Author: RJ Walters

I am an Independent thinking, highly functional person who is deaf and has some unique views and challenges in life. Like all of us, I am a person who is composed of all my life experiences and that is what I write about here.
XX - Everything Else2 Comments

The Cost of Healthcare….

RJ Walters

Now that I am finally a Medicare beneficiary I want to take a look back at the trip to get here. I will also be looking at how we do our healthcare relative to the rest of the industrial world. Let’s begin this journey. I have learned from experience that healthcare needs definitely increase as you get older.  I joke that I think my warranty expired when I turned sixty.  I am sure that I have been to the doctor more in the last five years than I had for the previous sixty combined. When I started out my adult … Continue reading The Cost of Healthcare….

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Capitalism For Us and Socialism For The Capitalists….

RJ Walters

The title to this post came from one of the organizers of the Wall Street protests that are taking place across the country. More power to the people baby!! :)  It basically infers that we ordinary people who take risks with our assets (money) have to pay the consequences of when we make the wrong decisions. But the capitalists, meaning those large Wall Street firms, can take big risks and if they are wrong the government will bail them out with our tax money as they are “too big to fail”! These protests are probably the result of our stagnant … Continue reading Capitalism For Us and Socialism For The Capitalists….

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The Answer to the Debt Problem…

RJ Walters

There should be a tax on every man that wanted to get a government appointment or be elected to office. In two years that tax alone would pay our National debt. – Will Rogers  March 22, 1925 I have to go back to my hero Will Rogers for answers to many of life’s problems. Given that we are in the middle of the primary season for president and the congressional stuff will be starting soon this seems like an answer to more than one problem. But I guess I should also include the following Once a man has held public … Continue reading The Answer to the Debt Problem…

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If You Are a Christian There Are Consequences To Inaction…..

RJ Walters

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, … Continue reading If You Are a Christian There Are Consequences To Inaction…..

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Poor Little Rich Kids…..

RJ Walters

This excerpt from a Wall Street Journal article peaked my senses. It seems the rich, who we give massive tax breaks,  are aware that their kids will probably blow through their inherited wealth after they are gone.  What a bind to be in!  I bet they take all this planning and  trustees as tax deductions. It seems very ironic that while most of us are just trying to stay out of the poor house, and in any other house at all, there are those who worry about the other end of the spectrum. Instead of “cleverly written trusts” and “carefully chosen … Continue reading Poor Little Rich Kids…..

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Here's to you Steve….

RJ Walters

I guess everybody who has looked at any news source yesterday know that Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple Computer, passed away this week of pancreatic cancer.  He was only 56 years old.  Steve was definitely not one who was afraid of pushing the envelope of life and particularly our technology life. In that regard he was a hero of mine. I myself pushed the status quo a few times in my technical life but nothing compared to him. In 1970, when Steve was fifteen years old, I started out my career as an electric engineer. Then in … Continue reading Here's to you Steve….

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Federal and Military Employee Compensation…

RJ Walters

Source:  Military retirees say benefits hard-earned – USATODAY.com. The news in the article above came as somewhat a shock to me.  I often hear that the military pay is substandard; that we are forcing our soldiers to live in poverty. The graph to the right seems to go against those words.  It seems that being a federal employee including ones in the military that your compensation is well above those in the private sector.  In fact being in the private sector is putting you at the bottom of the total compensation ladder in this graph! I certainly appreciate the comments … Continue reading Federal and Military Employee Compensation…

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By Being a Follower….

RJ Walters

Source Article:  Republicans unready to rout Obama – chicagotribune.com. What I find most interesting about this article is quote below. America is finally wising up to President Barack Obama, a nice guy who prepared for the presidency by being a follower, by avoiding confrontation while cozying up to City Hall. These words are from a long time Chicago Tribune reporter. Of course Chicago is the adopted home of Barak Obama. Maybe I heard these words during the campaigns of 2008 but they were drowned out by all the rhetoric and “change” words that were flying around at the time. I don’t … Continue reading By Being a Follower….

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"Plays Well With Others"….. maybe??

RJ Walters

Source:  Leaders of deficit panel say public’s confidence at stake – USATODAY.com. Since this is an optimistic post and I am short of optimism lately it will be a short one. In these times of total political gridlock it is nice to see at least some conciliatory words from the members of the “super committee”. These are the members of congress who have been assigned to come up with a plan for deficit reduction by sometime in November. Maybe, just maybe some in Washington are beginning to “get it”. With less than one in five citizens thinking they are doing a good job they certainly need to get … Continue reading "Plays Well With Others"….. maybe??

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What goes around…(The Post Office)

RJ Walters

Source: Post office turns to small-town mini-mart for savings – USATODAY.com. There is an old saying  “What goes around comes around” and that seems to apply to the much beleaguered Post Office. According to the above article they are starting to move small town post offices out of their specialized government owned building and back into local retail establishments.  I am old enough to remember that when I lived in a rural community while I was growing up the post office was in the general store/grocery. According to the article above they are planning to close around 3,700 offices and move them elsewhere. If they had … Continue reading What goes around…(The Post Office)

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Living Debt Free….

RJ Walters

The average consumer carries over $16,000 in credit card debt. And there is usually a mortgage and probably a car loan in the pile too. They say the total personal debt of U.S. consumers is over $11 trillion.  Unfortunately many of those are middle aged and moving into their retirement years. With all this debt they are obviously not putting away much for their later life. It is quite startling how much debt many seniors today carry into their retirement! Four out of ten carry a mortgage with them into their golden years. Almost five out of ten carry a … Continue reading Living Debt Free….