President Obama made history a few nights ago by being the first African American President to watch House on Hulu in the oval office. Oh, he also gave a speech...
Is anyone surprised that:
A) I watched it?
B) I have some thoughts I'd like to share?
I've broken my thoughts into two posts so that it's not one big long post. My secondary thoughts are on the post below. Here is my main complaint with what President Obama had to say:
During his speech, the President set up a strawman. His thesis was that the choice the government had was between the stimulus package and inaction. This is false and incomplete.
He started this section of his speech by saying, "I don't believe in bigger government. However, a failure to act would ensure weak economic growth for years." True. However, our choices were not only $7 trillion in spending or inaction. We had other options.
History has shown us that the type of action that has been taken is not the best course of action. Instead of "weak economic growth" which is the Presidents prediction of inaction, he's saddled us with a period of rapid artificial economic growth followed by an extended recession because the economy will have further to rebound as it was relying on the government's money. Money that is no longer there. What do we do then? Go deeper in debt? Double the stimulus because we've fallen twice as far?
The Republican response was right on target. The solution to the problem is not bigger government, but smaller. Don't take more money with plans to spend like crazy. Offer tax incentives: A tax break for hiring people, a tax break to small businesses, lower income tax rates. Let the people use the money. If history has taught us anything, it's taught that people with money are more productive than government with money! Instead of increasing peoples' dependency on government we need to increase the United States' ability to prosper.
Please continue reading for my other thoughts on the speech.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Not the State of the Union II
Here are the remainder of my thoughts. Read if you like.
I have to say this: While watching everyone stand and applaud my eyes couldn't help but be drawn to a bright red jacket in the front row. It was Hillary and my thought was, "You know, Obama, Hillary wasn't elected for a reason! Why did you put her as Secretary of State?"
My jaw hung open for about 12 minutes after I heard the following line from the speech: "We have a recovery plan free of earmarks!"
Did he say "Free of earmarks"?! Hang on:
FreeDictionary.com states to earmark is "To reserve or set aside for a particular purpose."
That's pretty vague. Well, the government says: Earmarks: funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents Executive Branch merit-based or competitive allocation processes, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to manage critical aspects of the funds allocation process.
Whoa. Too much legalese. Give it to me in plain English.
Ok, Daniel Engber of Slate.com says, "No one can agree on the precise definition. In general, the word "earmark" refers to any element of a spending bill that allocates money for a very specific thing—a given project, say, or location, or institution. For example, if Congress passed a budget that gave a certain amount of money to the National Park Service as a whole, no one would consider it an earmark. But if Congress added a line to the budget specifying that some of that money must go toward the preservation of a single building—definitely an earmark.
Take another look at the stimulus package. Free of earmarks? The whole thing is earmarks. Every line item is an earmark! Come on Mr. President. We're smarter than that!
Let's take a look at your plans for the full economic recovery package. Let's look add up every program, shall we?
$10,000 Tax credit to purchase new home (2K for energy efficiency, 8K under new program. Approximately 480,000 new homes sold last year. Assuming identical results (unlikely due to the incentive) price tag for this program
.$4,800,000,000,000 Homeowner incentive plus:
...$819,000,000,000 Stimulus package
...$750,000,000,000 Bailout package for banks (could grow to 3 Trillion)
....$17,400,000,000 Auto Bailout package (could grow to 130 Billion)
.$1,000,000,000,000 in bad loans absorbed by government
....$50,000,000,000 to combat foreclosures
...$300,000,000,000 HOPE for homeowners program
.$7,736,400,000,000 Conservative Total Obama Spending.
$10,099,000,000,000 High Estimation Total Obama spending
Bear in mind this is not including the regular budgetary needs!
In case the zeros are too many: that's between $7 trillion 736 billion 400 million and $10 trillion 99 billion in spending. And the left's biggest complaint about the previous administration? Current cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Estimated to be approximately $600,500,000,000. 600 billion 500 million.
In other speech news: So much for withdrawal, huh? Increasing the number of troops, shifting them over to Afghanistan and expanding to include Pakistan? This isn't the same Obama that ran for President is it? Now it's 19 months before we are out of Iraq? That's not the figure I remember during the election...
I did agree with him on a few fronts:
The cost of healthcare is out of control. The solution? Not healthcare reform, rather a cap on malpractice law suits and regulation of the malpractice insurance. No more high premiums, no more high cost coverage, no more high cost coverage.
"Dropping out [of high school] is not only quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country." Never thought of it that way. Well spoken and I agree.
If you've only read this post, don't miss my main thoughts on the speech in the post above!
I have to say this: While watching everyone stand and applaud my eyes couldn't help but be drawn to a bright red jacket in the front row. It was Hillary and my thought was, "You know, Obama, Hillary wasn't elected for a reason! Why did you put her as Secretary of State?"
My jaw hung open for about 12 minutes after I heard the following line from the speech: "We have a recovery plan free of earmarks!"
Did he say "Free of earmarks"?! Hang on:
FreeDictionary.com states to earmark is "To reserve or set aside for a particular purpose."
That's pretty vague. Well, the government says: Earmarks: funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents Executive Branch merit-based or competitive allocation processes, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to manage critical aspects of the funds allocation process.
Whoa. Too much legalese. Give it to me in plain English.
Ok, Daniel Engber of Slate.com says, "No one can agree on the precise definition. In general, the word "earmark" refers to any element of a spending bill that allocates money for a very specific thing—a given project, say, or location, or institution. For example, if Congress passed a budget that gave a certain amount of money to the National Park Service as a whole, no one would consider it an earmark. But if Congress added a line to the budget specifying that some of that money must go toward the preservation of a single building—definitely an earmark.
Take another look at the stimulus package. Free of earmarks? The whole thing is earmarks. Every line item is an earmark! Come on Mr. President. We're smarter than that!
Let's take a look at your plans for the full economic recovery package. Let's look add up every program, shall we?
$10,000 Tax credit to purchase new home (2K for energy efficiency, 8K under new program. Approximately 480,000 new homes sold last year. Assuming identical results (unlikely due to the incentive) price tag for this program
.$4,800,000,000,000 Homeowner incentive plus:
...$819,000,000,000 Stimulus package
...$750,000,000,000 Bailout package for banks (could grow to 3 Trillion)
....$17,400,000,000 Auto Bailout package (could grow to 130 Billion)
.$1,000,000,000,000 in bad loans absorbed by government
....$50,000,000,000 to combat foreclosures
...$300,000,000,000 HOPE for homeowners program
.$7,736,400,000,000 Conservative Total Obama Spending.
$10,099,000,000,000 High Estimation Total Obama spending
Bear in mind this is not including the regular budgetary needs!
In case the zeros are too many: that's between $7 trillion 736 billion 400 million and $10 trillion 99 billion in spending. And the left's biggest complaint about the previous administration? Current cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Estimated to be approximately $600,500,000,000. 600 billion 500 million.
In other speech news: So much for withdrawal, huh? Increasing the number of troops, shifting them over to Afghanistan and expanding to include Pakistan? This isn't the same Obama that ran for President is it? Now it's 19 months before we are out of Iraq? That's not the figure I remember during the election...
I did agree with him on a few fronts:
The cost of healthcare is out of control. The solution? Not healthcare reform, rather a cap on malpractice law suits and regulation of the malpractice insurance. No more high premiums, no more high cost coverage, no more high cost coverage.
"Dropping out [of high school] is not only quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country." Never thought of it that way. Well spoken and I agree.
If you've only read this post, don't miss my main thoughts on the speech in the post above!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sign of the Apocalypse?
Streaming on the DMV news ticker on Saturday February 21st: The number one rented DVD that week:
"Fireproof"
Sitting at the DMV
I purchased a new car for my wife for her birthday. I mention that because it necessitated a trip to the DMV. I brought my little Full House with me. (Clarification: New for us, not "'09 new").
For some reason, though the DMV knows that it will always be full on Saturday(especially when it is closed the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before), it only has about 45 seats in the building.
Taking a look at the wide variety of patrons to the DMV, how does anyone who is young and able-bodied sit in one of those chairs? I looked around and I saw numerous seasoned drivers, pregnant women, people with small children, people on crutches, and others who might warrant the privilege of a seat. Yet who is sitting in all of these places? Sixteen-year-olds getting their licenses. Strapping young men and women waiting their turn. I was holding a two year old boy and when a seat opened up I didn't feel right taking it because there were others more deserving than I who should have taken it. Who took it? A twenty something who moved quickest to sit down, even though there was an older couple eyeing the seat.
My trip to the DMV just goes to show the depths to which our society has fallen and the culture of utter selfishness in which we now live.
For some reason, though the DMV knows that it will always be full on Saturday(especially when it is closed the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before), it only has about 45 seats in the building.
Taking a look at the wide variety of patrons to the DMV, how does anyone who is young and able-bodied sit in one of those chairs? I looked around and I saw numerous seasoned drivers, pregnant women, people with small children, people on crutches, and others who might warrant the privilege of a seat. Yet who is sitting in all of these places? Sixteen-year-olds getting their licenses. Strapping young men and women waiting their turn. I was holding a two year old boy and when a seat opened up I didn't feel right taking it because there were others more deserving than I who should have taken it. Who took it? A twenty something who moved quickest to sit down, even though there was an older couple eyeing the seat.
My trip to the DMV just goes to show the depths to which our society has fallen and the culture of utter selfishness in which we now live.
The 30 Hour Famine
Did you know that 26,000 children die every day of hunger and other preventable causes? That's 1 child per second for a 7 hour work day. That's basically the capacity of Fenway park. That's the equivalent of 300 school buses full of children.
X 300!
That is a massive number.
What can you do to help? You can participate in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine! The Youth group that I lead will be fasting for 30 hours (called a "Planned Famine") to raise money to provide food for children around the world. Donating just $1 for each hour I fast will feed a child for a month! And, due to government matching programs, every $30 I raise will feed 5 children for a month! If $30 is too much for you, a donation of $6 will feed a child for a month due to government matching. Want to feed two children for a month? $12 would take care of that. 3? $18. You get the picture.
If you would like to donate you can do so here. The group has set a very advantageous goal of $5000.00. Last year we raised $3000.00. Please help us reach our goal!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Quick Hits
Just another (usually unsuccessful) attempt at some brief thoughts on several subjects: I'll do the sports last so you can read until your interest wains.
President Obama: I'm realizing more and more just how much like Lincoln Barack is trying to be. This fully came to light when I looked at who Lincoln had in his cabinet. Lincoln was opposed by two other candidates during the general election and he was the underdog when it came to his own party's nomination. What did he do once he won? He appointed the man who opposed him in the primaries and the two men who ran against him in the general election to his cabinet. Now where have I seen that recently?
One major difference between Lincoln and Obama is that Lincoln seemed to realize that he was a steward of the country and its finances. It was his duty to properly manage the sacred trust bestowed upon him by the American people. He wrestled day and night when the war appeared imminent and continued to do so even during the conflict. The current president seems to believe he is the owner, rather than the steward of America and her fruits. He appears almost flippant about handing out billions of dollars that we don't have that don't belong to him. He is not being a conscientious steward of America's finances. History has proven that simply dumping money into the economy does not rescue it from a recession. For as much of a student of history as he is, it disappoints me that he doesn't seem to be aware of this. Perhaps he is acting simply to act because he would take much more criticism if he did nothing, even though Rutherford B Hayes and other statesmen have shown that sometimes doing nothing is best.
The Stimulus: The Stimulus package will not create jobs in the way we are meant to think it will. The jobs it is going to "create" are temporary and will be filled by people already working. There will not be 200 job interviews because they are extending highway 20 to intersect with I-25 in Colorado Springs. That work will be done by people already doing that work. The people out of work will remain out of work, the people working will work more.
Wells Fargo: It came to light recently that months after accepting a $25,000,000,000 bailout (I think the zeros help us understand just how much money this is) Wells Fargo cancelled a week long luxury trip to Las Vegas for some of its employees. This is the right thing to do, right? Well, it would have been had they not been pressured into cancelling when the trip came hit the media. And it would have been the right thing to do had they not then spent a ton of money taking out a full page New York Times ad whining about the fact that they felt forced to cancel their trip and oh their poor employees who deserved to be rewarded and now won't be. Yeah, because the only way to reward employees is with a week long luxury trip to Vegas. I guess with all the years I've been employed I've never been rewarded.
Newsflash to mortgage companies: It will never be like it was before. The sooner you learn this the better. You can't be so close to bankruptcy that you take $25 billion from tax payers and then decide that you have enough funds to have a lavish party. If you can have the party I want my money back.
Favre retires again:
Brett Favre announced recently that he is retiring for the fourth time. He didn't really mean it the first 3 times. During his interview a reporter apologized for her scepticism and he replied, "You don't need to apologize, you have no reason not to be sceptical." So, is it for good this time? He's injured which helps the yes side. But it's not career ending. Smart money has him announcing that he's playing for Tampa Bay by August.
A Rod tests positive for steroids:
There's some controversy surrounding this issue. In 2003, Major League Baseball did "anonymous" tests to see what percentage of players were using illegal performance enhancing drugs to see if there was a need for a comprehensive player testing program. The number was over 30% and due to some pressure from Congress because of MLBs special anti-Monopoly exemption they implemented the test.
A-Rod has not tested positive (as far as we know) since the official testing began. However, he was one of the players tested in 2003 when he was with the Texas Rangers and information has been leaked that he was one of those that tested positive. In a well scripted interview he admitted that he knew he was taking an illegal substance but did not know fully what it was.
People are saying that he shouldn't really be held responsible because the test was supposed to be anonymous. I heard Mike Golic of Mike and Mike in the morning on ESPN radio say, "What if you were taking what you thought was an anonymous test about how you felt about your boss? The information of what you said gets out and they fire you! What happened to the anonymous part?! This never should have come to light and A-Rod should not be punished for taking illegal steroids." Ok, here's the problem with that: A-Rod wasn't putting tacks on his Manager's chair, he was taking illegal steroids. The appropriate analogy would be "What if you were taking what you thought was an anonymous test about whether or not you were embezzling money from the company?" A-Rod wasn't just displaying poor sportsmanship, he was breaking the law.
Kudos to Commissioner Selig for considering altering the record books to no longer reflect those players that have tested positive for steroids. A co-worker said to me, "Consider this: You know that you can drive 90 on the freeway and there's no punishment. Not only that, but you'll get a huge chunk of cash if you do it. Are you gonna do it? Of course you do it. It's human nature." A punishment needs to be in place. So many baseball players are "stats guys" that this just might deter most of them from sticking a needle in their butt. "If I'm caught, it's as though I never played the game... No thanks."
There seems to be a pattern: a few days away from posting equals a multi subject post.
President Obama: I'm realizing more and more just how much like Lincoln Barack is trying to be. This fully came to light when I looked at who Lincoln had in his cabinet. Lincoln was opposed by two other candidates during the general election and he was the underdog when it came to his own party's nomination. What did he do once he won? He appointed the man who opposed him in the primaries and the two men who ran against him in the general election to his cabinet. Now where have I seen that recently?
One major difference between Lincoln and Obama is that Lincoln seemed to realize that he was a steward of the country and its finances. It was his duty to properly manage the sacred trust bestowed upon him by the American people. He wrestled day and night when the war appeared imminent and continued to do so even during the conflict. The current president seems to believe he is the owner, rather than the steward of America and her fruits. He appears almost flippant about handing out billions of dollars that we don't have that don't belong to him. He is not being a conscientious steward of America's finances. History has proven that simply dumping money into the economy does not rescue it from a recession. For as much of a student of history as he is, it disappoints me that he doesn't seem to be aware of this. Perhaps he is acting simply to act because he would take much more criticism if he did nothing, even though Rutherford B Hayes and other statesmen have shown that sometimes doing nothing is best.
The Stimulus: The Stimulus package will not create jobs in the way we are meant to think it will. The jobs it is going to "create" are temporary and will be filled by people already working. There will not be 200 job interviews because they are extending highway 20 to intersect with I-25 in Colorado Springs. That work will be done by people already doing that work. The people out of work will remain out of work, the people working will work more.
Wells Fargo: It came to light recently that months after accepting a $25,000,000,000 bailout (I think the zeros help us understand just how much money this is) Wells Fargo cancelled a week long luxury trip to Las Vegas for some of its employees. This is the right thing to do, right? Well, it would have been had they not been pressured into cancelling when the trip came hit the media. And it would have been the right thing to do had they not then spent a ton of money taking out a full page New York Times ad whining about the fact that they felt forced to cancel their trip and oh their poor employees who deserved to be rewarded and now won't be. Yeah, because the only way to reward employees is with a week long luxury trip to Vegas. I guess with all the years I've been employed I've never been rewarded.
Newsflash to mortgage companies: It will never be like it was before. The sooner you learn this the better. You can't be so close to bankruptcy that you take $25 billion from tax payers and then decide that you have enough funds to have a lavish party. If you can have the party I want my money back.
Favre retires again:
Brett Favre announced recently that he is retiring for the fourth time. He didn't really mean it the first 3 times. During his interview a reporter apologized for her scepticism and he replied, "You don't need to apologize, you have no reason not to be sceptical." So, is it for good this time? He's injured which helps the yes side. But it's not career ending. Smart money has him announcing that he's playing for Tampa Bay by August.
A Rod tests positive for steroids:
There's some controversy surrounding this issue. In 2003, Major League Baseball did "anonymous" tests to see what percentage of players were using illegal performance enhancing drugs to see if there was a need for a comprehensive player testing program. The number was over 30% and due to some pressure from Congress because of MLBs special anti-Monopoly exemption they implemented the test.
A-Rod has not tested positive (as far as we know) since the official testing began. However, he was one of the players tested in 2003 when he was with the Texas Rangers and information has been leaked that he was one of those that tested positive. In a well scripted interview he admitted that he knew he was taking an illegal substance but did not know fully what it was.
People are saying that he shouldn't really be held responsible because the test was supposed to be anonymous. I heard Mike Golic of Mike and Mike in the morning on ESPN radio say, "What if you were taking what you thought was an anonymous test about how you felt about your boss? The information of what you said gets out and they fire you! What happened to the anonymous part?! This never should have come to light and A-Rod should not be punished for taking illegal steroids." Ok, here's the problem with that: A-Rod wasn't putting tacks on his Manager's chair, he was taking illegal steroids. The appropriate analogy would be "What if you were taking what you thought was an anonymous test about whether or not you were embezzling money from the company?" A-Rod wasn't just displaying poor sportsmanship, he was breaking the law.
Kudos to Commissioner Selig for considering altering the record books to no longer reflect those players that have tested positive for steroids. A co-worker said to me, "Consider this: You know that you can drive 90 on the freeway and there's no punishment. Not only that, but you'll get a huge chunk of cash if you do it. Are you gonna do it? Of course you do it. It's human nature." A punishment needs to be in place. So many baseball players are "stats guys" that this just might deter most of them from sticking a needle in their butt. "If I'm caught, it's as though I never played the game... No thanks."
There seems to be a pattern: a few days away from posting equals a multi subject post.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
The Stimulus (Spending) Package
I just love it when my government lies to me.
Oh, wait, no I don't.
What is a "Stimulus Package" to me? Well, I see it like this: If you've given money to the government, we want to give some back so you can flood it back into the economy, thus stimulating it. Seems logical then, that the best way to do that is to provide funds to people and organizations that paid taxes and will put that money back into the economy. It might be smart to send it to people or places that will create jobs, or maybe even to begin programs that will generate more revenue in the future.
Looking at this list I am astonished that this is being called a "Stimulus" package. That would be like Congress ordering 20 new Stealth Bombers, 18 new nuclear subs, countless bombs and munitions and heralding it as the "Peace Bill!" This piece of... legislation is stuffed with the very thing that McCain wanted to remove to keep the budget balanced: Pork! (I don't know who in certain cities has pictures of Obama in compromising positions Maybe toking on a bong? [Right Phelpsie?...] but some cities are slated to receive crazy amounts of money! Los Angeles $4,301,000,000, St. Louis $1,131,500,000, Fort Worth $1,063,600, Cincinnati $333,548,000.)
In an effort to assist the Obama Administration in keeping their promise of transparency, here is a breakdown of only the heavy hitters in regards to what is included in the Stimulus Package that the house Democrats passed the other day. In the interest of discussion, I've withheld my personal feelings about which of these projects might actually be worth while and which ones should probably be tossed. In reading the list, I couldn't help but feel like there were certain politicians thinking "Well, the moneys there, let's try to get some!"
I was going to list all of the line items when I saw this web page. Florida alone has 1752 projects. So, here are the heavy hitters (I'll list them by state, most money to least in the heavy hitter categories) Have fun!:
Puerto Rico ($18,510,000,000)
• $17.5 billion for 100 new acres of energy efficient industrial zones in Cidra Puerto Rico.
• $500 million for solar water heaters for families in rural areas of Cidra Puerto Rico.
• $350 million for a rail system in Cagus Puerto Rico.
• $150 million for improving the track and getting land for little league parking in Cidra Puerto Rico.
• $10 million to construct a sports arena in Camuy Puerto Rico.
California ($7,258,000,000)
• $2.16 billion for the LA Solar Program in Los Angeles California.
• $750 million for a railyards tunnel in Sacramento California.
• $500 million for Los Angeles Port "Green" jobs.
• $500 million for the Green Jacobs port in Los Angeles California.
• $500 million for major street repair in Los Angeles California.
• $500 million for SHRA in Sacramento California.
• $450 million for a new police administration building in Oakland California.
• $350 million to rebuild the rail system in Los Angeles California.
• $300 million to build an airport parking garage in Oakland California.
• $291 million to replace buses in Los Angeles California.
• $275 million for transit upgrades in San Francisco California.
• $270 million to expand, upgrade or relocate 17 libraries in Oakland California.
• $246 million in tax breaks for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
• $55 million for water treatment plant in San Jose California.
• $50 million 280/880 interchange upgrade in San Jose California.
• $40 million to promote use of alternative fuels in Long Beach California.
• $20 million for the Oakland family land trust in Oakland California
• $1.5 million for state of the art traffic controllers in Hayward California.
• $500,000 to build a dog park in Chula Vista California.
Florida ($4,488,893,000)
• $2.463 billion for a 10.5 mile Orange line project in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $426.5 million for 2.4 mile Orange Line improvement in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $400 million for a seaport tunnel in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $352 million to construct a jail in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $300 million for SFECC extension in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $280 million for Miami Streetcar in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $267 million for a water/sewer plant in Miami-Dade Florida.
• $393,000 to buy patrol rifles in Pembroke Pines Florida.
Texas ($3,811,896,000)
• $600 million to improve Loop 820 within the North Richand Hills city limit in North Richand Hills Texas.
• $471 million to improve the T Rail in Fort Worth Texas.
• $386 million to construct a convention center hotel in Dallas Texas.
• $383.5 million for flood control in Fort Worth Texas.
• $350 million to build a convention center in Irving Texas.
• $350 million to build an office tower in Irving Texas.
• $350 million to build a new strip mall in Irving Texas.
• $246.54 million to build a bridge in Dallas Texas
• $200 million for the IH-35/IH-820 interchange in Fort Worth Texas.
• $190 million to expand the MetroRail Red line in Austin Texas.
• $127.5 million for the Waller Creek Tunnel project in Austin Texas.
• $40 million to upgrade the public safety radio system in Dallas Texas.
• $20 million to build a pedestrian bridge over a railroad in Dallas Texas.
• $18 million for a pipeline in Dallas Texas.
• $18 million to build a boardwalk around Lady Bird Lake in Austin Texas.
• $18 million for phase II of a Latino Cultural Center (design and construction) in Dallas Texas.
• $9 million to improve the Spinks Airport and Fire Station #42 in Fort Worth Texas.
• $6 million for vehicle detection stations in Austin Texas.
• $6 million for CW Ditto Golf Course Renovations in Austin Texas.
• $5 million for a water tower replacement in Allen Texas.
• $5 million to capture landfill gases and turn them into hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG) in Beaumont Texas.
• $3.5 million for fire station #5 in Allen Texas. ($500 million nationwide for fire stations)
• $2.5 million for bike and pedestrian paths in Austin Texas.
• $2.278 million to build a two and a half mile trail in Dallas Texas.
• $2.278 million to build a two mile trail in Dallas Texas.
• $1.5 million to hire 20 new police officers in Dallas Texas.
• $180,000 for a full time Director for the Drug Task Force in Winnsboro Texas.
• $100,000 for the continuation of the bus program from Arlington Texas to Fort Worth Texas.
• $20,000 to purchase tasers in Winnsboro Texas.
Illinois ($2,974,500,000)
• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.
• $950 million to replace the I-74 bridge in Moline Illinois.
• $22.7 million for upgrades between Chicago and Moline in Illinois.
• $1.8 million for runway repair in Schaumburg Illinois.
New Mexico ($1,500,300,000)
• $532 million for a solar plant in Albuquerque New Mexico.
• $418.3 million for a New Mexico Events Center in Albuquerque.
• $300 million to reduce congestion on I-25 interchange in Albuquerque New Mexico.
• $250 million for a Neighborhood Energy Generation Pilot in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Alabama ($1,318,800,000)
• $600 million for a solar plant in Anniston Alabama.
• $360 million for school renovations/construction in Mobile Alabama.
• $358.8 million for citywide infrastructure expansion in Prichard Alabama.
Missouri ($1,131,625,000)
• $900 million for the North/South Metro Link connection in St. Louis Missouri.
• $50 million to cover the transit system operating deficit in St. Louis Missouri.
• $45 million for maintenance/prevention on light rail in St. Louis Missouri.
• $35 million for fixed lane trolley development in St. Louis Missouri.
• $35 million for a bridge replacement in St. Louis Missouri.
• $33 million for streetscape in St. Louis Missouri.
• $16.5 million for Grand Avenue station and bridge in St. Louis Missouri.
• $15 million for I-70 bridges in St. Louis Missouri.
• $2 million for preparation for business park site in St. Louis Missouri.
• $125,000 to hire 5 police officers and buy 3 police cars for Wellston Missouri.
Ohio ($818,048,000)
• $250 million for a water waste treatment plant in Lorain Ohio.
• $200 million for a Light Rail system in Columbus Ohio.
• $132 million to create a streetcar network in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $67.18 million for water works infrastructure replacement in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $60 million for a City Street Network Rehabilitation program in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $25 million for Children's Hospital improvements in Columbus Ohio.
• $20.5 million for water works enhancement in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $10 million for flood control bank stabilization in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $8 million for Central Riverfront Street Grid in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $8 million for water works back up power and storage in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $7 million for White Pond Drive in Akron Ohio.
• $6.8 million to build an industrial building in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $4.5 million to build the Corryville Parking Structure in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $4.267 million to renovate the Crosley Building in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $3.5 million for interconnected traffic control system in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $2.46 million to plant trees in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $1.5 million to reduce prostitution in Dayton Ohio.
• $1.5 million for roadway improvements in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $1.2 million for the upgrades to roofs (including green roofs) in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $1.145 million for the 12th & Vine Streetscape in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $1 million for traffic and pedestrian improvements at Liberty Street in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $1 million for power generators on landfills in Lorain Ohio.
• $796,500 for "green" storm water management for public schools in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $600,000 for a streetscape in Cincinnati Ohio.
• $100,000 for LED traffic lights in Cincinnati Ohio.
Mississippi ($601,099,600)
• $600 million to create an African American Heritage trail in Natchez Mississippi.
• $1 million to construct 25 houses for first time home buyers (including land acquisition) in Friars Point Mississippi.
• $99,600 for doorbells in Laurel Mississippi.
Georgia ($581,000,000)
• $500 million for a new terminal at the Atlanta airport in Georgia.
• $81 million a midtown to downtown streetcar line in Atlanta Georgia.
Maryland ($502,650,000)
• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.
• $2.65 million for a program to train residents on how to reduce their carbon footprint in Annapolis Maryland.
Louisiana ($419,000,000)
• $288 million for I-49 North in Shreveport Louisiana.
• $76 million to expand Baton Rouge River Center in Louisiana.
• $55 million for park development in Baton Rouge Louisiana.
Indiana ($351,500,000)
• $301 million to renovate schools in Fort Wayne Indiana.
• $50.5 million for bike paths and pedestrian ways in Indianapolis Indiana.
Alaska ($75,621,000)
• $75 million for the Port of Anchorage Expansion in Anchorage Alaska.
• $621,000 for intercom upgrades in Anchorage Alaska.
Wisconsin ($4,550,000)
• $1.05 million to create a bike trail in Madison Wisconsin.
• $3.5 million to replace 100 police cars in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
Virginia ($3,483,000)
• $3.45 million to repair sidewalks in Alexandria Virginia.
• $33,000 for T3 motion electric vehicles in Alexandria Virginia.
New York ($3,250,000)
• $1.5 million for streetscape and mill in Buffalo New York.
• $1 million to build an indoor soccer field in Hempstead New York.
• $750,000 for emergency bridge repairs in Buffalo New York.
Arkansas ($465,180,000)
• $465 million to renovate a terminal in Little Rock Arkansas.
• $180,000 for a flight information display system in Little Rock Arkansas.
Oregon ($61,000,000)
• $86 million for the construction of trails in Portland Oregon.
• $75 million for Streetcar extension in Portland Oregon.
Various other states ($1,504,235,000)
• $375 million to create a performing arts center in Las Vegas Nevada.
• $335 million for North Corridor Rail Line in Charlotte North Carolina.
• $290 million to construct 3.5 miles of railway in Mesa Arizona.
• $270.6 million to upgrade a tunnel in Detroit Michigan.
• $100 million to construct 4 lane divided highway in Sioux Falls South Dakota
• $16 million to subsidize upgrading the flood control system in Hartford Connecticut.
• $6 million to convert hybrid vehicles to plug in hybrids in Boulder Colorado.
• $4.3 million to build a veterans nursing home in Cleveland Tennessee.
• $4 million for renovation of historic train station in Seattle Washington.
• $1.3 million for Tunnel rehabilitation in Minneapolis Minnesota.
• $700,000 to construct a LEED certified town hall in Athens West Virginia.
• $700,000 for baseball viewing stands and concession upgrades in Salt Lake City Utah.
• $200,000 for a bathroom in Hopkinsville Kentucky.
• $150,000 for major home repairs in Lakewood Washington.
• $134,000 to purchase vehicles for Homeland Security.
• $100,000 for a traffic monitoring system in Lincoln Nebraska.
• $50,000 to build two dog parks in Lewiston Maine.
And here are some of my favorite nationwide/non state specific features ($20,234,500,000)
• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.
• $4.19 billion for neighborhood stabilization activities supporting low-income advocacy groups (such as ACORN).
• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.
• $1.2 billion for Amtrak.
• $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.
• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.
• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.
• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.
• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.
• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.
• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.
• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.
• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.
• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.
• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).
• $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."
• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.
• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.
• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.
• $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
Remember, these are just the big ones! Illinois has over 1000 projects totalling well over $3 billion. Most of them are under $1 million. Wanna keep your own eye on the stimulus bill? You can do so here. Have fun!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Disappointing
(wanna skip the sports? Just read the "***"ed paragraph near the end)
The Super Bowl is never without controversy. Compared to this year's game, the last three were like a group of granny's discussing pearling at a knitting convention. This year's was a fur coat at a Peta rally.
When I don't have a horse in the race I want the fairest Super Bowl possible. I want people standing around the water cooler talking about "that play" and "that player" rather than "that call" and "that penalty." I'm afraid, even more than past years, I'm sadly disappointed.
For the most part, last years game was well officiated. The previous Super Bowl that featured the team from the Steel City (vs Seattle) was, let us say, questionable. This year's game was atrocious.
As usual, I'll list the officiating offenses from least to most egregious:
***On a weird note: I always set up whatever gaming system I happen to have to play out the game to see who might win according to the most recent Madden version I own. After assuring that the rosters were corrected and the game set in Tampa I let my PS2 loose on autopilot. The end prediction: Cardinals victory 20-17. That's not the weird part. In the Madden game, with 17 seconds left in the second quarter the Steelers had the ball 1st and goal from Arizona's one yard line. Big Ben fumbled and Arizona recovered and returned the fumble 99 yards for a touchdown. In the real game, with 19 seconds left in the second quarter, Warner threw an interception that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown. Just a little too strange!
And so the "year without Brady" comes to an end. All in all, this Super Bowl was an emotional roller coaster of a game. An "instant classic" I'm sure. Very exciting and kudos to Arizona for overcoming all that you did to make it as close as you could. The players and back and forth certainly made for a great game but the officiating was far from super!
I can't wait for next year!
The Super Bowl is never without controversy. Compared to this year's game, the last three were like a group of granny's discussing pearling at a knitting convention. This year's was a fur coat at a Peta rally.
When I don't have a horse in the race I want the fairest Super Bowl possible. I want people standing around the water cooler talking about "that play" and "that player" rather than "that call" and "that penalty." I'm afraid, even more than past years, I'm sadly disappointed.
For the most part, last years game was well officiated. The previous Super Bowl that featured the team from the Steel City (vs Seattle) was, let us say, questionable. This year's game was atrocious.
As usual, I'll list the officiating offenses from least to most egregious:
- We are able to overlook the non call on the Safety when Parker was not able to get the ball fully out of the end zone due to the holding call on the next play..
- At one point in the second half there were over 90 yards of penalties against the Cardinals and zero against the Steelers. Maybe the refs forgot there were two teams on the field. It got so bad that even the neutral fans were shouting out things like, "Evading a tackle, Arizona, ten yard penalty." "Unsportsmanlike conduct, Sacking the Quarterback, Arizona, fifteen yard penalty, automatic first down." "Game misconduct, general success, Arizona, half the distance to the goal." It was pretty ridiculous.
It was 1st down. Big Ben had been evading the rush all game. He does it again and, while still in the pocket, hurls the ball to nobody. Not even a defender or an official in the vicinity. Arizona is flagged for roughing the passer. Look how close this defender is when Ben lets go! He is supposed to be able to stop this hit? And when the pass falls incomplete out of bounds, the closest Steeler is 12 yards away.
So, Rather than second and 20 (ten yard penalty for Intentional Grounding and loss of down), it was first and ten fifteen yards down the field. This is the man that had been pump faking and scrambling all game and the defender was expected to let up because he saw the arm moving? No guarantee that the Steelers wouldn't have converted, or tied the game. But they should not have had an opportunity to continue the drive and have the next terrible call happen.
The ruling on the field was that he got both feet down. They even reviewed this play and still got it wrong! I was concerned as the overhead shots they kept showing were inconclusive. Look at the back foot. This shot shows that it is clearly hung up on the front cleat and never touches the ground in the end zone. This was not a touchdown. This does not mean that the Steelers wouldn't have scored on the next play nor does it mean that they wouldn't have been able to hit a FG to tie the game, but this play should not have given them the lead.
Rule: Using the ball as a prop during a touchdown celebration is a penalty. This may seem like a petty, ticky-tack complaint. I mean, after all, they did just take the lead in the closing seconds of the Super Bowl. But not only have these refs been calling the tightest Super Bowl (against the Cardinals) in recent memory, but consider this: the penalty is 15 yards assessed on the kickoff. Instead of starting on the 30 yard line, the Cardinals would have started on the 45. Instead of them being on the 50 with 12 seconds left, they'd have been on the 35. Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, 35 yards? Much more likely than that same equation with 50 yards to the end zone. This was a huge, blatant no call that no one is talking about!
Earlier in the half the officials had already forced the Cardinals to use their second challenge on another obvious incomplete pass that was called a fumble on the field. Here, 9 seconds remain and the Cardinals are within Hail Mary range and this play isn't even reviewed?! Ruling is made on the field. Replay is shown to the national audience showing some question as to whether or not Kurt had control of the ball when his arm was going forward. Ben takes the knee game over. What? While I don't expect this would have necessarily been overturned, or that it would have altered the outcome, it did add a final stamp of unprofessionalism and incompleteness on the part of the officiating. It provided a fizzle of an ending that, in hind sight, seems fitting considering all of the other blunders made by the men in black and white.
The call on the field: Interception on the goal line, 100 yard return for a touchdown. First blown call: Neutral zone infraction. The blitzer at the top of the image was moving toward the ball and found himself in the neutral zone when the ball was snapped. Correct call: "free play" as it's known. Arizona can accept the outcome or replay the down. Result: no interception. Time had expired. Arizona gets one more offensive play. (likely outcome, FG, tie game.) Ok, let's assume this picture is inconclusive. 
Second blown call: Holding. Notice how the defender clearly has a grasp of Kurt Warner's jersey over his shoulder pad. This is illegal. (Please note: the ball carrier is between Warner and the holding defender. Warner would have made this play) Correct call: Interception. Holding during the return. Ten yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Time had expired, end of the half. Alright, we ignore this image. 
Third blown call: Block in the back. This was definitely the most egregious of the egregious calls. You need to be in front of or next to the defender that you are blocking. You cannot be behind them. Look at this image. Two extended hands on the back of the Cardinal's jersey. Correct call: Ten yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Time had expired, end of the half. Alright, let's pretend this didn't happen right in front of the referee. 
Fourth blown call: Down by contact prior to entering the end zone. When the
player's helmet hits the turf he is down. When his helmet hits the turf on the goal line, there is no possible way the ball has crossed the line. Correct call: Down by contact at the one yard line. Time had expired, end of the half. If any one of these had been called correctly the final score would have been 24-20 Cardinals (Possibly 27-20 Cardinals had the actual right call been made.) This is the most egregious missed call, not only for the number of blown calls, but the magnitude and momentum sway that it caused.***On a weird note: I always set up whatever gaming system I happen to have to play out the game to see who might win according to the most recent Madden version I own. After assuring that the rosters were corrected and the game set in Tampa I let my PS2 loose on autopilot. The end prediction: Cardinals victory 20-17. That's not the weird part. In the Madden game, with 17 seconds left in the second quarter the Steelers had the ball 1st and goal from Arizona's one yard line. Big Ben fumbled and Arizona recovered and returned the fumble 99 yards for a touchdown. In the real game, with 19 seconds left in the second quarter, Warner threw an interception that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown. Just a little too strange!
And so the "year without Brady" comes to an end. All in all, this Super Bowl was an emotional roller coaster of a game. An "instant classic" I'm sure. Very exciting and kudos to Arizona for overcoming all that you did to make it as close as you could. The players and back and forth certainly made for a great game but the officiating was far from super!
I can't wait for next year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)