Former Midshipman scams U.S. taxpayers

Story in NY Times

Shortly after Michael Izbicki, now 25, graduated from the Naval Academy in 2008, he decided that his Christian beliefs would not permit him to take part in war.

I understand being a conscientious objector, but this is a little to upsetting to me. Take a nice education, then all of a sudden when you finish decide you can't be in the military? This is ridiculous. I can't think of a punishment that would suit this. Maybe we should call it fraud. He misrepresented what he was doing. Maybe he can wear a sign that says I lied to get my education anytime he goes to a job interview. Of course the ACLU helped him fight the government.

budget, budget, budget

Finances of states all across our country are in trouble. Idaho is proposing drastic changes to education and medicaid. Democratic senators in Wisconsin have run away from their state, hoping to avoid reforming unions collective bargaining rights. Reports in Detroit of increasing high school class size to more than 50 students.

How do we fix this? Nothing is easy. Raise taxes? None of seem to want that. Cut teachers? Increase class sizes? None of us want that either.

One of the proposals in Idaho includes students taking online classes. Have you ever taken an online class? I have. While I may have learned things, right now I can't think of anything specific. My thoughts are that if it is something that a person really wants to learn it might work. If it is just something to fulfill a requirement, the class better not be anything actually important because it won't be retained.

A government shutdown?

We need a budget extension for government to continue to operate. March 4th is the deadline. I guess most of us are more worried than congress is because they took a break.

If there is a shutdown, most government activities will stop. I heard the President on NPR the other night, saying that social security checks won't go out, that would be a travesty. He also said veteran checks won't be sent. I'm not sure what was meant with that one. I am a veteran and I don't get a check. Maybe I need to call someone. I think maybe the President meant checks to disabled vets.

Again I don't think this is a huge deal since Congress is in recess this week. They would know better than the rest of us what is at stake.

McDonalds update

Well if you remember I stopped at a McDonald's and the coffee was the wrong price. I stopped at that McDonald's (Overland and Cole) again a couple days ago and the coffee was only $1. Price fixed, good job. End of story right?

Not quite. Yesterday I went to a different McDonald's (Apple St. near Timberline) and was charged $1.39. The person taking my order, his name tag said maintenance, tried to tell me it is only $1 when you get a meal. I told him the menu says $1 in more than 1 place. Then it was well, it used to be only when you got a meal.

Is this a Boise thing? Idaho? The whole country? How many coffee's do they sell in a day? Times all the stores. That would add up pretty quickly. Based on 12,000 US stores, 25 cups a day per store, that would be more than $100,000 in sales a day.

What do you think about pricing errors now when you are shopping anywhere?

Post Super Bowl

The Super Bowl was a pretty good game. The Packers won, thats all I needed. When Charles Woodson went out injured, I was pretty worried. The defense hung in there though. I think the turnovers where the difference.

I was worried towards the end of the game for sure though. I have been a Packer fan for to long to not worry with a close game. Thankfully there was no miracle Steeler ending that night.

McDonald's

When is the last time you went to McDonald's? I don't go that often lately. I stopped at one this morning on my way home from work though. Ordered a Bacon Egg Cheese McGriddle, never thought I would like those, and a small coffee. Small coffee $1, at least 2 of the signs say that. It didn't charge me only $1 though. $1.39.

I asked the cashier about it, she was a bit confused by the "it should be the price it says up there" bit. Got the shift leader, manager, someone in more charge than the cashier to refund the difference. I asked her how many coffee's they sell a day at the wrong price. The answer "a couple"

Advice: No matter where you are, check the receipt.

NASCAR

So NASCAR has announced a new points system. The scoring was pretty complicated and is now way simpler. Now it will be the opposite of finishing position. 1st place gets 43 points. Last place (43rd) gets 1. The winner gets an additional 3 points, and lap leaders get 1 point with an extra point for leading the most laps. A maximum of 48 points for the winner now.

Drivers now need to choose which series they will compete for the championship. No more trying to win the Nationwide series and the Sprint cup series at the same time. The driver could still help win an owners championship in one of the other series though.

Qualifying will now be based on practice speed instead of the lottery draw. If qualifying is canceled the race lineup is based on qualifying speed, except if all practices are canceled as well, then the line up will go by points.

Now you know. That's half the battle.