STICKING THEIR NECKS OUT

It takes courage to open a new business in these economic times, especially if the product sold is one that folks without ample money can afford. Yet small business is what folks are expected to do, bet on the future, create more jobs. OutRageous, another cute name for a gift shop, dares the elements in light of the fact that Dilly Dally and the Gardner Store gift shops recently closed for both business and personal reasons. I used to think there were so many gift shops in Suffolk you could trip over them. But there are those that believe the customer needs more choices. The Prentis House now lives as Lenettes Floral Designs. I once owned a business like that in the wrong location and sold it back at a loss. But these new folks have high hopes and we wish them the best. The mayor was there to cut ribbons, probably praying the owners will be successful in spite of the economy. 

AN INTERESTING SUFFOLK POLITICAL PLOT

One student of Suffolk politics sees a plan for managing the results of the 2012 elections. It is based on the results of the November elections where popular Mike Duman narrowly edged out Caroline Martin for Council. Her backers were disappointed, especially after raising far more money than the other candidates combined. This was not expected. The money invested in her campaign raised eyebrows and the question, why was that Council position so very important to her supporters? It’s a step into a position of power in Suffolk, that’s why, according to the theory advanced. If you can imagine it, the theory states that the Mayor would be more comfortable as the Council member she was and is part of the group that want Martin as mayor. The theory calculates the voters are ready for change, based on the recent state and federal results. New Councilman Barclay seeks a higher position in Va. Politics and will step down. Linda Johnson would then easily recapture her former Council seat making room for Martin to run. She could win if the voters hadn’t figured out what was going on. The theorist figures Parr, Duman, and Linda Johnson would support Martin and the SCCA crowd would be in power.    

SENSIBLE CONTRACT FOR 2011 CONGRESS

1.  Term Limits - Lifetime service 12 years.

2.  No Tenure / No Pension - A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay       when out of office.

3.  Congress (past, present, & future) participates in Social Security - All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately.  All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase its own retirement plan, just as all Americans do

5. Congress will no longer vote itself a pay raise, pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11

The American people did not make contracts with Congressmen. A self serving Congress made all these plush contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.  The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
 

ANOTHER VISITOR JUST OUTSIDE LIVINGROOM

An eight pointer, fifteen feet from our dining room,  he just dropped by to eat azalea blooms. I don't imagine downtowners have this problem. Our best day counting deer in the yard at the same time was fourteen. No record but Fish and Game Department better come up with something or provide a bounty like they did with wolves and coyote.  Rural living has its pluses and minuses. We see cormorants geese, ducks, vultures, eagles, woodchuck,  turtles, heron, ibis, silver fox, possum, skunk, birds and hawks of all sorts. Almost makes our property taxes worthwhile. 

THE PRESIDENT 'S STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH

IS THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

Is Mark Warner the “Man of the Century, can he lead us to the promised-land with his bill to save trillions over a few decades? He and Chambliss are teaming up to hit Congress with a Tsunami of ways to cut government spending and may actually believe they will listen to their fairy tale. Saving trillions would require closing several huge Departments like Education, Agriculture, I.R.S, but you can’t just fire thousands of bureaucrats now that Obama has finally awakened to the need for jobs throughout the country. Forget eliminating “earmarks, ” no rep or senator will give up the spending that keeps him elected. Replacing roads and bridges is a necessity and could save the nation billions but it requires billions for labor and materials. If gasoline taxes were raised by as much as a dollar there would be a rush on motorcycles, electric cars, comfortable walking shoes, and would put car commuters into inconvenient pools or break them. Mark Warner believes in bold strokes; you can be sure it will be hard on wallets and purses, and the great variety of generous entitlements will take a hit. The BILL will cause a stir in in the land because at this point it sounds good..

NEW RACE TRACK

Gov. Bob McDonnell saith a new 460 will be better, safer and lower freight costs. Plus improve the military’s strategic connectivity, improve travel safety, and provide a safer, less flood-prone evacuation route. The road builders, 460 Partners, LLC, Cintra Infrastructures, S.A., and MultiModal Solutions, LLC — say the job can be done between $1.49 billion and $2.72 billion. Some  spread.
But where between for a 55-mile, four-lane, divided, limited-access highway between Suffolk and Petersburg nearly alongside old 460 but bypassing towns that will lose some business. Tolls for the whole trip range from $3.85 for motorcycles, $75 for tandem trailers, and two-axle vehicles $5.94 to $11. But you can risk your life at a legal 75 miles per hour, 40 minutes here to Petersburg.

IS THERE AN ANSWER

Here is a place where $600 suit wearing bankers with nice cars can explain the positive side of foreclosure. We understand the part about people either buying above their means or losing their job and  no longer able to pay for food and medicine let alone the mortgage or even the interest and property taxes. We understand banks don't exactly love carrying an inventory of houses. And we realize that an empty home deteriorates at a much faster rate than one owned by caring people. We all fear the word homelessness or having to impose by moving in with relatives. So what does a bank gain by forcing people out on the streets who can hardly handle the costs of moving anywhere or storing what they own?

There are banks everywhere and they never stop expanding, new buildings purchased with the difference between the interest charged to borrowers and interest paid to savers.  We may be naive but perhaps one of the hundreds of local bankers can tell us how they gain from foreclosures, assuming they do. The low interest they pay on checking accounts is the reason many folks would just as soon keep their cash in a steel box hidden in a stump in the yard.

IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ONE

One of  a family of four magnificent Bald Eagles that nest nearby, parents and a two year old brood. Only in less than perfect weather do they perch in high dead pines by our home on Lake Western Branch. Yes, they are quite friendly, My lawn tractor and I mow right under them and they seem not disturbed. On rare occasions both adults sit side by side about fifty feet up. I've come close but never been able to take a picture of both.

BFF CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

BE  FIGHT  FREE  may have originated right here in Suffolk but from wherever it came the idea makes complete sense because it can quickly ostracize those that refuse to participate. The usual ignorant school bully would be targeted, avoided and scorned. Potential serious troublemakers would be spotlighted immediately and carefully observed by authorities. Kids can fool parents but not kids. The concept is marvelous, kids are joiners and loyal to a commitment. Girls by nature should take the lead and stick with it as it can and must work. Authorities and mom and dad have lectured on the benefits of being good citizens for decades. Imagine how it could be if kids took over the responsibility of being fight free. If they are successful the world could also be FRIGHT free.The Be Fight Free rally is the beginning of a trial balloon at each Suffolk high school. I’d only suggest they start much earlier in a child’s school life.

ARE THESE SENTENCES FROM THE MOUTH OF MR. FORBES

Let's consider what we witnessed during Mr. Hu’s visit: We saw the leadership of the greatest democracy this world has ever known roll out the red carpet and raise their glasses to toast the leader of the largest communist nation in the world. And what were they toasting? They were toasting the fact that we have traded our computer technology advantages to the Chinese so they can build missiles, weapon systems, and business models to rival our own, in exchange for tainted pet food, dry wall and childs toys. They were toasting the reality that we have given our cash to China in exchange for a future of indebtedness that will anchor our grandchildren for decades. They were toasting the fact that we now have a trade deficit of $252 billion, while China has a surplus of $252 billion, which has resulted in us financing their entire defense expenditures. IF FORBES SAID THIS, BRAVO.   He also said he was not angry with the Chinese, just disappointed in  our country's  leadership.

PC OKAYS $724 BIG ONES

That’s easy and exciting and only a good estimate. Obama’s disastrous two years make it impossible to know what’s ahead for the dollar or taxes, or an individual’s worth. Based on planners faith perhaps is OK but the plan should be written in Pencil. And that’s just the Capital Plan, there’s still operational money and most all of this must be wrested from wallets and purses. There is no doubt the listed planned items are good ideas and necessary to growth but it is merely an exercise, as was the Fairgrounds experiment and expanding Highway 58. If the nation’s burden of debt is not paid (taxed) down to lender’s satisfaction we could all be looking for space to raise bananas. Well, not me, too old, but those whom will pick up the nations reins will face an economy like that after World War II. Like I said, we are not yet committed, it’s only a vision and city rules call for it. Just remember the SCCA was once a planner’s dream, and the unrecoverable cost of seeking tourists.

BROWN AND WHITNEY LOSE ONE

I was just trying to take the positive road,” said Mr. Brown who represents Cypress Borough where FourFarms would be located. Attorney Whitney Saunders lost the battle despite several opportunities to plead his case because Suffolk Citizens for Responsible Growth would not sit still for more road traffic congestion and had the obvious support of the Planning Commission. Brown wanted to table the motion to end the debate and many voting citizens might remember the next time Brown’s name shows on the ballot. Those petitions signed by 600 citizens might indicate Brown didn’t know his constituents. The attorney, Whitney Saunders, suggested there should be more time to study the outstanding design of the project. I’d say it had been studied to a sure death.

http://suffolkresponsiblegrowth.com/

IT STILL TICKS ME OFF

Take a guess…how many French, Dutch, Italians, Belgians, and Brits are buried on American soil…after defending us against our enemies in wars we did not start? Zero.

But just in Europe there are 104,366 dead, brave Americans buried under soil we liberated. We haven’t asked for sympathy, nor have we ever asked for praise. But for damn sure we have absolutely no need to apologize. Yet we have a President who apologized to Europe and the Middle East suggesting that our country is "arrogant"! The  President's                                                      name is Zero

HIDE YOUR GUNS

HIDE  YOUR  GUNS

They will be on the warpath again, always finding a reason why some nut with a gun is reason enough to ignore the majority and eliminate guns. The National Rifle Association is preparing its boilerplate advertising materials for anti-gun control TV adds, again. The subject comes up on an irregular basis but the opposition to guns seldom miss an opportunity to defraud sensitive people into thinking no guns is the answer. Most every veteran of any war or skirmish disagrees, every hunter, any gun hobbyist, will be impossible to sell. But that leaves a whopping number of liberals and sympathizers that don’t think at all and could be compromised by a gifted orator who already fooled them twice. They put him in office and bought his Health Care mess.

A quick tip from an old soldier, clean and oil them as though they were going to be stored in a pyramid for a hundred years. That could happen so keep at least one handy, the French Army may invade us.