Saturday, February 28, 2009
The Price of Freedom
1) Life
2) Wealth
3) Their Sacred Honor
This is the threshold people must pass to have freedom.
Those who are unwilling to pay this price do not deserve freedom. If the citizens of our country are unwilling to bear these costs, we will lose the freedoms granted us in the Constitution.
How many of us complain about just getting off our butts to register or vote?
How many of us volunteer for a campaign or work at a polling station?
When is the last time you called or wrote a letter to an elected official?
Friday, February 27, 2009
I have the Courage to talk about Race
Lets talk about Race in America, lets have that conversation!
When are we going to talk about the Race double standard? Why is it that only Whites can be racists?? In case you don't understand this, let me explain it.
This is a quote:
"There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc. And then there are just Americans.
You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... and that's OK. But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink .. You call me a racist.
You say that Whites commit a lot of violence against you... so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi.
You have the NAACP. You have BET... If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists.
If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists.
If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR, lives we'd be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that??
A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant but any color can be in the Miss America pageant. If we had a college fund that onl y gave white students scholarships ...You know we'd be racists. There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US . Yet if there were 'White colleges' That would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists. You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our White pride, you call us racists. You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a White police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist." End Quote
I didn't write the previous paragraphs but I think the author makes some good points. Here are some of the things I have noticed:
How come we can have stores with signs that say "Black Owned" but not signs that say "White Owned"? What are those signs implying to customers and would be job applicants? Is it really okay to discriminate against whites but not blacks? If this is the case, then how are we ever going to have racial harmony in America?
McCain vs. Obama
Obama goes to a church for 20 years led by a preacher who openly hates whites and America. Hardly anything is said and Barack is given the benefit of the doubt that he is not a racist too like Jeremiah Wright.
If McCain had gone to church even one Sunday where the preacher wore a white hood, what would have happened? Would anyone (media, Democrats, and most Republicans) given McCain the same benefit of the doubt that he is not a racist? Hell No they wouldn't have! The Campaign would have been over for a white guy in a similar situation.
Obama's Policies
How come if I or any other white person says anything negative about Obama's policies or the bailout; we are labeled as a racist. Our criticisms are assumed to be motivated by race, not a real problem with the ideas presented. Why is this? The Race double standard in America.
My Racist Experiences:
Now I have been beat up by some Black people because of my race. How do I know this? As they were chasing me, assulting me, hiting me with cars and shooting at me, they were saying all sorts of racist things. Like "F*%$ you cracker", "F*%$ Jew, Christ killer", "white devil", etc. This happened in Newark and Orange, NJ. FYI, I am not even Jewish. I guess I got to understand things from their perspective too for a few minutes.
Do I hate Black people because of this? NO. This was just some stupid, pissed off, angry at the world individuals. They don't represent Black people anymore than White Supremisists represent White people.
I have been asked during interview prescreens what my diversity status is, with the clear communication that the company only wanted "diverse candidates". What is that question all about? How is that not racial discrimination against "non-diverse candidates"? While I can understand some people thinking that reverse discrimination is just payback, isn't that what affirmative action is all about?
Taking an eye for an eye just makes the whole world blind. In this case it just makes everyone bitter. You can bet your ass I will be telling my kids about this experience and the future they can look forward too in America.
At the end of the day, most people are just doing the best they can with the cards they have been dealt regardless of Race. There are a few assholes of every Race making life hell for everyone around them.
I am an American, that is how I identify myself. I am an American and I have the courage to talk about Race. Yeah, I know what you are thinking, "he's white or at least looks white and talking about race,... he must be a racist!"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A real life Chicken Little is going to kill is all!
A little critical thinking has brought me to this conclusion.
We are often quoted the same temperature change studies. The ones that use ice core samples from Greenland or Antarctica for a history of temperatures. From a statistical point of view, these samples do not represent the entire "population" of historical temperatures. Researchers have effectively committed sampling error when doing their analysis by using some set number of years 30, 50, 200 that are all part of the industrial age. We know the earth has climate cycles, some are only a couple years and some are hundreds of thousands if not millions of years long.
Two reasons why their methodology is flawed:
1) The ice core samples only go back as far as the begining of the last Ice Age. That means that the starting temperatures were already cold as hell. Everyday since the end of the last Ice Age has been warmer. Thus, the trend of warmer temperatures was already well underway before man started placing vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the environment.
We know from geological evidence that there have been multiple Ice Ages and warming periods in between those events. Some of those warming periods have been so warm that Antarctica has forests on it. Not just forests, but tropical forests. Think for a moment how warm things must have been aroung the equator if Antarctica felt like the Amazon! No really, think about that...
2) The other flaw is that we know that the continents have shifted due to plate techtonics over millions of years. Greenland has not always been as far North or South as it is now. The ice core studies have made no attempt to account for this movement and how that could impact the ice core records for average temperature.
It is clear from historical record that the earth's temperature varies in natural cycles. Examples include the Little Ice Age during medival times or the Year Without Summer after the volcano erruption of Tambora. It snowed in June on the East coast of the U.S. that next "summer". Some of these events are relatively short, lasting only 20-30 years. Some last hundreds or even millions of years (Ice Ages).
Some will argue about THE RATE OF TEMPERATURE CHANGE. The fact is, no one really knows what the historical rate of past warming periods has been. The Ice Core samples don't go back that far. They ALL melted during the last warming period!
For people who don't believe in God, global warming advocates sure seem to believe that their is a God given mandate that the earth's temperature "should" stay within a range that supports human life. Who ever said that the last 10,000 years of temperatures is normal or the status quo?
What if human beings have thrived during an unusually warm or cold period? What if the average temperature for the earth is really below freezing? Or 120 degrees plus?
All of this crazy talk about global warming would be laughable if it were just talk. Unfortunately, people with agendas have seen an opportunity to make some money and destroy the freedom of our people through environmental law.
By continuing with this crazy delusion that human activity is causing the world to over heat, we are on the path to a world wide Easter Island. We will exert so much energy protecting the environment that we will all die of starvation. This is exactly what some people who promote Global Warming heresy want. UN offical Quote here:
"When one considers that even if all the nations complied with the Kyoto Accord's CO2 emission mandates, the impact on global temperature change over the ext fifty years would be less than one degree centigrade." (Dr. Patrick Michaels, Press Release on Lieberman-Warner, The Cato Institute.)
The Financial Education of America (part 2 Understanding Financial Risk)
Too many people believe it is their God given right to retire at 65 not matter how much or how little they have saved to do so. Why is it that the children of working parents get less health care than the children of welfare parents? We have a system that rewards those who don't EARN enough to provide for themselves but punishes those who are doing all they can, but have EARNED too much to get our help. Our welfare system is designed to fail! We have created a system where people are better off not working. This is only sustainable by taking a larger and larger portion of the EARNINGS of people who work hard enough to support themselves. As this continues, people get a lower and lower return for their efforts. At some point, they say "F It" and join the welfare throng. Soon everyone is looking at each other wondering who is going to breathe for them because they are too helpless (lazy) to do it themselves. Why can liberals not see this? Sure giving to the less fortunate – either by choice or circumstance is nice and a good thing. It makes you feel good, it really does! When it comes at the cost of biting the hand that feeds you though, you have gone too far. When charitable giving no longer involves charity but has been replaced by coercion through taxes, we have gone too far. When are people, esp. liberals going to realize that life is not FAIR?
Nature is a cold-hearted bitch and this world is very unforgiving to stupid people. There is no guarantee of freedom, peace, enough food to eat, home ownership, an education, or even life itself. Each must be fought for and EARNED each day.
When are people going to realize that trying to get that extra percentage return on investments also increases the risk? Don't people realize that outsized gains come with outsized risk? Oh, and for the record, Risk is not defined as not making any money or just keeping pace with inflation. Risk equals you might lose all your money invested, more money, and your reputation. At some point in the return vs. risk continuum, fraud begins, some point higher than that the law is broken. Why do you think drug dealers sell drugs? Why do business men create Ponzi schemes? The rate of return is incredible!
If it sounds too good to be true... IT IS. If someone tells you the investment is "guaranteed"...Don't Believe It!
Reality Sets In
Since the November election of Barack Obama, the nation and the stock market have been like a person anticipating the vacation of a lifetime. We have been looking forward to inauguration day with so much excitement, hope, and irrational exuberance that we have been able to avoid any thoughts about the economic reality we presently find ourselves. We have been able to get through the long work weeks and dreadful state of the economy by focusing on the happiness and joy January 20, 2009 will bring. Planning for a party always seems so much more fun than planning for your own funeral!
Well, today is like the first day back from vacation and all that remains is the drudgery of returning to work and paying the bills. Our overspending has caught up with us and there is no denying it now. Our creditors are tired of us telling them the check is in the mail and have wised up to our irresponsible ways. We have to face the facts and the hard work required to get us out of the mess our frivolous spending and quest for outsized gains has placed us in.
There is no longer any reason to irrationally think that Barack "Jesus" Obama will magically make all the bad things go away the second he finishes taking the oath to become President of the United States. See link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI
I have always been proud of my country! Today's inauguration just adds one more thing that makes me proud to be an American. I pray for Obama's success at changing our country for the better. It is the greatest country in the history of the world. Not perfect, but the greatest.
The Financial Education of America (part 1)
Do we need to require that a financial IQ test be given AND passed before you can qualify for a mortgage loan? I have created one that will solve our problems:
SAMPLE TEST
Q1 – Have you defined your shelter needs?
Q2 – Wrong answer dumba$$. A separate bedroom for each kid, a swimming pool, and 3 acres are not necessities for basic shelter. Redefine your needs and we will see if you can afford those WANTS later. Remember, humans have survived for thousands of years in a one room dwelling that was the kitchen, living room, office and bedroom. Yes, the kids did understand how babies were made and yet somehow they survived.
Q3 – How much can you afford?
If you don't know this, you have no business even thinking about a home purchase!
Take your gross income and multiply by .28. That was point two eight, not 28. Example $60,000 x .28 = $16,800. Divide $16,800 ÷ 12 (months) = $1,400. This is the amount you can afford to pay for the mortgage, utilities, repairs, home owners insurance, and all other costs surrounding your housing each month. This amount varies depending on how much other debt you have à Monthly credit card payments, student loan payments, and car loan payments, big screen TV payments, and other worthless shit you may have bought with credit. If you have less debt, you can increase this to as much as .35. Anything higher than this amount makes you house poor.
House Poor: You are paying so much for your house that you cannot afford to furnish it or buy anything else.
Here is how a typical person spends their income:
Taxes 25.00%
Mortgage, student loans, credit card, car loan 45.00%
Retirement 10.00%
Savings, Emergency fund, vacation fund, kids college fund 5.00%
Living Expenses 15.00%
Total 100.00%
Q4 – Can you calculate the monthly payment on a $300,000.00, 30 year fixed rate loan at 6%?
Yeah, I didn't think so. Go figure it out and come back when you can.
Now that you know how to calculate the monthly payment, you know how much you can afford, and what you housing needs are, you are ready to start shopping for a house. Did you read that? Now you are ready to shop. You don't find a house first and then see if you can afford it. That is the fastest way to pay the more money than you should.
FYI: Realtors, both the buyers and the sellers; want to sell you the most expensive house at the highest price possible. They work on commission, so getting you into a less expensive house hurts their income. They typically make 3% of the sale price each for a total of 6%. Buyer typically pays.
Rules:
1) If you don't earn enough to pay federal income taxes, you do not make enough to buy your own home. Yes, life is not fair and it is about Freaking time you realize it. Stop whining.
2) You cannot trust other people with your money. No one cares about your money more than you; except the guy or gal trying to take it from you. You cannot trust your realtor, loan officer, car salesman, investment advisor, student loan counselor, or anyone else if you do not understand what they are doing. You need to understand how they make money. If you are ignorant, you WILL lose money!!! If you are unsure, keep your money until you become informed. Asking friends you trust, other professionals in the area you are ignorant about, go to school, and using the internet are good ways to learn what is going on.
3) Over the course of 30 years, you will lose your job. Plan for it, save for it!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
More of what Obama should do - Encourage Saving
He should cut the federal income tax, eliminate the capital gains tax, and increase sales tax. I realize that increasing sales taxes could reduce spending, which decreases demand, which decreases employment. There is no getting around it, we have to take our medicine sometime, lets get it over with. After these, he should encourage the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates slowly over time to reward savers.
One of the major problems in our current economic and financial crisis is that banks are trying to deleverage themselves. Basically, they have spent (lent) too much money and the bills are coming due, so they cannot loan more money right now until they build up their reserves (emergency fund).
1) By lowering the income tax, we give people more of the money they EARNED!
2) By raising the sales tax rates, we encourage people to save that extra money.
3) As people save this money, they place it into bank accounts. This speeds the deleveraging process for the banks and gets them closer to giving loans to people/businesses again.
4) By eliminating the capital gains tax, we encourage people to invest and save their money. In this way we provide more fiancial capital for businesses. In addition, we don't tax people twice on money they have already been taxed on.
5) By slowly raising Fed interest rates, we increase the rate of return savers get for saving. This creates more money to spend eventually, provides more incentive to save more, and helps banks deleverage even faster.
The federal government could help a lot by cutting its spending as well on programs we don't really need and assessing ones we really do.
