What I'm Thinkin'
If you read one of my earlier blogs you will see I stated, once the Bailouts start there will be more requests for money. Here they come.
But what is really happening here?
Here is how it works: businesses and governments all make budgets for the next year, they predict expenses and try to adjust expenses to make a profit or savings. You may even do this with your income.
There is one cost factor that drives the economy more than any other. Oil.
Think about this. Everyone budgets to spend a certain amount of money in each area budgeted for, right. Well, what happens when the price of a barrel oil goes up? Gas prices go up. What happens when gas prices go up? ALL other prices must go up. Have you been to the grocery store lately? The prices jumped and are still up. Why? Gas prices went up.
Take the Postal Service - now in financial trouble. Why? Gas prices. They budgeted for gas for 200,000 vehicles to deliver the mail 6 days a week then gas prices went from $2.00 to $4.00 per gallon. This in itself is a huge portion of the loses that hit the Postal Service. I do not know why they seem to have forgot this.
Think about this; everything is connected to oil.
We trade everything for oil. Its all about the oil.
The weird thing is that everyone has forgotten all about the oil and is blaming our current situation on everything but oil, AND IT'S THE OIL!
Oh, I am not saying the banking and auto industry are not a mess, they are. But all our wealth went to the Middle East.
When will we learn? We need our own energy source. The Middle East has been a huge draw on the wealth of our nation for almost 40 years. Remember the energy crisis of the 70's. What has changed? Nothing. They robbed us then and they are still robbing us.
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Global Warming? Baby, It's Cold Outside!
What I'm Thinkin'
I was watching Nat Geo the other night on tv. It was an episode about global warming.
These scientists had drilled some ice core samples from the Antarctic and were discussing how they could read what the weather was like for the past thousands of years. Each year was individually observed like rings in a tree. Each year had its own ring.
They could tell how much carbon dioxide was in the air and how much perception fell and even if there was volcanic activity.
So I am watching this thing intrigued by all the stuff I am learning.
Then....
Then they say something like; when there was little precipitation (clear skies/sunny) it was colder than when there were clouds and lots of moisture. Then they said something like "we have no idea why".
I thought, what the heck! This is not a little thing. But they blew over it and I heard no more about it.
I am not afraid of science. I like it. But 1/2 a story is not a story.
So, this morning I wake up and it is the first sunny day in a long time AND IT'S FREEZING OUTSIDE!
I think, hmmmm. They were right. When it was cloudy it was warmer, now when it's clear, it is very cold. Why?
Heck, I don't know.
It could be the clouds hold in all the heat from the lava under the earths crust or the dark side of space is so cold it makes us colder at night. Whatever.
The earth could be warming just as the scientist say. But why? Could be the natural way of things? Or, mankind is making greenhouse gases messing things up?
I don't know..... Now where did I put my cup of hot chocolate? I'm cold.
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
I was watching Nat Geo the other night on tv. It was an episode about global warming.
These scientists had drilled some ice core samples from the Antarctic and were discussing how they could read what the weather was like for the past thousands of years. Each year was individually observed like rings in a tree. Each year had its own ring.
They could tell how much carbon dioxide was in the air and how much perception fell and even if there was volcanic activity.
So I am watching this thing intrigued by all the stuff I am learning.
Then....
Then they say something like; when there was little precipitation (clear skies/sunny) it was colder than when there were clouds and lots of moisture. Then they said something like "we have no idea why".
I thought, what the heck! This is not a little thing. But they blew over it and I heard no more about it.
I am not afraid of science. I like it. But 1/2 a story is not a story.
So, this morning I wake up and it is the first sunny day in a long time AND IT'S FREEZING OUTSIDE!
I think, hmmmm. They were right. When it was cloudy it was warmer, now when it's clear, it is very cold. Why?
Heck, I don't know.
It could be the clouds hold in all the heat from the lava under the earths crust or the dark side of space is so cold it makes us colder at night. Whatever.
The earth could be warming just as the scientist say. But why? Could be the natural way of things? Or, mankind is making greenhouse gases messing things up?
I don't know..... Now where did I put my cup of hot chocolate? I'm cold.
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Thursday, January 1, 2009
If This Is True, We Are In Trouble
"What I'm Thinkin"
I usually do not blog like this.
I came across this at Military.Com
Jeff Huber is a retired military officer. Read what he has to say. Remember what he says. Lets see if it comes to pass.
If this does come to pass it is a real wake up call for all of us.
I hope he is wrong, but I think he is on to something here.
Just click here to read his article: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,182037,00.html?ESRC=dod-bz.nl
If the click does not work just copy the address and paste it in your address bar.
"What I'm Thinkin"
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
I usually do not blog like this.
I came across this at Military.Com
Jeff Huber is a retired military officer. Read what he has to say. Remember what he says. Lets see if it comes to pass.
If this does come to pass it is a real wake up call for all of us.
I hope he is wrong, but I think he is on to something here.
Just click here to read his article: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,182037,00.html?ESRC=dod-bz.nl
If the click does not work just copy the address and paste it in your address bar.
"What I'm Thinkin"
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Union Vs Management = Greed
"What I'm Thinkin"
First, Happy New Year! May you all be blessed.
The battle between unions and management has a long and disgusting history.
The old phrase "owe your soul to the company store" is true. Oppression of the worker is a long history. It came to a peak in the coal and copper mines during the early 1900's. Employees were able to go to the company store to buy things on credit; like food and cloths. The mine would pay them just enough to pay their bill. Sometimes the employees ended the week owing the company store more than they were paid for working that week.
Safety was hardly considered. Mine cave ins killed many miners, safety standards did not exist. The cost of safety was retorted to be to much of a financial burden for management to bear.
Let me put this another way. Greed ruled. Pay as small of wage as possible, safety costs; so don't worry about safety, and over charge them at every opportunity (at the company store) to maximize profit. Oh, and your health Mr. Employee... that's your problem. Managements attitude was terrible. A revolt happened.
Along came the unions. Many wrongs were made right. A decent wage, health coverage, safe working conditions. Great!
All of that being said the pendulum has now swung in the other direction. Now it is the unions who have become greedy. Unions have grown powerful. Their unbridled hunger for more of everything has been out of control years.
Have you ever noticed how close politicians and unions are related? Here is what I mean:
We elect politicians to politic for us. Politicians must do something - like make some more laws or regulations - or they are accused of not doing anything. Right? This is a true story. The problem now; we have so many laws and regulations it is nearly impossible to keep up. Businesses and managers are overwhelmed OSHA, EEO, FLSA, FMLA, Minimum Wage, Tax Laws..... oh Lord, the list goes on and on.
Unions do same. The worker expects the union to fight for more "stuff" when their contract is due. The problem now; unions have taken so much "stuff" businesses can barely survive; only certain workers can do a certain job, time and a half or double time, protecting poor performing employees, accusing management of poor management......oh Lord, the list goes on and on.
Kind of the same, don't you think? More is better. I don't think so.
Anyways.
The fact is unions share no responsibility for the health of a company. And, there are plenty of cases were the unions have taken so much "stuff" they put the company out of business.
Today a union employee can accuse management of anything they want to, and management is guilty until they prove themselves innocent. Management must pay the employee time to make the complaint. Management must pay the union steward time to accept, process, and file the complaint. Management must pay for mediators to hear the complaint.
Unions and employees can file a grievance for absolutely anything they want, union stewards answer to no one; and management must pay for it all.
This story really happened. A manager asked an employee why it "took so long to do a job". It took an employee 9 1/2 hours to do an 8 hour job and this cost 1 1/2 hours of overtime pay. The employee refused to answer, accused management of harassment, filed a harassment charge against the manager, and also filed an EEO for discrimination. The union backed these charges all the way and even encouraged them. Management will pay the union steward to press the charges. Management will end up paying thousands of dollars in wages and mediation fees before the EEO charge is even looked at.
The union has a pretty heavy hand with no accountability. Even if the manager is found to be innocent of the charges, the company pays the costs, not the union. There is no accountability by the union or employee for any false accusations. EVER!
So this is a very effective union tactic to stop management from asking an employee anything that has to do with poor work performance. It becomes very costly for management to try to control overtime. If management tolerates the poor performance and just pays the overtime this encourages more abuse. It is a lose lose for management. Management pays a very high price for trying to find out something as simple as "why did it take you so long to do the job". Not to mention the anguish the manager will go through for personally being falsely accused of wrong doing.
The company pays for the employee's pursuit to be "made whole" (get money for their pain and suffering) because they were violated, and management's defense against the accusations. The unions and employees have nothing to lose and everything to gain. There is no rule, policy, law, or regulation that prohibits false accusations or any punishment to the accuser or union if the allegations are found to be false.
It comes back to greed. Get as much as you can! Especially employees who want to do as little as possible for as much money as they can get. The union protects them; the union says, "don't let management push you around, your a great worker". There is never a cost or penalty for employees or unions taking this position, even if they are wrong. And they can do it over and over again.
Whether the accusations are true or false, management loses. Firing an employee can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Then the ex-employee will probably sue the company for wrongful dismissal. So, who wants to fire someone?
As you can see employees and unions lose nothing when creating trouble for management. In fact they both will be rewarded with more rights and money if they win.
All of this has set the table we are now sitting at; as we continue to eat a poison called, greed.
"What I'm Thinkin"
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
First, Happy New Year! May you all be blessed.
The battle between unions and management has a long and disgusting history.
The old phrase "owe your soul to the company store" is true. Oppression of the worker is a long history. It came to a peak in the coal and copper mines during the early 1900's. Employees were able to go to the company store to buy things on credit; like food and cloths. The mine would pay them just enough to pay their bill. Sometimes the employees ended the week owing the company store more than they were paid for working that week.
Safety was hardly considered. Mine cave ins killed many miners, safety standards did not exist. The cost of safety was retorted to be to much of a financial burden for management to bear.
Let me put this another way. Greed ruled. Pay as small of wage as possible, safety costs; so don't worry about safety, and over charge them at every opportunity (at the company store) to maximize profit. Oh, and your health Mr. Employee... that's your problem. Managements attitude was terrible. A revolt happened.
Along came the unions. Many wrongs were made right. A decent wage, health coverage, safe working conditions. Great!
All of that being said the pendulum has now swung in the other direction. Now it is the unions who have become greedy. Unions have grown powerful. Their unbridled hunger for more of everything has been out of control years.
Have you ever noticed how close politicians and unions are related? Here is what I mean:
We elect politicians to politic for us. Politicians must do something - like make some more laws or regulations - or they are accused of not doing anything. Right? This is a true story. The problem now; we have so many laws and regulations it is nearly impossible to keep up. Businesses and managers are overwhelmed OSHA, EEO, FLSA, FMLA, Minimum Wage, Tax Laws..... oh Lord, the list goes on and on.
Unions do same. The worker expects the union to fight for more "stuff" when their contract is due. The problem now; unions have taken so much "stuff" businesses can barely survive; only certain workers can do a certain job, time and a half or double time, protecting poor performing employees, accusing management of poor management......oh Lord, the list goes on and on.
Kind of the same, don't you think? More is better. I don't think so.
Anyways.
The fact is unions share no responsibility for the health of a company. And, there are plenty of cases were the unions have taken so much "stuff" they put the company out of business.
Today a union employee can accuse management of anything they want to, and management is guilty until they prove themselves innocent. Management must pay the employee time to make the complaint. Management must pay the union steward time to accept, process, and file the complaint. Management must pay for mediators to hear the complaint.
Unions and employees can file a grievance for absolutely anything they want, union stewards answer to no one; and management must pay for it all.
This story really happened. A manager asked an employee why it "took so long to do a job". It took an employee 9 1/2 hours to do an 8 hour job and this cost 1 1/2 hours of overtime pay. The employee refused to answer, accused management of harassment, filed a harassment charge against the manager, and also filed an EEO for discrimination. The union backed these charges all the way and even encouraged them. Management will pay the union steward to press the charges. Management will end up paying thousands of dollars in wages and mediation fees before the EEO charge is even looked at.
The union has a pretty heavy hand with no accountability. Even if the manager is found to be innocent of the charges, the company pays the costs, not the union. There is no accountability by the union or employee for any false accusations. EVER!
So this is a very effective union tactic to stop management from asking an employee anything that has to do with poor work performance. It becomes very costly for management to try to control overtime. If management tolerates the poor performance and just pays the overtime this encourages more abuse. It is a lose lose for management. Management pays a very high price for trying to find out something as simple as "why did it take you so long to do the job". Not to mention the anguish the manager will go through for personally being falsely accused of wrong doing.
The company pays for the employee's pursuit to be "made whole" (get money for their pain and suffering) because they were violated, and management's defense against the accusations. The unions and employees have nothing to lose and everything to gain. There is no rule, policy, law, or regulation that prohibits false accusations or any punishment to the accuser or union if the allegations are found to be false.
It comes back to greed. Get as much as you can! Especially employees who want to do as little as possible for as much money as they can get. The union protects them; the union says, "don't let management push you around, your a great worker". There is never a cost or penalty for employees or unions taking this position, even if they are wrong. And they can do it over and over again.
Whether the accusations are true or false, management loses. Firing an employee can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Then the ex-employee will probably sue the company for wrongful dismissal. So, who wants to fire someone?
As you can see employees and unions lose nothing when creating trouble for management. In fact they both will be rewarded with more rights and money if they win.
All of this has set the table we are now sitting at; as we continue to eat a poison called, greed.
"What I'm Thinkin"
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sad but Funny LOL
What I'm Thinkin'
This has been recently reported, in case you missed it.
Patti Blagoevich, the wife of the current idiot Governor of Illinois, had her own real estate business. She gave it up earlier this year after the feds questioned her association with Antoin Rezko. Antoin has be convicted of money laundering and fraud.
So guess what Patti is doing these days......
She is working as an Investment Banker! Now there is a match made in heaven. I would guess with her potential skills in fraud, money laundering, and real estate this is a perfect fit considering the current banking/mortgage crisis.
Is this nuts? Okay, I would not be doing business there. LOL
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
This has been recently reported, in case you missed it.
Patti Blagoevich, the wife of the current idiot Governor of Illinois, had her own real estate business. She gave it up earlier this year after the feds questioned her association with Antoin Rezko. Antoin has be convicted of money laundering and fraud.
So guess what Patti is doing these days......
She is working as an Investment Banker! Now there is a match made in heaven. I would guess with her potential skills in fraud, money laundering, and real estate this is a perfect fit considering the current banking/mortgage crisis.
Is this nuts? Okay, I would not be doing business there. LOL
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Veterans Affairs Time Delay
What I'm Thinkin';
Veterans have a tough time being serve by the VA.
As you may or may not know I am a Disabled Veteran. My injury was such that I was Honorably Discharged. At the time the doctors told me go go as long as I could with my injury and when the day comes and it is not tolerable I should go to the VA and get it fixed. It is my right knee. I tore it up pretty good and I have been tolerating it for over 30 years now.
Well, last summer it started giving me more problems than ever before. For example when I sleep it slips out of the joint and locks. Then it starts aching and wakes me up. It is quite a chore to get the thing back in place.
So I think, okay time to get something done. I go to the VA and find out I need to apply for medical treatment even though I already have a 10 percent disability from the VA.
Not a problem. I took the application home and filled it out. I sent it in.
I need to mention that when I went to the VA it looked like a "cattle call".
The room was way over crowded and there was every color, sex, and disability standing, sitting, and in wheelchairs. Some without an arm.... you get the picture.
I felt small in comparison to what I saw.
So... I send the application to the VA. That was back about the 1st or 2nd week of September. It is now the 11th of December and I have not heard a word.
I started investigating the VA to find out what happened, why is it taking so long? I have discovered that the VA has, the day before Veterans Day this year, had 2 lawsuits filed against it for taking so long to process applications for claims. Initial claims take 182 days and appeals take 4 1/2 years!
"The 90-day and 180-day standards sought by the lawsuit are the groups’ estimates of what is reasonable. Federal law does not include any specific requirement about how long claims processing can take".
Holy Moly!! We need a Federal Law to realize this is unacceptable!
Maybe this is why we have so many laws..... that would be another blog. Common sense is just not so common anymore.
What I'm Thinkin'.
Sincerely,
Timohty James Maki
Veterans have a tough time being serve by the VA.
As you may or may not know I am a Disabled Veteran. My injury was such that I was Honorably Discharged. At the time the doctors told me go go as long as I could with my injury and when the day comes and it is not tolerable I should go to the VA and get it fixed. It is my right knee. I tore it up pretty good and I have been tolerating it for over 30 years now.
Well, last summer it started giving me more problems than ever before. For example when I sleep it slips out of the joint and locks. Then it starts aching and wakes me up. It is quite a chore to get the thing back in place.
So I think, okay time to get something done. I go to the VA and find out I need to apply for medical treatment even though I already have a 10 percent disability from the VA.
Not a problem. I took the application home and filled it out. I sent it in.
I need to mention that when I went to the VA it looked like a "cattle call".
The room was way over crowded and there was every color, sex, and disability standing, sitting, and in wheelchairs. Some without an arm.... you get the picture.
I felt small in comparison to what I saw.
So... I send the application to the VA. That was back about the 1st or 2nd week of September. It is now the 11th of December and I have not heard a word.
I started investigating the VA to find out what happened, why is it taking so long? I have discovered that the VA has, the day before Veterans Day this year, had 2 lawsuits filed against it for taking so long to process applications for claims. Initial claims take 182 days and appeals take 4 1/2 years!
"The 90-day and 180-day standards sought by the lawsuit are the groups’ estimates of what is reasonable. Federal law does not include any specific requirement about how long claims processing can take".
Holy Moly!! We need a Federal Law to realize this is unacceptable!
Maybe this is why we have so many laws..... that would be another blog. Common sense is just not so common anymore.
What I'm Thinkin'.
Sincerely,
Timohty James Maki
Monday, October 20, 2008
Support the Troops
What I'm Thinkin';
Support the troops. Absolutely.
I was reminiscing about the Vietnam War this past Veterans Day. When those troops came home the were called murderers and baby killers. Can you imagine that? Horror in war, horror at home.
How does one find themselves in a war? Some people volunteered, some were drafted, some were doing their duty because the loved their country, and others had no prospects or were going to jail if they did not join. Quite a mix. One thing for sure; most had unexpected experiences, things they never imagined when the bullets started flying and the bombs were bursting all around them. War is far more than a 2 hr t.v. show or movie.
One thing I know for sure is not one of us reading this blog, can know what it was like to participate in something like the Hill 937 (Hamburger Hill), unless you were there. Hamburger Hill was only 10 days in the Vietnam war, which lasted years.
There could be veterans reading this who have experienced war. Only those who have been in battle are in a position to talk about it, the rest of us should only show compassion for those who have been there.
Not all soldiers like war. Probably the vast majority hate it once they are under fire. They wish they were far from where they find themselves. Yet, they fight hard for their brother next to them. Those who are wounded cry out for their mother. Those who survive cry for those who did not. War is ugly.
My cousin has a son who served in Iraq. He drove the brass around. One day the media was coming to their area and the brass told my cousin's son not to talk to the media. Why? Because after what he experienced he had other opinions about what was going on in Iraq and his statements would not line up with what "they" want the American people to hear.
I do support the troops. I do not support their mission. I do not blame them for what they are ordered to do. They are soldiers they will carry out their orders as those in my generation did in Vietnam.
There are those who think that if you do not support the war you do not support the troops. That is just not true. I'm Thinkin' there is a huge difference between the two.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Support the troops. Absolutely.
I was reminiscing about the Vietnam War this past Veterans Day. When those troops came home the were called murderers and baby killers. Can you imagine that? Horror in war, horror at home.
How does one find themselves in a war? Some people volunteered, some were drafted, some were doing their duty because the loved their country, and others had no prospects or were going to jail if they did not join. Quite a mix. One thing for sure; most had unexpected experiences, things they never imagined when the bullets started flying and the bombs were bursting all around them. War is far more than a 2 hr t.v. show or movie.
One thing I know for sure is not one of us reading this blog, can know what it was like to participate in something like the Hill 937 (Hamburger Hill), unless you were there. Hamburger Hill was only 10 days in the Vietnam war, which lasted years.
There could be veterans reading this who have experienced war. Only those who have been in battle are in a position to talk about it, the rest of us should only show compassion for those who have been there.
Not all soldiers like war. Probably the vast majority hate it once they are under fire. They wish they were far from where they find themselves. Yet, they fight hard for their brother next to them. Those who are wounded cry out for their mother. Those who survive cry for those who did not. War is ugly.
My cousin has a son who served in Iraq. He drove the brass around. One day the media was coming to their area and the brass told my cousin's son not to talk to the media. Why? Because after what he experienced he had other opinions about what was going on in Iraq and his statements would not line up with what "they" want the American people to hear.
I do support the troops. I do not support their mission. I do not blame them for what they are ordered to do. They are soldiers they will carry out their orders as those in my generation did in Vietnam.
There are those who think that if you do not support the war you do not support the troops. That is just not true. I'm Thinkin' there is a huge difference between the two.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
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