Jeff

A reason to stay? Because we are not spineless pieces of s**t. We destroyed the place, we stay until they are back on their feet. Any other plan is the plan of men who's word is not worth the paper it is written on. A winnable plan? We have one. Stay until the Iraqi police/military forces can maintain law and order. What you want is not a plan, it is a timetable. And you don't fight wars on a schedule. So what we destroyed the place, wars use to be you destroy the place then take over the country, then wars were destroy the place and put in a puppet goverment or a dictator, now wars are we have to be all nice and get them back on their feet , just so they can s**t on us later A winnable plan.......The iraqi military by all who Ive heard, arent progressing hardly at all You dont fight wars with a losing plan either you adapt and we dont, our president doesnt even ask us to sacrifice. Does he come out with a Reagan or JFK type of speach and say its time as Americans to give up our SUV, time to get your sons & daughters in the military, does he ask US to join the fight, not really. Why isnt he taking the lead and put millions into alternative energy. HELL we put a man on the moon, but up till now we havent done much to make us less dependent on oil. I blame all our politicians dem & rep. We could have had 50% of all vehicles running on something other than oil by NOW. Forget about a schedule why dont we just send a million soldiers and bomb them into pieces and go in and take all the damn oil. If little ole Israel can survive in the middle of all these arabs. Im sure we could set up the largest base ever around many of the oil feilds and then we wouldnt have to rely on the rest of the middle. We could have our own Middle East Of America. We are protecting others oil Fields so the Royal families can stay rich, lets just take what we want and screw those crazy muslim arabs. Just a thought, actually sounds like a PLAN. What do you think Phil. Make me prez, they will all be screwed!!!!!!!!! Another question, what if we cant win this war?? Its a possibility. What if no matter what we cant win, what do we do? Just because we are the USA doesnt mea we cant lose. Its not what I want

By that I assume you mean me. Ok, but let's clarify a few things. 1) I am NOT a republican. 2) Cut and Run is not a campaign slogan. Either we plan to finish what we started or we do not. Either we cut and run, or we stay the course. I know your not a republican, your with that other losing party LOL Just kidding smiley I dont think I said it is a campaign slogan althou it was that too Either we cut & run or we stay the course......... I cant believe you only can see two ways, you are just like GW. Why cant there be a good 3rd or 4th choice. Im surprised at you Phil , being just so black & white, a smart man like you I would have thought you could come up with some constructive ideas & thoughts on this war. Not just stay the course Finish what we started doesnt mean to me we have to stay the course, does it?

Re-read my posts very carefully. I NEVER said liberals, democrats, etc. The reps that wanna cut and run are just as cowardly as the dems. Do you know most of the american people dread us leaving if we do, but our president has not lead our country properly in this war. We are not cowards, there may be some, but far far from the majority.

Ok, so you're not a cut& run guy, but rather a pull out slowly guy. What is your timetable for withdrawal? How do you propose to handle the imminent chaos that will result? I may be a pull out slowly guy, but we dont have to talk about my personal life LOL Timetable for withdraw, I dont have or need a timetable. I dont want us to leave, I want a winning strategy. I fear we stay forever and forever have Chaos The Iraq's have to stand up for themselves and fight the chaos. Most the middle east has dictators/kings/strongmen or clerics that muscle their people to keep them under control. I dont think American democracy will ever take hold, put a thug in charge and I bet some of the violence will stop. Thats the failed policy I talk about, democratizing the middle east, it will never be

Yes we are decent people but we cant make a country be like us, just because our president wants them to. 1st we went there because of WMD , then they said it was to democratize Iraq. Put it this way, if Im washing something and it isnt coming clean, I dont stay with the same losing method, I adapt and try to conquer the problem. Stay the course wont get it clean. If by chance I cant get it clean, I'm honest with the customer and tell them We started this, but it doesnt mean we have to stay the course. I wouldnt mind staying but give us a workable plan

I'll respond to your other post later. Phil, I dont have all the answers, but it seems to me no one else does either. I'm not a General, I'm not a President, I'm not a war strategist, Im not an influential Congressman. I dont have an answer for what to do, thats why we elect our leaders, but stay the course isnt a smart thing to do, why would we want a failed policy. Phil give me an idea on a good plan, an actual plan. If you cant please tell our leader to, thats all I'm asking. Phil its not BS to want a better plan to want to protect our troopsits called being a concered american

I have no experiience yet, But I have a 3 yr old boy and our new baby 4 months and a big part of my motivation to grow & succeed is for them. I too would like to see them in this biz. Now i will try to get them to go to college and wouldnt mind at all if they did something else, but I want this biz to be there for them. I know I'll have them working with me at a young age to teach them work ethic and to show them work is tough, but I want them to be tough I'd love to see them with all their skills they learn in school and with me to take JL Pressure Washing to bigger & better and be able to live comfortably off the family biz You have a nice dream for your kids, I think many fathers dream the same as you do. Hopefully it turns into the real deal Nowadays you never know, your boy may be the marketing genius and you daughter may be cracking the whip on the 20 work crews you'll have.

I agree & I will I wish the troops didnt take it as dissent, althou it is dissent, but not against them, its against a failed policy. I for one and many others would still support Bush if he would lead better, just say this isnt working and give us a plan, give us something to support. Many of us want a change of course not Cut & Run I know I can speak for many that dont really support the admins policy. PLEASE PLEASE tell your son we support him and all the troops and we are trying in our own ways to help them and deliver them home safe to you and their families. I wish we could just go over there with tons of troops and take it back, but it isnt going to happen I fear Love to your son , you have a lot on your mind, I'm sure your very proud of your son and we /I am too JL JL

Cut & Run guys, Phillip you always can make me laugh at least. Pull out, we will have troops in that country probably for the rest of time we have already destroyed their military, police & infrastructure etc, Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!! Because of poor planning!!!!!!!!!! So we are all just suppose to stay with how our President is running things, stay the course. NO F'in way, why should we. Phillip your not one for welfare......But we'll be giving one side or the other in Iraq welfare for decades to come. I for one have never said get out tomorrow. But the Stay the course line ran out its time some time ago for me and I think the last election said that somewhat also. Its not just cut & run liberals that voted the republicans out. Many republicans dont want us just to stay the course Cut & Run is about a good of a statement as Stay the Course. The republican that say these cute one liners are about as useless as the statements themselves. We and many that you would call cut & runners would stay and would like to finish the job. I didnt want us to go into Iraq when we did and I knew and said that back before we did go into Iraq. The nuts are running the asylum over there now, we are not, we have most our troops in Baghdad, just trying to keep a lid on, but even with all those troops there is TONS of violence every day and its getting worse, thats a course that we should not stay on I would support stayin but give us reason to stay, give us a winable plan, give us leadership, give us truth, not just words Cut & Run LOL JL

I wish I knew how to use the multi quote button Let me start with wishing your family and your brave son a Merry Xmas and yes even as liberal as some think I am , I'll pray for your son and your family tonight and I wish him luck and I thank him very much for serving our great country I'll try to answer some of your responses 1) I cant define victorous in this war. Stay until the job is done, could be indefinitly 2) It isnt inflammatory. I personally cant see victory any way. Plus if we sent 1 million would it stop the killing maybe reduce it, but it will start again when we move out 3) of course somethings are being built, they have to but they are destroying things as quick as they are being built in some cases. 3 years and only a small percentage has electricity more than a few hours a day. Id like things to be going better but they areant Iraq troops be ready. .....I heard Rumsfeld & Bush say within a year they would have troops ready that was over 18 months ago, they do not have one regiment ready. This is fact these troops are barely being trained anymore because we need our troops to defend the areas they are in. I know you want to believe a lot of what you say and dismiss a lot of what I say as rhetoric. But the fact is we are going backwards or at least just barely ahead of the game. Theres areas in Iraq that we sent troops to quite down and as soon as we are out they start the killing again. We can not police a entire country and there police arent stepping up As for racist bigot......I say the hell with the Iraqees, they dont care about us and I really dont care about them and if this wasnt an oil region we never would have been there fighting this war 4) The middle east is complicated!!!!!!! And Bushes cowboy attitude saying that we are going into Iraq , no matter what everybody else says has made the middle east a more complicated place Before 911 Bush had NO middle east policy after 911, he said we will democratize it, it doesnt work like that. Bush still has no middle east policy. I hate Iran & Syria, but even your enemys you should talk to. Its just like my competition, I talk to many of them to know whats going on with them. Keep your enemys close, not Bush Do I think throwing in the towel is the thing to do? NO!!! but give us a plan other than stay the course. What if we didnt get out of Vietnam, should we have not left there? should we have kept sending troops and money ? 5) Your wrong on some of this. I have NOT misquoted Rumsfeld. I heard him say it!!!!!!! I saw the whole thing. I heard Chenney say we have them on the run, I knew he was wrong then and I sure know he's wrong now. All my statements and quote might not always be 100% but I keep abreast of current affairs I watch & listen to and read many left & right shows, papers etc. Rumsfeld said $10,000,000,000 NOT me, you are wrong, we all hear what we want but this is fact and so isnt many of my quotes of others and they are NOT out of context on everyone I quoted 6) A better Idea........Your absolutly right I have not heard any good Ideas from either party. I dont have all the answers, I'm just little ole me, the Damn Yankee from south Carolina. The only answer I have is to put the brakes on Bushes lack of planning and now with the little kick in the pants he got during the last election and some of whats coming out with the Jim Baker group, Maybe , Just Maybe he'll listen and work with others, I Hope & I pray. Sir, God Bless your son. Please dont let him think just because we dont agree , that we dont love and thank him for what he does, I/we/all the american people do love him and thank him

The Iraq leader also said he wants us to start getting out by June 07, do you think it will be won by then? Do you want us to stay indefinitly? What in your opinion can be done, so we can say we are victorious? I cant see how we can reach victory. We could start a draft and put 1 million guys over there and we couldnt get them to stop killing each other or us It is only getting worse, nothings being built. well over a year and a half ago I heard from the admin, that they would have Iraqee combat ready troops and police that could handle the country. Hell their Police have death squads doing a lot of the killing. Damn I wish we never went in, the middle east is screwed and getting worse. Bush calls them Axis of Evil and the Iranians only get more clout in the middle east. His democratize the middle east plan is totally back firing. I dont want to lose this war, but we already are losing the whole thing. I just see it as a no win situation, that should of been thought out better. Like Donald Rumsfeld said, They will greet us as liberators ( They did for a few weeks) He said it would cost us 10billion Dollars then the Iraq oil would pay for the rest ( 10 billion the first few months) I heard 2 years ago **** Chenney say we have the insurgents on the run ( We dont) They either are liars, blind or stupid because nothing they predicted has come true. Im wrong they did get Saddam, but now Iran has nothing to fear and may end up being the top dogs of the middle east. Great plan GW You can not as our president just sit in the Whitehouse and only listen to one side. He should of listened to Collin Powell, but instead he choose not to and ended up getting rid of the one man with the most experience and knowledge. He's our President but I think he has let us all down, by only having tunnel vision, his vision for the middle east is a bust and its a shame If there was some golden plan that would really work I'd support it, but stay the course isnt really a plan is it, its just words JL

True statement. The Arabs hve been fighting and killing each others for generations and we wont change that. George Bush Sr. knew not to go into Bagdad in the 1st Gulf War. I was one of the ones who said "Why didnt he go all the way?" I guess we know why now Jeff

Wish we could!!

I dont do wood anymore, just dont like it. I refered Roger & celeste a wood job last year, they did well on it I think. I dont know what they charge, but I think they dont do stuff cheap Condo buildings its big biz here and they dont want mold all over there homes, yes its less than residential but still great money makers. We did 14 buildings in 2 days finished today in 2, 8 hour days 3 guys, did the buildings for $300 each, yes if it was residential I would of charge at least $400 maybe $450, I wont go half the rate. You just cant compare and price it thinking residential rates. After I pay my guys and all expenses, its a great days pay Im thinking maybe the many PM's here know the need and value to pressure washing, if it doesnt get washed they dont sell or rent and the rot will set in. Now in Northern areas they just dont wash as often because it doesnt get moldy every 6-12 months so these big jobs are few and far between and they rape you on price I guess I am lucky I guess hearing what everyone else says about PM's. Must be my charmimg personality and great looks JL

I guess I'm just lucky, I have never really had any problems with PM's and I deal with dozens of them all the time R Fritz, how can you cut your prices in half, either your real high to begin with or you arent making any money. I look at my PM's as my money, like I said I have great experiences with most all the time. They actually go out and get me work at times when I ask. I guess the trust we have built with each other has paid off I'm sure there are many who are scum bags, but Property Management is all over the place here and is very big money and I guess Im just lucky Jeff

No more bad winters thats why I left Boston

I liked and started in Pwing because its pretty easy work overall, Your not swinging a sledgehammer all day or lifting shingles on a roof, or your usually not climbing a couple hundred feet in the air everyday,you really dont have to kill yourself to earn a good days pay. Low start up, you get to see instant results and the property is usually amazed how clean it looks. Its really a wonderful profession. I've enjoyed that in not really a long period of time you can get established and get a good name for your company and have people seek you out. Its just a fun biz with out a lot of the hassles of other trades. ITS EASY I'll start to slow down right before Xmas , we have work lined up for Jan & Feb, but maybe not enough to keep all 3 of my fulltime guys busy 40 hours a week. well I started calling and visiting many of the PM's I work for and I told them straight out " Hey Im slowing down at the beginning of the year , if you have any work, it would be greatly appreciated" I had a PM call last week and said Jeff I'll find some work for you. Today one called and said I heard your looking for some work and said they called the developer and lined us up with a couple projects. another called today and gave us an $7200 dollar job and said start when ever we want just give hr a weeks notice and she has another job for us in Feb. The point is where else can you call and ask for work and get it like this, PWing they can do now or later these PM's decided to do it now and its in there yearly budget so its hurting them to help. PWing is agreat trade and thats why I started in this biz Got to love PWing Jeff

Unfortunately there may be no way to clean this mess up and the only way we'll start to regain respect in the world more is when GW Bush is no longer President. He is one of the most hated Presidents in History, you cant tell the whole world to screw and then a few years later ask or expect them to help. Its called diplomacy and Bush never really believed in that There is no clear right or wrong anymore its just hope for the best Jeff

Poor planning from the beginning possibly doomed this entire mission. The fact that Bush was going to go to Iraq before 911 and did go once 911 happened and said it was because of 911 , was a lie IMO. Poor planning, poor planning poor planning they actually thought "Mission Accomplished" It wont probably ever be accomplished. Democratize a nation, did they ask to be democratized. I agree ith Daniel, The Middle East is more of a mess now and will be for year due to Bushes desire to go to Iraq and the VERY POOR PLANNING I love America and will always support our troops who will fight on command for ME & all of us. It will be interesting to see if Bush will take any recomendations or Will he keep saying "Stay The Course" God Bless America and our wonderful troops Jeff

Very unusual. But it can happen, thats a bad property manager. The PM Company usually wont pay for the HOA . I would write something up for the PM & HOA to sign, Yes you should get your money today, but that doesnt seem like it will happen. Write it up that you'll get, All the next dues period like they said. If they wont sign they know they dont have it. Or do $800 then another $800 the next month. If they wont sign at all, Id track the head PM or owner and have a talk with them. I at times have to wait 4-8 weeks for checks, but I know I'll get it. This could be an unforseen instance, but if she the PM hasnt given an explanation, its just a crappy PM. You'll probably get your money, but it will be a wait Good luck

Some interesting work you all have done 82 - 96 i was in the Steel Painters Union in Boston, Did Painting, spraying, sandblasting of Bridges, Tanks, Nuke plants, power plants etc. I really liked the crazy work, the heights and walking the steel. It was hard work, but usually a great bunch of guys I would work with Brotherhood of a great bunch of nuts. Got out when I almost got killed in a work accident with a train before that did some spray equipment repair and ran a few warehouses Education, oops got stoned and forgot to go. Man am I going to keep a close eye on my kids as they grow. They wont get over on me like I did with my parents 21st Century - The Future Pressure Washing King lol

Anybody know a site I can see how fast I can pay down my home mortgage if I pay 1 or 2 extra payments a year Not a mortgage calculator. I saw a site a long time ago that showed if you pay 1 or 2 extra principal payments a year a 30 year mortgage can be reduced by 6 years. I CANT FIND THAT SITE, ANYBODY. I dont want to be 75 when my house is paid of If rates come down at all Im going to go to a 15 or 20 year mortgage THANKS Jeff

I was suppose to talk to my accountant about 401K this past year I kept putting it off, will take care of that this year. My wifes paychaeck we dont touch and we are investing that money and its a emergency fund for us. I'll definitly talk to him about personal deductions. The house I will paydown, 75 is to old to be worrying about mortgage payments. Thanks for all the great advise JL

Id like to pay cash for everything, some of my equipment is leased, my accountant likes it that way. Dont spend all your money on just equipment, have some in reserve

Thanks for the advise all, I'll check into the bi weekly and will send 2 checks, didnt even think about that. It would be nice to see rates come down to 5.75 too Hope my biz goes great, Id like to pay this thing off in 10 years, I hate payments of any kind. I just paid of my couple credit cards and only keep one now. Just bought the wife a used 2004 Trailblazer paid cash and Im going to pay off my Ford this year a couple years early. Just trying to get all my payment wiped out for peace of mind. I hope in the next year or 2 to just have my mortgage payment and monthly home bills. I might be asking all you great guys for more advise, THANKS!!!! thanks again Jeff