SHORT & SWEET... BUT, IT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF Obama's SKILL...

It seems like a miracle that our beloved leader was able to convince BP to establish a $20 billion slush (oops, escrow) fund to compensate those hurt by the ongoing oil plume in the Gulf of Mexico. After all, he had no constitutional power to force them to do so; so had to resort to Chicago-style negotiating.

But, let us take a closer look at the effect on BP's finances:

1. BP will establish a $20 billion fund, but will pay only $7 billion into
it during 2010.

2. BP is a British corporation, but has a very large operating entity in the US but only about 30% of it's income is derived from the US.

3. By Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAP), BP must book the entire $20 billion expense in the year accrued. Therefore, they will book a $20 billion expense in 2010, reducing their US tax liability by $7 billion.

4. Our dear leader also convinced this massive corporation to show their concern for the "small people" by withholding dividends to their
shareholders for the last 3 quarters of 2010. This reduces their outward cash flow by about $7.5 billion, including approximately 40% of that amount to US citizens. Assuming that the Bush tax cuts will survive through 2010, the US Treasury will lose another $450 million in taxes on that amount. We won't even discuss the effect on the US economy.

Let us put the results into a table easily understood by the small people (including me):

BP Cash Flow:

o Escrow funding ($7 billion)

o Dividend saving $7.5 billion

o Tax savings $7 billion

o Net favorable cash flow : $7.5 billion


US Treasury Tax Receipts:

o BP Corporate income tax .... minus $7.5 billion

o BP Shareholders ..... minus $0.45 billion

o Net unfavorable tax receipts ..... minus $7.95 billion

I guess we really should expect this. After all, our dear leader is the
most inexperienced man in ANY room he enters.

Now tell me ..Did the enlightened one "Kick Ass", or did he get "Sucker Punched"?

This is just one more reason why a 'community organizer" should NOT be negotiating anything dealing with money and finances!

Bottom line: The $20 Billion BP is putting up will create a $7.5 Billion
positive cash for BP flow this year. But, Obama actually "thinks" he really did something special and "kicked ass' (in his own words).

In reality, BP executives are laughing at him and 'kicked his ass". Oh
well..what's new with this President anyway??? He is in over his head when he starts dealing with "business people".

I had 4 homers last night, haven't played that well for like 5 years. Only one was out, but I did have to run hard on the other three. I can still feel the ankle too. Lyndsey looked glanced at it during the fair and gasped. It's not really that bad, just takes a while for it to get back to normal size......I can still out run Austin. I also had an awesome throw home, luckily Brad was there to handle it.

Austin and Geometry haven't started off too well.....He already hates it

I was asked this morning "How do you feel about pineapple?" This is what came to mind first.


More steak tonight, I'm not sure If I've ever ridden this many steak rides immediately after RAGBRAI. Usually I'm preoccupied with other pursuits I guess.

Freakin Winston's is closing.....well I don't have to be bothered about going there anymore or one of the "HA HA we're at Winston's, you're at work". Closing September 3rd. Already lost the mouse infested La Pizza House and Jimmy's

...all I can say is Street Hawk....boys watched one last night....

Blaise is just full of questions all the time...usually at the wrong time.

After 45 minutes of tracking down why the taillight fuse suddenly starting blowing, finally drilling two new holes and replacing one of the taillights assembly's. Rich had thought he was doing the right thing. Like normal things just don't work out like they should. Undoubtedly, it will work better now. It just took that 45 minutes I already had planned. No more turning it to get a good connection.

Deep Thought of the Day : It would be terrible if the Red Cross Bloodmobile got into an accident. No, wait. That would be good because if anyone needed it, the blood would be right there.

Great full moon last night and of course I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. So I went running at about 1:30am got home about 4. I ran down the road and just went walk about on some of our land reminiscing about the past. The hours I spent out there working, chasing, building, driving, riding, sweating, bleeding, you name it...I spent alot of time out and miss most of it....very refreshing...not the same now as when I was growing up being surrounded by members of my family working together accomplishing tasks. I learned so much back then about most everything. This is the stuff I want to pass on to my boys, but it's extremely hard nowadays with all their activities, being with their mom half the time...and everything else. I think having that inside of me is an important part of who I am. I also think most are missing that kind of deep emotional connections with one's self.....

....and yes I did keep my eyes open for deer as I ran down the road. Heather asked me this morning about dying from a deer. Something I never thought possible till that one day back approximately in 1998 driving to work at 4:30 in the morning. A deer going full stride rammed into the side of my car. Luckily his antlers straddled the windshield support. It was like something out of a movie. Half inside and half outside. Glass just shattering. This happened on the passenger side, if it was my side, I wouldn't be here. His antlers were only inches away as he struggled to get free tearing the heck out of my headliner.....If I would have had a passenger they would have been killed. This woke me up, I had no clue a deer could be that dangerous, so anytime I go running at night, I pay attention now.......cause he came out of no where....just running along....

I don't actually feel tired for the lack of sleep.

Old Rock Stars


Finished up Firestone for the Farm Progress Show.......

Austin and I have been arguing about his locker/book bag...He carries his entire school supplies and books in his back pack. I tell him he's nuts. Claims he doesn't have time to get to his locker and etc....He still needs to figure out how to manage his time better, unless there is something I'm missing or not informed about. Maybe he's just trying to build his legs up.....
Losing Stacy this weekend to Russia

Jim backed out of the Belgium Assault Ride on Saturday, of course I lost $30, but it was worth it as Austins game was rescheduled. Otherwise I don't know what I would have done. Probably Austin.

Lets hope the bus comes back tonight in one piece.......

Softball tonight. After playing catch with Austin last night, he scares me. He's amazed how strong I am. Even thought I'm extremely weaker from where I have been before. He needs to get that mind of his open more.......

US Navy Captain Ouimette is the Executive Officer at Naval Air Station, Pensacola , Florida. Here is a copy of the speech he gave last month. It is an accurate account of why we are in so much trouble today and why this action is so necessary.

It came from here......



AMERICA NEEDS TO WAKE UP!

That's what we think we heard on the 11th of September 2001 (When more than 3,000 Americans were killed) and maybe it was, but I think it should have been 'Get Out of Bed!' In fact, the alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued to hit the snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep since then.

It was a cool fall day in November 1979 in a country going through a religious and political upheaval when a group of Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran . This seizure was an outright attack on American soil; it was an attack that held the world's most powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency The attack on this sovereign U. S. Embassy set the stage for events to follow for the next 25 years.

America was still reeling from the aftermath of the Vietnam experience and had a serious threat from the Soviet Union when then, President Carter, had to do something. He chose to conduct a clandestine raid in the desert. The ill-fated mission ended in ruin, but stood as a symbol of America 's inability to deal with terrorism.

America 's military had been decimated and down sized since the end of the Vietnam War. A poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to execute a complex mission that was doomed from the start.

Shortly after the Tehran experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and killed throughout the Middle East . America could do little to protect her citizens living and working abroad. The attacks against US soil continued.

In April of 1983 a large vehicle packed with high explosives was driven into the US Embassy compound in Beirut When it explodes, it kills 63 people. The alarm went off again and America hit the Snooze Button once more.

Then just six short months later in 1983 a large truck heavily laden down with over 25 00 pounds of TNT smashed through the main gate of the US Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut and 241 US servicemen are killed. America mourns her dead and hit the Snooze Button once more.

Two months later in December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven into the US Embassy in Kuwait , and America continues her slumber.

The following year, in September 1984, another van was driven into the gate of the US Embassy in Beirut and America slept.

Soon the terrorism spreads to Europe . In April 1985 a bomb explodes in a restaurant frequented by US soldiers in Madrid

Then in August 1985 a Volkswagen loaded with explosives is driven into the main gate of the US Air Force Base at Rheine-Main, 22 are killed and the snooze alarm is buzzing louder and louder as US interests are continually attacked.

Fifty-nine days later in 1985 a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro is hijacked and we watched as an American in a wheelchair is singled out of the passenger list and executed.

The terrorists then shift their tactics to bombing civilian airliners when they bomb TWA Flight 840 in April of 1986that killed 4 and the most tragic bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie , Scotland in 1988, killing 259.

The wake up alarm is getting louder and louder.

The terrorists decide to bring the fight to America . In January 1993, two CIA agents are shot and killed as they enter CIA headquarters in Langley , Virginia

The following month, February 1993 , a group of terrorists are arrested after a rented van packed with explosives is driven into the underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City . Six people are killed and over 1000 are injured. Still this is a crime and not an act of war? The Snooze alarm is depressed again.

Then in November 1995 a car bomb explodes at a US military complex in Riyadh Saudi Arabia killing seven service men and women.

A few months later in June of 1996, another truck bomb explodes only 35 yards from the US military compound in Dhahran , Saudi Arabia . It destroys the Khobar Towers , a US Air Force barracks, killing 19 and injuring over 500. The terrorists are getting braver and smarter as they see that America does not respond decisively.

They move to coordinate their attacks in a simultaneous attack on two US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania . These attacks were planned with precision. They kill 224. America responds with cruise missile attacks and goes back to sleep.

The USS Cole was docked in the port of Aden, Yemen for refueling on 12 October 2000 , when a small craft pulled along side the ship and exploded killing 17 US Navy Sailors. Attacking a US War Ship is an act of war, but we sent the FBI to investigate the crime and went back to sleep.

And of course you know the events of 11 September 2001. Most Americans think this was the first attack against US soil or in America . How wrong they are. America has been under a constant attack since 1979 and we chose to hit the snooze alarm and roll over and go back to sleep.

In the news lately we have seen lots of finger pointing from every high official in government over what they knew and what they didn't know. But if you've read the papers and paid a little attention I think you can see exactly what they knew. You don't have to be in the FBI or CIA or on the National Security Council to see the pattern that has been developing since 1979.

I think we have been in a war for the past 25 years and it will continue until we as a people decide enough is enough. America needs to 'Get out of Bed' and act decisively now. America has been changed forever. We have to be ready to pay the price and make the sacrifice to ensure our way of life continues. We cannot afford to keep hitting the snooze button again and again and roll over and go back to sleep.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor , Admiral Yamamoto said '... it seems all we have done is awakened a sleeping giant.' This is the message we need to disseminate to terrorists around the world.

This is not a political thing to be hashed over in an election year, this is an AMERICAN thing. This is about our Freedom and the Freedom of our children in years to come.

Can you tell which one is Austin?

Freshman game on Friday was postponed till Saturday and they rolled over Hoover. Austin looked fine on Saturday going 5 of 6, about 130 yards and 3 TD's. He wasn't happy about his performance, but it was much better then the scrimmage from the prior week. It also helped that Hoover was horrible, and I mean horrible. Austin shared quarterbacking duties with Trey, Trey started the game. Austin played more and was given more passing opportunities.

The varsity still played Friday night and Keegan started and he was extremely impressive. If he doesn't get hurt or something else, he will be highly sought after for one of the big schools...either in football, basketball, or even track......

Austin plays Ankeny on Thursday. Problem next week ISU and Austin play at the same time.....

Not much over the weekend...little work around home. A couple more totes full... Trying to unwind from RAGBRAI and the fair.......K..think I'm unwound....

Two softball games this week.

Kickball starts next week...this will be interesting....awww just fun! Don't know if I've played since 6th grade.

The Kamikazes now have a fan page....but what do we do with it.

Rich's son is having his bachelor party tomorrow....and they are using the bus.....

MS Ride this weekend and the RAGBRAI Reunion Ride on Saturday.......

Deep Thought of the Day: I believe you should live each day as if it were your last, which is why I don't have any clean laundry. Because, come on, who wants to wash clothes on the last day of his life?