The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.
Click here to see the complete report.
You will be greeted with a full-screen animation of fireworks and rockets. Each rocket represents one of my posts during 2012. Scroll down to view the entire report.
Captain Rick: I began regular posts to my WordPress blog ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL about 4 months ago. I am honored to view the stats of people around the world who have viewed my blog during the past 90 days, as shown in the WordPress stat image below. WordPress stat data capabilities boggle my mind. I know some of you from photography friendships molded during the early days on Webshots and later on Flickr. I sincerely appreciate your friendship and look forward building more friendships among those I do not yet know from the countries shown below.
Our world is a huge place, but thanks to the internet and great social networks like WordPress, Flickr and Facebook, our friends on the other side of the globe are all just a very short distance away.
Captain Rick: All remains quiet in Washington DC with no signs of any actions to prevent America from going over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ on January 1, 2013. Those who have studied Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101 understand why going over the cliff is a good thing. I have heard reports of the President and Congress returning Sunday, December 30, 2012 to do some last minute political grandstanding in an effort to impress Americans that they really care about us. The worst thing they can do is to play a game of ‘give and take’ (we will give up this … if you give up that). Such a stunt would only weaken the good that the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ will accomplish. The best thing they can do is nothing, which I actually believe is what they intend. It would be nice if they just skip the political rhetoric and grandstanding in the process. Americans are getting very sick of it. One thing is sure about our “Washington Circus”. We will not know what the last act might present until its over.
And so, while we wait, I present a couple ‘Fiscal Cliff’ cartoons for your enjoyment:
If you have not yet taken the course, you can now. CLICK: Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101 … The course starts at the very bottom.
Captain Rick: Investors sold heavily this week in fear of America going over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ on January 1, 2013. Its obvious none of them studied Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101. Those that have view the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ as a welcomed stepping stone to better times in America in an effort to correct America’s thirst for debt. It is such a shame that the news media portrays such a bad image of it and that our representatives in Washington continue to play a game by trying to make us think they have our better interests in mind, while they really are hoping for America to go over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ for political gain. Its politics as usual.
For all graduates of Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101, it will soon be time to welcome in 2013 with cheer.
For those who have not yet taken the course, you can do so now (the course starts at the very bottom) by clicking: Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101
Our world will not change for the better unless we share our voice. I welcome your comments and for you to share this message with your friends on your favorite networks via the links I have provided below (If you are reading this on my HOME page, click the red title).
Captain Rick: Here we go again. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner warned Congress in a letter that U.S. borrowing will hit the debt ceiling on Monday, and that Treasury will begin using ‘extraordinary measures’ to prevent government spending from exceeding the legal limit of $16.394 trillion. On Monday, debt subject to the limit was just $95 billion below the $16.394 trillion debt ceiling. That allows for spending over $13 billion a day through next Monday. It makes my head spin thinking about how fast the U.S. spends money and that over $1 trillion of what it spends each year is borrowed money (deficit spending) that adds to the U.S. National Debt.
The extraordinary measures include suspending the reinvestment of federal workers’ retirement account contributions in short-term government bonds. All told, the extraordinary measures can create about $200 billion of headroom under the limit — normally about two months worth of borrowing.
If America begins going over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ on Tuesday, January 1, as all indications point to now, $600 billion in annual spending cuts and tax revenue increases will kick in and slow the generation of debt to half speed. This would double the period of time to 4 months remaining before extraordinary measures would be exhausted.
After the extraordinary measures run out, Treasury won’t be able to pay all the country’s bills in full and on time. At that point, the United States will run the very real risk that it could default on some of its obligations, such as making interest payments on America’s National Debt which total a staggering $260 billion per year. This would have a severe negative impact on America’s credit rating which would have a ripple effect of making it more costly for the U.S. Treasury to borrow money. At some point foreign governments, like Japan and China, which hold large sums of American debt, would slow lending or even curtail it. The American economy would grind to a halt and be thrust into a deep recession, dragging all world economies along with it.
Other solutions could be to default on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other government program payments. We all can comprehend the immediate, massive, destructive effect that would have on society.
Thus, we can conclude that default of any kind is not an acceptable solution. The only immediate solution will be to increase the national debt again. Those who have studied Captain Rick’s FISCAL CLIFF Course 101, know that its just a matter of time before raising the national debt ceiling will no longer be a workable option. This is why it is so important that the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ spending cuts and tax revenue increases take effect on January 1.
Captain Rick’s Dream for America
I find the manner in which the President and Republicans and Democrats in Congress are trading off fiscal ‘trinkets’, in an effort to fool America that they can come up with a better solution than the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ to solve America’s serious problem of thirst for debt … almost laughable.
The President and Congress should stop playing fiscal games. The current members of Congress should stay home on vacation for the rest of the year. A new slate of legislators will be sworn in on January 3, hopefully with a work ethic that is void of politics (I am holding my breath), and work towards raising the debt ceiling along with the creation of Fiscal Cliff 2 … another painful round of spending cuts and tax revenue increases that would finally balance America’s budget and eliminate deficit spending. Ideally, it would start on January 1, 2014, when the next raise of the national debt ceiling will most likely be required. Hopefully that would be the last need to raise the America’s National Debt Ceiling.
Perhaps Fiscal Cliff 3 could kick in on January 1, 2015 with another round of spending cuts and tax increases that would begin reducing America’s National Debt and its interest on the debt which will be well over $300 billion per year by then.
If America were to follow this painful fiscal road, our children and grandchildren could have a realistic chance to make a descent living and recapture some of the Great American Dream that kids growing up in America back in the 1950’s and 1960’s once had. I was one of them. They were great times that are ‘long gone’, but can be rekindled if we, the generations who helped create America’s fiscal ‘nightmare’, accept some sacrifices. I urge everyone in America to accept the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ with a ‘grain of salt’ as it becomes effective on January 1, 2013 and urge your legislative representatives to work towards achieving Fiscal Cliff 2.
View Captain Rick’s entire FISCAL CLIFF Course 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/
Rick – It is a beautiful Christmas Day! Thank you for sending your emails and for your concern for our community. Attached is the Lewis Family Christmas photo. Have a great day and Happy New Year!
Mayor John Lewis & the Lewis Family
Captain Rick: John, I am honored by and appreciate your kind words and wishes. You serve Gilbert well.
Captain Rick: Friendship is one of the very best things we can hope for and appreciate to have.
I appreciate all of my friends who read and view my blog, especially those who follow it.
Take a moment to appreciate your friends.
View Captain Rick’s entire ‘Pet Talk’ series: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/pet-talk/
Captain Rick: 2012 is drawing to a close with no congressional deal in sight, which means the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ will happen automatically, by law, on January 1, 2013. The ‘Fiscal Cliff’ is a combination of the expiration of temporary tax cuts and spending extensions and other spending cuts from laws passed previously. In total, it reduces half of Americas deficit ($600 billion per year…approximately $7 trillion over the next 10 years). Previous laws allowed America’s staggering national debt to be raised to keep the U.S Government running in exchange for the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ if the congressional appointed ‘super committee’ did not produce a better solution. No agreeable alternative solution was found, as appears likely with current negotiations…so America will most likely witness the ‘Fiscal Cliff’, by law, on January 1, 2013.
Scenario of Congress agreeing to stop, postpone or ‘water down’ (lower) the ‘Fiscal Cliff’
Captain Rick’s chances of this happening: Near 0%
Captain Rick’s rating for such action: “F” (FLUNK)
Captain Rick’s prognosis: While this is what is being portrayed by the news media as the best solution, it is mathematically impossible and fiscally irresponsible…because America’s National Debt Clock continues to tick. Its just a short time before America will need to raise the debt ceiling again, because it spends $1.2 trillion more per year than it receives in revenue. That will foster ‘Fiscal Cliff 2’…perhaps twice as high as ‘Fiscal Cliff 1’. Keep in mind that even if America were to balance its budget (a far off dream), it would be left with its staggering debt of $16.2 trillion and its annual interest of $258 billion, the 5th largest U.S. expenditure of tax revenue. This money is paid to America’s debt holders…the largest being Japan and China.
Scenario of America going over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’
Captain Rick’s chances of this happening: Near 100%
Captain Rick’s rating for such action: “B” (Best possible current solution, but America can and must do much better in the future)
Captain Rick’s prognosis: As horrible as the news media has made the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ sound, it is Americas best hope to get ‘back on track’ to prosperity. Yes, it might mean a small drop in GDP and small rise in unemployment…but that is far better than a large drop in GDP and large increase in unemployment and possible recession or even depression a few years from now if America does not confront its extremely serious debt problem ‘head on’ NOW.
Captain Rick’s hope for the future of America
Once we go over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ and begin to realize the shock of it all, our Congress needs to ‘come to bat’ for America and produce constructive legislation to fix a few urgent, very serious problems like the Medicare ‘Doc Fix’. Historically congress provides for a periodic ‘cost of living’ adjustment for reimbursement to Medicare doctors. This years adjustment has been stopped by the ‘Fiscal Cliff’. If this is not fixed, eventually many doctors might stop seeing Medicare patients, leaving them without a doctor. Congress will also need to begin serious reform to its entitlement programs…Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and federal pensions, which have expenditures growing at astronomical speed in comparison to tax revenue. The U.S. fiscal problem is monumental and deserves our immediate attention now, in an effort to ward off significant fiscal failure of the U.S. with a ripple effect to the entire world in years to come.
View Captain Rick’s entire FISCAL CLIFF Course 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/
Captain Rick: I have started a new blog series called ‘Pet Talk’. I hope it will help us all to smile in good times and especially in bad times like now, in view of the travesty at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The image below sums up a ‘Pet Talk’ with the perpetrator.
View Captain Rick’s entire ‘Pet Talk’ series: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/pet-talk/
Captain Rick: The Private equity firm Cerberus has put U.S. firearms maker Freedom Group up for sale, which includes Bushmaster, maker of the rifle used in the shooting at Sandy Hook school in Newtown Connecticut on Friday that killed 20 children and 6 adults.
Cerberus stated "It is apparent that the Sandy Hook tragedy was a watershed event that has raised the national debate on gun control to an unprecedented level." It is selling Freedom to protect the equity of its investors that includes the California State Teachers’ Retirement System and pension plans of other municipal workers, endowments, institutions and individuals.
Dick’s Sporting Goods, one of the world’s largest sporting retailers, said it has suspended the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles from its 511 stores in 44 states "out of respect for the victims and their families." Dick’s also said in a statement that it has removed all guns from its store near Newtown. Its webpage of modern sporting rifles was blank on Tuesday.
Wal-Mart took down a listing on its website Monday for a semiautomatic assault rifle from the same maker as the Bushmaster AR-15, that was used by Lanza. In July, James Holmes used a similar semiautomatic rifle at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, to kill 12 people and injure 58 others.
Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger stock shares have tumbled about 10% in recent days since the Sandy Hook massacre.
The Connecticut State Police have identified the primary weapon in the attack that killed 20 children and six educators at a Newtown school on Friday as a Bushmaster AR-15 semiautomatic rifle with high capacity magazines. Police said that the shooter also used two semiautomatic pistols — a Glock and a Sig Sauer — before committing suicide.
The United States is the largest gun market in the world with an estimated 20 million firearms sold per year with an estimated worth of $3.5 billion.
Captain Rick: America’s staggering $16.2 trillion national debt is certainly a very serious matter…one which will rob young American’s dream in future years, if not corrected soon. Even if the “Fiscal Cliff”, which is America’s best effort to date to address the issue, is allowed to proceed without interference from the U.S. Congress, only a very small part of the monumental U.S. National Debt problem will be fixed. Current efforts are underway by the U.S. Congress and the President to “water down” the “Fiscal Cliff”. The very best thing that everyone in the world can hope for this Christmas is for all of the bureaucrats in Washington to go home for the holidays and do noting to upset the “Fiscal Cliff” from naturally occurring by law on January 1, 2013. The “Fiscal Cliff” is a small step towards fixing America’s huge thirst for debt…but it’s a great first step.
Captain Rick’s FISCAL CLIFF Course 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/
Captain Rick: I remember this image during a missile test at Cape Canaveral in 1962. I recognize President John Kennedy at center, Vice President Lyndon Johnson to the left with his head resting on his fist and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to the right with fingers on his chin. Check out the cool guy in glasses, holding a smoke behind Kennedy. It was the fashion in that day. How about that huge black phone to the left. I used to make calls on one of them. Gaze up and check out those awesome state-of-the-art black and white TV monitors. Last but not least…how about those tables in front of all. They had those great swing-up wings to extend table space. I remember sitting behind them in some high school classrooms.
Special thanks to my friend June of Tennessee for sending this photo to me.
Captain Rick: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation Tuesday that now allows workers at union-represented employers to forgo paying dues. Michigan, the birthplace of the United Auto Workers where 17.5% of employees are represented by unions, is by far the most heavily unionized state to pass “right-to-work” legislation. This has the potential of starting a move to crack the union “job-killing” stronghold in the American northeast.
I chose the short video above as the best of many to give you a quick overview of this monumental legislation.
What is a right-to-work law?
A right-to-work law is a statute in the United States of America that prohibits union security agreements, or agreements between labor unions and employers that govern the extent to which an established union can require employees’ membership, payment of union dues, or fees as a condition of employment, either before or after hiring. Such laws are allowed under the 1947 federal Taft–Hartley Act. Before then, an employee who ceased being a member of the union for whatever reason, from failure to pay dues to expulsion from the union as an internal disciplinary punishment, could also be fired even if the employee did not violate any of the employer’s rules.
What is the benefit of a right-to-work law?
Right-to-work states have done better in terms of growing jobs, according to State Budget Solutions, an advocacy group that supported the measure. Right-to-work states saw employment expand by 8.2% between 2001 and 2010, while those without the law experienced a 0.5% decrease, according to the group’s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics figures.
Which states have a right-to-work law?
Right-to-work laws now exist in twenty-four U.S. states as shown in the map below. In my humble opinion, they are the 24 states which are leading America out of the past doldrums of “shipping” millions of well-paying American jobs to China, Mexico and may other foreign countries because of the endless greed of American labor unions for more power and wealth. I am proud of my state of Arizona for being a “right-to-work” pioneer and leader. Arizona was the first state to pass “right-to-work” legislation way back on November 22, 1948. Arizona has since enjoyed the company of 23 other states who have a desire to do what is best to grow jobs at home in America.
Captain Rick’s closing thoughts
Nationwide, union membership stands at 11.8% and is decreasing daily. That is good. I look forward to the day when it reaches zero. There was a day nearly a century ago that unions played an important role in protecting the safety and well being of American jobs. After World War II, unions became nothing more than a money-making scheme for a few to get rich at the expense of many. During the latter half of the last century America has witnessed the destruction of much of America’s manufacturing base along with the end of millions of well paying jobs that were sent overseas because they could be done at less cost. I hold American unions mostly to blame for this travesty. American unions are running out of “suckers” so they are relentlessly perusing the only remaining frontier for their financial greed … service jobs in the government sector which consists mainly of teachers, police, fire and other civic employees. The union thought is that these jobs can not escape America, so they have free reign. I hope our elected civic servants will be wise to this ploy and help prevent one of the last American job frontiers from destruction.
Captain Rick: In Lesson 4 we examine the Chemistry of the “Fiscal Cliff”… the composition of the $600 billion of tax revenue increases and spending cuts that will automatically take place by law on January 1, 2013, unless the U.S. Congress agrees to revised legislation and President Obama signs it into law before then. Agreement does not appear to be very likely as the two sides are currently far apart. The Democrats are for minimizing spending cuts and maximizing tax revenue increases, while the Republicans are for the opposite.
As large as $600 billion sounds … we learned in the “Fiscal Cliff” Math of Lesson 2 … it will only eliminate half of America’s deficit (the extra amount that is spends every year over that which it receives in revenue). In simple terms, it would take two “Fiscal Cliffs” to fix America’s deficit problem. That would balance the budget but do nothing to reduce America’s staggering $16 trillion national debt (the accumulation of all of deficit spending in past years). Even with the “Fiscal Cliff” spending cuts and tax revenue increases, Americas National Debt will continue to grow by $600 billion a year.
Congress and the President are currently trying to find ways to agree to cut the size of the “Fiscal Cliff” spending cuts and tax increases … ways to “water it down” and “kick the can” down the road for future generations to solve the U.S. Debt Crisis. It would require over 26 “Fiscal Cliffs” to eliminate the U.S. National Debt. In perspective, the “Fiscal Cliff” more closely resembles the slope of an ant hill.
“Fiscal Cliff” Spending Cuts that take effect on January 1, 2013
Defense will be cut $55 billion in 2013 from projected levels of discretionary defense spending. That translates into at least a 10% cut to every program, project and activity that’s not explicitly exempt.
Non-defense will be cut $55 billion in 2013 from projected levels of nondefense spending, which includes things like education, Medicaid, food inspections and air travel safety. Budget experts estimate the cuts will result in at least an 8% cut to programs, projects and activities. These cuts include:
Medicare Doc Fix expires. Payment to care providers will drop 2%.
Unemployment benefits extension expires. Unemployment benefits will revert back to the old norm of 26 weeks, down form the current 99. That means workers who lose their jobs after July 1, 2012, will only receive up to 26 weeks in state unemployment benefits, down from as many as 99 weeks in state and federal benefits that had been available until recently. By one estimate, more than 2 million claimants will lose their benefits by January.
“Fiscal Cliff” Tax Revenue Increases
Bush era tax cuts will end on December 31, 2012. As a result:
Income tax rates: Rise to 15%, 28%, 31%, 36% and 39.6%, up from 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35%.
Capital gains rate: Rises to 20% from 15% for most filers.
PEP/Pease limitations: Restored. High-income households may not be able to take some itemized deductions and personal exemptions in full.
Child tax credit: Falls to $500 per child from $1,000. The refundable portion also reduced.
American Opportunity Tax Credit: Expires. The lesser value HOPE tax credit for college tuition is reinstated. Several smaller education tax benefits also expire.
Earned Income Tax Credit: Expansion of eligibility for the credit expires.
Marriage penalty relief: Expires. Effectively that means a low- or middle-income two-earner couple will owe more to the IRS than they would if they were single making the same income.
Estate tax: Parameters revert to pre-2001 levels. The exemption level falls to $1 million from $5 million; and the top tax rate on taxable estates rises to 55%, up from 35%. AMT patch
Expired already for 2012. Income exempt from the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2012 — for which taxpayers will file returns next year — falls to $33,750 for individuals and $45,000 for married couples. That’s down from $50,600 and $78,750, respectively, if the exemption amounts had been adjusted for inflation. As a result more than 30 million people will be hit by the so-called “wealth” tax, up from 4 million to date.
Obama’s Payroll tax holiday expires. The Social Security tax rate reverts to 6.2%, up from 4.2%, on the first $110,100 in wages. Effectively, someone making $50,000 will pay another $1,000 in payroll taxes next year; someone making $150,000 will pay $2,425 more.
Some budget experts count as part of the fiscal cliff the onset of a new Medicare surtax on high-income households under health reform. They include:
A 0.9% surtax will apply to wages on earned income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married). That’s on top of the 1.45% Medicare currently owed on all wages. Those making between $200,000 and $500,000, for instance, will only pay about $633 extra while households making $1 million or more would pay another $11,242.
A 3.8% Medicare surtax will also apply for the first time to at least a portion of high-income households’ investment income.
How the “Fiscal Cliff” could effect America’s citizens
The top 1% of households, which have incomes above $506,210, would face an increase of $121,000. Within that group, the top 0.1% — those making more than $2.66 million — would get hit with a tax hike of nearly $634,000.
By contrast, households making up to $20,113 would see a $412 average increase. That may simply represent a smaller refund to those households, many of which have very little if any federal income tax liability to begin with.
Households in the middle — with total incomes between $39,790 and $64,484 — can expect a roughly $2,000 increase.
Captain Rick’s closing thoughts …
The sacrifices presented by the “Fiscal Cliff” for Americans are small in comparison to the positive effects towards solving America’s monumental debt crisis for the benefit of our generations to come. Many of the “Fiscal Cliff” elements originate from the expiration of very fiscally irresponsible previous tax cuts by Bush and Obama … ones that should have never been implemented in the first place. Giving them up is a “no-brainer”. We should all hope that the U.S. Congress goes home early for the holidays and does not do anything to “water down” the fiscally intelligent “wheels-in-motion” that the “Fiscal Cliff” will automatically bestow on January 1, 2013.
View Captain Rick’s entire FISCAL CLIFF Course 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/
Captain Rick: While the Fiscal Cliff is a very important event that will descend upon the U.S. and effect most Americans on January 1, 2013, I urge everyone to take a break from all of the hype presented on TV, radio and the internet to enjoy a little “Fiscal Cliff” humor.
As I mentioned in Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101: Lesson 3, the “Fiscal Cliff” could have been better labeled the “Fiscal Slope” to better economic times. Stay tuned for my continuing report as I “break it all down”. You can view Captain Rick’s FISCAL CLIFF Course 101 here: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/
Special thanks to my friend Ken of California for bringing these great works of art to my attention so I can share them with everyone. I hope you can make out the authors and will visit their websites. They deserve our thanks.
Atridim News Journal 