Concrete Fields

“Concrete Fields”

Sheets of rain poured from the sky

Soaked my cap ran down my neck

A creek sprang forth from the parking deck

These concrete fields on which I lie

All day I push my shopping cart

Grabbing stuff for recycle man

Fifty cents for a pound of can

From a concrete field my day will start

Spring is here and days are longer

Every day the heat is stronger

Guess I’ll move, the beach is cooler

New concrete fields they won’t fool ya

Mission man came by today

Will not go with him away

A bed he had and place to stay

My concrete field is where I lay

My head it lies upon my bag

Plastic garbage holds my swag

My pocket holds a blade of steel

On a concrete field I eat my meal

My life I have it is to be

Sky and sea and the smell of me

Never ever do I weep

On a concrete field I choose to sleep

Mission man had a question

Not my job to teach him lesson

Soon his boss will come for me

On a concrete field is where I’ll be

Soon his boss will come for me

On a concrete field is where I’ll be

On a concrete field is where I’ll be

Paul Mize © 2011

Till we meet again

Why the Joke?

I received this today in an email from a friend who has a libertarian based radio show.

From the Back Pew "A pastor's wife was expecting a baby, so he stood before the congregation and asked for a raise. After much discussion, they passed a rule that whenever the preacher's family expanded, so would his paycheck. After 6 children, this started to get expensive and the congregation decided to hold another meeting to discuss the preacher's expanding salary. A great deal of yelling and inner bickering ensued, as to how much the clergyman's additional children were costing the church, and how much more it could potentially cost. After listening to them for about an hour, the pastor rose from his chair and spoke, 'Children are a gift from God, and we will take as many gifts as He gives us.' Silence fell on the congregation. In the back pew, a little old lady struggled to stand, and finally said in her frail voice, 'Rain is also a gift from God, but when we get too much of it, we wear rubbers.'  The entire congregation said, 'Amen.'"

Terry Lacy; Hattiesburg, MS 


Funny, Right? I mean hey....it's in a church and we can make fun of preachers......... especially since we know he was getting some loving.


Let's now rewrite the joke it will not be funny and put it in the context of current events.

A government bureaucrat wanted to increase his political power.  He created a plan to expand the "benefits" his department provided.  His attorney (lobbyist)stood before the congress (could be Sacramento, CA Springfield IL, Lansing, MI, Albany NY, Madison WI or any other state where the budget is exploding and the welfare class including public employees, illegal immigration, and government largesse is bankrupting the state or nation) testified and demanded a budget increase.

After much discussion, congress passed a rule that whenever the bureaucrat's program expanded, so would the program's budget. After 6 program expansions or eight (Octomom), this started to get expensive and the congress decided to hold another meeting to discuss the program's expanding budget. A great deal of yelling and inner bickering ensued, as to how much the bureaucrat's additional expansions (children) were costing the state or country (you and me), and how much more it could potentially cost.

After listening to them and testifying before them for years, the lobbyist (attorney) rose from his chair and spoke, 'These expansions are just like children they are a gift from God, and we will take as many gifts as He gives us.'

Silence fell on the congress. From the back benches, a freshman congressman stood and struggled to be recognized, finally after weeks in a powerful voice driven by his constituents he said, 'Rain is also a gift from God and not from congress, but when we get too much of it, we wear rubbers.'

The entire liberal side of the congress said, 'Nothing.' and then booed................

It seems to me government is a welfare recipient it always expands and has more children (government programs) that cost more money and always continues to grow. The welfare recipient's children do ultimately grow up, but the government programs never ever end.  Stop a government program today.


Till we meet again,

The Day I Discovered I was a Racist?

Interesting eye opening week.  Tsunami's and revolutions.  Earthshattering.......but what really got my attention because it hit so close to home was the news item where I unfortunately discovered I was a racist...... 


At least according to former NPR executive Ron Schiller and his non relative Vivian (like in "Pretty Woman") Schiller seems to agree.  Of course the hired help called her Miss Vivian in the movie.  


Back to Ron, he was videotaped describing people like me from middle America, I was born in Texas (pretty dang middle), who tote guns (shooting since I was 6) as racist tea party xenophobic people.  Does that mean I need to change my NPR preset in my truck?  Been listening to NPR for a long time and watching news on Public Television (certainly a sister organization) almost since I started toting that gun.  


Hmmm, strange what you learn about yourself from other people.


Ron was wearing a nice suit as he sat at his linen covered table in the NPR dining room with crystal and silver on that tablecloth paid for with American taxpayer money.  Not only am I American, I've even donated to NPR and various Public Television Stations and acted as a fundraiser for them. 


Ouch!
Sometimes you just get stabbed in the back I guess.............


Those tea party guys ........I'm not in that organization, but I do sympathize with some of those guys who carry that yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flag (the Gadsden flag a historical symbol of American patriotism).  The original guys with that flag had gotten tired of Ol' King George taxing 'em and trying to tell 'em what to do.  Including housing Redcoats in their homes and making tea unaffordable. 


Since Ron and Vivian didn't care for those Americans stating their opinions (1st Amendment freedom of speech) or toting their guns (2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms) maybe Ron and Vivian only believe they and their friends have the right to the freedoms expressed in our glorious Constitution.  Now, that is sort of an elitist attitude wouldn't you say?  


Seems they believe they can call us names behind the scenes and then feed us perhaps inaccurate information on their broadcasts.  Please National Press.....give us the facts. The who, the what, the where, the when, but don't editorialize the why in the journalistic piece.  Unlike Ron and Vivian you still have a chance to keep your jobs.  


Stand up Fifth Estate remember that Benjamin Franklin who first created the rattlesnake logo on that flag was a journalist.  There is a reason he is on the $100 dollar bill. Hey Fourth Estate go back and read Ben... and Thomas Paine also.  If you do perhaps you current guys could show a little "Common Sense".  


And by the way all of us are waiting for that apology you never gave for calling us racists.  I know you won't give me my money back.


Till we meet again

Reprinted for Educational Purposes Only

Subject: Fw: History Lesson on Your Social Security Card




          History Lesson on Your Social Security Card
[cid:X.MA1.1299443335@aol.com]<http://www.flickr.com/photos/49192997@N07/4508529302/>
Dick Kantenberger
Gifted Education Writer
Examiner.com<http://examiner.com/>

History Lesson on Your Social Security Card

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

Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and
card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the
United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the
message, NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION, was removed.
[cid:X.MA2.1299443335@aol.com]<http://blog.kir.com/archives/images/social+security.gif>
An old Social Security card with the "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION" message.
Our Social Security

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

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

No longer Voluntary


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

Now 7.65%
on the first $90,000


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

No longer tax deductible


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A: The Democratic Party.

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

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social
Security annuities?

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

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

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

AND MY FAVORITE:

A: That's right!

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

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

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

And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of
awareness will be planted and maybe changes will
evolve.
But it's worth a try.
How many people can YOU send this to?

Actions speak louder than bumper stickers