TIME TO PROSECUTE...

FBI MISCONDUCT

Comey's "Perjury Trap"

Last Day of the Month

FAST...   FASTER...   FASTEST...  is how time flows these days for me and the rest of the elderly and it will for you too in time as time is continual and the mind cannot continue to slow it down as it did when we were all young...   younger...  youngest...

I remember how slow Christmas Eve past by during those early years and the same held true for birthdays and going on vacations and even when May 1st arrived and my mother bought me a NEW PAIR OF TENNIS SHOES that I would wear for the entire summer even if they began to wear out before it was time to go back to school...  there was only one pair to last the entire summer and for an active young person such as myself, those tennis shoes would always start wearing out for I returned to school...   but, it was a badge of something for me because the worse my shoes began to wear, the better I felt about myself.  My mother would buy the cheapest pair of high tops but I would never lace them up all the way because I liked the open tops.

Later in life, that same badge of something I wore when it pertained to my LEVIS and no other brand would do...  I wore them until they simply could not be worn or I had outgrown them...  it did not matter how many holes, tears, or patches they had.

TOMORROW, is May 1, 2020...  but, I have no plans to buy a pair of tennis shoes nor do I have any plans to buy or wear any LEVIS...  time has forever pushed me out of those categories...  nowadays, I wear wool slipper-like shoes and stretch pants for comfort.  I have a pair of jeans (not LEVIS) but I would have to lose about 10 pounds to wear them but because of their strong material, they are no longer comfortable when I drive or sit.

I also remember that May 1st was MAYPOLE DAY in Elementary School...  however, all I remember is the girls holding crepe paper tied to the top of a pole, going in one direction weaving in and out of the girls holding different colored crepe paper going in another direction until the pole was covered in all sorts of colors of crepe paper.

These memories are over 62 years old and while they indicate the passage of time, they do not accurately records the behaviors and enjoyment of that period of time for me, assuming that there was enjoyment which I am sure there was since every child, at some point-in-time experiences bitter sweet enjoyment.

All of us cannot escape the passage of time and for some of us, it happens quicker than for others for a variety of reasons but it always happens to everyone and there is a moment of regret, however shallow, that we will one day not remember at all...

FINANCIAL PLANNING Part IV

Ideas to Save Money...

When buying a newer car:

• Don't buy a brand new one
• Look for a year old car (can save $10-$15,000)
• a leased vehicle
• leased by a company not an individual
• low mileage
• Once this car is pay off, save the payment money
• Use saved payment money to buy new leased vehicle

Upgrade your present home every 3-5 years:

• Purchase a $50,000 home (2020 - age 25)
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $75,000 (2025 - age 30)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 2nd home for $100,000 
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $150,000 (2030 - age 35)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 3rd home for $200,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $250,000 (2035 - age 40)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 4th home for $300,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $350,000 (2040 - age 45)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 5th home for $400,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $450,000 (2045 - age 50)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 6th home for $500,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $550,000 (2050 - age 55)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 7th home for $600,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $650,000 (2055 - age 60)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 8th home for $700,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $750,000 (2060 - age 65)
• Shelter capital gains money from taxes
• Buy 9th home for $800,000
• Only renovate bathroom/kitchen
• Sell for $850,000 (2065 - age 70)
• Claim ONE TIME exemption from IRS on Capital Gains and purchase a less expensive home
• Pay off mortgage debt
• Save about $250,000 to $500,000

NOTES:

1. This concept assumes that the economy is continuing to grow
2. This concept assumes that each year you will receive wage increases
3. This concept assumes that you purchase a house that is in good physical condition
4. This concept assumes that you use common sense when renovating
5. This concept assumes that you take good care of your home
6. This concept assumes that you don't mind moving every 5 years
7. This concept assumes that you select homes in viable communities

PURPOSE

WAITING FOR GODOT...  BUT, GODOT NEVER ARRIVES...

What is our PURPOSE here on this planet earth?


How often do you find yourself wondering how to answer this question?



I would suspect that the answer is HARDLY EVER...


And yet, LIFE has NO MEANING without PURPOSE...  Do you have a sense of Life's Meaninglessness?  And, if you do, then what do you do to give your life meaning and purpose?



Well...

1. I would say that after birth you trained by your parents
2. If religious, you are trained by various members of the church
3. Then you are trained by your teachers
4. Once you graduate you are trained by your employers
5. If you decide to enter the military, they train you
6. If you decide to marry, you are trained by your spouse as you learn to live together
7. Your community trains you
8. Your State trains you
9. Your Federal Government trains you
10. Your doctors train you
11. Investors/bankers train you
12. Then...  you die...

BUT...  whatever was your PURPOSE?

• to acquire knowledge
• to acquire experience
• to acquire wealth
• to acquire a family
• to acquire a legacy
• to acquire faith, hope, and belief
• to acquire patience
• to acquire loyalty
• to acquire fighting skills
• to acquire spirituality

Many of us go though life without ever KNOWING or CARING as to OUR PURPOSE...

We were given LIFE through BIRTH without OUR CONSENT

Some of us never know or understand LOVE

Only 2% of us ever become very WEALTHY

Some of us get CANCER

Some of us DIE EARLY

80 to 100 years we live and then what?

Median Household Income

$66,538

Sentier Research has suspended reporting its monthly Current Population Survey-based estimates of median household income. Political Calculations' estimate of median household income rose 0.3% February 2020, increasing from January 2020's initial estimate of $66,370 to $66,538.                  Apr 2, 2020

HOWEVER...

The national median family income for the United States for FY 2020 is $78,500, an increase of almost four percent over the national median family income in FY 2019. Twice this change is 7.9 percent which is greater than five percent, so this higher value is used as the cap on increases.       Mar 31, 2020                         Source: Novoco.com

WHO DO WE BELIEVE?

According to PEW RESEARCH CENTER:  2.6 people per household

Note: There are two ways to look at trends regarding households in the U.S. In this analysis, which treats all households equally, the average household has 2.6 people. Other analyses look at it through the prism of the average person and find that the average person lives in a household with 3.4 people.Oct 1, 2019

What is the cost of living in the USA?

While the data varies widely from State-to-State and from source-to-source, what I am able to ascertain is that the median cost of living in the USA is $4,100 to $4,500/month.

$66,538 -  from the first source

$78,500 - from the second source

$145,038/2 = $72,519 

$72,519  @ a 2019 tax rate of 22% will leave this family with a net income of $63,816.72

$63817/12 months = $5,318

THEREFORE a typical average family in the USA will have enough money to pay their monthly bills with about $1,000 left over each month to pay State/County taxes, Property taxes, Holidays, Birthdays, and vacations...

States with an INCOME TAX is no less than 7%.

7% of $63, 816 is $4,467 or $372/month

NOW...

Let's take a look at our statistical data...

Three words MUST stand out

MEAN (Average)

MODE 

MEDIAN

Note:  Average and Median ARE NOT typically the same number

Example:

Let's work with the following numbers

01

01

02

02

05

06

07

08

09

41

The average of these numbers is 41/9 = 4.5

The median of these number is 5

The median is that number which is in the exact middle of the data set which in this case is 5 because there are 4 numbers behind it and 4 numbers in front of it...

Most people think AVERAGE and MEDIAN are the same numbers....

...and they say that IGNORANCE IS BLISS...

BUY LOW SELL HIGH IS THE FIRST RULE OF INVESTING BUT WHAT IS THE FIRST RULE OF OBESITY?

IT'S BEEN TWO DECADES since federal health officials said the U.S. was experiencing a "growing obesity epidemic" that was putting millions of lives at stake – but the situation has gotten significantly worse since 1999.

At the turn of the century, 30.5% of American adults were obese, meaning they had a body mass index of 30 or higher. That rate largely increased through 2015-2016, helping to fuel related health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers – all of which are among the leading causes of death in the U.S.

According to data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity rate reached 42.4% in 2017-2018 – surpassing 40% for the first time. Although the increase was not significant between 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, the new data represents a failure to meet the federal government's public health goals set for this year.  Source: US News & World Report February 2020

Based upon this new data (2 months old) I would say that AMERICANS LIKE BEING FAT!!!

UNUSUALLY WARM AND HUMID

All three cats are laid out on our screened in back porch in such a way that the sun covers their entire stretched-out bodies...  their legs are also stretched-out to one side and their heads are laying flat on the wooden floor with their eyes shut...  calm...  relaxed...  comfortable...   and safe...  as a gentle breeze swoops in and over them like birds protecting their nests from predators.

It feels like we are in the heart of the summer and the cats are really enjoying our back porch investment.  The screened in back porch was more for our enjoyment that it was for our cat's enjoyment; in fact, we built a 20 foot by 12 foot screened in area attached to the basement wall exclusively for our cats which was used by our cats all-the-time until our back porch was screened in.

Four by Four 12 foot treated posts cemented into holes in the ground formed the perimeter of the enclosure and it was surrounded with chicken wire.  On the inside, we constructed sitting/lounge areas in two of the corners with walkways on three of the four sides.  There are two doors allowing easy access for cleaning and mowing.

Here's An Interesting Little Tidbit...

I woke up this morning at 2:00 am and I maintain 3 blogs daily not counting my Poetry Blog which obviously is exclusively dedicated to poetry...   and, on all three of these blogs, I have written or am in the process of writing about INSOMNIA...

I betcha you can never guess why in the hell I am writing about INSOMNIA at 2:00 in the morning? 

So, let me say this about that...   I have no desire to be sitting in my underwear, here on the couch with my Lenovo Laptop on my lap writing about some bullshit idea at 4:00 in the morning in the hopes that I will get sleepy...


Do I know why I have insomnia?


NO...  not really...  but, it could be my Thyroid medication that I just started taking 4 days ago although I was told it was take a couple of weeks for the meds to start working.

Sometimes, when I start daydreaming in bed at night to fall asleep the details that I am constantly crunching over in my mind have a tendency to keep me from falling asleep...  but, I don't remember if that was the case tonight or not.


I also had some crackers and pimento cheese around 9:30 this evening but eating late at night does not typically keep me from falling asleep either.


Maybe I'll trade in my cats for a dog...

Just Relaxing a bit...

About 12-15 years ago, after my wife and I paid off our mortgage on the house, we decided to renovate the outside of our house in case we did not have enough money to afford to go on a vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC which is where we both like to go in the summers.
\

Our first order-of-business was to install an above ground about 24-26 feet in diameter, then build a deck around the pool big enough for me to completely walk around to clean and wide enough to add a 12 foot by 12 foot gazebo along with a 5-person hot tub next to the wall of the house since the pool proper was about 10-12 feet away from the house. 

During those 12-15 years, we have had to do nothing to our pool or pump (except add a new motor) but our hot tub (a Hot Springs Prodigy) has required maintenance twice at a cost of about 1/2 of what we paid for it.  Part of the problem is that we were using powders to clean the tub and that was causing problems even though powders is what the seller recommended we use.  Once we switched to liquid, our only issues has been replacing the heating elements. 

A month ago, our hot tub stopped heating the water and we called the technicians expecting a $2,000 bill and decided that we would use our COVID-19 stimulus money from the Government but it was just a bad switch in the electrical box which cost us substantially less except for the huge labor fee.

My wife sits under the gazebo most every day in the summer when it is not raining or lays in a lounge chair soaking up the sun and if she gets too hot, cools off in the pool.  I use the pool on a daily basis but have to wear long sleeves because of my Melanoma and the sun, but what I do is walk around the circumference of the pool for exercise.

As far as the hot tub is concerned, I use it at least every other night all year long, remaining in the 104 degree water for about 30 minutes each time.  The jets are pre programmed to only last 15 minutes for health reasons.

Our investment in our backyard was the best money we every spent and those monies did not come from salary or savings but from consulting fees that I earned on-the-side as a second job.  If I had remained in NC, my skill set would have been a dime-a-dozen and no consulting would have ever come my way, but in TN I was unique and consulting gigs were easy to acquire.

Exercising

Did You Know???

...that the fatter you are, the more calories you burn...  of course this sounds logical after I have shared it with you...  but, one would think that the more you walk on a treadmill the more calories you burn and while that is true also...  weight also seems to be an important factor in burning calories...  however, this is not to suggest that you should bulk up now so you can burn more calories when you finally start exercising...

I have always been one for exercising or working outside at something so that I SWEAT a lot such as splitting wood with a sledge hammer and wedges or using a push mower to mow an acre lot or moving 7 rooms of furniture with just a hand truck, a sturdy rug, and a 1/2 inch nylon rope.  If that was not good enough for me, I usually would fast walk for 90 minutes around the community which included hills, some of which were fairly steep....  since a mile is covered in about 15-20 minutes, I figured I walked 4-6 miles each time...  and, I would typically walk everyday unless it was raining or snowing.

BUT, exercising is not enough to STAY HEALTHY...

If you really want to stay healthy, you must:

1. Quit smoking cigarettes, cigars, and/or marijuana
2. Quit or  substantially reduce your intact of alcohol & red meat
3. Quit eating all friend foods
4. Quit eating sweets
5. Eat more fish and chicken, turkey
6. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and nuts
7. Manage stress with exercise and/or meditation
8. Get the required hours of sleep for you age
9. See your family doctor & eye doctor annually
10. See a dentist twice a year

OR, you can just get lazy, fat, and old and die earlier than expected...

THINK ABOUT THIS...

The U.S. military reported 58,220 American casualties in Vietnam.

US government reports 57, 640 American deaths due to COVID-19.

580 less deaths due to COVID-19 than Vietnam

ANCIENT ALIENS

History Channel
15 Seasons - first episode April 20, 2010
Investigators circle the globe in search of evidence in their quest to determine whether life on Earth began in outer space and if aliens influenced mankind in ancient times. Did extraterrestrial beings visit Earth and share information about technology and influence human religions?

Erich von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods  (first published January 1968) is a work of monumental importance--the first book to introduce the shocking theory that ancient Earth had been visited by aliens. This world-famous bestseller has withstood the test of time, inspiring countless books and films, including the author's own popular sequel, The Eyes of the Sphinx.               

Outside of College textbooks, this was one of the first books that I purchased in the 60's because of limited financial resources.  I remember reading this book 2-3 times before I started acquiring more books on the subject of extraterrestrials visiting earth.  Given the size of our universe, it just seemed highly logical and extremely probable that the human race was NOT ALONE...

SO...  let me give you an idea of how big our universe is.  First of all, you must understand that our EARTH lives inside a solar system and that solar system is a small part of our Milky Way Galaxy.  While  the diameter of the Milky way varies although for the most part is ~ 100,000 light years; therefore, the diameter of the Milky way is roughly 160,256,410 times as wide as the solar system.

Two Trillion Galaxies in the Universe

Just think about this for a minute...  160,000,000+ times as wide... 


It would take TWO BILLION YEARS cross the Milky Way Galaxy at LIGHT SPEED.


NOW, scientist believe there are TWO TRILLION Galaxies in the UNIVERSE.

Given this knowledge, it would be absolutely ludicrous to believe or even perceive that we are the only living SPECIES in the Universe.

GOVERNMENT Finally Admits UFOs

I never thought that I would see the day that our US Government would admit the existence of UFOs...

BACK TO WORK

MOST EVERYONE is anxious to get back to work and put behind them COVID-19 and this Pandemic that has restricted their movements for a couple of months.

America and Americans don't like being RESTRICTED...

BUT, can we take all the necessary precautions not to catch or spread the virus?

This is the really important question.

HERE, in the Tennessee Valley of the Volunteer State of Tennessee and being retired...  I am not sure that I share the anxiousness of the American Worker.  If I was working...  yes...  I would be concerned about being out-of-work and out-of-money, but I would also be concerned about my health and the health of my family.  I also realize that the older I became, the more conservative I also became so I really do understand their feelings...   I just don't support their feelings...