Happy New Year--2009 ?

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

<<<< here is a pic of me in 1997 with my hand on "The Wall" in D.C. Some of my buddies are on the Wall, and I have been to Wash. D.C. 3 times and still want to go back again-- if I could afford it. I love all the Smithsonian Institutes, Art galleries and I get so worn out walking, but with awe and reverence when I am there. Lots of walking.

I am in a very good mood after taking my wife to get her blood drawn down by Lake Michigan this morning, shopping, getting her new prescriptions and her hair done. The price of dog food has gone up $6 too. Sharon is frying some potatoes and steaks right now at 1:22 aft, and I have not eaten all day. We will prob drink some champagne and kick back tonight but we don't believe in getting drunk... and I can get pretty silly without getting plastered.

A 'nurse' from the Milwaukee VA, called Venita phoned me about a half hour ago to 'reschedule' and push back my knee injections about 3 weeks. At the end of the 90 day window from the last shots I got, it's logical and normal that my knees are aching BIG TIME right about now with my OA--bone on bone, acute arthritis.. and there is nothing cute about it! I had to get very tough with that woman who thinks that we Veterans can just be manhandled and abused at her whim. After I threatened to call the 'Patient Advocate' to ream her out-- she reconsidered and scheduled me for one day latter than what it was originally was, Jan. 7th.
The part that really gets my goat is that you can NEVER really count on the lying, abusive VA to KEEP THEIR PROMISES, take you as they scheduled you, get your medication delivered ON TIME!!
For those of you who are still working... don't think that retirement will be so rosy and care free, with no worries or wrinkles. On the contrary, you have to watch people like a hawk so that they do THEIR jobs the right way and make good on their promises! Sorry.. but that is a 'word to the wise' and the year 2009 will get much worse with more lost freedoms.
So why am I happy today in frosty Wisconsin? I have a woman who just got a $60 hair-do and she is content at the moment..lol. We live in a cozy house that I own with heat and A/C, and I have enough money to pay our bills! Woo Woo!
I heard that the police and highway patrol are out in force to catch DUI's, etc. I also expect to hear abouta few shootings and murders on the TV tomorrow in Milwaukee-- usually on the "North side' of town. I believe in bringing the goodies home where it is safe and comfortable and spending some quality time with my wife.

I bid your all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I hope that I am wrong about some of my future predictions for the New Year. I believe in walking softly and carrying a big stick, and a bullet proof pocket bible over my heart with a few $50 bills inside. Go figure: Who in the world is going to rob me of my BIBLE...lol?

Oprah Denies Christ

Be Safe-- Be Happy!

Tom
tschuckman@aol.com

Americans being killed by Tire Companies' Lies.

Old Soldier Tom's Journal.
http://heli-gunnertom.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com
<<<< my 2 daughters, Sarah [left], and Barbara.
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THERE IS A SHORT COMMERICAL VIDEO AT THE BEGINNING, LET IT PLAY BEFORE WATCHING THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE. SHOCKING!! This is a video of a segment that aired on the well-known ABC TV program, "20/20." Please watch this; and, for Heaven's sake, whatever you do, pass this along to everyone you know! It may save your life, or that of someone you know! Click on the link below. If that doesn't work, copy and paste it into your web browser. I had never heard of this before. This is worth watching. Check your tires and read the code on (the inside of) your tires...a worthwhile safety tip http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

It's stuff like this that I love to EXPOSE and share with my friends ! If that gives me a bad reputation as a 'sour grapes' complainer... oh well... LOL. I feel that I am helping others.
I got really tired of LIES after I got home after the combat in RVN. Tired of main line religion lying to me and watering down the truth of the Gospel [I thought] and not being savvy enough to tell me the simple answers I needed in life. The Gov't and VA certainly LIED to the American people about some aspects of the war in Asia, Agent Orange, PTSD and didn't volunteer much info about our rights to earned benefits we Veterans had coming to us.,, and that is STILL GOING ON WITH THE YOUNGER COMBAT VETS FROM IRAQ! Banks never explained the "Rule of 72" -- the magic of compound interest and the high schools didn't teach us the nuts and bolts of sound finance. Life Insurance companies always hide the truth about the "bundled" mixture of investments and Life insurance.. with their crappy 'Whole Life' , etc, that I learned latter on my own while working for PFS Investments. The Democrats are STILL LYING about how they pushed bad loans to the minorities in the U.S. even though most of those folks didn't have jobs, collateral or means to pay the mortgages... see Barney Franks, under the word Sodomite, or scam artist. And that crap went down under Pres. Clinton's watch, and I bet Mrs. Clinton was smart enough to know about it too!

Well, let us give thanks for what GOOD things we 'still have.' I will attempt to explain a basic 'rule' of mankind, please: When people run out of food and begin to starve-- and have to watch their kids starve [and I have seen it], they get very anxious, angry and violent. They WILL revolt and try to topple the Gov't. FLASH! Word has it that Obama will soon be starting to build huge "camps" to hold many people in the U.S.A. Why? Go Figure: to keep tight control over people who do not want to starve to death, IMHO, and follow "Executive Decisions" that he thinks will have to be made in the near future when things continue to go a rye. There could be all sorts of scenarios leading up to these mean, draconian orders, but I am NOT going to stay up all night worrying about it either. My Faith in God and my Bible knowledge eliminates much of that worry, Praise the Lord.


I am not too much afraid of death-- but I only hope that it will mean something or set a good example for those who remember me. My main concern is that I might yet be seduced by Satan and/ or loose women again to dishonor myself and bring shame on the name, Christian. Some of my friends say, 'Tom, you are a very smart man!' 'Why do you do such stupid things ??' Well, I should think that I am just a sinful, selfish, weak human sinner, and I have a long memory that keeps on reminding me of my past mistakes. Funny thing.. my infirmities help keep me from sinning more.. and I sometimes wonder if that too is part of 'God's Plan.' I can tell/ share what does help keep me walking straight. It is CONSTANT study/ reading/ sharing the Bible every single day, and meeting on a regular basis with other believers of like Faith ! Garbage in-- Garbage out. You are what you eat. Actually, we eat too good at our house in Wisconsin...LOL. Our dog and fancy cat prob eat better than 1/3 of the people on earth.


I could use some direction now. I am looking for more fundamental Christian Blogs of others to visit and read. But that might be hard now days because the term 'Christian' is just a 'buzz word' in our modern day vernacular. I have some very close, great friends now-- but one never has TOO MANY FRIENDS. So if you all can throw some ideas at me, I would thank you very much.
Thanks.
Attached is a pic of my 2 beautiful daughters, Barbara and Sarah. I also have a smart, handsome son named, Andy.

Tom

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One site keeps you con

Bail out after Bailout..Where does it end?

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

I felt that Dirk's post was so truthful and important that I had to "borrow" it. Thank you, Dirk!

THE FIRST AMENDMENT, NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT II

Conservative commentary about issues that affect all of us. This is information we all need, but typically don't get through the mainstream news media. © 2007, 2008 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

28 December 2008

BAILOUT AFTER BAILOUT . . . WHERE DOES IT END?

NATALIE commented in an entry some time ago asking for my thoughts on the automaker bailout. It has been some weeks ago, but I haven't had the opportunity to research it out. I already had my opinions about all of the bailouts, so I'll include the first one too.

The first bailout is known as the TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM (TARP) (clickable link to see a brief explanation). I won't go into a lot of details about the particulars. I'm sure everyone has heard enough about for about three lifetimes.

These funds are basically in two parts although the first part was broken up into an initial $250 billion and then $100 billion for a total of $350 billion. The total package is slated to be $700 billion. This bailout was to buy bad mortgages as taxpayer expense. YOU AND I NOW OWN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF "BAD DEBT." As we all know, "bad debt" is debt that can't be collected. So the bottom line is that YOUR MONEY AND MINE is being used to eliminate that losses of FANNIE MAE , FREDDIE MAC, LEHMAN BROTHERS, AIG, and others. The cause of this crisis was giving mortgages to people who had no business having them in the first place. If you visit Fannie Mae's website, for example, you'll see their purpose is to make home ownership possible. Problem is, mortgages were extended to people with bad credit or otherwise high risk. A tremendous amount of pressure was put on lending insitututions by the Federal government starting with the CARTER ADMINISTRATION and continued through the CLINTON ADMINISTRATION including a lawsuit led by ACORN that Barack Obama, then an attorney with the lawfirm of David, Miner, Barnhill, and Galland, forced Citigroup to make SUBPRIME MORTGAGES. And one of the chief problems identiified as being one of the major causes of this crisis? Subprime mortgages. Now, you don't have to understand what subprime mortgages to see the hypocrisy here. The proverbial chickens have come home to roost. Now the Federal government is using US the taxpayers to pay for this mess. The politicians in Washington didn't listen to us, the voters. EIGHTY-EIGHT PERCENT of the American public was AGAINST the bailout and extremely angry over this. I totally agree with the 88%. The Democrats' attempt to find a Republican to blame completely failed. That's because there was no Republican to blame. The vast majority of the American public didn't go for it. Amercia said very loudly, "NO!" Yet, as we all know, they did it anyway. I hope the 88% doesn't forget, and remembers those who voted for this bailout during upcoming elections.

I say don't distribute the remaining $350 billion until some accountability measures are put into place. Just like the Hurrican Katrina funding, this first $350 billion has absolutely no accountability measures, so there can't be any accounting for where all this money goes. Without accountability, this taxpayer money can be used by the individual companies or entities any way they like, which isn't the intention of the handing over of this money.

Now, here come the U. S. automakers while the Washington politicians are in the handout mood. I have a few of problems with this. Other than the obvious socialism involved here, in my opinion, from having lived through the '70's, the Federal government once again shares a large part of the responsibility. It was during the '70's that I saw the foreign automakers allowed to export their vehicles to the United States with no restrictions whatsoever. Now before anyone yells "protectionism" here, I'll go ahead and say "you betcha." Although I don't support massive protectionism, I think a certain amount was in order here to protect American industry. There have always been many, many other industries directly tied to the U. S. automakers. But, Washington did nothing. So the market was swamped by foreign imports produced by non-union labor and therefore could be sold at a much lower price. After a time, Washington finally placed some import tariffs on foreign imports. Then the foreign automakers started building plants here, shipping the parts from overseas, and started building their cars in the U.S. to bypass the import tariffs. Washington was again very slow to respond, but it was too little too late. The damage had been done. And speaking of the Federal government, I don't think I have to go into the massive Federal regulation of the automotive industry. As with any set of Federal regulations, only about 20% are really meaningful. The rest just drives up the cost to John Q. Consumer.

The UNITED AUTO WORKERS union is a large part of this too. Again, having lived through the '70's, I witnessed strike after strike after strike and negotiation after negotiation for more company benefits, higher and higher wages, on and on it went. These chickens have also come home to roost. A company absolutely cannot continue to pay out more and more benefits and higher and higher wages and still expect to maintain enough of a profit to remain in business. An example of this is that between fifteen and twenty years ago, a worker for General Motors was laid off. He moved from Michigan to Duluth, Georgia. According to his UAW contract, he was to received FULL PAY for TWO SOLID YEARS WITHOUT PRODUCING SO MUCH AS A DOORHANDLE. Just how many businesses can stay in business with such outgo? I'm surprised they've lasted this long.

The solution to this is not a taxpayer funded bailout, uh, excuse me, it's not a "bailout", they are "bridge loans". I think that the automakers should be allowed to go bankrupt. Again, before anyone has kittens about this, bankruptcy does not mean out of business. The type of bankruptcy the automakers should file is not to go out of business, but to reorganize. In the words of one of my readers, God knows they need to. Overlapping makes and models should be eliminated and union contracts renegotiated. Bankruptcy reorganization is the only way this could be accomplished. The U. S. automakers would emerge with a less expensive employee base, fewer product lines, and new strategic operational plans. This would also allow the U. S. automakers to bring back manufacturing which is being outsourced offshore. Employement would be provided for people no longer needed on assembly lines for duplicate makes such as the Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer - same vehicle, different nameplates. It would be far cheaper for the taxpayers if this were to happen, even if extended unemployment benefits were granted by the Federal government during the reorganization time.

One last major problem with all of these bailouts is this: JUST WHERE DOES IT STOP? These bailouts just open the door for more bailouts funded with YOUR money. It shouldn't have been started, and I say end it now.

Ice Storm and Power outage.

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

Things went a rye in the Schuckman residence at 0300 hours this morning...Poof!
The transformer for our entire city block blew up and we were dark, cold, but worst of all, our CPAP [

"CPAP" redirects here. For other uses, see CPAP (disambiguation).

A typical CPAP machine houses the air pump in a case lined with sound-absorbing material for quieter operation. A hose carries the pressurized air to a face mask or nasal pillow.

An Example CPAP nasal mask.

CPAP therapy breaks the cycle of OSA

Positive airway pressure (PAP) is a method of respiratory ventilation used primarily in the treatment of sleep apnea, for which it was first developed.

PAP ventilation is also commonly used for critically ill patients in hospital with respiratory failure, and in newborn infants (neonates). In these patients, PAP ventilation can prevent the need for endotracheal intubation, or allow earlier extubation. Sometimes patients with neuromuscular diseases use this variety of ventilation as well.] ............. >>>

......breathing machines for sleep apnea and our Oxygen would not work either and we didn't get a good sleep. that event also knocked out our PC modem and land phone so that a guy is supposed to come over on Monday to fix things. Even though we had a substitute, bombastic preacher--very loud, I had a hard time staying awake during the sermon. Well, we dined out at the Chinese buffet after church because my 'wife didn't want to cook dinner...', and that was OK. Now the power is back on and everything is fine. But my main point is that my 'inner core of survivors' all have the 'right stuff' to cope with such power grid breakdowns. Last night the wind was very strong and the rain of the day changed to ice so that we heard the ambulance siren half the night rushing to different areas of distress.

I may sound like a pompous, big bully boy, but I demand that candles and box matches are in easy to find special designated placees/areas and that we have lots of distilled water, canned food, batteries and even a new generator[from when I bought it before Y2K] and other things at the ready. My new Dodge Ram pick up 4 by 4 truck is always loaded with warm clothes,etc, and it's my "bug out vehicle". In Winter time, especially, I try not to let the gas gauge to get below half full. I am also a knife collector and teach people how to throw edged weapons accurately. I have many hobbies and veggie gardening is fun and my wife has canned and froze many good things like tomatoes. We made a big pot of chili yesterday after church and used her tomatoes--organic, of course. I am sure that some catastrophic, weather events might catch me 'bare-footed' but I feel that I am better prepared than most people on the planet. Why? Because I MADE IT A PRIORITY TO SPEND SOME MONEY WISELY to store up certain items--just in case! I and my close Vet friends are also armed and ready to defend and protect our hearth and home. I had so much canned goods, rice, beans and toilet paper after Y2K, that I donated most of it to the church and they gave me an honest tax write off for that year of 2000...LOL.

With the world scene of investments going South--that is another story of woe for many people. I narrowly escaped by getting out of investments at the right time and spent most of that money putting in a new furnace and central A/C, and electrical in the house to upgrade. Make some--lose some.

I feel the same way about storing/ 'laying up' things in HEAVEN too. We don't KNOW when the 'Master' will come back, but it would seem logical and biblical to get right with God NOW!! Honestly, we could stop breathing tonight and be in the after phase of eternity and judgment seconds after we die. If we store up and plan for short term emergencies--- it makes sense to 'GET SAVED' now and do God's will too. The people who linger, sit on the fence and procrastinate... will NEVER make it after they step into the snare or death claims them without having made a real, honest commitment to serve the Lord Jesus forever. We could say that this act is SIMPLE to do-- but HARD for most people because of their PRIDE and SELFISHNESS. Again-- it's all about PRIORITIES. I feel that it was the finest, most important thing I ever did right in my life.
I continue to encourage my brothers and sisters to NOT let the woes of the world spook us or knock our aim off the "target" of Godly service and our 'MAIN LOVE.' God will take care of us if we have our priorities right! Praise the Lord!
Questions: email: tschuckman@aol.com

I saw that Victory Baptist Church, where we attend, had a 30 second TV ad on the History channel yesterday!! Very good! PTL!

I totally agree with the Bible saying that the 'world of unbelievers', the heathen, and the true biblical meaning of "fools" [a fool is someone who says there is no God] will, of course, think that Christians are stupid, crazy, illogical by their "unbelievers' standards." The scoffers for these past 6000 years could NEVER believe in things they 'cannot see'...although there surely is wind and electricity...Ha! [read 2 Peter 3: 3-12...]. Their higher education, so-called 'Wisdom' is FOOLISHNESS in the eyes of God [1 Cor. 3:18-19]. Personally, I have no time or pity for them. My time is better used to help honest, desiring ones and precious... sorry. Kind of like the Army and Marines-- we don't really want someone who is STUPID to stand guard next to/ with us --or cover our back sides in battle! Matthew 7:6 says, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."


Tom

Life's Good things and Struggles.

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

Wait Til You Get Stuck Into This . . .

posted by Marie at Marie Cooks Britain - 4 hours ago

With the onset of cold winter weather, one automatically longs to immerse oneself in comfort and part of that is comfort foods such as soups and stews and rich desserts or puddings as they call them over...
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I just had to post this lady's recipe! When I was young my father told me about all his travels when he was in the Navy--WW-2 and how he ate all the strange, different foods around the world. If was always my opinion that the Military was "one way" to get an education, skills and a well rounded back ground and resume. You also get some help and benefits after you get out and the respect of other service people... like a special club of friends. My prior armed service in the Army does NOT define me, but it does/ has given me a "leg up" and I know that many employers have hired me, in part, because of this back ground and accomplishment. If a man can learn, survive in combat-- surely he can adapt to civilian life and other job descriptions [MOS's], in my opinion.

However, some soldiers and Marines have had a hard time re-adjusting to civilian life, including me. Not to cry in my beer today-- for |I was lucky [using that worldly term] to have had some well paying long term employment most of my life and now enjoy a good pension and other 'bennies.' As I have told many others trying to help them cope with hard times and personal disasters--we have to work with what ever cards we are dealt-- rich or poor, sickness and health, lonely or in a relationship. I find it interesting to hear about other people lives, successes and failures so I can judge/ measure/ compare myself to see if I am 'normal.' I know that sounds funny. My compass is the bible and I do have a nice 'support group' of Christians of like mind. It's funny, I think that most of my friends are more happy, content and better off than me-- but they like, respect, admire me and point to 'my toys'.. lol. It's amazing how much money we piss away on foolsih things and then wonder why we are broke...Ha!


One of my most urgent, important desires in life was to amass a nice, big nest egg of 'emergency money/ funds' for things that break, fail, paying income taxes and insurance, etc. But then something unexpected out of the blue strikes and empties my sack of silver $$$.
Time to eat lunch while it's hot. More latter.

Tom

VA: Surviving Spouses will receive lump sum $$

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

Please forgive me if I send anything that you may have already seen as I took a break to spend time with family.

Hugz, Shelia

Nearly 11,000 Survivors to Receive Retroactive Payments by New Years
Search for Other Eligible Survivors Continues

WASHINGTON (Dec. 24, 2008) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
has identified nearly 11,000 surviving spouses of deceased veterans who
will receive a lump-sum payment before the New Year to correct an error
in their VA benefits. Also documented were more than 73,000 who had
been previously paid. VA officials are still tracking down eligible
survivors.

"I am pleased that our task force working to correct this problem has
been able to identify this first group this week," said Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "We understand the difference these
funds can make for these surviving spouses, especially during the
holiday season."

Payments will be released to these survivors on Dec. 29. The total
value of the payments is about $24 million.

At issue is a 1996 federal law that makes a surviving spouse eligible to
receive the veteran's VA compensation or pension benefit for the month
of the veteran's death. VA failed to properly implement that law in all
cases.

Most likely to have been affected by this problem are surviving spouses
who never applied for VA survivors' benefits following the death of a
veteran. Eligible for the payment are surviving spouses of veterans who
died after Dec. 31, 1996. The Department doesn't have current addresses
for many of them, which makes the process of contacting them difficult.

VA has established a special Survivor Call Center (1-800-749-8387) for
spouses who believe they may be eligible for this retroactive benefit.
The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00
p.m., Central Standard Time. Inquiries may also be submitted through
the Internet at http://www.vba.va.gov/survivorsbenefit.htm.

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One site keeps yo