Thursday ..

Last night's New Vision board meeting went very well - longer than I had planned; I didn't get out of there until after 11:00 last night, which throws off my whole program for today. I have a ton of work to do that HAS to be done today, not the least of which is getting ready for tonight's class.

How about a quote from "Today's Papers," published by Slate Magazine - which reviews the major US newspapers each morning and prints a synopsis.

The New York Times and Washington Post all lead with the House barely passing $40 billion in cuts, mostly to student loans, crop subsidies, and Medicaid. The Senate passed the bill in December, so now it goes to the White House for the president's signature. The Los Angeles Times also leads with the cuts, but focuses on the roughly $2 billion in aid California is expected to lose. USA Today leads with U.S. plan to rehab Iraq's healthcare system running into serious snafus. One hundred eighty clinics were supposed to have been built by December 2005. Number actually finished so far: four. Number that have opened: zero. USAT doesn't mention it, but it appears the administration will not ask for any more Iraq reconstruction money.

The budget bill, which passed by only two votes and got no Democratic support, was pitched by Republican leaders as a key part of a big push to rein in the deficit. It wasn't. As the Post notes, "The impact of the bill on the deficit is likely to be negligible, slicing less than one-half of 1 percent from the estimated $14.3 trillion in federal spending over the next five years." That bit of reality comes well-past-the-fold. Instead, higher up we're treated to that ever-informative practice of dueling quotes, including this fine bit of flab from a Republican rep., "American taxpayers, and anyone concerned with the nation's long-term fiscal stability, have won a great victory today."

The NYT plays up the politics of the close vote, then plays dumb: "The vote helped President Bush deliver on his promise to rein in federal spending." The LAT isn't so slow. It notes that not only were the cuts themselves "mild," Congress is about to pump up the deficit a bit. As the House was voting on the budget tweaking, "the Senate was debating a $56-billion tax cut that the House had already passed." The net result of the two measures would "add $16 billion to federal deficits."

Aren't you proud to be a Republican NOW? How do you feel about fiscal responsibility in action?

"Yesterday at a press conference President Bush said he had not seen 'Brokeback Mountain.' However, he did express an interest in drilling for oil there"
---David Letterman

It's pretty clear to me that we at New Vision have found ourselves a new space to hang our hats. I'm very excited about that. While we've committed to staying where we are through June, I think we also have to be clear about the fact that where we are is very unstable, and they have four months to get it together. If they haven't gotten it together in the last seven months, why should we move forward thinking that they'll get it together now?

We have new people coming in who are very excited and involved, which is a great feeling. And, I was greatly acknowledged by Jesse last Thursday for making things happen down in Clear Lake.

Which reminds me of ALL of the homework I have to do today, and the prep work to be ready for the class on Tuesday night AND the service on Sunday.

My broker approached me about setting up a processing center for all of his offices and running it. I'm weighing the choices.

And, I'm chosing, starting today, to not do work for people who haven't paid. I have been nursing clients along who haven't been paying, or have paid partially, and are still needing new work but paying with excuses.

"President Bush is urging all nations to cut off aid to Hamas, including $234 million dollars we were going to send them. In fact, to make sure the money doesn't get there, he's putting FEMA in charge of it."
---Jay Leno