The Orders Are In...

Well, we found out the when and where's for the next year. I commission on 14 August at 11:00. I enter active duty on December 28. I will head to Maxwell AFB in Alabama for about 5 weeks for training. Its considered TDY (Temporary Duty) en route because it's "on my way" to my actual receiving base (Sheppard AFB in Texas.) After Maxwell I'll go to Sheppard. We'll be there together for a month or so and then I leave in March for IFS (Initial Flight Screening) in Pueblo, CO. That will go for about 5 weeks. I'll return to Shepard and "work" until ENJJPT starts in June. Right now Amy and I are discussing and praying about what to do in the times between April -August and August - December.

I just can't wait to get done with school and get on with life. Part of the plan will to be let Amy go back to school and take some classes that she's had in mind for a while. She really has grown a love for Africa, its people and their history/struggles. So, one or more of the classes will be an African Studies class. Anyway, that's the quick and dirty on our plans for the next year or so.

We are so excited to get started with this new chapter of our lives.

We are so thankful for the Lord's help in getting us to this point. He made it clear that this is what we were suppose to come and do and from the way He has made things possible we have no doubt that this is where we're suppose to be.

I have to say, that I have been blessed with the GREATEST wife in the world. From the time we moved up here to finish school and go through ROTC, everything has seemed to revolve our me and Amy pushed everything in her life out of the picture to fit my big fat schedule in. Though she would never think of saying anything about it, I have to tell everyone that she has sacrificed so much for me to be where I am and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. She has kicked my butt when required and put her arms around when needed. Amy is AMAZING! ...but I'm pretty sure you all knew that!

How Can People Think Its Right

With all the political trash getting thrown around I can't believe a lot of what I'm hearing. I don't undersand how people can look at these economic and social policies and say to themselves, "That's what this country needs! That's what will really solve the problem!"

I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING THEY ARE ENTITLED!!! The only thingsyou're entitled to protection and what ever you can beat-down and drag back to the cave! Why can't people look at EVERY OTHER SOCIALIST BASED SYSTEM and SEE THAT IT IS FAILING OR HAS FAILED!!! Adam was told that by the sweat of his brow he would gain his bread not from the government he should set up!... I have to stop... just read this little analogy and seriously think about it!


Our Tax System Explained: Bar Stool Economics

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this: The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.The fifth would pay $1.The sixth would pay $3.The seventh would pay $7.The eighth would pay $12.The ninth would pay $18.The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59. So, that's what they decided to do.The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers,' he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20.' Drinks for the ten now cost just $80 The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free.

But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay. And so:The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings). The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. 'I only got a dollar out of the $20,'declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!''

Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I got''

That's true!!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!''

Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill! And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of EconomicsUniversity of Georgia

[For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.]