Warren Buffett

I don't usually like copying and posting material to use on my blog, but in this case, I'm making an exception.

The shit going on in congress has gone on too long. We all bitch about it, but we do nothing about it, ever. We re-elect people who are not into representing their constituents, but rather fattening their own pockets instead. Serving your country is supposed to be honorable, not to get rich and to continue to get paid even after your out of office.

I agree with every single point that Buffett has proposed as the "Congress Reform Act of 2012." I encourage ALL of you that read this to copy and post it on your walls, twitters, emails, blogs, smoke signals, whatever, I don't care. Just do it.

This isn't a party line issue. This is targeting government as a whole. Period. Doesn't matter if your Republican, Democrat, white, black, Belgian, a tadpole, IT DOESN'T MATTER. Just share it.

Here is the proposal:

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just
pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more
than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible

for re-election.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple!
The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail,
cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year
or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to
a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask
each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will
have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2012

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all
Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and
participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this
contract with Congressmen/women.

Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will
only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive
the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

If you agree, pass it on. If not, delete.
You are one of my 20+ - Please keep it going, and thanks.

Thanksgiving Bliss

As another year slowly makes its way into the history books, we find ourselves wishing that time would slow down even more. Today, I found myself looking back on this past year, all the changes that happened, the life choices that were made, and the relationships we made and lost. We also have made decisions of which of those we are thankful for.

Well, here is my list for this year. And still in time for it to still be Thanksgiving. Thirty minutes left in today, so here I go.

1) My best friends. Jason. Tabby. Elvis. Sara. Beth. Ryan. Daman. Chris. You guys are my rock. We've all had ups and downs this year. I'm sorry I haven't been able to make it to many of the BBQ's and late night fire drinking nights at everyone's house like I'd like to. New job is a bitch on the hours right now. But I'm and very, VERY thankful that you all are in my life all these years and still continue to do so. You all, yes, all, have been a blessing to me. Thank you.

2) My family. My mom, two sisters, and my Uncle. Our relationships have been strained over the years by words, actions, and just flat out stupidity. But we make it through, and this year has been our strongest. Today was by far, the best Thanksgiving I've ever had. And it was because we were all there, at the same time, laughing, playing and throwing pie in my sons face. Oh wait, that was just me. Oh well. Thank you.

3) My ex-girlfriend, Sophia. I don't know if she'll see this, maybe she will. But over the last three years you taught me a few things about myself that I never knew were a real problem. And alas, it took us breaking it off and going separate directions to really make me see that. I know you said yesterday that even if we both worked on ourselves and made it back together, that it wouldn't work. We just weren't right for each other. I agree. But that doesn't mean we didn't teach each other things about life and how to live it. I thank you for the last three years of my life, even if most of the time we didn't get along. I will always love you. Ashton will always love you. Good luck in Kansas City. Thank you for everything that you taught me.

4) My grandmother. Yesterday was her birthday. I miss you so much, and believe it or not, I still learn from you even though you're gone. Any time a financial decision comes up, I think of you first. I think about what you would say. Would you consider it a risk? Or would you consider it an opportunity? I still thank you almost every single day for the position you left me in. You once received a reward, that is still named after you, for being woman of the year in your profession, philately. Well, in my eyes, you're "Grandma of the year" every year. Thank you.

5) I'm thankful for my job. With so many people not having one, I'm truly blessed to be in a position (ie #4) to be able to do whatever I want to for work. Without having to live paycheck to paycheck. I'm thankful that I still get to have an impact in peoples lives. Teaching them. Motivating them. It truly gets to me when I reach someone, or I reach multiple people. I'm in it to win it. I give everything I have. Thank you.

6) My son, Ashton. You are the brightest light that shines within me. I am so lucky to have a wonderful boy that is my son, in you. You are smart beyond your years, which gets you in trouble sometimes, but I understand. =) You have lit up my life in more ways than you can ever, or will imagine. I'm glad I have you here everyday. I thank God that he gave you to me. As you taught me a thing or two as well. Thank you for being you.

7) My new friends. Kelly and Steve. Man, you guys are a riot. Kelly, I'm glad we found each other, even though we weren't really looking lol, and have hung out once again. You guys do know how to have a good time, and I can't wait for more opportunities to come about for us to grab them and see what happens. Thank you.

8) To be healthy. Yes, as much junk as I've eaten and things I've done to my body over the years, I'm still in pretty good shape. I'm thankful to have good genes (thanks mama) and to be still walking around without a thing wrong with me. Knocking on wood as we speak. Thank you to whomever I need to thank for that.

I know this isn't my usual rant, but there is a time and a place for that. This isn't it. So I wasn't really trying to be funny. Next time I will. I have a few ideas. =)

Until next time.

Johnny's Corner. Out.

Political Banter!

So here we are, another election in the books. But there is something different about this one in 2012. The attitudes that I have read on all forms of my social media were very disturbing. Reading some of the fallback of Obama being re-elected actually made me sick to call some people my friends.

Now, let me really start this off by prefacing this particular blog with this. This is not a rant about who won, or who lost. This is not to call people names, or to call anyone out. What I have to say here is purely my opinion, and if you don’t like that fact, then stop reading now and go find something on yahoo to read.

Through the entire results portion of the election on CNN, I was constantly checking facebook, my twitter account, as well as my text messages from certain people and was wondering what had happened to some of them.

Let me say this. When you are in the middle of a political debate with someone, you are sharing your opinion. I think we can all agree on that. And that is perfectly fine. To discuss your opinions on topics, issues, and our country’s future with people that are your friends should be something that isn’t combative.

For instance, I had read three people’s posts about the final results of the election, calling people who voted for Obama, stupid, racist niggers, (I’m sorry for using that term, but it’s verbatim. I don’t sugar coat shit) that they were moving out of the country as soon as they get a degree, and more. They also claim that people “could really be so stupid or lazy not to inform ourselves.”

Okay. Whoa.

Stupid? Lazy? You’re moving out of the country? Okay, well you’re not going hurt my feelings if you do just that, and here is why. When you are trying to get a point across, you lose absolutely 100% of everyone that’s listening/reading what you’re saying once you say someone is stupid, or anything else. Your statement is moot, pointless. Calling people morons and the like isn’t right. The only people that are morons are the people that are calling people morons. Why do you need to sink so low because the election didn’t go your way?

Here is another fun fact. How many people are there in the United States? Well, you say “How many Johnny Hammers?” And I’m gonna tell you.

315,000,000 people. Yes, that many. Now riddle yourself this.... How many people voted yesterday?

Are you ready?

110,000,000. Yes. One third of the country voted yesterday.

It’s saddening for sure. But I do have something else that is a fun bit of information. For all those that shared your thoughts about what should have happened, what did happen, in your degrading manner well, only one third of you actually voted. Some of you even admitted to that fact. You’re bitching about an election that you gave absolutely no voice to.

So to you people that fit into that category, I so eloquently say four words to you. Shut the fuck up.

Bolded. Underlined. Italicized. Written on a piece of paper. Folded. And shoved up your ass. When you can actually be a worthwhile citizen and use your voice to shape your country, then you may speak about stuff that you claim to be educated about. Because if you were actually educated, then you would use your words more delicately, and also would have voted.

Now, before you go and say “Oh, he must have been another Obama love muffin lover boy” let me stop you. No. I’m not. I voted for Romney. I don’t need to state my reasons. But the thing is, I’m not exactly unhappy that Obama won.

Here is where some of you lose focus. Now this is where I include the people that did have more well-written responses to last night’s elections. I’m going to take this where I know most people will understand and take it out of politics for a second.

This country is broken. Similarly, to a baseball team. We have to get back to basics. The fundamentals if you will. This is a divided country, and yes, Obama knows it now. He eluded to it last night in the victory speech. There is work to be done. Back to fundamentals. Go back to what made this country strong. Working together to become better. Communication. Both parties have to work together. Work on the foundation of this country to become a better team.

Republicans HAVE to start living in the social America we have today, and not that of the 1950’s. Learn what society is like today. Learn what the people WANT. Not what you think they want. Democrats need to stop taking it easy on immigration. Either give the amnesty (Which I’m not really a fan of) or find something else to fix this growing illegal status that we have. Either way, we as Americans CAN NOT have 12 million people live in this country for free.

Yes, there are more issues, most of them more important, but my main purpose of writing this is to beg, and plead for everyone to cross the political lines and work together. Citizens and politicians. This has to be, or we will fail as a country.

One last thing concerning social media. For you people that bitch and complain about what people are posting on THEIR pages, facebook, blogs, twitter...... guess what? You don’t have to fucking read it. It’s their page, their opinions. No one is forcing you to read their posts. On facebook, unsubscribe to them. Or better yet, if you’re that retarded, just unfriend them. I wouldn’t want to be friends with anyone that didn’t understand the aspects of social media. ITS TO BE SOCIAL.

To quote a GOOD friend on this... “I wake up this morning and facebook, MY facebook, MY social media on MY profile asks me whats on my mind? Well, thanks for asking...
I love how people accuse me of forcing my views and opinions on facebook, seriously I am FORCING you to read my posts, you hit the accept friend button or sent the request. I post on sensitive issues just as much as anyone else and I will continue too as long as I have an internet connection.”

Well said.

Johnny’s Corner. Out.

For another good read, a very good friend of mine has a blog on St. Louis Sports, Events, Humor, Restaurants, and news. Living Life In The Lou - By Kelly Riggs