Pay cut for Politicians, follow up... 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source)

Dakinetalk's favorite Uncle (Chester "Unc" Lau)

Unc follows up about pay cuts for politicians.

"Unc" is a retired cinematographer currently living 

on the Hawai'ian Island of Oahu.

To all  who read my blog, this is a follow up to blog #960, "Congress needs to take a pay cut."
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/03/congress-needs-to-take-pay-cut-chester.html

Follow up on Rep.Diane Russel's Pay cut for politicians during Sequestration,interesting. I bet Hawaii;s legislators pay checks are much higher. will Google Yes,Hawaii legislators' pay is about $46,273.00 for 4 months work!!! no wonder all the crooks want to be a legislator !!!

Aloha,  Chester "Unc" Lau



Dear Chester, 

It’s been amazing to know that 350,000 people stood with me to call on Congress to take a pay cut during Sequestration. However, I have received several emails suggesting I’m a hypocrite for not taking a Congressional pay cut myself. While I’m much more inclined to keep you posted on the good work of other people, I would like to set the record straight.

First, I am not a member of Congress making $174,000 per year. I am a Maine State Representative with an annual salary of about $14,500. That said, I have introduced a bill in Maine to cut our legislator’s and Governor’s pay should we fail to pass a state budget.

It’s pretty simple: If we don’t do our job, we shouldn’t get paid. 

From the State Capitol to the US Capitol, it is time for all politicians to set aside partisan rhetoric and do the job we were elected to do. I’m just a State Rep, but together we can send a message across this country that Americans deserve better representation. You’ve stood with Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. 

Will you stand with me today?

Tweet & Share
Support bill by .@MissWrite to cut ME leg and Govsalaries if state shuts down over budget fight.http://bit.ly/W4XA3i .@BDNpolitics .@stevemistler  #mepolitics


I hope this clarifies just how committed I am to advocating for a more functional, responsive republic that recognizes and values the struggles, hopes and dreams of every American. And just how determined I am to stand with you to see that Congress does as well.

Regards,
~Diane Russell 
Maine State Representative (Portland, ME)


Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter @MissWrite

P.S. Here’s a column I published yesterday in The Hill: “ We must bridge rural digital divide in America“.  

Tweet: It’s Time to Bridge the Digital Divide! http://bit.ly/142TsVd  .@TheHill .@BarackObama .@MissWrite 

Hana Hou


We should mind our own business & take care of our own !!! No more foreign aids,I don't see Saudi Arabia helping us when we had the Sandy Storm !!!

 CHARITY  & FRIENDSHIP IS A TWO WAY STREET, ...YOU CAN'T FEED THEM DON'T BREED THEM !!! GO FORTH & MULTIPLY  ? DONATE ALL THE UNWANTED KIDS TO THE CHURCHES !!! L'oncle Amusant

"Socialism over capitalism..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Bettejo Dux  one of Kauai's true gems, Today she 

guest-blogs about  Socialism over Communism and what works and doesn't work...! Enjoy...

www.bettejodux.com

We owe China a bundle and if they called we’d be in even deeper yogurt.

However, looking to communism as an answer to our financial mess is not the answer, either. Pure communism doesn’t work any better than pure capitalism and I prefer a democratic social system.

First of all, since the disastrous Bush administration, we have not been practicing capitalism. We have been practicing fascism. A bastardized socio/economic system: endless wars for profit.

The rich get rich, the poor get dead. Disgusting. Disgraceful.

Also, pure capitalism never works. I call it the manic depressive economy. Boom/bust. Boom/bust. Read a little history. In the last crash — in 1929 — it gambled with stocks. In the recent crash it gambled with real property and it always ends up in the same mess. It’s the domino theory. A house of cards. It collapses.

There is a middle way. The dread “S” word. Socialism. Study New Zealand’s economy. The Danish economy. Well-managed, happy, prosperous people in a well-managed, happy, prosperous country. People count. Happiness count. Prosperity counts. A socialistic democracy always works.

Peace and love.

This article oringinally appeared as an opinion article in the Kaua'i Garden Island news on 02-16-13
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-saturday-february/article_68f44b70-77f4-11e2-ae9d-0019bb2963f4.html

Burial Grounds Are For The Living... 'James "Kimo" Rosen

Building these days takes numerous permits to comply
with all the regulations. It's amazing anything gets built these days.

It would seem every road we drive probably has some human remains  buried underneath it. Why are so many worried about walkers and bicyclists  using  the multi-use  trail in Wailua  while nobody seems worried about the thousands of cars driving over the same route daily? 

Nobody seems worried about the many buried at sea and millions of human ashes scattered in our oceans. Let's face it, the longer this world exists the more bodies will be buried and cremated. Should we also cease all ocean activity because so many of our ancestor's remains  are scattered in Oceans around the world?

Burial grounds are for the living, not the dead.  Most religions and philosophies believe you go on to a better place and  your afterlife is nowhere near where you are buried or your ashes scattered.

I do understand the opposition, but just feel the world is a burial ground. If this argument wins with all of societies building regulations and environmental codes it seems near impossible for anything to get done these days and into the future. 

Just imagine if we had to build an airport or highway these days, it would never happen.

I'm on Pizza Duty, See You There!

Bettejo Dux  one of Kauai's true gems, Today she 

guest-blogs about a reminder to come one, come all to today's

luncheon meeting of "Bring your own Whine." She's on pizza patrol!   Enjoy.  ;D)

www.bettejodux.com

Follow up to "Bring your own whine blog #957"
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2013/03/bring-your-own-whine-james-kimo-rosen.html

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-sunday-march/article_435f1342-8ed6-11e2-855f-001a4bcf887a.html

The place: Costco, Lihu‘e.

The event: All us cantankerous, silly folks who loved to scream and yell and swear at each other on the discussion site. We miss it.

The time: Monday, around 1 to 1:15 p.m., or thereabouts.

I’ll be there, I’m on pizza duty.

You can come anonymous. Pretend you’re not there. Slink around taking pictures for the FBI, CIA, Naval Intelligence and local cop files.

Better get a good one of me or I’ll sue when I see my dossier.

Please check your weapons — drones, assault or otherwise — at the door

I won’t be wearing a name tag ‘cause I’m infamous.

This blog also appeared as one of Bettejo's columns in the Kaua'i Garden Island News on 03-17-13
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-sunday-march/article_435f1342-8ed6-11e2-855f-001a4bcf887a.html

" Is it Time to retire..?" 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

  

"Guest-blogger Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst N.Y. and has worked in the
 ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years..." 
Today she talks about  how retirement is much different these days. Enjoy!

Is it Time to Retire..?

My husband and I are baby boomers and recently my husband turned the big 60; I am not far behind.
We have begun to use the ‘R’ word in our vocabulary these days and don’t see how that will ever happen
any time soon.

How things have changed from the days when our parents were that age. At 62 my dad was offered a
retirement package from the company he was connected to and  on the road,  for many years.  He
reluctantly took them up on their offer and felt too young to throw in the towel.  He tried a few other
jobs to keep his hand in the ring but succumbed  to a life of leisure and travel with my mom.  Luckily he
was fortunate enough  to do that for he had scrimped and saved for many years.

Today our lives are much different; with the financial upheavals  we have endured during our baby boomer years it will be many many years before any of us can retire.  Now 60 years old has become the new 50 and we are destined to keep our jobs much longer; is it because our generation has chosen to help our children get off to a more secure start.  Have we enabled them for too long?

 I left home at 19 years old  in order to marry and never looked back; returning home was not an option.  Today many of our children ventured out into the world in their 20’s  only to return to home base in their 30’s.  Are our arms too wide open and welcoming to our children?  We so want to help our children have fulfilling lives but is it at the expense of our own. Have we given of ourselves so much that we now are still sacrificing well into our seasoned years?

  To live a comfortable life style these days, both partners must work and find a way to
save at the same time. I cannot believe how our lives have flown by marked with wonderful milestones.
Our parents did their sacrificing in their early years so as to enjoy their senior days.  It seems we have
reversed this way of thinking;  I think our generation has woken up and realized that life is so very short
and should be enjoyed sooner than later.  True we need to save money for our later years but not at the
expense of enjoying the present.  People at our age these days are much more health conscious and are
able to continue working well into our 60’s and 70’s.  Seniors have a wealth of knowledge to offer any
employer that a youngster can only scratch the surface in understanding.  They  have proven to be much
more reliable workers and have plenty to offer any concern.

We will be seeing in the future, many more white haired workers in view of  the direction our  economy
has taken and retirement will be far off in the future for many as long as good  health will hold out.

I for one have just begun to put together  the next chapter of my career and what I will be doing it  into
the next decade. I still find it exciting to be a productive member of the workforce and can still offer
much to many.   If I can find a way to include travel and work together I will be truly fulfilled.  Even the
baby boomers need to still live fulfilled lives giving back and contributing every day.   Whether it is with
work, leisure activities or volunteering, the key to staying “young” at heart is activity.  Rarely do we see
someone in their 60’s  retiring these days; either they have little retirement to live off of or they still
want to contribute to the work force.  Many times it is their health conditions that push them into an
early retirement.  I for one am looking forward to starting the second half of my life and I can only hope
that I am able to fulfill my dreams enjoying good health.

"Congress needs to take a pay cut..!" 'Chester "Unc" Lau' (Source)

Dakinetalks favorite Uncle (Chester Lau)

is back talking Congress practicing what they preach..!

"Unc" is a retired cinematographer currently living 

on the Hawai'ian Island of Oahu.

Dear Fellow Dakinetalk Blog Readers, this is from Diane Russell
State Representative, Portland, Maine. I totally support her and hope you do too!  Chester "Unc" Lau

The number of Congresspeople voluntarily taking a pay cut right now. 

Rep. Tammy Duckworth served in the Iraq War as a US Army helicopter pilot where she lost both her legs. While most of Congress has exempted itself from salary cuts, newly elected Tammy Duckworth is taking a pay cut during Sequestration. Let's thank her for stepping up and send a message to other members of Congress that people will support those who do.

Can you sign the online card thanking Rep. Duckworth for her leadership?

355,862 ~ The number of people who have signed our petition demanding Congress and the President take a pay cut during Sequestration. 

The Washington Post featured us in a recent article about the Congressional Sequestration pay cut exemption. In it, they note that the 27th Amendment is not a factor in why Congressional members have been exempted, indicating that there is no clear reason why they have been. It remains a mystery. 


500,000 ~ The number of people we need signed on for members of Congress to wake up and listen to us. Can you help build our numbers?

Email, Tweet or Share the following with your friends: 
Congress exempts self in sequester http://wapo.st/YOezCo Sign the petition & demand they take a pay cut! http://bit.ly/ZESkSn @MissWrite @PostPolitics @SignOn

Thank you for all you do - and for standing up with me. 

Cheers,
~Diane Russell
State Representative
Portland, Maine

Find me on Facebook
Twitter @MissWrite

P.S. One last thing...
Last week, I told you about Colucci's, the store I work at part-time. Over the weekend, the upstairs apartments set fire (probably arson) destroying them. Thankfully, no one was hurt given that it started at 3:30 AM. However, the store has sustained serious water damage, people (including Mr. Colucci) are homeless, my co-workers are out of a paycheck and the owners watched their dreams go up in smoke. It was a rough weekend, but your kind, encouraging emails sustained my faith in humanity. Thank you.

"A JEWISH man and a CHINESE man..." 'Marvin Gross' (Source)

Marvin Gross a financial consultant from Western New York shares
more wisdom with Dakinetalk. Enjoy!  

Jewish versus Chinese

 A JEWISH man and a CHINESE man entered a chocolate store. As they were busy looking, the CHINESE man stole 3 chocolate bars. 

As they left the store, the CHINESE man said to the JEWISH man, "Man I'm the best thief, I stole 3 chocolate bars and no one saw me. You can't beat that."

JEWISH man replied: "You want to see something better? Let's go back to the shop and oy, I'll show you real stealing."

So they went to the counter and the JEWISH man said to the shopkeeper, "Do you want to see magic?" 

The shopkeeper replied, "Yes." 

The JEWISH man said, "Give me one chocolate bar." 

The shopkeeper gave him one, and he ate it. 

The JEWISH man asked for a second bar, and he ate that as well. He asked for the third, and finished that one too. 

The shopkeeper asked: "But where's the magic?"

The JEWISH man replied: "Check in my friend's pocket, and you'll find all three bars of chocolate."

You just CAN'T beat  JEWISH Chutzpah