BENCHMARKS

INTRODUCTION
It's January 16, 2007, the morning after the MLK holiday. In our immediate locality, it's a beautiful morning. The sun is shining, the temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are about 5 inches of clean shimmering snow on the ground. The new DEM Congress has been sworn in, but other than in the form of anticipatory effects, the impact of this change on the People of the USA is yet to be felt. Here's where a series of benchmarks stand as of the beginning of this day.

BENCHMARKS
What follows is at best a limited itemization of things we should monitor over the course of time. Feel free to add your own benchmarks.

o The DOW JONES INDEX is at a record high of 12,556. Nasdaq is at 2503.

o Unemployment in the US is at 4.5%.

o The growth rate of our GNP is over 2% per quarter. Inflation is currently not a problem.

o Unemployment in France is TWICE the US rate, while growth is stagnant.

o The price of OIL is $51 per barrel. Natural gas is $6.61/MMBtu.

o Gasoline prices are under $2.00 per gallon in some places.

o Net profit for BIG OIL was 1% (when OIL was $12/BARREL) to 10% (most recently).

o Net profit for the NY Times is about 30%.

o Number of new US Nuclear Electricity Generating Plants = 0.

o Number of new oil wells in the US (including ANWR) = 0.

o Number of new refineries built in the US in the last 30 yrs = 0.

o A five year CD yields 4.83% per annum. A 30 year mortgage is 5.9%.

o Gold is $626 per troy ounce.

o Number of times Bush has vetoed a bill since he's been President = 1.

o Castro is still alive.

o Chavez & Morales & Ortega & Putin & Kim Jong Il & Baby Assad & Ahmedinejad are still alive.

o Saddam and his henchmen are dead.

o There are no Iraqi MSMs since we can't find any. We can't find Bin Laden. Therefore no Bin Laden?

o Main issues in 06 election were Corruption and Govt. Overspending. Iraq was #4 based on Exit Polls.

o In 06 election DEM centrists WON and GOP 'moderates' LOST. No mandate for DEM RADICALS.

o Main cause for Global Warming (if it exists) is the SUN. Human CO2 is #9 cause. Mainly US & China.

o Since 2000, there has been a TAX CUT rather than a TAX INCREASE.

o The top income tax bracket is 35%.

o The top tax rate on capital gains and dividends is 20%.

o About 50% of the population PAYS NO INCOME TAX.

o About 1% of the population pays about 30% of all INCOME TAXES.

o Billionaire Teresa Heinz Kerry still enjoys a 13% income tax rate.

o Income Tax revenues are up and the deficit is less than it was a year ago.

o Tax Increases still can't make weeds grow in a vacant lot, let alone the ECONOMY.

o Payroll taxes of 12.4% are exacted for incomes up to $90,000.

o The ratio of taxpayers to retirees is currently 3:1. It will soon be 2:1.

o Number of Personal Social Security Accounts = 0 (excluding IRAs and 401Ks).

o Social Security and Medicare may be insolvent in 10 to 15 years.

o About 7% to 8% of all 'Real Jobs' (i.e. in the private sector) are UNIONIZED.

o Entry level take home wages for US Toyota employees (Non-Union) are more than for UAW workers.

o GM, Ford, and Chrysler are in trouble financially and are losing market share.

o Unions are still able to spend DUES money on LEFTIST politics without worker's consent.

o Neither Fitzgerald nor Nifong are on trial for prosecutorial malfeasance.

o The Supreme Court is currently balanced (4 Liberals, 4 Conserevatives, 1 Swing Vote).

o Partial Birth Abortions are still de-facto legal.

o Racial Preferences are still de-facto legal.

o Dollars from Tobbacco Lawsuits going to people who want to quit smoking = 0.

o The Judiciary is still not Accountable to the PEOPLE. Ditto for the Plaintiff bar.

o The MSM is still not Accountable to the PEOPLE.

o UNIONS are anti-democratic and still not accountable to the PEOPLE.

o We're still not sure if the CIA and the State Department represent the best interests of the US.

o We have a Volunteer Army. Some would call them mercenaries. Many ex-generals prove the point.

o Number of KIA in Iraq (03-06) = 3000 +. Due to Bush.

o Number Killed in 9/11 = 3000. Due to DEMS over 20 yrs. and culminating in the Klintonistas.

o Number of gang banger killings in top 20 metro areas in 06 = about 2000.

o There is a first approximation to democracy in Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine.

o Number of Leftist Anti-War activists who care about the welfare of US troops = 0.

o Number killed in the US since 9/11 due to IslamoTerrorists = 0.

o Number of WMD attacks originating in Iraq or Afghanistan = 0.

o Number of WMD attacks in Europe = 0.

o Number of WMD attacks in the Middle East = 0.

So there you have it. Let's see how things change as time goes on. Make of it what you will. Who's responsible for what, will remain a bone of contention ('Success has many fathers. Failure is an orphan.').

Since we're basically Skeptics and Cynics, we have TWO responses to anything emanating from Congress or the MSM: "A ROOM FULL OF SPITOONS." and "A GRAND PIANO". This manifests itself as follows:

"Our respect for CONGRESS could not begin to fill a ROOM FULL OF SPITOONS!"

and

"We wouldn't trust the MSM as far as we could throw a GRAND PIANO!"

We just got online. Things are already CHANGING. Keep your eyes open.