History

[James48843]

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).


This week, I had to live through "an interesting time." Seems certain employees over at the FTRIB were very angry with me.


In some of my writings, I have called into question the decisions of certain powerful people. I have printed, under a pseudoname, key statistical data and monetary facts that questioned the need to impose limits on the freedom of individuals. I, and many others, using pseudonames have offered ideas that would solve issues- but that appears to only have enraged the powerful.

To anyone to whom I may have offended, I apologize. That was not the intent, and if that is how it was taken, then it was a mistake, and I am at fault. I'm sorry.

The tradition of anonymous speech is older than the United States itself—Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers under the pseudonym "Publius," and "the Federal Farmer" spoke up in rebuttal.

That tradition is alive and well online; indeed, anonymity has been crucial to the growth of the Internet as a forum for speech, ideas, and innovative thought.

Many people don't want the things they say online to be connected with their offline identities. They may simply be shy about speaking publicly, or worried about social or economic retaliation from their communities or employers based on their views. By using pseudonyms, these speakers can obtain a measure of protection against that retaliation.


Predictably, some individuals, and some governments don’t like being the target of criticism and commentary. That’s why the growth of anonymous speech online has been met by a surge of retaliation based on online speech, subpoenas seeking the identities of the speakers, or even attemtps to use force to silence voices.

If anyone in particular was offended, then I apoligize. I never meant to call into question the job qualifications of any particular Senior Executive Service employee. In fact, I agree that member is qualified to hold the job that person holds. My words were incorrectly chosen. Sometimes words hurt- and for that, I am sorry.

I was angry at what appeared to me to be a group that has not listened to, nor provided enough dialog with, the very people whom have entrusted their entire life savings to them.

And then changed rules, without sitting down and actually having a dialog with those among whom the rules were changing.

It is easy to throw stones.

It is sometime much harder to become open to new ideas.

The internet provides a way to collaborate, and to innovate, far above any power to innovate in human history. No small group of employees anywhere could possibly innovate on the scale that the internet now allows. And innovation has been key in human history in our ability to rise above and make new strides in the human endevor.

Last night, I heard a radio commentary talking about innovation. I'm not sure if it was on the BBC, or NPR, but it talked about what happens when you get non-traditional groups of people into a room, put them onto a task, and let them come up with ideas and innovation.

When you want to truely come up with innovation, and take things to a new level, you don't put only people who know each other's limitations into a room. Instead, you put people together who have totally different perspectives on things, and then put the problem out on the floor for ideas and discussion. And what results is innovation, rather than simply tweeking "that's how we've always done it".

Here is an example:

The TSP wants to increase the number of military members. But they don't know what drives military members.

Here is a tip for you TSP-

Set up a chat room, forms some teams, and let's talk about it. You will find that for less than 50K, you can probably double the number of Military TSP holders. Why? Because we--Me, people like me, and yes, PEOPLE NOT LIKE ME-- could tell you 30 ways to reach out that you haven't tried-- in fact you haven't even thought of. Pespectives you haven't even considered- because they are outside of the normal range of thought or approaches you have.

Oh- wait. There already IS SUCH A PLACE FOR INNOVATION.

Instead of fighting free speech, and attempting to intimidate your critics into silence, I would put forth and advance the thought that you might be better off to reach out to those critics, and bring them onto YOUR team.

Task them with the goals YOU are trying to achieve, and then ask THEM to come up with ideas and innovative thoughts on how to do things better. Give them the task to bring you ideas to make your product better.

Think about it.

You will be better off if you open yourselves to new, innovative ideas.

And then so will your customers be better off at the results.

It's a proven way to innovate.

And it's what a new generation of people- globally- is all about.

Think about it.

[Show-me]

Your not qualified, educated, experience, or in the inner circle of political friends. Your opinion in not welcome and more of a annoyance to them than anything. I've seen managers like that. Don't make any more work for me than I have already or I will make you pay. Even if it IS a good idea it was not mine and you are making me look bad. You are a Surf, underling, and a nobody and his Majesty wants you to stay in your place and class.

Sorry for your troubles James.

I got my TSP statement this week and notice that the dilution of the total return was .06 or $60 per $100,000 TSP balance. What a joke.

Get the matching fund, max the Roth, then fill the TSP and hope the King does not rob it to fix the governments spending problems.

[CountryBoy]

Well said James,

But I'm afraid it fell on deaf ears and they weren't willing to even listen. The old saying "Don't confuse me with the facts, I've got my mind all made up", is very apropro in this situation.

This is proof that the powerful have no interest in hearing any different POV's. It's a sad day and it's even sadder that they don't even realize what they have done, but then those in that position think they know better. Socialism is alive and well and it calls itself Progessive and will not tolerate dissenting POV's. They speak a good game of tolerance, but only if you march goosestep with their thinking.

CB

[Callme_CO]

James i love reading what you put out. Keep it up.

[Miss_Piggy]

James...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj217/mptsp/smileys/happy/largethumb.gif

[Silverbird]

If they offered a matching fund program to the military, it would be a no-brainer for personell to at least contribute up to that percentage.

[Sunnyskies]

Could it be that the lower ranks in the military are so underpaid, and overstressed with family problems (as in recurring remote assignments) that they cannot afford a TSP contribution?

[sdouglas3]

James, no need for the apoligies to the board. Sometimes when you try to bring ideas to light. The most powerful people still can't see the forest for the trees with their ego's in the way. I appreciate your writings and opinions and agree with you!

I really feel the TSP IFT limits has to do Barclays. The issue is trading your TSP account with and against Barclays. We have figured how to make money by trading the funds instead of buying and holding. After a while, more and more TSP members will increase trading because they want their own accounts to grow faster as well. And they will see that accounts grow faster than the buy and hold crowd. "Which in my mind is a capitalistic and right thing to do, and power to the TSP members to make money for thier accounts." However, the TSP funds are not set up for both Barclays and the TSP members to trade at the same time. Meaning, this could cause a unraveling/shortage/unbalanced effect of either Barclays or the TSP members accounts. Barclays has x amount of money to support their trading activities but not enough to carry everyone in the TSP to trade. Barclays hedges their trades with other trades and options so they do not lose any money while making a market for the TSP. And because of this Barclays will have to take on extra risk if more and more people continue to trade their accounts. This is not what Barclays signed up for. Barclays is there to ensure that trades are executed but not to hedge more and more as TSP members continue to trade daily in the funds. But, I also feel the TSP deserves the right to make money in a capitalistic way just like anyone else in America does. JMO

Steve

[luv2read]

Barclays vs TSP members managing - and this explains it perfectly.

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=161994&postcount=632

[Hallatauer]

Could it be that the lower ranks in the military are so underpaid, and overstressed with family problems (as in recurring remote assignments) that they cannot afford a TSP contribution?

+1 for above

[sdouglas3]

Barclays vs TSP members managing - and this explains it perfectly.

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=161994&postcount=632


This is interesting... Wonder what the TSP board thinks about this?

[JTH]

Well whatever they are doing it's not working. As a member of the military, I've stopped my TSP contributions because of the IFT limits. If they aren't going to let me effectively manage my money, then I'm not going to give them anymore of my money to manage.

And it's not JUST the IFT limits. It's the way it was handled by the TSP Board. Anyone who takes away my ability to make money for myself and my family is the ENEMY!!! THE SPAWN OF SATAN!!!

[luv2read]

Well whatever they are doing it's not working. As a member of the military, I've stopped my TSP contributions because of the IFT limits. If they aren't going to let me effectively manage my money, then I'm not going to give them anymore of my money to manage.

And it's not JUST the IFT limits. It's the way it was handled by the TSP Board. Anyone who takes away my ability to make money for myself and my family is the ENEMY!!! THE SPAWN OF SATAN!!!
We know who the enemies of the Constitution are...we just can't do anything about it because they hold the power. As I recall, the Constitution provides for that, too....a small band of rebels in the 1700's achieved FREEDOM!

[James48843]

In honor of remembering the small band of people in the late 1700's, who went out of their way to signify that they were not going to stand for the tyranny of power against the little person.....

We hereby invoke the memory of those brave souls, who took the time to work together, and make a symbolic gesture against the imposition of unfair imperial economic power from afar.....

We Salute and Remeber the Boston Tea Party...



3836

Click (http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?tyrann10.wav=tyranny)

[Buster]

Salute http://www.jaguarforums.com/upfiles/smiley/americanasmiley.gif

[luv2read]

Made my day, both of you! Thank you!:D

[Buster]

Taxation without representation hopefully will never happen in this country again:rolleyes:.


..Wonder why they had ropes tied to the bales of tea?:rolleyes:

[Guest2]

Taxation without representation hopefully will never happen in this country again:rolleyes:.

It's happening in this country everyday. Especially in New Jersey. :(
They Tax my Gross Salary. When I retire and withdraw my money,
they tax it again.

[luv2read]

Taxation without representation hopefully will never happen in this country again:rolleyes:.


..Wonder why they had ropes tied to the bales of tea?:rolleyes:
A reenactment perhaps? See the nice big bridge in the background!

[Buster]

It's happening in this country everyday. Especially in New Jersey. :(
They Tax my Gross Salary. When I retire and withdraw my money,
they tax it again.
Come on now..we both know they will only tax what is paid as a dividen, capital gain earnings and/or anything past what you contributed originally...That's pretty much everywhere....Texas and Florida are income tax free States;)

[luv2read]

Come on now..we both know they will only tax what is paid as a dividen, capital gain earnings and/or anything past what you contributed originally...That's pretty much everywhere....Texas and Florida are income tax free States;)
Social Security distributions are taxed if you exceed the income level in retirement. You've paid taxes on that money ONCE already when it was earned. That's double taxation...and without representation. My parents never approved that double tax, but they have to pay it!:mad:

[CountryBoy]

From the Ohio Department of Taxation….” The stimulus payment will not reduce the amount of other benefit payments. It is also not considered taxable income for either federal or state purposes.”

Well I can be pretty dense when it comes to government wording, but it looks like we won’t be taxed for the stimulus welfare check. A follow-up phone call to the Ohio Dept. of Taxation, verified the above comment. :D

CB

[luv2read]

From the Ohio Department of Taxation….” The stimulus payment will not reduce the amount of other benefit payments. It is also not considered taxable income for either federal or state purposes.”

Well I can be pretty dense when it comes to government wording, but it looks like we won’t be taxed for the stimulus welfare check. A follow-up phone call to the Ohio Dept. of Taxation, verified the above comment. :D

CB
Yay for Ohio!
Boo for Alabama and other states that ARE taxing it! :(

[Frixxxx]

Social Security distributions are taxed if you exceed the income level in retirement. You've paid taxes on that money ONCE already when it was earned. That's double taxation...and without representation. My parents never approved that double tax, but they have to pay it!:mad:

Based on that, if you pay taxes and that pays the military, does that mean the tax on military income is "double taxation?":cool:

[luv2read]

Based on that, if you pay taxes and that pays the military, does that mean the tax on military income is "double taxation?":cool:
no. Military pay comes out of the Treasury. SS taxes do not go into the Treasury, they go into the SS trust fund. SS distributions are not "earnings" - they are distributions from a trust fund. Military pay is earnings, which are taxable.

I earn a salary. I pay taxes on my salary. 7.2% of that TAXED salary goes into social security. When I get a SS distribution, I pay taxes AGAIN on that money that has ALREADY been taxed. That's the same thing as taxing Roth distributions.

[Frixxxx]

....
I earn a salary. I pay taxes on my salary. 7.2% of that TAXED salary goes into social security. When I get a SS distribution, I pay taxes AGAIN on that money that has ALREADY been taxed. That's the same thing as taxing Roth distributions.

Is SS a tax? or defined as something else by the gov't?:cool:

[Buster]

Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England . In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico , which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York . This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico . But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York . The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of Mexico , who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.

The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko De Mayo.






WHAT??? You expected something educational from me?

[luv2read]

Is SS a tax? or defined as something else by the gov't?:cool:
It's a TAX.



Social Security in the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) is a social insurance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_security) program funded through dedicated payroll taxes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payroll_taxes) called Federal Insurance Contributions Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Insurance_Contributions_Act) (FICA). Tax deposits are formally entrusted to[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States)#cite_note-42_USC_401-2) Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, or Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund. The main part of the program is sometimes abbreviated OASDI (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) or RSDI (Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance). When initially signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Roosevelt) in 1935, the term Social Security covered unemployment insurance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment_insurance) as well. The term, in everyday speech, is used only to refer to the benefits for retirement, disability, survivorship, and death, which are the four main benefits provided by traditional private-sector pension plans. In 2004 the U.S. Social Security system paid out almost $500 billion in benefits.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States)#cite_note-www.ssa.gov.650-3) By dollars paid, the U.S. Social Security program is the largest government program in the world and the single greatest expense in the federal budget, with 20.9% for social security and 20.4% for Medicare [5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States)#cite_note-4) The Social Security Administration is headquartered in Woodlawn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlawn%2C_Baltimore_County%2C_Maryland), Maryland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland) just to the west of Baltimore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore%2C_Maryland).

[Frixxxx]

It's a TAX.


Social Security in the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) is a social insurance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_security) program funded through dedicated payroll taxes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payroll_taxes) called Federal Insurance Contributions Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Insurance_Contributions_Act) (FICA).

Nice - double speak, first it is a social program and second, paid for by taxes.


When initially signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Roosevelt) in 1935, the term Social Security covered unemployment insurance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment_insurance) as well.


I'd love to tell you my story on this one. Some other day though!

Thanks Luv2read!:cool:

[Show-me]

FBI Agents Raid Work,

Home
Of Special Counsel's Bloch

By JOHN R. WILKE
May 6, 2008 3:10 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Federal Bureau of Investigation agents raided the Office of Special Counsel here, seizing computers and documents belonging to the agency chief Scott Bloch and staff.
More than a dozen FBI agents served grand jury subpoenas shortly after 10 a.m., shutting down the agency's computer network and searching its offices, as well as Mr. Bloch's home. Employees said the searches appeared focused on alleged obstruction of justice by Mr. Bloch during the course of an 2006 inquiry into his conduct in office.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121009238217171025.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[airlift]

Show,

Your time to make gains with SDS seems to have arrived. As you knowm today SDS closed @57.24 with a gain of 3.86%. This is great news and I am glad that you are in there. Best wishes to you!