Post Scripts

Posted by Tina

Update: Thanks to a very nice comment from Sara Landvogt, the owner of the photo at right, we can now give credit where credit is due. Thank you, Sara, for granting permission to use this photo. The dog is adorable and you are a gracious person for allowing us to use it.

Here’s a warm & funny for a little change of pace…

“In a Tale That Wags Dog Owners, They Rent Flocks for Bored Collies,” By Michael M. Phillips – WSJ

BATTLE GROUND, Wash.–Sue Foster knew what she needed to do when her border collie, Taff, was expelled from puppy school for herding the black Labs into a corner.

She rented some sheep.

Then she bought another border collie and rented some grazing land. Then she bought some sheep of her own. And a third border collie. Now, like the old lady who swallowed the fly, Ms. Foster keeps a llama to chase off the coyotes that threaten the lambs that go to market to finance the sheep that entertain her dogs.

Once upon a time, Americans got dogs for their sheep. Now they get sheep for their dogs. “I never dreamed it would go this far,” says Ms. Foster, 56 years old.

Posted by Tina

A while back I posted a story about the smart people in the Chilean government who decided to privatize their retirement program. Investor’s Business Daily gives us an update on how that plan is doing today:

Pinera’s proposal began with scrapping the payroll tax on the country’s social security system and inviting all workers to take the money they were contributing and move it into a private pension.

Workers would be free to choose the fund, how much to put in, and at what age they would retire, with a minimal safety net built into the design. Past contributions would be refunded to workers by government bond. And anyone who didn’t like the idea was free to remain with the system as it was. It was a huge success: 95% of Chile’s workers chose the private system.

Pinera told the public to expect a compounded 4% rate of return under the private plan. But as of 2010, the average annual rate of return was 9.23%, far higher than promised.
By contrast, the U.S. social security system, which today accounts for a quarter of the U.S. government budget, is slated to give retiring workers in the next decade a 1% to 2% rate of return. And those entering the system today will see a negative return.

This plan was enacted nearly 30 years ago. That means our representatives have had plenty of time to observe and evaluate this model. Why in the world do our representatives refuse to learn from what can clearly be see in front of their very own eyes? Better yet, why did they not take Milton Freidman’s advice 30 years ago? Is this not America, the land of the free?

Why does our government refuse to do what is clearly in the best interest of the people? The obvious answer is that such a plan would encourage and support independence. A follow up question would be, is dependency something we should give the “working poor” when they could be enjoying a 9.23% return on their retirement investment instead? We have given them crumbs, 1%-2% at best, with a bonus,,,a future tax burden on their children and grandchildren that will put them in chains.

SHAME on those in Congress, and across this land, that have clung to the unsustainable US Social Security model and blocked all efforts to privatize our system.

China’s military is deploying a new anti-ship ballistic missile that can sink U.S. aircraft carriers, a weapon that specialists say gives Beijing new power-projection capabilities that will affect U.S. support for its Pacific allies.

Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, disclosed to a Japanese newspaper on Sunday that the new anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is now in the early stages of deployment after having undergone extensive testing.

“An analogy using a Western term would be ‘initial operational capability (IOC),’ whereby I think China would perceive that it has an operational capability now, but they continue to develop it,” Adm. Willard told the Asahi Shimbun. “I would gauge it as about the equivalent of a U.S. system that has achieved IOC.”

The four-star admiral, who has been an outspoken skeptic of China’s claims that its large-scale military buildup is peaceful, said the U.S. deployment assessment is based on China’s press reports and continued testing.

The new weapon, the “D” version of China’s DF-21 medium-range missile, involves firing the mobile missile into space, returning it into the atmosphere and then maneuvering it to its target

Military officials consider using ballistic missiles against ships at sea to be a difficult task that requires a variety of air, sea and space sensors, navigation systems and precision guidance technology – capabilities not typical of other Chinese missiles.

Asked about the integrated system, Adm. Willard said that “to have something that would be regarded as in its early operational stage would require that system be able to accomplish its flight pattern as designed, by and large.”

The admiral said that while the U.S. thinks “that the component parts of the anti-ship ballistic missile have been developed and tested,” China’s testing has not gone as far as a live-fire test attack on an actual ship.

This weird internet find was too good not to share.

From all of us at Post Scripts to each of you, our special friends, may your day be filled with love and good cheer….

A very special Christmas greeting goes out to our men and women in the military serving this nation all across the world…with our thanks…God bless you

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and The Government shall be upon His Shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty GOD, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this” – Isaiah 9:6-7

Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, Who is called Christ. 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost. 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 1:21 And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His Name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet, saying, 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God With Us. 1:24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the LORD had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn Son: and he called His Name JESUS.

2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2:2 Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews for we have seen His Star in the east, and are come to worship Him. 2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule My people Israel. 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the Star appeared. 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young Child; and when ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also. 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the Star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
2:10 When they saw the Star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

by Jack

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment, so many people to shop for – so little time left…and so little money left! I’m down to collecting loose change from the couch and cashing in my aluminum cans! Like so many of us, this year has been tough on my budget, really tough, but the year 2010 is almost over and only two more small presents to buy before my shopping is done. 2011 is looking better. Anyway, I hope you’ve fared better than me and you got your shopping done really early, because it’s a madhouse out here today. You really don’t want to be out here fighting this traffic, trust me.

It’s a crazy busy shopping time, but that’s good, it appears that we’re finally starting to come out of this long nasty recession! It’s a good sign that we’re not clutching our pocket books quite so tight. In fact I’ve heard it being predicted that this Christmas shopping season looks like it will be the best in the last 3 years. On the other hand people like me still don’t have all that much spare cash, even though we’re spending a bit more thanks mostly to our renewed optimism about our future.

Our workforce is still subject to more layoffs, that part is slowing down and those left working, being tasked to do more with less, are seeing the benefits of having stayed employed. Companies have leaned on their best people so much they’re afraid they might lose them to a competitor and this has cause a recent surge in perks, if not a better salary. Another good sign we’re coming out of recession. (Said with fingers crossed)

Well, I’ve got to dash into Costco and then on to Tractor Supply, those are my last two stops and I’m finally done shopping! Yippeee! I’ll have to cut it off now…. Merry Christmas everyone!

One month after a deadly exchange of artillery fire, the two Koreas ramped up their rhetoric, with South Korea’s president pledging unsparing retaliation if attacked again and a top North Korean official threatening a “sacred” nuclear war if provoked.

South Korean troops, tanks and fighter jets put on a thundering display of force Thursday as President Lee Myung-bak visited with soldiers at a base near the border, while North Korea’s elite marked a key military anniversary by lashing out at the South for encouraging war.

For both countries, the rallying cries and military maneuvers mainly seemed designed to build support at home. But they raised fears anew of all-out war on a peninsula that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson called a “tinderbox” after returning from a visit to the North Korean capital this week. Full story