sully16's Blog

Mid fall and already the utility bills are creeping up, I compare my usage from a year ago, that also seems to creep up a little.

Let's start with electricity,

First, unplug any cell phone chargers, battery chargers and lap top chargers, they draw juice even when not in use.

Second, if you got a vcr player or dvd player you don't use unplug it, the clocks on these devices still draw juice.

Third, I always unplug the coffee maker and Microwave, the clocks still draw juice.

We have battery operated clocks, been through enough power outages to know this was a must.

Get everyone in the habit of shuting off lights, kids will practice this if you teach them the right way.

Check the settings on your refridgerator temprature gauges, invest in a thermometer, the freezer should be 0 degrees and the fridge should be between 37 and 40 degrees.

Try getting laundry done in early daylight or just before dusk, I never have to turn lights on to do laundry.

I also wash most clothes in Cold, add a couple tablespoons of baking soda to the water, works with the soap better in cold water.

As you know, the washer can get way a head of the dryer, I always start with towels then go to jeans, I hang them on a clothing rack to air dry for a while, by the time they make it to the dryer, I'ved cut down the time by about 20 minutes.

Also check you lint trap, your dryer needs the airflow to work better, wash your lint trap from time to time to unclog the build up from fabric sheets and softeners.

When I have time in the summer, I will hang things outside, I know, theres not always time, but the real heavy items, can make it worth the effort.

Keep your vents clean, especially the cold air returns if you have them in your house, makes your furnace work more effcient if the cold air has somewhere to go.

We have wood stoves, not fireplaces, but wood stoves, best investment we ever made, keeps the house toasty till we turn in for the night, A cord of wood is fairly cheap, we have relatives with lots of hardwoods on their property, so we chop our own, in the spring we help maintain an area where more trees can grow, yes more trees will pop up, just got to keep the weeds down.

Check your windows and doorframes, caulk as needed and replace worn weather stripping around doors, A rolled up towel or rug works great for drafty areas.

For easy meals, I no longer load up the dishwasher, just wash them up quick and be done with it, you will save big, when I cut down on the dishwasher usage, I saw a drop of 17 dollars, and this was during august, peak air conditioning usage.

See what you can do to reduce your electric and gas bills.

The old cliche, Money talks, and BS walks, Many of us who work and support this economy, all the while an inept government spends our money recklessly. We will have the most massive tax hike in history crammed down our throats January 1, 2013.

A healthcare law that was signed by incompetant people who never read it, taxes so massive many will be crushed, a healthcare law , that is nothing more than price controlled rationed healthcare, 2 big winners, the insurance companies and the government, you buy the insurance or you pay the tax.

The losers, the tax payer for sure, small business, seniors, the terminally ill, once you reach your limit, thats it, your now banking on the generousity of hospitals and doctors, not many will be willing to go bankrupt treating you.

I predict, that we will probably see the highest mortality rates in the next 4 years than ever before, culling the population, Those of you who will get the healthcare for free along with your food, you might want to consider with your so-called inabilty to pay for the overage, that you might be on the lowest rung of the ladder, you voted for it, thank youself when your diagnosed with a terminal disease and all they will do is make you comfortable, Thats how government healthcare on the reservations work, Highest mortality rates in the world, tried to tell you, but you had potatoes in your ears.

Well with the gloom and doom being said, I and many of my friends and family will have to offset for the higher taxes we're going to get stuck paying, so we are taking steps now.

First, no more eating out, we'll save money and gas.

No more music cd's,

No more going to the movies, and let me tell you, thats a tough one, beacuse my Breaking Dawn part 2 comes out in a couple days, but oh well, Bella and Edward will have to do battle with the Volturi Vampires without me, As the blood sucking leeches in real life have left me with no choice if I wish to remain able to keep a roof over my head and food on the table.

No more books, we can walk up to the library.

No more impulse buys and my lottery money has been slashed.

Now what is all this offsetting going to do, and mind you, there are millions just like me, well it will hurt the economy.

It is not my intention to hurt small business, I was left with no choice.

Yep, the biggest fraud in US History has won, I spent the day at work listening to giant piles of Sh^t bragging how they voted to keep their welfare, they would rather have someone elses money instead of making their own, they are nothing more than lazy thieves, How proud you must be. I heard people jumping for joy at the free healthcare they would receive, yes, happy someone else will pay their bills, How proud you must be.

We needed jobs and better education, you turned it down, well the money has run out, and still you didn't listen, still your to stupid to see past your own sense of sick twisted sense of prosperity. How proud you must be.

Many of you think this is some sort of win for minorities,, some sort of sick twisted payback, How proud you must be only for one reason,, as a minority myself, I don't see a win, I can't be bought, bribed , bullied , What happened to my people is happening to the rest of you, Yes, you really are to stupid to see history repeating itself.

Things will get much worse, you were to stupid, arrogant and selfish to see past the BS, you willfully chose to ignore the wrongs , you are now just as guilty of treason as those who intend to prohibit our freedoms and rights. 

Wait until you see the price of food, oh yes, now they can go through with all the stuff they couldn't do before now, Are you prepared ? Nope , most of you are really that F*cking dumb.

Sore loser, you bet, but it wasn't my future I was concerned with, our kids and grandkids will be the biggest losers, the future for them is looking real dim, and all you a$$holes helped, you screwed the future for you own, job well done.

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends,

A faithful friend to share,

For every sigh, a sweet song,

And an answer

for each prayer.

My thoughts and prayers to all the good folks on the east coast who are suffering, May your troubles be over soon.

And Accounts in the Grand Caymans

If you said

Barack Obama, you would be correct.

Side note,  If you condemn one, you have to condemn the other.

Get all the facts.

Need I say more!

Obama 237

Romney 206

Toss up 95

Voters 18-25 dead heat 49 to 49

The Detroit Tigers sweep the Yankees in 4 and advance to the world series.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!!!

Here is a list of Paul Ryans proposed buget cuts

TAKE NOTICE , SS AND MILITARY SPENDING ARE NOT ON THIS LIST

1. Corporation for Public Broadcasting Subsidy--445 million anunual savings.

( SPECIAL NOTE* PBS, Generates millions in toy, book, video sales, their execs are very highly paid, they are in fact self sustaining and no longer need federal assisitance)

2.Save America's Treasures program--25 million annual savings

3. International fund for Ireland--17 million annual savings

4.Legal services Corporation--420 million annual savings

5.National endowment for the arts--167.5 million annual savings

6.National endowment for the humanities--167.5 million

7.Hope vi program--250 ,million annuak savings

8.Amtrak subsidies--1.5 Billion annual savings

9.Eliminate duplicating education programs---H.R. 2274 ( in last congress) Authored by Rep. Mckeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of 1.3 billion annually

10. US Trade Development Agency--55 million anual savings

11.Woodrow Wilson center study-20 million in savings

12. Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding--47 million

13. Jon C. Sternis center subsidy 430,000 in annual savings

14. Cut FederaL TRAVEL BUDGET IN HALF---7.5 billion annual savings

15. Trim Federal Vehicle Buget by 20 percent--600 million in annual savings

16.Essential air service -- 150 million annual savings

17. Technology innovation program --70 million savings

18. Manufactoring Extension Partnership (MEP) PROGRAM--125 MILLION Annual savings

19. Department of energy grants to states for weatherization--530 million in savings

20.Beach Replenishment--95 million annual savings

21. New starts transit--2 billion in annual

22. Intercity and High speed Rail grants--2.5 billion in annual savings

23. Title X Family Planning---318 million in annual savings

24. Appalachian Regional commision--76 million annual savings

25. Economic Development Administration--293 million annual savings

26. Programs under the National and Community services act--1.15 Billion annual savings

27. Applied Research at Department of Energy--1.27 Billion annual savings

28. Freedom CAR and Fuel Partnership--200 million annual savings

29. Economic Assistance to Egypt--250 million annual savings

30. US Agency for international Development--1.39 Billion in annual savings

31. General Assistance to District of Columbia--210 million annual savings

32. Subsidy for Washington Metropoliton area transit authority--150 million annual savings

33. Presidental Campaign Fund--775 million over 10 years

34. No funding for Federal office space acquisition--864 million annual savings

35. END PROHIBITIONS ON COMPETITIVE SOURCING OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES

36. Repeal the Davis- Bacon act, more than a Billion annually

37. IRS Direct Deposit, Require the IRS to deposit fees for some services it offers ( such as processing payment plans for taxpayers) to the treasury instead of allowing it to remain as part of its budget..1.8 billion annual savings

38. REQUIRE COLLECTION OF UNPAID TAXES BY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES...ONE BILLION IN UNPAID TAXES

39. Prohibit taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees.

40. Sell excess federal properties the government does not make use of, 15 billion total savings

41. Eliminate death gratuity for members of congress

42.Eliminate Mohair subsidies...1 million in savings

43. Eliminate taxpayer subsidies to the United Nations intergovernmantal Panel on climate change--12 million annual savings

44. Elimanate Market access program--20 million annual savings

45.USDA Sugar program--14 million annual savings

46. Subsidy to Organization for economin co-operation and development 93 million annual savings

47. Eliminate the National Organic Certification cost-share program 56.2 million annual savings

48. Eliminate fund for Obamacare administrative costs--900 million annual savings

49. Ready to learn program 27 million

50. HUD PH.D. PROGRAM

51. Deficit Reduction Check-off Act

Total savings 2.5 trillion over ten years

Just writing to say thanks for the phone, hint, could you make the next one blue, silver is so last year.

Oh, and could you put a liquor allowance on my EBT, it's not fair when I have to watch others enjoy a drink, and besides, how am I supposed to enjoy my lobster tails, sorry, but red bull doesn't go with lobster.

Thanks for the heat, get so hot in here we have to open the window, which reminds me, could you send someone over to clean the filter on my furnace and maybe dust the cobwebs.

I don't want to sound ungrateful, I really do enjoy this beautiful home your paying for, but we got dandylions, if you sent over a gardener that would be great, and just think, you'd be creating some jobs, bragging rights, can go a long way, just putting it out there.

I was really hoping you put dog food on EBT, We got 6 dogs, they need to eat to!

Thanks for freeing up some of my time, that looking for work crap was getting old, when you go to 3 interviews in one week, thats a lot of time spent getting ready, driving there, finding a way to make sure they don't want to hire you, sure can stress me out sometimes.

Now you know why I need a drink, glad that non-sense is done with.

Oh and thanks for the cash for clunkers, my Navigator needs a oil change, fair is fair, it's almost like you insisted I enjoy that big ole car to haul my groceries.

Oh, almost forgot, did you put dental care in your healthcare tax, all that soda is taking it's toll.

Theres just a few more things I want, oops I mean I need,

New flooring,dishes,furniture, trip to disney, Hot tub, jet ski, flat screen, blue ray disc player, x-box, wii, season tickets etc

Thanks , Have your people call my people. chow.

Danny watched as the soldiers made their way up the driveway, then came the knock, May I help you ? Danny said.

Are you Daniel and Katie Hanlon ? asked the soldier.

Yes we are Danny replied.

The President has declared Martial Law and under executive order 11000 we are here to clear you and your wife for security, he said.

Clear us for security? what does that mean? Danny asked.

Your wife is a nurse and under this executive order the government can form work brigades, her services are needed.

Danny stared at him for a moment and asked, what if we refuse ?

Then Sir, Under the National Defense Authorization Act, we can detain you indefinitely, Sir we don't want to do that, said the soldier.

Dannys knees were like jelly, Where are the American soldiers ? he asked.

Sir they are dealing with the riots, we are here to assist in the peacekeeping and caring for the wounded.

What happened to my neighbor Ben?

Sir we found him in the back, he must have had a heartattack from shoveling, said the sildier.

Slowly Danny allowed the soldiers to enter,

Sir, is there anyone else in this house? asked the soldier

NO, JUST ME AND MY WIFE!

 

The three soldiers entered, two of them gave a cursory glance around the house, as the first soldier produced a lap top, Danny sat down hard, his thoughts were clear in spite of his fever.

The National Defense Authorization Act,  A direct violation of the Constitution, a law that says you can be detained forever, no miranda, no phone call, no lawyer, no jury and no judge.

It was barely a blip on the news, the liberal media, bought and paid for with grants, stimulas, tax breaks and favors kept it quiet, and when middle America stood up and said this is wrong, the liberal media said, don't listen to them, they are racists, the hate blacks, jews, latinos, gays, women, children, eduacation ,clean air, they are rich and greedy, they are keeping you down..and the ignorant and uniformed listened.

The Constitution of the United States of America has been spit on , stomped on , ripped to shreds and flushed down the toilet, and as our rights , liberties and freedoms were being taken away, the ignorant refused to listen, they too were bought and paid for with entitlements, they didn't stop to think, they didn't care, they had their hand out, and it was being filled.

 

Danny stared out the window, it was starting to snow, all he could think of was the snow was like frozen teardrops falling on America.

 

 

to be cont

Danny had finally made it to the bottom of the stairs, he was physically and mentally exhausted, thinking about the events of 7 years ago, he glared at every camera on the way down, hoping the building czar Eloise was watching, he had asked several times to be relocated to a lower floor, sure enough she had been watching, she came out of her apartment, I have good news she said, I got you a room right here at ground level.

Stunned, Danny in his most sincere and humble voice thanked her,She told him, he could move in today, and that if he stopped by later, she maybe had a few things he could use.

He continued to smile at her all the while wondering if she would set a trap for his arrogant and dis-obedient behavior on the stairwell, she was like that, evil to the core, or maybe he was the only person who treated her with any respect and she seen she was losing it. He would trifle with her later, he was hungry and wanted to eat.

He made his way to his eating station, it didn't take long to get his food, everything was the same for everyone, and that kept the line moving, there was no picking and choosing and there were no seconds.

After a few hardy bites, he went right back to thinking about that day, His neighbor Ben had just been brought out in a body bag,

He remembered being frozen like a statue, to afraid to look, to afraid not to look, he watched as they loaded Bens body and his weapons in the jeep, with clarity he realized, WE ARE BEING DISARMED, He shot out of the chair and went to the gunsafe, as he spun the combination in, he thought, I have watched, read and learned everything about survival, how to find food, how to filter water, how to survive, the jungle, the desert, the forest, my in-laws, nothing but nothing he learned or watched could prepare him for surviving a police state, Today he would have to write the book.

He wouldn't do anything stupid, this was not the OK corral, and risking His or Katies life was not on todays menu, He would give the illusion, first he loaded his favorite, the Colt Python, they would probably search the house, where could he hide it, he looked at Katie, she was a clever girl, in the early days of their marriage, Danny, being a rowdy iron worker could sometimes go over budget with partying,she would would hide the house money in the last place Danny would look, her box of tampons, he took the python and hid it in the bathroom under the sink behind the unmentionables.

Next was the 30.06, dammit, he never got more shells, he loaded the 2 he had and took the rifle to the attic and hid it under the insulation, it was lame, but it was all he had, they could have the .22 and .410, after closing the safe, he had to think of a way to talk to Mark, He grabbed one of Katies porcelain bells and told her to stand watch if anyone came near theirs or Marks house.

He went to the window and opened it and lifted the screen, he looked around for something to throw at Marks window, hmmmm, lemons, Katie had a bowl of lemons, he started chucking them at Marks window, it didn't take but a minute for Mark to respond, he pointed up meaning they should go upstairs and talk through those windows, he quickly explained what he had seen and what he had done, he pleaded with him not to do anything dumb, Mark reassured him.

And finally, he asked about Lee, Mark told him that he talked to him last night around 11, he said the wind damaged the door to the store and he would have to stay the night until a repair crew or the day manager arrived, as far as he knew Lee was stuck at work, just then Danny heard the porcelain bell go off, quietly he closed the window and went back down stairs, he wrapped up in his blanket and sat watching, the jeep was now at his house, 3 soldiers were coming to the door.

 

 

to be cont.

Dannys head was spinning, he could not comprehend what just happened. He was just ordered back into his home by Russian Soldiers.

He could not bring a thought to his mind, everything was in fast motion, and the fever was making him weak and dizzy.

Katie stepped up to the plate and took control., She guided Danny to the chair and covered him with a afghan, wait while I get you some juice and some fever reducer, she said.

After a few minutes, they were both more collected, okay! we are not in immediate danger, something really bad has happened and they want to keep the order, agree? Yes, she said.

They were probably assisting our military, there's no way we were invaded, they couldn't just sneak in, then they both actually laughed, because yes, many people had snuck into the country.

Katie stood up, I need to fix you something to eat, you need to keep your strength up !

Dannys thoughts returned to the soldiers, he got up and went to the chair by the bay window so he could see what was going on, they were just milling around on the corner, this was something more serious then kids fighting over tennis shoes, was it a terrorist attack? Was it just Michigan ?, or the whole country?

The not knowing was the scariest part, not being able to get news or communicate, dead of winter and he had the flu.

He thought of his youngest son Lee. How in the world was he going to find out how he was doing?

He had more questions then answers.

He watched as a snow plow made it's way down the street, that seemed to lift his spirits, maybe this whole thing was about the weather, some idiot bureaucrat shut the country down for 6 inches of snow.

His hope faded when military jeeps started to pull up, each jeep had 4 to 5 soldiers, the first group went to the house on the corner across the street, the second group went to the house next door,  What the h*ll is going on.

They watched for what seemed like hours, and finally the soldiers started coming out of the house across the street, He watched as his neighbor came out of the house and motioned to his car, the soldier gave him a nod, that gave Danny hope again, He watched as his neighbor Jim retrieved something from the car, under careful supervision.

It was when they came out of his neighbor Bens house that chills and fear left him paralyzed, they not only had all of Ben's Rifle cases, But it looked like they had Ben...in a body bag!

 

 

 

to be cont.

As Danny hit the 4oth floor, he stopped to rest, he could feel the hunger pains and decided to go to his eating station before picking up his supplies, he couldn't stop thinking about that morning 7 years ago.

 He had awoke to the sound of shovels scrapping cement, he knew right away, Mark, Lisa and the kids were all over the snow, his body was racked with fever and he had the chills, He wondered if his youngest son Lee and his wife Terry were shoveling away.

He slowly got up and headed towards the kitchen, Katie was standing in the living room in front of the tv, Slowly she turned and with knowing accusation, she said,

The President has declared Martial law!

What?

Martial Law, Katie said, There's been rioting all over the country over tennis shoes.

Danny went straight to the window, He didn't see Mark or the kids and went to the phone,

Great! Danny exclaimed, the phones dead, he went and grabbed his cell phone, no signal there either,

Katie, go e-mail Lee, I'll go next door to Marks and see if they know anything.

She looked at Danny with fear in her eyes, we don't have internet either, Thats why I turned the tv on! The computor is working, but no news, no mail, no going on line.

Danny grabbed the remote and starting flipping through the channels, The same Anchorwoman was on every channel saying the same thing over and over,

" The President has declared Martial Law, Stay in your home"!

Danny and Katies house was the official meeting place for emergencies, they had a wood stove for heat, plenty of food in the pantry and a well stocked arsenal. He could only hope Lee and Terry were making their way here.

He threw on some clothes and headed out the door, He wasn't more then a few steps out the door, when Mark met him , Dad, the President has declared Martial law!  Just then, a VOICE IN BROKEN ENGLISH TOLD THEM BOTH TO GO BACK INSIDE, They turned and 4 well armed soldiers made it clear they were to do as they were told,

Danny looked over to the football field and realized , this was a camp for soldiers, slowly with hands raised, they both went into their homes.

Katie, was watching from the window in horror, Oh My God Dan, whats going on?

I don't know Honey, but, I do know, they were building that camp long before Martial law was declared, that soldier, he had a Russian accent and those uniforms they are wearing are not American.

 

 

to be cont.

With food ticket in hand, Danny thought about the long walk down the flights of stairs, maybe if he did some extra handyman work for the building czar, he could curry favor and get a room closer to the bottom, she was lazy and was always looking for someone to do work for her, best of all she was wasteful and maybe he could get some fresh fruit from her, she would not eat bananas with brown spots, and almost always gave them to Danny in exchange for housework.

 As he started his descent, he thought about that day 7 years ago, It was 2013 late January, He had been out back chopping wood, it was going to be a very cold winter, heating bills had tripled, he was 56 and in pretty good shape, but he felt the tickle in his throat and new he was catching cold, the weatherman was predicting 6-8 inches of new snow.

As Danny Stacked the wood, he thought happily to himself, that he would get his grandkids to shovel the snow, with gas at $7.55 a gallon, the snowblower would sit unused, He would rather throw some piggyback money their way, with a promise to their favorite sledding hill.

Dannys oldest son Mark, his wife and 3 kids, the twins Nikki and Ashley both 10 and Mark jr. 12, lived right next door.

He went out front to see if Mark was home yet, he was not, he looked over to the local High school and noticed the hub of activity in the football field, tents and shacks going up everywhere, first thing he thought of, was funnel cakes, must be a winter carnival.

As Danny entered the house, he could hear his wife Katie singing along to the oldies station, he could smell the grilled Cheese and new he was in for some good old fashioned Michigan comfort food.

Life was good, tomato soup, grilled cheese, hot apple pie and a big glass of cold milk.

Katie was an ER nurse, she knew right away Danny was catching cold, she insisted on some name brand cold remedy, Danny smiled and told her a couple of fingers of Jack before bed would do the trick.

They sat and watched the evening news, another riot over tennis shoes broke out at the local mall, Yep, gas was going up again and the stockmarket was crashing for the 4th straight day, Time for bed.

He was almost to the 40th floor when he thought about the events, the disbelief at what happened next when he awoke the next morning.

 

To be cont.