I had a long discussion the other day with a friend about our directions in life and something occurred to me. I had taken my eye off the prize. As a Christian, my goal should be to follow Christ's teachings and strive to be as Him and foremost to obey His final command, to go out into the world, teaching and living His Word so that others may hear it and receive salvation through Him.
With everything going on in this country and the world, I have allowed myself to be sidetracked. I have been so concerned with my needs and wants that I have selfishly ignored Him and the many blessings He continues to pour on me. So I want to take this time to thank Him.
Thank you Lord for giving me the most wonderful wife I could ever ask for. She is loving, caring, understanding and always by my side, working with me and building me up when I am down.
Thank you Lord for giving me 4 wonderful children who love me and brighten my life so much. I pray that you guide me to be the example I need to be for them to follow to bless their lives.
Thank you Lord for giving me shelter. You have seen that I never have been without a roof over my head, even when my decisions are not the best. You are always watching over me.
Thank you Lord for giving me food to eat. When there are people starving around the world you have been merciful enough to me to see that I always have food.
Thank you Lord for having patience with me when I don't do the things I should and I pray to do Your will in my life.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Psychic Internet
Okay, so I am online and this screen says on the internet, "Who will you marry, Click Here." and I am freakin' out!! First because how does the internet know who I am going to marry and second because I am already married. I am afraid to click on the site because what if I married the wrong person? I am so happy with my wife and I really don't want to have to switch break in another one..... again! And what if the internet says I was wrong? Will the I-Police come and arrest me? Will I spend time in cyber prison? Is this what the movie The Matrix was all about? I am sort of suspicious about the thing though, because I have never recieved the free laptop the internet keeps telling me I won and I have not gotten any of the money the government is supposed to be holding for me to claim. I did get a nice email from the man in Nigeria who wanted to share 300 million dollars with me, but because I did not have a valid MasterCard or Visa to give him the number, pin number and passwords to, he was unable to transfer to funds to me. What a bummer! I could have been a millionaire if I had only kept my credit card up to date. Well, I had better go now. I just got another email from a poor widow in China who needs all my bank account numbers and passwords so we can share in her dead husband's estate.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Save the World Plan B
Okay, let’s try this again. Apparently 700 Billion dollars is not enough? Big business wants us to trust them and start spending money, when they don’t even trust each other enough to lend money to each other? The media spouts off that we are heading for a certain recession, if not a depression, so people start hording and saving their money. Because people are hording their money and not spending it, big business takes another dive in the market. Then since the market keeps falling, the media spouts off that we are heading for a …. You get the picture? Does the term “vicious cycle” mean anything to you?
Somebody has to take the bull by the horns and take control to stop this downward spiral before the last straw is applied. Throwing money at the problem and standing back to see what happens does not seem to be the answer. The bottomless pit will never be filled. There needs to be a bottom applied.
I have heard it said the biggest fear for people who have lots of money is that someday they will lose it. So it is not surprising that throwing money at people who have a lot of money in a situation where they could stand to lose a substantial part of their security blanket, if not all of it, does not help issues any. I am talking about the big companies, their executives, stock holders and politicians. They are the ones who need to act to get our economies rolling again. Who wins if we are subjected to a long, drawn out “economic cleansing” that will affect everyone worldwide? Who sacrifices the most? The lower and middle classes do. The ones who are living paycheck to paycheck, two paychecks away from losing everything they own. Sure big business will take hits, but they will minimize their losses by cutting jobs, which again hits home in the lower and middle classes. In the short run and in the long run it will be an inconvenience to big business, but their lifestyle will not suffer nearly as much as what is now referred to as “Main Street”, yet it is Main Street who is expected to take the brunt of what has openly been admitted is Wall Street’s fault. Billions of dollars has offered to big business. They have accepted it with open arms, but did they move forward, freeing credit and putting confidence back into the air? Of course not, they are clinging to that money, fearful to take a step. Plan A is not working, so now we need Plan B.
Plan B
Either government, or the markets, world wide need to freeze the markets. No buying or selling until things are fixed. That way, those fearful of losing their money on paper can breathe easy for the time that they are not going to lose. This will also make them do something, so they can get back to making money again.
Put the 700 Billion in escrow, collecting interest, to insure bank’s loans to each other and unfreeze commercial credit. This will enable businesses to resume day to day operations and new businesses to get started. This will also enable people to keep their jobs, which will help cash flow in the economy.
Here is where the tricky part comes in. Big business and government need to take a long look at how much profits they are making. Inflation has outpaced earnings far too long and “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer” bubble has finally popped. Whether it is cut backs in top official’s earnings, lower dividends on stocks, having board meetings at corporate offices instead of tropical resorts, whatever it takes, the sacrifices have to be made at the top, without repercussions within the companies to the rank and file. Those savings needs to be passed on to the consumers in the form or lower prices and interest rates. This will install confidence on Main Street that “They” are serious about fixing the problem and the economy will pick up again. It also puts the sacrifices on those who were responsible for the problem in the first place.
Financial institutions need to address those facing foreclosure by offering new terms with lower FIXED interest rates. The government will recoup losses taken in the refinancing with funds from the 700 Billion dollar escrow account in exchange for a proportionate share in the bank until the monies have been repaid with interest. Making mortgages affordable for those who are hurting will not only keep those people in their homes, but those people will be continue to help adding to the economy going forward instead of being another drain on it.
If we go into a recession or depression the world will suffer for years to come. Plan B would circumvent virtually all of the suffering. The question is, “Are they willing to make the sacrifices they are asking us to make?”
Somebody has to take the bull by the horns and take control to stop this downward spiral before the last straw is applied. Throwing money at the problem and standing back to see what happens does not seem to be the answer. The bottomless pit will never be filled. There needs to be a bottom applied.
I have heard it said the biggest fear for people who have lots of money is that someday they will lose it. So it is not surprising that throwing money at people who have a lot of money in a situation where they could stand to lose a substantial part of their security blanket, if not all of it, does not help issues any. I am talking about the big companies, their executives, stock holders and politicians. They are the ones who need to act to get our economies rolling again. Who wins if we are subjected to a long, drawn out “economic cleansing” that will affect everyone worldwide? Who sacrifices the most? The lower and middle classes do. The ones who are living paycheck to paycheck, two paychecks away from losing everything they own. Sure big business will take hits, but they will minimize their losses by cutting jobs, which again hits home in the lower and middle classes. In the short run and in the long run it will be an inconvenience to big business, but their lifestyle will not suffer nearly as much as what is now referred to as “Main Street”, yet it is Main Street who is expected to take the brunt of what has openly been admitted is Wall Street’s fault. Billions of dollars has offered to big business. They have accepted it with open arms, but did they move forward, freeing credit and putting confidence back into the air? Of course not, they are clinging to that money, fearful to take a step. Plan A is not working, so now we need Plan B.
Plan B
Either government, or the markets, world wide need to freeze the markets. No buying or selling until things are fixed. That way, those fearful of losing their money on paper can breathe easy for the time that they are not going to lose. This will also make them do something, so they can get back to making money again.
Put the 700 Billion in escrow, collecting interest, to insure bank’s loans to each other and unfreeze commercial credit. This will enable businesses to resume day to day operations and new businesses to get started. This will also enable people to keep their jobs, which will help cash flow in the economy.
Here is where the tricky part comes in. Big business and government need to take a long look at how much profits they are making. Inflation has outpaced earnings far too long and “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer” bubble has finally popped. Whether it is cut backs in top official’s earnings, lower dividends on stocks, having board meetings at corporate offices instead of tropical resorts, whatever it takes, the sacrifices have to be made at the top, without repercussions within the companies to the rank and file. Those savings needs to be passed on to the consumers in the form or lower prices and interest rates. This will install confidence on Main Street that “They” are serious about fixing the problem and the economy will pick up again. It also puts the sacrifices on those who were responsible for the problem in the first place.
Financial institutions need to address those facing foreclosure by offering new terms with lower FIXED interest rates. The government will recoup losses taken in the refinancing with funds from the 700 Billion dollar escrow account in exchange for a proportionate share in the bank until the monies have been repaid with interest. Making mortgages affordable for those who are hurting will not only keep those people in their homes, but those people will be continue to help adding to the economy going forward instead of being another drain on it.
If we go into a recession or depression the world will suffer for years to come. Plan B would circumvent virtually all of the suffering. The question is, “Are they willing to make the sacrifices they are asking us to make?”
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Off the political platform
I am taking a break from politics for a while. It seems the polititians are not listening to me anyway. :(
I am looking into starting an open mic night here at the Super Super 8 upstairs in the meeting room. I am checking with ASCAP and BMI to see if there are any licensing requirements, as I intend for the night to be for original songwriters, like myself, but I am sure there will be copies played as well. I like to dip back into my collection of oldies from the 60's and 70's.
Anywho, I will need to save to get some equipment also, but I think it will be, at least for me, fun. I used to attend Knoxville Songwriters Association meetings here and will get in touch with them. I know most would like a forum where they can play and get feedback to their material.
Really this is just a way for me to get back on stage and play. lol laterzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I am looking into starting an open mic night here at the Super Super 8 upstairs in the meeting room. I am checking with ASCAP and BMI to see if there are any licensing requirements, as I intend for the night to be for original songwriters, like myself, but I am sure there will be copies played as well. I like to dip back into my collection of oldies from the 60's and 70's.
Anywho, I will need to save to get some equipment also, but I think it will be, at least for me, fun. I used to attend Knoxville Songwriters Association meetings here and will get in touch with them. I know most would like a forum where they can play and get feedback to their material.
Really this is just a way for me to get back on stage and play. lol laterzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Monday, October 6, 2008
Solution to the Crisis
The solution to the financial crisis that is now not only jeopardizing our own economy, but now seemingly the world's apparently will not be fixed by throwing 700 billion dollars at it. The financial institutions that begged so much for that money to free up drying credit, so they can lend money to each other, now have concerns about consumer confidence and growth in economies. Given Wall Street screwed up and brought us to the brink of catastrophe and our leaders on Main Street seem more interested in their own careers than in saving us, what kind of confidence do you think we will have?
It seems the big business, big money and all those involved with that level are determined to push us into a recession. Risky lending and investing practices that resulted from our leaders not keeping eye on them has pushed us to the point where SOMEONE has to give. And “they” are not giving up one penny back from what they worked so hard to get from us.
Inflation, rising gas prices, inflated interest rates and decreased earnings have put the crush on Main Street and the only way to restore confidence in us is to loosen up the vice. Does it make sense those employees of companies pay rates are raising at less than inflation, while inflation is based on the price of their products sold? Profits are down in most companies because we can not afford to buy what we work so hard to make. Why is this? It is because the people at the top of businesses and stock holders are overstuffing their pockets.
To install confidence in consumers, big business needs to take a long, hard look at how much they are raking in and cut that by a reasonable percent and give it back to Main Street in the form of lower, more affordable prices and interest rates. Then there will be a return to consumer spending and economic growth.
The economy is controlled from the bottom up. If no one is buying, or able to buy, everyone suffers. Big business is too concerned in making as much money as quickly as possible for its investors and controlling officers that it is cutting off the lifeline that feeds it.
It seems the big business, big money and all those involved with that level are determined to push us into a recession. Risky lending and investing practices that resulted from our leaders not keeping eye on them has pushed us to the point where SOMEONE has to give. And “they” are not giving up one penny back from what they worked so hard to get from us.
Inflation, rising gas prices, inflated interest rates and decreased earnings have put the crush on Main Street and the only way to restore confidence in us is to loosen up the vice. Does it make sense those employees of companies pay rates are raising at less than inflation, while inflation is based on the price of their products sold? Profits are down in most companies because we can not afford to buy what we work so hard to make. Why is this? It is because the people at the top of businesses and stock holders are overstuffing their pockets.
To install confidence in consumers, big business needs to take a long, hard look at how much they are raking in and cut that by a reasonable percent and give it back to Main Street in the form of lower, more affordable prices and interest rates. Then there will be a return to consumer spending and economic growth.
The economy is controlled from the bottom up. If no one is buying, or able to buy, everyone suffers. Big business is too concerned in making as much money as quickly as possible for its investors and controlling officers that it is cutting off the lifeline that feeds it.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
For every decision I make, there is a consequence. I am responsible for my decisions, therefore I accept the consequences. Some may think I am complaining about my life, but that is not so. I actually am not at all displeased with my life. I am blessed with a loving, caring and beautiful wife and four wonderful children who love me very much. I consider myself lucky have what I do have and look forward to the future with much anticipation. So don't cry for me Argentina, there are plenty of other things to be concerned about.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Something must be done... it is futile to resist!
While I am appalled by the thought of what is about to happen, it is certain that something must be done. Call it financial bailout, economic cleansing, saving our economy or whatever, our countries and possibly the entire world's present and future is in jeopardy, due the the greedy and selfish acts of those who apparently are beyond reproach and above paying for their discrepancies.
With the economies of the world teetering on the brink of collapse, something must be done. The ramifications of what has been done to the financial foundation of our capitalistic monetary system will inadvertantly affect every individual in our land, unless something is done immediately. The leaders of Main Street, teamed with the leaders of Wall Street have come up with a plan to save us all form shear catastrophy.
It is futile to resist, since resistance will only hurt us more than compliance. We shall succumb to the leaders of Main and Wall to place the burden of the entire country's (and apparently now the world's) future well being in our laps. As accolades are poured upon us by our mighty leaders, we shall bear the brunt of what was not our fault, while the culprits look down at us and smile in approval.
Meanwhile, accross the world, our young soldiers are giving their lives in a fight to save a young democracy.
With the economies of the world teetering on the brink of collapse, something must be done. The ramifications of what has been done to the financial foundation of our capitalistic monetary system will inadvertantly affect every individual in our land, unless something is done immediately. The leaders of Main Street, teamed with the leaders of Wall Street have come up with a plan to save us all form shear catastrophy.
It is futile to resist, since resistance will only hurt us more than compliance. We shall succumb to the leaders of Main and Wall to place the burden of the entire country's (and apparently now the world's) future well being in our laps. As accolades are poured upon us by our mighty leaders, we shall bear the brunt of what was not our fault, while the culprits look down at us and smile in approval.
Meanwhile, accross the world, our young soldiers are giving their lives in a fight to save a young democracy.
Announcing my Candidacy for President
Hi, my name is Bart and I suffer from SSS (Seriously Stupid Syndrome). Until I was diagnosed, SSS took a devastating toll on my life and those around me. Because of SSS, I am now homeless, living in a motel (where I am forced to work as the night clerk, behind a bullet proof window) with my wife, up to my neck in debt, with no light at the end of the tunnel. But after being diagnosed with SSS I have found my true calling in life,so....
I am announcing my candadacy for the Presidenciary Position of these United States of America. Since I am too late for any caucuses or primaries, or even to pass around a petition, I am requesting you all to put my name on the ballet, as a write in vote, with a permanent black sharpie.
Why vote for me? Since our economy is going down the tubes, wouldn't you want someone in office who has experience in living at or below the poverty level? Then you wouldn't hear me saying things like, "Oops, our millionaire friends need a bailout, can you poor middle class people help us out?" or "I am so proud of all the brave Americans who are willing to sacrifice to help our economy." or "I will see to it that health care if available to every American at an affordable price."
No sirreee bob, you will not hear that from me. Instead you will hear the truth. Things like, "Hey the millionaires blew it and since you know what rolls downhill, guess who will suffer for it? Too bad, there's nothing you can do about it, because you really don't matter to them and they are going to save their butts without considering the circumstances." "Affordable Healthcare? Can't everybody afford to give one third of their check to healthcare?" and "Lower taxes? Who the heck do you think is gonna pay for everything?"
You can also get valuable advise on things like:
How to feed your family in $40.00 a week grocery money.
Keeping your car running on a rubber band and a shoe string.
and
Looking forward to the future without the light at the end of the tunnel.
I shoot from the hip and as long as I take my medication to stabilize my SSS (Which I hopefully can afford once I become President) things will probably be about the same, but you won't have a bunch of out of touch, elitists cramming bull down your thoats.
Oh, yea, and tail gating at the White House for all Vol Games!!!
I look forward to your write in votes on election day!!
I am announcing my candadacy for the Presidenciary Position of these United States of America. Since I am too late for any caucuses or primaries, or even to pass around a petition, I am requesting you all to put my name on the ballet, as a write in vote, with a permanent black sharpie.
Why vote for me? Since our economy is going down the tubes, wouldn't you want someone in office who has experience in living at or below the poverty level? Then you wouldn't hear me saying things like, "Oops, our millionaire friends need a bailout, can you poor middle class people help us out?" or "I am so proud of all the brave Americans who are willing to sacrifice to help our economy." or "I will see to it that health care if available to every American at an affordable price."
No sirreee bob, you will not hear that from me. Instead you will hear the truth. Things like, "Hey the millionaires blew it and since you know what rolls downhill, guess who will suffer for it? Too bad, there's nothing you can do about it, because you really don't matter to them and they are going to save their butts without considering the circumstances." "Affordable Healthcare? Can't everybody afford to give one third of their check to healthcare?" and "Lower taxes? Who the heck do you think is gonna pay for everything?"
You can also get valuable advise on things like:
How to feed your family in $40.00 a week grocery money.
Keeping your car running on a rubber band and a shoe string.
and
Looking forward to the future without the light at the end of the tunnel.
I shoot from the hip and as long as I take my medication to stabilize my SSS (Which I hopefully can afford once I become President) things will probably be about the same, but you won't have a bunch of out of touch, elitists cramming bull down your thoats.
Oh, yea, and tail gating at the White House for all Vol Games!!!
I look forward to your write in votes on election day!!
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