federal income tax and many of those companies spent more on lobbying than they did on taxes.

Some speculators have incomes 325 times what the average American receives. The difference between executive compensation and the average American worker is greater than anytime in our history.

If the United States is to survive economic fairness needs to exist and today it does not.

A bit Odd

Candidates for president as well as other elected offices are willing to spend millions of dollars of other people's money to get elected so they can do some great thing for their country. At the same time they do not want to pay any more taxes than they are forced to pay.  Seems a bit odd to me. 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

No amount of observations of white swans can allow the conclusion that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.

Karl Popper

Re: Debt Is Holding Back Economic Growth

What I have not heard is specifics. I believe we have had enough agreements to reduce the deficit. Both parties have historically spent more than we took in and the current president is no more responsible for the deficit than previous presidents. I believe it is said Bill Clinton had balanced budgets. I doubt it but that is what I have heard.

It is time for specifics time for hard numbers. It is time to accept that the rich do not create jobs. If they do where are the jobs? They are in other countries. Both parties must change leadership. Current leadership has shown themselves not up to the job. We need new ideas. We need jobs that pay livable wages.   

The last war our military fought for our freedom was WWII. Since then we have defeated small countries and tied or lost to those who can defend themselves. Our military is not the solution. Our military needs to be brought home from around the world and the defense department needs to have a major reduction in their budget.

Economic strength is what will lead now not the military. 

I encourage you and your fellow representatives to stop playing games, appoint new leadership and solve the issues. So far Obama sounds more reasonable than the Republicans do and more ready to compromise. Politics requires compromise. 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ 
          http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

No amount of observations of white swans can allow the conclusion that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.

Karl Popper

On Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM, Congressman Phil Roe <rep.roe@mail.house.gov> wrote:

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Website | About Phil | First District | Constituent Services | Newsroom | Issues | Legislation | Kids Page Debt is Holding Back Economic Growth The national debt continues to rise to ever more dangerous levels and has now reached over $15 trillion – officially surpassing the size of our economy at 100 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).   The unsustainable amount of government debt is so high that it is straining economic growth.  We must get serious about enacting spending cuts that put us on a sustainable fiscal path. Instead of reining in spending, the president has asked Congress to raise the debt ceiling again. That is why this week the House of Representatives will vote on a resolution to disapprove of the administration's request for an increase in the nation's debt ceiling – another "sign of leadership failure," in the president's own words. This vote is in response to the administration's reckless spending binge that has driven America's economy down a disastrous fiscal path and hurt job creation at a critical time for middle-class families and small businesses. Under President Obama's watch, the government has accumulated the three largest annual budget deficits in our nation's history.  Over $4.6 trillion has been added to the national debt since Obama took office, which is the most rapid increase of any president.  Additionally, there was a 25 percent increase in non-discretionary spending by the president when Democrats controlled both the House and Senate.  According to the U.S. Census, every American's share of the national debt stands at $48,699. Economists continue to warn that our nation's economic growth is constrained.  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf has said that the growing debt puts us at risk for a "sudden fiscal crisis."  CNBC's John Carney recently chimed in about the deficit officially surpassing 100 percent of GDP saying that it "has serious implications for economic theory." He goes on to say that "public-sector debt in the U.S. grew from 58 percent of GDP in 2000 to 97 percent in 2010. That almost certainly puts us beyond the threshold where our debt is restraining economic growth." With the upcoming budget that is due on February 6, the president has another opportunity to offer a serious, credible plan that lays out how we are going to get this country's fiscal house in order.  Congress, along with the president, needs to come to an agreement that leads to stabilization and declines the ratios of federal government debt to GDP and debt to revenue. I came to Congress to get our nation back on track and that includes making the tough decisions that will put us on a path to prosperity.  We must end our annual budget deficits and lower the debt if we want to see sustainable economic growth.  Even the president admits that if we fail to do this, it could lead to a double dip recession.  Now is the time to enact spending cuts because our national security is at risk if we do not lower the deficit. Please feel free to contact my office if we can be of assistance to you or your family.  You can contact my office by mail, email or phone.  Our contact information can be found on our website, www.roe.house.gov.    CONNECT WITH US E-News Sign-up Forward to a Friend Contact Phil TAKE A SURVEY Do you approve of the president's request to raise the debt ceiling?  Yes, we should raise the debt ceiling. No, we should not raise the debt ceiling. I am unsure at this time.            Choose Your Answer Washington, DC Office 419 Cannon House Office Bldg Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6356 Fax: (202) 225-5714 Kingsport Office PO Box 1728 Kingsport, TN 37662 Phone: (423) 247-8161 Fax: (423) 247-0119 Morristown Office 1609 College Park Drive, Suite 4 Morristown, TN 37813 Phone: (423) 254-1400 Fax: (423) 254-1403

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On the subject of “Jobs"

On the subject of "Jobs:" The number of jobs is not the measurement. What are needed are jobs that pay livable wages. Today, a family of four the two adults can each work full-time at Wal-Mart and still be around the poverty level.

 

On the subject of livable wages the United States cannot compete with other countries because the wages those countries pay are not livable wages in this country. When Congress approved NAFTA the jobs left. Anyone with any common sense knew that would happen; apparently anyone but our government.

 

To bring jobs with livable wages back any benefit corporations receive for sending the jobs out of the country must be taken away. For example: I read an article that reported that Steve Jobs told President Obama that Apple had 700,000 jobs in China because he could not find 30,000 engineers in this country to work with that number of manufacturing employees.  A tariff should be added to every product made in China that causes the price to the consumer to be higher than if it were made in this country by people being paid livable wages.

 

Corporations currently receive tax benefits for moving their jobs to other countries. Corporations either should receive tax benefits for keeping those jobs in this country OR penalties should be assessed to every corporation who have senior executives living in this country but have jobs in other countries. Let those senior executives live where their jobs are. Let them live where they send the jobs.

 

Republicans want to keep taxes as they are on the rich because you claim raising taxes on those rich friends will hurt the creation of jobs.  That may have been the case in the past but that is not true today. If it were WHERE ARE THE JOBS THOSE RICH FRIENDS CREATED?

On the subject of SOPA and PIPA.

On the subject of SOPA and PIPA. Why do we consider piracy wrong online or otherwise? Could it be morality causes us to think that way? If that is true, people in other countries not raised with Christian/Judeo morality are not influenced by them.

 

The Secretary of Education in Ukraine said their children have no character, no ethics, and no morals. So he asked a group from the United States by the name of "Easter European Missions" (the organization smuggled bibles into the USSR) to help them. Today Ukraine is using the bible to teach character, ethics and morals to their children in their public schools. While the United States bans such teaching Ukraine is looking to the bible for help.

 

By the way how do you get "separation of church and state" from "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"? Not making a law that establishes a state religion does not prohibit the government from practicing a religion or even using its literature. No law is the secret.  

Perfection is not sufficient.

Ten percent of the applications to Harvard are from people who got a perfect score on their SAT. About the same number are from people ranked first in their class. More than a thousand in each group are rejected by Harvard every year. Perfection is not sufficient. Being qualified is not reason enough for someone to hire you. 

Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me.

For years corporations have been mechanizing production and reducing jobs. Jobs requiring manual labor have been dropping for years. Jobs for machine operators and paint sprayers as well as a variety of trade jobs have been replaced with automation in order to lower costs. As we all know, lowering costs produces obscene bonuses for chief executives and other senior managers.

Since the jobs being eliminated belonged to a class of people we found easy to ignore and because we were not affected we rationalized. It was efficient to eliminate blue-collar jobs; it made us competitive; it was progress.  

Now thanks to the information revolution the jobs disappearing belong to us. Suddenly we care about the jobs that are disappearing. The jobs of people who had followed the rules; who had done what they were told to do; have disappeared most likely permanently.

Remember Martin Niemöller’s quotation:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out –

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out –

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out –

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me.

Water and Grain

http://www.earth-policy.org/indicators/C54/grain_2012 

eMail sent to Senator Lamar Alexander:

Your pride is misplaced on the subject of closing an online sales-tax loophole. It helps your rich friends to the detriment of your constituents which supports my assertion that you and your political cohorts are in bed with corporate America.  

Concerning a Balanced Budget Amendment to force President, Congress to balance the federal budget illustrates how unaccountable our government is. If Congress wanted to balance the federal budget it would. It does not take an amendment it takes ethics, honesty and common sense all of which are in short supply in our government. Bill Clinton had a balanced budget. Republicans screwed it up.

On the subject of exporting American-made products – not American jobs is a conundrum. Following the congressional approval of NAFTA jobs left the country. Your rich friends exported those jobs and received obscene bonuses for their efforts. Now you want to give your rich friends more money to make minimum wage jobs. This country cannot compete with wages paid in those foreign countries.  

Articles on you becoming governor, stopping the government from requiring new stop signs indicate how you spend your time on the little things because you and your party cannot face the real problems.

Helping the senate function better requires dissolving the senate and starting over. You act like a union with your overwhelming concern with seniority and good-old-boy-networking.

Your efforts to speed up assistance to Tennessee's storm victims shows how dependent people are upon government to do everything for them. How would the government have responded when George Washington were president?

I do not expect a response from you because unlike Senator Corker and Representative Roe you are too busy to respond to the voters. 

Repetitious Redundancies

Repetitious Redundancies.......We should carefully scrutinize each and every word for recurring, superfluous, redundant and unnecessary repetitions. Maybe perhaps the various and sundry statements are true and accurate but they become ridiculous nonsense when repeating again identically the same thought, often with immediately adjoining words. How often have you heard of a Jewish rabbi, an unknown stranger, or an unmarried bachelor? These expressions are different varieties of the same troublesome problem and may potentially conjure up the possible existence of a Buddhist rabbi, a familiar stranger, or a wedded bachelor. We need to reflect in our minds what we are saying with the words we choose and select. Occasionally, from time to time, superfluous redundancies do more than merely obscure neat and tidy expressions. They, perhaps, may leave an idea in your thoughts of a distinction where no distinction should exist. Both "baptized Christians" and "believing Christians" are used when the word "Christian" is ample and adequate. Such unnecessary redundancy opens the door to the possibility of Christians existing without faith and baptism. We need to be clear that the only way to become a Christian is by coming to faith and expressing that faith in the obedience of baptism. In the same way, we carelessly speak about "true facts" leaving open the possibility of facts being separate from truth. While the world has embraced pluralism and denies a single meaning of truth, Christians should hold onto real meaning and the certitude of truth. Facts are true, and truth is comprised of facts. Truth and facts are the same. We must not compromise truth with sloppy language.

Bachmann Ending her GOP campaign

Isn't it curious that a person intending to improve the country gives up because the people of one state do not vote for them. The truth is the people of Iowa verified what the candidate knew all along. The people of Iowa did the country a favor by getting  a narcissist to go home.

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

 

"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice."

Bill Cosby

Elected officials are out of touch with The People.

Capitalism is an economic system distinguished by certain basic characteristics. Capitalism is the drive to earn profits, invest them, innovate, and grow the economy.

 

 In the 1950s the chairman of presidents Council of Economic Advisors said

 

"The American economy's ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods."

 

In 2001 President Bush included shopping in the daily activities that he said were the

 

"ultimate repudiation of terrorism."

 

When the country was in shock the president told us to keep shopping.

 

Most environmental deterioration is a result of systemic failures of the capitalism we have today. Infinite economic growth is not sustainable. Capitalism's need for profit requires a culture of consumerism to support it. Capitalism as practiced in the United States is not sustainable.

 

In 2009 the Happy Planet Index produced by The New Economics Foundation rated the United States at 114^th of 143 countries evaluated. In 1957, 35 percent of the citizens of the United States rated themselves as "very happy" a level we have not reached since.

  

Some aspects of capitalism do not work well for the majority of the people or for the environment.  In 2008 the average full-time Wal-Mart employee was paid $10.84 an hour, $19, 165 for the year for the 34 hour workweek and $2,000 below the poverty level at the time.  In 2007, the Wal-Mart CEO was paid $29.7 million. More than 1,500 times the annual income of an average full-time Wal-Mart associate and he was not even a Walton.

 

Sam Walton deserved everything he received. He had developed a better mousetrap. No one involved with Wal-Mart since then deserves anything like that CEO. Due to the low wages the United States taxpayers subsidize that bloated salary by paying for healthcare, Medicaid, food stamps and subsidized housing for Wal-Mart associates.

 

The number of jobs is not as important as the number of living wage jobs. The conundrum is most likely our representatives and senators relate more to the CEO than the associates. Our elected officials are out of touch with The People. 

 

 

Ron Paul Wouldn't Back His Rivals

Any Republican who does not support the Republican candidate is voting for the Democratic candidate. Interesting mindset: "If I can't have my way I will not play." Remember those days?

 

Speak No Evil of a Fellow Republican

The Republican race is now between Romney and Paul. The rest have viloated the golden rule to speak no evil of a fellow republican. I like Romney's response to Paul. I like Paul's responses. We have over 1,200 military bases in over 120 countries. That needs to be changed. We need one friend in the Middle East and that friend must be Iran. They are the only country that can support us with military and oil. Israel is no longer strategic to the United States.

EMail to Sen Corker Subject:bill, S.1798, the Open Burn Pit Registry Act of 2011.

I believe studies, research etc show individuals are less likely to take responsibility for an action or inaction when others are present. Members of groups above a certain size when responsibility is not explicitly assigned assume others are responsible or any necessary action has been taken.

Twelve years ago before initiating the use of open-air burn pits to dispose of waste materials the commanding officer of the unit initiating the process should have asked the appropriate questions. Anyone with common sense and hopefully anyone with command authority would know or at least suspect that burning plastics, Styrofoam, metal, chemicals from paints and solvents, petroleum and lubricants, jet fuel, unexploded ordinance, etc could be hazardous to one's health.

Now due to their failure people who trusted them are experiencing health problems and very likely will experience premature death. Historically concern for our troops is more rhetoric than anything else even that of the voter.

So, with your effort with the bill you mention I encourage you to investigate and determine who is responsible for placing our troops in unnecessary danger. In football when roughness is classified as unnecessary penalties on the individuals responsible are meted out. I encourage you to do the same for this unnecessary danger to our troops. It is bad enough one has to deal with the enemy trying to kill you. Having to protect yourself from your own government and especially your immediate command is unacceptable.   Heads must roll!!

How quickly this bill is passed by congress will let the voters know if congress is concerned about the military or if their concern is just more rhetoric.

Thank you for your email and your efforts on the subject.

Attendance at GSMNP is Down and Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge Cannot Afford It

8,537,228 are a lot of people. The decline has been apparent for a number of years. While at times traffic is bad it has not been as bad as had been years ago. Dollywood is getting old. The Wild Eagle is like putting lipstick on a pig. When Dolly is no longer actively involved with Dollywood I expect Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation will try to sell it and find, due to their lack of maintenance, it is not worth what they think it is. Then even those jobs will be gone.

Any business that cannot afford a ten percent drop in income is in trouble. As a general rule if the only thing that differentiates you from your competition is price you cannot survive. None of the shows are worth what they charge for tickets. Nothing in Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge justifies business owners driving Mercedes and living in oversize houses. A few years ago a friend in the cabin business said Sevier County is recession proof. My guess is he does not hold that view today.

So batten down the hatches. The United States is in trouble. Everyone is concerned about jobs. Jobs are not the issue. Jobs that way livable wages are what are needed and the United States has none. We cannot compete with India, China and other third-world countries who pay anywhere from $0.10 to $6 or $7 an hour. The CEO of Wal-Mart is paid over 1,500 times as much as the average Wal-Mart employee is paid. Things will get worse and may never get better. We will regret the day we helped other people live the way we lived. Now we will live the way they lived before our help.

And then there is freak alley where dignified buildings used to be. Coming in from the exit 407 the impressions visitors get is embarrassing. Pigeon Forge looks like a carnival. Gatlinburg looks trashy and cheap. We have torn down our history and now cater to motorcycles, tattoos, and t-shirt shops. 

If you didn't live here would you come here and pay over a thousand dollars for what we provide?

The War in Iraq is Over?

email sent to Rep Roe and Sen Corker and Alexander

 

The war in Iraq is over? I do not recollect surrender. I do not recollect a declaration of war. How can wars be over if no one surrenders? War is opened armed conflict between countries or between factions within the same country. The United States was in an armed conflict with a faction within Iraq. Apparently the more than four thousand dead and thirty thousand wounded and the billions and billions of dollars (that we did not have) spent were to kill Saddam Hussein and obtain oil for the friends of our leaders. Way to go Leaders!!  If you want to improve public opinion you might want to sell used cars.

Lowes and Muslim Reality

 

The "outrage" expressed by members of the media and other groups shows the real you. You would have expressed the same outrage if Lowes had sponsored a reality show about Christian families. Islam is not compatible with western civilization. One day you will understand.

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

 

"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had."

---Eric Schmidt 

The Posse Comitatus Act Must Remain

email sent to Rep Phil Roe, and Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander.

The intent of the Posse Comitatus Act was to prohibit local governments and law enforcement agencies from using federal military personnel to enforce the laws of the land. The other services were added  at later dates or prohibited by Department of Defense directives.

The use of military drones is a direct violation of the Posse Comitatus Act in that to engage the drones for local use members of the military are working with and assisting local governments to enforce laws of the land. The principle of the Posse Comitatus Act must be upheld at all costs less the military and its "just following orders" mentality become a burden to the citizens of the United States.

I encourage you to NOT repeal the Posse Comitatus Act and to enforce it vigorously.

Capitalism is Not Working

email sent to Rep Phil Roe, and Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander.

Capitalism is an economic system distinguished by certain basic characteristics. Capitalism is the drive to earn profits, invest them, innovate, and grow the economy. In the 1950s the chairman of presidents Council of Economic Advisors said “The American economy’s ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods.” In 2001 President Bush included shopping in the daily activities that he said were the “ultimate repudiation of terrorism.” When the country was in shock the president told us to keep shopping. Most environmental deterioration is a result of systemic failures of the capitalism we have today. Infinite economic growth is not sustainable. Capitalism’s need for profit requires a culture of consumerism to support it. Capitalism as practiced in the United States is not sustainable.


In 2009 the Happy Planet Index produced by The New Economics Foundation rated the United States at 114th of 143 countries evaluated. In 1957, 35 percent of the citizens of the United States rated themselves as “very happy” a level we have not reached since.

Some aspects of capitalism do not work well for the majority of the people or for the environment. In 2008 the average full-time Wal-Mart employee was paid $10.84 an hour, $19, 165 for the year for the 34 hour workweek and $2,000 below the poverty level at the time. In 2007, the Wal-Mart CEO was paid $29.7 million. More than 1,500 times the annual income of an average full-time Wal-Mart associate and he was not even a Walton. Sam Walton deserved everything he received. He had developed a better mousetrap. No one involved with Wal-Mart since then deserves anything like that CEO. Due to the low wages the United States taxpayers subsidize that bloated salary by paying for healthcare, Medicaid, food stamps and subsidized housing for Wal-Mart associates.

I encourage you to keep in mind more voters relate to the Wal-Mart associates than the CEO. The number of jobs is not as important as the number of jobs paying livable wages. The conundrum is most likely you relate more to the CEO than the associates. As we see with Mitt Romney our elected officials are out of touch with The People.

In the NFL Helmet to Helmet Contact is ALWAYS Intentional

 

Someone should tell Colt McCoy's father to be quiet. He cannot protect his baby anymore. Screw the concussion. Helmet to helmet contact such as the one that leveled McCoy could easily result in paralysis. These guys are professionals. Helmet to helmet contact is always intentional and should result in a season ending suspension. When the helmet is the first point of contact the result should be ejection and a one or two game suspension. But I do not care. Millions of dollars are on the line and if the players are willing let them sit around in the retirement and drool let them.

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

 

"The stone age did not end because they ran out of stones."

 

Plan-B Morning After Pill

Why should government be involved in who purchases such a product? In what Article or Amendment does one locate the authorization for government to control such products and the like?

Oddly Enough Practicing to Fight is as Dangerous as Actually Fighting

During the seven years,2002 to 2008 there were an average 1,643 fatalities per year among active military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq. Oddly enough during the 1980s with no major wars there were more than 2,100 military deaths per year.

 

It seems practicing to fight a war can be just as dangerous as really fighting one.

 

And. . . since 1982 around 42,000 active military personnel have been killed---roughly the same number of Americans who die in traffic accidents in a single year.

Stone Age vs Post Office

It is time for the Post Office to go the way of the Pony Express. The Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones. It ended because we found a better way. Anything that does not support itself should not exist. The Post Office ought to shrink back to a size required as to let them provide services where it can make a profit.

Screwed Up Justice System

 

Jerry Sandusky should be arrested and tried not hung out to dry. He can be tried multiple times if necessary but as a citizen of the United States he deserves quick justice.

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/
http://alumcave.blogspot.com/

 

 

"The stone age did not end because they ran out of stones."

 

8-Year-Old Corners Bachmann

It was a setup all the way. Not worthy of reporting. Must be a slow news day. Lesbian mother forces 8-year-old into making a political statement to Bachmann at a booksigning. Isn't that a bit queer? Good going les.

eMail to The Mountain Press Reference a Letter complaing how the animal shelter is short of funds

With the percentage of Sevier County citizens living in poverty approaching 25 percent; with over 14 percent of the households in the United States and presumably in Sevier County experiencing "food insecurity" meaning they live with hunger or fear of starvation; with 1 in 6 Americans and presumably Sevier County residents going without food for days at a time; how do people afford to buy food for their pets?


In India people starve while they watch cows, monkeys and rats eat food they themselves could eat and we call those people stupid. Compare that with people who cannot feed their children or themselves but have food enough for their pets. What do we call those people?


With people starving and those with food refusing to share how about turning the animal shelters into food processing plants. People in other countries eat dog and cat as well as other things we find disgusting.


When you sit down at the table tonight think about the children who are going to bed hungry and who will not eat from the time they leave school Friday until they return Monday then look at "Fido" as he or she eats food those hungry children could be eating. What do we call you?

Learning Opportunity?

The media should bring male homosexuals onto their programs and ask them to differentiate between their homosexuality and male pedophiles attracted to young males. Some pedophiles are homosexual predators others are heterosexual predators.

Syracuse Sex Scandle

Syracuse University will find it is impossible for people to believe that all those who knew Bernie Fine did not know of his affection for children. Everyone at Syracuse University in anyway associated with him must go. The longer it takes the more damage to the university. Beginning with the President, Athletic Director, Coaches, supervisors, secretaries, members of the Board of Directors everyone has to go. NOW!!!

Don’t blame corporations for the lack of jobs.

Don't blame corporations for the lack of jobs.

Walter Isaacson, in his biography of Apple CEO, Steve Jobs wrote that Jobs told President Obama "You're headed for a one-term presidency" and urged the president to be more business-friendly. Jobs told Obama how easy it was to build a factory in China, in contrast to the difficulties caused by regulations and extra costs in the United States.

Jobs stressed the need for more trained engineers and suggested that any foreign students who earned an engineering degree in the United States should be given a visa to stay in the country."

The book says that  "Jobs went on to urge that a way be found to train more American engineers. Apple had 700,000 factory workers employed in China, he said, and that was because it needed 30,000 engineers on-site to support those workers. 'You can't find that many in America to hire,' he said. These factory engineers did not have to be PhDs or geniuses; they simply needed to have basic engineering skills for manufacturing. Tech schools, community colleges, or trade schools could train them.

"'If you could educate these engineers," he said, "we could move more manufacturing plants here.'"

Don't blame the Apples or the Wal-Marts for our economic fiasco. Blame our educational system, environmental groups, tax laws and government interference.

Who Does Not Have a Clue?

Listening to the History channel I hear experts say the "ancients" had not concept of this or that. On the subject of construction the question is how did those people who had no clue build walls and buildings with stones that weigh thousands of tons. The question should be why do their structures remain for thousands of years while our stuctures decay in less 50 years. Who does not have a clue?

Not Practical

The United States cannot be governed except from the middle. The Republicans should understand that before Obama becomes a second term president. Gingrich is right. It is not practical to ignore 12 million people nor is it practical to deport them. When I am hired I am asked to show two forms of ID a driver's license and a social security card. No matter who the nominee is the Republicans had better support them with everything they've got or Obama will be Mr. President for another four years. The problem is whenever the Republicans sound reasonable they sound like Obama.

Politicians Beware!!!

Politicians running for re-election should beware.

 

1) In 2010 half of all United States workers earned less than $27,000---adjusted for inflation the lowest median wage since 1999;

 

2) In 2011 with six-figure salaries received by lobbyists, lawyers, and federal employees leading the way Washington D.C. has overtaken  Silicon Valley as the wealthiest metropolitan area in the country. A typical household in the nation's capital earned a little over $84,000.

 

Something is wrong when the seat of Federal Government is the wealthiest metropolitan area in the United States.