Friday, September 17, 2010

The Watchman's Overhead

A friend emailed this and insisted I post it here.  (You're welcome Dave!)  The anecdotal story in the beginning is reflective of the way government, even local agencies, operate.  In the same manner that "they" do not trust the watchman to do his job, "they" do not trust us to live without "their" micromanagement.  Of course "they" are supposed to be We, the People...
***

Gubmint and How Gubmint Works   
Once upon a time the government had a vast  scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night."  
 So they created a night watchman  position and hired a person for the job. 

Then  Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job  without instruction?" So they created a planning department and  hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one  person to do time studies. 

Then Congress  said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks  correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department  and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports. 

Then Congress said, "How are these  people going to get paid?" So They created two  positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people. 

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an 
Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a  Legal Secretary. 

Then Congress said, "We  have had this command in operation for one Year and we are  $918,000 over budget, we must cutback." So they laid off the night  watchman. 

NOW slowly, let it sink  in. 

Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter. 
Does anybody remember the reason given for  the establishment of 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY..... during the  Carter Administration? 

Anybody? 

Anything? 

No? 

Didn't  think so! 

Bottom line. We've spent several hundred  billion dollars in support of an agency....the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember! 

Ready?? 
It was very simple..and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate. 

The  Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977, 
TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL. 


Hey,  pretty efficient, huh??? 

AND NOW IT'S 2010 -- 33  YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT  $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE! (THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?") 


33 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports.  Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.
 

Ah, yes -- good old Federal bureaucracy. 

NOW, WE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM,  HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME  GOVERNMENT?     


Hello!!  Anybody Home?
 

CANDIDATES’ FORUM TOMORROW




TOMORROW!!!







NORTH ORANGE COUNTY CONSERVATIVE COALITION
&
CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY

CANDIDATES’ FORUM AND ENDORSEMENT MEETING FOR
CITY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL BOARD
Brea * La Habra * Placentia * Yorba Linda * Fullerton

All North Orange County Residents are encouraged to join us to get to know the conservative candidates seeking your vote in November.

Our local elected representatives affect our taxes, safety, streets, schools, homes, neighborhoods and local businesses.

Come to this FREE event and become more informed about the issues in your community and the people who want to represent you!

When:  SATURDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 18 AT 9:00 a.m.

Where:  Community Clubhouse
   4067 BALMORAL DRIVE, YORBA LINDA, CA 92886
              (Just off Bastanchury and Emerald Downs Drive)

Candidates and guests:
For more information, please contact Desare’ at deseric@sbcglobal.net.

Greg Sebourn

The Beauty of a Storm

The Beauty of a Storm
Orange County, Ca.

My Grandma - A Eulogy

LET'S TALK ABOUT 1914 FOR A MOMENT.



FOR STARTERS, GRANDMA WAS BORN TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1914 IN HER FAMILY'S ATWOOD RANCH HOUSE.



IT IS WORTH NOTING THOSE ALSO BORN IN 1914:

JACK LALANNE

JOE DIMAGGIO

DANNY THOMAS



AND WHO DIED IN 1914:

JOHN MUIR, THE FAMOUS NATURALIST FOR WHICH NUMEROUS ROADS, PARKS, HOTELS, AND NATURE RESERVES ARE NAMED.



IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT IN 1914 WOODROW WILSON SIGNS MOTHER'S DAY PROCLAMATION AND BABE RUTH MAKES HIS MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT WITH THE RED SOX. MOTHER'S DAY AND BASEBALL- TWO OF MY FAVORITES!! (PERHAPS HER NICKNAME "BABE" CAME FROM BABE RUTH???)



GRANDMA WAS BORN INTO A PERIOD OF TIME FILLED WITH TURMOIL. IN JUNE OF 1914 ARCHDUKE FRANZS FERDINAND WAS ASSASSINATED. WITHIN ONE MONTH WORLD WAR I RAGED ACROSS EUROPE. TWO DAYS AFTER HER BIRTH HOWEVER, GERMAN AND BRITISH TROOPS INTERRUPTED WWI TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. (PERHAPS THEY PAUSE KNOWING THAT A GREAT WOMAN WAS BORNE) WORLD WAR I CONTINUED UNTIL THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES IN 1919.



ALTHOUGH SHE WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD, SHE SAW THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS CREATED AND THE 19TH AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS GUARANTEEING THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN TO VOTE.



SHE LIVED THROUGH MANY NOTABLE EVENTS. LIKE THE 1933 LONG BEACH EARTHQUAKE OR WHEN ATWOOD FLOODED ALONG WITH MOST OF ORANGE COUNTY IN 1938 AND THE FLOOD-WATERS CLAIMED MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE, 43 OF WHICH WERE FROM ATWOOD! ALL OF THIS DURING A TIME THAT WE READ ABOUT IN SCHOOL AND KNOWN AS "THE GREAT DEPRESSION". SOMEWHERE IN ALL OF THAT SHE FOUND THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, GRANDPA LEO, GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, GOT MARRIED, AND HAD KIDS!



THEN THERE WAS WORLD WAR II. FROM PEARL HARBOR TO HIROSHIMA, GRANDMA WAS RAISING MY UNCLE BOB AND MOM ARLINE. WITH AIR-RAID SIRENS AND BLACKOUTS SHE WAS A WIFE AND MOTHER. WHAT A TIME TO RAISE CHILDREN! I BET GRANDMA'S PARENTS WERE ABEL TO TELL HER A THING OR TWO ABOUT RAISING KIDS IN WARTIME.



GRANDMA WAS THERE WHEN THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA HELD THEIR 3RD ANNUAL NATIONAL JAMBOREE IN 1953. SHE SAW AIRBASES OPEN IN '42 AND CLOSE IN '99. SHE WATCHED WALTER KNOTT START UP HIS BERRY FARM AND WALT DISNEY TURN ORANGE GROVES AND STRAWBERRY PATCHES INTO DISNEYLAND!



SHE SAW THE HORSE AND CARRIAGE FADE AWAY INTO HISTORY AND SPACE TRAVEL EXPLODE BEFORE HER WITH THE FIRST LUNAR LANDING. JUST IMAGINE HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS. FROM TUBE RECTIFIERS TO SUPERCONDUCTORS; FROM TRANS-ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLES TO SATELLITE TV.



SHE SAW MORE IN HER 93 YEARS THAN MOST OF US WILL EVER READ ABOUT, LET ALONE LIVE THROUGH!



OF THOSE 93 YEARS IT IS MY HONOR TO HAVE BEEN HER GRANDSON FOR 35 OF THEM. SHE WAS MY MOTHER WHEN MOM HAD TO WORK. SHE WIPED MY NOSE AND PUT FOOD IN MY MOUTH. SHE LET ME PLAY WITH GRANDPA EVEN THOUGH SHE NEEDED HIM TO TAKE HER TO THE STORE. SHE WAS MY GRANDMA AND I WILL MISS HER IMMENSELY.



JUST LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM; SHE DID THIS. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE INTO THIS WORLD AND TOGETHER TODAY. THIS IS HER LEGACY.



A Dedication To My Loving Wife, Stacey. Thank you for all you do for me!

Brad Paisley - I Thought I Loved You Then


I remember trying not to stare the night that I first met you
You had me mesmerized
3 weeks later in the front porch light taking 45 min to kiss you goodnight
I hadn’t told you yet but I thought I loved you then

Chorus
Now you’re my whole life now you’re my whole world
I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl
Like a river meets the sea
Stronger than it’s ever been
We’ve come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then.

I remember taking you back to right where I first met you
You were so surprised
There were people around
But I didn’t care I got down on one knee right there
And once again I thought I loved you then

Chorus
Now you’re my whole life now you’re my whole world
I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl
Like a river meets the sea
Stronger than it’s ever been
We’ve come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then.

I can just see you with a baby on the way
I can just see you when your hair is turning gray
What I can’t see is how I’m ever gonna love you more
But I’ve said that before.

Now you’re my whole life now you’re my whole world
I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl
Well look back some day at this moment that we’re in
And I'll look at you and say I thought I loved you then
And I thought I loved you then...