Saturday Smorgasbord

Here are some odds-and-ends to end the week...

• Anyone else notice that their paychecks were a bit "lighter" on the net income side?

Seems Congress restored the Bush-GOP Era Tax Cuts, not the Obama-Dem Tax Cut Package. The rates were higher in the Bush/GOP package, meaning everyone on the lower end of the pay scale had more money taken out of their first check of the year.

Guess what? If you earn more than $100gs, you actually got more money in net pay! Try explaining that one to your administrative assistant.

• My man in Congress is sponsoring a bill to kill Obama Care.

Says it's un-American, will kill businesses, yada-yada-yada. Wants to go back to the Good Old Days of Yesteryear when the Insurance companies would drop you if you came down with an illness that actually costs money to treat.

Problem is: more than 50 % of his constituents either don't have health insurance, or else they don't have adequate coverage.

I learned all about this because he mailed everyone in the district two flyers, using his Franking Privilege -- that's when a Congressman or Senator can send you mail without postage by just applying a signature to the envelope.

Problem is: sending a district-wide double mailing has cost we taxpayers in excess of $1.5 million.

I think that kind of money would be better-spent on quality health care.

• I heard off-hand that a Yale study recommends ways for states to get out of their Red-Ink Zones.

Nice to know that one of Earth's most-prestigious institutions of high learning has taken a hard look at how states can cope during a down economy.

So: what does Yale recommend?

(Again, for the record, this is third-hand info -- but it's worth sharing, anyway.)

Change federal law to allow those states which cannot balance their budgets to declare bankruptcy.

By declaring insolvency, states can then get out from under their pension fund obligations!

If federal law permits states to declare bankruptcy, then the states can then change their own laws and permit cities and towns swimming in debt to follow suit.

Did you spend you career working for state government? Did you retire from a police force, or a fire department? Did you inspire students as a public school teacher? Do you get a state, or municipal pension?

If you do, or if you are planning on getting one in the future, I'd be very, very afraid.

• Finally, how about that cat up in the Boston area that received a summons for jury duty?

Seems that the owner of "Sam The Cat" included him as a family member in a recent census. That info got into the hands of the Suffolk County Court, which issued the summons.

"Sam The Cat" will get out of his civic duty because the owner checked off an excuse box that claims he doesn't speak, nor does he understand, the English Language.

Hey, on second thought, neither do mine!