Paying for what we want.

           I came to a realization this weekend and it is so overwhelming that I felt I had to share it.  When the government is asked to give something to the people, it must raise taxes in order to pay for it.  To some of you, this is an obvious statement and you just said, "Well, duh," to me.  The rest of you need to take heed.  No one wants to pay taxes and we get our politicians to agree to cut our taxes.  We then turn around and start yelling that we want special programs to fix some problem, we want lawmen to protect us, teachers to teach us, soldiers to defend us, doctors to heal us, and roads to drive on.  These all cost us.  Yet, no one wants to pay for them.
          We have a deficit, not because our government can't do math, but because we the people refuse to.  We the people demand that our government give us all these things and while refusing to allow it to tax us.  The fact that our politicians are elected, leads to their desire to give us what we want so they can be re-elected.  This leads to a deficit as we demand bigger government oversight and lesser taxes.  You can't have both.  If we were to take the annual budget and ensure it was fully funded, everyone would have to pay their fair share.  For some reason, we the people have decided that those who were either born into money or made their own fortunes should pay for those of us who aren't as well off.  Tax the rich has become the mantra we live by.  We should be living by the standards of pay equally.  If every American paid his or her fair share we could kick this deficit, we just refuse to.
            I always felt that it was an obvious statement that you don't buy more than you can afford.  It always amazed me when the government continued to pay for things it couldn't afford.  Then I took a closer look.  I found out that we continued to expand to give more to programs people wanted and then gave them tax breaks because they wanted that as well.  And so we ended up where we are today, deep in a hole with only ourselves to blame.
          Allow me to make a confession; I am one of those that take advantage of our current tax system.  I have been receiving tax refunds for years and have actually been getting more back than I pay into it because of all the breaks and credits I receive.  I am at the low end of the middle class with four children and thus get a lot of deductions.  In other words, if we were suddenly made to pay our fair share, my tax bill would go up significantly.  I am still for paying our fair share.  We need these programs.  Our teachers, firefighters, policemen, and military need paid.  Our roads and infrastructure needs repaired, maintained, and built.  There are a ton of programs that we need to continue.  Sure, we could work to make them more efficient, and that should definitely be one of our goals, but we still need to pay for them.  We need to trim some of the excess, but we still have to pay for the necessary.
           We all have the same problem.  I call it the gimme syndrome.  We all want the government to ”gimme, gimme, gimme," just doesn’t want to pay for it.  You don't walk into a grocery store and expect to walk out without paying for your groceries, so why should we expect our government to give us all that it does without paying for it?  This is something we all need to remember as we move into this election season.  If a politician promises a ton of new programs, reduced taxes, and a reduced budget, you know he/she is lying.  It just isn't possible.  You can do 2 of the three but the other has to go a direction you probably don't want.  New programs and reduced taxes means an increased deficit; reduced deficit and new programs means increased taxes; and reduced taxes and reduced deficit means, not only no new programs, but a reduction in existing programs. 
             This is something every American needs to understand.  We can't end the cycle without understanding the truth of the matter.  We can't solve the problems by turning a blind eye and using wishful thinking.  We are supposed to be about equality, yet we continually strive to punish those who, using the rules established, have made their fortune.  In order for America to be truly equal and to have the same rights, we must stop the inequality in what we pay in taxes.  Be honest, what percentage of your income do you actually pay?  I don't mean adjusted or what the government says you pay, I mean the money that you get before anything is removed, what percentage of that, do you pay?  I am willing to bet that it is less than 10%.  Why should we throw a fit when a millionaire pays 15%?  Fair isn't fair when we use different standards.  That's my two cents.
               Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Why I hate Politics.

           The one thing I hate about elections is the never ending rhetoric.  The thing that is different this year than from 4 years ago is the profuse use of face book in the campaign.  This means I see a ton of posts attacking each party.  What it comes down to is the fact that there is no real positive message from any candidate.  I have heard a few statements on what they intend to do in office, but usually it is over run by negatives on either side.  It has become of a game of who is less evil instead of who is better and it makes me sad.
         The question is, if a law were passed that required a week of positive messages only during each campaign, would we hear anything from either candidate?  It seems that they have taken the old adage of "if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything," and turned it around to say, "If you don't have anything good to say about someone, put it on air."  It is a sad state of affairs.  What really makes it suck is that it has become what people expect.  If we got a politician that was honest (yes, I know, honest politician is an oxymoron), I think people wouldn't vote for him on the grounds that he was too different.
       Speaking of honest politicians, growing up, I actually knew one.  He was our local state representative.  The story goes that he was first elected without campaigning because the people in his district knew him and felt he would do right by them.  He was a farmer and was one of the people.  Between sessions he actually returned to his farm and worked, politics was something he did as an extra duty and he claimed his profession as farmer.  You actually had to point out that he was a representative because he looked at it as a side gig.  The funny thing is, he never campaigned but he was re-elected year after year.  One year he even had an opponent.  The funny thing was the opponent got 5 votes, his, his wife’s, his campaign manager, his campaign manager’s wife, and the incumbent.  The sitting representative said he voted for his opponent because he didn't really want the job but would continue to do it as long as the people wanted him to and he was competent to do it.  He finally resigned at 82 or so and it was a loss.
       I used to say I was a republican and would never agree with a democrat.  I have sense come to realize that that mind set is exactly what is wrong in government.  The largest problem we have in our government is that we have become polarized with very few exceptions.  Either you are a republican or a democrat; if you claim to be independent you are labeled as indecisive.  What further complicates this is that if you have convictions and stand by them no matter what, you are a radical and a hatemonger; if you go with the current trends, you are pandering; and if you compromise you are a traitor to your party or an indecisive fool.  We have decided it is better to give negative labels to people rather than look at what their decisions are based on.  I would rather vote for a man that follows his convictions and votes against his party than for a man that follows the party line no matter what.  I would rather vote for a man that compromises to get things done over a man that refuses to listen to the opposing party because they are the opposing party.  We as a people have allowed this to happen and we as a people have directed it.  It is no coincidence that the very people we complain about hold the power to limit what we can do about it.  The saddest part is that the independents have very little influence.  They are such a minority that the only influence they have is when the parties are deadlocked and even that is rare.
            The one thing that makes this worse is that the politicians start looking at the next election almost as soon as they are elected.  Instead of looking at what this country needs, they are looking at what will make them look good for the next election.  The only regular exceptions are a second term president or a senator that has decided to retire.  It is a rare politician these days that repeatedly does what is best for the country over what his party wants. 
               Am I to critical of all this?  Maybe, but then again, if I weren't wouldn't I be like most of us who just take what the media gives us as truth and move on.  Sure, most of what the media says is true, but then a half truth is still true even if it isn't the whole story.  The media takes some flak, but most of it is directed at the "extreme" media.  Those sources that make no secret of their political leanings and jump on anything that helps their party affiliation are targeted most harshly allowing the more subtle sources to be taken at face value. 
               The most interesting part is that, with a little research, you can find the truth and it usually isn't what you are led to believe.  Both sides use statistics and numbers that, while true, only tell a part of the story at best or are downright misleading.  Take the "discretionary spending" argument used to cut the DOD budget.  In budget speak, discretionary means anything not specified by amount to be spent.  In other words, if the amount to be spent is estimated, it is discretionary.  Since caring for personnel (medical, logistical, pay, etc.) is estimated it is discretionary.  This means the department uses its discretion to ensure the people are paid and cared for properly.  So is it right to say that the DOD has a large discretionary budget?  Yes it is very true.  But then, by the budgetary definition of discretionary, teachers, policemen, firefighters, roads, electrical power, and the air traffic controllers are all discretionary as well. 
            The problem isn't what it means; it is how it is used.  The politicians use it knowing that most people will read it as the department has a choice on whether they spend it or not and thus can just cut it.  To most people, discretionary means that part of the budget spent on extras.  Discretionary means to them the excess after bills are paid, not the portion used to pay bills that are in flux.  If we used discretionary the way the government uses discretionary, our electrical, gas, water, grocery, and clothing would be a discretionary part of our budget.  I don't know about you, but I think I would be in a little bit of trouble if I just stopped using or paying for all of that. 
          I guess what I am saying is that we as Americans have to stop looking at the surface of what we are told by the media and politicians.  It is our responsibility to dig deeper and find the truth in what is being said and discover where it is we really fall on the issues.  What is said may be true, but that doesn't mean it is the truth of the matter.  A twisted truth may still be true, but it becomes a lie when it is interpreted wrongly.  Take the time to look into the truth.
        Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

An Apology, a solution, and a loving wife.

          After rereading yesterday's post, I realize that I owe a huge apology to my wife.  I allowed anger to cloud my judgement on what I posted and it was wrong.  The way I posted it makes it sound as though my wife is evil, coniving and self centered.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  The disagreement we had was based solely on mutual misunderstanding and was solved to both of our satisfaction.  We have since made up and have moved on (at least until my wife reads yesterdays post and I have to apologize all over again, which I will do when I get home).  I made a mistake and will deal with it when I get home.  It should also be noted here, that as of this post, my wife has not read yesterday's post and thus may not know of what was written.  Thus this apology is not prompted by arguements or otherwise.  I am sorry, dear, I will speak to you on this when I get home.
           I was going to add on to this post a seperate commentary on an unrelated matter, but realized it would muddy the waters and possibly dilute the first part.  So I will end today's post with this.  Men, just because you feel wronged (even if you weren't) is no erason to air it publicly.  In a loving relationship, who is right has no bearing on the outcome.  Solutions are the goal of every conversation (and argument) between you and your wife.  It doesn't matter who was right (and, by proxy, who was wrong) only that you solve your problems and move forward.  To dwell on the mistakes of others is to live with the results and mess of those mistakes rather than to correct them.  The longer you point fingers, the longer it takes to find a solution and move on.  I could keep spouting cliches, but you get the picture.  I didn't until last night.  Thank you to my lovely wife for pointing me in the right direction (again). 
             Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

The art of being right.

           Let me begin by apologizing for not posting last week.  I got shifted to swing shift on short notice Monday and was not up to posting.  This means I need to catch you up on what happened last week.  It began with the Septic guys showing up to finish the job.  Some time the preceding Friday, the inspector showed up and okayed it.  Tuesday and Wednesday were spent removing the rocks, trash, and clumps of old grass from the dirt in preparation for seeding.  Thursday, we actually seeded the lawn.  Now we just have to wait for it to grow.  Luckily we have spare seed if we need it.
           The fun didn't really start until Friday night.  First I need to give you the lead up.  About a week or so ago, my mother in law (great woman, not a battle axe, but a wonderful woman) called and asked if it would be OK to come out in July.  She also wanted to bring out our neice with her.  We said sure, we really don't have much planned for July.  So Friday night we get a call and she says, would Monday be OK.  The wife says sure.  If you note, it is Monday, most definitely not July, and, yes, she is arriving this morning, 15 year old Niece in tow.  I should point out here that she is welcome and we are glad to have her.  I have no problem with her visiting on short notice.  The problem I had was with my wife.  We have discussed it and we have since come to a reasonable solution (I am wrong, she is right and that is that, at least that was how it ended). 
               You see, about 4 weeks ago, I volunteered to help out at my church's fireworks stand.  We discussed what times would be best and settled on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon as that was what worked around our schedules.  She also had a dinner with friends scheduled for Saturday evening.  The problem came when I reminded her of our prior commitments for this weekend as she started trying to plan things to do with her mom that the conflict arose.  Apparantly, she was against the times I scheduled from the beginning and I chose those times on my own.  Thus, it is my fault that she can't plan a great weekend with her mom.  Apparantly, I should have known that she was against me working those days even when she agreed to them and scheduled my time volunteering for during the week.  Thankfully we got it worked out that I was wrong so we can move on.
           Quick note, men, if you end an argument with your wife and you were right, you may want to check back and make sure you actually have a bed to sleep in.  I'm not saying women are vindictive and always right because that would get me in trouble.  I am just warning you that if your wife ever tells you you are right, you had better make sure that you are in fact right and that whatever it is you are right about is not something that will come back to haunt you.  Just saying.
           Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Why cut the pay for those that work and not those that don't?

           So I missed yesterday's post because I got sent home to deal with my Septic system.  Turns out, I shouldn't have worried.  Hopefully it happens today.  Unfortunately, I have duty so I will not be able to be there and my wife will have to take care of it.  She worries about it, but I think she will do fine.
            As I was looking at various things, I came to the conclusion that there is something fundamentally wrong with politicians.  How else do you explain the idea that in order to save money, you cut pay and wages from working people (military, federal workers, etc) in order to maintain pay to those not working (welfare, jobless benefits, etc.)  Don't get me wrong, I think that these programs are necessary to a point, but to justify cutting pay from those who work and not to those that don't at the same time is ludicrous.  We cut jobs for the sake of savings only to have those whose jobs we cut end up on unemployment and other costly programs as they search for jobs to replace the job we cut to save money.
            Now comes the fun part.  I was always taught that if you don't have a solution or aren't willing to discuss one, don't bring up the problem.  So here goes.  I say put the people on welfare to work.  Set up day care that is open only to those on welfare and staff it with those on welfare.  Next, put those who now have free time to work in jobs appropriate to their physical abilities.  If they don't know how to do the job, they get trained.  If they don't want to work, they don't get welfare.  I can hear some of you saying, "what about those who are disabled?"  I didn't say anything about those on disability, I said welfare.  But they can work too.  There are phones that need answered, data that needs inputted, etc.  There are jobs out there for all disability levels.  Just as there are jobs out there for all ability levels.  Streets need cleaned, ditches need dug, parks need mowed.  Fences need built.  Fences need painting.  Trees need planting.  I could go on and on.  But we continually complain about those on welfare and the job market.  But no one wants to do the jobs that are available, either because the job is not at their particular "skill level" or because it doesn't pay as well.  I think that if you gave people a choice of working for their welfare and unemployment checks on these needed government jobs that they would either work or get off of welfare. 
              The other side of this is that the work we are either not doing or contracting out at exhorbant rates would get done rather cheaply.  One other thing to throw out there.  Because they are working and may actually want to better themselves, you put into place a policy that gives them the freedom to job hunt while doing the work.  What I mean is, you give them the flexibility of schedule that allows them to better themselves.  If they want, you give them the option of going to school on the governments dime with the agreement that they will stop getting welfare in 5 years.  This gives them the time to get a degree and another year for the following job search.  Once they sign up and take money, there is no turning back.  They are off of welfare regardless of whether they finished school or not.  Of course this means we supply tutoring, but in the long run, it saves us a ton of money.
             This is all my opinion and you can take it however you want, but we have a problem here in the US and it is a selfish problem.  No one wants to take responsibility for themselves.  Everyone wants the government to provide for their comfort.  And it does, as long as you are willing to claim that you can't do anything else and throw everything away and start over.  Do that and you will find that you can live pretty well on the government dime.  Especially if you combine programs properly.  If you give something to someone for Free without any end in sight, you find that there is no reason for them to take a risk and get off of it.
             Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

The dirt on the backyard dig

              I am a bit frustrated right now.  The guys doing the septic system told me Friday that they would have the inspection and finish up yesterday.  My wife even asked them what time the inspector was going to be there when they showed up in the morning.  The told her sometime in the afternoon.  I told my boss and got the afternoon off so I could be there for the inspection, just in case.  As you may have guessed from the way this post is going, they didn't finish and the inspection didn't happen.  The real kicker is, from my experience with my dad, I fully understand why they are where they are.  I can't fault them for anything they have done or where they are in the work.  I've been there.  Digging large holes in the rain isn't fun, nor is it something you do if you can avoid it, especially with heavy machinery.  You also don't just dig randomly, you have to plan it out and make sure what you plan works before you start or you find yourself digging a lot larger hole than you need and you have that much more dirt to move.  So, I can't fault them for their progress.  In fact, I actually find that they are quite efficient and do well.  They are just working in a tight space with little room for error and it makes it that much harder.  I guess I am more frustrated at the fact that I have been taking half days off for no reason and I can see I am frustrating my boss.  I'll get through it though.
            How bout you, have you ever had something take longer than expected or planned?  Were you able to justify the added time and were still frustrated by it?  It is natural, when things don't go according to plan, to get frustrated.  It is how we deal with it and others involved that we show our true nature.  Do you rage against the situation or do you calmly nod in understanding?  Do you stew and growl or do you smile and let it go?  Patience is not easy, but it is something that is important.  Try it, you will be amazed at the results.
          Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Secret Service Scandal: What else would you expect?

             For those of you isolated from the real world, there is a scandal going on with the secret service.  It involves legal activities in a foreign country.  Apparently, in their off time, a group of secret service members hired prostitutes and took them back to their room.  In the country they were in it is legal.  What brought this to the attention of the US is one of the girls brought a complaint against one of the Secret service members.  It then came out, that in another country a year earlier, another detail had gone to a strip club, got drunk and took strippers back to their hotel room.  Once again, nothing illegal happened.  The women were willing and the detail was off duty.
             Why am I mentioning all this?  Let me begin by saying I don't condone any of it.  The crux of this is that, we live in a society that hinges on the belief that it is your life, do what you want as long as it is legal.  Yet, when sex is involved, that same society, is decidedly fickle.  The real tragedy is that society doesn't even recognize it as hypocritical.  When you push for sexual freedom, freedom to do as you will in private (as long as it isn't rape and is legal), and freedom from responsibility for your sexual actions, it should come as no surprise when people exercise those rights.  How dare you castigate those who stand for sexual morality while crucifying those who practice sexual freedom.  This is the same as saying build roads where ever they are needed, but not here.  It's the same as saying treat animals as equals then euthanizing hundreds of stray pets because you don't have room to keep them.
              The men involved in this did nothing illegal.  One man had a complaint brought against him and we aren't even sure if it was legitimate or not.  Another group did absolutely nothing illegal, in fact, it was only brought to light because a reporter dug into it.  So either this is about the immorality, or something else, but for a society that embraces sexual freedom to investigate, punish, and revile those who practice it, is hypocritical in the extreme.
               Once again, I must iterate that this is not something I will ever condone.  I find it immoral and disgusting (apparently the sexually free society does as well, but they won't admit it) and think they are reaping what they sow.  This post isn't about defending them, it is about pointing out the hypocrisy society is displaying in pursuing them.
               This is the part where I preemptively answer a few possible comments.  The first being someone randomly pointing out various hypocrisies in various religions.  To that, I say, "that isn't me."  The second is someone randomly quoting scripture or saying something along the lines of who am I to judge.  To that, I say, "If I were to judge, I would have to pass sentence.  I am pointing out truth and hope that it may bring change to what is right.  It is not my place to judge, merely to point out the truth and allow it to be heard."  The third is someone who mentions that I am not perfect and who am I to speak.  To that, I say, "You are right, I am not perfect, never have been, never will be.  I have committed many sins of which I am not proud and have had them forgiven by my lord and saviour Jesus Christ.  I speak from experience and that gives me the insight to see it.  I will, most likely, sin again and he will forgive me again.  Once again, I point these things out merely to point out the irony and hypocrisy of it all." 
                 The final type of response is one which brings new information to the table or tries to brush this off.  To that, I add the following:  What we don't know is whether or not the resulting punishment to the secret service agents is due to an internal policy forbidding such activities while off duty in foreign countries or external pressure.  The news sources have only reported on the incidents and the results.  The fact that it has garnered such attention on such few details is what I comment on, not on the unknowns  of internal Secret Service policies.
                 Where do you stand on it?  Are you a proponent of the "sexual freedom" or are you against sexual immorality?  It isn't a gray area, either the men in question did nothing wrong, or they did.  If they did, how can doing legal acts that fit in with "sexual freedom" be wrong?  Just food for thought.
                Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Military Intelligenc and Political Math: Oxymorons and Oddities

           So, it is Friday.  So many things to talk about.  I get to stand by an admirals car to make sure that the base police don't ticket it because the plan is to have him park illegally.  Never mind that the Captain could call base police and ask nicely.  Never mind that the cars will have their own drivers.  Never mind that these 4 cars will be next to each other.  I did mention they had detailed 4 of us to do this, didn't I?  Yup, Navy logic.  Better to keep 4 sailors out in the cold than to ask the Captain to ask another Captain for a favor for an Admiral.  There, I have it out of my system, sort of.
            I did a little looking and realized that the military could cut its budget drastically by simply returning classic duties to the military.  You know, like guarding our bases (currently contracted to civilians), maintaining the bases (contracted to civilians), and doing the admin (you know, what yeomen are for).  Instead we contract all that out.  The security of our bases is particularly galling.  When you think about it, we are being severely overcharged for something we can provide ourselves.  The contract to maintain our base security is in the millions.  When you figure out what it would cost to man the gates with military members, you find that they are less than half the cost of the civilians.  Even if you stood up an entirely separate division.  Yet, we are looking at cutting back more on the military side and giving more of our military duties to civilian contractors to "save money."  That was in quotes because I don't see how paying a civilian to do a military job at a higher rate than it would cost for the military member to do it saves money.  Then again, I am not a politician and I don't understand their math.
             Well, that's my two cents.  It was free of charge so there is no refund.  Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Nothing worth noting and nothing of note.

           This has been an interesting week.  With the snow shutting everything down for 2 days, the kids have managed to drive us nuts.  To make it even more interesting, the dryer finally died.  Now we have to get a new one and hope that we can get it delivered before Sunday.  It is amazing just how quickly we can run out of clothes.
            I am so bogged down with so much stuff that I really don't know where to go with today's post.  I think I will just end this and let it go to whatever.  I really don't want to rant on random things for no reason.  It just isn't me.
          Thanks for reading, sorry it is so short, but, as always, have a great day.

Short due to distraction

            The saga of the septic system continues.   The septic guy came yesterday and pumped out the tank.  He then informed us that we would have to have our septic system replaced prior to selling the house.  That's money we really don't want to spend, unfortunately we are going to have to.  I just hope the estimate comes in with a decently small number.  It's in God's hands so we will wait and see what he says. 
             As you can tell, things are pretty interesting right now.  I can't top that for a topic today and really don't want to go into further details.  I am stuck on that one thing and that is not good for what I want my blog to be.  And for the record, I have no idea what I want my blog to be, I just know what I don't want it to be.  I don't want it to be a place where I air all my problems and troubles in excruciating detail.  A brief mention and maybe asking for prayers will be sufficient.  I really want this blog to be about issues and things other than complaints that hold no interest for those not in the family.
            Well, thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day. 

Nothing of importance

           Yesterday went nothing like I planned.  First I got home and was getting ready to go under the house when my wife got home from the car dealer (she got the oil changed in the van).  She informed me that the van needed it's brakes fixed.  So we decided to look into what it would cost to get them fixed elsewhere and ended up spending the afternoon getting them repaired.  After we got home, I did some more trouble shooting and realized that the problem with the toilet wasn't a clog, but a backed up septic system.  So we have the septic guy coming this afternoon to pump it.  As we were taking stock of our savings and determining what repairs we could afford, we realized that, with what we had saved, we could afford to get the dryer repaired as well (it squeaks as it dries).  In other words, our savings is now gone and we should be good on repairs for a while.  Thank God we are actually able to put a little in savings each paycheck.
           I have no idea what to write about today and am wondering where I should go with this post.  After yesterday's rant on the 2nd amendment, I really have nothing else to say, for now anyway.  Things being what they are, I am a bit preoccupied with the aforementioned home problems and where to go from here.  I have so much suddenly on my plate, that I have to wonder if I was just putting everything off until later.  That being said, I think I will sign off for today before I decide to change my mind and go on another rant. 
          Thank you for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Last of the week.

           Due to my schedule, this will be my last post for this week.  I have to say that this has been an interesting day.  I was allowed to go home early last night and thus woke up around 10am.  Needless to say, tomorrow will be interesting as I will have to stay awake until the middle of the afternoon.  Should be interesting.
           Speaking of interesting things, we had proof today that the occupy wall street movement is filled with idiots.  Today, they decided that since they were being ignored by the rich people, they would inconvenience everyone else.  Makes sense, I mean, if you represent people, what better way to show your support than to cause a traffic jam and make sure the 99% that you represent are late to get home for dinner.  Yup, that is exactly what they did.  During the afternoon rush hour, they moved their protest to a heavily traveled bridge and blocked it for an hour, cause we all know that the 1% drives in rush hour traffic in uncomfortable vehicles while their family waits for them to bring home dinner.  At some point, they will have to realize that they are hurting more people than they are helping.  They certainly aren't putting any effort to find jobs.  Amazing how the movement started at the 2 year point of the recession, almost to the day their unemployment benefits ran out.  OK, I have ranted on that enough.
            I am so looking forward to Saturday.  We are going over act 2 again (my favorite act) and spending some time working on the musical numbers.  I really need that.  We are only 2 weeks away from opening night.  I am so excited.  My wife has our tickets and the boys are excited as well.  Should be fun.
           I am running out of things to talk about so I think I will end this one early tonight,  I have been going long for the last couple days so I will just end this one tonight.  Thank you for reading and have a great weekend.

GMT: General Military Training (official), or General Misuse of Time (reality)

         It is official.  I go to work Thursday night as usual and then don't go home until Friday afternoon due to this annual Holiday GMT.  It has to be one of the longest and most ridiculous training sessions the Navy has to offer.  Allow me to give you the run down of last year's marathon of pain.  It began innocently enough with 30 minutes of explaining what was going to happen and when.  Then we went into Sexual assault training.  It wouldn't have been so bad except that the lady giving the lecture (and it was a lecture) accused every guy in the room of rape, multiple times, over the course of an hour.  The next hour wasn't any better as a different lady explained that every guy in the room was guilty of domestic violence, we just hadn't been caught yet and that if we were accused we were guilty until proven innocent.  The next hour was taken up by the command anti alcohol squad explaining the perils of drinking and what was available to all of us addicts out there to help us find a cure.  Little did we know that this was just a fore shadowing of what was to come.  We got released for a one hour lunch (which is kinda hard to do when 300 people simultaneously assault the 4 food joints within striking distance). 
             When we got back the CO talked to us about what was going on and his thoughts for the next 45 minutes.  This was then followed by the most annoying 3 hours of the day.  It began with a Sheriff's department representative who, over the course of an hour, explained the DUI laws and gave about 4 stories of drunk driving cases that ended tragically along with graphic photos (just the thing to see right after a greasy meal). 
             Next up was what we here in the office call simply "creepy lady."  To be fair, this lady lost her son to a drunk driver.  What got to us, wasn't the fact that she talked for an hour about him and the incident, it was the fact that through out the story and lecture, she stood there petting a tennis shoe.  It wasn't until the end of the lecture that we discovered that the shoe had belonged to her son, just to make sure we were thoroughly creeped out. 
             We had now sat through 2 hours of drunk driving stories given by people who thought the best way to convince a bunch of sailors not to drink and drive was to either gross them out or try and make them cry.  And then..., we got Handy Al.  I don't think that is really his name, I just remember this guy in a wheel chair with no legs and one arm that pointed out that a ball cap with those clapping hands on it was his handy cap.  Anyway, he spent the next hour explaining just how much of a drunk and druggie he had been and the drunk driving (yes a 3rd hour of anti-DUI lectures) incident that took his legs and arm.  It probably would have been moving and interesting except for the fact that it was well into the afternoon, we were tired of being called drunken wife beating rapists, and that the room was now hot and filled with the smell of sweat, farts, and McDonald's.  In other words, we just wanted to go home.  To bad we still had an hour of Don't Ask, Don't Tell training that was about as informative as a blank piece of paper.  This is the time of day that a smart person remains quiet when the lecturer asks, "are there any questions?"  To bad there were a bunch of idiots in the room.  So, yes, it was extended for another 30 minutes as people had to ask questions that had already been answered or couldn't be answered. 
          All I got to say is, "I hope it goes better this year."  At least there won't be a DADT lecture at the end and hopefully they learned from last year that 4 hours of anti-DUI training was a bit excessive.  I doubt it, but I can hope.
        Well, thanks for letting me vent and reading my blog.  Have a great day and yadda, yadda, yadda.

Current events in my life. Short.

       So things just got interesting.  I found out today that, due to civilians messing with their schedules, my shop is now going into rotating shift work.  This means that I am going to Graves for 2 months.  It would have been swings for a month then graves for a month, but I had to change it so I could maintain my role in the upcoming play I am involved in.  So now, I will be changing which shift I work each month.  Yay.  All because a bunch of civilians decided to take a weird schedule that required extra coverage and no one wanted to go to other shifts.  Gotta love being a surge volume. 
      On a happier note, I will get off early today to go to my sons parent teacher conferences.  Hopefully things go well.  Then I get a 4 day weekend so I won't have to go back to work until graves Tuesday.  Should be fun.
      I won't be making another post until Tuesday for this reason.  Granted it will be closer to early Wednesday morning, but I will post then.  Have a great day.

A new direction and refocusing.

         I'm back.  Sorry for the lack of posts, last week I was in a transition class that kept me from computers (through sheer lack of time).  It was an awesome class and put out a lot of good information.  Other than that, I have been kept pretty busy. 
         I have done some reflecting and realized that I have been allowing to many distractions to come into my life.  They crept in slowly until, suddenly, the things that I needed to do were on the back burner to things I wanted to do strictly for selfish reasons.  I allowed myself to be distracted by entertainment websites and useless browsing instead of actually putting effort into the things that I needed to get done.  I would justify what I was doing by telling myself that there was no rush until there was.  After last week, I realized that I needed to refocus.  I realized that I needed to prioritize what I was doing and start actually following up with what was happening. 
          The class I was in convinced me that I need to start focusing on what I can do to direct my future and to figure out where I am going.  I allowed myself to be convinced that living in the moment and not worrying about the future was the best way to live.  Why worry when you can enjoy the now?  turns out, if you ride the wave, you eventually crash into the shore.  If you direct yourself just a bit, you can swim out onto the beach instead of the rocks.  I will continue to post daily as it is a way of organizing my thoughts and communicating who I am, but I will be eliminating a few of my regular features to allow me a little more freedom in what I write.  I will continue to have at least one day a week  where I try my hand at humor (I get mixed reviews from my family) to ensure that this doesn't become a blog to cry to, I just won't have it on a regular day.
          I thank you for your support and continued readership.  I will try to make sure I continue to touch on current events and other things that are going on in my life.  Have a great day and keep on trucking.

Manic Monday: Occupy Wall Street: You got the wrong address.

       First off, I would like to apologize for not posting last week.  I was busy and decided to put the blog on the bottom of the list.  After a week off, I feel as though I was missing something so I am back. 
      Today is Monday, which means, Manic Monday!  Today, I think I will tackle this Occupy Wall Street thing.  After reading what it's about and what the protesters are saying, I find myself of two minds.  On the one hand I sort of agree with what they are saying, but on the other, I find it to be overridden by angst against our system.  Allow me to explain.
     The parts I agree with are the some of the base points.  The first being that the majority of Americans have the minority voice in our government.  Our Government tends to listen to the biggest donors (this is done by both Democrats and Republicans), which are not the majority.  How many middle class families can afford $1,500 a plate fundraising dinners?  The Democrats like to point out that the republicans are the most vocal for these businesses, but you have to ask yourself, are the Democrats really against them?  They had 2 years in which to raise taxes on them and they waited for the inevitable swing to blame it on the Republicans.  I agree that we should raise the taxes (or at least remove the deductions they use to not pay taxes) on the rich.
        The second thing I agree with is the underlying message we are feeding our kids these days.  The one that says you have to go to college to get a job.  Years ago, college was what you used to make yourself stand out.  You got your degree in the field you were going to work in and you worked in that field.  You followed it all the way and became as close to an expert in the field you wanted to work in as you could, then you worked in it.  Now, we are told to, "just get a degree."  Really, what in?  It doesn't matter, the employers "just want to see that you are capable of learning."  I looked it up (it was quoted to me so I had to), less than 30% of college grads are working in the field in which they got their degree.  Granted, Lawyers don't necessarily have to have a pre-law degree to go to law school, so they aren't technically working in the field they got their degree in, but it is still a statistic that I find disgusting.  Especially when you add on the fact that the average college grad owes $30,000 in student loans.  Couple that with a tight market and you start your career in debt and behind.  Not a recipe for success.  Let's be realistic, we don't need a degree to be work in a mail room or as a receptionist.  These two positions were the starting points of many a millionaires careers.  The other side of this is that these college grads are led to believe that their degrees rate a higher starting pay.  The sad truth is that this is false.  When you have 20 people vying for the same job, the person who will do it most economically (cheaply and good enough), gets it.  The guy that tells the hirer that he will do it for whatever and has the ability, will get it over the guy with the degree that demands a higher salary.  That's just econ 101. 
            Now for the tough part.  I disagree with the Occupy Wall Street movement on a couple of issues.  The first being the ire directed at inequality in pay.  Yes, there is inequality in pay.  This happens in a society such as we have.  The rich must be taxed.  If you tax their income, they will keep it in the company as much as possible.  If you tax the company profits, the company will put the money into expanding the company and thus create more jobs.  Simple economics.  Yes, this is contrary to what the republicans preach, but it is the truth.  This means the problem isn't with the CEO's or the wealthy, it's with our government.  The Idea that all pay should be equal, or close to it, is a communist ideal.  To protest that corporations should share their wealth, is ludicrous.  You have to reward innovation and business sense.  Failure to do so, will lead to loss of business and thus loss of jobs.  Allow the rich to amass wealth, but at the same time, tax them in such a way as to aid the nation.  The difficult part is finding the balance.  We have to find a balance where we tax the wealthy enough that they find it better to reinvest in society, but not so much that they leave altogether.  The same with businesses. 
            The second thing I disagree with is where it is located.  As you can tell from my comments above, this should be a Occupy Washington movement.  Camp out on the capital's steps, in front of the White House, and at the congressional offices.  The CEO's are laughing at you because you are ineffectual in your actions.  Move to Washington, and they may start quaking in their boots.  Right now, the CEO's are finding your actions laughable because, while you may inconvenience them a little bit, they are still raking in the cash.  While you may draw attention to yourselves, you are not inconveniencing anyone who can be swayed by your stance.  True, the media is following you, but you are railing at the CEO's to change.  True, some elected officials are listening and commenting, but they aren't afraid because you haven't targeted them.  Move you your protest to Washington and start naming who is donating to who.  Start pointing out the money and what needs to be done, not just in Washington, but in their home states.  You can affect the elected officials' jobs with your protest by pointing out how they are stopping the necessary change.  You can't do that by protesting the guys who worked their way up to the top and managed a company that made money.  they just aren't going to listen because you can't affect their pay.
         That's all I have for today.  I know some of what I said is controversial, I just ask that you be respectful in how you respond.  Thank you.

Priorities: Find yours.

       Let's start with a notice.  I reread what I wrote yesterday and found quite a few glaring grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.  I have since corrected these and must apologize to any of you who care about those things.  The rest of you who didn't notice, well, ignore the first three sentences.
       Today I wanted to share with you some things that have been going through my head for a while.  Then I thought about it and realized that may be a little gross, so I decided to give you this instead.  Try and imagine the one thing that would change your life the most.  Think on it.  Don't just grab the easy, more money.  Try and think of something that would make a substantial change.  Something that involves more than paying the bills.  Something that would make a difference in how you thought of yourself and how you acted.  True, vast amounts of money might do that, but would it be a change you would be proud of?
        We have all had the dream of being rich and not having to worry about money.  Turns out, no matter what you do, you will eventually worry about money.  It's just the way we are.  If you don't have it, you worry about not having it and what you need it for.  If have some but not a lot, you worry that what you are doing with it is right.  If you have a lot of it, you worry about other people trying to take it and how you spend it.  True, the worries are different, but then, so are we.
        I like to go through this mental exercise every once in while, just to remind myself that money doesn't end all our problems, it just changes what those problems are.  It becomes more of an attitude adjustment at that point.  Yes, I would love to have a few hundred thousand dollars to get myself out of debt and living comfortably, but how would that change me and would I want that change?  There is always something I can improve on and money is not something that is key to those improvements.  Attitude is.  I find it funny that people think that they would be better people if they just had more money.  Not true.  If you are a jerk (to put it kindly) before you have money, you tend to be a jerk after you get it.  Money is an amplifier.  It usually amplifies the trait you least like about yourself.  The guy who never paid for a date, he spent all his money on cars, houses, and parties.  The guy who was rude to the homeless, he ignores his old friends because they can't afford to hang with him.
        There are exceptions, there always are.  But usually, what you see as exceptions, are just amplifications of the rule.  The couple that won the lotto and founded and ran several charities, they were active volunteers in their community before they won.  The guy who payed off his debts and the debts of his family, he was struggling to get by and paid his debts before he fed himself.  Money amplifies not only our personality, it amplifies our priorities.
        In the bible, it says, "the love of money is the root of all evil."  This has been perverted to "money is the root of evil."  While to a degree this is true, I think it is more accurate to say, "money amplifies evil."  The more money you have, the more obvious your priorities.  Ask yourself what you would do with the money if you won the lottery.  Would you invest it to make more?  Maybe you would pay off all your debt first.  Maybe you would give a bit to charity.  Or would you just spend it on a bunch of toys?  Where you put that money tells a lot about where your priorities are.  What you find important is where you will put your time and energy as well as your money.  By asking yourself these questions and being honest with the answers, you will find what you deem worthy of your time.
      Now for the clincher.  Where is your family on the list?  Is it first?  If not, what are you giving up your family for?  Now is the time to adjust your priorities, not when you win the lottery.  If your priorities are right now, they will be right later.
       In closing, I just want to say that, by investing in things that are worthwhile (I can't think of anything more worthwhile than my God and Family), you can't help but be content.  I am not saying you will be monetarily rich or that it will be easy.  I am saying that even when things are tough, you will be able to find a way to smile.  That investment will give you the strength you need to get through those tough times.  Take a second and discover your priorities.  Better to adjust them now and find contentment, then be miserable when you find your priorities left you alone.

Manic Monday: Cut the budget somewhere else.

          It is Manic Monday.  Today's subject, the national budget.  Recently a friend pointed out that the first thing the government seeks to cut is the defense budget.  I wonder why.  The fact is that the defense budget is less than a quarter of the entire national budget.  This means that three quarters of the budget is considered secondary when it comes to cuts.  The pentagon was instructed to cut 600 billion from its budget.  If all of the rest of government were to cut the same amount, it would amount to 2.4 trillion dollars in savings.  Yet, it is only the defense budget that is facing these type of cuts.  Now, add in the fact that, of all the programs on the budget, only Defense is named specifically in the constitution.  I know that some of the other expenditures are implied, but only defense is actually named. 
            So, why is defense always targeted?  Because for years it was viewed as a black hole for our money.  We would drop in millions and what did we get out?  Some new weapons, maybe a new building.  Then there were the rumors of thousand dollar hammers and million dollar toilet seats.  While these may be exaggerations, there is some truth to the premise.  The military does end up paying more for what they buy, than the average Joe would for the same items.  Why?  Because of the acquisition rules set for us by congress.  Because every congressman wants the big government contract for his constituents.  The fact is that we are overcharged because the businesses can.  Let's take a look at a simple valve.  That part may cost $20 at Lowe's.  But the government will end up paying $30 for the valve and here is why.  That mom and pop business competing with Lowe's begins with an advantage.  They get to deduct 10% from what they charge because they are a small business.  Next, they get to deduct another 10% because they are woman owned.  Then another 10% because that woman is a veteran.  Then another 10% because she is a minority.  After all of these deductions, the small business can charge $30 and their bid shows up as $19.70, which is obviously less than $20 and thus wins the contract.  This is a small example.  There are hundreds more like it and it adds up.  As I said, these rules were set by congress and are known throughout the contracting world.  Thus, if a company wants to win a government contract, they split off a division that makes a specific item the government wants and ensures that it is small enough to be classified as a small business.  They list a minority, veteran, woman with a disability as the owner and now she charges 1.5 times what her competitors charge and wins the contract.  This drives up what we have to pay for defense.
           That being said.  I wouldn't have a problem cutting the defense budget if we also got rid of these rules so that we didn't have to pay twice as much for items as they would cost a guy in the street.  The problem is, because of these rules, we have to pay the extra to just maintain our military.  This means, the cuts we are now looking to make must come from the personnel budget.  That's right, we are looking at ways to take away what those of us who have served our country have earned.  They are going to start charging us more for the health care we were promised would be free if we served for 20 years.  We are being told that the next generation will no longer receive a retirement they earned for 20 years of service.  Instead they will be given half of what is now considered small and they have to wait until they are 67 to get it.  How is this right?  We have a welfare system that is broke.  A government that is dysfunctional at best.  Yet, our military, which is considered the finest in the world (and by the way is one of the very few all volunteer force), is the first to get the axe.  Apparently, what works must be destroyed so that that which doesn't appears better. 
          Am I a bit disappointed?  Yes.  Am I bit angered?  Who wouldn't be?  The reality is that those who don't serve or have never served, look at the military as a huge drain.  They don't see the need for it.  there is a need.  The role of our military is to protect our nation and its interests.  We do this by providing a military force within our boundaries.  We do this by taking the fight to those who would bring it to us.  We do this by protecting those who would be our allies.  We do this by ensuring we leave a place better than when we got there.  Some say the military is not protecting our interests in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I beg to differ.  Afghanistan was a direct result of 9/11.  Deny it all you want, but we went in with almost 100% support.  Iraq, although not as obvious, was a threat to us and the region.  Saddam Hussein continually threatened those around him and pushed us.  For 8 years under Clinton, he would regularly flaunt our indecision by first denying access for inspectors then allowing them just as we were about to take action.  Did we use a bad excuse?  Maybe.  We don't have the briefing papers the president had when he authorized it.  It doesn't watter now though.  Remember that last thing I said we did?  The one about leaving a place better than we found it.  This means we are responsible to help establish a government that can function and give its people the freedoms that we enjoy.  This means we can't just leave a defeated nation to fend for itself.  Especially a nation that was a breeding ground for terrorists.  If we had just left them, the Afghan and Iraqi people would have been saddled with a country with no government, no infrastructure, and no help to rebuild.  By staying and helping them set this up, we are helping to maintain and build stability in an unstable region.  This is what we do.  To do any less would be un-American. 
          Now that I have ranted and raved about what I believe on this.  It is your turn.  Tell me where I am wrong.  Let me know what I have said that has upset you.  I look forward to any discussion on this topic you wish to have.  I think its time we look at the other three fourths of the national budget for our savings.  But maybe I am mistaken.
          Thank you for your time.  Have a wonderful day.

Happy Hump Day: Yes, Dear.

          Happy Hump Day!  You'd think I'd be happier since it is my birthday.  I'm not.  At first, I was excited.  After all, it is my birthday.  Then I realized that it meant I was older.  Not something I like being reminded of (especially since I am one of the older (if not the oldest) military guy in my office).  Yup, I am now 37.  That's right, 37 years of making mistakes and learning from them.  You'd think, by now, I would have learned everything there is to know about making mistakes, but I find I keep making new ones.  I have heard from some of my more learned (I'll just use that term instead of older from now on, I think it sounds better) colleagues and friends that you keep making mistakes.  Something about no one is perfect.  Seems to me that there can only be a finite amount of mistakes one can make.  Seems logical anyway.  But then you throw in the illogical (i.e. women) and the number of mistakes grow at a rapid rate.
        Just when you think you have the rules figured out (usually just before puberty) you realize girls are interesting and the rules completely change.  No longer is it cool to dig a hole in the ground to bury your GI Joes.  No longer is that ratty game shirt worthy of wearing.  No longer is it better to have your fly open than to be seen with a girl.  Now, you have to figure out what it is women want.  In your infinite wisdom at that age (now a teen), you think you can figure it out given enough time.  By the time you realize that you'll never figure out women (and any man who claims he has is either a fool or was once one), you are either to old to be interested in them (that age right before you die), or you are married to one and the rules have changed yet again. 
          That's right, the rules you used to get her to date you, love you, and then marry you (though not always in that order) changed as soon as she said I do.  At this point every man has a decision to make.  Either you give up and roll with the punches because no matter what you do, you will anger her at least once a week and have to apologize.  You don't even have to be there.  Sometimes, you aren't even remotely responsible.  For example, I have had days where my wife was angry at me all day because in her dreams I did something to make her mad.  How the heck am I supposed to control that?!  Admittedly, she has gotten better about it, now she only gets mad when my dream self blatantly cheats on her. 
           Oh, did I mention that half of the time, they refuse to tell you why they are mad?  That's right, we have to guess.  Us guys, the ones who took three weeks to take the hint that you wanted us to ask you out.  The human beings that still haven't figured out that you want the toilet seat down, even though you've mentioned it for the last 20 years.  Yup, we have to guess.  And that just makes them madder, usually because we end up listing things they didn't know about, but mostly because we aren't telepathic and can't figure out exactly where we went wrong.  Then when they finally tell us why they were mad in the first place, you find it was either something we could do nothing about, something so minor that it wasn't worth mentioning, or sometimes (a small percentage really) something legitimate.  Then you factor in the rule that no rule is set in stone (except that one rule that is that you don't learn about until to late), and you are in trouble.  Yup, we men can't win. 
           That being said, I still have a lot to learn.  As is obvious from my post, I have said to much and now I have angered the one I love.  At least this time I don't have to guess what I did.  I just ranted on the wrong thing, exaggerated stuff she didn't find funny, and talked about women in a manner that some might say is disrespectful no matter how true.  Yup, I am in trouble.  Time to go home and take my licks and do the head bobbing yes dear.  You know the move guys.  The one where you bob your head and say, "yes, dear," in acknowledgement as the woman you love tells you just how badly you screwed up.  You hope to learn from it (I obviously didn't in this case), but you listen and hope you will at least get a good night kiss out of it. 
        Ladies, I hope the lesson you learn from this is simply that, no matter what he says or does, you have more power over him than anybody else in the world.  When you smile, you can get him to do anything.  When you frown and snap, he does it faster though.  Just saying.
        The above was written at an attempt at humor.  Only the author was harmed (hopefully) as a result of this post.  Ignore all resemblance to real life as it is strictly a coincidence.  Thank you.  Have a wonderful day and ...  what?  Yes, dear.

Weekend up date and other things

          Tuesday and all is well.  OK, sort of.  The usual stuff is going on.  Soccer practice, rehearsal, and meals.  Maybe that is why I am going insane.  I just keep going on with things that I have to do and places I have to be.  So close and yet so far.  Am I rambling, I think I am rambling.  Guess it's time to perform the weekend up date.
          Here goes nothing.  This weekend my brother in came in for a few days.  I think I mentioned that Friday.  Anyway, it was a good weekend.  The weather was nice so we were able to enjoy our sons' soccer games.  They both did well.  We were busy Saturday because of it though.  Sunday went well and we were able to enjoy ourselves further.  That is until I had to go to work at 9:30 pm.  I had to work graves Sunday night.  There was only 1 job, but I did OK.  At least I got to spend Monday at home.  I did sleep half the day though.  That is why there was no Monday post.  That and it was my anniversary.  That's right, 13 years of marriage to the most wonderful woman in the world.  Here's to, oh, let's say, a few millenia more.  The topper came when the Cowboys won on MNF.  Good day all around.
          This isn't to say that nothing bad happened this weekend, just more good than bad.  The down side of this weekend?  My phone has decided that it doesn't want to charge properly.  I have a work around so I don't need to get a new phone, it is just darn annoying.  Most people would say to just get a new phone, so let me explain why I don't want a new one.  Yes, dear, I just said I don't want a new one.  First off, I don't want to sign a new 2 year contract to get a new phone.  I retire and leave the area (probably) in about 16 months.  This means that if I go to an area that Verizon doesn't cover, then I will still have 8 months left on a contract for a phone I can't use.  Thus no new contract allowed.  Secondly, we aren't rich and thus can't afford to shell out the $200 that a new phone costs without a new contract.  Thirdly, I am limited in what phones I can have right now as I am not allowed to take a phone with a camera on it into work (my current phone doesn't have one so I am OK).  The next time I get a new phone, I want to get a nice one and that means it will probably have a camera.  If I wait until after I retire, I should be able to get the nice phone I want.  This all adds up to no new phone for me.  Sure I may have to trade batteries with my wife's phone every morning, but that isn't to much of a hassle.  I will deal with it.
          So that was the bad side of the weekend.  It probably wouldn't have been that bad, except that I went off a bit when I first found the problem and now my wife is convinced that I want to drop $400 on a new phone.  Now, every time I note that the battery on my phone is dead, I get to hear a worried lecture on how we are broke and can my new phone wait.  I think I've said, I am fine with my phone and that I'll work around it at least a dozen times now.  Hopefully this will change that.  If not, I will live with it.  That's what I get for freaking out that I didn't have a phone.  For those of you who don't know us all that well, I love my wife deeply and do not mean any of this in a negative sense.  I refer you to the opening announcement of my 13 years of wedded....OK, maybe not bliss, but definitely mostly happy times.  Hey, it's marriage and life, and thus it isn't always happy.  My marriage is about 90% happy (the remaining 10% is 5% my fault, 1% hers, and 4% confusing) and that is pretty darn good.  Especially, with 4 boys in the house.  That being said, I will probably hear about this post when I get home and my wife and I will talk about this and hug afterwards. 
          Keep your chins up, and don't let the world get you down.  Have a great day and I will post tomorrow.  Thank you