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Join the Coffee Party team

Dear fellow concerned citizen,,

The economic hostage-taking in Washington has been an agonizing crisis for American families, and, a rare opportunity to wake up our sleeping electorate and demand systemic reform.

Please help the Coffee Party grow by becoming an official member before midnight tonight Hawai'i time. We hope you will take advantage of our July Membership Drive which includes a collector's edition DVD: 9500 Liberty  demonstrates how the Coffee Party approach to transpartisanship and truth-telling can inspire broad participation, defeat extremism, and restore the democratic process.

9500 Liberty documents the first, and possibly only time in U.S. history when an Arizona-style immigration law was actually implemented, and, the web-based "virtual resistance" that led to its repeal.

CLICK HERE to hear our story about how making 9500 Liberty led to the founding of Coffee Party USA.

CLICK HERE to see membership options starting at $10

Whether or not you become an official member tonight, we'd like to thank you for being a part of the Coffee Party movement.

Yours truly,
Eric Byler, Annabel Park, and the Coffee Party team

PS:  If you don't become a member tonight, you can still do so in time to vote in, or run in our Board of Directors election this fall.  Our nomination deadline is Sept. 1. 

Visit us: http://coffeepartyusa.com

Melting Ice Cream Truck

Who needs a thermometer when you have a molten ice cream truck? By that point you don't need an exact reading; it's simply "too damn hot."

This sculpture in Australia won the artist the $30,000 Sulpture by the Sea prize in 2006. [via The Last Appetite]

Tentative debt deal

“Washington (CNN) -- The framework of a tentative deal to raise the nation's debt ceiling calls for up to $2.8 trillion in total deficit reduction over the next decade, two sources familiar with the negotiations told CNN late Saturday night.

The agreement, still being negotiated by the White House and bipartisan congressional leaders, would allow the debt ceiling to be raised by enough to last at least through the end of 2012.

The debt limit would be increased in two stages, both of which would occur automatically -- a key Democratic demand that would prevent a repeat of the current crisis before the next election…”

    I hope there is a deal.  The problem is going to be the Tea Party members.  We have seen how they act and what they say.  We need for this sad emergency to be over with.  It is hurting us a great deal.
    This entire event has been so painful and scary for older Americans and many others and there was no reason for this emergency.  Congress should just have voted the debt increase like they have always done in the past.
    We have allowed a small cult in the House to put a gun to our heads and hold us hostage and make terrorist demands.  This will not be the end of this now.  Now they and other groups will be looking at ways to hold us hostage end make demands.
    Plus we still have the Tea Party in Congress and they are still as crazy and stupid and they are going to keep doing this sort of thing because it is all they know how to do.

Texas a hot bed… well hot everything

  It is only going to be 102 degrees today.    It will be 106 on Sunday.  Then  for the next today we will hit 110 degrees.  I am am not even sure I will stick my head out the door.
  I hope we do not lose power.  We have not but with everyone using lots of power you never know.

  The Tea Party is still blocking the raising of the debt limit.  We have about three days until the shit hits the fan. 
  Just at a time we need people that are open to other ideas and just at a time we need people that can reach across the aisle and compromise we end up with the fucking Tea Party.  They do not believe in compromise. 

  I have seen a number of reports about people on Social Security needing their money.  Everyone needs their money.  The families of the military need their money.  There are not very many people that can afford to miss a check. 
  I am one of them.  I get $1000.00 a month from Social Security and other than a check for $175.00 a month that is all I have to live on.  Out of that Social Security check I have to pay rent ($599.00), electric power ($137.00), Cable ($68.00), cell phone ($25.00) and food.  Plus a few other little bills.  If you do the math you will see there is not much left over.  In fact nothing left over. 
  
  Some of the Tea Party members have said that the government has the money to pay Social Security and other bills.  That is not true.  All the experts, all of them, say the same thing that next month unless the debt limit goes up the government can only pay 40% of the bills next month and it will be less and less each month.
 
  I do not think it is legal for the federal government to not pay members of Congress.  I suspect that there is a law or something to prevent that from happening because if the government could not pay Congress it would give to much power to the government.  It could be misused.  So I can see people like me not getting SS and members of Congress still getting their money.  I understand the thinking behind it … But man is that going to piss off some people.

  Congress should just raise the debt limit without any conditions.  The Republicans/Tea Party have created this entire emergency and they hope to blame the President and the Democrats somehow for it. 
 
  God save the United States.

Bachmann: Leave My Husband Alone!

Doctors, hospitals fear getting stiffed by U.S.

  I been telling you about this subject here for a few weeks.  This is the first story I have seen on it.  So you heard it here first. 

“NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies might not get paid for products and services if the federal government defaults on its debt next week.

Some physician groups, anticipating this scenario, have started to warn their members that a possible default means their Medicare paychecks may not get mailed…”

    Many hospital/medical workers think well I got job security and I will get paid.  There are many hospitals and other medical places that depend on that Medicare check each month.  As I told you before a number of times many years ago I worked for Trinity Lutheran Hospital (Kansas City, MO) and for some reason that month the Medicare check was going to be a few days late and they could not meet the payroll.  They did not know what they were going to do and they ended up getting a bank loan for a few days.
    The Tea Party is playing with fire.  Some of them are saying they will not vote to increase the debt limit period.  Some will only increase the debt limit if they get to fuck President Obama in some way.  Some say the government has enough money to pay everything. 
     I hope we have all learned our lesson.  Never vote for a Republican.

     God save the United States.

Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Keyboard

  I ordered a Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard from Amazon.  I do not need a new keyboard but I just wanted something to play with.  I spend hours at this computer desk and I use the keyboard a great deal.  So now I will have a new keyboard.
  I will do a review of it for YouTube when I get it.  People seem to like my reviews of hardware on YouTube.  They are not crazy about my left wing liberal rants on YouTube.

  Russell wanted me to go out and pick up fast food today but it was to hot.  So he ordered in Pizza. 
  He spends a lot of money on fast food.  On his days off he is always willing to buy fast food for us IF I go and pick it up.  Next week it is going to be around 105 and 108 here in Fort Worth and I do not plan to get out in that heat.
  With it a few degrees less I feel faint when I go out in that heat.
 

  I been taking a lot of naps.  Not much else to do with heat like we been having.   Thank God we have not lost power.

The 400 Richest Americans Pay an 18% Tax Rate

  Well the following report from Forbes is going to make you sick.

The 400 Richest Americans Pay An 18% Tax Rate

“The 400 richest Americans used to pay  30% of their income on the average to Uncle Sam. Today, they pay 18% on the average, according to Steve Rattner, a Wall Street financier, who just presented these figures on Mornings With Joe,MSNBC.The main reason for the drop in their tax rate of some 40% is the tax cuts by George Bush in 2003, taking the rate paid on dividends and capital gains down to 15%. This reduction in the investment class’s taxes powered the bull market in stocks from the fall of 2003 until the fall of 2007…”

  This is the sort of information that just makes you wonder what in the hell is going on in Washington DC.  
  The problem is not just the Republicans and the Tea Party.  We have big time problems with the fact that fat cats are buying the system.  They own the government and it makes you wonder if elections matter.  We need to do something to fix the system.

  But right now we have to raise the debt limit.  Everyone, except for a few crazy people, understand that the debt ceiling must be increased.  We have only a few days left.
  If the debt ceiling is not increased the top 400 richest people will get hurt, a little, but the rest of us will suffer big time.

  I get my SS money at the end of the month so I just got my SS money for this month.  I should get my SS money for next month at the end of the month.  So I am not going to be one of the people that is expecting SS money in a couple of weeks.  I may not feel the pain for a few weeks. 
  How in the world can this be happening to United States?

Big-name drugs go generic

CNN  has the following story:  Big-name drugs go generic

“Some of the most popular prescription drugs are about to get a lot cheaper.  According to the mail-order pharmacy Medco, at least 22 prescribed medications may be available as generics in the next year.

When drug companies develop a drug the FDA usually grants them exclusive rights to market that drug for a set period of time.  When those rights expire, other companies can make the exact same drug.  Since there is competition, the generics are cheaper.  The FDA says the regulations are “designed to promote a balance between new drug innovation and generic drug competition.”

Medco compiled a list of drugs and when they are expected to become public.

Among major drugs on the list for the next year:

• Lipitor, a popular cholesterol drug, goes generic in November.
• Solodyn, used to treat bacterial infections,  November.
• Zyprexa, which treats schizophrenia,  October.
• Lexapro, used to treat depression,  March
• Provigil, which treats sleep problems, April
• Plavix, an antiplatelet drug which can prevent blood clots, May.
• Singulair, an Asthma drug, August 2012.

Drugs becoming available as generics can save patients a great deal of money.  CNN called local pharmacies across the country to get an idea of how much a 30-day supply of some of these brand-name prescriptions cost.

20mg Lipitor is nearly $186, 75mg Plavix runs $215 dollars, 10mg Singulair is $182 dollars and Zyprexa runs more than $400 dollars for a 30-day supply of the 5 milligram dosage…”

  Hell, that may take care of the money problems for Medicare and Medicade.  Just kidding but this happening is major good news for everyone.
   I have a family member that takes Zyprexa.  Yes, it cost $400.00 a month. 

07/26/2011–Tuesday

   I like the Samsung TL210 camera I am using now.  The LCD on the front is so nice for making the sort of videos that I make.   
   It would be nice if I had a cell phone that would take great photos and videos and all I had to carry was one device. 
   I talked about getting a new cell phone or a android tablet.  I can see I am not going to have the money for that unless I win a lottery or something. 

   I checked my TXU energy bill online.  I have not got the paper statement in the mail yet.  But my electric bill for this month is $137.00 and I am OK with that bill.  It has been hot and the air conditioner has been running much of the time.  During the summer months if the bill is less than $150.00 a month I am happy.

   I posed about Glenn Beck saying the camp in Norway was like a Hitler youth camp. He said on his show “…who does a camp for kids thats all about politics?”  I posted that the American Legion for one in the United States does camps like that.
    Well CNN reports now that it turns out a another group in the United States does camps like that and they hold “Patriot Camp” for kids grades 1-5.  The group that holds the camps is the “9/12 Project” an organization founded by Glenn Beck in 2009!  How can Glenn Beck be any more sick and stupid and crazy?

     I am not sure if you saw the comment left here from Virgin Mobile.  I commented that VM done away with their $25.00 a month plan and it was now $35.00 a month.  I said that I wanted to get a new cell phone but I feared it would kick me into the $35.00 a month plan.  VM left a comment here that as long as I do not let my phone expire I can stay at the $25.00 a month level.  Pretty good deal.  I am very happy with Virgin Mobile.
     I do not have to worry about changing phone right now.  I can not afford a new phone.

     How many of you have ever logged online and gone to the state where you live and checked to see if the state has any money that belongs to you?   I did it months ago and the state of Missouri has some money that belongs to me.  I put in an application to get it.  I have not received it yet.  So I recommend that all of you check in and see if there might be some money that a state is holding for you.  I do not know how much money I am going to get at this point.  But I suspect it is going to be a very very small amount. My guess is that it is a deposit for a utility bill or something like that. 

   It is 84 degrees right now in Fort Worth.  Hell, that is a cold spell.  Of course, it is going to get to 106 today here.  Tomorrow will be 107 and that is not the “heat index” but the real temperature.  I should have stayed in FL with my son.  He paid cash for a house and the house has a pool.   
   This apartment complex has a pool.  I have never been in the pool.  Of course, I do not know how to swim.  I am not sure I could learn.  Dunk my head under water and I panic.  It is not funny to me but I guess it is pretty shocking and funny to watch.  Years ago when I took my kids to the pool I would stand in the shallow end of the pool.  People were thinking what a good father I was to watch the kids and not leave the shallow end of the pool.  Of course my kids were swimming all over the place.