“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
I will try to touch base on a number of topics today. I hope is comes across clearly.
First: Social Security issues: I receive a number of e-mails on different topics, and try to research things the best I can. A question arose that asked if it were true that Social Security recipients were not going to receive a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2011, and was it because the Obama Administration was using $24,000,000 of Social Security funds to install electronic medical record gathering equipment to help with Congress’s medical needs.
No, Social Security folks will NOT be getting a COLA in 2011, but not for the aforementioned reason. They/we won’t be getting a COLA because, according to the government’s figures, the cost of living went down again in 2010. But, yes, the Obama administration is using $24,000,000 from Social Security to pay for installing electronic medical record gathering capability. Not for Congress, but for those folks who are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). This is supposed to speed up their eligibility determination. The Social Security funds for this project came from funds Obama moved to SSA from Stimulus Funds last year. Understand? We MUST follow through with electronic medical records, but, sorry, no COLA again!
Speaking of Social Security: How many of you readers have ever requested an earnings statement from SSA? I ask this because I found out that years ago one of my employers DIDN’T report one year of my earnings, and never sent in my money. So, I am one year short in my Social Security earnings. As it was a sizable income for that year, all my future Social Security checks will be smaller. If I had been aware, I could have done something about it. And, IF I HAD KEPT ALL MY TAX RECORDS, NOT JUST THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, I could have updated Social Security, and been credited for those missing quarters. My advice is NEVER throw away W-2 forms or 1099 forms. Commit them to some type of reprintable record.
Now about Global Warming and the Recession Ending: Last week the government accounting office reported that the recession ended in June 2009. Never mind that the housing market is still in the tank, and jobs are as scarce as hens’ teeth, unemployment went up, “thus sayeth the government…” so it must be so. On another front, there was a meeting in Sitges, Spain by the Bilderburger Group, a group of powerful CEOs from around the world. Present were the chairman of Fiat, Irish Attorney General Paul Gallagher, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrook, Henry Kissinger, Bill Gates, the Queen of the Netherlands, and others. The group’s agenda included: financial reform, security, cyber technology, energy, Pakistan, Afghanistan, world food problems, global cooling, social networking, medical sciences, EU-US relations…Wait a minute…Global Cooling?
Was this a printing error, or do these folks know perfectly well that global cooling is a far more serious threat than global warming? Hmmm. Watch for a lot of back-tracking from global warming in the days, weeks, and months to come. Too bad they’ve already outlawed and stopped making those neat incandescent light bulbs we like in favor of those that couldn’t light the way to an outhouse.
"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."
Proverbs 29:2
Now for the chocolate milk and milk monitors conspiracy. While liberals push the public (government school) education reforms, and force feed liberal lack of morals, (sex education for kindergartners, and “Gay Pride” story books, the children face another assault. The food police are out en masse to protect these little ones from the greatest threat of all: chocolate milk. In the name of fighting obesity, school lunch programs are being pressured to omit chocolate milk in favor of plain white milk. Along with taking pretzels out of vending machines, Mrs. Obama is joining the campaign to fight obesity in children by removing “reduced-fat” chocolate milk from their choices for lunch. Liberals are all for choice for teenage girls who want to kill unborn babies, but they don’t want them to drink chocolate milk while they deliberate this.
Lastly: A Generation of Nincompoops: An article that appeared in the 9/28/10 Post and Courier, written by Beth J. Harpaz, AP, notes that we as a country are in a quandary because of a generation of nincompoops being raised today. Harpaz noted that there are second-graders who can’t tie their shoes or zip jackets, four-year-olds still in diapers, five-year-olds still in strollers, teens who can’t operate can openers or get ice out of an ice tray, and college students who have never done laundry, ridden a bus alone, addressed an envelope, or figured out how to use a coat hanger.
These kids have been raised with so much technology, and parents doing everything for them that they can’t function on the basic level. One mom said her kids are so used to pull-tab cans, they have never used a can opener. She said kids are so used to throwing their clothes on the floor, or hanging them on a hook, they can’t get clothes to hang straight on a hanger. While watching a morning news program this week, highlighted were families trying to take their children to dinner at a restaurant, a higher level eatery than a quick drive-through. These kids were so unruly that they shrieked loudly instead of talking, they mashed food and pushed it on the floor, they achieved the feat of taking over the restaurants so people without children in tow, were very turned off by the scene. Banning out-of-control children was a choice of one restaurant.
I say this: It isn’t the NEXT generation that WILL BE nincompoops. It’s the parents now who have no clue. It is the parents’ responsibility to be teaching manners, “public voice” vs. “home voice” to these cherubs. These parents starting at age one day should be teaching the children responsibility of group presence, of basic home making skills, home care, cooking. When the children and grandchildren come home, these parents will only need to look in a mirror to see where the fault lies. One group of nincompoops raising the next generation.
Just sending millions of dollars into the educational swamp will not teach children to tie their shoes, zip their jackets, pick up eighth-grader illiteracy rates. It isn’t the teachers’ responsibility to do these things. It is the parents’ (plural) responsibility. Little Johnny should be able to read his primer, and know his letters, colors and numbers before he starts school. These are basics to be learned at home, along with manners, respect for others, and the basics of getting along with those around you.
“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Proverbs 29:15
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