Social Security, Mardi Gras and the charter-bus captivity

I read an article in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram last week about Social Security. It was somewhat alarming. The article addressed the current and future state of SS and the ramifications the system will have on gov't and taxes.

I've heard a lot of talk about SS this and SS that but I've never looked at the numbers. For instance, in 2020 an estimated 1 of every 5 tax dollars will go toward SS. And a cease-fire in Iraq won't seem to help much as that would only (ONLY?) add an additional $50-60 billion to the annual $3.whatever trillion budget our leadership deems necessary.

What was most scary is that the article suggested politicians aren't overly concerned with the future of SS and that "they" will only do something about it when it becomes a major economical backlash (aka other countries not loaning our gov't lots of money annually).

Being a member of the arm-ed forces, I hear a lot about "getting your twenty in" and "staying in for a retirement." I'm not sure that my retirement would be there even if I got more than "my 20." And, I'm not convinced that my retirement should be there to start with. At least not with the gov't.

Bottom line: Social Security is unstable, we might be more heavily taxed to pay for it and DON'T depend on it for your retirement. I'm not.

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In other news, I went to Shreveport this weekend for a Mardi Gras parade with the army band (speaking of misappropriating gov't funds). We marched the six-mile parade in about three hours, braving the 28 degree temps to play for thousands of raucous attendees (lots of LSU clothing and alcohol).

My hands were stiff beef steaks by the end. Good thing I play trombone and dexterity is optional. I could be missing a hand and still play.

This was also the first time I've played tbone in three months (not a good thing) and the first time with braces (equally bad). But, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Granted, my tone sucks and my embochure (are you happy, Wade? I used the word embochure) is pretty much out of whack, but I managed ok and my chops don't hurt after playing.
I've missed playing but my brace-face reality is not so conducive to my tromboning.

While on the charter bus to and from Shreveport (7hrs. one way), I experienced an ongoing reality that I've come to loathe: chain moving-watching.
I've bused to New Orleans twice on band trips. I rode a cumulative 56 hrs. on a bus out to Cali with the Pride for the Rose Bowl. I've been to Alabama, Dallas and Stillwater on charter buses. And, I've now been to Shreveport twice via bus.

I'm tired of movies on the bus. I don't care what movie or when it is played, although people ALWAYS play CRAP movies and at inopportune times -- 8 a.m for instance.

I admit I have a LOW visual media tolerance, especially on a bus. But really, just STOP watching movies people. Do you need to watch back-to-back films for three, five, seven, nine, 56 hours? Hell no. Read a book, like I'm trying to do. Or sleep. Or communicate verbally with other homo sapiens in a close proximity.

Bottom line: Just Married, Transporter 2 and Hellboy were NEVER good movies. Forcefully exposing me to the visually stimulating crapiness of these flicks and other ones is just wrong.

You'd think I'd learn to bring earplugs by now...