Usama Bin Laden (UBL) was in Abbottabad, Pakistan this past weekend, when Seal Team 6 came calling. The most notorious 21st Century tough guy stood behind his wife, who was shot in her leg. In Texas, this is called “hiding behind your woman’s skirts”.
Several years ago, David Koresh was enjoying life in the Branch Davidian’s compound at Waco, Texas, when ATF agents came calling. Koresh and his followers machine gunned ATF agents. Three hundred federal agents then surrounded the compound. The tough guy, David Koresh, called his mother and complained that the federal government was being mean to him. This is called “whining”.
At the courthouse, Judges see tough guys, who beat their women. Typically, these tough guys are ugly to every women in their family, but are very polite to women they meet in public. They are violent to wives, girl friends, and mothers, but nice to the boss' secretary and strippers. These tough guys call this “machismo”.
After an adult lifetime of hearing belittling criticisms by the women’s movement, I want to talk about tough guys.
I mean, talk about really tough men. There are two ways really tough men can act in the face of heavily armed opponents.
Example 1: Face the music. Jesus faced armed men at the Garden of Gethsemane. He surrendered. He calmed tensions. He faced his fate with courage and prayer. This was one really tough guy. Three days later, in the early morning Jesus walked out of his tomb between two angels. The Centurian and Roman guards were heavily armed, and had sworn to stop Jesus from leaving. Too tough by a mile. The Romans decided it was better to wake up Pontious Pilate, than to come after Jesus and two Angels.
Example 2: “Come and get me, you dirty rats!” In 1836, the men at the Alamo at San Antonio faced a large army from Mexico. That army never took prisoners. The men could flee or stay and fight impossible odds. There would be no help. They were on their own. William Travis drew a line in the sand, and the men stepped across the line. Jim Bowie, in bed with TB, had his bed carried across the line. Tough guys.
The toughest guys you know. If you are looking for a tough guy, one needs look no further than a man, who married a woman, treated her right, and reared their children to do right. He did this in our modern day insane society. He did this without hiding behind his woman’s skirts, without whining, and without violence. He did this in the face of hostility and ridicule from society. They are not in the news, but tough guys are not hard to find.
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Understanding Child Support
It was Socrates’ opinion, “I advise everyone to get married. If your spouse is good, you will be happy. If your spouse is bad, you will become a philosopher.” Child support makes all of us philosophers.
The short explanation. Things began at that time you, your spouse and your children lived in one residence and struggled to pay bills. Now the same family is spending money for two residences, and it is impossible to make ends meet. The person paying child support sends off a week’s paycheck, more or less, as child support. He or she also makes a payment for the health insurance for the children. With 1/3 to 1/2 of the paycheck being deducted from a paycheck, the person paying child support cannot get started again.
The person receiving child support knows that 1 1/4 paychecks is not going to pay the bills that 2 paychecks had trouble paying earlier. The words, “I need help with daycare”, does not add to the amount of child support. There are exceptions, of course, but do not plan on receiving more child support than is on the Texas Standard Child Support chart.
The longer explanation begins with the Attorney General of Texas calculating the “net income” of the person paying child support. From the Attorney General’s tax chart, the payor then pays 20% of net pay for one child, 25% of net pay for two children, and 30% of net pay for three children. This is the Attorney General of Texas’ estimate of someone’s “net pay”, not the actual “net pay”. Car loans and other common deductions are not recognized by the Attorney General of Texas. The costs of the health insurance may be more than the amount of child support itself.
All child support payments are sent to the “Attorney General, P.O. Box 13499, Austin, Texas 78711-3499", who electronically deposits the child support into the bank account of the person with custody of the children. The Attorney General also keeps a record of all payments and all failures to pay.
All child support payments are deducted directly from the paycheck before the person paying the child support ever sees the check. There is no reason to ask, “Where’s the check?” When the company pays its employee, the company also sends out a check for child support. It is a company deal.
When an employee gets a paycheck, the amount and the deductions are reported to the Comptroller’s computer and then sent to the Attorney General’s computer. The Attorney General has the payroll records; it knows the payor’s wages.
Summary: Children need support. There is not enough money to go around. The system may hold together, if everyone does their part.
The short explanation. Things began at that time you, your spouse and your children lived in one residence and struggled to pay bills. Now the same family is spending money for two residences, and it is impossible to make ends meet. The person paying child support sends off a week’s paycheck, more or less, as child support. He or she also makes a payment for the health insurance for the children. With 1/3 to 1/2 of the paycheck being deducted from a paycheck, the person paying child support cannot get started again.
The person receiving child support knows that 1 1/4 paychecks is not going to pay the bills that 2 paychecks had trouble paying earlier. The words, “I need help with daycare”, does not add to the amount of child support. There are exceptions, of course, but do not plan on receiving more child support than is on the Texas Standard Child Support chart.
The longer explanation begins with the Attorney General of Texas calculating the “net income” of the person paying child support. From the Attorney General’s tax chart, the payor then pays 20% of net pay for one child, 25% of net pay for two children, and 30% of net pay for three children. This is the Attorney General of Texas’ estimate of someone’s “net pay”, not the actual “net pay”. Car loans and other common deductions are not recognized by the Attorney General of Texas. The costs of the health insurance may be more than the amount of child support itself.
All child support payments are sent to the “Attorney General, P.O. Box 13499, Austin, Texas 78711-3499", who electronically deposits the child support into the bank account of the person with custody of the children. The Attorney General also keeps a record of all payments and all failures to pay.
All child support payments are deducted directly from the paycheck before the person paying the child support ever sees the check. There is no reason to ask, “Where’s the check?” When the company pays its employee, the company also sends out a check for child support. It is a company deal.
When an employee gets a paycheck, the amount and the deductions are reported to the Comptroller’s computer and then sent to the Attorney General’s computer. The Attorney General has the payroll records; it knows the payor’s wages.
Summary: Children need support. There is not enough money to go around. The system may hold together, if everyone does their part.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Texas To Enhance Family Protective Orders
Texas adults are able to file Applications for Protective Orders to protect their families from violence. The police can arrest a person violating the protective order. The victim gets immediate protection. The violator sits in jail, until his hearing for violating the protective order.
The Texas legislature is moving to increase protection for victims of family violence. In SB 819, the jurisdiction of a court is expanded to allow it to enforce protective orders from another court. If a woman gets a protective order in Dallas and moves to Tyler, the Tyler court could enforce violations of the Dallas order. The witnesses would be in Tyler, so the Tyler court hears the case.
The Tyler court would also be able to enforce a protective order through contempt.
With regards to a “dating relationship” that becomes abusive, an Application for a Protective Order may be filed by a member of the dating relationship, even if the applicant is a child. The child may sign a statement under oath, which will be accepted by the Judge.
The child may be a 15 year old girl dating a violent 20 year old man.
The child may also be a 9 year old girl of a single mother dating a violent man.
SB 819 adds another warning to would be violators, as if drug addicts or abusive spouses read warnings.
“Dating violence” is expanded to include conduct directed against a child. Hitting the mother is family violence. Hitting the mother’s 9 year old girl would also be family violence. Being nice to mommy is not a defense to acts of violence against her 9 year old girl. Indeed, if the mother is in a coma and cannot take action, her 9 year old girl can ask for a protective order on her own.
The legislative session ends May 30th. If SB 819 passes, it will take effect and the trouble will begin September 1st.
The Texas legislature is moving to increase protection for victims of family violence. In SB 819, the jurisdiction of a court is expanded to allow it to enforce protective orders from another court. If a woman gets a protective order in Dallas and moves to Tyler, the Tyler court could enforce violations of the Dallas order. The witnesses would be in Tyler, so the Tyler court hears the case.
The Tyler court would also be able to enforce a protective order through contempt.
With regards to a “dating relationship” that becomes abusive, an Application for a Protective Order may be filed by a member of the dating relationship, even if the applicant is a child. The child may sign a statement under oath, which will be accepted by the Judge.
The child may be a 15 year old girl dating a violent 20 year old man.
The child may also be a 9 year old girl of a single mother dating a violent man.
SB 819 adds another warning to would be violators, as if drug addicts or abusive spouses read warnings.
“Dating violence” is expanded to include conduct directed against a child. Hitting the mother is family violence. Hitting the mother’s 9 year old girl would also be family violence. Being nice to mommy is not a defense to acts of violence against her 9 year old girl. Indeed, if the mother is in a coma and cannot take action, her 9 year old girl can ask for a protective order on her own.
The legislative session ends May 30th. If SB 819 passes, it will take effect and the trouble will begin September 1st.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Child Visitation
This blog is for the parent who broke up the family, and hurt the children's feelings in a divorce involving child custody - a regrettable battle. There are some things a parent can do to help mend hurting children.
- In addition to paying child support, take your son or daughter to buy a new pair of shoes. Kids must eat their shoes, because they always need a new pair.
- Take your children to buy Summer clothes [bathing suit], school clothes [blue jeans & tops / shirts ], a winter coat and a thick winter blanket. I know a computer engineer who buys used clothing, with the fancy label, at Goodwill Stores and Marshals. Buy the coat when it first threatens to get cold, when it is on sale.
- Show up to see your kids when you promised.
- Take your children to a pizza place when you pick them up. Spend $20 on pizza, let them choose the kind of pizza, and let them talk.
- Take your daughter and son to the Dollar Store and let them choose a toy.
- Take your child to a book store and let them choose a book to buy and read.
- Call your child's teacher, on her break, and find out what's going on at school.
- Call your child or see you child on every birthday, get the child a present.
- Christmas is special to children, make it so for yours.
- Buy postcards and cards in advance, and every now and then spend the money for a stamp and send one to your children.
- Plan something for a visitation Saturday, other than cleaning house. Get out, go to a movie, or to the lake, or something else fun.
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