When Obama speaks ...

There was a commercial which said when EF Hutton talks people listen.   EF Hutton is now part of Citigroup which is in big time trouble; where the government is going to take a 40% ownership stake.

When President Obama talks the stock market goes down.  He announces the stimulus the stock market tanks almost 300 points (DJIA), he announces his mortgage plan down goes the market,  he announces his budget the market is down 119 points.

An additional request for President Obama is to not speak for Lent; give the stock market a chance to rebound.

Remember Joe Bfstplk (man with cloud over head) by Al Capp; Obama is a modern day one.

jinx (n) a person or thing that brings bad luck. verb [ trans. ] (usu. be jinxed) bring bad luck to; cast an evil spell on : the play is jinxed. ORIGIN early 20th cent.(originally U.S.): probably a variant of jynx [wryneck] (because the bird was used in witchcraft)

Lent

I feel that President Obama should give up on spending our money for Lent.

$800,000,000,000 for stimulus

$410,000,000,000 spending bill just passed by the house (9000 pork projects)

$675,000,000,000 for health care "reform"

$75,000,000,000 for loser home mortgage relief

$3,600,000,000,000 for his budget.

$1,700,000,000,000 deficit for this next fiscal year.

Pretty soon we will be talking real money.  (" A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money " attributed to Sen Dirksen (IL))

$1,000,000,000,000 in new tax increases sorry "deficit reduction measures" (not reducing the amount of spending!).

I guess I am not as "brilliant" as Obama, I don't understand how spending money we don't have and raising taxes on businesses will help revive the economy and create sustainable jobs.

budget (n) 1 an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time : keep within the household budget. | [as adj. ] a budget deficit. • an annual or other regular estimate of national revenue and expenditure put forward by the government, often including details of changes in taxation. • the amount of money needed or available for a purpose : they have a limited budget. 2 archaic a quantity of material, typically that which is written or printed.

Sports Money

It amazes me the amount of money that certain sports players get.  I suspect that one way people will economize this year is to limit the number of times that they go to sporting events.  So you might think that sport's salaries would decrease but it doesn't seem to the case.

Manny Ramirez has turned down a $25,000,000 one year deal from the LA Dodgers.  Most people would be lucky to make that much in their lifetime.  Haynesworth a previous pro-defensive lineman with Tenn has signed a 7 year $100,000,000 deal with Washington this is $892,857 per game (assuming no playoffs for the 7 years).

Many movie stars make many millions per movie.

I am not against people making a lot of money if they are worth it but these people get the money whether or not they perform.  Guess I am just jealous!

He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.  Proverbs 11:28

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity  Than he who is crooked though he be rich. Prov 28:6 

“Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.”  Benjamin Franklin 

“Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.”
Bo Derek

“Money, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort.”
Helen Gurley Brown

MONEY, (n) A blessing that is of no advantage to us excepting when we part with it. An evidence of culture and a passport to polite society. Supportable property.(DD)

Laugh

One of my favorite things to do is to make my wife laugh.  I like to see humor in every situation.  My ravings here seem to be rather negative lately.

My humor is take the situation to a limit.  One example; after our previous pastor commented that the church is free that we don't charge for communion; I manufactured a "church" where the communion was charged for by the flavor of it (rice cakes & water - $1; steak & wine - $10); where the pews in the back were priced like the box seats in baseball games & the pews up front were like the bleachers; where pillows & reclining seats were extra but folding chairs were less.

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. ~Woody Allen

Even if there is nothing to laugh about, laugh on credit.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~Irish Proverb
Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. ~Bob Newhart

Seven days without laughter makes one weak. ~Mort Walker
A laugh is a smile that bursts. ~Mary H. Waldrip

LAUGHTER, (n) An interior convulsion, producing a distortion of the features and accompanied by inarticulate noises. It is infectious and, though intermittent, incurable. Liability to attacks of laughter is one of the characteristics distinguishing man from the animals -- these being not only inaccessible to the provocation of his example, but impregnable to the microbes having original jurisdiction in bestowal of the disease. Whether laughter could be imparted to animals by inoculation from the human patient is a question that has not been answered by experimentation. Dr. Meir Witchell holds that the infection character of laughter is due to the instantaneous fermentation of sputa diffused in a spray. From this peculiarity he names the disorder Convulsio spargens.

Miles

The new Transportation Chief Roy LaHood recommended a Mileage vs. Gas Tax. Some states use a mileage rate for charging taxes for roads (of course they also steal the money for pork); the way I understand it there is a GPS in the car which reports the mileage to Big Brother.

Numerous politicians have told us to use less gas and we have been. This of course led to less gas being used so the tax revenue from gas sales has decreased plus the lower price has led to lower sales tax revenue; so the states were looking for ways to get more of our money.

In the case of Oregon, Governor Kulongoski is proposing a mileage tax that would eventually replace the gas tax altogether, and make use of GPS units to determine just how far each person travels and bill them accordingly (Oregon is proposing a 1.2 cent per mile tax). To assuage privacy concerns, that information would apparently only be collected when the driver fuels up, and actual travel information supposedly wouldn't be tracked (click here for article) (Oregon has the highest percentage of electric vehicles.)

But an interesting sidelight to the Transportation Chief's announcement is that President Obama threw him under the bus (or mileage as it were). I suspect that it was an Obama idea that he had his guy trial balloon for him: when public opinion was so much against it Obama did as he often does sacrifices the lamb (remember Pastor Wright & his grandmother). (Link to another person's article on the same)

sacrificial |(adj) of, relating to, or constituting a sacrifice : an altar for sacrificial offerings.
• technical designed to be used up or destroyed in fulfilling a purpose or function

Doin' What's Right

When you spend less than you make, pay your bills & taxes on time, don't buy a house you can not afford; this is what was considered "doing what is right."

President Obama believes that we should pay for the mistakes of others.  I believe in charity & we give to charity.  But I don't like my money going to what others believe is the right expenditure .  I feel that the government adds a surcharge which make them inefficient; I like charities that have less than 15% overhead; the US Government has a much higher ratio.

There is a commentator which believes that we should have another Boston Tea Party.  My wife likes tea so maybe a Coffee Party!  I really think we as individuals should help the unfortunate as individuals; I don't want my kids (who pay their bills & mortgages) to pay for people who used fraudulent pay records or unscrupulous lenders who did not do their due diligence in giving mortgage loans.

unscrupulous (adj) having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair

Selfish

The previous generation was called the great generation because they won WWII & rebuild the country after the war.

I'm afraid that my generation will be called the "Selfish" Generation.  We are putting about $1,200,000,000,000 of debt on our kids & grandkids & great-grandkids.  We don't want to face the bad times for a period.  The spending that will be done will cause immense inflation & who is going to buy the debt; I've read that the Chinese are planning to spend their money in country rather in US Bonds.

SELFISH, (adj) Devoid of consideration for the selfishness of others. (DD)

Cold

When it is cold for a long time (weeks in a row), I get use to the cold & I don't notice it.  However, if it is warm for a few days and then gets cold again, the cold seems so much colder.

Plus, it seems to me that people catch colds easier in the above situation.  We have had bunch of warmer days (above freezing) & now it has turned cold again, when I took Frisbit on the morning walk this morning it was cold (with a strong wind); I must be getting more wimpy as I get older!

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water. ~Carl Reiner

The trouble with weather forecasting is that it's right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it. ~Patrick Young

Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella. ~Pepper Giardino

“Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Oscar Wilde

“Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.” Mark Twain

CLAIRVOYANT, (n) A person, commonly a woman, who has the power of seeing that which is invisible to her patron, namely, that he is a blockhead (DD)

Hard

Have you noticed how hard you hit things that you don't realize are there?

Like if you ram your head into the cupboard doors when you stand up (tall people have that problem) or when you smash your toe against the hard wooden bed (remember it is like childbirth except it doesn't go on for hours) or accidentally hit something with your hand.

I guess if you know the obstacles are there your body slows down so you aren't hurt as much.

**********

Some Rush Limbaugh quotes : 

"If Thomas Jefferson thought taxation without representation was bad, he should see how it is with representation."

"Most people's historical perspective begins with the day of their birth."

"There's a simple way to solve the crime problem: obey the law; punish those who do not."

"You know why there's a Second Amendment? In case the government fails to follow the first one."

hard (adj) 1 solid, firm, and resistant to pressure; not easily broken, bent, or pierced : a hard mattress | ground frozen hard as a rock. 2 requiring a great deal of endurance or physical or mental effort : stooping over all day was hard work | [with infinitive ] she found it hard to believe that he could be involved. 3 done with a great deal of force or strength : a hard blow to the head. 4 potent, powerful, or intense, in particular

Democrat Newspeak

Employee Free Choice Act - removes the secret ballot for unionization votes.

Freedom of Choice Act - removes all abortion restrictions like partial birth abortion, parental notification.

Fairness Doctrine - tries to kill conservative talk radio (since liberal talk radio has failed & the main stream media is pro-pro Liberal including NPR).

Making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes Act - the "Stimulus Bill" which is the greatest pork bill in history.

new•speak (n), Usage: often capitalized. : propagandistic language marked by euphemism, circumlocution, and the inversion of customary meanings. Etymology: Newspeak, a language "designed to diminish the range of thought," in the novel 1984 (1949) by George Orwell. Date: 1950

Newspeak - The official language of Oceania. Newspeak is "politically correct" speech taken to its maximum extent. Newspeak is based on standard English, but all words describing "unorthodox" political ideas have been removed. In addition, there was an attempt to remove the overall number of words in general, to limit the range of ideas that could be expressed

Old Folks Homes

One of the ads that really irritates me is the lawyers who sue the Nursing Homes.

They tell you to look for possible signs of abuse like bed sores, death, etc..  Then you can sue to get what you deserve.

If only you are lucky enough to have a old loved one who is abused you can get rich (what you obviously deserve).  So the message is to find a bad Nursing Home for your Father, Mother or Grandparent; if they die you get the JACKPOT!

sue (v) 1 [ trans. ] institute legal proceedings against (a person or institution), typically for redress : she is to sue the baby's father | [ intrans. ] I sued for breach of contract.
2 [ intrans. ] formal appeal formally to a person for something : the rebels were forced to sue for peace.

abuse (v) 1 use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse : the judge abused his power by imposing the fines. • make excessive and habitual use of (alcohol or drugs, esp. illegal ones). 2 treat (a person or an animal) with cruelty or violence, esp. regularly or repeatedly : riders who abuse their horses should be prosecuted. • assault (someone, esp. a woman or child) sexually : he was a depraved man who had abused his two young daughters.

Paul

My wife & I are attending a Bible Study called "No Experience Necessary" led by our Pastor's wife (also a pastor) Sue Ellen. The first couple of sections were on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 and Galatians 5 :1-15. The Cor talks about New Creation & the Gal talks about Freedom.

An interesting thing (to me) is that Paul in Galatians 1 Paul starts it off with : 6 am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ and in 2 Corinthians 2 : 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you. 5 But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree--in order not to say too much--to all of you.

Paul was admonishing the Churches telling them to not stray from the doctrine that he preached. Another favorite Paul moment for me is 1 Cor 1 : 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.
16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

Paul drove much of the faith that we Christians profess; it is interesting to me that he was so "angry" (not the right word but close).

epistle (n) formal a letter. • a poem or other literary work in the form of a letter or series of letters. • (also Epistle) a book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle : St. Paul's epistle to the Romans. • an extract from an Epistle (or another New Testament book not a Gospel) that is read in a church service.

Fantasy Basketball

On a couple of my teams the first 2 draft choices were E. Brand & Al Jefferson.  Jefferson was great all year whereas, Brand was not very good in the fantasy sense.

However, both are done for the year; Brand shoulder surgery & Jefferson ACL surgery.

In the semi-real world, Brand's Phi team is doing just great without him; however, Jefferson's Min team will probably not survive since he was the leading scorer & rebounder.

However, the real problem is that my teams are HURTIN'!

INJURY, (n) An offense next in degree of enormity to a slight. (DD)

Hereditary

“Insanity is hereditary; you can get it from your children”

“The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.”

Sam Levenson

I was just thinking how lucky I am.  My kids are (in general) good kids; they did not do things that lead to insanity per above quote.  Plus they gave us numerous grandsons to be played with!

Child (n) An accident to the occurrence of which all the forces and arrangements of nature are specially devised and accurately adapted. (DD)

Porkulus

As of now the house has passed the Stimulus bill with all GOP members voting against it. It is a 1000 page bill which is suspected that very few of the people voting for it actually read the bill.

The spending is <10% (about 7%) this year (i.e., the pretended stimulus) & 30+% next year. The conference committee reduced the amount of "rebate" to individuals to $400 / 800 from $500 / 1000 (individual / family) & some of the business tax breaks (i.e., the people who hire people / create jobs). And since President Obama said there was no Pork, it must be true (except for every special interest group).

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein.

In United States politics, the term pork barrel refers to the appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents, such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.

Vultures

NBA fans (i.e.,Eric) out there know that in 2010 the following players become free agents Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Tyson Chandler, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki,  Michael Redd, & LeBron James.

So various teams are arranging their payrolls to have a lot of cash to get 1 or more of the above players. Theoretically the draft is how you build a team, where the worst teams get first pick so there is a competitive balance. But the Vultures will be trying to get the best players from the teams that were smart enough to draft them.

In baseball the Seattle Mariners drafted Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, & Ken Griffey Jr. but the Yankees & other teams bought them away from their original team.

In the olden days the Yankees bought Babe Ruth from the Boston team because they had the money.

I know that players should have the ability to make the most money they can; but as a fan it seems that competitiveness would be nice too!

The country is full of good coaches. What it takes to win is a bunch of interested players.
-Don Coryell, ex-San Diego Chargers Coach

compete (v) strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others who are trying to do the same

Snow v. Rain

I like snow better than rain.  Many people say you don't have to shovel rain which is correct.

While snow covers up the ground with a beautiful white layer; rain uncovers the brown yucky looking ground / grass.

When you come in from being out in the snow, you shake off the excess that stuck to you & you're done; but rain soaks your clothes even thru the "rain proof" jackets, throughout your pants, & makes your boots unwearable until they are dried out.

If you haven't guessed it is raining today & with the warm weather (above  freezing), it has taken away almost all of the snow.

Cold you can add layers; hot there is a limit to the amount you can take off!

Snow flakes. by Emily Dickinson

Snow flakes.

I counted till they danced so
Their slippers leaped the town,
And then I took a pencil
To note the rebels down.
And then they grew so jolly
I did resign the prig,
And ten of my once stately toes
Are marshalled for a jig!

Lies

Miguel Tejada (a MLB player, plays SS)  lies to a Congressional committee about using steroids.  He has been bought up on federal charges & pleaded guilty.

An interesting situation where if you lie to Congress you commit a federal crime but if a Congressman lies to us there is no penalty.  Actually in general if he lies to get elected, the only penalty is to us as his constituents who have to suffer with him for 2 or 4 or 6 years.

I propose that we level the playing field & get to un-elect them if they lie.

POLITICIAN, (n) An eel in the fundamental mud upon which the superstructure of organized society is reared. When we wriggles [sic] he mistakes the agitation of his tail for the trembling of the edifice. As compared with the statesman, he suffers the disadvantage of being alive (DD)

0-16 continued

After the trade for Allen Iverson for C. Billups, the Detroit Pistons are 17-22 with the Denver Nuggets going 24-13.

The Pistons are falling in the standings and if they keep up their present course they will miss the playoffs.  And as much as I like to help my son's teams I wish they had stayed clear of AI.

At least we (the Detroit fans) still  have the RedWings!

RECREATION, (n) A particular kind of dejection to relieve a general fatigue

Senate Bill

Senate Bill PDF

$820,000,000,000/305,781,284 people = $2681.66/person

Agriculture: $5,109,430,000
Commerce: $21,513,000,000
Defense: $3,746,000,000
Energy & Water: $53,843,000,000
Financial & Gen. Govt: $10,762,000,000
Homeland Security: $5,076,700,000
Interior: $11,643,600,000
Labor, HHS, Education: $169,184,000,000
Military & VA: $7,428,295,000
THUD: $60,580,500,000
Appropriations: $365,629,525,000 (of course, this one isn’t broken out) (from http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/07/burning-the-midnight-oil-the-sellout-amendment-is-here/)

Since I live in IL with Durbin & Burris, too liberal senators there is no chance to change their minds; but if you live in s state with reasonable senators tell them if you like the above. If you have kids remember they are the ones who will pay for this PORK (and you might want to live with them sometime [don't worry my kids you should be safe]).

Politicians say they're beefing up our economy. Most don't know beef from pork. - Harold Lowman

pork barrel (n) the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and win votes : political pork barrel for the benefit of their respective sponsors | [as adj. ] wasteful, pork-barrel spending

Aging

Above are pictures of President George W. Bush taken in late 2000 & 2009. It always amazes me how the presidency ages the president. They go in young & come out older. President Bush always took care of himself, exercising etc. but it got him too!

AGE (n) That period of life in which we compound for the vices that we still cherish by reviling those that we have no longer the enterprise to commit.

State Deficits

I have compiled a partial list of state deficits below.  I just used Google so the numbers could be off (but they give an idea of the extra spending that states do when times are good that comes to bite them in the end); since it seems that the States have no idea the actual shortfalls.  Probably all the numbers are low estimates.  Looks like it doesn't matter if the governor was R or D, except the ones that have $0 are R (and in oil rich states).

State Party Deficit notes Population debt/person

   (Gov)

AK      R  $0.00       savings       686,293                  $0.00
AR      D $1,600,000,000.00 6,500,180 $246.15
CA      R $38,000,000,000.00 36,756,666 $1,033.83

CO    D $600,000,000 4,939,456 $121.47
CT      R $3,000,000,000.00 6 over 2 yrs. 3,501,252 $856.84
FL      R $2,100,000,000.00 18,328,340 $114.58
IL       D $9,000,000,000.00 12,901,563 $697.59
IN      R $921,000,000.00 6,376,792 $144.43
MI     D $900,000,000.00 10,003,422 $89.97
MN    R $2,400,000,000.00 5,220,393 $459.74
MT     D $200,000,000.00 967,440 $206.73
NC     D $2,000,000,000.00 4.8 over 2 yrs 9,222,414 $216.86
NM    D $454,000,000.00 1,984,356 $228.79
NY     D $15,000,000,000.00 19,490,297 $769.61
OH    D $7,000,000,000.00 11,485,910 $609.44
OR    D $1,200,000,000.00 may be extra 1B 3,790,060 $316.62
PA     D $2,300,000,000.00 12,448,279 $184.76
TX     R $0.00 rainy day fund 24,326,974 $0.00
WA   D $5,100,000,000.00 6,549,224 $778.72
WI    D $2,500,000,000.00 5 over 2 yrs. 5,627,967 $444.21

DEBT, (n) An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave- driver.

As, pent in an aquarium, the troutlet
Swims round and round his tank to find an outlet,
Pressing his nose against the glass that holds him,
Nor ever sees the prison that enfolds him;
So the poor debtor, seeing naught around him,
Yet feels the narrow limits that impound him,
Grieves at his debt and studies to evade it,
And finds at last he might as well have paid it.
Barlow S. Vode

Taxes

If I didn't live in IL, my tax attitude would be to pay more for the local taxes, then less for state taxes, and then the least for the federal taxes.

Local taxes pay for the things that we use the most; local roads, schools, fire & police departments, libraries, forest preserves, etc..  State taxes in a normal state pay for state roads, national guard, prisons, etc..  Our federal taxes should pay for interstate roads, national defense, a safety net (social security), etc..

But governments are spending more & more on unnecessary things or even destructive things.  Bailing out every industry, ACORN, child care for the wealthy, etc..

A debate that is bought up in our state is that school funding should be a state function since it is unfair that wealthy suburbs spend more on their schools than poorer districts.  One of the reasons that people move to "better" suburbs is the quality of the schools, so they want to reduce the quality of good schools to the level of the other schools.

http://www.chicagoreporter.com/index.php/c/Inside_Stories/d/The_fight_about_funding

is an interesting article on the subject which delves into both sides of the argument.  One of the problems is that more money unwisely spent will not fix the problem.

MONEY, (n) A blessing that is of no advantage to us excepting when we part with it. An evidence of culture and a passport to polite society. Supportable property.

Tax Cheats

It is amazing that poor President Obama has picked so many tax cheats for his cabinet.  I wonder if most people cheat on their taxes or just the more wealthy members of our society.

I don't like to pay fines or penalties so I try to not make mistakes on our income tax forms.  I guess I am just lucky that I don't have a limo at my call or get paid for the extra taxes caused when working over seas which amount was given as a supplement.

The State of IL has for the last number of years (probably 5 of the last 7 years) said that I owe extra taxes because of my estimated taxes.  Our income is very uneven due to some mutual funds that have distributions at the end of the year.  Both the Federal Government & State of IL have a 2210 form that allows for uneven distribution of income.  Every year I fill it out for both the State & Feds.  However, the State ignores it (surprisingly the Feds get it right every time).  So about the middle of the year, the State writes me a letter saying that I owe a certain amount in penalties for insufficient estimated taxes.  The amount is usually not that much (maybe at max $100 usually $10-20) but every year I call them & they say to send in the 2210 form to them.  I do & they rescind the penalty.  The State 1040 form has a box on the back to indicate if the 2210 form was used, I check it before I send it in but they ignore the box & the entire form.  In my files I have a letter entitled "Idiot IL IRS", which I use as a form letter.  I think I should charge them for my time sent gathering the info together & the postage, etc.!

IL likes to have the Income Tax forms send in electronically but they don't accept a 1040 with a 2210 form.  Maybe if they did the form wouldn't be ignored.

INCOME, (n) The natural and rational gauge and measure of respectability, the commonly accepted standards being artificial, arbitrary and fallacious; for, as "Sir Sycophas Chrysolater" in the play has justly remarked, "the true use and function of property (in whatsoever it consisteth -- coins, or land, or houses, or merchant- stuff, or anything which may be named as holden of right to one's own subservience) as also of honors, titles, preferments and place, and all favor and acquaintance of persons of quality or ableness, are but to get money. Hence it followeth that all things are truly to be rated as of worth in measure of their serviceableness to that end; and their possessors should take rank in agreement thereto, neither the lord of an unproducing manor, howsoever broad and ancient, nor he who bears an unremunerate dignity, nor yet the pauper favorite of a king, being esteemed of level excellency with him whose riches are of daily accretion; and hardly should they whose wealth is barren claim and rightly take more honor than the poor and unworthy."

Ads "Don't Pay"

There are numerous ads that say they can reduce your debt by 60-90%.  What happened to actually paying what is owed?

There are ads telling people that they can reduce the amount owed to the IRS (read US Government).  There are other ads telling us how the credit card companies are keeping us in debt, so they will reduce the amount owed.

Other ads tell that we can get what we "deserve."  Meaning a new car, new TV's or whatever.  That people "deserve" the great life, not because they worked for it but because they exist.

I pay my bills, I pay my taxes (though reluctantly), I save for my large purchases.  I use our credit cards to pay for food, necessities, etc..  The credit card companies are not forcing me into debt, i.e., I pay my card off completely when it is due.  The advantages are that I don't have to carry a lot of cash with me, I get a compiled list of my purchases each month (which I check against my receipts), & there is a rebate after a certain level of purchases.

All the people who take advantage of the above ads are raising the taxes, credit card rates, etc. for the rest of us, the conscientious.  I believe in paying for what I get, there really is no free lunch, you or someone else pays for it.  The stimulus bill will be paid by our kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, etc..

advertisement (n) a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event or publicizing a job vacancy : advertisements for alcoholic drinks | we received only two replies to our advertisement. • ( advertisement for) informal a person or thing regarded as a means of recommending something : unhappy clients are not a good advertisement for the company. • archaic a notice to readers in a book