President Barack Obama's Invoice to the American Taxpayer (The Washington Examiner)

Wall Street Bailout: The first $350 billion tranche of the Troubled Asset Relief Program was not a model of accountability or effectiveness, but Obama, just before taking office, called on Congress to release the second
half. $350 Billion

Stimulus: The largest spending bill in history is heavy on infrastructure and aid to states, and its "tax cuts are really transfer payments from the IRS. $788 Billion

Wall Street Bailout , Part ll: After Congress passed the stimulus, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner called for an additional "stabilization" plan, including Federal Reserve loans of $1 trillion and another $1 trillion of bad-asset purchases. $2 Trillion

Mortgage Bailout: Last summer, Congress bailed out the mortgage lenders, and now Obama wants to do it again. $275 Billion

Children's Health Insurance: Health insurers got a bailout when Congress expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Plan to include subsidies for middle-income children. $7 Billion

Fiscal 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill: This funds the rest of the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009. It includes 9,000 earmarks and an increase of 8.5 percent over last year's levels. (Federal spending for the current fiscal year from October to this month was funded as a continuation of President Bush's fiscal 2008 budget of $2.9 trillion.) $410 Billion

Obama's Fiscal 2010 Budget

Discretionary Spending: After the record-breaking stimulus and the 2009 omnibus, Obama has also proposed the largest batch of appropriations ever. COST: $1.368 trillion

Mandatory Spending and Debt Interest: Expanding health-care entitlements will cost $634 billion in the long run. COST: $2.173 trillion $3.541 Trillion


TOTAL $7,371,000,000,000


(The totals are put in red to represent the blood that might be shooting out of your eyes after you have read this.)

Another Day, Another Trillion

In bold white script, the words "A New Era of Responsibility" are splashed across the cover of the President's new budget proposal. Unfortunately, the responsibilities outlined throughout its 142 pages are ours--all $3.6 trillion of them. In five weeks on the job, President Obama is on his way to racking up more national debt than President Bush did in five years (2001-2006). Under this spending plan, America would be saddled with a $1.8 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2009, the highest in U.S. history. This administration seems to operate under the slogan: Why quit while you're behind? Big government is back--along with big taxes, big promises, and what will certainly be big disappointments when generation after generation of taxpayers get the bill.

Among the budget highlights are some broad social policy shifts, including: a "down payment" on government-controlled health care ($634 billion), "greener" government through pricy climate research and buildings ($12.3 billion), another $5 million to Medicaid "family planning" efforts, a second, more costly bank bailout ($750 billion), and projected revenue from a "cap and trade" clamp on carbon emissions.

Today's edition of the D.C. Examiner itemizes the cost to American taxpayers in an invoice from the President, which totals $7,371,000,000,000.00. How does Obama expect to pay for everything? Charles Hurt of the New York Post writes, "Obama's budget schemes to drain staggering amounts of money from people who worked for it and steer it to people who didn't." According to some estimates, Americans can expect $1.5 trillion in tax increases by 2019. Obviously, one of the immediate casualties of the Obama era will be President Bush's tax cuts, which have provided real relief for American families. Although FRC lobbied to make the cuts permanent, they are almost certain to expire next year. The wealthy (those making $250,000 a year or more) are scheduled to take a punishing blow for their success with hikes in capital gains taxes, income taxes, employer taxes, and the resurrection of the estate tax.

But perhaps the most troubling element of the President's proposal is a deliberate--and debilitating--attack on charitable giving. To the dismay of people across the political spectrum, the White House has asked for a 20% reduction in the amount that upper-income people can deduct from their taxes for making charitable donations. For organizations already feeling the crunch of the recession, this could be a killing blow.

Under the current plan, no one would be immune. The new code would affect everything from think tanks to food banks. As the President is well aware, the pain would be particularly acute for the community of religious conservatives, who are more generous than political liberals in every measurable way. The move would hurt traditional-values charities most, since the government is already funding the far Left's agenda on abortion, environmentalism, welfare, the arts, and "family planning" with billions of tax dollars every year.

In effect, Obama would be squeezing out any programs that are not government approved. He claims the move would bring in roughly $32 billion a year--but at a much larger cost to philanthropy as a whole. If the provision passes, the White House would be well on its way to replacing the work of churches, nonprofits, and social service agencies with more government programs, which studies have proven to be a poor and ineffective substitute. Americans should be outraged. If there's one place that doesn't need our charity, it's Washington. (frcpub@frc.org)

Smallville

(Picture:Regular Cast of Smallville Season 8, From left to right: Lois Lane aka Clark's destined love of his life, Davis Bloome aka Doomsday, Jimmy Olsen aka famous Daily Planet photographer, Chloe aka Clark's best friend since high school and Lois Lane's cousin, Clark Kent, Tess Mercer aka replaces Lex as President of Luthor Corp., Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow, current leader of the Justice League) If you haven't figured out yet, I am a big Superman Fan. If there is one TV show I have seen more often, whether it would be on TV or multiple times on DVD, it would be Smallville. Smallville is current in its 8th season, and as recently been reported it will continue for a 9th Season. Of all of the previous live action TV shows portraying the Character Superman, Smallville has been the longest being broadcast. The success of Smallville, I believe has been the result from its well written story lines, great acting, and it abilities to have long progressing plots maturing very well, and then keep you entertained every episode. Smallville is the story of the early years of Clark Kent as he grows up as a teenager in Kansas to becoming a mild manner reporter in Metropolis, where he eventually discovers his destiny to become Superman. They started the series in the pilot when he was sent to earth on a spaceship within a meteor shower, into Smallville, KA. Their he is first found by a young married couple, Johnathon and Martha Kent. It is then fast forward to Clark's Freshman year at Smallville High. As a young teenager Clark he hasn't developed all of his powers yet. The writers of this series brought Clark's different powers in sequences. Instead of having all of his powers when he came to earth, he would develop them as he grows more mature, just like a teenage is going through puberty, he/she goes through some changes. Here Clark begins the series with super-speed, and super-strength. Over the series he has develop his super-sight early on and has to learn to control when to use it, as it started to go off randomly. The next season he learn how to develop and use his heat vision. This was the cause of him become attractive to women, specifically a evil teacher and even Lana Lang. He eventually was able to control and focus it with different magnitudes. In the 3rd season he learned his super-hearing when he was temporary made blind by a beam of kryptonite. Just like a blind man being able to focus his hearing better than seeing people, since it has become an important sense to notice their surroundings. Clark was then abled to focus his hearing to listen to sounds long distances away, behind several sound barriers. In the 6th season he was able to develop his super-breath. He develop this after he experimented a cold that causes him to sneeze, which was more like a super-sneeze. The only other major power he is yet to develop is the ability of flight. Yet over the seasons you can find he has been abled to leap further and further, and sustain more and more time in the air. When the writers started the series they promised, no flights, no tights. The only time Clark did any flying was at the beginning of the 4th season, but I will give the details later. What I love about this series is its great stories, character developments, and several Superman Mythology references as it progresses. I also enjoyed the relationship between Clark and Lex Luther. As we know in the Mythology these guys become worse enemies, but as the series begins they are best friends. Their relationship as it develops through-out the series shows a true tragedy. I will now give a brief summary of what has happen so far in the series. The 1st season is Clark's beginning as he just starts to know how different he is from everyone else, and why. The meteor shower that hit Smallville brought several kryonite rocks throughout the town, and their radioactivity caused many citizens to develop powers. They would cause havoc in Smallville, while Clark still learning his abilities, would show his spirit of helping people and showing heroism as he stopped these people. The 2nd season is where Clark finds out his true origin as the Last Son of Krypton. In the 3rd season, it is a little more dark as after Clark rebels (typical teenager) from his father, Jor-el, to begin his destiny. In the 4th season, Clark decides to begin his crusade for the 3 Kryptonian Crystals. In the beginning of this season Clark is presented as Kal-el, and has all of his abilities, including flight, but eventually is confronted by his earth mother, Martha, who wants her son Clark back, forces black kryptonite on him. Black krytonite causes Clark to split personas in himself, thus splitting the rebel Kal-el and Martha's son Clark Kent. Clark Kent returns to normal, but relizes he still needs to accomplish his crusade to find the 3 Kryptonian Crystals. He finds all the stones at the end of the season, and puts them together to form one Crystal in the shape of the famous Superman Empleme pentagon. In the 5th season, it is called Clark in training, as he builds the Fortress of Solitude from the 3 Kryptonian Crystals. He gets instructions from his Father of threats that would destroy his world. This would be the Brainiactive Construct of Krypton (aka Brainiac, Milton Fine), and also the recarnation of General Zod (Krypton's worsed murder and dictator) possessing Lex's body. At the end of the season, Zod would send Clark to the Phantom Zone (a planet zone created by Jor-el to imprison the worse enemies of Krypton). In the 6th season, Clark finds his way out of the Phantom zone, but as he returns home he brings several Phantoms from the zone to earth with him. Clark defeats Zod, and brings the rest of the Phantoms back to the Phantom Zone. But the last phantom would take DNA from Clarks body and make a copy of him. This copy (Bizarro) has all of Clarks powers, plus flight, and is not effected by kryptonite. Clark eventually defeats this being in the 7th season while learning his source of his powers, the yellow sun. Kara (aka Supergirl), Clarks krytonian cousin, comes in this season, as her spaceship was discovered after being buried since Clark landed on earth. She was expecting to find Clark as a little boy, but finds he is grown up as a matured young man. Kara has all of Clark's abilities including flight. This bugs Clark as he still hasn't learned how to fly. Both Clark and Kara join forces to defeat Brainiac. Clark does defeat Brainiac, so it seemed. At the end of the season, Lex and Clark relationship has pushed to ultimate enemies, and soon Lex finds out he is destiny to destroy the Traveler, who is Clark. Lex final finds out Clark's secret and brings down Clark, himself and the fortress with them. The latest season, Clark is back as a reporter for the Daily Planet and learning use his abilities a hero in Metropolis. The mystery super hero is being called the Red-Blue-Blur. In this season, Lex is proposed Dead or Missing, and the development of the only being to kill Superman, Doomsday comes. Doomsday is portrayed as a young man, Clark's age, who is appeared to being a great person as a EMT in Metropolis. But there is a hidden darkness that develops in his body through-out the season. Doomsday in the story turns out to be a genetic creation as the son of General Zod and his wife from Krypton and was sent secretly on Clark's ship to earth. I know this is just a brief summary, and that there are many missing info about the series, but at least this will give you a general idea what the show is about. Like I said before, this series has been able to develop characters in an amazing manner and introduce characters through-out the DC Universe (characters used in DC Comics) in great stages. The special effects are wonderful, and after every episode you are hungry for more. Anyone that loves Superman, will love Smallville a lot. I might give updates of previous episodes, will see. In Conclusion, I hope everyone has enjoyed this post and have received a better understand of the Greatest live action TV Show of the years before Clark Kent becomes our Greatest Hero, Superman.

Earmarks? Pork? Big Government? Socialism?

The recent spending bill went faster through congress than anyone was able to read and understand what was included in the bill. Obama said that this bill was nesscery to save our economy. At the same time he had stated that there was now earmarks in this bill. For those who don't know what a earmark is, it is another word for wasteful spending. The Democrats pressured the Republicans in the previous Congress that they were spending too much money and having their own earmarks. The Democrats simply made their own version of earmarks to the mix. President Obama, before he took office, he wanted to sign a huge bill to jump start his presidency. He literally gave the full responsibility to Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi and all the of Democrats in congress had their long time dream come true to put everything they wanted in a bill to grow government size and power. The bill totaled to $787,000,000,000. I put the zeros just to show how much $787 billion looked like. If you want to know where we are going to get all this money in the first place, just wait, I will explain. First, I want to share details of want was included in this bill, and I will let you decided if they are wasteful spending and just a further agenda to socialism.

$44 million for construction, repair and improvements at US Department of Agriculture facilties / $209 million for work on deferred maintenance at Agricultural Research Service facilities / $245 million for maintaining and modernizing the IT system of the Farm Service Agency / $175 million to buy and restore floodplain easements for flood prevention / $50 million for “Watershed Rehabilitation” / $1.1 billion for rural community facilities direct loans / $2 billion for rural business and industry guaranteed loans / $2.7 billion for rural water and waste dispoal direct loans / $22.1 billion for rural housing insurance fund loans / $2.8 billion for loans to spur rural broadband / $150 million for emergency food assistance / $50 million for regional economic development commissions / $1 billion for “Periodic Censuses and Programs” / $350 million for State Broadband Data and Development Grants / $1.8 billion for Rural Broadband Deployment Grants / $1 billion for Rural Wireless Deployment Grants / $650 million for Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Program / $100 million for “Scientific and Technical Research and Services” at the National Institute of Standards And Technology / $30 million for necessary expenses of the “Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership” / $300 million for a competitive construction grant program for research science buildings / $400 million for “habitat restoration and mitigation activities” at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / $600 million for “accelerating satellite development and acquisition” / $140 million for “climate data modeling” / $3 billion for state and local law enforcement grants / $1 billion for “Community Oriented Policing Services” / $250 million for “accelerating the development of the tier 1 set of Earth science climate research missions recommended by the National Academies Decadal Survey.” / $50 million for repairs to NASA facilities from storm damage / $300 million for “Major Research Insrumentation program” (science) / $200 million for “academic research facilities modernization” / $100 million for “Education and Human Resources” / $400 million for “Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction” / $4.5 billion to make military facilities more energy efficient / $1.5 billion for Army Operation and Maintenance fund/ $624 million for Navy Operation and Maintenance / $128 million for Marine Corps Operation and Maintenance / $1.23 billion for Air Force Operation and Maintenance / $454 million to “Defense Health Program” / $110 million for Army Reserve Operation and Maintenance / $62 million for Navy Reserve Operation and Maintenance / $45 million for Marine Corps Reserve Operation and Maintenance / $14 million for Air Force Reserve Operation and Maintenance / $302 million for National Guard Operation and Maintenance / $29 million for Air National Guard Operation and Maintenance / $350 million for military energy research and development programs / $2 billion for Army Corps of Engineers “Construction” / $250 million for “Mississippi River and Tributaries” / $2.2 billion for Army Corps “Operation and Maintenance” / $25 million for an Army Corps “Regulatory Program” / $126 million for Interior Department “water reclamation and reuse projects” / $80 million for “rural water projects” / $18.5 billion for “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy” research in the Department of Energy. That money includes: $2 billion for development of advanced batterie, $800 million of that is for biomass research and $400 million for geothermal technologies / $1 billion in grants to “institutional entities for energy sustainability and efficiency” / $6.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program / $3.5 billion for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants / $3.4 billion for state energy programs / $200 million for expenses to implement energy independence programs / $300 million for expenses to implement Energy efficient appliance rebate programs including the Energy Star program / $400 million for expenses to implement Alternative Fuel Vehicle and Infrastructure Grants to States and Local Governments / $1 billion for expenses necessary for advanced battery manufacturing / $4.5 billion to modernize the nation’s electricity grid / $1 billion for the Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee Program / $2.4 billion to demonstrate “carbon capture and sequestration technologies” / $400 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency (Science) / $500 million for “Defense Environmental Cleanup” / $1 billion for construction and repair of border facilities and land ports of entry / $6 billion for energy efficiency projects on government buildings / $600 million to buy and lease government plug-in and alternative fuel vehicles / $426 million in small business loans / $100 million for “non-intrusive detection technology to be deployed at sea ports of entry / $150 million for repair and construction at land border ports of entry / $500 million for explosive detection systems for aviation security / $150 million for alteration or removal of obstructive bridges / $200 million for FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter program / $325 million for Interior Department road, bridge and trail repair projects / $300 million for road and bridge work in Wildlife Refuges and Fish Hatcheries / $1.7 billion for “critical deferred maintenance” in the National Park System / $200 million to revitalize the National Mall in Washington, D.C. / $100 million for National Park Service Centennial Challenge programs / $200 million for repair of U.S. Geological Survey facilities / $500 million for repair and replacement of schools, jails, roads, bridges, housing and more for Bureau of Indian Affairs / $800 million for Superfund programs / $200 million for leaking underground storage tank cleanup / $8.4 billion in “State and Tribal Assistance Grants” / $650 million in “Capital Improvement and Maintenance” at the Agriculture Dept. / $850 million for “Wildland Fire Management” / $550 million for Indian Health facilties / $150 million for deferred maintenance at the Smithsonian museums / $50 million in grants to fund “arts projects and activities which preserve jobs in the non-profit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn” through the National Endowment for the Arts / $1.2 billion in grants to states for youth summer jobs programs and other activities / $1 billion for states in dislocated worker employment and training activities / $500 million for the dislocated workers assistance national reserve / $80 million for the enforcement of worker protection laws and regulations related to infrastructure and unemployment insurance investments / $300 million for “construction, rehabilitation and acquisition of Job Corps Centers” / $250 million for public health centers / $1 billion for renovation and repair of health centers / $600 million for nurse, physician and dentist training / $462 million for renovation work at the Centers for Disease Control / $1.5 billion for “National Center for Research Resources” / $500 million for “Buildlings and Facilties” at the National Institutes of Health in suburban Washington, D.C. / $700 million for “comparative effectiveness research” on prescription drugs / $1 billion for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance / $2 billion in Child Care and Development Block Grants for states / $1 billion for Head Start programs / $1.1 billion for Early Head Start programs / $100 million for Social Security research programs / $200 million for “Aging Services Programs” / $2 billion for “Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology” / $430 million for public health/social services emergency funds / $2.3 billion for the Centers for Disease Control for a variety of programs / $5.5 billion in targeted education grants / $5.5 billion in “education finance incentive grants” / $2 billion in “school improvement grants” / $13.6 billion for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act / $250 million for statewide education data systems / $14 billion for school modernization, renovation and repair / $160 million for AmeriCorps grants / $400 million for the construction and costs to establish a new “National Computer Center” for the Social Security Administration / $500 million to improve processing of disability and retirement claims / $920 million for Army housing and child development centers / $350 million for Navy and Marine Corps housing and child development centers / $280 million in Air Force housing and child development centers / $3.75 billion in military hospital and surgery center construction / $140 million in Army National Guard construction projects / $70 million in Air National Guard construction projects / $100 million in Army Reserve construction projects / $30 million in Navy Reserve construction projects / $60 million in Air Force Reserve construction projects / $950 million for VA Medical Facilities / $50 million for repairs for military cemeteries / $120 million for a backup information management facility for the State Department / $98 million for National Cybersecurity Initiative / $3 billion for “Grants-in-Aid for Airports” / $300 million for Indian Reservation roads / $300 million for Amtrak capital needs / $800 million for national railroad assets or infrastructure repairs, upgrades / $5.4 billion in federal transit grants / $2 billion in infrastructure development for subways and commuter railways / $5 billion for public housing capital / $1 billion in competitive housing grants / $2.5 billion for energy efficiency upgrades in public housing / $500 million in Native American Housing Block Grants / $4.1 billion to help communities deal with foreclosed homes / $1.5 billion in homeless prevention activities / $79 billion in education funds for states (http://stopthejunk.com/2009/01/economic-stimulus-bill-list-of-items)

On another note, you are wondering how we are going to get the money to spend all of this? Just follow this link: http://www.foxnews.com/glennbeck/index.html, then go down under "Share These Videos!" and click on the video "Look Behind The Curtain." I will just say we don't have the money, and if we decided to print more money to cover all of this we will bankrupt this country.

Superman - The World's Greatest Superhero

When I created this blog, I named it Justin's Fortress of Solitude. I guess I never really explain why I pick that name. The Fortress of Solitude is a reference to Superman. It is home and place of refuge on earth. I dedicate this post to my all time favorite superhero, Superman (aka, Kal-el, The Son of Jor-el, Clark Kent, CK, Smallville, The Man of Steel, The Last Son of Krypton, The Man of Tomorrow, etc). The character, Superman, was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1933. He first appear in action comics issue #1 in 1938. Since than he has survived during harsh and prospering times. He has been the universal symbol for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Ever since I was young I have dreamed of being abled to fly. I even remember my old superman costume I would put on and then jump off the couch as if I could fly like Superman. I still have dreams today of flying. There is a lot of symbolism that have been used for Superman. As the planet Krypton was reaching its doom for destruction, a young scientist Jor-el tried desperately to save his people. The people would not listen to him. His planet's destruction would bring danger upon his wife Lara and newborn son, Kal-el. Knowing their own fates, Jor-el and Lara sent their only son, on a spaceship, away from the planet Krypton before its destruction. Baby Kal-el landed on earth, in the farmlands of Smallville, Kansas. Their he was found by Johnathon and Martha Kent. The Kents have been praying for a baby for a long time, and this day their prayer was answered. They brought little Kal-el into their family with love and care. As baby Kal-el grew up in Smallville, he was given the name Clark Kent, Martha's middle name. The lesson's Clark learned as he grew up on the Kent farm are what shaped him into the world's greatest superhero. Here is a man that becomes the most powerful person on earth, and if it wasn't for the importance on growing from a righteous family unity, he would most likely have been the world's most powerful villain. A note to the importance of raising children in a righteous home. As Clark grew in Smallville he learn the importance of controlling his new discovered abilities. On Krypton, they had a red sun. On earth, there is a yellow sun. Such difference cause Clark's molecular structure to change dramatically compared to those living on earth. The power of our yellow sun gave him a indestructible body with amazing strength, the ability to focus the heat of the surface of the sun to come from his eyes, ability to see through objects through use of x-ray, telescopic, infra-red, and microscopic vision, the power of super hearing, a super-cooled breath that can also be used to send high-speed winds, an ability to break the sound barrier as he runs faster than a bullet, and ultimately going from leaping tall buildings on a single bound to completely breaking the laws of gravity and flying faster than anything else on earth. In Smallville he had a High-school sweetheart named Lana Lang. He would eventually move away from Smallville and make his way to Metropolis. After being raised by goodly parents, he had a great desire to use his abilities to help people in Metropolis. He then found the need to have an alter ego. As Clark Kent, a mild manner reporter. He had the help of Martha who took material left from Lara in his spaceship to make the uniform he would wear has he helped peopled in Metropolis. This is why his suit is also indestructible. After Clark was discovered using his abilities in Metropolis, he allowed a exclusive interview to be held by Lois Lane. It was Lois Lane who gave Kal-el the name "Superman." Superman grew as the protector of Metropolis and love of Lois's life. Superman had many enemies, including his nemesis, Alexander "Lex" Luthor, and the only person claimed to have killed Superman, Doomsday. Even though Superman was know to be indestructible, he did have one weakness (and I am not including magic), kryptonite. Kryptonite is meteor rock sent from his destroyed home world of krypton that found its way to earth. I won't go in all the details of the different types of kryptonite. In conclusion, I just thought I would give a brief summary of the story of Superman. In the world we live in today, there is a great need for heroes. Superman is a symbol of heroism we can look up to. I will most likely give little facts here and there about Superman, so you all can come to understand more of our worlds greatest superhero.

New Start

I would want to apologize to everyone for being the worse at keeping a blog up to date. When I first started this blog is was because of the pressure I was getting from my Family. I thought it was a great idea to keep people informed of my life progress. As you have seen it didn't last very long. I really don't know how to explain in detail how I faded away from the blogger world, but lets just say I have put in a New Years resolution to be better at this, and yes, I know New Years was 55 days ago, so I am having a late start on this. Recently there has been some changes happening in my life, hopefully for the better. Instead of summarizing what has happen since last time a posted something, I will just begin with current events. I am current living in Salt Lake City with Nana and Papa. Papa recently went through back surgery and is now in recovery. There has been many tasks that have become hard for Nana to accomplish with Papa's recovery. Primarily physical aspects. For me, I have decided I needed to take a break from school, for a couple of reasons. First, I have become a little departed from the desire to learn and finish school. Second, I have pushed to become more independent, and thus pay for my own education. With that said, I needed a job. With several unsuccessful attempts to getting a good job in Logan, I turned my thoughts to Salt Lake. With my current needs, and with Nana and Papa's needs, I felt that for me moving down to Salt Lake would be the best decision for me at this time. I also knew I could help out a lot down here and hopefully have a more successful ability in finding a job. Now that I have brought you up to speed, I will go into more detail on my current situation. I will start with Nana and Papa. Both are doing well, but there has been some detours in the process. First Papa has become been recovery fairly well, far as his mobility. There has been, since the surgery pain issues. With the pain issues, comes the difficulties of having a good night sleep. Papa has only been abled to sleep in segments of 30 mins, 1 to 2 hours at times. With his unsuccessful ability to sleep very well at night, he is able make it up some what during the day with several successful naps. With these complications, it has brought a heavy toll on Nana since she often wakes up every time Papa wakes up during the night with moans of discomfort with pain. On a funny side note, Papa had an intense conversation with his Doctor(the one the did the back surgery). Here's Papa, hoping that he can get back on the Tennis Court soon, but is told by the Doctor that it is not going to happen for a long while, and that he will have pain issues for a long time also. Where Papa couldn't really understand why they give him pain pills after surgery to stop the pain, but in fact they don't really stop the pain. On the good side, I have been enjoying going swimming with Papa at 6:30am every morning. The swimming pool has help Papa a lot with rehab. Anyways, all is well. I am trying to help Nana as much as I can so her burden is lighter. Far as for me, I will give my situation now. I have just started my new job as a Security Officer. This job started as just another job opportunity and taking it. Now as I have finished the training and beginning the work on site, I have found this as great opportunity to help and serve people, which is what I really love to do. The Company I work for is called AlliedBarton, I'll give a link to their website so you can learn more about them (http://www.alliedbarton.com). They are a very successful company and have a great reputation. In training for this job I when through written exams for the company, the state, and the country on security issues. This being exam on the basic course of a security officer, state licensing, and the countries policies on terrorism. I did very well on all of the exams, and in fact I was the best in my class. After that training, I had one on one weaponless self-defense course. This is where I learned how to take people down if necessary, and how to protect myself from any hostiles. On top of this, I also got certified in using mace and handcuffs. It is important to know that I am not a Police Officer, but I do have the legal right to make a citizen arrest if I witness someone making a felony or one is about to cause harm to someone or themselves. Hopefully I wont have to use physical force, but in my area I will be serving it may be necessary. With this I am also CPR and AED certified. This was necessary for us to be ready to respond to emergency first aid situations and be abled to control them before EMTs have arrived. I won't go in all the detailed in what a Security Officer is supposed to do, but I will let you know that our main responsibilities is to Observe and Report. I hope that I can be successful with this job and save money so I can return to Logan and Graduate from Utah State with a bachelor in Business Finance. Finance is still a passion of mine, but for right now it is put on hold. In other news, I am keeping myself as active as possible with the local singles ward. I received a calling as an Assistant Financial Clerk. It has already been a blessing and a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the organization in the church. Well, I think I have written more than I have before in one post, but I am making a push in keeping everyone up to date on current events with me. I also have a lot of other topics I have been racing in my mind and been wanted to share with everyone. I will post these ASAP! In conclusion, I better finish this post since I am going to be late for Yoga Class, yes I am taking Yoga. Its a class being offered at the church every Tuesday night. Nuf said, hope everyone has enjoyed this post and will come back regularly to fine new posts being made. Love you all, Justin.