What do we remember on Memorial Day?
On Memorial Day, we remember Americans who have died in military service to our nation. It unofficially began after the Civil War with impromptu floral decorations of Confederate and Union soldier graves by their widows and groups of women. It was originally known as Decoration Day, and was first officially recognized in 1873 by the State of New York, with other states gradually acknowledging the day over the years. With the National Holiday Act of 1971, Congress ensured that Memorial Day (and all Federal Holidays) would always be part of a 3 day weekend.
At 3:00 today, Americans are asked to observe a moment of silence in tribute to the U.S. men and women who died during military service.
God Bless America!
Now, go enjoy your barbeque.
USMemorialDay.org
History.com
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Beer Summit Brotherhood
I wrote about a previous beer summit involving my auto mechanic and my dentist (the owner of the first, the office manager of the other). We decided it had been far too long, and held another impromptu beer summit on Friday.
These are some pretty cool people that I've come to know through my business network (BNI: Nitro Chapter, if anyone's interested). So when we get together we try to include the topic of running a successful business. I have no formal business training, so anytime I can hang out with successful people is time well spent.
But between lessons, it’s a good thing to imbibe in a well crafted Belgian top fermented Trappist beer– in this case, Chimay Grande Reserve. You can learn a lot at a beer summit: economic theory, trends in Wall Street and Sacramento, developments in employment law. It’s a historic fact that some form of what most people call “beer” has been essential to critical thinking since around 5000 BC. Mesopotamia had beer, Babylon had beer, Thomas Jefferson had beer. In the ancient world, if you went to war without beer, you went alone, because who’s going to fight to the death for some cheapskate who won’t even pay the bar tab?
They’re smart fellows, but they’re not always right. Neither am I for that matter. But the beer element seems to help make that all OK. I’m a little more hawkish on foreign policy. The dentist is little more socialist on medical policies. The mechanic, well, he likes to make his 65 Mustang stand up and take the checkered flag. I can respect that, even if it’s not my way. And if I end up muttering some French phrases describing my second fine Canadian brew, well I think that’s OK too.
At a beer summit, everyone is a brother. I think the world should remember that.
www.handymanvance.com for Santa Clarita's Handyman
www.executivepainting.net for excellent interior and exterior painting
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
California Likely to Remain a Blue State? Please God, No
It's Election Day, November 2, 2010. With many polls stating that the House will change to Republican rule, and the Senate will be a close call, you would think that America is just about ready to lean to the right. But as far as I can tell, California isn't going with that trend. One friend of mine says, "Thank God California is likely to remain a Blue State".
Really?
California has been a Blue state for, what, 30 years? 40 years? How's it working out?
Are our schools doing well? We're ranked 44th in science scores, 47th in math scores, 50th in reading scores for the most recent data available! (National Center for Education Statistics)
Is employment up? We're rated 49th at 12.4% unemployment. (Bureau of Labor for September 2010.)
Are businesses flocking to the state because they know they can do well here? (I'm talking about businesses ...that HIRE people).
Not even Hollywood want to be in California anymore. Movies are made everywhere BUT California! Other businesses are moving to Texas, Georgia, and any place that makes it look attractive to an entrepreneur.
How's our cost of living compared to other states? Property tax is high. Income tax is high. Gasoline costs more here. If you are in the private sector, you're lucky to make 60% of what your California State employee makes, and you have to contribute to your own 401K or IRA plan if you even want to think about retiring some day.
When you travel to those other states, do people ask you about how can you live in California with that "Crazy San Francisco?" and your F'ed up mortgage payments?
If you're one of the "chosen ones" working for the state, you're sitting in the Cat Bird Seat, waiting for that last raise, so you can retire and sit out your golden years with up to 90% of your salary from the last year that you worked. This while Joe Public works a few extra years to collect Social Security and keeps you in beer money. I guess its a good place to be if you're a "Public Servant". (Seems like a misnomer, "Public Servant". Public Sponge, maybe. Union Dog more likely. Over Paid Lucky Bastard, definitely.)
Thank God California is likely to remain a Blue State? Are you kidding me? We'll be lucky if the rest of the county doesn't boot us out of their club.
On this Election Day, Nov 2, 2010, I choose Red. I choose Capitalism, Free Market, Sanity.I choose Tea Party. I choose Republican. I choose moral standards, lower taxes, incentives for hard work, creativity, invention, and education. I choose to compete with the rest of the country and the world.
Come on, California. It's not a dream to be a Blue State. Its a nightmare, and its time to wake up and live in the Real World where the Adults are in charge.
Really?
California has been a Blue state for, what, 30 years? 40 years? How's it working out?
Are our schools doing well? We're ranked 44th in science scores, 47th in math scores, 50th in reading scores for the most recent data available! (National Center for Education Statistics)
Is employment up? We're rated 49th at 12.4% unemployment. (Bureau of Labor for September 2010.)
Are businesses flocking to the state because they know they can do well here? (I'm talking about businesses ...that HIRE people).
Not even Hollywood want to be in California anymore. Movies are made everywhere BUT California! Other businesses are moving to Texas, Georgia, and any place that makes it look attractive to an entrepreneur.
How's our cost of living compared to other states? Property tax is high. Income tax is high. Gasoline costs more here. If you are in the private sector, you're lucky to make 60% of what your California State employee makes, and you have to contribute to your own 401K or IRA plan if you even want to think about retiring some day.
When you travel to those other states, do people ask you about how can you live in California with that "Crazy San Francisco?" and your F'ed up mortgage payments?
If you're one of the "chosen ones" working for the state, you're sitting in the Cat Bird Seat, waiting for that last raise, so you can retire and sit out your golden years with up to 90% of your salary from the last year that you worked. This while Joe Public works a few extra years to collect Social Security and keeps you in beer money. I guess its a good place to be if you're a "Public Servant". (Seems like a misnomer, "Public Servant". Public Sponge, maybe. Union Dog more likely. Over Paid Lucky Bastard, definitely.)
Thank God California is likely to remain a Blue State? Are you kidding me? We'll be lucky if the rest of the county doesn't boot us out of their club.
On this Election Day, Nov 2, 2010, I choose Red. I choose Capitalism, Free Market, Sanity.I choose Tea Party. I choose Republican. I choose moral standards, lower taxes, incentives for hard work, creativity, invention, and education. I choose to compete with the rest of the country and the world.
Come on, California. It's not a dream to be a Blue State. Its a nightmare, and its time to wake up and live in the Real World where the Adults are in charge.
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