TOPICS OF THE DAY

Once again sex rears its ugly head. I there had been a presidential primary campaign for decades in which one of the candidates has not become the subject of a sex oriented scandal. From the news today Cain is the process of withdrawing from the race due to the latest revelation and the multi year extramarital affair.

Los Angeles Times

Cain may not call it quits after all

Apparently his the defence that he did not have sex with that woman a.k.a. the Clinton defense, is just as valid as when used by the originator.

There is only one avowed candidate for the Democratic Party; the President himself. It is only the Republicans who are open to having their personal life exposed. Gingrich has a previous history which would seem to have faded into the background but may be again used as a weapon as his campaign progresses. Of the others except for Romney at this time none are a serious enough candidate, and that includes Perry, to merit such attacks in the press. Iowa on Jan 3 may change that.

A review of Wikipedia reveals the following: "American biologist Alfred Kinsey found in his 1950-era studies that 50% of American males and 26% of females had extramarital sex. Depending on studies, it was estimated that 26-50% of men and 21-38% of women, or 22.7% of men and 11.6% of women had extramarital sex. Other authors say that between 20% and 25% Americans had sex with someone other than their spouse. Durex's Global Sex Survey has found that 44% of adults worldwide have had one-night extramarital sex and 22% have had an affair. According to a 2004 United States survey, 16% of married partners have had extramarital sex, nearly twice as many men as women, while an additional 30% have fantasized about There were also studies that have shown rates of extramarital sex as low as 2.5%. As many authors conclude, these kinds of estimates are probably understated because extramarital sex is commonly disapproved".

There is also another interesting article in Wikipedia about infidelity the link is given here(. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infidelity . Or copy and paste in the addresss line) It is worth reading.

It should be of interest to learn how many candidates for office both male and female are lily white. In the long run however such knowledge should really have no impact upon who we elect to office unless there's been a pattern of persistent immoralities. The latter would indicate a serious character defect,(Note that I am not advocating or condoning adultery.)

Less we forget ,despite the Geico Adv, it takes two to tango.

As an aside from the political arena; the scandals of pedophilism in the college sports world brings up several questions: In the Penn State incident probably everyone involved from the University President and Paterno to the local police and Dist. Atty. are guilty of whitewashing the offense and permitted it to continue. They all should be prosecuted unless there is evidence to the contrary.

On the other hand in Syracuse there apparently was a breakdown of the investigation when originally exposed it yielded negative results. It is an apparent that the original complaints were considered groundless; in part due to the character of the individuals making the complaints. Not only were they investigated by the University the by the police but also by the news media which certainly would've made a front-page issue if there were any confirming facts. In fact the latest complaint's sordid details cause much to wonder as to motivation by all parties involved including finds wife

I am disturbed by the summary firing of Fine by the University. It used to be and I believe still is in America that you are innocent until found guilty. The University should have put this individual on administrative leave with or without pay. That would be the proper course until he was formally charged and in the court of Law found either innocent or guilty.

TAXES AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING #1

To those who thought that my remarks on my Social Security check was a matter of personal bitching I must concede that in part it was. However, that was not the reason why I wrote that post, and I was surprised that no one commented. I do not believe e that I am unique.

Moreover. I intended to use it as part of a lead in on national fiscal management and the 2012 election campaigns. But before I get to any discussion of the Candidates' so called plans, and present day Administration and Congressional policies; a few off the cuff remarks. The meat will follow in latter blogs when I have time. After all it is 11 months till election time.

Taxes are going to be one of the big issues in the 2012 campaigns Actual it will be spending/ income issues. Governments seem too have an ability that we poor mortals lack; they can spend m ore than they earn and issue paper to cover the deficit. Unfortunately as the European countries are finding out; a day of reckoning ultimately occurs.

Then some one has to pay. It is the little people that suffer because their assets are not in hard tangibles but in savings etc. The customary method of nations wiping away their dent is through massive devaluation of their currency. This is inflation in which overnight $10000.00 savings would have the purchasing power of $1000.00 as an example.

This worked when currency was based on gold reserves. Nowadays it is based on interaction between the currency of other nations. Countries like Greece have no chance since their currency has been superseded by the Euro. Their debt must be paid back in Euros which they do not have. They have no mechanism of devaluation and will have to resort to the equivalency of bankruptcy. How that will play out remains to be seen.

In this country we have entered on the same dangerous route. When we have reached the limit of our National debt, the solution is to increase the limit. Our paper and investment savings will become worthless. We already have a large inflation rate which is hidden. However, if one would look at today's purchasing value of the Dollar it is obvious that its value keeps dropping. That is inflation.

I can remember when 17cents bought a gallon of gasoline. Sure the wage scale was probably 50cents or a dollar an hour. Now a days the minimum wage is pegged at 7.50 and there is pressure to raise it to $10.00. The true value of money is what a work unit payment will purchase. The 50 cents an hour in the 30s is equal to today's $7.50.

Every time the Government increases the Debt Ceiling, savings values as represented in purchasing power drops.

MONDAY POST TURKEY

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope we will all had a good holiday and the post holiday letdown is not too great. We all have something to be thankful for; mine of course is that at this stage in life I am able to burden you with this blog. And more read it than I ever expected..

Speaking of blogs; have you noticed how often individuals either having held an elective office or seeking one have published a blog. However the minute they have lost the election they stop. Almost all wrote a high-grade blog with a good discussion of their subject matter. To abdicate since they're no longer available in public office would indicate that they lacked the character to have been in that office.

I know that will agitate those individuals, but I feel that in the field of public opinion it indicates a degree of a lack of sincerity as a public official. It would still be very nice if they would post once or twice a month. Their opinions were well thought out and worth reading and I think would still be of value to us

On another subject it seems that our God; the federal government, give this and takes. I Saturday I received notification of by Social Security payment for 2012. The federal government has proposed a 3.6% increase in Social Security payments to my case that would be $26 a month. However, I believe that is the kicker is the part B and prescription drug deductibles faced an income. That deductible has increased by $41.51. You can figure out what my available cash for my Social Security payments will be $15 less per month.

The increase in the park be in prescription plan deduction is based on income levels. I there could be justification for however in my case law my income is passive, not from active employment. In addition the majority of it is in effect from liquidation of assets which were held in an IRA/pension plans. In effect this senior citizen and I suppose a great many of us is being penalized for planning for the future years and denying oneself pleasure of life while earning income in order to provide for the future.

I do consider that to be an injustice because of mandated withdrawals based on the life expectancy formula, they could become depleted and if I should live longer; I would have no assets to survive on.

SOME THOUGHTS

”
What an eventful day; Four days and less than six hours after the Marathon bombings of the two known perpetrators one is dead and the other is in custody.


The process of finding out what now seems likely; if there was a terrorist group supporting these two brothers will continue if interrogation of the survivor can happen.  The “terrorist’s acts” permit the government to suspend the subjects “Miranda Rights” but do not permit any acts of torture.   We will have to wait until the Feds consider it an appropriate time to release their findings.
 
Meanwhile one of our brilliant Senators; Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the most senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, opened a hearing on immigration legislation by stressing the issue’s importance “particularly in light of all that’s happening in Massachusetts right now and over the last week.”

“Given the events of this week, it’s important for us to understand the gaps and loopholes in our immigration system,” Mr. Grassley said in his opening statement. “While we don’t yet know the immigration status of people who have terrorized the communities in Massachusetts, when we find out, it will help shed light on the weaknesses of our system.

“How can individuals evade authorities and plan such attacks on our soil?” Mr. Grassley asked. “How can we beef up security checks on people who wish to enter the U.S.?”

The Senator is apparently unaware that the two brothers arrived in this country with their father who was seeking asylum in 2002. At least one of them has received his citizenship papers.

Grassley is one of the Senators who defeated the background check amendment and the one limiting sales of assault weapons. Perhaps if such laws were in effect the brothers, if they were a risk, could never have bought an arsenal. Certainly even as urban hunters, they could not have obtained assault weapons which they have been reported as having.

The brothers were not totally unknown to the Feds. In 2011 a foreign country requested information our antiterrorist agencies might have on the older brother prior to his prolonged visit to Russia. There was no info on him, a law abiding citizen.

I believe that gun control legislation could have had a greater chance of preventing this act than restrictive immigration. Of course there are no laws that could result in absolute prevention; however there are some that might give us a better handle.

Laws are not going to keep guns out of criminal’s hands. But if all sales had to be reported along with the background check; if a weapon ended up in a criminal event the last person who legitimately owned it could be held accountable and subject to fines or punishment. The laws can be properly written to protect individual’s rights and privacy. The key is to make sure that abridgement of those laws is not made possible.

I am sure we all have some opinion on these subjects. Perhaps the blogs can be a vehicle where we can express them so that our legislators act as the majority of their constituents believe not in a manner to improve their reelection chances.

 

THANKSGIVING

ENJOY TODAY
and have a safe happy holiday weekend.

Each of us should be grateful of the freedoms that we have; protected by the Constitution. WE must be vigilant to see that no one takes them away from us. first and most effective way is to speak up and out whenever we see any violation of those freedoms.

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

No long blog today. Instead there will be some potpourri. Instead of football or college basketball I watched the Republican Candidates Debate on CNN. My opinion of Perry and Bachman has not changed. If they were to be elected-an impossibility thank G-Carter would become a great President; also an impossibility.

Ron Paul should take a history lesson. The power of the Isolationists in Congress in the
30s and early 40s was a causative factor leading to the European Dictatorships' road to war. They did not fear American Intervention. Perhaps the "final solution" could have been avoided.

The fact is that this country can not afford to turn its back on world affairs. We have to be involved. However, the present Administration's program in regards to to the nuclear adventurers and in the middle east will only lead to a world disaster. Teddy Roosevelt was the first to understand the power of the "big stick" when he sent the White Fleet on its world cruise.

Of the others, only Romney, Gingrich, and Cain represent viable candidates. I have to dismiss Cain as a political adventurist without the needed experience. The sex charges are a bunch of nonsense even if true. Clinton did not suffer from his scandal.

Gingrich makes the most political sense but he scares the hell out of me. There are morality issues and ethical issues plus his track record. It is doubtful if the far right Republicans will accept him except as an alternative to Romney. Certainly in a race between he and Obama I think the Independents will sit it out.

That leaves Romney. Today by default he will be the Republican Candidate. The nomination process starts in 5 weeks on Jan 3,2012 with the Iowa Caucuses. with the early Primary Elections and Caucuses perhaps by the end of April the race will be over.

I don't profess to be a political pundit, so take this for what i is worth.

It is possible that I will post some comments about other blogs later today or on the weekend.

MINI BLOG

PT appointment early AM. Most of important matters from Council meeting have been covered by bloggers. If I find some other matter of interest I will post sometime this afternoon. Otherwise enjoy the holiday and the long weekend.

NOVEMBER COUNCIL MEETING #2

An explanation for the two resolutions approving of payment of $30,000.00 and $100,000.00 was given by Corporation Counsel. The lesser amount was related but details not given to a police action in the MRHC emergency center.

The $100,000.00 was recommended settlement before any court action for an 2006 arrest in Fanwood and the holding of the Plaintiff in jail for over 30 minutes after a traffic violation stop due to tan outstanding “bench warrant “ from 2001 . The Plaintiff claimed having no knowledge of the warrant and there was enough evidence that the entire issue had been mishandled from the start. The case was further compromised by remarks made by individuals no longer in the city employee.

It was felt that in case of a trial the City’s financial exposure would be many times greater.

In neither case was any explanation given as to remedial action. When asked if the payments were covered by insurance; Williamson replied that the funds did not come out of the Corporation Counsel’s account and were handled by Inservco Insurance Service the city’s claims service administrator. Since the City is self insured the gist of the question was not answered.

With the approval of Berry as City Administrator to start Nov. 28, all top administrative positions will be filled. Along with the presence of a CFO Plainfield has reached an unusual state of a fully operative administration status. Mr. Jackson the Director of PW etc. seems to bring as long needed professional pr essence in that department.

In response to when the 4th quarter Tax statements would be mailed the answer was beginning next week. They had to wait for approval of the 2011 Interim fiscal budget.

Let us hope that the 2012 budget will be presented without undue delay.