Today is Tuesday, December 24, 2013 - Christmas Eve. The temperature at 6 AM was 16 degrees below zero. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the ball and 45 minutes of walking inside Walmart = 2.5 miles for a December total of 46.5 miles. My weight was 166.6 pounds.
QUOTE from Victoria Osteen: "There is no better way to enjoy God's abundance than to share a meal together with people you love. From the beginning of time, there have been few things that knit us more closely together as humans than to sit down and share a meal."
My THOUGHTS today are on Christmas eve. This post is what I wrote in my Gratitude Journal on December 24, 2009.
Both Ruth Ann and I came from families that opened gifts on Christmas eve - it made it easier when we got married - it was one less decision we had to make. As a child it was the most exciting day of the year. I always got a lot of gifts - the least favorite was clothes while my favorites were toys and games. As I became an adult some of the excitement wore off but it was still so much fun when I saw the excitement of Brad and Carron and in recent years, the grandchildren. Santa Claus was never a big thing in the Bungum household - Mom and Dad taught us nine kids early on that Christmas was to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I'm grateful to have such wonderful memories of the 69 (now 73) Christmas Eves I've had in my life.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
Pete's BLOG: Day 26,683. Pope Francis and Pete Bungum agree 100%
Today is Wednesday, December 23, 2013. My stats today: 45 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a December total of 44.0 miles. My weight was 167.2 pounds - I'm getting fat.
QUOTE from Pete Bungum: " He knows nothing and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a member of the Tea Party."
My THOUGHTS today are on Pope Francis. About a month ago Pope Francis released a paper he wrote about his populist philosophy. He sharply criticized the conservative trickle-down economic theory favored by Reagan.. He said, "This theory assumes that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, low taxes, and little or no government regulation will inevitably succeed in bringing about justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting." It has been 33 years since Reagan took office and this philosophy has led to growing economic inequality between the haves and the have-nots. But the conservatives still believe it will - how stupid. Trickle-down is supposed to lead to more jobs and income for the rest of society. The 33 year history of it proves that trickle-down doesn't trickle very far - only to the to the top 1-5% or so.
I agree 100% with the Pope. In the 1980s I was saying the same thing as the Pope. In eight years of Reagan we saw tax cuts for the rich, a tripling of the national debt, factories closing, jobs being sent overseas, and the middle class shrinking. The trickle-down wrecking ball had begun it's negative work on the economic future of the U.S. - a few more "haves" and millions more "have-nots."
Trickle-down only works for the top 5% - it's as plain and simple as that.
QUOTE from Pete Bungum: " He knows nothing and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a member of the Tea Party."
My THOUGHTS today are on Pope Francis. About a month ago Pope Francis released a paper he wrote about his populist philosophy. He sharply criticized the conservative trickle-down economic theory favored by Reagan.. He said, "This theory assumes that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, low taxes, and little or no government regulation will inevitably succeed in bringing about justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting." It has been 33 years since Reagan took office and this philosophy has led to growing economic inequality between the haves and the have-nots. But the conservatives still believe it will - how stupid. Trickle-down is supposed to lead to more jobs and income for the rest of society. The 33 year history of it proves that trickle-down doesn't trickle very far - only to the to the top 1-5% or so.
I agree 100% with the Pope. In the 1980s I was saying the same thing as the Pope. In eight years of Reagan we saw tax cuts for the rich, a tripling of the national debt, factories closing, jobs being sent overseas, and the middle class shrinking. The trickle-down wrecking ball had begun it's negative work on the economic future of the U.S. - a few more "haves" and millions more "have-nots."
Trickle-down only works for the top 5% - it's as plain and simple as that.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Pete's BLOG: Day 26,677: Brother John's birthday.
Today is Tuesday, December 17, 2013. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the ball and 36 minutes of walking inside Walmart = 2.0 miles for a December total of 33 miles. My weight was 165.4 pounds.
QUOTE today from FDR: "A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who has never learned to walk."
My THOUGHTS today are on brother John's 71st birthday. There were ten of us kids born to Norman and Elsie Bungum. Paul was born in 1927, Betty in 1928, Don in 1931, Jan in 1933, Jim in 1934, Chuck in 1936, Me in 1940, John in 1942, Karen was born and died in May of 1944, and Mark in 1946. I was born on November 20, 1940 and John on December 17, 1942. So John and I were two years and one month apart. As a result of the two year spread we spent the most time with each other growing up. So we have a lot of memories of each other. We had our share of fights but for the most part we got along and spent a lot of time together - especially playing football, baseball, basketball in our back yard and in school at Chatfield Junior and Senior High.
We have maintained a good relationship as adults. I think the best thing we have done as adults is to take the Major League Baseball trip this past September. With my son Brad along we visited ten major league stadiums from Sept. 1 to Sept. 17. It is probably the best memory of our lifelong relationship that John and I will ever have.
Anyway, Happy Birthday John. Be grateful you've made it to 71 in good health.
QUOTE today from FDR: "A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who has never learned to walk."
My THOUGHTS today are on brother John's 71st birthday. There were ten of us kids born to Norman and Elsie Bungum. Paul was born in 1927, Betty in 1928, Don in 1931, Jan in 1933, Jim in 1934, Chuck in 1936, Me in 1940, John in 1942, Karen was born and died in May of 1944, and Mark in 1946. I was born on November 20, 1940 and John on December 17, 1942. So John and I were two years and one month apart. As a result of the two year spread we spent the most time with each other growing up. So we have a lot of memories of each other. We had our share of fights but for the most part we got along and spent a lot of time together - especially playing football, baseball, basketball in our back yard and in school at Chatfield Junior and Senior High.
We have maintained a good relationship as adults. I think the best thing we have done as adults is to take the Major League Baseball trip this past September. With my son Brad along we visited ten major league stadiums from Sept. 1 to Sept. 17. It is probably the best memory of our lifelong relationship that John and I will ever have.
Anyway, Happy Birthday John. Be grateful you've made it to 71 in good health.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Pete's BLOG: Day 26,674. The Tea Party wants to take back government.
Today is Saturday, December 14, 2013. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the ball and 45 minutes of walking inside Walmart = 2.5 miles for a December total of 28.5 miles. My weight was 165.2 pounds.
My THOUGHTS today are on a letter to the editor in the Anamosa paper. A lady named Jenn Jones wrote a letter to the editor entitled, It's time to take back government.
Jen a is Tea Party member and has challenged some of my letters. I'm trying to get a back and forth going with Jenn Baby in the newspaper.
Here are some of Jenn's words: The Bill of Rights were put in place to further strengthen the rights of the citizens, the states and further restrain the federal government. A national government could easily become a government of tyranny if not properly kept in check. A system that was intentionally designed to give the states all powers not specifically enumerated to the federal government has been turned inside out. Today, we have a federal government that has grown larger than probably even the founders could have imagined.
Jenn wants a convention of the states that would put forth, approve and ratify amendments to the U.S. constitution that will put restraints on the abuses of the federal government. She says it's time to take back government. It's a wonderful thought Jenn, but if you know any history I'm not sure you'd want to go back.
Jenn, there is a reason the federal government has grown. The main reason is that the state governments were the ABUSERS and the federal government had to put restraints on them in order to give equal rights to all citizens regardless of race, color, religion, gender or national origin.
Here are some examples:
1. I'll start with voting. From the late 1870s to the mid 1960s millions of African-Americans were not allowed to vote because of the Jim Crow laws in our southern states. The Congress of the U.S. passed the Voting Rights Law in 1965 to give our fellow black citizens the right to vote. If the state government had done their job the federal government wouldn't have had to step in.
2. And now that the Supreme Court has gutted part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act we are seeing again southern conservative Tea Party governors and legislatures making things more difficult for blacks to vote by passing strict voter ID rules, allowing less time for absentee voting, less time for early voting, and reducing the number of polling places. The federal government will have to step in again.
3. The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 and in 1968.. Why? The 1964 act made segregation and job discrimination illegal; it banned discrimination in public accommodations like restaurants, hotels, rest rooms, drinking fountains, parks and theaters. The 1968 Act extended these guarantees in housing and real estate. If the southern state governments had not abused the blacks there would have been no need for the federal government to intervene. But they didn't!!!
4. The Supreme Court decided on May 17. 1954 that "separate but equal" schools was not constitutional. Again, if the states hadn't been the abusers the federal government wouldn't have had to intervene.
5. In 1965 Congress passed Medicare to help our senior citizens pay their medical bills and not have to live a life of poverty in the retirement years. The state governments hadn't done anything about it.
6. In 1935 Congress passed Social Security to help seniors have some financial security and happiness in their retirement years. The state governments hadn't done anything.
7. This week the Michigan Tea Party controlled legislature passed a bill that women would have to take out a "rape insurance" policy in order to get medical care if they were raped. Is that abusing women or what? It is unbelievable!!
So Jenn the federal government would not be so large if the state governments had not been the ABUSERS of our citizens. It was the state governments that became the governments of tyranny. Do we really want to "take back government" to the states. I don't think so.
My THOUGHTS today are on a letter to the editor in the Anamosa paper. A lady named Jenn Jones wrote a letter to the editor entitled, It's time to take back government.
Jen a is Tea Party member and has challenged some of my letters. I'm trying to get a back and forth going with Jenn Baby in the newspaper.
Here are some of Jenn's words: The Bill of Rights were put in place to further strengthen the rights of the citizens, the states and further restrain the federal government. A national government could easily become a government of tyranny if not properly kept in check. A system that was intentionally designed to give the states all powers not specifically enumerated to the federal government has been turned inside out. Today, we have a federal government that has grown larger than probably even the founders could have imagined.
Jenn wants a convention of the states that would put forth, approve and ratify amendments to the U.S. constitution that will put restraints on the abuses of the federal government. She says it's time to take back government. It's a wonderful thought Jenn, but if you know any history I'm not sure you'd want to go back.
Jenn, there is a reason the federal government has grown. The main reason is that the state governments were the ABUSERS and the federal government had to put restraints on them in order to give equal rights to all citizens regardless of race, color, religion, gender or national origin.
Here are some examples:
1. I'll start with voting. From the late 1870s to the mid 1960s millions of African-Americans were not allowed to vote because of the Jim Crow laws in our southern states. The Congress of the U.S. passed the Voting Rights Law in 1965 to give our fellow black citizens the right to vote. If the state government had done their job the federal government wouldn't have had to step in.
2. And now that the Supreme Court has gutted part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act we are seeing again southern conservative Tea Party governors and legislatures making things more difficult for blacks to vote by passing strict voter ID rules, allowing less time for absentee voting, less time for early voting, and reducing the number of polling places. The federal government will have to step in again.
3. The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 and in 1968.. Why? The 1964 act made segregation and job discrimination illegal; it banned discrimination in public accommodations like restaurants, hotels, rest rooms, drinking fountains, parks and theaters. The 1968 Act extended these guarantees in housing and real estate. If the southern state governments had not abused the blacks there would have been no need for the federal government to intervene. But they didn't!!!
4. The Supreme Court decided on May 17. 1954 that "separate but equal" schools was not constitutional. Again, if the states hadn't been the abusers the federal government wouldn't have had to intervene.
5. In 1965 Congress passed Medicare to help our senior citizens pay their medical bills and not have to live a life of poverty in the retirement years. The state governments hadn't done anything about it.
6. In 1935 Congress passed Social Security to help seniors have some financial security and happiness in their retirement years. The state governments hadn't done anything.
7. This week the Michigan Tea Party controlled legislature passed a bill that women would have to take out a "rape insurance" policy in order to get medical care if they were raped. Is that abusing women or what? It is unbelievable!!
So Jenn the federal government would not be so large if the state governments had not been the ABUSERS of our citizens. It was the state governments that became the governments of tyranny. Do we really want to "take back government" to the states. I don't think so.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Pete's BLOG: Day #26,673. God would be pissed off at the Tea Party.?
Today is Friday, December the 13th, 2013. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes lifting weights and 45 minutes of walking inside Walmart = 2.5 miles for a December total of 26.0 miles. My weight was 166.0 pounds.
QUOTE from Pete Bungum: "If God gave his opinion about the Tea Party members in Congress this is what I think he would say. 'There's just something about your thoughts, words, and actions that piss me off.'"
My THOUGHTS today are about why I despise the right-wing conservative Tea Party members of the Republican Party.
After talking to, reading about and listening to Tea Party members I'm about ready to puke. Here are a few of the reasons why.
-Why do the conservative Republicans always go after the poor members of our society. Governor Branstad wants to charge the poorest people in Iowa 3% of their income in order to get on Medicaid. The poorest people are those making an annual salary of $11,500 or less. I'd like to see the richest folks in America pay an extra 3% on their income tax. That would make a lot more sense than having someone making $11.500 a year pay 3% or $345 a year for their medical care while on Medicaid.
-Then the Tea Party members in Congress want to cut SNAP benefits (food stamps) by $40,000,000,000 (40 billion) over ten years. These Tea Party people don't really care about the poor and their need for food, clothing, housing and medical care. They have no clue what's it's like to be poor.
- And they won't raise the minimum wage from a measly $7.25 an hour. Again they have no clue what's it is like to live on $290.00 a week - and they don't care. Their main concern is they want more tax cuts for their millionaire buddies.
-Some Tea Partyers I've talked to lately are really irate about the Strawberry Hill Apartments in Anamosa. These apartments are a subsidized federal housing project. Every time I talk to them they say every person living there is lazy and doesn't want to work. The thing is they have no proof this is true. They just think it is because they have been watching too much FOX NEWS or Rush (Drug Addict) Limbaugh. I know many of the people living in the Strawberry Hill apartments.. The reason I know them is that I walk and shop at Walmart and many of them are working at Walmart or at Theisen's Farm store. Many of them, but not all, are African-Americans. We are not used to seeing many black people in Anamosa and I have a feeling that has motivated much of the Tea Party hate. Many of these workers need a subsidy in order to live on their minimum wage from Walmart.
- This one is the clincher for my disdain of the right-wing Tea Party people. In Michigan the Tea Party controlled legislature has passed a law saying that women must now take out a "rape insurance" policy in order to get medical care from Medicaid or their private insurance company if they are raped. Can you imagine anything so despicable and unbelievable as this?
-What I've written about today are examples of what would happen if the Tea Party ever gets total control of the federal government or more state governments It is scary to even think about it.
The Tea Party believers do not know it and if they do they won't admit it but the reason we had the Great Depression and the Great Recession is because of Republican policies - mainly deregulation of the banks and other financial institutions.. For some reason the Tea Partyers blame everything on the poor. In my opinion the Tea Party people have AIDS (Arrogant, Ignorant, Definitely Stupid)(or dumb shits if you prefer.)
QUOTE from Pete Bungum: "If God gave his opinion about the Tea Party members in Congress this is what I think he would say. 'There's just something about your thoughts, words, and actions that piss me off.'"
My THOUGHTS today are about why I despise the right-wing conservative Tea Party members of the Republican Party.
After talking to, reading about and listening to Tea Party members I'm about ready to puke. Here are a few of the reasons why.
-Why do the conservative Republicans always go after the poor members of our society. Governor Branstad wants to charge the poorest people in Iowa 3% of their income in order to get on Medicaid. The poorest people are those making an annual salary of $11,500 or less. I'd like to see the richest folks in America pay an extra 3% on their income tax. That would make a lot more sense than having someone making $11.500 a year pay 3% or $345 a year for their medical care while on Medicaid.
-Then the Tea Party members in Congress want to cut SNAP benefits (food stamps) by $40,000,000,000 (40 billion) over ten years. These Tea Party people don't really care about the poor and their need for food, clothing, housing and medical care. They have no clue what's it's like to be poor.
- And they won't raise the minimum wage from a measly $7.25 an hour. Again they have no clue what's it is like to live on $290.00 a week - and they don't care. Their main concern is they want more tax cuts for their millionaire buddies.
-Some Tea Partyers I've talked to lately are really irate about the Strawberry Hill Apartments in Anamosa. These apartments are a subsidized federal housing project. Every time I talk to them they say every person living there is lazy and doesn't want to work. The thing is they have no proof this is true. They just think it is because they have been watching too much FOX NEWS or Rush (Drug Addict) Limbaugh. I know many of the people living in the Strawberry Hill apartments.. The reason I know them is that I walk and shop at Walmart and many of them are working at Walmart or at Theisen's Farm store. Many of them, but not all, are African-Americans. We are not used to seeing many black people in Anamosa and I have a feeling that has motivated much of the Tea Party hate. Many of these workers need a subsidy in order to live on their minimum wage from Walmart.
- This one is the clincher for my disdain of the right-wing Tea Party people. In Michigan the Tea Party controlled legislature has passed a law saying that women must now take out a "rape insurance" policy in order to get medical care from Medicaid or their private insurance company if they are raped. Can you imagine anything so despicable and unbelievable as this?
-What I've written about today are examples of what would happen if the Tea Party ever gets total control of the federal government or more state governments It is scary to even think about it.
The Tea Party believers do not know it and if they do they won't admit it but the reason we had the Great Depression and the Great Recession is because of Republican policies - mainly deregulation of the banks and other financial institutions.. For some reason the Tea Partyers blame everything on the poor. In my opinion the Tea Party people have AIDS (Arrogant, Ignorant, Definitely Stupid)(or dumb shits if you prefer.)
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Pete's BLOG: Day 26,670. This is one happy day for Pete and Ruth Ann
Today is Tuesday, December 10, 2013. No stats today: My total miles for December = 18.5 miles. My weight today was 166.6 pounds.
QUOTE for today from actress Ingrid Bergman: "HAPPINESS IS GOOD HEALTH AND A BAD MEMORY."
My THOUGHTS today are on Ingrid Bergman's QUOTE. According to the QUOTE I hit a home run this morning. The bad memory part is a given - that has deteriorated since age 49 just like Bill Cosby said it would. The good health part got a boost this morning at Doctor Vernon's office.
Since about November 30 I have been experiencing bloody stools. It was fresh blood every morning and enough blood to make the toilet water turn red (I actually took photos to have proof in case I went to the doctor.) My BMs had become very hard and large and it was a strain to do the job. I probably had eaten too much cheese and summer sausage on crackers while watching the Hawks beat Nebraska on November 28th. Anyway the bloody stools started after that and they have continued. I called for a doctor's appointment on Saturday and got in today at 9:10.
After giving Dr. Vernon the history of the blood and showing him the wonderful photos he agreed I may have eaten too much cheese (with a smile on his face). So he told me to drop my drawers and put his finger up my rectum. It was not comfortable but the good news was it showed no blood and he could feel nothing abnormal. Dr. Vernon is pretty sure that by getting constipated and being extra large that I had torn some tissue in the colon and that was causing the blood. I told him I had been on prunes for two days and they were helping. His advice was to continue the prunes and not to eat any more cheese (he was smiling again) until January 1st when I would be tailgating in Tampa where the Hawks will beat LSU in the Outback Bowl. We are going to Tampa on January 29 and come home on January 2.
I'm obviously very HAPPY today because: I do not have colon cancer; I will not have surgery; I will not have to have a bag because my colon is gone; Hopefully, I will not have to take any more photos of my bloody stools; Ruth Ann is extremely happy that I don't have cancer; and I'm relieved that it is nothing serious. As Ingrid said: HAPPINESS IS GOOD HEALTH AND A BAD ___???_____. (What was that she said?)
QUOTE for today from actress Ingrid Bergman: "HAPPINESS IS GOOD HEALTH AND A BAD MEMORY."
My THOUGHTS today are on Ingrid Bergman's QUOTE. According to the QUOTE I hit a home run this morning. The bad memory part is a given - that has deteriorated since age 49 just like Bill Cosby said it would. The good health part got a boost this morning at Doctor Vernon's office.
Since about November 30 I have been experiencing bloody stools. It was fresh blood every morning and enough blood to make the toilet water turn red (I actually took photos to have proof in case I went to the doctor.) My BMs had become very hard and large and it was a strain to do the job. I probably had eaten too much cheese and summer sausage on crackers while watching the Hawks beat Nebraska on November 28th. Anyway the bloody stools started after that and they have continued. I called for a doctor's appointment on Saturday and got in today at 9:10.
After giving Dr. Vernon the history of the blood and showing him the wonderful photos he agreed I may have eaten too much cheese (with a smile on his face). So he told me to drop my drawers and put his finger up my rectum. It was not comfortable but the good news was it showed no blood and he could feel nothing abnormal. Dr. Vernon is pretty sure that by getting constipated and being extra large that I had torn some tissue in the colon and that was causing the blood. I told him I had been on prunes for two days and they were helping. His advice was to continue the prunes and not to eat any more cheese (he was smiling again) until January 1st when I would be tailgating in Tampa where the Hawks will beat LSU in the Outback Bowl. We are going to Tampa on January 29 and come home on January 2.
I'm obviously very HAPPY today because: I do not have colon cancer; I will not have surgery; I will not have to have a bag because my colon is gone; Hopefully, I will not have to take any more photos of my bloody stools; Ruth Ann is extremely happy that I don't have cancer; and I'm relieved that it is nothing serious. As Ingrid said: HAPPINESS IS GOOD HEALTH AND A BAD ___???_____. (What was that she said?)
Friday, December 6, 2013
Pete's BLOG: Gifr #30 - I helped a 9 year-old girl have a happier Christmas
Today is Friday, December 6, 2013, My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes lifting weights and 45 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a December total of 13.5 miles. My weight was 165.4 pounds.
My THOUGHT today is on Gift # 30. I finished my 29 gifts in 29 days yesterday. It actually took me about 36 days to do it but I made it. But I was still in the giving mode this morning when walking inside Walmart. Walmart has a giving tree with probably 100 little green tags on it. Each tag has the name and age of a child in need and suggestions on what they want for Christmas. I picked the one that said Melissa, age nine, who wanted a crafts kit to make bracelets, necklaces, etc. So I found a crafts kit for $10.00 and got it for her. The Walmart cashier charged me for it and said you don't have to wrap it as Walmart will do it for me and they would make sure it got to Melissa. That was nice of them. I feel good that I will make Melissa have a happier Christmas. And better yet she will never know who got it for her.
Giving 29 gifts in 29 days(I should say 36 days) has been a great experience for me. It made me think everyday of what my gift would be for that day. When you have a project like this it makes a person think positive. It gave me great joy to think that I was making other people feel good and would have a happier day as a result of my giving. This is what life should be about - making other people feel better and happier. It is true - "It is better to give than to receive."
My THOUGHT today is on Gift # 30. I finished my 29 gifts in 29 days yesterday. It actually took me about 36 days to do it but I made it. But I was still in the giving mode this morning when walking inside Walmart. Walmart has a giving tree with probably 100 little green tags on it. Each tag has the name and age of a child in need and suggestions on what they want for Christmas. I picked the one that said Melissa, age nine, who wanted a crafts kit to make bracelets, necklaces, etc. So I found a crafts kit for $10.00 and got it for her. The Walmart cashier charged me for it and said you don't have to wrap it as Walmart will do it for me and they would make sure it got to Melissa. That was nice of them. I feel good that I will make Melissa have a happier Christmas. And better yet she will never know who got it for her.
Giving 29 gifts in 29 days(I should say 36 days) has been a great experience for me. It made me think everyday of what my gift would be for that day. When you have a project like this it makes a person think positive. It gave me great joy to think that I was making other people feel good and would have a happier day as a result of my giving. This is what life should be about - making other people feel better and happier. It is true - "It is better to give than to receive."
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