The Balanced World of Obama

“Everybody needs to live with their own choices.”
-as heard during
an episode of
KYLE-XY, Season II

We all make mistakes. Presidents make mistakes from time to time. It remains to be seen what mistakes will be made by our current President of the United States.

I voted for President Barak Obama. I initially wanted Hillary Clinton as our next US President but when it came down to the wire ‘Obama’ was the only smart choice. I certainly was not choosing McCain after learning from ‘friends in the know’ of how his temper and fierce coercing aura would be so very wrong during these times. Besides, I actually remember my own mother saying, “I can’t stand that man,” as she pointed to John McCain on the television. I trust mom’s judgment.

Anyhow, I voted for Obama and in another five days he will have been President for six months. So, it’s time for his six-month evaluation. I decided to pinpoint six things that seem to show that he is doing all he can do (although many are now saying he is trying to do too much…too fast).

JANUARY 2009: Obama is an ultra smooth talker. On January 20, 2009 during his inaugural speech he said, “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.”
Promises...Promises...a lot 'remains to be seen'.

FEBRUARY 2009: Obama hailed a passage of a $787 Billion Economic Stimulus Bill
“This historic step won’t be the end of what we do to turn our economy around, but rather the beginning. The problems that led us into this crisis are deep and widespread, and our response must be equal to the task," Obama said.
The stimulus is supposed to be a gradual process. A contractor we know said he recently signed on for a few 'hospital contracting' jobs because the government funds have started to trickle through. Hopefully, this is a sign of MORE stimulus to come.

MARCH 2009: President Barack Obama reverses the Bush administration policies on stem cell research and signs an Executive Order providing wider scientific use and federal funding of embryonic stem cell research opening a new scientific front free of political ideology.
Hurrah! I am all for new, scientific advancements.

APRIL 2009: President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton planted trees with volunteers at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC on April 21, 2009. The President is participating in a National Service Project to actively help America in the spirit of the Service America Act signed earlier on that day.
Hurrah! This is a small positive outlook on MORE 'GREEN' improvements (I hope).

MAY 2009: President Barack Obama, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Doug Shulman remark on tax reform in the Grand Foyer of the White House on May 4, 2009. The President wants to save $210 billion over the next 10 years by clamping down on tax havens and curbing incentives to US companies who outsource jobs.
Taxes are always an 'ugly' issue. Let's see where he goes with this one. Time will tell.

JUNE 2009: I absolutely loved his speech in Cairo, Egypt in June 2009. I was in London when I heard it on June 4, 2009. This speech is what inspired me to write this blog because I found many of the things he said were so 'balanced' and 'right'. He stressed three sources of TENSION during his “New Beginnings’ speech in Cairo:
I. The first source of tension is that we have to confront violent extremism in all of its forms. He continued with the issue of Iraq.
He said, “Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world.”
He went on to say, “Today, America has a dual responsibility: to help Iraq forge a better future and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012.

II. The second major source of tension that he discussed was the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world.

III. The third source of tension he spoke of was our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons.

JULY 2009: At a town hall-style meeting, President Obama pushed his proposal for a health care overhaul as a cost-saver rather than an expenditure.

Obama definitely needs to ask himself, "Where is the money coming from?" If he keeps printing money the inflationary pressures will be coming soon. At the end of Bill Clinton's Presidency we had a $559,000 BILLION dollar surplus. The projected 2009 deficit will be 1.845 TRILLION range. That is one big "OUCH" for the USA. Take a peek at the Deficits Do Matter website:
http://www.deficitsdomatter.org/index.html
Perhaps we should concentrate on one, two or three top PRIORITY items and get those things done first. Too many dishes cooking in the kitchen could cause an even bigger mess to clean. Still...I am crossing my fingers for real progress from Obama. He is maintaining visibility to our country and the world. This is good. We need to know and focus on improvements 'together'. I might do a further progress checklist in a future blog. Let's cross our fingers that things turn out for the best.

Twenty-five years ago today:

July 15, 1984
Sunday

My cousin, Cecelia Garcia-Markus, had a little girl on July 12, 1984. She named her Jessica Markus.

I ate breakfast at mom’s and returned to my pad to lay out ‘in the nude’ in my backyard. As I was lying out the phone rang and it was Michael Miller.
We chatted a bit and I told him to come over so we could decide what to do on this lazy Sunday.
“Okay, I’ll stop by and maybe we can go to the San Leandro Estuary to see my friend canoe,” Michael Miller suggested.
We ended up going to the Estuary on Doolittle Drive but his friend was nowhere to be found. We scouted the area anyway and then we checked out the Harbor Bay Business Park. We ate at the Harbor Bay Landing Delicatessen and followed that by hanging out at my pad for a while. We moved on to the Islandia Homeowners swimming pool where we spoke to Patty for a while. Patty is some girl that Michael Miller knew from school. Patty made a hint about moving in with me. What a joke. She is “NMT” (Not My Type).

We returned to my pad and hung out at my house, lounging and wondering what we should do now. I had a feeling ‘it’ crossed his mind but I could not be sure. It certainly crossed my mind but we ended up just hanging out. I took a couple of pictures and then watched ’60 Minutes’ on CBS.
After the show Michael Miller went home. When he left I headed over to my mom’s and ate a bit of ‘this n’ that’. Mom handed me twenty-dollars. She sweetly did that because she understood my tight budget. I love her and I hope she knows I appreciate the small loan.

No one has telephoned me since I have been back at home (except Michael Miller). He is a ‘one in a million’ buddy. I have to let him know that I feel this way.

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The CBS Annual Shareholder's Meeting, 2009

"The act is the same, only the actors change!"
-Evelyn Davis,
an avid shareholder attendee

The CBS Annual Shareholder's Meeting, 2009, took place at 787 Seventh Avenue at 51st Street in New York City. I was in attendance. The stock price is trading around $7.45 per share right now. In mid-June 2008 it was trading in the $21.30 range. The meeting did not seem to bring up this issue, using the trauma of the current economy as the excuse.

It cannot be ignored that the CBS Class B shares have no voting value. It is the CBS Class A shares that are majority-owned by Sumner Redstone that have "full throttle" control. It seems that the CBS stock price will not have an immediate revival unless Sumner decides to release his control (yes, one venue is by selling the company). It is doubtful he will do so. It's his "baby".

"May I remind you that the top ten shows on television are on CBS," Sumner said at this meeting. Were his powerful words supposed to give high hopes to every investor?

The President & CEO, Leslie Moonves, spoke with an excited tone about the new CBS Interactive Music Group. I guess it remains to be seen what benefits that shall bring. The new CBS MoneyWatch was also given honorable mention.
http://moneywatch.bnet.com/
I jotted this information down as I felt a need to investigate these further.

Leslie Moonves says, "In 2008 we reduced our cost structure. Our stock performance is affected by the recession more than it should have been. As the economy improves our stock price will as well."

Not long after this statement another shareholder came to the microphone to say, "Why can't my dividend go direct to the bank? Since Westinghouse, I've gotten older," the woman looked to be in her late eighties or early nineties.

Attending a shareholder's meeting in the year 2009 can almost be an idea for a new interactive cable show. The happenings are easily the makings of comedy and drama. Perhaps CBS should televise their annual shareholder meetings "LIVE" for the entertainment value in and of itself. I was almost going to recommend a new talk show, starring a fabulous English notable. Then I figured, "Would they even listen?"

Ironically, there was no mention of the October 2008 news headline:
Redstone's firm sells $233 million worth of stock in Viacom, CBS
The billionaire dumped the shares to raise cash to comply with debt agreements.
By Meg James,
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 14, 2008

Billionaire Sumner Redstone's National Amusements Inc. said Monday that it had sold $233 million worth of stock in Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp. to raise cash to comply with debt covenants.

All I can say to this is, "How lovely". It is clear that ad revenues and sales need to return to CASH "KING" mode. It is 'advertising' that keeps CBS alive. Then again, CBS is such a diamond status network that I am sure some Middle Eastern oil-rich chap or some credible China entrepreneur could afford to pay a high price that Sumner would be forced to consider.

Twenty-five years ago today:

June 19, 1984
Tuesday

The work day passed on rather quickly. There was nothing too eventful to mention except that I appreciated Joan Lyons coming to my cubicle, requesting a purchase of a ticket to Ashley’s Baby Pageant. I am only surprised that Barbara Reynolds did not buy one. She’s a bitch (at times).

I did not ride my bike. Instead I went to ‘3330 Cook Lane’ to help Sherri set up the crib and other items.

Chris telephoned me before I left for Sherri's saying, “I will be heading your way this Friday at around four o’clock!”
“That’s good news,” I told him.
The only thing is that we will not be spending any money. We are just going to lounge. We may lay out by the pool at the Islandia Homeowners Clubhouse.


I feel guilty for not riding my bike today. I transferred all of my clothes from 356 Magnolia Drive to ‘3348 Solomon Lane’. What a chore. I will be moving my ‘body’ into the townhouse tomorrow night. At 9PM I ‘hit the hay’. Yawn.

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The Increasing Power of China

"You can't make anyone feel the way you'd like them to."
-as heard while watching
the TV series KYLE-XY

The following words 'On China' are from
SPRING MOON,
a Novel on China published in 1981
by Bette Bao Lord:

In the world today, what position do we occupy?
Compared to the other peoples of the world we have the greatest population and our civilization is 4,000 years old; we should therefore be advancing in the front rank with the nations of Europe and America. But the Chinese people have only family and clan solidarity; they do not have national spirit. Therefore, even though we have four hundred million people gathered together in one China, in reality they are just a heap of loose sand. Today we are the poorest and weakest nation in the world, and occupy the lowest position in International Affairs. Other men are the carving knife and serving dish, we are the fish and the meat.
-Sun Yat-sen


January 2009:
China did have its day in the sun when it unveiled the opening ceremony of the Olympics on August 8, 2008.

The Zhejiang Wanli University (with support of the WSEAS: World Scientific & Engineering Academy & Society)organized the following parallel conferences for 2009:
COMPUTER ENGINEERING and APPLICATIONS
CIRCUITS, SYSTEMS, SIGNAL and TELECOMMUNICATIONS
MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY and ECOLOGY
FLUID MECHANICS
HEAT and MASS TRANSFER

February 2009:
Over the last quarter century, China's economy has evolved from a centrally planned
system mostly closed to international trade to a rapidly growing market-oriented
economy that is the most important player in the global economy. Beginning with the
phasing out of collectivized agriculture, China’s reforms have included price liberalization, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the development of a diversified banking system, and stock markets. As a result of these reforms, the rapid growth of the private sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment, China has experienced unprecedented economic growth of between 8 and 12 percent per year. This growth has lifted an estimated 200 million people into the middle class and transformed the economy and consumption patterns. China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2001, further boosting GDP growth, direct foreign investment, and exports. Although 75 percent of China’s economic growth comes from domestic sources, its tradition of export-oriented growth has given it foreign exchange reserves of more than $1.3 trillion. Some farming sectors have begun to organize as supply cooperatives to guarantee better prices and collective standards.

China is undergoing the largest internal migration in human history. The official number for rural to urban migration has been
1.5 percent over the last 10 years and is expected to continue requiring China's already overpopulated cities to accommodate another 200 million low-income workers over the next five years. As a result, some projections forecast the rural population to drop to 20 percent of the total by 2027.

March 2009:
Green energy projects increase. China is also reportedly revising its energy development plans to nearly double its nuclear power capacity.

April 2009:
In the few decades since the illegal Chinese invasion of Tibet, Tibetans have seen their ecosystem destroyed, their religion, language, and culture repressed, and systematic oppression and violence against anyone who dares acknowledge Tibetan sovereignty.

The Dalai Lama has been a consistent voice for peace, sharing a "Middle-Way" approach that has gathered accolades from the Nobel Peace Prize to the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal. The Dalai Lama has consistently been 'a speaker of truth'. The power of China continues to increase.

May 2009:
China looking to increase solar power goals by order of magnitude.

June 2009:
The Shanghai New International Expo Centre plans a Symposium Exhibit with the CPhI (Chinese Pharmaceutical Industry) in late June 2009.
With new opportunities emerging and new, stricter rules and regulations raising the bar even higher, the pharmaceutical landscape is changing radically. China’s rapidly expanding and diversifying pharmaceutical market is set to enter the world’s top ten in the next five years.


Twenty-five years ago today:

May 19, 1984
Saturday
The day started the early. We ate breakfast. At 8AM, Chris had to report for ‘duty call’ at Humboldt Bay (that’s what they call the Coast Guard base) and I was able to accompany him. I spent just about all day there in ‘observation mode’. I do have my limits though. After a while I left for Clam Beach to breathe so-to-speak.

Chris had made some ‘smart ass’ remarks to annoy me like:
“I left your keys in the car.”

Maybe it was dumb of me but I just needed to escape from that Base anyhow. When Chris was around those guys (Jim, Ed and the others) he seemed less caring. It’s neat in a ‘strange sort of way’ because I would probably do the same around immature 'macho' chums (if I had any). We would not want those chums to have the least amount of suspicion about our ‘secret romance’ after all.

Chris and I had a fun activity of washing my car. I watched them rinse the Coast Guard helicopter.

I enjoyed some nachos at a place called Rosa Linda’s, hanging out there until 10PM. Chris was on-duty for the night shift so I hung out at the house with Barb as we watched “Outland” with Laverne and Thomas (other Coast Guard types). "Outland" was a 1981 dramatic Sci-Fi thriller starring Sean Connery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPXrD5Wa94k
Those two Coast Guard cohorts (Laverne and Thomas) were kind of dull ‘in my book’. They seemed respectable enough but just too ordinary. I was relieved when they left the house. Shortly afterward, Barb and I went to bed (separately, of course).

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Catching Wild Pigs

"Today's financial institutions are so interwoven that a bad bank anywhere is a threat to good banks everywhere."
-as heard on the radio by British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown

PHOTO: Sand Sculpture
by Hanne Reid,
Aldergrove, B.C. Canada

My dear photographer friend (and avid blog follower), Hanne Reid, in British Columbia, CANADA shared this "Catching Wild Pigs" story with me recently. It is so a 'sign of the times' that I felt a need to share the story.

"Catching Wild Pigs"

A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.

In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America . The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time.

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut!

Keep your eyes on the newly elected politicians who are about to slam the gate on America .

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
--Thomas Jefferson

Twenty-five years ago today:

March 4, 1984

I hopped on my bicycle for a quick breakfast at Mom's house. Helen called just before I stepped out.
"Would you like to go to the Alameda Flea Market, today?" Helen asked.
"That sounds great but I have lunch plans with Nadine," I explained.

Wouldn't you know it. After my breakfast and bike ride I tried Nadine between Noon and one o'clock as instructed and she wasn't even at home!
"I dunno," I thought to myself, "I should've gone to the flea market after all."

I found myself busy anyway. I washed my car and mom's car. Mom even helped out, so it was our fun productive project for the day.

My reward was a bicycle excursion visit to the Alameda South Shore beach. I laid out, taking in some rays for about half an hour (wearing my skimpy, silver Speedo bikini). I got a few sly double-take looks (but I didn't even bother to see who was looking). I just felt someone watching over me. I didn't lay around long. I took a walk for an Orange Julius lunch. As I was eating a girl who looked half black and half Iranian whistled at me. I smiled. She was only about fifteen years old.
"Is that whistle for me?" I asked.
"Yes," she said with a smile.
"Thanks," I replied as I returned the smile and continued with my lunch.

I returned home on my bike to find Mom at my pad.
"You missed a visit from Debbie Honcik," mom said as she succeeded in mispronouncing her surname. My mom thought she was so nice. She was one of my first Pacific Telephone employee friends that I met back in April 1977 when we started as 411 operators. I wish I hadn't missed her visit. She is so cool and carefree. I miss Deb. We are in very different departments now. I must call her one night this week. All I can do is 'try again'.

Debbie left a yellow 'While You Were Out' post-it note:

To: Mike
Date: 3-4-84
3348 Solomon Lane of Left Fir, Right Holly

Hi! Just dropped by to see you on my way for a bike ride on this gorgeous day.
I miss my old friend. See ya another time. -Debbie Honcik


I continued bike riding again later that day and bumped into Suzy and Ron. I rode with them for a short time. I was people watching and relaxing on the beach by myself a little later.
"Why do you put your bike upside down?" asked an unknown chubby girl.
"Oh, it's to keep the sand away from my spokes and tires," I explained
Some blue-eyed, brown haired guy started talking to me a bit and left. He was nice. I was enamored with his eyes (especially).

I ate dinner at mom's (homemade burgers). Marty called to borrow my "Breaking Away" movie. He better bring it back. I'm only looking forward to Ann-Margret's movie tonight. I'm thrilled that Joan Rivers is co-hosting on The Tonight Show all of this week, too. I called 'John & Sherri' to see if they were coming to watch "A Streetcar Named Desire" with me.
"We probably will," said John.

Elisa Berney-Brown called (thanks to call-waiting) for an update of my address. She wants to send me an invitation in honor of her daughter, Stephanie. It's her Birthday Party on Sunday, March 18, 1984 at two o'clock. She will be one year old.

Another call waiting interruption came through. This time it was Chris Cordellos.
"Let me call you right back," I abruptly told Chris.

Another call came in and it was Helen.
"I just wanted to tell you about the Ann-Margret movie tonight. I didn't want you to forget," Helen said.
She went on to tell me that she went to the flea market after all. She said Al accompanied her.
"I should've gone with you because Nadine wasn't even home and I didn't even go to lunch with her," I confessed.
"Oh, I hate those 'jerkomatics'," Helen shouted.
"So do I!" I exclaimed. I laughed at that word. I guess a 'jerkomatic' is a jerk who is always on automatic pilot.

When I returned the phone call to Chris I learned that he was going bar-hopping with his brother, Nick, to some neighborhood Sonoma bars. He promised to come over tomorrow night. We may go to Berkeley to see the double-feature 'Puberty Blues'
www.imdb.com/title/tt0082956/
and 'Gregory's Girl'.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0082477/

I broke down and called on Nadine to get the scoop. It turns out she spent the night in San Jose with a girlfriend. I hope she's not a 'long hair-type' as Chris would call it (someone who loves smokin' pot all day and has no purpose in life).
Nadine and I confirmed a date for Wednesday evening. I, of course, forgot about my appointment at 'The Sperm Bank'. Oh well, I'm sure I can cancel one of those visits.

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Easy Come, Easy Go

1929: The Great Depression of 1929 began on ‘Black Tuesday’ with the Wall Street crash in October 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The basic cause was a sudden loss of confidence in the economic future. Sound familiar?

Some of the 1929 Depression era explanations include high consumer debt, ill-regulated markets that were permitted by banks and investors, cutbacks in foreign trade, lack of high-growth new industries, and growing wealth inequality, all interacting to create a downward economic spiral of reduced spending, falling confidence, and lowered production.

1969: Fast forward 40 years to 1969…What was going on? Personally, I started 4th grade in September 1969 at a parochial school (St. Anthony’s) in Oakland, CA. My girlfriend from 1st through 3rd grades (Diane Laschatz) broke up with me for one of The Monkees (Mickey Dolenz). I was heartbroken.
My new teacher/nun (Sister Mary Gemma) made an announcement in front of the class around the same time of my break-up with Diane.
“Michael Armijo…you put on some weight over the summer, didn’t you?” Sister Mary Gemma questioned.
How embarrassing is that? I don’t know if anyone laughed because I chose to block out the incident. It’s funny the things we remember. It’s often a cruel or sensitive moment. What else was going on in 1969?

February 17, 1969: Golda Meir sworn in as Israel's 1st female prime minister
February 25, 1969: Beatles begin recording Abbey Road album
March 1, 1969: After 88 weeks Sgt Pepper drops off the charts
March 1, 1969: New York Yankees' Mickey Mantle retires
March 3, 1969: Apollo 9 launched for 151 Earth orbits (10 days)
March 5, 1969: Gold reaches then record high ($47 per ounce) in Paris
March 10, 1969: James Earl Ray pleads guilty in murder of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last night I was swept away when I watched the 1969 film ‘They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?’, starring Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin and Gig Young.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Shoot_Horses,_Don't_They%3F
I had never seen it and actually thought it was a western. As it turned out it was a timely film for today (given the current financial crisis). It was a 1929 Depression era drama about a dance marathon with a $1500 cash prize to the winning couple. It brought out the worst in its desperate contestants: jealousy, mental illness, hallucinations, desperation, anxiety, heart failure, suicidal tendencies, murder… It was quite intense as I felt the pain and agony, watching this film directed by Sidney Pollack. It made me think twice to hear this dialogue:

“Why do you like California?” Michael Sarrazin asked.
“You don’t freeze while you’re starving,” Jane Fonda answered.

So that’s why homeless people like Santa Monica!

I liked two songs I heard in this 1969 film.
‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ was sung by Gig Young at the piano. 'The Best Things In Life Are Free' was memorable, too.

'Easy Come, Easy Go' lyrics
Easy come, easy go, that's the way,
If love must have it's day, then
As it came, let it go.

No, no remorse, no regrets
We should part exactly as we met
Just easy come, easy go.

We never dreamt of romantic dangers
But now that it ends, let's be friends
And not two strangers

Easy come, easy go, here we are,
So darling au revoir
It's easy come, easy go.


2009: Fast forward another 40 years to 2009 where I was reading the Wall Street Journal at 'Uncle Bill's' in Manhattan Beach, CA this morning. I was reading two editorials "The Obama Revolution" & "An Inconvenient Tax".
In a nutshell, "The Obama Revolution" explains yesterday's 2010 budget proposal via a 'new light'. The sheer magnitude of federal spending will soar in 2009 to $4 trillion. The budget has great assumptions. I did vote for Obama and I am 'crossing my fingers' that things will pan out well. The next two years will prove to be a major adjustment for Americans.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123569611695588763.html
The 'Inconvenient Tax' article explains how Obama promised again that '95% of working families" would not see their taxes rise by "a single dime". Yet his own budget reveals that taxes will rise for 100% of everyone for the sake of 'global warming'. The article reveals a 'not so pretty picture' with much uncertainty.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123569802712289113.html
"I'm sitting it out"...
as I listen to this other version of 'Easy Come, Easy Go' that I just found by Bobby Sherman from 1970.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz285B4sleQ

Twenty-five years ago today:

Monday, February 27, 1984

I read an article in the 'Oakland Tribune' about 'Women In Need' today. I decided to call The Sperm Bank of Northern California. They are located in North Oakland, near Merritt Hospital. I called them this morning and made an appointment for Wednesday at 6pm. I wonder? Will I be able to say '20 years from now' that I have a child somewhere? I am curious. Will I ever know this child? It's interesting. I want to look into it further.

I took a bike rid after work, riding until 6:30pm. I ate dinner with 'pops' again.

I was thinking about how I received a single rose from a customer today. My good deed was simple. I made a special arrangement for the payment of her telephone bill.

I saw Nici Maurino. She 'sort of' smiled at me, asking what I was up to these days.
She is too 'red neck' or 'something' for me.

Paloma telephoned with a 'Thank You' for the card I sent her. We may go out or simply get-together this Thursday night. I explained that I was going to 'Echo Beach' in San Francisco with my friend, Chris. It would be cool if I had her to dance with while we're there. Chris and I don't have a problem dancing 'solo' though. I thought it interesting when Paloma told me that a bisexual model friend she knows had invited her to Utah. Does that mean she's going to accept the invitation?

Doug Siu called. He is that little Asian guy who works at the Phone Center store. We made tentative arrangements to get-together. He wants to show me his new desk. He is so persistent and it's hard for me to say "no".

Chris Cordellos telephone just before I was about to watch the 1984 continuing TV-mini series, LACE (Phoebe Cates). He just wanted to share the scoop of the rowdy folks that were at his party last Saturday night. I told him about my 'soggy time' visit to Wolfgang's in San Francisco, my new scheduled days off (hint hint) and verified our 'Echo Beach' outing this Thursday night.
"We'll do an early celebration for your 21st birthday, Chris," I said.
I have to find him a gift. His actual birthday is March 4th.

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Abolish Income Tax for 3 Years

"The risk of doing too much is much less than the risk of doing too little."
-Lord John Eatwell

In April 2004, Alan and I were vacationing on the Carribean island of St. Lucia at The BodyHoliday at Le Sport Hotel. It was an unforgettalbe spa/exercise/all-inclusive meals experience.
www.definitivecaribbean.com/accommodation/TheBodyHolidayatLeSPORT.aspx
The clientele was predominantly British at the time of our visit. We made three key friends:
1. The Wimbledon Wives-a group of six women who live in the Surrey area of England who celebrate Birthdays' and go on vacations together. We named them 'The Wimbledon Wives' after comparing them to the 'First Wives Club' & 'The Calendar Girls' movies.
2. Lady Suzi Digby, a divorcee on holiday
3. Ron and Jean Ford with their daughter, Anne Ford (a European Union language translator)

Since 2004, Lady Suzi Digby has married Lord John Eatwell and we have become very good friends. Suzi is becoming quite the celebrity in England after being asked to be a 'judge' in the reality show 'Last Choir Standing'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzi_Digby

Alan and I (pictured above) visited Cambridge, England last July 2008 in honor of Suzi's big 50th Birthday party extravaganza. This past Monday we had the joy of entertaining John & Suzi as our guests in Marina Del Rey, CA. John shared the initial quote (above) with us while staying here. I had to jot it down as something to remember. John is an influential British economist who is currently the President of Queens College in Cambridge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Eatwell

Today, Lord John Eatwell has a featured article in the Financial Times "The Bank must act to bring lenders together".
www.ft.com/cms/s/0/565e877a-ddbe-11dd-87dc-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
The article reminds us:

If only all could be persuaded to spend then all would be better off.

Institutions will not lend to each other because they are concerned about whether they in turn will be able to borrow cash when they need it. There is little incentive to be the first to resume normal money market operations.

...acting alone results in self-fulfilling misery. Acting together can result in self-fulfilling recovery.

In addition, I must share the words that impacted me this morning by a senior economist (Stephen Moore) for The Wall Street Journal. He wrote about the classic 1957 novel by Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged) which is about the economic carnage caused by big government run amok.
www.amazon.com/Atlas-Shrugged-Ayn-Rand/dp/0452011876/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231529802&sr=8-1
The moral of the story is that politicians will respond to crises--that in most cases they themselves created--by spawning new government porgrams, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generated more havoc and poverty, which inspires the politicians to create more programs.

The author, Ayn Rand, came to America from Soviet Russia with insight into totalitarianism and the destruction of socialism. Near the end of her classic fictional book that seems to have turned to fact fifty-two years later the econmy has been rendered comatose by all the great minds in Washington. Out of desperation, the politicians come to the heroic businessman. The fictional character gave this advice:
"...start by abolishing all income tax."
"Oh no!" screamed Mr. X (Nancy Pelosi), leaping to his feet. "We couldn't do that...How would we pay government employees."
"Fire your government employees."
"Oh no!"

I wonder what would happen if we did abolish income tax...for say...three years?

The Atlas Society is dedicated to promoting Rand's ideas.
www.atlassociety.org/

Twenty-five years ago today

January 9, 1984

I believe Barbara Reynolds and I have settled our differences. We shared glances, smiles and "hello" today. I also placed an order for some premium telephone services (Call Waiting and 3-Way Calling), giving Barbara the sale credit. Perhaps that broke the ice.

I called Morris Landy FORD on Park Street in Alameda and there is no word yet on the repair of my car stereo.

I called Paloma Sanchez-Guerra and she is having her own car troubles once again.
"If the car is repaired today I will come over tomorrow night," Paloma said.
That sounded 'promising'. Or is it merely 'questionable'?

I also called Cabine International Modeling and spoke to the owner, Gilbert. He asked me to come to his office in San Francisco at 5:30pm. I agreed.

After work in Downtown Oakland I took BART to San Francisco to meet with Gilbert Hernandez. He is Puerto Rican.

Funny...I just found this link of one his short-lived male models' career:
www.employees.org/~mlarsen/Cabine/

When I arrived at the Cabine International Office I saw Kevin Ward, Olga (Kevin's wife) and Gilbert. They were talking about marital bliss, marriage problems and the 'damned' mother-in-laws. Olga was practically in tears. It was amazingly dramatic and "real". How did I just happen to walk in and start to add my opinion about the marriage matters? It was an interesting visit to say the least. I suppose it was good for me because Gilbert was enthusiastic about me (or so I thought).
"You are very handsome and could easily be used as a 'commercial model'," Gilbert said with conviction.
It all sounded like a difficult process to me but a potential worthwhile adventure. We discussed other topics after Kevin and Olga had left the office. Gilbert told me about the time he almost committed suicide!
"I'm a Leo, born on August 23rd," he said. Or did he say August 28th?

I started to feel a little uncomfortable at his gestures and started to feel that he liked me just a little bit 'too much'. This isn't a good thing because the last thing I wanted to do is hurt the guy (suicide watch visions). I could be his confidant and friend though. Maybe he can bring about my five minutes of fame in life. It could prove fun and interesting...or at least worthy of looking further into his business operations.

Gilbert kept my snapshots.
"Please call me back tonight and we will talk more," he said.

I called him after I had called Leslie Fonseca. Leslie and I shared some general 'small talk'...nothing serious. When I called Gilbert he immediately said he would call me back in five minutes.

I am writing now as I wait for his return call.

He called back to invite me over for a drink tomorrow night (after work).
"Let's go dancing to the I-BEAM on Saturday night," he added.
The I-BEAM is the place that Paloma and I love to dance. I don't mind going with Gilbert but I want to know what the circumstances are with regard to taking hold of my so-called 'modeling venture'. Is he just trying to make a 'date' out of this? I want to see how far this will go.
"I want you to read this 'Love & Infatuation' poem. I really think you can use it," I said seriously.
I can't believe I talked to Gilbert on the phone until midnight. The experience was new to me. I just didn't know how to react to a lot of his flirtatious comments. He seems to be very attracted to me mentally and physically. I tend to read people well. I have no attraction for him whatsoever. Ugh. I would only be his friend/companion. What a hoot. Is this my entrance into Cabine International Models? How far I will get beyond this is unknown.
"You resemble Erik Estrada, most especially the smile," Gilbert said.

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