The 99%

The Occupy Wall Street mob is making a pretty big claim. They say that they are representing 99% of Americans. Well, my best educated guess is that they don't. I don't ever recall voting for a single one of them and I know for sure that they don't represent me. I'm a Capitalist as I believe more than 50% of Americans still are. I believe in free enterprise and the free market society.

I find it quite disingenuous for them to be carrying their iphones and to be taking transportation systems to the site of their protests, then protest against the very corporations that made it possible for them to be there. I also find it equally disingenuous for them to demand equality in the area of economics while I am working my tail off and most of them sit on their tail and expect benefits. Something just doesn't seem fair about that.

Now I can understand the frustrations of many of those who want jobs and have no jobs. But if that is the case, they should be protesting at the White House where they have the policy of making jobs go away, rather than at Wall Street that represents the many thousands of corporations that provide jobs.

In my opinion these protesters do represent 99%. They represent 99% of the druggies, 99% of the socialists, 99% of the lazy, and 99% of those who have no conscience. I say that because it either takes a person with no conscience to expect someone else to support him, or it takes a real jerk.

So, if everyone was equal economically, would that mean we would all have jobs that pay the same regardless of our work? Probably not, it would mean that everyone except the protesters would have jobs that pay the same. The protesters would still not be working. They would be protesting something else to apply leverage for their free ticket to life.

That's who these people are. They want a free meal ticket at someone else's expense. They don't have it in themselves to be responsible for themselves. They think that who they are is somebody else's fault. And of course, that somebody else is either a Republican or a CEO or some other Capitalist.

Why don't we just all be equal? That way we can all equally share nothing, because nothing is what we will all have.

Eric Holder Should Be Fired

One of the things I don't understand about politics is how news agencies can be so openly biased that they destroy their own reputations by not being fair and balanced. If Eric Holder, US Attorney General, were a Republican the major news agencies would be calling for his resignation, and demanding that the the Republican President fire him. But as it is they are generally just sweeping this incident under the rug. Only Fox News is doing any amount of reporting.

What did Eric Holder do? Or should I say, what did he do this time? Well, the United States gave weapons to Drug Cartels and War Lords to our neighbors to the South. This was in hopes of tracking the weapons and rounding up drug dealers and warlords. The problem is two fold. First of all they shouldn't have allowed the weapons to leave the United States, and secondly, they forgot to track them. These weapons are now in the hands of the wrong people and they are being used to kill Americans. Over 200 Americans so far.

Why is Eric Holder Culpable? First of all, this happened under his watch. Secondly, he received two memos concerning this disaster and did nothing about it. Thirdly, he lied to Congress and the US citizens when asked about. Said, he had just learned about it now. And he continues to lie.

Evidently, the value of 200 American's lives is pretty low. Well, that is only if a Democrat makes the mistake that costs their lives. This can be pushed under the rug. But if a Republican made the mistake and only a single life was lost, the news agencies would want that Republican's head on a platter.

How does Mr. Holder sleep at night? Why doesn't this debacle seem to bother him? Why hasn't Mr. Obama fired him? I believe it boils down to this..... Democrats think they can do no wrong.

Steve Jobs

The death of Steve Jobs impacted me more than I thought it would. I actually wept, not once, but twice. Having never met him I had the sense that I knew him, and what I knew about him I really liked.

Since his death I have heard comparisons between him and Thomas Edison and Ben Franklin. I really don't know if you can compare because it is like comparing apples to oranges. But I do know this, that he was one of the great visionaries of our times. He had great ideas and knew how to develop them and bring them to market. I must say that I love my MacBook, and my iphone 4. Steve Jobs was on the cutting edge and was always running ahead of his competition. He not only knew how to develop products, but he also knew how to sell them.

What I am saddest about is that we lost one of the great Americans who is iconic as he related to the free enterprise system. He truly showed us how to do it. He took Apple from the edge of non-existence and turned it into the largest and most profitable corporation in America. He was also a great employer. Five thousand work at Apple in Cupertino, and now there are the numerous Apple Stores around the country. I have yet to be in an Apple Store that is not packed with customers.

I say to those of you who may feel disenfranchised by capitalism and the free market system, Steve Jobs is a shining example of how it works. The protesters on Wall Street this week ought to be ashamed of themselves. Their demonstrations are only telling me that they don't think they have what it takes to make it on their own. That they are jealous of those who have worked hard and become successful. They want someone else to do the work, pay their taxes, so that they in turn can get their government handout. That is not the way America is supposed to work. The sickness of entitlement is screwing up our economy. The protester is biting the hand that feeds him.

America provides abundant opportunity for anyone who will work hard to become successful. Believe me, most who have become successful have worked hard and taken risks that have paid off.

Anyway, Steve Jobs, I will miss you and so will America.

Too Busy to Blog

Apologies to everyone. I've just been too busy to blog, and sometimes too tired. Like you miss this when I don't. Like I said before, this blog is more for me than it is for you..... but I do hope you enjoy it.

But, I truly have been too busy. My business is rolling along pretty nice right now. After the summer rush it looked like it was going to slow down, but it picked right back up. Good sign for the economy, right? Well, not really.

Many of the repairs I'm doing are for older people who want to fix things up before they sell their house and downsize. I do fixing on houses that are to be sold because people can no longer afford them. When the recession first hit in 2008 my business picked up dramatically because people decided to keep and fix up what they have rather than upgrade. Back then they would have three or four things on their fix it list and I was hired to do them all. Nowadays they have three or four things on their fix it list and I'm hired to do only one or two. Their money is running out. But now, as apposed to then, there are a lot more people who need fixing.

So I figure it this way, when the economy actually improves, my business may actually diminish. During good times people want bigger and nicer houses in nicer neighborhoods. In bad times they settle for what they have.

I guess that's just the way it is.

Sheraton

Let me tell you about our villa at the Sheraton in Steamboat Springs. First of all everything is luxury from the ten foot ceilings, to the expensively carpeted and granite floors. There are the luxurious crown mouldings, expensive cherry cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, four TV sets, fire place, washer and dryer, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, one with a jacuzzi, and a balcony overlooking the mountains and ski area. All of this in a space larger than our house and on the eighth floor. My only complaint is the cheap toaster.

The fall colors are gorgeous, and the scenery is fantastic. Today we visit down town and some points of interest. I have a feeling that two full days here is not enough time.

I think once again how lucky we are to live in Colorado where places like this are only two to three hours away driving through some of the most beautiful country on God's earth. I love the solitude here. I love the sit back and kick back and drink some more coffee atmosphere. I love the time to read a good book. I especially love that there are no mosquitoes. Just sit on the deck and enjoy the coolness and the scenery.

Now that I've made you jealous I'll pour another cup of and sit back. Beautiful sunny, cool morning here.