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The National Pension Plan

Financial constraints indicate that Social Security (SS), a shortened term for Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI), has a precarious future. Five articles, written by Alternative Insight since1999 have drawn a trajectory to a similar conclusion with a caveat: Social Security history indicates that only a National Pension Plan can provide a suitable and secure financial arrangement for retirees and SS already has the framework for a National Pension Plan.

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L'affaire Sanford could have promoted a national contest - guess where is Governor Mark Sanford? Undoubtedly, many persons knew who didn't want to know, including media, who failed once again in its duty to the public.

Who drove him to the airport?
Did he disguise himself?
Didn't his wife notice he hadn't packed hiking gear?
Would he really leave his state leaderless?
Why assume he went hiking?
Why wasn't he reported missing and why didn't state police search for him?
Why no questions about his detours from working trips to Argentina?

The conjecture that evolved about Sanford the hiker was conceived to deceive the public in manner that benefited the governor - not only disguise his wicked ways with the flesh but portray him as an innocent close to nature. And he could have pulled off the caper. Just as a famous Cardinal, reputed to be homosexual and noted at gay parties, responded to an inquiry about revealing himself in public with: "Nobody would believe it," any charges of infidelity against Sanford would probably solicit: "Where's the proof. I don't believe it."

Actually a super-romantic story. A person who has everything - esteem, position, finances, family, guardian of morality, and a probable shot at being the leader of the free world - allows himself to be exposed and lose his chance at gaining the top slot, for love of a woman. We have another Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson story.

Governor Mark Sanford's duplicity served a noble purpose; it revealed to the public that conventional media can be easily duped and without bothering to call in the 'fact checkers' is willing to dupe the public. Blushing faces at the Washington Post management from its report. Some excerpts:

For the Gov, A Little 'Me Time'
By Wil Haygood
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

After all those weird stares, after he fought against stimulus money meant to help his fellow South Carolinians who've lost jobs at an astounding rate, after the blitzkrieg of complaints from Democrats, no one had to tell Gov. Mark Sanford to take a hike.

He did it on his own.

He pulled a Henry David Thoreau like it was nobody's business and trekked off into the woods. The Appalachian Trail, to be precise. For days he's been out there, apparently communing with nature somewhere between Georgia and North Carolina. The trail doesn't run through South Carolina.

He'd dropped his security detail like a bag of stale potato chips over at reelection headquarters. He'd told his press spokesman to keep it all on the hush-hush, and the spokesman clammed up like a Kremlin operative.

"It's not unusual for him to take a few days off to recharge his batteries," Joel Sawyer, the Republican governor's spokesman, finally explained yesterday.

Maybe his frugal mind-set drove him to the woods. The Appalachian Trail is free. Doesn't cost a dime -- or a penny, for that matter -- to gain entree. The governor has been known to pinch pennies, shop with discount coupons. The boulevards of Paris are not for him, nor is Club Med with their self-indulgent ways and high prices.

So, off to the dusty trails!

Maybe he just wanted to catch some trout.

"The governor likes to fish and hunt," Sawyer allowed.

He also said the governor digs country music.

Maybe he's out there composing ditties under the pretty sunshine.

The governor, it should be noted, is quite happily married. Although Jenny Sanford confessed that she herself didn't know exactly where he was.

It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your governor is?

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is expected to return to civilization today.

Looks like we have a new expression in the American vernacular: "Taking a Sanford hike."

Observations
Statistics Tell the Story

Electricity Generation in the United States
The Obama administration should review its plans for reducing greenhouse emissions and oil imports.

Coal Is king
Petroleum is a minor factor in electrical generation
Clean power has a long, long way to go

Net Power generation in thousand megawatt hours

Description	2007	2005	2003	2001
Coal	2,016,4562	2,012,873	1,973,737	1,903,956
Petroleum	65,739	122,225	119,406	124,880
Natural Gas	896,590	760,960	649,908	639,129
Other Gases	13,453	13,464	15,600	9,039
Nuclear	806,425	781,986	763,733	768,826
Hydroelectric	247,510	270,321	275,806	216,961
Other Renewables	105,238	87,329	79,487	70,769
Wind	34,450	17,811	11,187	6,737
Solar	612	550	534	543
Wood Derived	39,014	38,856	37,529	35,200
Geothermal	14,637	14,692	14,424	13,741
Other Biomass	16,525	15,420	15,812	14,548
Other	12,231	12,821	14,045	11,906

Source: Energy Information Administration

He was a bright boy, so the tale runs, healthy and
strong, and he had seen thirteen suns, in their way
of reckoning time. For each winter the sun leaves the
land in darkness, and the next year a new sun returns
so that they may be warm again and look upon one another's faces. The father of Keesh had been a very
brave man, but he had met his death in a time of
famine, when he sought to save the lives of his people
by taking the life of a great polar bear. In his eagerness
he came to close grapples with the bear, and his bones
were crushed; but the bear had much meat on him and
the people were saved. Keesh was his only son, and
after that Keesh lived alone with his mother. But the
people are prone to forget, and they forgot the deed
of his father; and he being but a boy, and his mother
only a woman, they, too, were swiftly forgotten, and
ere long came to live in the meanest of all the IGLOOS.

Jack London
Love of Life
Chapter 4 - The Story Of Keesh

The symbol, which appears on Greek Orthodox churches, "TF" (Tau + Phi), means 'taphos' or 'Sepulchre' - the Holy Sepulcher.