Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message was removed.
Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:
1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary.
No longer Voluntary
2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program.
Now 7.65% on the first $90,000
3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year.
No longer tax deductible
4.) That the money the participants put into the independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program.
Under Lyndon Johnson the money was moved to the General Fund and spent
5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.
Under Bill Clinton it was determined that up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed
Under Jimmy Carter immigrants who had moved into this country, and attained an age of 65, began to receive Social Security payments, even though they never paid a dime into it!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
It Was A Very Tough Year
We all know 2010 was a tough year, but I made it!
But not everyone is as lucky as I am . . .
The economy is so bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.
I ordered a burger at McDonald's, and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"
CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you have to call them and ask if they mean you or them.
Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
Parents in Beverly Hills and Malibu are firing their nannies and learning their children's names.
A truckload of unemployed Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.
Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.
The Mafia is laying off judges.
BP Oil laid off 25 Congressmen.
Congress says they are looking into the Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!
And, finally . . .
I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, our shrinking 401k Plans and our bleak future, that I called the Suicide Life line and was connected to a call center in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got
all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.
But not everyone is as lucky as I am . . .
The economy is so bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.
I ordered a burger at McDonald's, and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"
CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you have to call them and ask if they mean you or them.
Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
Parents in Beverly Hills and Malibu are firing their nannies and learning their children's names.
A truckload of unemployed Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.
Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.
The Mafia is laying off judges.
BP Oil laid off 25 Congressmen.
Congress says they are looking into the Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!
And, finally . . .
I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, our shrinking 401k Plans and our bleak future, that I called the Suicide Life line and was connected to a call center in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got
all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Creationism vs Evolution
A little girl asked her mother, "How did the human race start?"
The mother answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children,
and so all mankind was made."
Two days later the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered,
"Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved."
The confused girl returned to her mother and said,
"Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race
was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?"
The mother answered, "Well, dear, it is very simple.
I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his."
The mother answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children,
and so all mankind was made."
Two days later the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered,
"Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved."
The confused girl returned to her mother and said,
"Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race
was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?"
The mother answered, "Well, dear, it is very simple.
I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his."
Healthcare
HEALTHCARE
Let me get this straight.
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are
forced to purchase and fined if we don't,
written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it,
passed by a Congress that hasn't read
it but exempts themselves from it,
to be signed by a president who also smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes,
to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that's broke.
What the hell could possibly go wrong?
Let me get this straight.
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are
forced to purchase and fined if we don't,
written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it,
passed by a Congress that hasn't read
it but exempts themselves from it,
to be signed by a president who also smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes,
to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that's broke.
What the hell could possibly go wrong?
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Husband Store
A store that sells new husbands has opened in Toronto , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:
You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increases as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!
So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.
On the first floor the sign on the door reads:
Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs
She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.
'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'
So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.
'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.
She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Good Looking and Help With Housework.
'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!'
Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop -dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.
She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.
PLEASE NOTE: To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street. It also has six floors.
The first floor has wives that love sex.
The second floor has wives that love sex and have money and like beer.
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.
You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increases as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!
So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.
On the first floor the sign on the door reads:
Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs
She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.
'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'
So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.
'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.
She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Good Looking and Help With Housework.
'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!'
Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop -dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.
She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.
PLEASE NOTE: To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street. It also has six floors.
The first floor has wives that love sex.
The second floor has wives that love sex and have money and like beer.
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Stand By Me
Some jazz lovers travelled the world (Santa Monica, New Orleans, Holland, France, South Africa, Spain, Brasil, Venezuela, etc.) and taped street musicians all playing the same song: "Stand by me." Then they put together a "megamix," ending up with a great piece.
http://www.youtube.com/v/Us-
Enjoy this neat example of positive globalization -
http://www.youtube.com/v/Us-
Enjoy this neat example of positive globalization -
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