Forein Aid in the Time of Soaring Budget Deficits

Insane, isnt it?  Estimates for FY 2011 budget deficit vary, but most agree the number is somewhere north of one trillion (1000 billion) dollars.  Yet, with all this red ink we continue to spend upwards of 50 billion dollars in foreign aid. Using figures from the Census Department website, http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/foreign_commerce_aid/foreign_aid.html  we can see how this foreign aid is distributed worldwide and the amounts and the recipients of this aid defy common sense.

A good example is aid to Pakistan, which was 1.25 billion dollars for FY 2009.  What do we get for our money, you ask?  Elements within the Pakistani government, military and intelligence services (ISI) are actively sheltering Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces within Pakistani territory.  The article from the Washington Post sheds light on the issue.  Although commending Pakistan for latest round of crackdowns, sympathetic elements within the ISI still harbor, protect and possibly supply intelligence to Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces.
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/10/AR2010041002111.html

I find myself agreeing with Rand Paul (R-Texas) that it is time to reconsider our foreign aid expenditures.  Much budget-cutting must be done with haste to prevent a debt default here in the US and foreign aid is but one area of potential budget cuts.  Other agencies' and departments' budgets require more intense scrutiny as well.  Let's hope that the wave of Republicans swept into Congress in 2010 are serious about budget-cutting and oversight which is their constitutionally mandated power, the power of the purse.

Rocktoberfest 2009 - October 2 & 3

It is with great heaviness in my heart that this Old Goat reports The Rock For Life outdoor concerts in Iselin and Ford City PA have ended for 2009.  Friday's festivities and bands were rained out, but Saturday came off without a hitch.  Friday, disregarding any notion of common sense The Old Goat and his "tribe" pitched our tents (albeit in hit and miss showers), built our fire, and got down to partying.  My daughter Tia encouraged me to come to my first Rock for Life event, The End of Summer Jam 2008.  Rocktoberfest 2008 was my first camp out at the Iselin ball field and I had a blast!  I would like to sound off with a special thanks to Steve Craven, bassist for After the Fall and Rock For Life board member.  In fact, I would like to say it to all the volunteers who make these events happen.

I also want to thank Dick's Lunch, the chief food vendor who fed many with some damn good food!  The cheesesteak he made for me Saturday night hit the spot (after half a dozen Rolling Rocks and a few shots of that evil brew, Jaegermeister).  There was a tattoo artist who did a brisk business despite a lower-than-usual turnout.  Also, the Christian Church next door sold food and some great coffee that made rolling out of a slightly warm air mattress for the cold morning worth it.

Participating Bands

• Terafin
• Shattered
• After the Fall
• BIG HOUSE PETE
• My Last October
• The Hitchcock Curse
• TangenT
• Dragline
• This Calling
• Embers and Ashes
• From Within
• Creep
• LORD GRUNGE and the skells
• E*C*T

Lastly, I want to say thanks to my "tribe" as the group campsites resemble a tribal gathering.  Some did not make all of the festivals this year, but are mentioned here as well.  Listed as follows (last names omitted by request):

• My daughter Tia and her boyfriend Brian
• Her brother Ryan and his girlfriend Jade
  
• Her mother, Kim
• Jeff (was lost tribe member, returned for RFL 2009)
  
• Matt and his girlfriend 'Trish
• Sierra
• Tim and Gina
• Bill-Bill
• Andy
• Zeke and his wife Cindy
• "Oregon" George and "Little Mikey"
•  Freddie
• Bev (Matt's mom)
• Rick
• Tony
• "Monkey"

Click on the pics below to enlarge...

 

THANKS FOR A GREAT SUMMER!  C-YA IN 2010!

11th Annual End of Summer Jam 19 September 2009

Ah yes, summer is over and its passing wouldn't be quite the same without a huge local rock and roll festival.  The place is Falcon Park, Ford City PA.  Everyone had a blast camping, eating, drinking and listening to the sounds of local bands such as After the Fall, kaj, Terry McCausland Band, Hitchcock Curse, and many more.  After the music was done the party continued as people were camped along Crooked Creek, which runs behind the park.  Unfortunately this Old Goat passed out by 1:00am, but everyone else had a blast!  Check out some of the pics.

Top is my daughter, Tia and of course, the bottom is the Old Goat.  Below is a shot of the Terry McCausland Band.

To the right, the morning after cleanup.  Pictured is Ryan, Tia's brother and Jade, his girlfriend.

Taking the Battle to the Enemy...Tea Party Protest 12 September 2009

The protest today in Washington DC was phenomenal!  I could not attend, but hats off to all who did.  Estimates go from 60,000 (Park Police) to 2 Million (Daily Mail UK, Michelle Malkin)!  Of course, the media and all the race-baiters will call it racism.  The pic below says it all....

8 Long Years Later

I CAN NEVER FORGET, GOD TEACH ME HOW TO FORGIVE.....

I will wear black on Friday (9/11) and I will come outside at 8:46am, the time of the first airliner striking the North Tower.

Islam, on that day became my sworn enemy.  I pray for Mecca to be consumed by a multi-megaton fireball.  Islam belies intellectual filth for these people do not think, reason or show mercy.  They are incapable of living with neighbors different than them.  They treat their woman as chattel, their children as possessions, and all "infidels" as subhuman.

This "kaffir" dares you to strike out again.  This time there will be no equivocating George Bush stating fallaciously that "Islam is a religion of peace."  We will truly strike back this time in any foreign theater of combat, in any corner of the globe, and in the streets, this you must never forget!

912 Organizations

Just wanted to say to those who are heading to DC on Saturday, 12 September 2009 good luck and may God magnify your voices so that those "elected" to lead hear you loud and clear.

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of 9/12, click the link below:

http://www.the912project.com/

I cannot attend, but go in spirit.  I will try to attend the local events, but Saturday is always a bad day for me to plan anything.

From Obama and CNN (Communist News Network).....

Now, this Joker is calling for government 401K plans for workers due to essentially zero percent private savings rate. 

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/05/news/economy/Obama_retiremetn/index.htm?postversion=2009090506

The Republicans offered up, not 2 years ago the concept of actually allowing workers to divert some of their social security taxes (make no mistake, the fund was pillaged and looted many years ago) into private 401K's hoping for a better return then the measly 2.5% Social Security offers.  The Demonazi's went ballistic, heaping scorn on such a ridiculous notion.

Now, this Joker proposes making it easier for workers to what?  Invest in private IRA's.  Only BO gets to keep the Social Security taxes to fund our tax-spend-borrow the rest Congress and all the bloated agencies of the Executive Branch.  They looted the "fund" completely back in the early 70's and now the program is running huge deficits in balance of payments.

Mind you, I agree we need more investing, but let's look at the returns on bank CD's.  Minimum deposit of 5000.00 and a 60 month CD yields 2.5% APR.  The banks, however, like to charge us 28% interest on our credit cards and 5-7% on mortgages with car loans even higher.

OK, then let's go into mutual funds.  With all of the new regulations on business and the job-killing taxes, companies will be hard pressed to realize profits strong enough to support stock prices.  The worker has little options in either scenario.

Well, gold is at 1000.00 per ounce, I should have bought at 300.00 back in 2004.  Easier to squirrel away gold from these money-grabbing government thugs.  I am experiencing some financial hardships in my life right now, but in no way do I want someone from the government, essentially at gunpoint, to walk in and take another man's property in my name using  confiscatory taxation rates.

One Picture Says it All.....

One of My County Favorites

A Song for that Special Someone in My Life...

Rock for Life 2009

Rock for Life X August 7 and 8 in Iselin PA, Indiana County. Pic One is of my daughter Tia, (R) and one of her friends Sierra, (L) on Saturday. Pic Two is of my daughter's brother Ryan and Pic Three is his girlfriend Jade and Pic Four is Tia's mom, Kim. Pic Five is a critter that wandered into camp and just kinda hung around. Never did get the guy's name...hell, I didn't even identify his species. A little rain failed to lower the tempo of this outdoor festival/party/campout/yearly tribal gathering. Bands sold CD's while food vendors gave people something to put in their stomachs other that alcohol. The campsites by the woodline near the tower filled with the smells of burgers, hotdogs, brats, chicken and yes, I smelled steaks done right over charcoal. A tattoo vendor had a booth and was doing a brisk business with $20 RFL tattoos and other more costly ink. The video is of Skell, RFL participant band and just unbelievably good for the genre. I went to school with the frontman, Pat Bono.

BTW, to the people camped near us I ask the question, "Didn't you see the hole in the ground and the angry hornets buzzing around it?" Believe this, hornets DO attack at night! I got nailed twice. Also, I'd like to sound out a thanks to Cindy and Zeke for all of their work to feed us, the canopy and your shower! Sierra, did the tattoo hurt, hehehe? Also, let's give a round of applause to Toddy. She was the most intoxicated person I have ever seen that still had a pulse!

Gigaroo 2009

Just spent a great weekend (24 and 25 July 2009) partying in the small town of Iselin PA for a 15 band weekend festival called Gigaroo. I had a great birthday and the silly string fight was good. A great time was had by all.