Whiskey and gunpowder.com --article.

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/

I know that this is not Gospel and only one man's opinion -- but I find it not only logical, but also entertaining. I want to get YOUR opinions, please.
Tom

Gary’s Note: The American public begins to see that fraud can crop up anywhere…including governments and currencies. Jim Kunstler is on the case. Send your questions and comments to gary@whiskeyandgunpowder.com …or post to our website www.whiskeyandgunpowder.com. Whiskey & Gunpowder December 26, 2008 By James Howard Kunstler Saratoga Springs, New York, U.S.A. Legitimacy Dwindles Zounds! Public sentiment toward the accelerating economic fiasco has shifted, seemingly overnight, from a mood of nauseated amazement to one of panicked grievance as the United States moves closer to an apparent comprehensive collapse — and so ill-timed, wouldn’t you know it, to coincide with the annual rigors of Santa Claus. The tipping point seems to be the Bernie Madoff $50 billion Ponzi scandal, which represents the grossest failure of authority and hence legitimacy in finance to date in as much as Mr. Madoff was a former chairman of the NASDAQ, for godsake. It’s like discovering that Ben Bernanke is running a meth lab inside the Federal Reserve. And out in the heartland, of course, there is the spectacle of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich trying to desperately dodge a racketeering rap behind an implausible hairdo. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Special~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Money for Nothing...and Checks for Free Collecting royalties has been called the “best business in the world.” Michael Jackson does it. Paul McCartney does it. And you can too...without penning a Top 40 hit. Find out how you can tap into this pool of wealth that piles up by itself here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What seems to spook people now is the possibility that everybody in charge of everything is a fraud or a crook. Legitimacy has left the system. Not even the the legions of Obama are immune as his reliance on Wall Street capos Robert Rubin, Tim Geithner, and Larry Summers seem tainted by the same reckless thinking that brought on the fiasco. His pick last week for chief of the SEC, Mary Shapiro, is already being dissed as a shill for the Big Bank status quo. In a few days we’ll discover what kind of bonuses are being ladled out by the remaining Wall Street banks with TARP money and a new chorus of howls will ring out. This is very dangerous territory. In dollar terms, the numbers being applied to the various problems are so colossal — trillions! — that the death of our currency seems assured. And in defiance of Congress’s express intentions, none of the TARP “money” has been applied to its targeted purpose of buying up “toxic” (i.e. fraudulent) securities hidden in the vaults of banks, pension funds, and municipal portfolios. George W. Bush’s personal bailout of General Motors and Chrysler is designed solely to postpone their bankruptcy and mass job layoffs until after the holidays. Otherwise, the $17.4 billion will probably be used by the companies to underwrite the extensive legal work required for the moment they must declare bankruptcy — when Mr. Obama is in the White House. Meanwhile, the President-elect has ramped up his job-creation target overnight from two to three million, and some observers are catching a whiff of Soviet-style economic engineering (“...we pretend to work and they pretend to pay us....”). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Special~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get Gold Cheap… Before It Takes Off Again Gold is giving you another chance to get in for the inevitable ride up at a bargain. Here’s how to get it at a discount and multiply those gains. Click here to read more… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The years since Jimmy Carter have produced an astoundingly flaccid public, sunk in various addictions and distractions, but this is about to change. The darkling mood of political protest and violent activism that saturated my own young adult years is scudding up again on the horizon. Mr. Obama’s pick for attorney general, the mild-looking Eric Holder, may be the key figure in the early months of the new government. If he doesn’t commence some aggressive investigations and prosecutions — beginning with Henry Paulson for insider trading when he was in charge of Goldman Sachs and shorting his own company’s mortgage-backed securities — then the whole Obama enterprise could fall under suspicion of illegitimacy. The bums who ran the U.S. banking sector into a ditch have to account for their turpitudes. They can’t be allowed to hide under a TARP. Unfortunately, the legal system, and probably the legislative system, will be so buried in procedural B.S. from the unwind of countless enterprises and institutions, and the sorting out of the remnants, that it remains to be seen whether this generation of people-in-charge can even embark on a fresh start of anything connected to real everyday life in America. All this is starting to alarm the tattered residue of the middle classes, and from here it’s a very short path to them being really pissed off. When legitimacy erodes, anything goes. Nothing is respected including rules and personalities. The center doesn’t hold and the new vacuum there is a tumultuous place. The same crisis of authority and legitimacy is spreading from nation to nation now. Soon, China will contend with a discontented army of the unemployed. Greece has been in an uproar for two weeks. Belgium’s government just collapsed. Trade barriers are going up. Exports are falling away. The world’s energy markets are not immune to these disorders. I would expect problems with the currently seamless supply lines that bring America two-thirds of the oil we use. Even a mild disruption of oil supplies could attach an anvil to the ankle of an economy already falling off a cliff. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Special~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Bailout Time Bomb Our faithful central bank is busier than ever. It’s feverishly working to nationalize as much as it can and destroy our currency in the process. Here’s a way for you to stay a step ahead. Just click here to learn more. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Right now, the overwhelming sentiment is to get this country back to where we were, say, ten years ago, when everything was humming nicely: Clinton nostalgia. We’re definitely not gong back there, though. It’s an idle wish. And any set of policies designed to lead in that direction will prove very disappointing. Our destination is a land of much smaller-scaled local economies. We could retain our federal ties if the federal government can scale back appropriately from the bloated, feckless enterprise it has become. Otherwise, it might only get in the way and make matters worse, and the public in one region or another of North America might reach a decision that they are better off without it. That would be what’s called a revolution. Regards, Jim Kunstler www.kunstler.com

A recent letter from a reader accuses me of dithering… “Gary, “I assume that a ‘Commercial’ is a Commercial Bank. Your inside-the-game shorthand is not helpful. And, since you do not respect your readers’ time by being brief, it would be nice if you would try to explain such terms to your readers.” So today I’ll be brief. Jim Kunstler: “…and the public in one region or another of North America might reach a decision that they are better off without [the federal government]. That would be what’s called a revolution.” Amen. Have a good weekend, Gary Gibson Managing Editor, Whiskey & Gunpowder

Whiskey & Gunpowder Special Reports One Famous Expert Warns, "There Will Be Panic" The 10 Shocking Re

Reasons for blogging.

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/

I was just thinking about Blogging in general and all the different kinds of subject matter, titles, crusades, objectives, missions or just good old fashion therapy. All kinds of motives, pure, honest, selfish, flamboyant, kind, helpful and boastful. My friend, Carolyn and I are into Bible prophesy, true Christianity and Witnessing, in my opinion-- and that is NOT a popular subject now days... lol. I know that we are both witty and talented enough to be able to write 'popular themes' that would garner many more readers and followers, if that is what drove our hearts. For my part, I inject much about combat Veterans, corruption of the VA system, Gov't and finance, history, because I feel qualified to speak about those subjects too. Also, my favorite mission of connecting with other combat and disabled military Vets because I am one and I enjoy the comraderie! The end game is focusing on the most important thing that I know that is GOOD FOR ALL HUMANKIND-- God's Will and the bible. Hey! I love my super dog, 'Deuce' the Rottweiler, our trained "service animal" and number one joker and and entertainer, and othe3r varied subjects, hobbies, like my woord carving and small knife collection. But I just don't know for sure if 'Deuce' is going to heaven.. LOL.[just kidding..] One thing I DO know-- we are all here for eternity and 70-90 years on a ruined planet filled with wicked, greedy, selfish, corrupt, immoral people doesn't come close to the rest of all eternity in either heaven or hell !

Of course there are different ways to live on earth--- being rich is nice-- being poor is much harder. I have actually been in both situations. At one time I lived for a while in Arvada [a Denver suburb], CO, where my wife and I collectively had about $9K of spendable cash, and we bought a quarter of a million dollar beautiful house, but she was emotionally unstable and her son and daughter controlled her and sabotaged our short relationship so that she left me within months of the wedding. It's very hard for me to finally put this in print. I loved her very much. She claimed to be a 'Christian' but didn't know the bible at all and attended a "feel good" church that just tickled her ears. And I had trouble breathing the thin, dry air near the beautiful mountains. Yes, I learn so much stuff the hard way, and I have a soft heart like a Teddy bear that over rules the logic of my brain... too often, and gets me into trouble. Long distance relationships seldom last! And the term "Christian" is nothing but a 'buzz word' now days, and few people take their wedding vows seriously! I lost tons of money in that adventure and was cut to the heart. I think that I should have just stayed single after that, but I got lonely and duped again. A slow learner is poor old Tom.

And before we know it, old age is upon us and we look back on our former life to see the real meaning of life and what we think we accomplished... The Book of Ecclesiastes [written by wise old King Solomon] used to be my FAVORITE book of the Bible for all it's Wisdom and Understanding. There, Solomon, was a rich man who also had to learn the hard way... lol. At least I can get a good laugh at the truth of his words, like: Eccl. 10:3, "Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool." HO-HO-HO !! But the last two verses of the last chapter sums is all up in Eccl. Chapter 12: 13, 14,
"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear GOD and keep His commandments, because this applies to EVERY person. (14) For God will being every act to judgement, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."

I feel that this advice should be my main priority in life, especially as I turn age 60 on Feb. 20th, Woo Woo!

Now I am in a mental debate as to whether I should haul my fat body to the Kenosha YMCA Gym to PUMP IRON and then get in the hot whirl pool and Sauna, or jsut stay home to help clean the messy house.

I bid you peace and safety.

Tom
tschuckman@aol.com

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS - Long Train Running (1973)

Merry Christmas!! As for a 'Happy New Year'... that remains to be seen..lol. I am NOT a humbug, just a realist and history buff. Those who don't know History will be condemned to relive it.

I found the below article very timely and logical. I can identify with people who play the game of chess. My Dad taught me that game when I was a teenager and it makes a person THINK! 'What will you opponent do in the next 3 future moves, and the big question, 'IF' something happens-- what will be the 'REACTION?' Chess may be a 'game of war' but I find it exciting. I have not taught my wife how to play it yet.
Anyway, 'IF' the U.S. "implodes" from it's bad fiscal, financial planning and 'management' [China already owns us...] with a super big loss of jobs and extreme foreclosures, etc., we can expect big time riots and rumbles that the local police cannot control. This is partially what I was talking about in past posts about the distinct possibility of America not existing in a year or two. I HOPE that I am 100% wrong! God Bless America!

Tom Schuckman
Disabled Vietnam Veteran: 68-70.
Merry Christmas--- and JESUS is the Reason for the Season! Not maxing out your 'plastic....' [credit cards].

Breaking from Newsmax.com

U.S. Military Preparing for Domestic Disturbances A new report from the U.S. Army War College discusses the use of American troops to quell civil unrest brought about by a worsening economic crisis. More: a U.S. Senator says Sec. Paulson warned that martial law could be imposed if the economic crisis worsened. Read the Full Story — Go Here Now.

Christmas Eve with the Schuckman's in Wisconsin.

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/

My wife and I made the short drive tonight to my sister Linda's house in Burlington, WI [12 miles from my house] for a nice dinner, visit and good company. Her daughter, my Mom and my Brother's 2 son's were there too with their wives and girlfriends , and everything was stress free and comfortable with great food. Unfortunately when I father was still alive until 1997 it was very stressed and I always felt uncomfortable as if I was walking on egg shells. I know he loved me but he was just so judgmental and ornery. It was always his way or hit the highway.... sorry. But that is water over the dam, and at least I had a good time visiting with everybody including my mother, who is legally blind, but doing well.

Linda and her hubby, Tom's older son, David, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003, and I saw his cadet sword mounted on the wall. David has been transferred all over the world, at least 3-4 times and has seen a few countries. I am proud of David for being tough and smart enough to 'make the grade' of becoming an officer. There are 3 more 'Schuckman' officers in the Armed Forces that I know of and a nephew or two in the active Army in combat right now too. God Bless them all!

Ahh, my wife is asleep already and so will I be shortly. We shall bake a nice ham on the bone tomorrow for lunch! I am hungry just thinking about it... and my wife does a great job of cooking 99% of the time. I love her, and appreciate her skill and patience.

If you are thinking about telling some one that you like, love or care about them... DO IT NOW- TODAY! You never know when someone might die in a car crash or pass away in their sleep, and then they are gone forever! If you feel that you are not a poised, polished, speaker, practice by yourself in the mirror or someone else until you feel comfortable. This day and age--life and death can be a heart beat apart.
In my opinion, this time of year should be filled with more love. I know I just posted an article about our TAXES going to some gay-agenda orgs but it seemed timely and important at that minute-- and I was so angered by that article...grrrr. Two days after Christmas things will be 'business as usual' and we will read and see many more people losing their jobs, houses and life savings while the Gov't shovels our tax dollars to questionable orgs, companies and other sources other than they promised. Oh well... we will save that stuff for another time.
Sleep well. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Tom

Barney Franks is giving our taxes to the Sodomites!

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/

Now... this is funny, how the USA is so broke and on the brink of being bankrupt and with China practically 'OWNING US'-- but we elect people like Barney Franks who allows OUR taxes to be spent on pro-Sodomite programs !! Wake Up, America ! And people are wondering how God could permit such economic hardship and woe. Wait until you see what 2009 has in store for us....lol. 'When disaster strikes-- the combat Veteran stands tall.' Enjoy:

Bailout recipients Fannie, Freddie gave $ to 'gay' groups

Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 12/23/2008 8:00:00 AM

The group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) is outraged that even though government-backed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac went broke and received a federal bailout, they still managed to give thousands of dollars this year to homosexual activist groups.

PFOX executive director Regina Griggs says Freddie Mac shelled out $65,000 over the past two years to the Human Rights Campaign to help homosexual couples adopt children. The Freddie Mac Foundation has given more than $125,000 to homosexual activist groups over the last three years, and the Fannie Mae Foundation has given $80,000 to such groups in the past decade.

Shawn Flaherty, a spokeswoman for Freddie Mac, told PFOX that she was not sure whether the ex-"gay" group would meet grant guidelines. However, Griggs says Flaherty noted the Foundation focuses on three priorities -- stable homes, foster care and adoption, and youth development.

"What could be more important than supporting marriage as a man and one woman, adoption by heterosexual couples, and how about telling youth the truth -- you're not born that way [homosexual], that change is possible?" she wonders. "It was interesting because her other comment was that 'the grants have not focused on the gay community. It's a piece of it.' That's my tax dollars silencing me, silencing our organizations, coming after [Christian non-profits]. This is unbelievable."

Griggs believes it is no coincidence that openly homosexual Congressman Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) chairs the House committee that provides oversight of Fannie and Freddie, and Frank has received more than $40,000 in campaign contributions from Fannie and Freddie since 1989. Frank's former boyfriend, Herb Moses, was an executive at Fannie Mae from 1981-1989.

Oncology -- and we shall re visit this AFTER Christmas....

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/

Sorry to Rain on your parade... but I thought I needed to post this news worthy message. Don't worry-- I get back into the snowy, cold, windy fun and glee in a few minutes... lol. I personally know what real, intense, acute pain is [from terrible accidents-- and I watched my fellow soldiers in Vietnam struggle to stay alive for a few hours more...at Bien Hoa, from 122 mm rocket attacks, etc], and I continue to get shots [injections] in both my knees every 90 days for bone on bone arthritis. But and I firmly believe that it's all about GREED, and many procedures won't do the job that "doctors" promise I am not afraid to die and meet my Maker.

Tom


Dear Reader,

Oncology has a dirty little secret.

Imagine you're an oncologist. Your patient is succumbing to cancer and will probably lose his battle within a few weeks. Chemotherapy will not prolong his life. Option A: Regretfully inform him that there's nothing more you can do. Option B: Prescribe a round of chemotherapy and turn an excellent profit.

Option B is chosen far more often than you might think.

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Significant poisoning
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Last month, a UK review of cancer cases produced shocking results.

In about 600 cases in which cancer patients died within 30 days of receiving chemotherapy…

• 40 percent experienced "significant poisoning" from their treatment
• About 25 percent of the deaths were accelerated or actually caused by the chemotherapy
• One of the co-authors of the study told ABC News (Australia) that in 20 percent of the cases, the decision to administer chemotherapy was simply inappropriate

Professor Ian Olver – CEO of Cancer Council Australia – told ABC that some patients might not fully understand the limits of chemotherapy.

MIGHT not? Any thoughtful (and ethical) oncologist should start from Square One assuming that his patient doesn't understand ANYTHING about chemotherapy. And it's HIS job to thoroughly school each patient.

For instance each patient should fully understand that only 10 types of cancer are considered "highly responsive" to chemotherapy. And every patient should fully understand that in many cases, chemotherapy can only be expected, at best, to prolong life by a few months.

And to be completely aboveboard, every patient should also fully understand that oncologists stand to make a nice little profit nearly every time they administer chemotherapy.

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Medicare pulled off the gravy train
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It's called the chemotherapy concession (we'll call it "chemo con" for short), and here's how it works: Cancer patients often receive chemotherapy drugs in the offices of their oncologists. The doctors purchase the drugs themselves, then bill their patients. Here's the catch: Oncologists typically charge patients far higher amounts than they originally pay for the drugs.

This is completely legal. It's a "concession" for oncologists, to offset overhead, and it assumes that insurance companies will pay the lion's share. But it also tempts oncologists to administer chemo when the drug may not be effective.

When I first told you about chemo con in 2003, it was a real moneymaker. That changed somewhat in 2005 when Congress took Medicare out of the equation. But the con continues for all those other cancer patients whose insurance companies often pay exorbitant sums for cancer treatments. (Yep – this is one of the reasons our insurance premiums are always rising.)

So how pervasive a problem is chemo con? That question was answered by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D., an oncologist and bioethicist. When Dr. Emanuel examined the medical records of almost 8,000 cancer patients, he found that in cases where chemotherapy was administered in the final six months of life, ONE-THIRD of the patients suffered from cancers that are known to be unresponsive to chemotherapy.

Without question, there are many ethical and honest oncologists who don't line their pockets by exploiting the system. But as long as this system allows a legal free-flow of cash, you can be sure that "significant poisoning" will continue.


Don't we just love the greedy 'doctors', CEO's and politicians ??
*************************************************

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell one.