My Budget as a Country

The annual A-train budget is being released shortly. The budget talks of maintaining current programs (read: no new salary increase) with not much slashing going on (read: will not starve myself inside Ambleside).

The budget allocates more money to travel this fiscal year with trips to American Southwest and South/Central America in mind, while continuing a freeze on expensive leisure hobbies such as ski/golf. A used set of rollerblades may be added in, however. The current equipment for baseball, x-country skiing and skating will be used for the duration of their useable lifespan, as they are fully amortized by now and continue to be very serviceable.

The CRT monitor continues to be functional and will be retained with a backup CRT standing by. A donation of an LCD monitor was made the the Uhrbach island and this will be deployed when needed.

Possible technology funds to be released include a laptop. There seems to be no national interest in a portable music device like an I-Pod. Instead, Cds will continue to be milked in their dwindling years. Also in the entertainment budget, VHS movies will be pursued for their durability, affordability and convenience.

The largest part of the budget could be the need to replace an aging automobile called the Ford Escort. The attractive financing that exists right now is a strong incentive to upgrade.

Upgrades to infrastructure (Ambleside) will be put off likely for future years, except the possiblity of adding a dishwasher (something beneficial akin to having electronic health records).

For education, the budget includes money for personal interest courses such as billiards or spanish when time in the calendar permits.

For health, A-train country will continue to strongly invest in dark Lindt chocolate which apparently contains phenols and anti-oxidants and unclogs his arteries from all the junk food he eats. Also, there is the dishwasher suggested above which should result in a time savings and be a positive influence on health.

Charity will likely take another direct hit this year, with very little funding announced.

The defense budget is also non-existent as A-train doesn't have a gun.

The A-train country budget is unique as there is no debt on the books and it has a highly liquid asset base.