New Blue Law?

In a recent article a police officer was videoed hitting a 17 year old girl in the face for interfering with her friend and the officer, who was going to ticket her for jay walking. Now they are saying the video should not be used as evidence because the officer did not consent to be videoed. Okay, then in a sting operation, if the criminal did not consent to being videoed, will that be thrown out as well? To me, the officer was way out of bounce hitting the girl and now the police, doing damage control are trying everything to cover their..... well you get the picture.

And what about America's Funniest Videos? They would therefore be in violation for a lot of the videos they show! And Cheaters.com? And Punked? And Cops for that matter. Most of these shows video people without their consent! Is there something I am not getting here?

Calling Customer Service

Just a little note to anyone out there who has ever gotten upset with a Customer Service Representative. After you have given them a piece or your mind and told them how dumb and incompetent you think they are and how sorry you feel for them because they could "only get a job answering the phone" for a lousy company, remember this...... that person on the other end of the line is looking at a computer screen with your name, address and probably some very vital finacial information or yours. Dun Dun Dunnnnn. The next trilogy of horror movies begins!

Sometimes you have to give up everything to have something!

Accused

I have been accused of being redundant and repeating myself. If that is so and if I do, then I apologize and am sorry!

Fell in a hole

Okay, so I fell in this hole and have been trapped for over a year!! But I have finally climbed out and am ready to resume doing what I do best. There is so much to type about, but I the first thing I want to spout out about is proper turn signal usage.

The turn signal is SUPPOSED to be turned on BEFORE you turn, or change lanes. It is supposed to warn other drivers that you are about to change the course you are currently taking, so they can, if needed, adjust to avoid an possible accident. Turning you turn signal on AS YOU TURN is USELESS!! Nuff said about that!

Now, who thinks our economy is out of it's recession? I really don't know, because I live the same as I always have, from paycheck to paycheck. The fact that I do have a paycheck is at least a good thing for me. I do work at a call center taking orders for some catalog gift companies and some major, high end sportwear and clothing companies. We are fairly busy, but I do not know if that is a proper measure to conclude things are better.

The oil leak in the gulf is about to become a major catastrophy! If it gets into the undercurrents, it would possibly decimate the entire Florida and east coast's ecosystems. (I don't know if I worded that right, but it sounds impressive.) I do hope they get a handle on this thing before that happens!

Long Time No Blog

Well it has been a long time since I have blogged, but I think I remember how to do it. If not I have my daughter's to remind me. lol A lot has transpired since my last blog. Emie and I have moved to Ohio. We are currently living in a studio apartment in Blue Ash and hope to be looking for a house in about a year or so, depending on how soon we can straighten out our credit. Emie is working at Frisch's Big Boy as a cashier/hostess and I am also working for Frisch's in training for management. I am also playing in a band, The Southern Justice Band. My daughter, Devon had her baby, Zoe Jan 8 and Gabrielle is due to have a baby in Nov! Am I getting old??.... NO WAY! Richard and Clint have moved into another apt, closer to their work and Richard has a car now, so transportation is not as much of a problem for them. Emie finally got her Magic Mic and is on the TV singing her little heart away! That's about it for now. When I am feel a little wittier I will be back to inject my jockularity!! laterzzzzz

Thank you Lord

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

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.

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?”

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

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.

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.

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.

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!!

It’s an ambush.. run away run away...

Well now what are we gonna do? Just when we thought all was going fine.... bam!! It's an ambush. While I am sure all those fine government officials are all looking out for our best interests....RIGHT! "I have an idea! Let's just propose an entirely different plan and we can just argue about whose plan is better until the entire economy falls flat on it's face. Then no one will get the blame for making the wrong decision and we will get elected next year just because we tried our best." The only thing wrong with that idea is no one will be able to vote BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT GAS IN OUR CARS TO GET TO THE POLLS!!!

As the Economy Churns

As predicted there has been a good share of political posturing. If the resolution of this potential calamity so important, shouldn't the people who say they are putting country before self restrain from putting a fly in the ointment after the 'historical bipartisan' meeting was held? Not stating there were issues that needed to be addressed after the meeting was over and he said there was nothing else he wanted to discuss? Is this the kind of person we need as our President?

I am still predicting a last hour saving of our economy. Well, THEY will say it has been saved, but at whose and what cost? Even 250 billion dollars will cause our taxes to go up. Big business will shift the diverse effects to the the front lines of the companies, meaning jobs will be lost and less will be opening.

There is talk of steps to take help homeowners fight off foreclosure, but that does not do anything for those of us who have already lost our homes.This does not address the situation, but one of the symptoms of the situation and is only a crumb thrown to us "little people" to appease us by making us think they are doing something for us.

There is talk of another "Stimulous Program" to help jump start the economy. This is just an extension of the big business bailout. The government will be taking that stimulous check back in the form of higher taxes to pay for the bailout, not just next year, but for the rest of our lives and our children and grandchildren and so on an so on..... They will also be passing the cost on to us in the form of higher prices for everything.

Everyone will try to take credit for saving the world, which will take our attention away from the fact that it was them who put us in this situation in the first place. They will thank us for being such good sports and praise us for our strength, courage and wisdom, while they reach into our pockets and take food off our tables and make our dreams that much harder to achieve. The scary part of it is, most of them actually believe what they say! They think we are standing on our front porch with our hands on our hearts, saluting them and thanking them for doing such a great job.

Posturing and Manipulating

While the President and Congress "haggle" over what is needed to curtail the current crisis, when actually each is just posturing to try to be crowned as the one who saved the world just in time, Wall Street is playing "hard to get", trying to get what they want. In the mean time we, the ones who are expected to foot the bill for this mess, sit ringside, wringing our hands, wondering if the sky is really falling.

If it is, we need to really reconsider the people we have elected to run our country. How could they allow it to get this far and why are they squabbling over pork barrels when disaster is just around the corner?

If it isn't we need to really reconsider the people we have elected to run our country. How could they give us the gloom and doom, end of the world as we know it scare, just to make themselves look good?

Either way, we end up the losers. Of course they will all try to paint us as the heroes who saved the economy. Without our courage and unselfish contribution, we certainly would have suffered a plight worse than ..... well ........... a really bad thing. Actually, we are the pawns big business and government are using to build themselves up more, while pushing us down lower in the social economic scheme.

As a result of our "courage", there will be higher taxes, rapid inflation and fewer raises at our level, because the top of the business pyramid will always come first in business - corporate -government America. So expect your standard of living to drop a notch or two, (Not that mine could drop much more, but there is always the "cardboard box house".) while the ones who really put us in this mess keep all they acquired while they raped, pillaged and plundered.

Bailout Blues

Wall Street was elated when the government talked about bailing all the financial institutions out and stocks soared..................... for a day. Then they found out there was going to be conditions on the bailout. Uncle Sam was not going to just pay off everything for them and slap them on the wrist, so now Wall Street is throwing a hissy fit and stocks took a plunge and oil prices soared.

Let me get this straight? Uncle Sam deregulated, and the financial institutions were like a kid in a candy store. Through lax lending practices and risky, irresponsible investing they drove the economy to the brink of disaster. They have put millions and millions of dollars in their pockets at our expense. Now we are going to bail them out and they are upset about it? They kept putting their hands in the cookie jar until it was empty and now they are "anxious" about us saving their butts? How much money are these fat cats going to give back to help this situation? How badly do you think this "bailout" is going to affect them. They may have to get domestic cavier?

The rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer.

Economic Meltdown

First, I want to sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart. You see, I am probably the one to blame for the current state of affairs of our nations economy. The domino effect, that has caused our nations economic well-being to fall into a spiral out of control, was initially caused by bankers risky mortgage practices, whose monies in said mortgages were unwisely invested into even riskier investments in the markets. When the disproportionately inflating housing market eventually burst, the ensuing foreclosure from the previously mentioned risky mortgages has put Wall Street into an almost unprecedented nosedive.

In the ensuing decline Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac required government intervention to stay afloat, Lehman Brothers has been forced into bankruptcy, Bank of America bought Merrill Lynch, saving if from impending doom and AIG is getting a shot in the arm to the grand total of 85 billion dollars to save it as well. I also have heard that Washington Mutual is the next bank that may see its neck on the chopping block.
That is when it clicked!

In 1995 I got a mortgage from Washington Mutual. I had no money and had terrible credit and was in now way worthy of getting a loan, but they gave me one. Not only did they give me a mortgage, but it was a 100% ARM loan. Of course, not being credit worthy in the first place and having no money, at the first sign of monetary difficulties, I fell behind on my payments. I tried to catch up my payments, but was not able to and when the ARM matured and my payments increased dramatically there was no way I could make them, so I lost my home to foreclosure. Shortly after that, this whole economic blow-out takes place. I am not one to run from my responsibilities. When I have done something wrong, I am always man enough to take my punishment, but I do have a couple questions.

1. The financial industry, the Fed and the government have seen this coming for at least 10 years. Why weren’t they more proactive in preventing it? Is there anyone in Washington strong enough to take the bull by the horns and do the right thing?
2. Instead of giving all these companies billions of dollars to save them, why didn’t they give that money to the people losing their homes? That way those people would still have their homes, the companies would not be in trouble, our economy would be stronger and I would not feel so guilty for having starting this whole thing.

Our country is seeing the middle class slowly diminish, while the government stands by and watches. Is there nothing we can do to stop it?

Facebookgate!!!

So I started taking an IQ test in this facebook thing and when I got to the end it asked for my cell phone number to fax me my score. Why couldn't they just give it to me? Then I had to enter a secret PIN in like 15 seconds, while clicking the box that says I agree to the Terms and Conditions of the site I was using. Now to read the Terms and Conditions would take about 5 minutes minimum, yet they gave me 15 seconds to click on the agree box? I don't think sooooooo