Political View? No, taxpayer rant!

When I started this blog I promised to stay away from political and religious opinions and viewpoints.  And, I still plan to keep my promise. But, I don't think this is a political viewpoint, but one of a taxpayer being stiffed!
Our Mayor, in his infinite wisdom, decided to save money by skipping a day of garbage pick up.  Yes, I can get by without that pick up.  But why should I when I've paid for it?  There are other programs provided for people who haven't paid for it that can be cut. 
Why do I pay taxes?  I pay taxes so that the government can provide me services that I cannot provide for myself.  These things?  An Army to protect my country, the building and maintaining of roads and bridges, police and fire protection, building, staffing, and maintaining prisons, libraries, schools, etc.,and garbage collection.  These are the things that I pay taxes to my government so that they can, in turn, provide for me.  I have my own personal responsibility to house, clothe, and feed myself.  That's not the governments job.
Let me offer an analogy.  I pay a lawn service to cut and trim my grass every two weeks.  They do this, but are making pretty good money so they decide to go into the poorer neighborhoods and cut several peoples grass for free.  Times get hard, money gets a little tight.  One day they come to me and tell me "Mr. Tabler, we'll have to skip your yard a couple of weeks because we can't afford to cut your grass and cut the poor peoples grass, too."  What?  I paid you to cut my grass!  Would you say this is OK?  Well, I wouldn't.

As I said, I can be skipped a week without a big problem.  But why should I?  I paid for this service and it is not provided.  Services paid for by taxpayers are the #1 priority when budgeting the money.  Providing services and helping non-taxpayers are things that are done with any money that is EXTRA! It is not the Governments responsibility to feed, clothe, and house individuals.  That's a Personal responsibility.

Anyway, that's my opinion.  I realize others have different opinions. It's just that I don't believe our government should be a charitable organization. Pay your taxes people! And Government, provide the services your people pay you to do.  I don't even want to get into the whole BRIDGE thing, but the same principle applies there!  What? You don't have the money for it?  I paid you!

More collectibles for Viewing

I have framed and  hanging on my basement wall, a picture of Seattle Slew in the Winners Circle after winning the Kentucky Derby.  The picture is signed to me by the winning jockey, Jean Cruguet.  Also, the 3 $2 win tickets on Seattle Slew are signed on the back by him.  Plus, the program from that race.
A good friend of mine, Greg Lynn, is an ex-jockey who lives near Jean Cruguet in Versailles, KY, got these autographs for me.
Seattle Slew was a Triple Crown winner in 1977.  The following year, Affirmed won the Triple Crown and is the last one to do so!  I also have 3 $2 win tickets on Affirmed, but don't have them framed.
I wish I had tickets on Secretariat, but I didn't think to do this until a few years later.  No, I didn't bet these tickets, but worked at the track during this time, and went to the cashier's line and bought the tickets from those standing in line waiting to cash.  Thought they'd be good souvenirs.  In 1977 I bet on #1, Bob's Dusty, for obvious reasons.   I just wish I'd thought of buying these tickets in 1973.  And, I really like the tickets the way they used to be, not like they are now.

Golfing on Tuesday at Shawnee, Won't count for the year

I played my usual Tuesday Golf and Shawnee GC today.  But, they changed it up a little this time.  We played a 'Shamble'.  That is where you go to the best drive, and then play your own ball from there.  So, not playing my own ball all the way I can't count this as a round played this year.

I did find out today that I won last Thursday.  My team was low team, $5, and I was low man, $11!  Money just keeps rolling in!

Today's round we played low team only.  I played pretty good with a 33 - 40 = 73.  I was one under on the front.  I don't care if it was a shamble, that's a pretty good score.  I played with two pretty low handicappers, so we won't get many strokes to get our net score down, but we played pretty good.  I imagine J. R. will call me in a little while and let me know if I won any money today.  He usually stays around til everybody gets in and then calls me to fill me in on the results.

Looks like this might be the last time playing for awhile.  The weather looks like it's going to turn cold for the rest of the week, so I'm sure Thursdays out.  Maybe next Tuesday.

A little more metal detecting, not much found that's interesting.

I wish I could post a picture of something really interesting that I've found, but I can only be honest.  I haven't been able to find anything interesting for a long time.  Just recent coins.  This thing today, in the middle of the coins, is something I think girls wear in their hair?  It didn't rust or corrode, and it was pretty far under ground, a couple of inches, so it might be silver.  Do you think?  Either way, it's so thin there's not much weight to it.
Since I've been metal detecting I've found a total of $144.18, plus numerous other objects, rings, earrings, medals, etc.  You have to enjoy the hunt, because the rewards are pretty small in comparison to the time and effort put in to it. 
This money found today was at the Zoo lot, other than 1 quarter I found detecting with Mark yesterday.

My first round of golf for 2012!

Here I am teeing off on #1.  Well, no, it wasn't quite that bad.
We played Iroquois GC today.  It was in the upper 30's when we teed off, but got into the mid 40's by the time we finished.  The greens were frozen through about 12-13 holes and your ball bounced off the back if you hit the green with a high shot.  A lot of the holes that have elevated greens it was just impossible to hit.  Hit it short hoping to run it on, and it would plug, hit the green and you went over the back.  It made it a little difficult.  My first round for the year was a 39 - 41 = 80.  We played the back nine first.  Our foursome last week, with Brian, won low team by half a stroke.  So, Brian, I have $6 for you.  We averaged net 72 and won by half a stroke.  This week our team averaged net 72.2, so I'm hoping we can pull another one in. 

My 5th Blast from the Past

April 8th, 1967.  It was the Social Highlight of the Year.  This is the entire wedding party, taken outside Shawnee GC Clubhouse where the reception was held.  You can't tell in the picture, but the river was up and the the golf course flooded.  You also can't tell from the photo, but George Pearl, the tallest and 2nd guy from me, had a broken foot and had a black sock over his cast as he hid it behind the Best Man.

Now this was taken 25 years later at our 25th wedding anniversary party.  Bride, Groom, Best Man, and Maid of Honor.  Hiding in the back, I don't know, but I'd guess their spouses, Jerry and Linda.  Wow!  25 years together and THAT was a long time ago!  We're now approaching 45 years.
So many years and our Maid of Honor and Best Man are still our best friends!

Had to add this picture.  Kevin and Brian posing at the party with their missing brother, Mark.

Dang! It's getting and cold and the snow's getting deep!

Well, it's not getting that deep.  But, I thought I'd post our first accumulating snow of the winter!  I could actually go out and make a snowball off the snow on the cars, so this counts as our first snow.
Luckily, we have enough bread and milk on hand to last us for  awhile.  Otherwise, I'd have to go out and fight those long grocery lines.