Clueles Investing

I have started a blog on personal finance and investment matters. You may view it at http://simoncucle.blogspot.com/

The Democrat Party and the Republican Party

There are differences and a similarity between the Democrat Party and the Republican Party. First the similarity, both parties like to spend, and spend, and spend. That’s how their office holders get re-elected.

The differences are that the Democrats will tax you into oblivion in the here and now to support their spending. The Republicans will put your children and your children’s children into lock with their borrowing to support their spending.

At least the Democrats put their jobs on the line. If their taxing and spending get too out of hand they can be voted out of office. None of that for the Republicans, those cowards, they will be long gone and retired when their bills come due and your kids have to pay for their borrowing.

OBAMA

Inspiring Words

Polished Presentation

Little Substance

John McCain's Military Service

Fred Kanter of Mountain Lakes wrote in our daily newspaper the fact that Senator John McCain served in the military does not necessarily qualify him to be President, and I agree. It is what he did not do that qualifies him to be President. While a P.O.W. and the son of a U.S. Navy admiral he had the opportunity to go home. He refused, because the Vietnamese would not include his fellow prisoners. That qualifies him to be President.

Letter to the Monterey, MA Volunteer Fire Dept.

Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046
July 3, 2008


Monterey Fire Department
P.O. Box 99
411 Main Road
Monterey, MA 01245

Dear Chief Ray Tryon,

Recently, I was vacationing with my family at Lake Garfield when I took sick at three in the morning. My wife called 9-11, and in a very short time, Captain Mark Makuc and a group of Monterey firefighters were at my side assisting me.

The people of Monterey are very fortunate to have citizens who get out of bed at 3:00 AM to help a stranger. I appreciate that they did that for me.

I am enclosing a check for $200 to add to the Department’s training and/or equipment fund, or to just have a beer on me.


Yours truly,



Joseph J. Hehir

The New Jersey mess and Mr. Roberts

Monday, May 5, 2008

Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., a legislative leader in one of the most corrupt and fiscally irresponsible states in the United States, thinks “The creation of a statewide set of efficiency and accountability standards...” for local school boards is a great idea.
I think Mr. Roberts should get his own house in order before he tackles accountability standards for school boards, which is a local matter. Mr. Roberts and his cronies are the ones who made a mess of things in New Jersey; now he is trying to change the subject by turning the spotlight on local school boards.

The 2006-2007 Budget

Dear Doctor Kazmark,

The 2006-2007 budget was discussed at the Board of Education Meeting on March 27, 2006. At that meeting you advised, in response to Mr. Dieckamp’s question about the tuition charged to Boonton Township students, “that the costs at the high school will go up no more than 3% and the increase being charged to Boonton Township is 3%.” However, the per pupil costs for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years are $16,672 and $18,221 respectively. That is a 9% year to year increase. Can you explain this discrepancy?
The advertised per pupil cost calculations for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years are $16,672 and $18,221 respectively. The difference is $1,549. If you divide that amount by the 2005-2006 per pupil cost, the result is 9%.
I do not think that such a large discrepancy (3% versus 9%) can be explained away by increases in the Lake Drive budget. Lake Drive students are 5.5% of the total student population.

Respectfully submitted,
Joseph J. Hehir
Mountain Lakes, NJ