Tax Rates and Who Pays The Most

Source (as noted in bottom left corner of table): IRS, 2004
So, the way I see it, the top 25% EARNERS pay 85% of all taxes, paying for those who contribute little or nothing at all!

Packing for A Wicked Weekend

The countdown begins...only hours away from experiencing this...

I cannot wait! A weekend with dear friends...no kiddos...no curfew...no responsibilities other than getting to the play on time! (LOL)

Not on Film; But Sensored

Sensored as in, my camera's sensor, since going digital, one can't really write of capturing the details of life "on film" anymore.
This Father's Day weekend proved memorable in more than one way. Lots of sunshine, cool, refreshing water, gorgeous cloud formation, games of Splashball and wakeboarding...yes, wakeboarding...this is where the weekend turns memorable...and not in a great way.
The very next jump that Ian took over a wake, he caught a toe and gave himself a mild concussion. Short term memory loss. Needless to say, we packed up as fast as possible and headed home, to be closer to urgent care, if we needed it.
I checked his pupils periodically and tested his cranial nerves. All appeared to be functioning. We kept him awake past 11 and checked on him through the night. He was bummed when we limited his activities this week, including no sparring at tae kwondo camp.

I bet Mick won't ever forget this Father's Day. I don't think any of us will. Hopefully, next year will be less eventful.

She...was AWEsome!!

Went to see Carrie Underwood this past week. Her concert was everything I hoped it be...and more. Her opening acts rocked it too; Sons of Sylvia and Craig Morgan. Both sang so many songs that if I didn't know better, I would've thought the concert was their's alone!
The boys enjoyed it too...both in their own way...Ian playing make believe drums on his knees and Ethan rump-shakin' it in his chair (picture a little happy puppy impatiently sitting, wagging its tail for a treat here!).

Before the concert, we ate dinner alfresco, at one of our favorite burger joints. Holly and Mark were with us. It was such a beautiful evening. Sunshine, blue skies, a gentle breeze and great conversation. I only wish I had thought to take more pictures. You'd think that would be an automatic for me, but I do sometimes get wrapped up in the memory making and forget this small act.

By the way, did I mention how happy I was to have purchased several pairs of ear plugs. What? Huh?

Happy Father's Day Mick!

Here's a little blast from your fatherly past! You are simply Da Best daddy-evah!

The Details ARE Important!

Read the label! This morning proved a bit stressful as Ian inadvertently took the wrong "green pill" this morning. I figured it out after I had dropped him off to tennis and saw that his medicine was still out in my car. I thought to myself, "Hmm...that's not right! Surely he wouldn't run out to the car, grab a pill, and then come back inside to take it." I called him at the courts and questioned him. He said he had gotten them off of the counter. I said that there were no green pills sitting out on the counter unless he had taken them out of his bottle and put them there. He persisted in saying he took "His pills." Long story shorter, when he got home, he went over to the granite desk and held up his so called "pills." The bottle was bigger, and yes, there were in fact green pills (little not large, solid colored not two-toned green) in them, but they were not his. On the top of the bottle it was labeled in black Sharpie, "For Cramps.' Yep, my son had taken another family member's meds for help relieving severe stomach cramps. SO... after calling the pharmacist to confirm that I shouldn't be rushing him off to the ER, we had a short discussion about the importance of paying attention to the details!

I'm Tired of Bailouts

http://wakeupamericansnow.blogspot.com/2010/06/im-63-adn-i-am-tired-of-bail-outs.html

Governor Christie: Day of Reckoning

The Constitution

The Constitution is full of no's. It is by telling the government what it cannot do that the Constitution protects our freedoms. The Founders loathed tyranny and sought to erect a government ruled by law, not people. As Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense, "in America the law is king."

The First Amendment says that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" or abridging freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or the right to assemble and petition government. Americans are allowed to keep and bear arms because the Bill of Rights says that this right "shall not be infringed." It also says no to unreasonable search and seizure, and to cruel and unusual punishment. The Fifth Amendment says that the government cannot deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process, and that private property cannot be taken without just compensation. The Eighth Amendment says no to excessive bail and fines, and the Tenth Amendment says powers not explicitly given to the federal government in the Constitution go to the states or the people. The Bill of Rights says no to the federal government over and over again.

Using the Constitution's amendment-making process, Americans have added even more no's over the years: The 13th Amendment says no to slavery; the 15th and 19th Amendments say no one can be denied the right to vote based on race or sex.

Every clause of Article 1, Section 9, which is all about the limits on Congress, contains the words "no" or "shall not."

There's one "no" in particular that Congress should have paid attention to in the fall of 2008, when the banking crisis reared its ugly head: "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." That means only Congress can appropriate money to be spent.

But Washington didn't say no when President Bush's Treasury secretary, Hank Paulson, came asking the Democratic Congress to give Treasury a $700 billion blank check. Paulson said the money would be used to buy up toxic assets under a Troubled Asset Relief Program, known as TARP. In the end, only a portion of the money was used to do that.

The rest of the money became a slush fund for the president, greatly inflating the power of the executive office. TARP funds were used to bail out GM, Chrysler, and auto suppliers without a single vote from Congress. Because too many elected members of Congress didn't abide by the Constitution, one bad bailout led to another at the discretion of the executive branch.
                                                          -Source, National Review Online June 8, 2010


If all of our elected leaders would follow the doctrine of what our insightful Founding Father's set forth for us, we wouldn't be in this disaster that we are in now. I'm just sayin...STICK to the Constitution people!!

The Boy's Got Some Mad Fingering Skillz

Yesterday was Ian's second electric guitar lesson with Mr. Dave. Mr. Dave is an awesome guitarist (who also happens to be the owner of the lovely, Scamp, from the previous post). The lesson went well, there was lots of bending, lots of picking, lots of laughing, and the continuous presence of  Ian's irresistable dimple-always an indicator of intense pleasure and joy. They played chords, and scales and even began a little bit of Classic Rock love-as in Hotel California and Sweet Home Alabama.

Can I say that this is one Momma that is thoroughly enjoying electric guitar lessons? I mean, not that I didn't enjoy (or don't enjoy) listening to the boys' piano but...come on now...we all know that rockin' it out is wayyyyyyy cooler! Sorry Ms. D! Piano is still an awesome instrument!

I can't wait for next week's lesson, to listen to a little more Classic Rock, to view a few more smiles and dimples...

...and to, of course, love on this little bit of canine smoochiness!

What's That You Say?

Not sure what you're looking at here?

Well, let's tune in the focus a bit more. There we go. That's a bit better.This little lovely guy took up residence (well actually it WAS his residence) on my foot. Made himself at home (as well he should). At first he was a bit shy and wouldn't turn to my camera lens.But, then, with sheer persistence and patience I tell ya...I got... the look. Utter make my heart melt. And then moving downward, look at this specimen of couch potato loveliness. Just enough pudge to love. That's what you get with a puggle. A little bit o pug + a little o bit o beagle. And a whole lot o love! But wait! There's more! Here is the supreme specimen showing off his aloof nature. (Well, putting on an act really). He was waiting for the sign...Wait for it...OH...YEA-UH....That's what I was a waitin' fer!!! A great big serving of affecshun and scratchin.'That's what I'm a talkin' about! A little bit oh' luvin on the Scampster. Oh....I suppose you-uns can a come back fer a visit again next week.

Promised Pics of Ian's 12th BD

The ride down to the lake..always packed to the brim with food and supplies and puppies...very reminiscent of a Griswold family vacation, eh? ;)

Showing off their brotherly love for one another!Water fun and deck dancin' with Lil Ms. RS!Needless to say, we are all definitely Lake Lovers!