Government Corruption

Someone has suggested that even the best of intentions by the best and most honorable men are subject to corruption.  I tend to agree wholeheartedly.  Just look at the mess.  The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775; after 234 years, it is broke.  Social Security was established in 1935; after 74 years, it is broke.  Fannie Mae was established in 1938; after 71 years, it is broke.  The War on Poverty was started in 1964; after 45 years, $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.  Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965; after 44 years, they are broke.  Freddie Mac was established in 1970; after 39 years, it is broke.  The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before; after 32 years, it is an abysmal failure.  Now, here comes the health care law.  I didn't bother to look for a picture to post with this blog. 

Not funny at all

I'm just writing a little post here so that I can say I have not forgotten my little blog altogether.  The 2012 Summer Olympics have started in London but I do not know a single one of the athletes - not one. Not a single person in any of the sports. I don't even know how many Olympic sports there are. I know there is swimming and the high jump but that's about it. It's not funny but I really don't care. As long as I have my Daiquiris I am fine. Thanks.

Cheating is Fun

From a recent Yahoo! News story: “SAO PAULO – The founder of one of Brazil's biggest evangelical churches siphoned off billions of dollars in donations from his mostly poor followers to buy jewelry, TV stations and other businesses for himself, authorities charged Tuesday. A Brazilian judge accepted charges from prosecutors alleging that Bishop Edir Macedo and nine other people linked to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God committed fraud against the church itself and against its numerous followers. Sao Paulo state's prosecutor’s office alleged in a statement that Macedo and the others took more than $2 billion in donations from 2003 to 2008 alone, but charged that the alleged scheme went back 10 years. Prosecutors said the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God receives nearly $800 million in donations every year from faithful in 4,500 temples across Brazil. The church claims to have nearly 8 million followers in Brazil and many more around the world. Prosecutors said the church tells its members it needs donations — cash, checks, cars and other goods — to finance new temples and to pay for religious programs on radio and TV. The church allegedly used fake companies to launder the money, moving the assets abroad and then returning them in the form of loans used by Macedo and his accomplices to buy businesses, prosecutors said. Macedo, who founded the church in 1977, owns a large television network, three newspapers and several radio stations. He also owns a tourism agency and an air taxi company.” If one wants to be unjust and corrupt, there is no better place to hide than behind the cloak of the church. Some church ministers are no better than most politicians. Who can stop them? Nobody.