19th Bridge Collapse or Failure

Since 1990, by my best count, 19 major bridge collapses have occurred in the USA, the majority of which occurred since 2000. Our infrastructure is falling apart and Congress and our state governments are playing the part of Nero and sitting idly by while our country falls apart at the seams. This is what happens when social programs get more funding than roads.

But no worries, state officials say there is no environmental problem with a train-car of highly toxic vinyl chloride spilling into a local river. Nothing to see here, move along.

19 bridges in 32 years, thats about one every 1.6 years. So no worries, I doubt YOU will be on the next one to fall....right?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/30/us/new-jersey-train-derail/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Really Congress?

The country is about to hit one of the biggest self-made roadblocks Congress has ever cooked up and they tell us that in addition to working through their secret tax negotiations with the President to fix all that ails us, they are also going to save millions by switching us to dollar coins and nickels made from steel.

DOES ANYONE ANYWHERE ACTUALLY THINK THIS MAKES SENSE?

We have ever-climbing debts, a gridlocked Congress that has done nothing about passing a budget for 3 years, a .gov that cant figure out how to not paint itself in a corner, a tax code that no one can understand and they think that a priority right now should be another episode of "shall we kill the dollar bill?"

Really? Really? I mean, come on now, do you think you can distract the American public at this point with that tired old gag?

News Flash, get us out of foreign wars (inlcuding the sooper secret ones) and we'll save $4 Billion a month, then axe a few other beloved items and suddenly we have a budget that meets tax revenue. The proposed coin measure would likely save $4.4 Billions OVER THIRTY YEARS.

FIX THIS NOW CONGRESS! Passing a (balanced) budget is one of the few tasks outlined for you in the Constitution.

For anyone interested in what I'm blathering about, A: pull your head out from under a rock and become aware of the issues fast approaching us in 2013 and B: click on the link below.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/kill-bill-us-says-dollar-coins-would-save-4-4b-1C7350149

Alive and Well and Thankful

As we approach Thanksgiving, I just want to send a shout out that I am thankful for all my friends and family, and very thankful for the job I have had this past year. After bouncing between contract positions for 2 years, I think I finally found a place I want to stick with. Heres hoping the economy can keep its wits about itself and my job continues to like me as much as I like it.

I know I seemed to have died online, but I have been reading your posts (you know who you are). I have just been sooper busy with work and family and have decided to spend my free time with the kids and my honey. Keep up the free ice cream, my machine seems to be broken.  ;)

Happy Holidays to Jay G, JWR, Fred, Ryo, Linoge, Old NFO, Brigid, Tam, Pissed, Rob Allen, Wirecutter, Breda, Roberta, SayUncle, Excels at Nothing, ENDO, and all the rest who make me smile with all their online metaphysical and physical wanderings. You are all a part of my daily/weekly routine and even if I am only a virtual connection, I enjoy it.

Here's hoping we all enjoy 2013 even better!