Revenue producing tickets

So those of you who live in California, or any other state that is going broke, for that matter, know that a pretty major source of income for local communities seems to be parking tickets. I have no issues obeying laws and ordinances - even ones that I feel are stupid and serve no purpose, but I do take issue at being lied to about stated purposes.

My apartment in Newport Beach has no dedicated parking, so we park on the street. As with nearly every public street in So-Cal, there is a designated time once a week where there is no parking due to street sweeping - violating this policy results in a $50+ parking ticket... theoretically in order to PAY for the street sweeping. This wouldn't be that big of a deal if they actually SWEPT the streets! I have never actually seen a street sweeping vehicle go by, nor have I seen any indication that the streets are regularly maintained. This Monday - the day after New Years - when the streets were strewn with trash and debris, and the day there is no parking on the north side of my street, there were a multitude of tickets on careless driver's windshields, yet nothing had been cleaned - not even in open parts of the street where there is no parking - ever.

Yes, the state is broke. It has no money, and they need to create revenue, but they are going about it in entirely subversive ways. Increasing taxes on the top percentages (there was recently a push to tax more on those who make more than $1 million a year) just results in many of these top earners finding tax shelters, pushing their money out of state, or actually moving to places like Florida or Texas where there is no state income tax. These individuals pay the vast majority of existing tax revenues, and it makes sense to keep them in state, paying their taxes, rather than punishing them for success and forcing them out - taking their lucritive businesses and employment with them. Business taxes are also an issue - because of many of the laws required of small businesses in this state - businesses that hire workers and provide incomes for many in the state- many are being forced into failure, or are simply leaving for more agreeable environments. This results in even less tax revenue where it was a vain attempt at gaining more. I have discussed this in pervious posts, and though I wish to, will not go further into detail on THIS particular topic.
These traffic citations are of the same vein. Punishing citizens for arbitrary violations that are neither saftey nor civic minded is simply unethical. Making up laws as they go, and fishing for offenses in otherwise law abiding and right minded people simply perpetuates an us vs. them mentality that does no one any good. The real answer is to trim government spending, and put a limit on social welfare programs that just keep a huge portion of society in a dependent state. California is the most populated state in the US - but it has almost 1/3 of all welfare recipients. We have been touted as having the 6th largest economy in the world, yet we are completely broke. Does that make sense to anyone? Seems to me that this state, as a whole, is living well beyond it's considerable means. It is far too easy here to do absolutely nothing, and get paid for it, while those who work hard and try to succeed are hamstrung by regulation and control.

What really happened at UC Davis - Don't second guess a tactical situation

Just goes to show you cannot judge a tactical situation from an armchair. UC Davis Police Chief should be ashamed of herself for crucifying her officers, and these protesters were completely in the wrong. Threatening police? Demanding they release detainees? Trapping them and refusing to let them leave? This is also about 20 cops surrounded and threatened by hundreds of protesters. These kids are lucky all they got was pepper spray in their face. That is the least brutal way for these officers to have pushed through and done their job. Give a cop an ultimatum and see what happens. In America, you go to jail (unless you're at UC Davis, where you just get sprayed and start crying.) Anywhere else in the world, you'd likely end up dead.

Occupy This

After watching the Occupy LA encampment being broken up the other night, I still don't completely understand whats going on here, and I'm not sure if any of them do either. Do I think corruption is bad? Of course I do! Corruption and manipulation fly in the face of every facet of capitalism and business. Do I think that the top 1% of America's wealth are responsible for this? Do I think they got to that point through corruption? Certainly not! It is a sad day indeed when someone can be villified for being successful, and threatened with violence or outright theft if they do not entirely support those who have contributed nothing to society. The protesters themselves seem to be falling back on what is at best faulty logic, and at worst a dangerous ignorance and misguided fervor for what would be the downfall of society.

I got this from one of my military buddies, and completely understand the sentiment. We had a mission, we knew what we were doing, and we acomplished our objectives. Also, I didn't even shit in the streets when I was in Baghdad. These kids are doing it in NYC and LA.

3 Button Suits... Seriously?

I know some of my readers out there might get a bit confused by the diversity of my posts - I don't exactly have a niche, it's mainly just my opinions and what is on my mind currently. A lot of the time this is politics (which are becoming more and more frustrating) Veteran's affairs, Finance and Business, Shooting and Tactical issues, etc. Today, it is fashion - well, as fashionable as men can be anyway.

A suit is a fairly simple garment. There really isn't much to it, but let me assure you, there are an infinite number of ways to fuck up the wearing of it. The days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting colder - even in Southern California, and suits, jackets and sport coats are becoming more and more prevelant (for those who did not man up and endure all summer anyway, or invest in something in linen or cotton) Lately, something that has been iritating my sartorial sensabilities is the three button suit, and what is worse, not knowing how to wear it.

Three button suits were popular in the late 90's and early in the 2000's, but they have fallen out of favor with a lot of the sleeker, minimalist styles of today. Some people can still pull them off, especially if they have been tailored and are worn well, but most of the time, the wearer will look like an extra on "Friends." Honestly think about any three button suits you have in your closet. Did you buy them in the last year? In the last five years? I didn't think so, and if you did, they probably came second hand, didn't they? Styles wax and wane like the seasons, so don't fret too much about it. maybe in a few years they will come back. I wouldn't try to wear them with jeans as a sport coat, or as a blazer with khakis... the look just isn't there, and instead of looking vintage or classic (like say, a double breasted number, or a trench coat from the 60's.... which I wish I had by the way) you'll just look like you don't know how to dress.

The wearing of a three button suit is altogether forgivable though. Suits are expensive, and many times people in a particular line or work, or who are in transition, may be using one they haven't worn in years (I have seen many job hunting veterans guilty of this - and many are too proud to accept a suggestion) What is worse though, is not knowing how to wear it. NEVER button all the buttons in ANY suit. I have seen people wearing them like this, and it is an immediate indication that they don't know what they are doing. This is an ignorance that is easily remedied if one would take the time to learn. With a three button suit, if you MUST wear it, only button the top two buttons, not all three. I have seen lots of variations on this (like only buttoning the middle or top button, which also looks ridiculous) but always keep the bottom button open. Also, three button suits cannot be worn completely open like a lot of their two button counterparts. The three button hems don't fall right. An education like this is free, and not taking it upon oneself to learn shows laziness. If you wear a suit for a living, know how to wear it right.

Interesting article that discusses a side of the war, and our military, that not many ever stop to consider. The reserves and the national guard are a vital part of the US Military, and the ideal of the Citizen Soldier has a long history in our country. Reservists and Guardsmen are also counted among the Warrior Caste that has received so much attention lately, and are often overlooked - being the quiet professionals that they are. I am not saying that the drawdown is a bad thing, but after 10 years of war, the country needs to remember that being home is not always as safe as many think it is.

War drawdowns wreak havoc on Guard soldiers' lives

By LOLITA C. BALDOR | AP – 3 hrs ago

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two months ago, Demetries Luckett left his job in Michigan, turned in his cable box, sent his daughter to live with her mother, and headed for Camp Shelby in Mississippi.

As a 1st lieutenant in Michigan's National Guard, he was being deployed to Afghanistan.

But just a month after he arrived for training, the Army decided Uncle Sam didn't need him after all.

Now Luckett's unemployed and back home in Harper Woods, Mich. — a victim of the Obama administration's ongoing effort to pull at least 33,000 U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by next fall.

Unlike active-duty soldiers who are stationed at U.S. military bases across the country and can be sent on a moment's notice to a conflict anywhere in the world — the nation's citizen soldiers have civilian jobs and lives they have to set aside when they get those deployment notices.

And unlike active-duty soldiers, Guard members may have little to go back to, if their country changes its mind.

Luckett is not alone.

In the last 60 days, as many as 8,900 Army National Guard soldiers were either sent home early from Iraq or Afghanistan, or were told that the Pentagon's plans to send them to war had either been shelved or changed. As a result, U.S. military and Guard leaders have been scrambling to find alternative missions for many of the soldiers — particularly those who had put their lives and jobs on hold and were depending on the deployment for their livelihood.

"If you're a 25-year-old infantryman, and you're a student at Ohio State University, and you decide not to register for school in July because you were going to mobilize, and we say your services aren't needed anymore — that becomes a significantly emotional event in that person's life," said Col. Ted Hildreth, chief of mobilization and readiness for the Army National Guard.

Guard members scheduled for deployment, he said, often quit or take extended leaves from their jobs, put college on hold, end or break their apartment leases, sell or rent their houses, and turn their medical or legal practices over to someone else. And in some cases, in this flagging economy, Guard members who may be unemployed or underemployed are relying on the year-long paycheck, which can include extra money for combat pay or tax-free benefits.

"These are commitments and contracts that have been signed, and so when these changes happen, they are not insignificant," he said. "So we work with the unit, the country team and the joint force headquarters to define who are no-kidding hardships and who we had to work to find other employments opportunities to fulfill the 400-day mobilization commitment that we made to that soldier."

In the coming weeks, as America works to extricate itself from two wars, the U.S. will pull the remaining 18,000 troops out of Iraq, and withdraw 10,000 forces from Afghanistan. Another 23,000 or more will come out of Afghanistan by next fall.

And while the political ramifications of the war drawdowns are hotly debated topics, there is often little said or known about the cascading effects such decisions have on the lives, jobs and schooling of the National Guard and Reserve troops.

Guard units are notified of their deployments as much as two years in advance, so they make long-term plans to meet the year-long military commitment.

But to meet the often-changing withdrawal timetables for Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has had to abruptly shuffle units, and even individual soldiers, around. The major moves include shifting forces from Iraq to new missions in Kuwait or to Afghanistan.

During a hearing on Capitol Hill, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military tries to do all it can to avoid changing deployment orders given to National Guard units once they are notified.

If a unit has been mobilized, he said, "we will find a place to use it," particularly if it is an aviation unit, since those are in high demand.

Usually, he said, officials try to identify soldiers who prefer not to deploy, since there often are some who are happy to stay home. Then the rest of the unit will, if possible, be sent to a different mission in the same country or to another location.

For example, the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, made up of more than 2,300 soldiers from Ohio and Michigan, was initially scheduled to go to Afghanistan in early October to do combat and other operations.

But when Pentagon leaders decided many weren't needed, they scrounged for other missions so that the soldiers who really wanted or needed to deploy could do so.

Maj. Jeff Kinninger, executive officer for the 126th Cavalry Squadron, was another soldier who got to Camp Shelby, then was told not to deploy. But for Kinninger and his family, it was more of a welcome decision because he has a full-time job working for the National Guard in Grand Rapids.

"For me, this would have been three deployments in the last seven years, so I wasn't too disappointed," said Kinninger, 42, who had served in Iraq in 2005 and 2008. "I'm disappointed not to be there with my soldiers, but my family is happy I'm not going."

His squadron is part of the 37th IBCT. So, of the 430 squadron members who headed to Camp Shelby to prepare to deploy, more than 200 were told they weren't needed. After sorting out who wanted to go home, military officials were able to find assignments for all the rest, Kinninger said.

Two other brigades are going through similar struggles — the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in New York, and the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, which includes soldiers from across the U.S.

The 8th of November

Sky Soldiers - The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat team had one of the most gallant records in Vietnam. My uncle served with their sister unit - the 199th Light Infantry Brigade, in the same areas of South East Asia. It's a story that not many know, but that we should all remember - especially now, in the week leading up to Veteran's Day.

Follow Me - All The Way

Twin Sisters Divided over OWS

I know in my last post I said I would limit the amount of political commentary, but after reading this article this morning, I just had to comment. It speaks of the very real disconnect between the sides of the OWS movement.

Twin sisters divided by OWS

‘It Gets Heated’: Twin Sisters Divided Over Occupy Wall Street

By Enjoli Francis

Growing up, twin sisters Nicole and Jill Carty had a lot in common.

But around the age of 14, Nicole Carty told ABC News today, they started going in different directions — and they never stopped, with Nicole Carty attending Brown University for a degree in sociology and Jill Carty heading to the University of Pennsylvania to pursue degrees in international business and studies.

Now with the Occupy Wall Street movement more than a month old, the recent Ivy League graduates have found themselves on Wall Street but on opposing sides.

Nicole Carty, who works for a television station, spends her free time in Zuccotti Park, Occupy Wall Street’s headquarters, organizing general assembly meetings for the demonstrators.

Jill Carty works for a company that assists financial service  clients. She said although she agreed with some of the protesters’ sentiments, she did not support more government regulations and intervention.

“I feel that’s what’s gotten us into this mess in the first place,” she told ABC News Wednesday. “There are always unintended consequences with government intervention.”

She said it was no secret among her family that she and Nicole Carty had different views on Occupy Wall Street and its message.

“I’d be very much more pleased if she [Nicole Carty] would be able to come up with solutions to these problems [voiced by protesters] that use the tools of the country and the world like economics and things that I feel have potential really to change the way that things work and the way people behave,” Jill Carty said.

But Nicole Carty said that her sister’s politics were completely wrong and off base.

“[Jill Carty] lacks a fundamental understanding of structural oppression that is inexcusable and immature,” she said. “She just really trusts capitalism and doesn’t recognize that capitalism is kind of responsible for a lot of the injustices we have in the world.”

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I think that this article does a good job at showing the divide between the sectors of this movement, and how important the experiences someone goes through as a young adult can shape their opinions and outlooks. I also think that the girl's opinion of the other's side is very telling. They are both highly educated individuals, with Jill having a degree from the Wharton School of Business at UPenn - one of the bust Business schools in the country, and with Nicole having a degree in sociology from Brown - an Ivy leauge school known for it's liberal slant.

What is most telling to me is that Jill has a good job, working within her industry, and agrees that something needs to change within our nation (a sentiment I also hold) but wants it to be done organically among the business world. She sees the issues that her sister has, and simply disagrees with her method of implementing change - government regulation and interference in the personal lives of it's citizens is not the answer... it is the problem. Nicole, on the other hand, has a more or less useless degree that is only worth something in academia, and works within the decidedly left leaning world of media, yet seems to spend much of her time on street corners complaining that the Country hasn't given her enough for free. she also resorts to personal attacks on her own sister - calling her immature, and saying that her lack of understanding of structural oppression (which is a flawed theory, at the very best) is inexcusable. She blames capitalism for our current situation, and further attacks those who use their own merits and abilities to make a better life for themselves.

There is no "Structural Oppression." The United States is the freest society in the world, and not just in our personal rights and liberties, but in our potential. This is the land of opportunity, and everyone here has the chance to make something of themselves - to become something great through their own sweat and blood and toil. In no way should the acheivements and successes of others be shortchanged or hijacked for the betterment of those who refuse to work for it themselves, or even contribute to society.

I could go on about this topic for volumes, but I shall leave you with this small bit of opinion. Socialism does not work. It never has. It breeds corruption at the expense of the whole, and every society that has ever dared to attempt this flawed sense of utopia has failed. Capitalism, in all its variations, is the only thing that has worked throughout history. It is what has advanced technology and society the world over, to include the standard of living at the very lowest level. Compare the average worker, or even the poor, in the 1980's, under Reagan, with the vast majority of the citizens of the USSR. A car in every garage and MTV in every home, compared to standing in the bread lines for days just to eat.