Tuesday, December 28, 2010

HOW MUCH CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO MY IRA FOR 2010?

by JC Leahy, MA Accounting

CAN I ESTABLISH A TRADITIONAL IRA?

If you have taxable earned income and you are less than 70.5 years old, you can establish a traditional IRA.  Earned income includes salary, wages, commissions, self-employment income, alimony, and combat pay.  It does not include any pensions (including Social Security), interest, dividends, or annuities.  In the year you reach the age of 70.5, you can no longer establish or contribute to a traditional IRA.

HOW MUCH CAN I CONTRIBUTE?

For 2010 and/or 2011, you can contribute $5,000 per year or the amount of your taxable earned income, whichever is less,  to a traditional IRA.  This is true whether you are covered by a retirement plan or not.  If you have reached the age of 50 during the year, you may contribute an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution.  This makes a total limit of $6,000.


Here's the exception.  It's a good one: If one spouse doesn't work or earns less than $5,000, he/she may establish and contribute to an IRA based on the earnings of the other spouse.  Between them, there is a limit of $10,000, which can be allocated in any way they wish between their two IRA accounts -- provided that neither one's account receives more than $5,000. For example, if the husband makes $100,000 and the wife makes zero of earned income, the wife may contribute up to $5,000 into her traditional IRA and the husband, likewise, may put up to $5,000 into his IRA.  This also applies to the $1,000 catch up contribution.

One other fine point:  If you have a Traditional IRAand also a Roth IRA, the $5,000/$6,000 limit includes both. In other words, you can only contribute $5,000/$6,000 TOTAL between the two.

DO I HAVE TO MAKE THE CONTRIBUTION BY DECEMBER 31??

The really great news is that you have until the April, 2011 tax filing deadline to open your Traditional IRA account and make your 2010 contribution. 

HOW MUCH OF MY TRADITIONAL IRA CONTRIBUTION CAN I ACTUALLY DEDUCT?

If you are not covered by a retirement plan at work at any time during the year, you can deduct every penny of your traditional IRA contribution.  That's simple.

It's slightly more complicated if you were covered by a retirement plan at work.  In that case, if your "Modified Adjusted Gross Income" (MAGI) is less than certain thresholds, you still get to deduct your entire Traditional IRA contribution.  For 2010, this threshold is $56,000  for Single or Head of Household filers, and $89,000 for Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widower filers.  Above those thresholds, the deductible portion phases out between $56,000 and $66,000 for Singles and Head of Household, and $89,000 and $109,000 for Married-Joint and Qualifying Widower filers.  If MAGI is greater than $66,000 ($109,000 for Married-Joint)  then NONE of your Traditional IRA contribution can be deducted.  But you can still make your $5,000/$6,000 contribution to the IRA account -- you just won't be able to deduct it.

In situations when you can't deduct your Traditional IRA contribution, why would you want to make the contribution at all?  There are two reasons.  First, earnings accumulate and compound every year without being diminished by annual income taxes.  You only pay the tax on earnings when you withdraw them in your old age -- and you will probably be in a lower tax bracket then.  Second, if you have a nondeductible Traditional IRA contribution, you get what is called a "basis" in your IRA account.  This just means that when you eventually withdraw from your IRA, the "basis" portion will not be taxable.

If you need assistance with your income tax filing this Tax Season, you might want to contact:

JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
Tax Help When You Need It!!! (TM)
Silver Spring, Maryland
E-mail: jcleahy@jaitoday.com
Tel. (301)537-5365

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MESSAGE FOR THE NEW REPUBLICAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LOSERS COMPROMISE!!!  DEMOCRATS MUST COMPROMISE NOW, AND THAT COMPROMISE MUST BEGIN WITH COMPLETE REPEAL OF THEIR HEALTH CARE LAW.   I REPEAT: COMPLETE REPEAL!!   THIS WRITER ADVOCATES THAT IT BE REPLACED WITH THE SILVER PENNANT HEALTH CARE PLAN.  LOSERS COMPROMISE!!!  DON'T BE LOSERS THIS TIME, REPUBLICANS!!!  FOLKS,  PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!!!  LET'S MOVE ON TO 2012 !!!!!!!!! -- JC Leahy, RN, BSN, MA -- Sigma Theta Tau's "100 Most Extraordinary Nurses" Award

Monday, December 27, 2010

2010 BIG CHANGES FOR ROTH IRA CONVERSION RULES !!!


By JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
Income Tax Preparation & Consulting
Silver Spring, MD 
Tel. (301)537-5365

Personally, I think that 2010 may come to be called the Year of the Roth Rollover. If you have a traditional IRA, you really ought to make yourself aware of some big changes that happen January 1. These changes result from 2 laws passed by Congress during the Bush administration, and they may help you as you struggle tobuild a secure retirement.

Here’s the "Roth Conversion" deal  in 2009, before the changes: If you wanted to convert funds from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA and your 2009 tax return shows a "modified adjusted gross income" of $100,000 or more -- you were prohibited. If you’re married and filing a separate return from your spouse, you were prohibited. If you weren't affected by these 2 prohibitions and you, indeed, converted funds from IRA to Roth IRA, every single dollar converted added a dollar to your 2009 taxable income and thereby increased your 2009 income tax liability.

Fast forward to January, 2010. The $100,000 income prohibition and the married-filing-separate prohibition both disappeared! Poof! Furthermore, any amount you convert from IRA to Roth IRA in 2010 may not add a dime to your 2010 taxable income. You actually have a choice. Either pay taxes on the full amount in 2010 or pay taxes on zero. If you chose the latter, then you will have to split the additional income between your 2011 and 2012 tax returns. This amounts to a two-year interest-free loan from the government. What a deal!

So, why would you want to have a Roth IRA rather than regular IRA in the first place? Well, provided you follow the rules, your Roth IRA earnings will never be taxed. You won’t be prohibited from making Roth IRA contributions when you turn 70.5 year of age. And there are no mandatory withdrawals when you turn age 70.5.

These wonderful changes result from provisions of two Bush-era laws just now taking effect. These are the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act (TIRPA) of 2006, and the Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA).

If you have money in a traditional IRA, 2010 certainly looks like the year to think about making a Roth conversion. Check with your tax advisor.
2010 IRA (Roth and Traditional) Contribution Limits
Year AGE 49 and BELOW / AGE 50 and ABOVE
2002-2004 $3,000 / $3,500
2005 $4,000 / $4,500
2006-2007 $4,000 / $5,000
2008 $5,000 / $6,000
2009 $5,000 / $6,000
2010 $5,000 / $6,000
The above limits do not apply to Roth IRA conversions.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

CHILD AND DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSE CREDIT

By JC Leahy
MA, Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
Income Taxes Minimized to Your Best Advantage (TM)
Silver Spring, Maryland

If you would like help preparing your income tax returns, email jcleahy@jaitoday.com or phone (301)537-5365  


Congress can make the simplest thing complicated, and the Child and Dependent Care Expense Tax Credit is no exception. The simple concept is for the Tax Code to help both spouses to be employed outside the home by lightening the burden of child care expenses. This is one of the few personal tax credits that do not phase out because of high income levels. In fact, a couple could have an adjusted gross income of a billion dollars and still claim the Child and Dependent Care Expense Credit.

This is a nonrefundable credit. "Nonrefundable" means that the credit is limited to your income tax liability. Therefore, if you're low-income and your tax liability is consequently zero, then -- sorry -- your Child and Dependent Care Expense Credit is zero, too. Also, if you improved the energy efficiency of your home, for example, with energy efficient windows, and you therefore claimed the Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit (up to $1,500), you will probably be surprised to learn that the Child and Dependent Care Expense Credit will be subtracted from your Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit -- resulting, effectively, in a reduced or eliminated Child and Dependent Care Expense Credit. This is an odd case of qualifying for a tax credit but not actually receiving any money for it. (You have to plan your taxes carefully because the rules are often a bit of a shell game.)

There are some other limits. If you are married filing separate returns, your Child and Dependent Care Credit is limited to zero -- unless the married spouses lived apart for the last 6 months of the year, in which case, one or both may qualify for the full credit as heads-of-household. As heads of households, if they have 4 children (or other qualified dependents) there is the potential to more than double the Child and Dependent Care Credit by simply not living together. Also, expenses associated with the credit are limited to the earned income of the spouse who had the least earned income. The idea is, after all, to encourage the second spouse to put the kids into child care and go out to work, so if there is no second income there is no tax credit. One intersting exception occurs in the case of the couple with children living together without the benefit of marriage. In this case, the fact that one partner does not have any earned income will NOT limit the Child and Dependent Care Credit - because the partner who does have earned income will file as head of household and claim the children (and possibly the partner) as dependents -- thereby being eligible for the full credit. Another exception occurs when one spouse is disabled. The disabled spouse is deemed to have gone out to work even though he or she did not. The disabled spouse is deemed to have had earned income of $250 per month if there is one qualifying child or $500 per month if there were 2 children. Another exception occurs when one spouse is a full-time student for at least 5 months of the year. That student spouse is treated like a disabled spouse. Still another exception may occur when a couple is unmarried, has children, and both are employed. In this case, for all practical purposes, the 2 parents in aggregate may qualify for MORE THAN double the Child and Dependent Credit that they would get if they were married. Why would it be more than double?  Because in computing the credit, they would count a maximum 4 children instead of 2, and by separating their incomes into 2 separate tax returns, they probably each qualify for a higher credit percentage.

The credit percentage is a multiplier used to compute the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Up to $3,000 of expenses per child for up to 2 qualifying children are allowed -- at total of $6,000.  This total is multiplied by the credit percentage to compute the tax credit. The credit percentage ranges from 35% to 20% depending on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). The same percentage table is used for married couples and others. Therefore, by being married and combining their incomes, married couples have a lower credit percentage than if they were not married. And if they have 4 children, for purposes of this credit, married couples can only claim half of the children (2) that they could if they were unmarried (2 each = 4).

Children qualify if they are under the age of 13. Once they are over 13, you cannot claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit for their care. Here is an important point, however: In they year that the child turns 13, you can still claim the Child and Dependent Care Expense Credit for the period before his birthday.

Besides dependent children under the age of 13, you can also claim this credit for expenses related to a physically or mentally incapacitated dependent OR SPOUSE who lives with you for at least half of the year. This could include, for example, an elderly parent.

Another wrinkle: Some expenses that qualify for this credit may also qualify as medical expenses on your Schedule A. In this case, you may list some expenses as an itemized (Schedule A) deduction and others as Child and Dependent Care expenses -- but the same expense may not be listed in both places.

If you have questions, you may contact the author directly at: jcleahy@jaitoday.com

If you would like help preparing your income tax return, e-mail maxlegalrefund@yahoo.com -- or phone (301)537-5365.

Friday, December 17, 2010

SOLAR POWERED CAR???


Fisker Karma interior
 JC Leahy

I believe my next car will be electric or plug-in Hybrid. Google the Fisker Karma for an example of a very cool plug-in hybrid. It's available in February. In electric-only mode, it has a range of 50 miles and will go 95 mph;  switch to the gasoline-assisted mode and the range is 250 miles and the top speed 125 mph!!  For me, 50 miles would get me to and from work with no problem and NO gasoline!!  There's an optional solar charger to run your entire commute off the grid, on solar power !!!!!!!!!  Wow! That makes it a solar powered car!!  I'm getting TIRED of sending petrodollars to people who want to kill me!!!
Fisker Karma - Available February, 2011

Thursday, December 16, 2010

RISKY DRIVING: BELTWAY, WASHINGTON, DC

By JC Leahy

We're expecting snow today and wouldn't it be the day that my 4x4 Explorer is in the shop!!!  It happened like this:  I was on the Washington Beltway in moderate, moving-right-along traffic.  A car came up fast in the lane to my right.  Something about the way he was driving made me alert, thank goodness!!  As soon as he had passed my front bumper, he pulled over in front of me and SLAMMED on his brakes.  Obviously, he was trying to have an accident, although I do not understand why.  Well, I SLAMMED on my brakes just as quick as you like, and did NOT hit him.  However, half a mile later, when I tapped on my brakes for a more routine manoeuvre, the pedal went ALL the


way to the floor with almost no effect!  Gently, I drove the 155,000-mile-old Explorer to my trusted local garage and left it there.  As it turned out, the stress of stopping the old beast had ruptured a brake line.  Because of corrosion, the brake line couldn't be disconnected from some other brake components, which would therefore need replacement.  There was also another brake line badly rusted, which I decided to replace as a precautionary measure.  Total damage: $850. Yikes!!!  I just had a $500 "oil change" last month, and some other repair bills before that!!  It's getting to be a high-maintenance vehicle!!!   I'm just thankful that my reaction time was so quick!!  Why do people drive like that??!!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FINDS THE OBVIOUS: DEMOCRATIC HEALTH CARE LAW IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

By JC Leahy, MA Accounting, BS Business Administration

It's a wonderful world! Federal Judge Henry E. Hudson, ruling for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, has decided in favor of the obvious.!!! The Obama-Pelosi Democratic Health Care law is unconstitutional.  This health care scheme absolutely depends on forcing everyone to pay into the insurance system so that those who take care of their health can be forced to pay for those who don't, so that those who prefer to be frugal with their health care dollars in favor of other things or saving can be forced to pay for unconstrained health-care consumption of others, and so that those who would save for theie old-age health care needs  can be dispossessed in favor of more "socially beneficial" use of their money.  Anyone who will PLEASE just pick up a copy of the Constitution and read it can see that the Federal government does not have the authority to implement the Democratic health care plan.


The Silver Penant Plan, on the other hand, does not depend on forcing everyone to pay.  It hinges on rewarding those who would save for the health care of themselves and those they love, while making the actual consumption of health care services voluntary and subject to the constraints and principles of supply-and-demand.

Monday, December 13, 2010

TRAVEL IDEA: BEACH IN WINTER

By JC Leahy

Everyone knows that I revel in a summertime jaunt to the seaside. I adore a romantic dip at a secluded beach!! I relish the bustling boardwalk, the salt water kayaking,  the restaurants, the cruising the boulevard in my convertible!! That much is common knowledge. What is less known is that I enjoy escaping to the seaside in winter, too. The lures of the beach in winter are many, but appreciated by few.
Ocean City, Maryland - Canal & deserted walkway in winter

Ironically, it is the fact that few appreciate the seaside in winter which is the very fountainhead of the seaside's winter attraction. In winter the recreational infrastructure designed for many  is employed by nearly no one. Lodgings are empty and the rates they offer in winter are ridiculous. Find an indoor swimming pool and you will probably find nearly secluded swimming.  Find a restaurant and there will be no little pager to hold and no waiting time.  There will be no lines at theaters, either.  The indoor gyms will be frequented only by local regulars. With the Progressives destroying the economy as they are, reatil stores that have not gone belly-up  will be dying to sell you something, off season a the seaside.
Swimming practice

Indoor pool in Ocean City -- So deserted it's almost like having your own private pool!
For the past several years, Dali and I have gone to Ocean City, Maryland in December, January and February -- before my income-tax-filing business makes me crazy-busy.  I prefer January and February to December. In January and February, we almost have the place to ourselves. My favorite place to stay is Club Ocean Villas II, located along one of those canals perpendicular Coastal Highway -- near the Green Turtle sports bar.  There, you get a two-bedroom, two-bathroom, fully equipped suite with an outdoor whirlpool tub outside your bedroom. The lodgings are very warm and comfortable. Our door has opened directly onto a deserted-in-winter canal, usually frozen solid, and our hot-tub has been in semi public at the canal side. At the end of the day, sitting in a hot whirlpool on a cold winter day in a driving snowstorm is a very interesting and relaxing way to commiserate with one's mate. In the deserted state of winter, public area be damned, clothing is strictly optional. The only hard part is getting out of the comfortable, warm whirlpool to go back through the freezing cold to one's quarters!


I love to swim. The Ocean Villas II swimming pool is indoors, heated, and deserted in winter. While staying there, Dali and I swim every day. We usually have the pool entirely to ourselves. That is excellent for Dali because she is self conscious about learning to swim. She does well with privacy and a little space to learn. After the swimming, her face is bright with a sense of accomplishment. The next day, her whole body aches a little for the exercise. On occasions when other swimmers enter the pool, it's just Dali and me and them. There is no ignoring each other. We all talk. It's pleasant socialization.

This oceanside gym is nearly empty in winter.
There are many indoor gyms at a typical seaside resort town. Some are private, for guests only. Others are open to the public. Everywhere we've stayed, the lodging fee has included a public gym pass. Club Ocean Villas II provides a pass to the nearby Gold's Gym. There's no crowd at Gold's Gym at the seaside in winter. Only a cadre of local regulars that appears every day. They know each other. They chat, sip coffee, and work up a sweat on the ample equipment. But there aren't  many of them, so you can use any equipment you want, when you want, for as long as you want.

Winter shopping at Ocean City is an experience. If you venture out of the key tourist areas, the panorama resembles something from a documentary about the Great Depression. Whole shopping centers and business facilities sit empty, sad, and deteriorating. But in the more fortunate Coastal Highway corridor, the stores are open and they are dying to make a sale. Between the two of us, Dali is the inveterate shopper. I go along, reluctantly.  In terms of shopping preferences, I'm a typical guy:  I generally go to the store only if need something.  I enter the store. I find the item. I buy it. I leave. That's how a lot of us guys tend to shop. Sociologists say we're in the hunting mode, as opposed to women's gathering mode.  Nevertheless,  some of the winter deals at the seaside can convert me into the gathering mode, and then I definitley shop with gusto!!
8/28/2010 - 500,000 demonstrators converge on Congress

Movie theaters, too, appear nearly deserted in winter. They're playing the movies, but there is no one in the parking lots. So, there is not line to see whatever is the latest craze movie of the moment.

How much does all this cost? How much to you pay for a long 4 day weekend in a 2-bedroom, 2 bathroom suite with, 3 TV's, DVD, VCR, WiFi, sauna, essentially your own private indoor swimming pool, private outdoor hot spa, with unlimited gym access a block from the sea in downtown Ocean City? Well, we got a special deal. For us, it's -- eh -- about $90 -- including tax --- not per night, total. But the regular winter rate is $69-$79 per night, which is a jaw-dropping deal for a relaxing winter getaway. I recommend a room facing the canal, lower level if possible. That way, you will have the most seclusion with the nearest access to your hot tub.

Here's the Ocean Villas II web site, if you want to check it out. Obviously, there are lots of other places to stay in Ocean City, but I can vouch for this place.


CLUB OCEAN VILLAS II

Monday, December 6, 2010

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK REVIEW

by JC Leahy
If you like to write,  you may be interested in this collection of my favorite articles about how to write a book review.  I suppose much the same advice might apply to movie reviews.

When you see a movie or read a book, it might be fun to write about it.



How to write a book review, Queens Library

How to write a book review, LA Valley Library

How to write a book review, University of Waterloo

How to write a book review, Dalhousie University


Friday, December 3, 2010

FEDERAL PAY FREEZE: AN OBVIOUS QUESTION

                                                                                                                      .
How can Congress freeze Federal employees' salaries on the one hand and simultaneously justify increased spending of 6.2 billion dollars per year on the Dream Act???!!!!!!

JC Leahy

Thursday, December 2, 2010

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT: CHRISTMAS SEASON EVENT TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW

By JC Leahy

CHRISTMAS MODEL TRAIN DISPLAY

The annual model train display in Ellicott City, Maryland, provides a fun springboard for Christmas shopping in the enamoring downtown Ellicott City.  This elaborate model train display usually runs from the first Saturday in December through the first Sunday in January.  You might want to mark you calendar now so you don't forget.  The 2010 show opens this coming Saturday.

The display is provided by the Ellicott City Fire Company #2.  It is situated at their firehouse, at 4150 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City, Maryland.  The Fire Company has been providing this display every year since 1997.

The display includes multiple model trains on an artfully crafted landscape.  For example, the 2009 display comprised 8 trains, including an Amtrak passenger train, a circus train, and a long freight train.  All trains are in motion -- through towns, across bridges, around mountains, and through tunnels.  The overall effect is delightful for children -- of all ages.  The passion that went into the design and crafting of the whole display is evident.

You can actually buy model trains and accessories at the firehouse.  The brand is Rail Master.


Mark your calendar for this event now, so you won't forget. Check hours of operation before you actually go.  Typiclly, the model train display is open on weekends and some weekdays.  For more information, call 410-313-2036.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

FROM THE E-MAIL: POLITICAL HUMOR

Submitted by Don, Greenwood, Florida

DRIVING MISS SARAH

From the Editor:

MESSAGE FOR THE NEW REPUBLICAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LOSERS COMPROMISE!!!  DEMOCRATS MUST COMPROMISE NOW, AND THAT COMPROMISE MUST BEGIN WITH COMPLETE REPEAL OF THEIR HEALTH CARE LAW.   I REPEAT: COMPLETE REPEAL!!   THIS WRITER ADVOCATES THAT IT BE REPLACED WITH THE SILVER PENNANT HEALTH CARE PLAN.  LOSERS COMPROMISE!!!  DON'T BE LOSERS THIS TIME, REPUBLICANS!!!  FOLKS,  PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!!!  LET'S MOVE ON TO 2012 !!!!!!!!!!

JC Leahy


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

VENOUS ACCESS -- PICC LINES: PURPOSE, USE AND CARE

By JC Leahy, RN, BSN, MA
When medical care requires direct access to the venous blood system, a device must be introduced through the skin into a vein.  This device is called an “IV access.”  There are many types of IV access.  They differ from each other in several ways: (1) the diameter and length of the tube inserted (2) the size and location of the vein to which the tube extends (3) the location on the body where the tube passes through the skin, and (4) special characteristics of some IV devices.  The smallest IV access device is called a “peripheral IV access.”  This is a small-gauge, very short plastic tube inserted through the skin into a small vein, usually in the arm or hand – rarely in the neck (external jugular vein) or lower extremity.  The disadvantages of peripheral IV access are twofold: (1) small veins are relatively delicate and (2) peripheral IV devices must be changed every 72 hours.  Because of the vein delicacy, certain medications may cause discomfort and medications that are caustic may cause irritation damage to the vein and/or surrounding tissue. Peripheral lines also impose limits on infusion rates.  Peripheral IV Lines smaller than 18 gauge may also hemolyze infused red blood cells.   Additionally, peripheral IV devices are not well suited to drawing blood samples because the vein may collapse or suffer damage.  

Because peripheral IV access has so many limitations, central IV access is often needed to treat hospitalized patients.  Central lines became popular in the hospital setting during the 1970’s.  A “central line” is a larger-gauge, longer plastic line inserted through the skin into a large vein.  The three veins to which a central line is normally inserted are the subclavian vein, the internal jugular vein, and the femoral vein.  With both internal jugular and subclavian central lines, the distal tip of the catheter resides in the superior vena cava, just upstream of the heart.  Central lines are better than peripheral lines in several respects:  (1) more suitable for higher-volume fluid administration, (2) more suitable for medications and certain special fluids, (3) more suitable for blood draws, and (4) may stay in place for longer than 72 hours.  Also, subclavian and internal jugular central lines may be used to measure central venous pressure to assess a patient’s fluid status.
Although traditional central lines are useful for hospitalized patients, they are unsuitable for use in non-hospitalized patients.  Primarily this is because they are too subject to infection and therefore may not remain in place for very long.  A femoral line, for example, should not remain in place for more than a week, and some institutions’ policies may specify even shorter times.  Internal jugular and subclavian lines that are older than a week require frequent monitoring for signs and symptoms of infection.  Consequently, patients are never discharged to home unless their central IV access has been removed.
For those patients who need IV access outside the hospital, a long-term IV access device is necessary.   Long-term IV’s include implanted ports (“mediports”), certain tunneled catheters, and “PICC lines”. 
PICC lines have so many advantages that it is a wonder that they are not used more.  Advantages include:
  1. Safety for long-term use:   Whereas peripheral lines should be changed every 3 days, and traditional central lines may last up to two weeks, a PICC may remain in place for up to a year. 
  2. Low risk of infection:  The PICC is typically inserted in the upper arm.  This is inherently cleaner than the insertion site for a femoral line or internal jugular line.  It is because of lower risk of infection that a PICC can remain in place for up to a year.
  3. Decreased Skin Puncture for Blood Sampling – A PICC can be used to draw venous blood samples for laboratory tests.  This not only enhances patient comfort but also reduces the risk of infection.   (Note: At least one PICC manufacturer, Groshong, recommends AGAINST drawing blood through its PICC lines.)
  4. Best use of medical resources – Most forms of non-PICC long-term IV access require the patient to undergo surgery in the operating room.  Surgery and anesthesia are risky for the patient as well as a tremendous commitment of hospital resources.  Traditional central lines require a physician to insert them.  A PICC, on the other hand, can be inserted by a specially trained Registered Nurse without any use of the operating room or general anesthesia.
  5. Low risk – When a physician places a subclavian line he always worries about the possibility puncturing the pleural cavity and consequently collapsing a lung.  This is a life-threatening event.  When a surgical team inserts an implanted port in the operating room, there are all the risks that go with anesthesia and surgery.   In contrast, insertion of a PICC is a relatively low-risk procedure.  The most serious risk of PICC insertion is that, as with ANY upper body central line, the catheter could be inserted too far, advancing into the heart and causing an irregular heartbeat.
  6. Early patient discharge – Since a PICC can be maintained in the home or outpatient clinic, a patient who requires 8 weeks of IV antibiotics can be discharged to home instead of spending the 8 weeks in the hospital.  This has many advantages, including patient comfort and sense of well-being, reduced risk of hospital acquired infections, and conservation of valuable hospital inpatient resources.
  7. Versatility – A PICC is versatile.  It is usually a dual-lumen device, so that multiple medications or fluids can be infused simultaneously.  It can be used to measure central venous pressure. It can be used to draw
With all these advantages, why are PICC lines not used more frequently?  That’s a good question! 
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOUR PICC LINE IS INSERTED
A PICC is usually inserted by a specially trained nurse right in your hospital room or in a hospital clinic.  However, if the nurse has difficulty with insertion or if special problems are anticipated, you may be sent to the interventional radiology department for insertion.
The nurse will clean your arm and employ sterile-procedure precautions, including a small sterile drape around the insertion site.
The nurse may use a portable ultrasound machine to find a vein in your upper arm.
The nurse will administer a local numbing medication.  This will probably be an injection of lidocaine or lidocaine with epinephrine.
The nurse will measure your anatomy and may trim the PICC catheter to the correct length.
The nurse will insert an introducer needle into the vein and then guide the PICC line into the vein near your heart.
The nurse will secure the PICC in place with sutures or some other anchoring device.
You will then have a chest x-ray to be sure the PICC is in the correct location.
The nurse will cover the PICC site with a sterile dressing and a pressure bandage.  The dressing will be changed after 24 hours and then according to institutional policy – probably once or twice per week.
COMMON INDICATIONS FOR A PICC
  • Long term treatments such as chemotherapy or IV antibiotics
  • Hyper alimentation
  • Repeated administration of blood products
  • Venous blood sampling
  • Measurement of CVP (central venous pressure)
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR PICC HAS BEEN INSERTED
There may be a little soreness at the insertion site for a couple of days.
There may be a little blood under the dressing around the insertion site for a day or two.  This is normal unless it is of large amount. 
RECOGNIZING PROBLEMS: CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER RIGHT AWAY IF YOU EXPERIENCE:
  • Pain
  • Fever
  • Blood around the insertion site larger than a half-dollar in diameter.
  • Redness or swelling around the insertion site
  • Any breakage or tear in the PICC
  • Inability to flush the PICC
  • IV pump alarms even after you have flushed the PICC
  • IV fluid seems to leak out from around the insertion site
HOME CARE OF A PICC
Rest your arm for a couple of days after the PICC has been inserted.  Then, while the PICC is in place, do not lift items heavier than 10 pounds or perform repetitive exercises with the PICC arm.
Do no immerse any part of the PICC in a bath or hot tub.  Do not go swimming.
Cover the PICC and insertion site with plastic before you shower and keep them dry.
Follow all PICC care instructions that you receive from your home-health nurse or clinic.
In the home and outpatient setting, the PICC should be flushed after each use and at least once per day. There are, however, outpatient organizations whose standard is to flush unused PICC's only once a week with dressing changes.  (In the inpatient setting, institutional policy may require more frequent flushing, such as twice a day or every nursing shift.)  Refer to your organizational policy and the PICC manufacturer's guidelines.
Your PICC dressing needs to be changed at least once a week.  Your medical providers will provide a plan.  For example, when I had a PICC for 8 weeks of home antibiotic therapy, a home-health nurse visited me once a week to change the dressing, inspect the site, and perform other line care as needed.  Once she had to de-clot the PICC with streptokinase.  On a daily basis, my wife and I were responsible for inspecting the site and flushing the line after each use.
To help prevent infection, clean the PICC's injection caps with alcohol swabs before and after each use or each flushing.
Avoid blood pressure measurement on the PICC’s arm.
Always protect the PICC from accidentally catching on something and getting pulled.  This precludes your participation in rough contact sports.
Avoid having dental work performed while the PICC is in place.  There is a risk that dental work could release bacteria into the blood stream which could lodge in the tip of the PICC and cause an infection.  If you must have dental work performed, be sure to tell the dentist about the PICC IN ADVANCE of your dental appointment.
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHANGING THE PICC DRESSING
Every effort should be made to maintain sterility around the PICC insertion site.  Until around 10 years ago, the procedure for changing the dressing used to go something like this: Wash your hands. Gather your supplies.  Don a face mask. Remove the old dressing.  Don sterile gloves.   Clean an area around the site, going from the center outward, first with at least 3 alcohol swabs, then with at least 3 betadine swabs, and finally with 3 tincture of benzoin swabs.  Then cover the site with a clear dressing such as Tegraderm.  Then change the injection caps with new caps and, if necessary, secure the tubing so that it does not get accidentally pulled.  If the PICC has clamps, you MUST clamp the line before changing the  injection caps to avoid the risk of air embolus.   (If the PICC does NOT have clamps, the PICC probably has a one-way valve designed into each lumen to prevent air embolus.  These valves are called PASV's - pressure activated safety valves. Some manufacturers of PASV PICC's actually recommend AGAINST clamping the line when changing the caps. ) This old procedure is still fundamentally sound, except for one thing:  A new chemical was introduced which is more effective than the alcohol/betadine treatment.  It is called ChloraPrep (chlorhexidine ).  Chlorhexidine has a longer lasting effect than alcohol and betadine treatment.  Consequently, central line dressings with chlorhexidine can be changed once a week instead of once every 3 days, as before.

To complicate matters just a bit further, there are certain safety caps that apparently have a PASV-like valve in them.  Use of these valves may obviate the need for a heparin flush, but when you change the caps, clamp the PICC if the PICC is designed with clamps.
If you are using chlorhexidine, substitute cleaning with chlorhexidine instead of cleaning with alcohol and betadine.  The purpose of the tincture of benzoin was always to help the dressing adhere well to the skin.  I believe it is still useful for that purpose.  There is also a relatively new item called a "Biopatch" that should always be used after you have cleaned the insertion area with chlorhexidine.  A Biopatch is a little fabric disk impregnated with chlorhexidine that fits around the base of the catheter at the insertion site. Always remove the old Biopatch when you remove the old dressing and place a new one before you install the new dressing.  To repeat, be sure to change the Biopatch and the injection caps with every dressing change.  Some anchoring devices may also be suitable for changing.
There are a couple of special precautions to observe when changing your PICC dressing.  Do not use scissors to remove the old dressing, for you may accidentally cut the catheter.  Also do not use tape remover (containing acetone) to remove the old dressing, as this may cause damage to the catheter.  If you choose to use a hemostat to clamp the PICC during an inection cap change, make sure it is a toothless hemostat.
FLUSHING YOUR PICC
The Society of Infusion Nurses recommends flushing all PICC's every 12 hours.  Some outpatient organizations flush unused outpatient PICC's only weekly with the dressing changes.   For inpatients, the PICC should be flushed every 12 hours and after each use, or per institutional policy, possibly q-shift. Before flushing, the injection cap should be cleaned with an alcohol swab, and clamps, if any, must be opened.  For each of the two lumens, flushing is performed with 10 ml of 0.9% normal saline followed by 5 ml of 0.9% normal saline containing heparin at a concentration of 10 units per ml.  If the PICC has a clamp, clamp the catheter at the end of the flush process while you are still flushing to avoid air getting in the line. Both the 10 ml of normal saline and the 5 ml of heparin solution are available in pre-filled syringes.  The heparin syringe is called a “heparin lock flush.”
Some PICC lines do not require the heparin flush, only normal saline.  These are called “saline only” PICC’s.  Some manufacturers call them “heparin optional” PICC’s.  You can recognize a “heparin optional” PICC by the absence of clamps.  Only heparin PICC’s have clamps. (If you know WHY this is true, be sure and let me know.  Use e-mail or the “comment” function at the end of this article.  My guess is that PICC's requiring heparin flushes lack integerated PASV's)  The disadvantage to using heparin is that some patients may experience heparin induced thorombocytopenia.

Cautionary note for nurses:  As to frequency and procedure for flushing a PICC, check your institutional policy AND the manufacturers recommendations.  If you deviate from these and something goes wrong, it will counted as a nurse error.
PICC PROBLEM SOLVING
  • If you think your PICC is occluded by a clot: (1) check to see if it is clamped, (2) check to see if it is kinked.  If it is not kinked or clamped, do not force-flush it; instead, call the home care nurse. She may be able to de-clot it with an agent such as streptokinase.
  • If you have signs of infection (fever, chills, irritation or tenderness or swelling at the insertion site or pus at the insertion site) call your physician immediately.   One caveat:  Some patients experience some redness around the insertion site around 2 weeks after insertion.  This may be a normal part of the healing process, and therefore not a problem.  In that event, it should go away in a day or two.  However, if the redness is accompanied by pain or increased skin temperature, phlebitis is to be suspected and you should call your physician.
  • If the PICC comes out, don’t panic. Hold pressure on the site for at least 5 minutes until the bleeding stops.  Then apply an antibacterial agent if available and cover it with a dressing.  Meanwhile, call your physician or home care nurse.
  • If the PICC appears longer than it used to be, don’t push it back in.  Call your physician or nurse.
  • If the PICC breaks: Clamp it or kink it and secure the kink with rubber band or tape to prevent blood outflow and call your physician or nurse.
  • If you see blood in the PICC catheter, flush it.
  • If you see swelling of your hand, arm, shoulder or neck and arm on the PICC side, this could be a sign of central venous thrombosis.  Call your physician immediately.
  • If you see air in your catheter, this could be caused by breakage of the catheter or a loose injection cap.  If enough air enters, you may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, or lightheadedness.  In this event, dial 911.  Kink the catheter and secure the kink with a rubber band or tape – or use the clamp, if available.  If there is not enough catheter to kink, pull some out and kink it.  If you have dialed 911, lie down on your left side and wait for emergency help. 
All in all, PICC lines have significant advantages over other forms of IV access. They are relatively safe to insert, have low risk of infection, are versatile, do not require operating room resources or even a physician to perform the insertion, and can remain in place for up to a year even outside the hospital.  It is a wonder that they are not used more frequently.!!!

MESSAGE FOR THE NEW REPUBLICAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LOSERS COMPROMISE!!!  DEMOCRATS MUST COMPROMISE NOW, AND THAT COMPROMISE MUST BEGIN WITH COMPLETE REPEAL OF THEIR HEALTH CARE LAW.   I REPEAT: COMPLETE REPEAL!!   THIS WRITER ADVOCATES THAT IT BE REPLACED WITH THE SILVER PENNANT HEALTH CARE PLAN.  LOSERS COMPROMISE!!!  DON'T BE LOSERS THIS TIME, REPUBLICANS!!!  FOLKS,  PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!!!  LET'S MOVE ON TO 2012 !!!!!!!!!!
POST COMMENTS FOR DISCUSSION, BELOW






Friday, November 12, 2010

Are They Nuts??!! Denair Middle School, Denair, CA

On Veterans Day 2010, FOX News reports:

DENAIR - 13-year-old Cody Alicea rides with an American flag on the back of his bike. He says he does this to be patriotic and to honor veterans, like his own grandfather, Robert. He's had the flag on his bike for two months but Monday, was asked told to take it down. A school official at Denair Middle School told Cody some students had been complaining about the flag and it was no longer allowed on school property. "In this country we're supposed to be free," said Cody. "And I should be able to wave my flag wherever I want to. And they're telling me I can't." Cody's grandfather says the school was concerned about racial tensions or uprisings because of the flag. He feels if there was really a problem it should have been brought up two months ago, not during Veterans week. "No action should be taken. We don't want any repercussion," said Roger. "We just want Cody to be proud of what he's doing."

Let them know what you think about this!!!  Here's contact data:

Denair Middle School
3701 Lester Road
Del Rio, CA 95316
Tel. (209) 632-2510

Here’s a site where you can enter a review and say what you think about this school

Here’s the school’s actual website

Here’s the School District’s Webpage

And the School District’s other contact data:

Denair Unified School District
3460 Lester Road
Denair, CA 95316
Phone: 209-632-7514
Fax 209-632-9194

Thursday, November 11, 2010

HEALTH CARE HUMOR - FROM THE E-MAIL

Submitted by Donald Greenwood, Indian River Inlet, FL

A question attributed to "Maxine"

Let me get this straight . . . .
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care
plan we are forced to purchase and
fined if we don't,
Which purportedly covers at least
ten million more people,
without adding a single new doctor,
but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents,
written by a committee whose chairman
says he doesn't understand it,
passed by a Congress that didn’t read it but
exempted themselves from it,
and signed by a President who smokes,
with funding administered by a treasury chief who
didn't pay his taxes,
for which we’ll be taxed for four years before any
“benefits” take effect
,
by a government which has
already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare,
all to be overseen by a surgeon general
who is obese,
and financed by a country that's broke!!!!!
What the heck could
possibly go wrong?



Now, for serious talk about health care reform, click here.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

NOTE ON THE ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET ELECTRA-X MOTORCYCLE

By JC Leahy

Those of you who know me know that I have a 2009 Royal Enfield Bullet Electra X motorcycle.  It seems like a good machine to me, with classic lines, and I find it tremendously fun to ride!!  Here's a video clip of a guy having more fun with an Bullet than I would care to venture!  Enjoy!! :)

HANDS FREE WITH ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET ELECTRA

WATCH CAREFULLY: IS THIS GUY TALKING ON HIS CELLPHONE WHILE RIDING HIS BULLET MOTORCYCLE??

INDIAN ARMY TRANSPORTS 48 MEN ON A SINGLE ROYAL ENFIELD MOTORCYCLE

FROM THE E-MAIL: HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS

Submitted by Joshua Dee, MD
Silver Spring Maryland

This cute bit of political humor has made the rounds on the Internet.

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired 3 people. One to do the studies, one inspector to supervise the watchman, and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So They created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one Year now, and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall costs."

So they laid off the night watchman.

NOW slowly, let it sink in. The watchman is gone, but the 10 jobs created to oversee the watchman are still there.

Quietly, we go like sheep to the slaughter...

Now, does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY .... During the Carter Administration?

Anybody?

Anything?

No?

Didn't think so!

Bottom line. We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency .... the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!

Ready?? It was very simple ... and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.

The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977 TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???

AND NOW IT'S 2009 -- 32 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.

AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?

HELLOOO ! Anybody Home?
God Bless America!

Monday, November 8, 2010

SPECIAL NOTE TO MY READERS:

Whoever is doing their online shopping through the Amazon links on my blog http://www.jaitoday.com/ , THANK YOU!!  I just got the monthly commission check yesterday and it's UP! (When you enter Amazon though any of those links, the blog gets a commission on the entire shopping session, at no cost to you.) It looks like mostly baby stuff and kitchenware.  I write the blog for the joy of it, not the money -- but as in all things in life, the money helps.  Thanks again!!!!


Very sincerely,
JC Leahy

Friday, November 5, 2010

THE ROAD TO STAGFLATION

by JC Leahy 


Obama Government Plan to Impoverish Americans to Pay Federal Debt 


The road to stagflation is paved with good intentions.  The day after the November 2, 2010 elections, the Federal Reserve announced that it would buy $600,000,000,000 of Treasury Bonds on the open market.  That sounds like boring financial news, right?  Here's what they don't tell you: For the Federal Reserve to buy U.S. Treasury Bonds equates to printing money.   This will tend to devalue the dollar and cause inflation.  Another way to put it is that the Federal Government will be quietly raiding YOUR paycheck and grandma's retirement fund to pay off it's own insane amount of debt.  If this is accompanied by anti-business governmental policies (such as the planned Jan. 1 expansion of EPA regulation, Democratic-style health care reform, business-bashing rhetoric like President Obama's,  tax increases of any kind, and uncertainty of policy, then the result will be continuing job shortages and stagflation. 


Here's how it happens: When the Federal Reserve buys Treasury bonds on the open market, it pays for the bonds with dollars that it creates, literally, out of thin air.  These dollars may be disbursed in the form of checks that can't bounce because the Government says so, or in the form of simple computer entries. When, years ago, the North Vietnamese government created new U.S. dollars with a very sophisticated counterfeiting operation, they were said to be trying to harm America by depleting the value of the dollar and creating economic chaos.   Nowadays, for the Federal Reserve to buy bonds with made-out-of-thin-air electronic dollars, will also have the same effect of depleting the value of existing dollars and fostering inflation.

 



But wait a second!! This dilution of existing dollars is more profound than it first appears!  This is because of the fractional-reserve-based bank regulatory system.  The underlying legal rule for commercial banks in the United States is that for every dollar of deposits on their books, the bank must have 10% of that amount in actual cash reserves.  Conversely, if $1,000 of newly-created money is deposited in a bank, the bank is free to loan out $900 of that amount, keeping only 10%, or $100 in reserves.  This fractional reserve requirement leads to what economists refer to as the "multiplier effect."  Look how the multiplier effect works when multiple banks are involved.   


  • Bank A receives a $1,000 of magic cyber-dollars as a deposit and loans out $900,

  • Bank B receives the $900 deposit and loans out 90%, or $810

  • Bank C receives the $810 deposit and loans out 90%, or $729

  • Bank D receives the $729 and loans out 90%, or $656 

  • Bank E receives the $656 and loans out 90%, or $590

  • Bank F receives the $590 and loans out 90%, or $531


And so on and so on...   In the above example, $1,000 of new money has created   $3,685 of new bank deposits ($1,000 + $900 + $810 + $729 + $656 + $590).  If we carried out the mathematical progression, we would find that $1,000 of magic cyber-dollars actually creates $10,000, made from thin air.  Hence, when the Fed says it's going to buy Federal Government securities on open market in an amount equal to our entire defense budget, and pay for them with magic cyber-dollars, it's a very big deal. 

 

If the Fed (or a sophisticated counterfeiter like the North Vietnamese government) places, $600 billion of newly created money into the system, it will actually create $6 trillion of new dollars.  Pause here and think about that. What do you think that means for Grandma's retirement account?  What does it mean for your paycheck? 


But wait a second!!! It may be even an even bigger deal!  Why?  Because the bank may  (and often will) encourage  you to move your $1,000, or whatever the amount is, from a deposit account to a money market account.  The reserve requirement on money market accounts is not 10% --- it's ZERO percent!!!! Whew!!!

 

The end result of "monitarizing" Federal debt this way is to pay for ridiculous, profligate Federal spending by taking it out of the paychecks, and savings accounts, and retirement accounts of hard-working Americans and vulnerable retirees, and handing it over to the Chinese and other creditors. 


Impoverishing Americans in this way will not make America more competitive with the Chinese because there are other barriers to American competitiveness besides the currency exchange rate!  These barriers include burdensome regulation, high taxes, Democratic health care reform, and uncertainty in the tax and regulatory environment.

 

Why did the Federal Reserve wait until the next day AFTER the 2010 election to hatch this unusual plan?  Just a coincidence? Maybe.

 

I've been saying for a long time that this would happen: dramatic expansion of the monetary supply coupled with anti-business policies of the Democrats, leading to stagflation.  Stagflation is "hell" for everyone.  Now, Glenn Beck is beginning to sound like me!  Those of us who lived through the Carter Administration remember stagflation!!!  President Obama is Jimmy Carter on steroids!!  We've already been here, folks!!!  Can't we learn from our mistakes???


World leaders are now calling President Obama "clueless!"  What else can politicians do? Borrow more from the Chinese? Cut spending? Raise taxes?  What can YOU do? Start listening to Glenn Beck?  Tell Grandma to buy gold? (Not a bad idea!)  Get politically involved? WHAT DO YOU THINK??   (Comment below.)

 

For 2011, the Federal Reserve's plan will give the economy "sugar high" boost, but it will  lead to stagflation (and possibly worse) unless the new Republican Congress can create an environment conducive to the growth and flowering of American private enterprise. If there is no flowering of private enterprise, JOBS WILL NOT BE CREATED!!!!!    That is the challenge of 2011.


MORE READING ABOUT FRACTIONAL RESERVE BANKING SYSTEM:

Federal Open Market Committee Press Release

 

Printing Press Prosperity, 10/28/10, Congressman Randy Neugebauer


Reserve Requirement History

Comparison of Banking System to a Ponzi Scheme:

Thursday, November 4, 2010

HOLIDAY RECIPE: JC'S CHRISTMAS BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

By JC Leahy

When I serve my New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce, as I often do at Christmas, I never have to worry about leftovers. This pudding is, shall we say, very tasty. When asked for the recipe, I usually respond with a wry smile and a cryptic remark about the Freedom of Information Act.  But now, in the spirit of the Christmas Season, I am revealing my secret recipe. My good friend Laurie McCowan pointed me at this amazing bread pudding recipe 5 or 6 year s ago, and I've been making it ever since. Here's the link. Merry Christmas!!! Enjoy!!!! My only request is that if you try it, you let me know what you think. :)


ELECTION HUMOR

Under my office door this morning I found a very nice 8x10 glossy black-and-white photo of Nancy Pelosi with the following hand written inscription: "Dear John, I'll really miss you!  Love, Nancy."  My ultra-liberal co-workers were just playing a cute little prank on my.

Interesting is the fact that this prank of my liberal friends seems to be premised on the assumption of the departure of Nancy Pelosi.  They seem to assume that the resignation of Nancy Pelosi is a foregone conslusion.  Hmmm...   We shall see. 

My "liberal" friends are are suddenly subdued.  They are being such good sports about the people voting Democrats out of dictatorial power.  Democracy does work.   Isn't life wonderful?! :)

JC Leahy