tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post3800865384263672481..comments2023-10-12T06:48:28.266-07:00Comments on Aviation Critic & Enthusiast: A Little Dab (of Precaution) Will Do 'YaPhil Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02845059507310419482noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-34836198687306054002009-10-11T23:30:48.487-07:002009-10-11T23:30:48.487-07:00Wow,
I certainly enjoy the discussion (and a civil...Wow,<br />I certainly enjoy the discussion (and a civil one at that!!:) about health care- especially the comparison from Julius and others of non-USA systems, and EclipsePilotOMSIV's inputs as a participant from his vantage point.<br /><br />New headline post is up. (Some of my numbers are based on recollections of previous threads- please comment/correct any inaccuracies- thanks!).Phil Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845059507310419482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-44426956309073274122009-10-11T19:43:00.371-07:002009-10-11T19:43:00.371-07:00Cloud
There is so much I could say in response, b...Cloud<br /><br />There is so much I could say in response, but I strip away about ninety percent . . . to say the following.<br /><br />Had I taken the “lighten up a bit” attitude years ago, an entire string of events would not have taken place . . . and in this “blog”, I don’t feel at liberty to share the story. But suffice it to say, while looking back, I see the value of having faced reality of physical challenges, major surgeries, and problems almost beyond numbering . . . <br /><br />There is a difference between being “happy”, and having true “joy” in the midst of problems that are anything but “happy”. True joy is a condition that does not depend on being “happy”.<br /><br />Years ago, I suggested a method of joining blood vessels, and was “shot down” by a neurosurgeon . . . it couldn’t be done, and he had a pile of paperwork to prove it. But over a weekend, I produced the first drawings, and by the following Tuesday, the neurosurgeon and others had signed the disclosure paperwork. Within a short time, the first successful clips and tools were produced in our little shop. (And, since no-one is going to get excited by a surgical system invented by a “knuckle buster back-street machinist”, the names of two neurosurgeons were added to the patents, to help move the thing forward. Even then, the "years long" battle with a major medical company that dominates 70% of the suture market in the free world was almost overwhelming . . . but we won in the end.)<br /><br />But during that time, I had to face the reality of my own physical condition . . . and went through some serious procedures in my own heart. I could have “lightened up” and ignored my own problems, but by facing reality and allowing the corrections, I was able to continue the project, and today the system has gone on to save many lives, in this country, and world-wide. This is not a “boast”, but just a recognition of events. God could have easily used someone else, but He didn’t.<br /><br />Yes . . . you’re curious, so here’s a video that runs about ten minutes from the company that now has the current license for the clip system (I hope you’re not put-off by graphic pictures of surgery . . . actually, these are quite “tame”, compared to having been there, done that, as it were):<br /><br />http://www.lemaitre.com/medical_anastoclip_video.asp<br /><br />We could apply the same principles to the Boeing problems . . . ‘just say the problems are not serious . . . lighten up, as it were . . . or face reality, and make the hard decisions to correct the problems, before the plane is in service, and lives are lost.<br /><br />Eclipse “lightened up”, as it were, . . . ignored serious problems, and now, even under new management, will have a hard fight, if not impossible, to correct serious errors and failures in the original little jet.<br /><br />There is a place to “lighten up”, but concerning the future of our nation, this is not the time.<br /><br />gadflygadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191372920897029941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-53124094698459511182009-10-11T18:57:36.828-07:002009-10-11T18:57:36.828-07:00You know what? I can call a spade a spade, and tha...You know what? I can call a spade a spade, and that does not mean I am a nasty or bad doc. <br /><br />I am entitled to my opinion as you are as well, I just don't trust the system at this point. And I am some what jaded to the whole deal. I don't think you will like the level of service you are provided under the "new" health care system be proposed. However there are a few people who will benefit from it. Namely between 12 and 46 million depending on who you ask. Our president is stuck somewhere in the middle claiming 30 million. My biggest problem here is a great deal of people who do have good insurance will be made to suffer. And those 12 to 46 million? They will be better off then they were, but believe me, they will not get the best care there is. The best will be the pts that did not have healthcare and now do, who do not do anything to take care of themselves.<br /><br />Bring the majority down to make the minority comfortable. That is not the American Dream.EclipsePilotOMSIVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08963579637658363190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-81436804079331728812009-10-11T17:44:47.174-07:002009-10-11T17:44:47.174-07:00EclipsePilotOMSIV said "Drink Obama's Koo...EclipsePilotOMSIV said "Drink Obama's Kool aid much? It must not be sitting well with you because you are vomiting up some good ole liberal propaganda. Enjoy your healthcare, I'll do my best to take care of you but don't get mad at me when i can't cath you because you are too old, or I have too many smokers who are gonna get the procedure because they came to me first."<br /><br />Shadow:<br /><br />That's the comment I was reacting to as particularly nasty by Dr. EA OM SIV. Perhaps we should be more worried about our healthcare practitioners than our healthcare system? <br /><br />Dr. E<br /><br />I am truly sorry for the loss of your patient.<br /><br />Gadfly, <br /><br />You are so damn smart I want to meet you. Just please lighten up a bit. Older folks these days keep proclaiming doom and gloom all the time and that's just plain not healthy or helping!<br /><br />Dr. E would agree I am sure. Who's gonna pay for all these stressed out people?Floating Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05299351963639492717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-2185921629150409612009-10-11T14:44:33.506-07:002009-10-11T14:44:33.506-07:00You really need to study what other countries do t...You really need to study what other countries do to truly understand the US situation, where we have the best of health care and the worst third world country health care. and the US is the only industrialized country where there is a very high chance that if you are a middle class American and get a major illness you will be bankrupt and all of the resources you worked very hard all your life to accumulate will be gone. <br /><br />An example of what you will learn if you delve deeper is; for instance there is not a "Canadian" health care system. there are Thirteen different systems with each providence having it's own plan. Some of the provinces having problems getting everyone taken care of, as has been described, and several are very excellent at taking care of everyone's problems. <br /><br />the best unbiased source I have read comparing what different countries do and the ramifications of each system is the Book "One Injury, 10 Countries: A Journey in Health Care by T. R. Reid"<br /><br />A good very short review of the book is found in on the NY times book review<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/health/15book.htmlBeedriverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16991006267212495097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-25786402966622346312009-10-11T11:23:23.787-07:002009-10-11T11:23:23.787-07:00EclipsePilotOMSIV, like I said previously: stay of...EclipsePilotOMSIV, like I said previously: stay off the oxycontin.<br /><br />ASman,I agree 100% with you.Shadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180707357967808938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-62416755608485021562009-10-11T05:19:57.319-07:002009-10-11T05:19:57.319-07:00Most western European countries pay about 3,000 to...Most western European countries pay about 3,000 to 4,000 a year per capita for health care. they cover all their citizens and the level of health care is considered excellent. The US spends about 7,000 to 8,000 per capita per year on health care, 20% of the citizens are not covered at all, and much of the 80% that are covered have weak coverage. In trying to discuss what needs to be done critics always bring up the specter of "socialism", as if having patients and doctors and hospitals ripped off by the insurance companies is preferable.airsafetymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07923869957339462116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-89172667353378541392009-10-11T04:33:07.848-07:002009-10-11T04:33:07.848-07:00For me, a German, the opinions about the "Oba...For me, a German, the opinions about the "Obama's health care system" are quite interesting.<br />I do not know if he has a written proposal which can be put into law without any changes or if it is just an idea which must be formed.<br /><br />All major US companies offer some free support for health care - but why? They love(d) Obama (even before he was born) or they do it because it's better to have a healthy work force, or it's a general problem for the work force (some CEOs included)?<br /><br />Are physicians organized? If they<br />are organized, what about the clients who are generally ignorant of medical stuff (and costs)?<br /> <br />What are the most out-of-favour political areas in Germany?<br />Defence - too expensive, what for (at least the military people love you - sometimes).. and health care - too expensive, where are the limits etc. ... (only pressure from all sides!).<br /><br />BTW: Are there any other "care systems" paid by the tax payer and perhaps other affected groups?...FDIC... <br /><br />Julius<br /><br />P.S.: Don't ask me about the German system! I pay my part, go twice a year to the dentist (most times only checks), go to the physician (in case of real problems or for immunisation), and do not use pills unless needed for treatment. I think I am a good payer and have no health problems - so far! <br />Is the system good? I didn't make a tough test (and do not want to perform one)!juliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13294426608276923429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-52840556657532801372009-10-10T20:51:31.406-07:002009-10-10T20:51:31.406-07:00Shadow my reference to health care had to do with ...Shadow my reference to health care had to do with the fact that Obama is a liar and you buy into his BS. <br /><br />Those people who can't afford procedures at least have somewhat of a fighting chance in this system they won't in his system. <br /><br />Thanks for playing though.EclipsePilotOMSIVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08963579637658363190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-55357878665276362112009-10-10T18:35:06.880-07:002009-10-10T18:35:06.880-07:00EclipsePilotOMSIV said: "This is an expensive...EclipsePilotOMSIV said: "This is an expensive procedure and he could not afford it."<br /><br />How is this any different than a U.S. citizen who doesn't have health insurance and can't afford to pay for the procedures out of pocket? Inability to pay rations health care, too.Shadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180707357967808938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-21493141661054674262009-10-10T18:30:30.208-07:002009-10-10T18:30:30.208-07:00EclipsePilotOMSIV said "Drink Obama's Koo...EclipsePilotOMSIV said "Drink Obama's Kool aid much? It must not be sitting well with you because you are vomiting up some good ole liberal propaganda. Enjoy your healthcare, I'll do my best to take care of you but don't get mad at me when i can't cath you because you are too old, or I have too many smokers who are gonna get the procedure because they came to me first."<br /><br />WTF?! Where did I mention healthcare? You really need to stop prescribing oxycontin for yourself--it's making you see things that aren't even there.Shadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180707357967808938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-34372889747433653032009-10-10T17:56:08.699-07:002009-10-10T17:56:08.699-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.KnotMPHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00371111306184066489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-60583779209059401712009-10-10T16:59:10.234-07:002009-10-10T16:59:10.234-07:00It’s always amazing to me when someone brings up s...It’s always amazing to me when someone brings up someone like “Alvin Tofler”, as if a new planet has been discovered. Tofler thought that things (invented by human intelligence) could be so complicated that the new generation would not be able to understand them. Do you notice a contradiction in the thinking? Maybe I continue to understand and thoroughly learn the “new”, because I was born before 1950 . . . the “cutoff” date in Tofler’s thinking.<br /><br />But whether flying an aircraft, working to solve the problems of vascular surgery, using my invention of the “VCS” (Vascular Clip System . . . yep, been there too), learning all the systems aboard a submarine, or “hydro-magneto-dynamics” (plasma, gas lasers) . . . or even the political history of nations over the past four thousand years of written history, my impression is not “can’t”, but “won’t”, as in “refusal to learn”, and change behavior based on hard-won lessons of previous generations.<br /><br />Even as I write, I’m multi-tasking . . . checking out a new “HDTV”, watching a series called “World at War” on the DVD player (I just set up using the component cable inputs), and about three other tasks on the computer. The wife is away for a few days, so I vacuumed, did the laundry, and hung it out on the line . . . and cleaned out some of the fish ponds . . . made the bed with clean sheets, cooked enough rice for the next few days, going over in my mind some things for a certain “email” concerning a “court case” that is over, finished the design for the caption over the entrance to a “Bible Camp” (to be machined from aluminum, by CNC “waterjet”) . . . and somehow I’m to believe that the present problems are because “young people” find learning too complicated. Sorry, but I cannot agree . . . “Future Shock”?<br /><br />As I watch “World at War” to my right on the new TV, I’m shocked at the path our nation is taking . . . morally, financially, politically . . . history always repeats itself, . . . but “so soon”!<br /><br />Back in 1952, watching “Victory at Sea” on a tiny Philco TV, confirmed my early dream of serving in the Submarine Service . . . and we clearly saw the enemy, who soon promised to bury us. We did what we could, to prevent that outcome. And we listened in the “Radio Room” on our sub to the “beep” of Sputnik, circling the earth.<br /><br />Today, it seems that the early threat is about to take place . . . with our own citizens busy with shovels, doing the interment.<br /><br />The younger generation had better wake up . . . stop looking for excuses and a handout . . . and maybe “learn to multitask” like their grandparents.<br /><br />gadflygadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191372920897029941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-71648903739801368522009-10-10T11:33:19.838-07:002009-10-10T11:33:19.838-07:00There will always be premo health care for the ric...There will always be premo health care for the rich. Even rich Canadians.<br /><br />There will always be premo jets for the rich.<br /><br />For those that cannot afford the best standards, there is probably an alternative, in Canada and in the US, for health care.<br /><br />Same goes for jets.<br /><br />Understanding and dealing with the limitations and consequential trade off is key. <br /><br />Thinking there are none, is well, foolish.<br /><br />Good news for OMSIV is he can probably not suffer one bit under Obamacare, if anything goes wrong for him healthwise - he can pay for the best healthcare money can buy.<br /><br />Not so perhaps for his financial circumstances if Obamacare puts a dent in his wallet.<br /><br />Regarding the jet, he was able to make the trades and conclude the cheapest one was right for him...<br /><br />Not so, I guess, for healthcare?airtaximanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977944795556689805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-13029494613802486382009-10-10T10:45:22.710-07:002009-10-10T10:45:22.710-07:00"It has been virtually impossible to get the ..."It has been virtually impossible to get the use of a modern oil cooler (used on the Saratoga etc) approved [for the SeeBee]."<br /><br />Have you tried getting the manufacturer of the Sara oil cooler involved? They might be interested in getting an STC for the installation if enough SeaBee owners are interested.airsafetymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07923869957339462116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-90155929413957197192009-10-10T10:14:54.326-07:002009-10-10T10:14:54.326-07:00He never made it off the OR table= he died in surg...He never made it off the OR table= he died in surgery.EclipsePilotOMSIVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08963579637658363190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-3541517063300672072009-10-10T09:27:05.010-07:002009-10-10T09:27:05.010-07:00EclipsePilotOMSIV,
Come to find out you are a Phy...EclipsePilotOMSIV,<br /><br />Come to find out you are a Physician, that makes your rude comment to me (a while back and removed by the blog administrators all the more perplexing). That did add fuel to my fire whenever I read somthing by you that sounds unreasonably nasty towards others. <br /><br />I hope your Canadian patient made it. And I will no longer hold a grudge towards you- not that you would care either way.<br /><br />I am leary as well about anything that our government is doing right now -- especially to the health care system, so we agree. <br /><br />In the mean time I am hoping for the best for Eclipse Aerospace and the world. <br /><br />On the other hand, it is actually more fun to be unruly!Floating Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05299351963639492717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-52705046539048705522009-10-10T07:58:40.034-07:002009-10-10T07:58:40.034-07:00Baron, give it up. Shane can't hear you. He&...Baron, give it up. Shane can't hear you. He's driven by the need to criticize and bash anything Eclipse. The company is working to get thing going and not concentrating and making press releases. Just because they don't send Shane daily updates, doesn't mean that they not not working hard to get everything in order. They are in contact with the FAA. They are in contact with customers. They are in contact with suppliers. They are certainly not in contact with Shane - as it should be.<br /><br />Shane, go back and sharpen your crayons. You are insignificant.gadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17457192546044419517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-13257263981072342512009-10-09T22:35:24.522-07:002009-10-09T22:35:24.522-07:00Shane said...Business is at a standstill, credit i...Shane said...Business is at a standstill, credit is not available and, where it has been offered in the past, it is now being squeezed.<br /><br />And EAI still make NO effort to sell.<br /><br />------------------------<br /><br />I've been short of time and didn't read the whole blog.....but Shane...for crying out loud...what the heck are you talking about?!!!?<br /><br />Business/credit/etc is at a standstill???!!! Nothing is at a stand still, everything continues to operate.<br /><br />GM continues to build cars, GMAC continues to make loans, about 1M new vehicles are being sold every month in the US alone. People are buying homes, refinancing debt, by the hundreds of thousands.<br /><br />And believe it or not, companies are actually making good money, now that they shed excess capacity. The markets are rallying based on increased earnings. Brazil, China, Australia continue to boom. In the ENTIRE RECESSION period, Australia lost ONLY 50K jobs TOTAL, and now they are growing again.<br /><br />Back to EAI ...<br /><br />Make NO EFFORT TO SELL????!!!!????<br /><br />Did you miss the fact that they are shipping parts and planes are entering the upgrade?<br /><br />Do you think they are doing that for charity? <br /><br />That is called sales. Their sales probably went from ZERO in September to maybe $1M or so this week. How is that for a sales hockey stick.<br /><br />Give it a rest pall.<br /><br />Yes things will be touch for EAI, just as they are tough for Piper.<br /><br />But they ARE SELLING and the economy IS WORKING.<br /><br />Go have a pint - you will feel better and impart more velocity to the Irish economy then typing doom and gloom nonsense.<br /><br />Congratulations to EAI on a month full of accomplishments.Baron95https://www.blogger.com/profile/01421355643916832199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-89535923330393822092009-10-09T20:14:40.915-07:002009-10-09T20:14:40.915-07:00Well floating cloud I hope you don't need inte...Well floating cloud I hope you don't need intervention on your heart disease when you are over 65 cause good cardiologists aren't going to be able to help you. The sad part I have seen this in action personally. <br /><br />I had a Canadian patient about 9 months ago he was here in FL on vacation. He didn't get the travellers insurance. Because what can go wrong on vacation right? <br /><br />Well something did go wrong. He developed a gall bladder infection and needed to have surgery to have his gall bladder removed. I was called to evaluate his cardiac status before his surgery, no uncommon before surgery due to the fact that cardiac events and strokes can and do happen under anesthesia. <br /><br />This gentleman had a condition call unstable angina. In which he had cardiac related chest pain while at rest. Meaning he had a very high chance of having a heart attack under the stresses of surgery. He needed to have a coronary catheterization and most likely intervention ie stent placed. This is an expensive procedure and he could not afford it. No surgeon within 100 miles would operate on his gall bladder either and risk him dying on their table. <br /><br />So this guy has two potentially life threatening conditions on his hands infected gall bladder and significant heart disease. <br /><br />We then called the Canadian health service to see if we could fly him back there to have the cath and surgery done. What do you think they told us? Sorry can't cath this person because he is over 65 and we just don't do that in our system. The guy was 67. They did however have a surgeon who would operate on him, due to the fact that his gallbladder was an acute problem. So he didn't get the cath but got the surgery. He never made it off the table. <br /><br />So I apologize for not believing the garbage our government and our president is spewing about "affordable health care for all" because the systems that we think are so great also have fatal flaws. And we are being LIED to about it. Makes me wonder what else we were lied to about. No earmarks? More troops to Afganistan?? Unemployment rates not going over 8%? <br /><br />I do wonder indeed. <br /><br />I will say one thing. As a physician I hope I can help as many people as humanly possible, and I will always work to accomplish this goal. But due to the fact I have a target on my back I will do so vigilantly. I put a great deal of time and effort into this and deserved to be treated well. Not cut every which way but loose.EclipsePilotOMSIVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08963579637658363190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-2549279471686175702009-10-09T19:35:09.982-07:002009-10-09T19:35:09.982-07:00Dear Gadfly,
We all love the soap opera that is ...Dear Gadfly, <br /><br />We all love the soap opera that is Eclipse. And when it rises its head again everyone gets all kinda excite...me included. Yes, we are all still in that love/hate relationship with Eclipse for whatever reason – personal, business, just plain nosey, want to know, fantasize (where’s Mary), own a plane, can’t help myself got to look...that’s all good news because we care. <br /><br />“Future Shock” is here and has been here for a long time.<br /> <br />Those of us who grew up in the cold war know future shock has always been hard and difficult and when we take a nose dive towards earth we are not surprised when we come out through the turbulence in one piece again. <br /><br />Keep spreading hope. Obama did not win the Nobel peace prize at all. And I am not an Obama fan. He’s just one of the few who presents himself as believing in a world of tolerance – hard as that may be, that is what we need to hear. No shut down. <br /> <br />Future Shock is a book written by the sociologist and futurologist Alvin Toffler in 1970. It grew out of an article "The Future as a Way of Life" in Horizon magazine, Summer 1965 issue. Future shock is also a term for a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies, introduced by Toffler in his book of the same name. Toffler's shortest definition of future shock is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time".<br /><br />EclipsePilotOMSIV, get a grip.Floating Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05299351963639492717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-2201797243627752382009-10-09T18:35:25.052-07:002009-10-09T18:35:25.052-07:00Shadow
No one gets off the hook for the vast incr...Shadow<br /><br />No one gets off the hook for the vast increase in uncontrolled spending. Remember that Obama was part of the congress while Bush was failing to veto the nonsense.<br /><br />But regardless, things have taken a terrible turn, and there is no way for this nation to continue spending money we don't have. And many businessmen are simply "burned out", attempting to keep their businesses alive.<br /><br />gadflygadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191372920897029941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-67724010113058057132009-10-09T18:30:43.687-07:002009-10-09T18:30:43.687-07:00Shadow,
Drink Obama's Kool aid much?
It must ...Shadow,<br /><br />Drink Obama's Kool aid much?<br />It must not be sitting well with you because you are vomiting up some good ole liberal propaganda. <br />Enjoy your healthcare, I'll do my best to take care of you but don't get mad at me when i can't cath you because you are too old, or I have too many smokers who are gonna get the procedure because they came to me first.EclipsePilotOMSIVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08963579637658363190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-7658933423308822922009-10-09T18:26:59.016-07:002009-10-09T18:26:59.016-07:00There is a major difference in Vern getting the Co...There is a major difference in Vern getting the Collier and Obama getting the Peace prize. Vern lobbied HARD (and some say PAID) for the Collier Trophy. Obama had no clue that he was even up for it, let alone that he would the unanimous choice. I love how people are trying to blame Obama for winning the Peace prize -- just shows how mindless some are. That said, I'm of the camp that both awards were given prematurely to Vern and Obama. But you can blame Vern, but not Obama.<br /><br />And Gad, I hope your obvious dislike (hatred?) of Obama doesn't cloud the fact that the deficit skyrocketed under George W. We didn't get here overnight, and we certainly won't clean up this deficit mess overnight either. This is not all Obama's fault, so please quit acting like it is.Shadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180707357967808938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564155214348055642.post-85656682248613726452009-10-09T15:18:51.535-07:002009-10-09T15:18:51.535-07:00As we approach the weekend, we dance around the is...As we approach the weekend, we dance around the issues . . . careful to not offend other bloggers, etc. The bottom line is that this nation is in serious trouble. And before long, it won’t matter much what we think of the little bird, “Eclipse”, nor for that matter, anything else built in the US of A, and “General Aviation”. <br /><br />In case you haven’t noticed, we have been bought and paid for, by the “Chi-Coms”, and even they are concerned about the “left wing” attitudes of our leaders. Ain’t that somethin’?! When the “left wing” is “right wing” compared to our own leaders, someone needs to wake up and get a grip!<br /><br />One of my dreams as a kid was to be a missionary in China. ‘Looks like that dream, the final one in my long list of dreams that have come true, will also be realized . . . as China will soon “own us”, and come here. Once upon a time, I set foot in shallow water off the shores of China, when our submarine spent a couple days in Hong Kong Harbor, and some of us went “Scuba” diving, compliments of a British Restaurant Owner . . . but I never made it ashore. (A storm had passed a day or two before, . . . the yellow mud made it almost impossible to see more than a few inches, and only by following the bubbles, could I see to get back to the surface. That was the closest I ever got to Communist China . . . back in 1957.)<br /><br />We listen to other small businesses . . . and we hear back that the “owners” (similar to ourselves) are simply tired of continuing the fight, to keep our employees, pay the taxes, and accept the constant pummeling, as if we are the enemy.<br /><br />Recently, we read the tax returns of our president and vice-president, and saw the numbers of contributions to various charities, etc., . . . and about that time, I was going over our own charitable giving, shredding old checks from years gone by, . . . the comparison was not even close, and these “leaders” are now demanding that we give even more. What a farce, and total insult.<br /><br />This nation is in serious financial trouble . . . and coupled with moral issues, those problems are compounded, many times over.<br /><br />Well, these are things to chew on, for sure. But the days of old are gone forever . . . as we enter into some hard times ahead. Make no mistake!<br /><br />gadfly<br /><br />(My wife is on a brief trip . . . flew United Airlines, in a little twin jet built in Brazil . . . great plane, and nothing built in the US can compete at present. Yes . . . the aviation industry in the US is in deep trouble. But at least, the Brazilian jet uses GE engines . . . and I think we make some tooling for that engine . . . I’ll need to check that out.)gadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191372920897029941noreply@blogger.com