Price Of Freedom

by Charles on June 30, 2009

I was trying to come up with an appropriate message for July 4th when a friend forwarded this article to me. We are privileged to have such excellent military protection that many in our country take them for granted or even resent them. We are so spoiled that it is easy to take our freedom for granted.

Anyone who has ever served in the armed forces knows very well that freedom has never been free. They are the ones who secure freedom for us. They are the ones who often willingly pay the ultimate price for our freedom.

This article is a good reminder of how self indulgent our population has become and how little most appreciate our military. They deserve much better.

I only know that this article was published in a local paper somewhere in the Phoenix area. I apologize for not being able to give them proper attribution.

“Luke AFB is west of  Phoenix   and is rapidly being  surrounded by
civilization that complains  about the noise from the base and its
planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.  A certain
lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back..
Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the
local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed   his/her
day at the mall.  When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB
officer, it must have stung quite a bit.

The complaint:
‘Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:

Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely
9:11 A.M, a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over
Arrowhead Mall,continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet.
Imagine our good fortune!  Do the Tom Cruise wannabes feel we need this
wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns
early bird special?
Any response would be appreciated.

The response:

Regarding ‘A wake-up call from Luke’s jets’ On June 15, at precisely
9:12 am, a perfectly timed four ship flyby of F-16s from the 63rd
Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt.
Jeremy Fresques. Capt Fresques was an Air Force officer who was
previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in  Iraq   on
May 30, Memorial Day.

At   9 am.  on June 15, his family and friends gathered at   Sunland
Memorial Park   in   Sun City   to mourn the loss of a husband, son and
friend. Based on the letter writer’s recount of the fly by, and because
of the jet noise, I’m sure you didn’t hear the 21-gun salute, the
playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt.Fresques
as I gave them their son’s flag on behalf of the President of the United
States and all those veterans and service men and women who understand
the sacrifices they have endured. A four-ship fly by is a display of
respect the Air Force gives to those who give their lives in defense of
freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and
on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up
to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, ‘Whom do we thank for the morning air show? The
56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward  your thanks
to the widow and parents of Capt Fresques, and thank them for you, for
it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation
of their lives.

Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you….
JesusChrist and the American Soldier.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr.
USAF”

My thanks to Lt. Col. Rosensteel and his men.

I hope you enjoy Independence Day. Remember how we got our freedom and those who continue to protect it.

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Tips To Improve Your Perspective

by Charles on June 19, 2009

With all the problems we have been facing since the new year it seems to get harder each day to feel optimistic about the future. It really stretches the limits when it seems our leaders are selling our grandchildren’s futures to promote their own personal agendas.

It gets infuriating when politicians assume we are so simple minded to have lost all of our common sense. The situation becomes not only sad but serious when so many hard working people lose their jobs and security because of these misguided social experiments.

More polls are starting to show the growing discontent spreading through our country. There may not be much we can accomplish other than complain until the 2010 elections. At that time I hope we can prove to these pompous politicians that “you can’t fool all the people all the time”.

Until then we need to keep a positive perspective on our lives and make the best of our situation for our own sanity and the well being of our families.

This morning I found an article written by Regina Brett in 2006. She is a columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and her column lists lessons she has learned from life upon turning 50. They are very appropriate and I hope you find them helpful.

Regina Brett’s 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on

by Regina Brett

Sunday May 28, 2006, 10:13 AM

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here’s an update:

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

To reach this Plain Dealer columnist:

rbrett@plaind.com, 216-999-6328

PS: One last reminder, don’t forget Sunday is Father’s Day.

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Stay Fit To Stay Healthy And Relieve Stress

by Charles on June 17, 2009

With all the confusion and uncertainty concerning the economy, jobs, housing and national security, its hard to stay sane these days not to mention healthy and fit. Even though we already seem to be burning our candle at both ends, it is vital that those of us already past 50 force ourselves to keep fit to deal with all the stress and prevent worry from ruining our health.

Even moderate activity such as a nice walk is very relaxing and can help control our weight and blood pressure. We all need to make time to do what exercise we can on a regular basis, if we intend to stay healthy enough to enjoy life as long as possible.

At this time most of us should survive to age 90 or more, if we take efforts to stay healthy and fit. There is always the possibility of disease or accident but the more fit we are the stronger our immune system is.

If you have passion for a sport like golf, tennis, biking or swimming that lets you enjoy getting the exercise you need, indulge yourself as often as you can. The more exercise we get now, the more we will be fit to make the most of our later years. Exercise also relieves a lot of the stress we all accumulate these days.

If you prefer some type of instructional program, there are many available such as Fit Over 40Me_0006_a which has been very popular. Just be sure you are using a program that is designed for your age capabilities. Don’t start an Olympic training program at age 70.

The main point here is that we all need to be as mentally and physically fit for the challenges we face today. Whatever shape you are in, just try to be more active preferably at something you enjoy.

Life is a lot more fun when you are fit enough to make the most of it.

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Father’s Day And Health Care

by Charles on June 15, 2009

Me_0027_bThis is just a short post to remind you about a couple of important upcoming events.

The most important is Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 21 in case you’ve been too busy to keep track. If you are in panic mode for a gift, you should be able to find something nice here at amazon.com. The link should take you to a special Father’s Day sale gift section. Act right away to get it delivered on time. Many of us Boomers have already lost our dads so if your father is still around, let him know you appreciate him.

Another bonus is to use that link to get yourself a nice gift for Father’s Day. Its legal and I won’t tell.

Whether you’re able to be with your Dad or you are the Dad or if you are lucky enough to be both, I hope its a great Father’s Day for your family.

The other issue is Obama’s radical version for health care reform This will be nothing but a huge money pit. Health care will be rationed, especially for seniors. Medicare is already rationed. For example, you can only obtain medications on the government approved drug list and procedures must also be approved.

Our standard of care will be lowered and costs (taxes) will drastically increase. Experts compute that the cost over 10 years will amount to as much as $1.8 Trillion. A number of democrats are already worried by the massive spending that Obama has already done with very little results so the chances that another project this huge being passed now are questionable.

Obama still hopes to push it through before the public comes to fully realize just how much harm he has done to our economy.

We all need to be watchful and take any opportunity to express our concerns about nationalized health care especially since we boomers are a target for health care cuts with the plan.

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Obama Healthcare

by Charles on June 9, 2009

Barack Obama announced yesterday that he intends push to get “universal healthcare” passed as soon as possible. That sounds like a nice idea until you find out what a disaster universal or national healthcare really is.

Both Canada and Britain have installed national healthcare and the results are terrible. Under national healthcare the government decides what care you get, who provides it and when you can get treated.

There are endless horror stories about national healthcare systems because you are not able to see the type of doctor you need until your turn comes. This could be months and regardless of how serious your condition is, you wait your turn.

A recent news story from Canada told of a woman who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and told it would be 6 months before she could see a neurosurgeon. Fortunately for her, she had the resources to come to the US and was able to be treated by a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic. How many others haven’t been so lucky?

Another well publicized story from Britain concerns women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. There is a new drug available which may cure many of them but it is expensive and the British healthcare system will not let them have it.

I know our healthcare system has flaws but it is still the best in the world. Why do so many people from around the world come here for medical care? This includes one of the members of the Saudi Arabian royal family who makes an annual visit to the Mayo Clinic. He can afford the best medical care in the world and comes here.

Our system requires any hospital to provide emergency care to anyone regardless of ability to pay. Nonemergency problems can be treated at free health clinics available in most counties in the US.

If you want an indication of how bad Obama’s nationalized healthcare would be, just look at what he has done with the auto industry and financial institutions. Do you really know of anything that improves under government control?

Democrat Senator Tom Harkin has stated that the healthcare reform bill will cost another 1 Trillion dollars. We’re already 2 Trillion deep in a hole they’ve already dug. Financial experts are already warning that our current debt load is not sustainable.

Nationalized healthcare will not improve our medical system. It will turn it into another government bureaucracy and drive some of the most talented doctors into retirement.

For your own sake, I hope you’ll voice your opposition before its too late. Government has no right to come between you and your doctor.

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Make The Most Of Your Summer

by Charles on June 5, 2009

This time of year I like to encourage people to make the most of their vacations. Unfortunately, many who have already sacrificed and earned well deserved vacations can’t enjoy them this year because of the uncertain economy. It is a shame that arrogant and delusional politicians can disrupt so many lives in such a short time.

The economy is in such a mess right now that many people through no fault of their own are having to do without many of the benefits they rightly deserve. For your own good and your family, you do need to take advantage of any opportunity to relax and have some fun this summer.

This has already been a bad year and it looks like it won’t get better anytime soon. This means more stress and worry for all of us. You need to relax and recharge as best you can to effectively deal with whatever comes next.

I’m not suggesting that you throw caution to the wind but do things you can afford and enjoy to keep your spirits up. You need this not only for yourself but also your family.

If you are able to travel this summer, there are some great bargains available. So many people have lost jobs this year that resorts are offering very impressive incentives to lure tourists. Just do some research ahead of time and you’ll be impressed at how much you should be able to save.

Even if you can’t take your regular vacation this summer, you ought to be able to find places closer to home you can afford and enjoy. A lot of us are in the same boat this year. Do the best you can to make the most of this summer and enjoy the people closest to you. Even if its only backyard barbecues, have fun with your family.

This mes is not your fault. We’ve all got to look out for ourselves and our families the best we can for now. Just be sure you remember to vote in 2010.

All things considered, I hope you are able to make this summer a pleasant one.

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Income Scarce But Not Hopeless

by Charles on May 30, 2009

I had planned a post about vacations but with the latest news, I think I’ll put that off for a few days. The latest news has more people concerned with holding on or making money than spending it.

General Motors stock dropped to $0.75 per share on Friday and GM has announced that it will file for bankruptcy on Monday. 21,000 jobs will be cut and 400 to 450 more dealerships are expected to be closed.

I’ve always been a GM customer and I hate that Obama and the UAW have ruined it. If it manages to survive, it will never be the great company it once was.

U. S. News and World Report has a story today that there is a surge this year in early Social Security retirement claims. Most baby boomers hope to work during retirement but many aren’t able to find jobs now.

So far claims by those who have turned 62 this year have already increased by 9% more than expected. These early retirement benefits can be a lifeline to those in a desperate situation. However, early claims at 62 reduce the benefit by 25% compared to waiting until full retirement at 66.

Many who have never considered working for themselves are now having to consider it out of necessity. Things are bad but there is hope especially if you are reading this on your own computer.

I have posted before about online marketing opportunities for those who have a skill or hobby that they can teach to others. Unfortunately, many of us don’t fall into that category but there is a really good alternative that might interest you.

I recently learned of a very popular new course by Jennifer Ledbetter that teaches you how to start making money with affiliate products using completely free resources. She explains her methods in a step by step fashion that is easy for anybody to understand.

Her course is called One Week Marketing. You can start from scratch and have your first active campaign in place in just 7 days. The course is effective, affordable and comes with a no hassle, 60 day guarantee so you have nothing to lose if you want to try it.

To learn more, simply click One Week Marketing. Whether you’re interested or not, you’ll be impressed with what she has done using this method to solve her own financial problems.

I hope it will be helpful for you.

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Honor Memorial Day

by Charles on May 24, 2009

I hope everyone here in the US is enjoying the Memorial Day holiday but don’t forget the men and women it is meant to honor. Our veterans past and present have made great sacrifices so we can enjoy the freedom they protect.

Take some time tomorrow to appreciate those who have paid the highest price they could for all of us.

I hope you find this video fitting.watch?v=sQb6APMj5Qk

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Social Health And Wealth?

by Charles on May 12, 2009

Last year it was projected that in 2010 Social Security would have a surplus of $86 Billion after benefits were paid. However, largely due to job losses because of the recession the surplus will now only be $3 Billion.

I’ve also just heard that over 10,000 stimulus checks mailed out this month were sent to dead people. One went to a woman who has been dead for 43 years. Is this the way you really want your money managed?

Years ago the Social Security Trust Fund had a large surplus which was to be used for future benefits. Instead of allowing that money to earn interest and continue to grow, greedy politicians plundered the funds for other pet projects. Of course, they never worried about paying the money back.

I’m not saying that future benefits are not going to be paid but the government will have to borrow to pay them. At current projections released by the government today, the Social Security System will go broke in 2037 without some major changes and as early as 2017 it will pay out more than it takes in.

What is worse is that Medicare is in more trouble but Obama still intends to push through national health care as fast as possible. That seems to me like trying to put out a fire by pouring gas on it.

If socialized health care is such a good idea, why do so many people from countries that already have it keep coming here for medical help?

Too many politicians are hoping to get a lot of radical programs in place as soon as possible and work out the details later. Do you want the government to decide when or if you get to see a doctor? If you think that sounds good, you better take a good look at the mess Social Security and Medicare are already in.

Those of us already over fifty need to pay attention to what these politicians are doing or our retirement will be much different than what we saved for and planned. I’m not trying to cause a panic but I hope I’ve sparked enough concern that you will let your representatives know how you feel and that you’re watching them.

Our economy has already taken enough of a beating without making it worse with overeager social experiments, whether they are well intentioned or not. Radical politicians played a large part in creating this current mess, how much do you trust them with your future?

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Enjoy A Happy Mother’s Day

by Charles on May 10, 2009

I hope all you mothers are able to enjoy a very happy Mother’s Day. So many of us over 50 not only have mothers but children and grandchildren to celebrate with today.

Myself and many of my friends have mothers who are in their eighties. They need a lot of extra care but we appreciate them more knowing they won’t be with us that much longer. I hope you get the same appreciation as a mother toimg_1500-aday regardless of your age.

If you are a mother who has children who aren’t able to be with you because they are in the military, I want to thank you. Most of us deeply respect them and appreciate their sacrifice. Hopefully they will be back to you soon.

Enjoy your day and make the most of it. Tomorrow it will probably be more laundry and cooking. After all you’re a Mom.

Best wishes.

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