Unemployment....redux

Hello everyone,

  Not sure how to start today's post.

  I have been out of work for near a week now, but knowing I will return to work on the 10th of December.  Only to become temporarily unemployed again on or around the 23rd of December.

  I am feeling somewhat stir crazy.  Wanting to do SOMETHING.  So...I made some pumpkin rolls.  The peppermint / gingersnap turned out really tasty.

  I received something in the mail from the 'unemployment' agency. My claim was denied. Apparently, they didn't receive a copy of my DD-214 ( My certificate of "release or discharge" from active duty ) even though I faxed a copy of this form two days after.

  I fought through calling the 'automated' fricking system they have and got pretty frustrated.  I would almost prefer talking to someone that doesn't quite comprehend English.

  What did I do?  I re-filed my claim and actually got to a screen in which I could voice my opinion.  I calmly typed " how many times do I need to submit a copy of my DD-214" and asked them plaintively, please have a human call me if there are any questions.

  I feel for anyone....especially my fellow Veterans' who have had to deal with unemployment.  Please leave a comment....as this will help me address the issue when I become President in 2016.

  Have a great day, and fantastic weekend!

Trevor M Dodge

Unemployment...or as I see it....un-enjoyment.

Hello all,

  It's been a busy couple weeks.  Shared an awesome Thanksgiving meal with family and friends at our home for the first time since we bought the house in 2010.  

  Just before the holiday, I discovered I had a talent...other than calling out bad politicians , driving truck and forklifts. I went online to a site to see how to prepare one of my favorite desserts....and have now made near a dozen of the tasty buggers, and created a few different ingredients to make them better.  Maybe not better, but better suited to different folks.  I made varieties that were  lemon , orange and cranberry, peppermint and rum raisin flavored.  That's the good news.  Here's a photo of some finished pumpkin rolls of various flavors.

Now for the downer news.  I am unemployed.  For a week anyway. When I return to work on the 10th of December, I will be on day shift. Due to necessity, I did file a claim with unemployment to re-coup at least some of the lost weeks wages. I will report on how that goes on a later date.  Have a great week everyone, as will I.

Trevor M Dodge

Veterans Day 2012

Hello Everyone,

  Today is Veterans Day.

  Some time ago, in my earliest days of joining the Army, folks would come up and say "Happy Veterans Day".  I would thank them and move on...often thinking.."What is so 'Happy' about it".

  Perhaps I confused Memorial Day with Veterans Day.

  I have, and have had more reasons to have a Happy Veterans Day than to not be happy on this day.  I have deployed four times, and made it home four times.  When I have had the chance, I volunteer my time for parades or setting up flags in remembrance. I meet my brothers in arms, of which , now includes women and we talk and pat each other on the back for a job well done.

  Many retailers and restaurants offer 'specials' for Veterans on this day, and I would be remiss if I didn't take a few of them up on their offers.

  So, in closing, I am heading out and we will meet a friend for some Bar-B-Que and talk about anything and everything.  Have a great day and Thank a Veteran today.

Trevor Dodge

The Day After Election and all through the House....

Hello everyone,

  I almost thought I should post yesterday...with it being Election Day and all, then thought better of it.  Mostly due to the fact I was at work when I heard that Incumbent President Obama had eclipsed the 270 Electoral votes needed to secure the office.  Later, it went up to 303 with 29 Electoral Voters undecided.  

  In other news, I sent an email last week to the VFW Headquarters asking if they could endorse me for President in 2016.  After all, I am a Lifetime Member ( in good standing ) of the VFW and a four time Deployed Veteran.  What more could they want in a candidate?

  One minor problem.  The Congressional Charter ( that basically established the VFW ) prohibits them from supporting any candidate.  I can see the logic in that....now.  With the millions of current Veterans, and many million past Veterans, I would be a shoe in for the Presidency in 2016....maybe.  Still have the College of Electorates to deal with...ugh.

  I do have a question for my readers out of State ( meaning Washington State ); where we still have to mail in ballots. 'X' marks the spot and no "hanging chads" and such.  We still have the option to "write in a candidate".  Do those of you with the new finagled digital voting machines have that option available?  I imagine they would have to since most 3rd, 4th and 5th ( and so on ) party members are rarely mentioned in the news, unless they are being arrested trying to "gate crash " a debate.

  With that being said.....

  And all through the House, arose such a clamor
As Seats became vacant because Voting does Matter.

Have a great week all!

Trevor Dodge, Presidential Hopeful 2016

Diplomatic Immunity and the Cost

 Hello all,

  So I am watching this movie 'Lethal Weapon 2'.  In the movie, in which the diplomats from South Africa ( Dutch Apartheid Supporters ) are laundering the gold Krugerrand and killing people. That's a bit of a stretch for any diplomat to do, much less get away with when confronted by police. At issue, as I read it, is the hundreds of thousands dollars and in some states more in unpaid parking tickets.

Here is the wiki-link defining and explaining "Diplomatic Immunity".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity


 Diplomats in Washington D.C. owe quite a bit.

http://www.wtop.com/41/2555713/Diplomats-in-DC-owe-hundreds-of-thousands-in-parking-tickets


 Diplomats in New York City owe a lot more.

http://www.ibtimes.com/diplomatic-immunity-cost-new-york-city-172-million-unpaid-parking-tickets-317186


   The actual verbiage of the Vienna document does not specifically mention 'parking tickets'.

  Additionally, while foreign diplomats cannot be held or charged, they can be expelled.

 I propose that our Government and individual States, send bills to the countries whose diplomats have insane amounts of unpaid tickets, and guarantee to expel those countries' "diplomats" until said fees are paid.  We do not need foreign diplomats here breaking the law because they feel they can...and get away with it.

  Have a great weekend!

Trevor Dodge

Mitt, the multitude and those farging fliers ( in the mail )

  Hello again everyone,

 Has it been a week or week and a half since my last posts?  I suppose I could check, but why?  Everything is happening now.

 After appeals from Red Cross to donate cash, so that the cash could be speedily sent to where it was needed most.  With that being said, a big thanks to Mitt Romney for donating canned goods ( did anyone check the expiration dates ) in Ohio.  I checked a few sites, and it seems that I did not see Ohio listed as severely damaged.  I can tell you that Zanesville Ohio is still my favorite town outside of home....and that it still stands.

  Okay, enough of Mitt for now.  It was kind to donate food, but it will cost the emergency services even more to get it where it needs to be....New Jersey and the Eastern Sea Board States.

 The multitude.  Voters.  We need more folks who are eligible to vote.  Our friends have, most of my relatives have and many more votes are needed. Do we want change determined by a fraction of eligible voters or do want sincere change that each voter can feel they had a hand towards?  I pick the latter.  November 6th is the cut off for this election season.  Do your part. Thanks.

 Those farging fliers in the mail.  Auto spell doesn't recognize the word "farging", so I will use the word "damned".  Every political cycle, consumers and voters receive an abundance of what I like to call " fire starter ".  The evil political ads, not usually from the candidates themselves, but groups "supporting" the opponents.

 I pledge to you now!  You will never receive a flier from me and if I see any fliers being mailed out there from folks who support me ( in the upcoming 2016 election ) or my re-election campaign in 2020...I will pay people to haul them away.  I am hoping, now and in the next few years that this blog and word of mouth will help move mountains.  You don't have to agree with 100% of what I say, just admit that the idea that a "regular guy"  becoming President is slightly interesting and something to keep track of...for future reference of course.  Have a great week, and weekend.  

  I will include a link to the American Red Cross if you are able to make a donation towards relief and recovery for the areas hardest hit.

http://www.redcross.org/hurricane-sandy?scode=RSG00000E017&subcode=grantdonations&gclid=CJe66Ozbr7MCFY6DQgodWgIAqg

   Lastly,  a photo you would not see of me, during one of the Nation's worst Natural Disasters...in Ohio no less.

Trevor M Dodge

Called to Serve 2012

  Hello everyone,

  Has it been a week yet?  

  Last week I received a summons in the mail. For those who don't know; it is equivalent  to finding a losing lottery ticket.  Most people respond with, " Again "?  Or, " I just served a couple years ago ".

  I am no stranger to receiving a jury summons with this being my 3rd or 4th in....well, many years.  I was to report Thursday morning, the 18th of October at or before 8:15am.

  There were many of us.  Twenty four to be exact.  For a misdemeanor crime, in a district court, they needed only six of us.

  The State Prosecuting Attorney promised a quick ( open and shut case ).  By lunchtime ( noon ) only the six jurors had been picked. Myself included.

  We went our separate ways for lunch, as we were not bound to stay at the courthouse. By 1:30 pm, we were back and anxious for the trial to begin.

  The case:  Trespass
   What happened:  A guy and his friend were hunting with valid license and reflective clothing in an approved area for hunting.  At issue was the vehicle they drove to the area through an unmarked gate.  

  To make a nine hour day ( story ) shorter, I will add that we eventually found the defendant "guilty".  In terms of crimes and severity, misdemeanors are the least severe.  The defendant will likely pay a fine and court costs and be done with it.

  Would I be a juror again?  Absolutely.  Am I crazy? No.  Do I believe in my civic, patriotic duty to serve on a jury? My rationale is that someone has to sit on a jury, whether for a day or many weeks, if only to ensure that a defendant gets a fair trial; so yes, if called again, I will go.

 I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Trevor Dodge

What if 99% of the "99%" viewed my blog

Hello all,

  I know it's been less than the "week" I promised earlier today, but I got to thinking about what it is I am really trying to achieve.

  Is it really too difficult to believe that an ordinary guy could become President of America.  What could be easier to believe....that a comedian could become President or that an Austrian could become Governor of California.

  If a comedian became President would the unemployment rate or recession be easier to bear?  Not likely.

  Is my goal to become President the "only" goal of this Blog campaign?  No.....not by a long shot.  I really hope to "wake folks up".....not necessarily spur them into voting or picking a party or candidate....just let them see really what is happening on the Hill and around them and maybe even spur some dialog or debate.

  In short,  I hope that over the course of the next year or so maybe the blog gets more attention and if 99% of the "99%" read my blog and pass it on to even more folks, my campaign will be thrust into the forefront of the Election in 2016 and the high and mighty all powerful bureaucrats will know that the remaining 1% will not elect their chosen candidate that promises the wealthy that they will become wealthier.

  With that being said, have a great Friday and safe weekend!  See you next week...again.

Trevor M Dodge

12 Million Jobs, give or take 11,999,999

  Hello all,


  A quick post today, but not off the cuff or something unheard of....such as Presidential Wanna Be Mitt's claim that he can conjure up 12 Million Jobs.

  I will start this by saying I cannot create 12 Million jobs without some....adjusting.

  I would propose a two year moratorium on immigration.  All forms, regardless of where the folks were immigrating from and why.  Next, I would institute a "grace year" , in which illegal immigrants ( where ever they are from ) could work their way towards citizenship.

  The second year would involve the repatriation of those who do not comply.  It sounds harsh, but it would not involve SWAT Teams and such.  The first year would identify those who wish to stay, and make it easier to identify those who don't, and are only here to suck up my tax dollars as they apply for welfare and have a brood of kids, to expand their money in-take.

  We know that right now many of Americans enjoy a low cost apple or other fruit and vegetable due to the low cost of the labor involved.  It is also evident ( at least in the clip below ) that Americans would rather not pick fruit or be maids or house keepers or have their own landscape business ( with license ).

  In short, Millions of jobs cannot be created from nothing.  There is give and take.

  What is your take on this topic?   I have hope for our future, but do not falsely believe that it will fix itself.

  The trailer is a clip from the satirical movie " A Day Without A Mexican "


  Have a great day and see you next week.....I promise.  Not one of those posturing candidate promises.  Really.

Trevor M Dodge

Why Mitt cannot win..try as he must.

  Hello reader's 

  I was going to do a blog posting on World Wide fuel costs, so that my friends ( mostly American ) would stop whining when our cost at the pump is $4.00 or little more.  I will save that for next time.


  All you need to know is that a Democrat will rule in the White House for another four years.  That bodes ill for Congress actually accomplishing anything, but bodes better for the Average American than having a Mitt ( Romney ).

  Why would I write this?

   It's bad enough that President Obama was never in the military and grew up with a somewhat silver spoon, but at least he has four years of accomplishments, both triumphs and failures to draw on as far as experience.

  Both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have, how do I say this.....suckled from the same political teat and have ZERO idea what it is like for those of us....Average Americans.

  Never mind Romney and his Millions in overseas accounts that he doesn't have to pay tax on, or the fact that he refuses to show the world his tax returns.   I have never received more than $2,500 dollars back on any tax return and that was after paying additional tax throughout the year to "boost" my tax return.

  But Mitt was a missionary.  That doesn't ring my bell and say that he is ready for the White House.

  I do not feel the need to apologize to my Republican friends for my view.  Remember.  I am Independent with a lean towards Republican...however, I will be voting Democratic in November.  With the Electoral College still in place, the election is all but over even now.  

  If I could spread one message.  If folks don't know how the Archaic Electoral College works....read up on it, then refuse to vote in November.  I can guarantee a president will still be chosen.

Have a great Labor Day.

Trevor

Costly Errors

Hello reader's,


  Even if you don't watch the news, or read the papers, you have likely heard about Senatorial Hopeful Republican Todd Akin and his most recent comments regarding the definition of rape, and a women's natural defenses against pregnancy during a "legitimate rape".  What?  Anyway, the repercussions from that are far reaching.  Even when I blogged earlier about the high likelihood that President Obama would be re-elected, I had no idea that the Republicans would not only stick their foot in their mouth, but chew and swallow it.


  For a recent article on Republican woes, you can click the link below.


 http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/24/news/la-pn-akin-raises-funds-democrats-capitalize-20120824



  Maybe it is the crowds or microphones that stymie speakers.  Very funny how nearly every politician , at one time or another, tells us that they " mis-spoke ".  Not so much an apology, or an admittance of their ignorance....hopefully it will end with me.  I have no problem telling it how it is and meaning it.

  Would I ever dare tread where Todd Akin did?  I am not so stupid.  I would ask him to define a "legitimate rape" to me.  Either way, rape is an abomination and perpetrators should be tried, convicted and dealt with swiftly.  As for the woman, they should have access to counseling, and if needed, an abortion.  I said it.  Abortion should never be used as a method for birth control, but my God, it should never be denied when a woman needs it.

  Republicans big concern now is their fundraising and lack of donors.  Even being Independent and aligned more closely to Republicans, my dollars will not help fund them during this disaster.

  Have a great weekend.

Trevor Dodge

Voter turnout in local elections

  Hello everyone,


  A short post today.  The results from our local elections have been tallied.  There will be a second counting on the 20th that will more clearly define who won.  The sad part of this most recent election was that less than half of registered voters actually voted.   We received our ballot in the mail two weeks before the election and had that much time to study the candidates and make a wise decision.

  As many people here in America who complain about their local Government, it is sad that only less than half of them would stand up to vote and make change.


  Additionally, since Google is continuing to have issues, I will make the switch to Mozilla in the next week.

  Have a great week everyone.



Trevor Dodge

Going public? Wow.

Hello Everyone,


  I am glad the photos finally made it to the post with a little help from a browser that didn't belong to Google.   


  What strikes me, leading into my weekend, is that in the last two days I had many views and hits to my blog from Latvia.  After around 11 months, my blog has had the most hits in the U.S.A. and Russia.....for good reason.  I love the United States and soon hope to visit Russia.   Among the other countries I would like to visit are Germany and now....Latvia.


  Why not.  It is a European Country and rich with beauty and history.


  Alas,  the Google browser is not allowing me to post some photos.  I will likely keep the same blog address but will have to switch to the Mozilla FireFox browser for better consistency.


  I would like to extend a hearty "Thank You"  to everyone who has viewed my blog.  Elections for 2012 are coming to a head between now and November.  


  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  




Trevor Dodge

A relaxing weekend....in a couple days.

Hello all,




  Sort of an innocuous post.....sadly, nothing political.  Like any of us need more prodding from candidates to vote for them...or the other person.


  I am posting because after weeks of being busy with one thing or another, including work...I have absolutely nothing planned for this upcoming weekend except to watch my grass ( yard, no euphemism here ) grow....and harvest my lupine seeds to disperse next Spring along the roadside edge of our property.  I will add some photos here in case some folks aren't up to date on nice looking Perennials, that may act like an Annual....or go absolutely crazy and self seed until the only plants you are left with are....the Lupine.  Enjoy.


  OK....as of the moment, I cannot add any photos.  Will save this as a draft and try again later.

  I'm not sure what could be more funny.  I usually run Google Chrome as my browser and my Blog is Google owned, yet I had to use the Mozilla FireFox browser to open and upload these two photos.  May eventually have to transfer my blog to another site if Google keeps encountering issues.


  Anyway,  long story short....my relaxing weekend is only one workday away.  I hope everyone has a great and safe weekend.




Trevor

So very busy as of late.....still on target though!!!

  Hello friends,


  I have been remiss in posting, not for lack of thoughts....just lack of time.  Having a dear friend pass away at the young age of 47 did not help.  It was a striking blow for our whole community.  Many people mourn....over here we celebrate the life the person had and not the life they no longer have.  Our friends live on through our actions and deeds.

  I know that across the United States various elections are being held for various offices....with Governor topping the list, and many minor offices in each county.  If I were to post anything of note today it would be to ask everyone.....Do you have "sight" pollution during your elections as well?  I cannot drive even a block from my home with out seeing a sign or billboard proclaiming someone or another to be the best candidate for such and such a job.  It gets worse the closer I get to town.  How about in other countries?   I was in Germany when Johannes Rau took office as President, and saw so little in the form of sight pollution that if the same happened in America....one may inquire as to whether or not elections were being held.  It would be nice if candidates could honestly and openly say what they would or could do, instead of focusing on what they think their opponents cannot do.  I plan to run my campaign with as little in the form of sight pollution and more through Internet and radio.

  Have a wonderful weekend.


Trevor Dodge

The White House is not lost on this dog.........

   Hello everyone,


  It has been a busy week between work and my weekend up at Joint Base Lewis/ McChord.  I managed to capture a video ( in poor light and seemingly using a toaster of some sort instead of a camera ), of one of our pets....Porter, A Boxer, Pit Bull, Labrador mix who really enjoys talking with my wife and I.  Our pups, both Porter and his sister Susie Q, are more like family than pets and we hope to be able to give them the sprawling acreage surrounding the White House, to run and play in after the 2016 Election.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Trevor

I try not to think......too much

 Hello everyone,

  I hope everyone had a terrific and safe holiday.


  Here is what the 2012 General Election has come down to:


Republicans are scaring folks and telling ( lying ) that the Obama Medical Plan is Socialist or Fascist at best.

Democrats are wondering why the Republican front runner, Mitt Romney, has millions of dollars "hidden" among some off-shore bank accounts.


 Voting among Party Lines is becoming more or less obsolete as people slowly realize, that with research, they may make informed decisions.

 

I am adding a scene from the movie ' Hitch hiker's Guide to the Galaxy '

In the scene above, they are crossing an area where thinking is not advised.  Quite funny, but more like what our Politicians hope we do, aside from sticking our heads into the sand.

Have a great week everyone!


Trevor Dodge

Typical response....

  Hello everyone,

  Some time ago, before I had re-deployed, I emailed a query to President Barack Obama in regards to the need or necessity of the archaic Electoral College.   If you go back to some earlier posts, the Electoral College is the practice of choosing 538 folks from all 50 States and Washington DC who cast their votes for a candidate who will later become President.  Voting at the polls ( our "popular vote" ) has no bearings on the outcome of the Election.  This is a typical response from "The White House" that  was written by Tanya Robinson.

Why the Electoral College is Important By Tonya Robinson, Special Assistant to the President for Justice and Regulatory Policy Thank you for taking the time to participate in the "We the People" petition process. We launched this online tool as a way of hearing directly from you, and are pleased to see that it has been effective in soliciting your feedback. We understand your interest in the petition to support granting citizens the ability to vote for the President directly by dissolving the Electoral College, and appreciate the opportunity to share the Administration's views on this issue. While supporters of the popular vote argue that the Electoral College gives a disproportionate amount of influence to smaller states, reforming this system also raises difficult questions. For example, others have argued that a national popular vote would create a similar problem, granting the largest cities and states a disproportionate amount of influence and drowning out the voices of voters in less populous states. In any event, the President cannot address this issue alone. As you may be aware, Article II of the United States Constitution, as amended, sets out the number of "electors" that each state is entitled to have, which is equal to the total number of that state’s Senators and Representatives in Congress. Article II further allows each state’s legislature to determine the means of choosing its electors. While the future of the Electoral Colleges is certainly a legitimate topic for public debate, the President does not have the power to change this Article of the Constitution. A constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress (or a Convention under Article V of the Constitution) and ratification in three-fourths of all fifty states, would be required. Tell us what you think about this response and We the People. Stay Connected Stay connected to the White House by signing up for periodic email updates from President Obama and other senior administration officials.

  While this is a well worded response, does the Government truly believe that the States are truly RED and BLUE?  To believe that my home state is strictly 100% Democrat is fallacy even though in smaller elections, most of Washington's elected officials are Democrat.

  Does anyone reading this have any thoughts?  Pro or con, for the Electoral College or against.  Feel free to post comments.  Thanks all and have a great week.

Trevor

33 Job Openings of 2012, No Experience Necessary...Silver Spoons Preferred

  Hello friends,

  Today's post will be slightly EPIC, as far as the amount of information that I will be posting.  As stated in the title, there are 33 job openings...and they are all in the Senate. To be Senator, you need only these requirements:

• at least 30 years old.
• a U.S. citizen for at least nine years at the time of election to the Senate.
• a resident of the state one is elected to represent in the Senate.

The following list, shows which Senators are retiring and which seats will be contested ( meaning the incumbent will spend millions of dollars, to keep the $174,000 a year they receive as salary ).

First, the list of Democrats/Independents retiring.

1. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut
2. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii
3. Ben Nelson of Nebraska
4. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico
5. Kent Conrad of North Dakota
6. Jim Webb of Virginia
7. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin

Continuing list of Democrats/Independents seeking re-election

8. Dianne Feinstein of California
9. Tom Carper of Delaware
10. Bill Nelson of Florida
11. Ben Cardin of Maryland
12. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
13. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
14. Claire McCaskill of Missouri
15. Jon Tester of Montana
16. Bob Menendez of New Jersey
17. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
18. Sherrod Brown of Ohio
19. Bob Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania
20. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
21. Bernie Sanders of Vermont
22. Maria Cantwell of Washington State* Who received a loan in excess of 3 Million dollars in 2006 for her re-election campaign....a gross violation of campaign finances.
23. Joe Manchin of West Virginia

Republicans retiring:

24. Jon Kyl of Arizona
25. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas

Republicans seeking re-election:

26. Richard Lugar of Indiana
27. Olympia Snowe of Maine
28. Scott Brown of Massachusetts
29. Roger Wicker of Mississippi
30. Dean Heller of Nevada
31. Bob Corker of Tennessee
32. Orrin Hatch of Utah
33. John Barrasso of Wyoming

  Hello all,   this is another post that I apparently didn't publish to my blog. Originally written in December of last year.


  Hoping to see many changes in the Senate, and Congress in general.  Have a great day.


Trevor

My opinion ( prediction ) for the 2012 Election results

  Hello readers,

  I figured I would do this sooner than later...not that anything I write here will compel changes to the popular vote or change the minds of the College of Electorates ( remember...the 538 people chosen just prior to the Presidential Election, who will cast their 538 votes among the Democrats, Republicans and few Independents and decide our next president.

 Take a deep breath....let it out. 

  Are you ready?  Okay.

 The final tallies from the College of Electorates will result in approx. 350 votes for our incumbent president Barack Obama, with the remaining 188 votes being split between the Republicans and Independents.  Give or take....maybe 50 votes one way or the other....meaning, a second term.  Why?

 There are numerous reasons...let's start with the recession.  It actually began around late 2006, early 2007.  It was not the fault of a junior Senator ( at the time ) and can not be attributed to him in 2008 until now.  The huge, grotesque bank bail outs and auto industry bail outs....we can thank Congress for those..and they did so to protect their own interests.

  End to the war in Iraq:  Even though it was originally declared by President Bush, it was actually President Barack Obama who ensured that our troops, while maybe not yet home, were out of Iraq before the deadline.  Huge thumbs up.

 Snuffing of Osama Bin Ladin:  Took 10 years, but it happened on President Barack Obama's watch. Big thumbs up.

 Congressional Infighting:  Folks try to find the faults, and perchance even with only partial success getting bills passed ( Jobs Act, etc, etc ) Americans will remember more that Congress fought and accomplished little, compared with what President Obama was actually able to do.

 Here is a condensed list of more accomplishments:

1.  New S.T.A.R.T. ( strategic arms reduction treaty ) with Russia to reduce the number of intercontinental ballistic launchers by half.

2.  Repeal of D.A.D.T. ( Don't ask , Don't tell ) in armed forces.

3.  Tax cuts.  He re-signed to continue Bush era tax cuts through 2012.

4.  Fair Sentencing Act: To reduce the racial disparity that exists for crimes, more specifically drug related ( crack and powder cocaine ).

5.  Childhood Obesity Act:  Good to get it started...but truly, parents need to get their kids off the computers and X boxes.  Kids don't need cell phones at age 5 and need to engage in outdoor sports...or something.  In the 70's, extra curricular sports was all we had....unless you count the video game PONG.

6.  Health Care reform....while controversial and not yet up to speed, he is trying..which is more than any president before has done.  I have friends that are not covered....not by choice...so it is still a ways off....but can be done.

7.  Wall Street Reform Bill:  Put an end to ( hopefully ) tax payer funded bailouts.

8.  HIRE Act:  Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment.  Basically, a huge slab of money and tax incentives for companies that hire unemployed folks.

  There are more items....but I really don't need to fluff this.

   I just realized that I had written this last year, shortly after the start of my blog in September.  It was never "published"  AAAArrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh!!   It is no less relevant now.

Have a great weekend coming up.


Trevor

In Memorium

  Hello everyone,

    I hope everyone is having a great weekend.  Sunny weather, going to the beach and hitting yard sales.  I hope also today that everyone takes just a moment to honor those who sacrificed so much to preserve our freedom and way of life.  Many folks confuse Memorial Day with Veteran's Day.  I don't mind being thanked for my service, ever.  It is an honor to do what I can and has been an honor for the last 19 years and four deployments.  Today is not about me though.  It is about those who fought in the earlier and larger wars ( WWI, WWII,  Korean and Vietnam wars, respectively ).  It is about those who died in their attempt to right a wrong and return peace to our world.  Have a great day, and if all you do is remember...THANK YOU!


Trevor Dodge

Promises, promises.......

  Hello everyone,

  I watched a somewhat funny movie yesterday. It was called "Man of the Year".  Brief synopsis:  Robin Williams plays a comedic news man who runs for president of the United States...and due to a glitch in the voting process, he wins.  In the end, after finding out about the glitch, he walks away and continues to be a comedic news man.

   His arguments during the one debate he was allowed to attend really struck home.  How can candidates pledge to find or discover alternative energy when they have oil lobbyists in their pocket?

   How can candidates "promise" to...1) Repeal Obama care,  2) Get folks jobs,   3) Lower taxes and the list continues to grow.

   Presidents cannot wave a wand a la Harry Potter and expect promises made as candidates to come true.

   Until candidates realize that they need to rein in Congress and stop the bi-partisan bickering, nothing will change for the better.



Trevor

Big happenings this weekend

  Hello everyone,

  On this past Sunday I re-joined my National Guard unit to discover that they had reconfigured while I was gone, and they have no need for a Army truck driver of my rank ( SSG/ E-6 ).  I have several options on the table and will look at them in earnest next month.  Will keep you posted for sure.


  Also, found some grass growing ( finally ) where we had sowed our side lawn.  That's a good feeling, seeing as i will be having some family up next weekend.  I stopped using some political sites that I use to get info....will go back to traditional methods or will use several sites to get a good cross section of news.


  Have a great week everyone.


Trevor

Google Plus-I-Fied.....or something to that effect...

  Hello all,

  The blog-o-sphere is going through more changes and updates than Face Book.  Now my blog is connected to Google Plus.  Who knows where this will lead.  The new job is keeping me plenty busy , as is the work we are trying to accomplish around the house since my absence last year.  I will get back to the swing of things and usual political oddities that are seeming to propagate as I type this.  I hope every one has been doing well.  I will be military this weekend up in Tacoma and parts unknown.  Take care and catch back up sooner than later.


Trevor

21st Perfect game in baseball history...and I saw it.

   Just a short post today.....the blog site has changed their format.....and it may be near as bad as the decision by Face Book to install the "Time Line" on every ones profile with out consent.  Going to test the waters a little as it seems a bit weird to me ( the new format ).  Today I was a WITNESS.  Not to a crime or placed in the Witness Protection Program...or Jehovah Witness for that matter.  On the 21st of April, I was witness to the 21st Perfect game of Baseball ever pitched by a major leaguer.  Unfortunately, the Seattle Mariner's lost the game and the Chicago White Sox recorded their 18th of the 21 Perfect Games won.

Here are a few pictures that I took during the game.

   The picture above was of a color guard presenting the flag during the National Anthem.

   This picture was taken by me of my cousin Julie and I sharing a lighter moment....

    Cotton Candy anybody?  Ha ha.  We couldn't help but buy a couple different flavors of cotton candy.

   Unfortunately....this was one of many "swings and a miss" from the Seattle Mariners.

    Play ball.  Was an awesome experience to be with my family and sharing a historic event.  The 21st Perfect game on the 21st of April 2012.

  Catch everyone later and hope your weekend finishes great!!!!

Trevor

Weekend fun....Mariner Style

  Hello everyone,

   Have a great weekend coming up.  My Aunt Doris, a long time U.S.O. volunteer, scored some Seattle Mariner's tickets on Saturday.  The game against the Chicago White Sox is appropriately a Military Appreciation Day.  I will be attending the game with my brother Jason, cousin Julie and aunt Doris.  Will be so very good to see them again.  Here are some photos that are Mariner related.  Looking forward to seeing a Mariner win!!

  Although I haven't been to very many Baseball games...it is truly an American past time!  I hope every one's weekend is sunny and you are able to do what ever you have planned.

Trevor

I'm going through changes.....

  Hello everyone,

  It was great fun being on paid leave for 2 months, and finding a good job in the meantime but it was back to reality last week, with my return to my Army National Guard unit at Ft Lewis on the weekend.

  This picture was about a week ago and this was the most facial hair I have had in almost 19 years....ha ha.  Note the grey beard....grey equals wisdom..right?

  This is after a slight trim...in preparation for a shave and getting ready to return to my unit.

  Shaved out the beard and left the handle bars for effect.  Still Friday before Weekend drill.  Got to enjoy this for at least a few hours.

   And here we are....beard gone and mustache within military regulation...ready for the weekend.  I would keep the beard...with the grey hair if I were elected president.  It has been a while since we had a president with a beard.  Have a great week everyone.

  Here is a parting song for you all....

   We all go through changes.  Some good, some bad, some remarkable and some seemingly insignificant.  Take care everyone and see you this weekend.

Trevor

Long time, no see....this job is "busier" than when I started the blog....

  Hello everyone,

   When I started the blog last September, I was deployed and worked in an office.  Of my eight or twelve hour shift, I was usually only "busy" for 3-4 hours, which left me many hours to work on the blog.  My usual train of thought was to figure my next topic after I posted one...that way I could have a good start on the blog each day.

  With my new job, at Olympic Panel Products in Shelton, I am very busy from around 2pm until we leave at 11:15pm.  Not easy to think of relevant topics while producing plywood.  Our plywood has no less than 50 people directly involved in making each and every panel, although on my team there are 5 of us.  After each shift, I drive home and will usually be sleeping by 1:30am.  Our mornings are reserved for shopping for groceries or needed car parts.

  The only time I have to really think about the blog and which direction to write is on the weekends.....unless I am going to be busy at Ft. Lewis.  My leave is nearly over and this Saturday will be my first trip up to Ft. Lewis since we returned in February.  I will try to post at least every weekend, even though some of the posts may be later in the day.

  Have a great day and I will catch up again ( sooner ).

Trevor Dodge

Job search 2.0 Success

  Hello everyone,

  Success.....well, almost.  I am 2 days away from securing a full time position at my number one choice of work.  Minor details to iron out such as a mandatory urinalysis....etc.  Fairly sure I have mentioned something about urinalysis in my blog before....somewhere down the line.

  Several days ago, before I had confirmation that I would be called in for the second interview, I applied for unemployment benefits.  Never had done that before....but am happy to write that I did not need to collect anything from them.  I am still on military leave and had a buffer.....albeit a small one.  April 13th would have ended my leave and subsequently, my pay.  

  All is well.  As a matter of fact, I had two calls this morning.  The second call was from a Casino nearby in regards to my inquiry about a security position.  Just to re-affirm.....the jobs are out there.

  I also want to give kudos to Work Source of Washington.  I am pretty sure every State has a Work Source program.  Here is the hotlink to the one in Washington State.

https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/Seeker/skrLogin.aspx

  I also want to sincerely thank all my family and friends for their support and assistance in my efforts to secure a job.  I will still be looking forward to being on the ballot in 2016, but it is a good feeling to again have a job.

Have a great day, and a super weekend!

Trevor

Still looking

  Hello everyone,

  Been an absolutely busy couple weeks.  Always hoping to post more often and create more videos, but I am still job hunting.  There are jobs available and with President Obama's promise that more veterans will be hired through tax credits and tax cuts for companies that hire us, I am assured a job...somewhere and sometime.

  The weather has finally begun to cooperate and we are doing some home maintenance ( starting with washing our immense bay windows ), but ahhh, to let the sunshine in is such a good feeling.

   After our vacation and return, it snowed or sleeted or hailed and rained nearly every day until about 3 days ago.

   I still have about 3 weeks of vacation and will continue job hunting and visiting friends locally as I am able.

   Hope your weekends were great.

   Until next time.

   Trevor Dodge

Ahhh. To be home. MORE SNOW???????

  Hello friends,

  Yes, it is true.  Woke up this morning to cold temps and more snow, near 4 inches as of this posting.  It is beautiful up here...all white and pristine, but really. I realize Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and foretold of another six weeks of Winter, but it would be nice if we were able to drive somewhere without having to chain up.  All is good and I will try to keep the satellite clear of snow so that I may continue to post.  Have a great day everyone.

Trevor

Vacation....the Wild Wild Weather and other such stuff.

  Hello everyone,

  We have returned from our vacation....the one I had hoped would take us into Kansas to see my grandmother.
I will submit a short synopsis of the vacation.  We headed South through Oregon into Northern California then East into Reno Nevada.  That was the first day.  From Reno, we headed East and got snowed in when we arrived at Austin Nevada on Hwy 50. That was day two.  For the next twelve days, give or take, we headed back West until we made it to the Californian Coast and North back to our house. Some highlights were the townsfolk of Austin Nevada who were great conversationalists. We talked about many things; the weather, jobs and just about everything....but mostly about the weather.  The snow storm was heading East ( as we were trying to drive East )....we would have continued if we weren't at an altitude over 7,000 feet. Yes indeed...pretty steep drops on either side of the road.

  We met some fantastic folks along the way.  Northern Californians are awesome people and we wished we had more time to chat with them before we headed West towards Blue Lake.  The next day we traveled North along the coast to Orick California and the Giant Redwoods.

  After the Redwoods, we traveled the coast of Oregon and loaded up on Pirate Booty ( reproductions of the old Pieces of Eight that were carried on Merchant ships long ago ).

  We left Astoria Oregon this morning as it was snowing...only to discover that it was snowing at home too.  Looking forward to Spring and Summer.  Have a great day everyone!

Trevor

First short video log....available on YouTube too!

   Hello everyone,

  Made my first video today and will be making others, even during our trip to Kansas to visit family.  Will go more in depth in later videos, but still try to keep the videos under 5 minutes.

  This is a short video.  I have raised the amount of pay I would donate if elected to 50%.  I would send the money or supplies as needed throughout the year to North West Harvest,  Bridge Town Inc. of Portland Oregon, Sponsor the Troops in Pennsylvania and Operation Spirit Inc. of Ohio.  Future videos will be forthcoming and I look forward to talking with everyone.   Have a wonderful weekend.

Trevor

P.S.   If you want to find me on YouTube.com,, my username is SSGVET1970

My apologies for the delay....weather and other stuff.

  Hello everyone,

  Been home a couple weeks now and have been super busy.  A recent snowfall we had knocked out our Internet for a day or two.  I will do my absolute best to get a video made in the next day or two.   Have had some great brainstorming in the last week....just need to buckle down and get it done.  Will have to give me some leeway since I don't use cue cards or teleprompter when I speak.  Just tell it like it is.  Have a great day and see you all soon   FOR SURE !!!


Trevor M Dodge

My first campaign speech

  Hello everyone,


  On the 18th of February, my local Veteran Club had a welcome back party/dinner in honor of my safe return. I was asked to give a speech ( as a Veteran....more so than a Presidential candidate ).  During that speech I strongly voiced that more needed to be done for our Veterans...past, present and future.  Many are returning with P.T.S.D. ( Post traumatic stress disorder ) although it is now called something else to separate the stigma of having a mental disorder.

  I took the microphone again shortly after that, and announced that I am running for President in 2016 and why....we also have been handing out many of my business cards.

  If any of my readers would like any cards to distribute, please just email me or get in touch via Face Book.  Have a great day and weekend.

Trevor M Dodge

Back and ready to rest...video to follow soon.

  Hello friends and readers,

  Recently made it home from the deployment and have been having a bear of a time getting my computer back to America Mode...ha ha.  Everything has been going well with family and our adorable pups. I am hoping to have a video made fairly soon, within a week and posted to both YouTube and the blog.  Have a great weekend.


Trevor

On the way home.....

  Hello friends and readers,

  While I am not yet on the flight that will return me home, it is close enough that I will have to "close up shop" temporarily.

  Writing this blog, thus far, has been a great experience and knowledgeable journey.  I truly appreciate the comments and really look forward to posting my videos, so I can finally talk to you, face to face ( depending on how close you sit to your monitors ).

  I appreciate your support and well wishes.  I will not be gone long.

Have a great weekend!

Trevor

I discovered why voters....uh, hate to vote.

 Hello friends and readers,

  Perhaps I have deployed to often, or have lived within a County where excess voting doesn't occur...but over all...we vote too much.

  We vote for City Councils and proposals.

  We vote for Bond issues....from rebuilding a library to retrofitting a firehouse or police station or for extra funds to clean parks....the list goes on and on.

  We vote on Levy's to add an additional 15 cents per thousand dollars we owe on our homes, to our existing mortgages or however else they wish to collect the money.

  And, as if that isn't enough, we have State Primaries, Straw Polls , Congressional Votes ( for re-election or to toss aside like so much refuse....remember 33 jobs open this year ), the ever unpopular "Popular" Vote for the presidency....and if that weren't enough......

  The candy companies wish us to choose the new or popular color of M and M's.  It would realistically drive anyone who likes to support certain ideas and events to wither and cower at the thought of ....  yet, another Election.  This is just theory and is not yet proven....please don't post angry comments if these words don't describe you....or even anybody you know.  Have a great day everyone!!

Trevor

Wiretaps and other fun news

Hello friends and readers,

  I could have written about this a few days when the story broke, but what fun would that be?  Apparently, Jane Harman had some conversations with an Israeli agent and was organizing some Quid Pro Quo.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2009/04/jane_harmans_mysterious_conver.html

Seems now that Jane is pretty upset, she is a member of Congress you know.  If it comes to pass that a crime was committed, she will be censured or, at worst, impeached. Jane Harman will likely become the scapegoat of a much larger issue.  If we laid it all out, I am sure that dozens more Congressmen would fall.

 Have a good day all.

Trevor

Wanted: Contacts in our 50 ( not 57 or 58 ) States

  Hello everyone,

  I feel the rush now...fairly close to getting on the flight that will bring my troops and I home.  To get on Washington State's ballot for the November Election in 2016, I will need to hold a convention of sorts and gain 1,000 signatures.  Now, that is the easy part.  I will have to repeat that process 49 more times before my name will appear on each State's ballot for President.  I am confident that I have friends and family across maybe 15-20 State's and will publish lists as I go along.  Being an Independent Candidate travelling through mostly Democratic and Republican States will not be difficult...but finding a setting in which to attract at least the 1,000 signatures needed...yeah, little tougher.  I have no travels planned for this year, but will make a concerned effort to start travelling to gather the signatures needed next year.  If we could spread this message out, I may be able to gather friends in all 50 States, and then plan an itinerary.

  Quite a daunting task, but not an impossible one!  Thanks everyone.

Trevor

Going strong...still

  Hello readers,

  For only the second time since I began the blog ( and announced my intent to run for president in 2016 ) have I been asked the following question:

  "You are running for   President?  Shouldn't you start at Governor or become a Senator first"

I told the person to "read my lips".......  deep breath...

1.  How many of the Lawyers we see running for President have been to a foreign country, except to have drinks on the beach while they get a tan?  Zilch.....nada.

2.  How many years exactly is someone required to serve a political role, milking the system for all they can and losing the trust of those they are supposed to be representing...before running for President?  None, zero....zip.

3. I can only say this so many times....and maybe some day...more people will believe me  "  I may not have political connections, but I don't want them...my only concern is to truly represent the American people and help guide our country back to firmer territory , a stronger economy and a Government that truly represents all Americans "

  You can quote me on that.

Have a great day.

Trevor