Will RogersCongressmen used to carry home suitcases stuffed with cash, but today it’s all done electronically. So much money is flowing out of Washington, it like a dam burst and flooded the entire valley.
There’s a $700 billion wall of money roaring down the valley covering the countryside with cash. The original allocation was designed to rescue the banking industry. About 3 months after passage, almost $300 billion of TARP funds had been spent.
There’s a tiny little problem with the program – nobody actually knows how the program is being run and where the money is going. Of over 300 banks receiving funds only two were required to detail how the money was to be spent.
Another tiny little problem is that instead of banks lending the money (the original intent), banks are hoarding cash and tightening lending because of market uncertainty.
It turns out that to run a program that massive, you need to hire more accountants, financial analysts, managers and hog callers by numbers greater than all the head of cattle in Oklahoma.
Let’s summarize. We don’t know where most of the money went. The money we do know about isn’t being used for the purpose intended, and oh yes, there is concern about fraud.
Well I guess we just need to trust these great statesmen on the banking committee and at the treasury. They are smart people and I just know they are putting all that taxpayer money to good use. As a statesman, it’s all about good intentions.
Well, the dam has burst and there’s no money left in reserve. It’s all gone, but we sure have a bunch of statesmen, by Will Rogers definition.
Reference: Where’s all the TARP Money? Forbs.com
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will Rogers
Politicians calling each other names isn’t anything new, especially during elections. This season the women were hit pretty hard, being called witch and prostitute.
According to Will Rogers, you can sling mud and call names all day long, but you better beware of slandering wild jackasses.
Can you imagine the Senate chamber full of wild jackasses? Braying, kicking, bucking and being stubborn would be the daily routine. Senator Hoof N. Mouth would be hee-hawing for hours about better oats and mule health. Unfortunately, nobody was listening because lobbyists just delivered sweet hay for lunch.
Actually, there’s not much left to imagine – a Congress full of wild jackasses. A lot of them just got sent away, hee-hawing all the way back to the farm.
Well, perhaps the slandering will stop now, and oat reform will take place. We can only hope.
Image Information: This image is from a Will Rogers’ silent movie called Jubilo, released in 1919. Rogers plays Jubilo, a tramp, who makes himself useful doing odd jobs in a small farming community while he looks for the wife who deserted him while he was off in the war.
The image was taken directly from movie stills at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
These past years have been a financial struggle for us, as it has for many of you. Financial struggles, however, seem to teach us how to depend on God to meet our needs.
One of the things we did was to drop the cable TV expense. Interestingly, my wife and I, and three kids don’t seem to miss it much. We are finding more time to play games, read and be with friends. Let me mention here guys, that we aren’t sports fans, so the withdrawal wasn’t as painful as it could have been.
As we learn to depend on God for our needs, many times there are side blessings and benefits. A little humility or sacrifice isn’t a bad thing in terms of growing in Christ.
Dear Lord, help us to understand that your grace is sufficient for all our needs. Let deeper dependence on you bring forth fruit that will glorify you. Amen.
Charles H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892, was the foremost preacher of the 19th century. His many sermons, devotions, and books bring a unique, inspiring, and spiritual significance to biblical truth. What is most surprising is that Spurgeon had no formal theological training. Even so, he became widely recognized for his insight and prowess in biblical teaching.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
This Will Rogers quote is from 1929, and we are still trying to figure out today if we are crooks or martyrs when it comes to the income tax form. It’s kind of humorous that today we have a Treasury Secretary, in charge of the IRS, that goofed up (in his favor) on his own income tax forms.
If you think that’s funny, try calling the IRS for help on your tax forms. Depending on who you get on the phone, phase of the moon, sunspot cycles and ozone levels, you can get a variety of different answers to the same question.
I have to hire an accountant to do my taxes. I can’t imagine how he keeps up with the tax code. It’s got more patches than a quilt and more loopholes than a handmade rug.
I don’t want to be rich, because then I could’t afford to die. But if I do die, I’ll never know for sure if income tax forms made me a crook or martyr. I just hope the IRS can’t repossess a used casket. (I had to dig deep for that one!)
Can I deduct underwear donated to the Salvation Army? Three out of five IRS representatives said yes. In golf, at least you know if you are a liar or not.
Image Information: This image shows Will Rogers riding with two of his children. Will loved horses and taught his children that same love and respect.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
In Will Rogers’ day, they had organized crime problems. Today, we have domestic terrorism threats. Perhaps there’s not much difference when you have people wanting to kill each other.
The quote from Will Rogers indicates that the killing and hate don’t end at the prison door. Inside the prison, the hatred and struggle for power continue. We should be thankful that there are people who risk their lives daily to be guards in our prison system.
So, how did we get into this mess, where our prisons are overflowing and become a breeding ground for hate? Here’s a case where it’s impossible to deny that there’s not a moral component that is lacking in our society.
Has our society made it easier to become a criminal, than to abide by the law? Unemployment due to high taxes on businesses and individuals who run them is a problem. Young people entering the workforce aren’t hired because of high minimum wage rates. The welfare system makes it easier not to work and be a productive member of society.
What can we do? With God’s help, we must live a moral life, and teach these principles and morals to our children. By our example, and by helping others through civic and church programs perhaps we can make a difference, one life at a time.
And what do we do with politicians that regulate and tax jobs out of existence and perpetuate the welfare state? Vote them out of office!
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
I can’t sing very well, or keep a rhythm. It’s even hard for me to clap and sing at the same time. But there’s just something about worshiping together in the congregation. As I lift my feeble voice with others, perhaps I sense a little glimpse of heaven.
Many of the hymns we sing, especially the “traditional” hymns are filled with scripture. It helps us remember God’s statutes. If you’ve ever gotten a “tune stuck in your head,” let it be a “hymn tune” and not a “sin tune.”
Perhaps that is what helped the Psalmist to “remember Your name in the night.” The bird in the image on the left seems to be peacefully standing watch in the night. Perhaps if God’s “statutes have been my songs” it will help bring me remember God’s name in the night and keep God’s law as the Psalmist says.
Dear Lord, help me to sing, and serve, and remember your word day and night.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 119 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Have you ever listened to a political speech and wondered what in the world was that guy talking about? Perhaps you fell asleep during a speech and woke up to find out you didn’t miss anything.
Will Rogers had heard his share of political speeches. He regularly attended the conventions of both parties and reported the results to his readers with his characteristic humor.
Image Information. Will was a skilled horseman and he loved to ride. When he first started his own stage act, a live horse was part of the act as he demonstrated his skill with the lasso. He even had a polo field built at his California ranch.
The equestrian statue at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum is a fitting tribute to Will, since horses were such an important part of his life. I took this picture at sunset, and you can see some of the glow in the clouds as they passed over this magnificent statue. It is the focal point of the beautiful walkway and gardens at the museum.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Years ago, when our oldest daughter was a toddler, she had experienced some seizures. She had a scan done which produced an X-ray type of output and the doctor saw what appeared to be a growth on her brain. We immediately scheduled an appointment with a pediatric neurosurgeon.
The Psalmist always seems to be able to describe my emotions, as he says “my spirit is overwhelmed within me.” For the days leading up to the next appointment I could think of nothing else, except my precious daughter’s condition. God had done so many wonderful things in my life, but now this.
As we waited for the neurosurgeon, his assistant took the X-ray and made some basic observations. Our daughter was playing with an emory board.
When the neurosurgeon came in a short time later, he looked at our daughter as she played, and then told us that there was nothing wrong with her! The “growth” was an artifact of the scanner. The burden was lifted off our backs. The relief was profound.
As I ponder the way in which the Lord has guided us though life, and the lessons of each trial, I hope that it has taught me to long even more for Him. The barren landscape in the image is a parched land that longs for water as I should long for the Lord.
Dear Lord, help me to long for you and quench my thirst with your word, that I may follow you more closely.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 143 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
The first phrase of Psalm 31 is quoted by Jesus on the cross. In fact “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” are the last words Jesus spoke before he died. They were uttered with his last breath. These words are the final act of faith as he leaves his earthly life.
When I was very young, I had complete confidence that my parents would take care of all my needs. They fed me, clothed me, protected me and loved me. If I was sick, they watched over me.
For some reason, it seems difficult to have such complete confidence in God. Probably because God isn’t flesh and blood like my parents. I can’t touch Him or see Him.
But I have God’s word, the Bible. I know that Jesus was flesh and blood. I know about Jesus life, death and resurrection. I know of his love for sinners, like me. I also know of his forgiveness and redemption of sinners. The Psalmist says God knows about my affliction and anguish of my soul.
Can I commit my spirit into God’s hands? Yes! Can I have complete confidence that God will take care of all my needs? Confidence will grow as your faith grows. Your faith will grow as you draw closer to God by reading the Bible, seek fellowship with other believers and listen to the preaching of God’s Word.
Dear Lord, Help my faith to grow so that when the end comes I can say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 31 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
I was talking to my wife the other day, lamenting the fact that our flower beds are pretty much finished for the year. I remember, however, the beautiful flowers from seasons gone by. Things of beauty seem to imprint themselves on our memory.
This passage in Psalm 119 directs us to the beautiful and wondrous things in scripture. It asks God to open my eyes, and to not hide His commandments from me. Let that be my prayer as well.
The image of this beautiful flower is a delight to our eyes. I hope that I can also delight in God’s word. That it’s beauty can be imprinted on my memory, and be my counselor in times of need.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 119 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
A lot of times, I don’t think to praise God because of the cares of this world – stress, strained relationships, financial difficulties, physical pain, weariness, etc.
Elsie, the cow in this picture doesn’t seem to have any cares. She has water, grass and hay; a large green pasture and lots of friends. Even in the winter, in difficult times as far as I can tell, Elsie the cow doesn’t seem to worry. Suppose all of my worries and burdens could be lifted. Then I could freely give praise to the Lord. Sounds like heaven to me.
In Psalm 146 the Psalmist gives exuberant praise to God right here on earth – “while I have my being.” Don’t worry about other things, but freely give praise to the Lord.
Dear Lord, help me to freely praise you, in all circumstances, at all times. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 146 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Sometimes when I look back, I realize that God was working in my life, and I didn’t realize it at the time. If I could truly see all that God has done for me I think I would praise the Lord with a bit more energy.
In Psalm 47 the Psalmist shouts and sings praises to God. It looks like our sea lion friend in the picture is shouting out in his congregation. I think a deep faith brings forth great praise to God. As our faith grows, so does our praise.
Let’s sing together, brothers and sisters! Let’s sing praises to our King!
Dear Lord, Help my faith to grow, that I may more clearly see the great things you have done for me. Let the praise spill out in abundance as I marvel at your love for me. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 47 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
![[Congressional] Investigations are held just for photographers. BEVERLY HILLS, Cal., April 4, 1934](https://systemsofmerritt.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/wr49.jpg)
At all these fancy investigations, the action seems to be in the photographers’ pit. The noise from shutters clicking is almost deafening.
Thousands of pictures are taken of every move made by whoever is testifying. The perfect shot is one that captures an absurd grimace or a finger brushing by the nose. This requires the most intense concentration and skill by the photographer.
Contrast that with the mind-numbing and boring pace of the hearings, and the tedious requests of useless minutia from the witnesses. Senator So-and-so, I would like to read the following 150 pages of office memos into the record. On page 52 the witness sneezes and the resulting image makes it on the front page with the caption: “Witness startled by new revelations.”
After the hearings, all is forgotten and documents are filed, never to be seen again. The photographers however, did their jobs, and their images are what everyone remembers.
Now isn’t it interesting that Will Rogers made this observation in 1934? Not much has changed, except with digital photography, we can get more pictures, more faster!
Photographers at the Watergate hearings, 1973.
Image Information: This picture is an early publicity shot of Will Rogers.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
How could Will Rogers have known about the frustration of recounts back in 1932? I don’t know that he ever experienced one, but he certainly knew that the day after the election, he wanted it to be over!
The image is from one of Will’s silent movies, Jubilo. He was one of the few actors that made the transition from silent movies to “talkies.” Not only did he make the transition, he became one of the most famous actors in the early 1930s.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Well, the hyenas are laughing these days according to this Will Rogers quote! The current administration must be full of them. There’s just no other way to explain the mess we’re in.
The problem is that the idea of this being a “good administration” as Will Rogers says seems to be nothing more than an illusion. When you pull back the curtain, or even casually look into the facts we find that the Washington rhetoric doesn’t match reality.
The spin they try to put on their policies provides more material than a good humorist can possibly keep up with. Take this quote from our Vice President: “Just because the Recovery Act was a monumental failure, does not mean that it is not working.” Or how about when the former Speaker of the House said that “We need to pass this bill so we can find out what’s in it.”
We can only hope that the laughing hyenas in this “great administration” don’t cause more damage before the next election. If the “breaks” are with us, perhaps the next administration will bring back some good old common sense to government and the laughing hyenas can go laugh somewhere else.
Image Information Will Rogers is pictured on a movie set. Over his career, Will Rogers starred in 48 silent films and 21 movies with sound (talkies). At the time of his death in 1935 he was one of the top box office draws, second only to a very young Shirley Temple.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
I can remember being disciplined by my parents. Sometimes it was a spanking, restriction of privileges, or a stern lecture. Normally, I knew exactly what the issue was. I did the wrong thing, and I was being punished for that specific deed. On this earth, parents are fallible, discipline and punishment can be abused, so …
Will RogersI was shocked when I came across this Will Rogers quote. He was referring to an industry convention of motion picture producers at the time. I normally think of Shirley Temple movies from this time period, not movies with sexual content. Can you imagine stepping through a time warp from 1934 to today to …
Click on image above! FREE? You heard it right! You can actually get iPhone apps for free through Truevoo – Try Premium Paid iPhone Apps For Free. (The name is changing from fuelmyapp.) What’s the catch? The “catch” is simply that you post an honest review of the iPhone app you want to receive. Sign up …
All my information about quicksand comes from watching old western movies years ago, but if I remember, the more you struggle to get out, the faster you will sink. Imagine the patience and fortitude it would take to remain completely still while waiting for a friend to fetch a rope or tree limb to pull …
The U.S. economy is amazingly resilient, but it can only carry so much dead weight in the form of government taxes, policy and regulations before something has to give. The current administration and the Federal Reserve Bank continue to throw gasoline on the fires of recession, burning up business growth and precious jobs. While this …
Why would God not delight in sacrifice and offerings? After all, He had set up the sacrificial system to provide His people with a means of dealing with their sins. The Psalmist makes it clear that our delight should be to do God’s will, and that it should be written on our hearts. Going through …
Will RogersIt’s very important for a charity, such as a church, that receives gifts to make sure the donor understands the tax requirements. With the donation receipt a statement must be included such as “With this gift, you did not receive any goods or services in exchange for your donation other than religious benefits.” With …
Watching various posts, tweets and other social media messages, I see quite a few motivational quotes. They come in the form of “follow your dreams,” “strive to be the best,” “never give up,” “achieve your goals,” “be a winner” and so on. These pieces of advice can be helpful, but take quite a bit of …
Will RogersThe U.S. Navy is the most powerful force on the oceans of the world. Not only that, but if you look at the Navy website, you will find that it is also the most mobile, effective and efficient humanitarian force in the world. Think back to tsunami’s, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters in …
When you have loved somebody for a very long time, it is a special relationship. Perhaps it is a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or childhood friend that you have known and loved for decades. You share lots of memories and events between you that nobody else can enjoy in the same way. In some cases, …
