Barb’s Blog » Entries tagged with "money"
Lech Walesa’s Warning for America
In a video-taped interview by a group known as foundingbloggers.com, Walesa indicated that the U.S. was heading toward socialism because of two factors: “The issue with the banks; and the government wastes all the money; they build a bureaucracy; just for itself.” He nailed it. “The government wastes all the money, they build a bureaucracy…..JUST FOR ITSELF. That just says it all, doesn’t it? He went on to reassure: “But we will not let you devolve to communism here. The … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Global Warming Data Dumped
While everyone is stuck on the Tiger Woods story, I’d like to point out that the BIGGER story over the weekend is that scientists who are predicting gloom and doom of global warming have been caught manipulating the data and scheming to show that the earth is warming in order to help the entity that is Al Gore and friends control our every day lives and more important our wallets. Along with that, now scientists now admit to throwing away the data showing their “proof” of warming. SCIENTISTS at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have admitted throwing away much of the raw temperature data on which their predictions of global warming are based. It means that other academics are not able to check basic calculations said to show a … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Buy a Better Grade
We have all seen the pie charts how much education takes from our budget, be it on a federal level or state level. It’s usually very substantial and schools are always crying for more. (I wonder how much of those taxes the schools actually get to use, and how much ends up in bureaucratic pockets?) I think a lot ends up in someone’s pockets because schools are always using students (and their tax-paying parents) to peddle the latest chocolates or other fund raising items for schools. Having said that, the U.S. Department of Education says: Education in America is primarily a State and local responsibility, and ED’s budget is only a small part of both total national education spending and the overall Federal budget, ED currently administers a budget of $62.6 billion … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Collapse
My mama told me to watch this. I better had, if she said so. The collapse of our money system? … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Show Me the Money
Car dealers are saying, “Show me the money” when it comes to their participation in the government’s Cash for Clunkers. Here’s the figure: $2.878 billion. That’s how much money the government owes car dealers for the “Cash for Clunkers” program. “Out of 142 deals they owe us for, we’ve gotten paid on seven,” Lou Tornabeni of Ettleson Hyundai said. “We had 102 cash for clunkers,” Carm Scarpace of Westfield Ford said. “We’ve been paid for one.” With each Cash for Clunkers deal worth between $3,500 and $4,500, many dealerships are anxiously awaiting their government payday. Some, like Advantage Chevrolet, which sold cars up until the last minute, have more than half a million dollars on the line. “It was chaotic towards the end,” Jason Roberts said. Roberts says his dealership sold 142 cars under the program … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
25 Rich Athletes Who Went Broke
I thought this was interesting. Taken from Business Pundit: 25. Raghib “Rocket” Ismael Notre Dame/Dallas Cowboys star; received the largest 3-year deal in football history Estimated lifetime earnings: $20 Million No jail time, drug charges or bankruptcy here, just bad business moves. Financial vultures bled Ismael’s riches by selling him their “fool-proof” investments. After bypassing the NFL as the presumptive #1 pick, Ismael went to the Canadian Football League and signed the largest deal in their history. He played two years in Canada and 10 in the NFL, earning an estimated $18 million to $20 million in salary alone. He then started to invest in a series of ventures that went bust, including a Rock n’ Roll Café, COZ Records, a movie, cosmetics, nationwide phone-card dispensers, and caligraphy proverbs kiosks. Today, Ismael does a sports talk … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
2 Japanese Detained In Italy; Concealed $134.5 BILLION Of U.S. Government Bonds In Briefcase
If you haven’t heard this headline yet, and maybe you haven’t nor won’t, it’s because this is the huge kind of news that gets neglected while most lap up the “cutesy stories” like the latest outfit Michelle Obama is wearing or the little girl who got an excuse for missing school from the president himself. The Italian Publication, The AgeziaDellaDogone is reporting that Italian authorities have detained 2 Japanese nationals who were attempting to cross into Switzerland with $134.5 BILLION in U.S. Government Bonds… hidden in a false-bottomed briefcase. According to Right Soup: If the certificates are real, Italy just won the lottery… their money laundering laws inflict a 40% penalty for failure to declare instruments and cash in excess of $10,000 Euros, which means they’d score a windfall of around $40 billion … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
God is Sovereign, Not Man
A little lesson from my daughter’s Government Book: “And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” Acts 12:22 and Herod believed their words. The belief that t hose who rule are self-styled gods, independent of God’s sovereignty over them, is a grand delusion for which Herod fell. God did not take long to remind King Herod that all rulers are subject to His sovereignty and law. “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.” Acts 12:23 Today, the United States finds herself in the midst of making a simular choice. It is true that our coins have “In God We Trust” stamped on them. … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
To the Victors Go the Spoils
This is the only way to explain how an organization under investigation, indited for voter fraud, can receive bailout money and stimulus money. Obama owes them. ACORN employees across the country have been indicted for voter fraud and, by its own admission, the group has submitted at least 400,000 questionable voter documents, according to a New York Times report dated October 24, 2008. Now, two whistle blowers, Anita MonCrief and Marcel Reed, who used to work for ACORN, have testified under oath before the House Judiciary Committee that the organization took money to intimidate capitalist organizations like the Carlyle Group and H&R Block and worked closely with the Obama presidential campaign to get voters to the polls. It is here where the story begins to rise to the next level. According to Ms. … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Middle Class Attack?
Reading an article today by Paul Craig Roberts, this line stood out, “The “free American” starts off with a 30% tax rate, the position of a medieval serf.” The premise of his article is to show that what the Obama administration is really doing is “taxing ordinary people in order to bail out the super rich.” The article starts off explaining the difference between rich…and well, RICH. For Obama, being “rich” begins with … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
$1 billion an hour
How much do you make an hour? How about, how much can you SPEND an hour? Congress can spend $1 billion an hour. From Politico: Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has come up with a vivid new way to express his contention that the nation is spending way too much money it doesn’t have. McConnell includes the tweaks in his opening remarks on the Senate floor on the 51st day that President Obama has been in office. “In just 50 days, Congress has voted to spend about $1.2 trillion between the Stimulus and the Omnibus,” McConnell says. “To put that in perspective, that’s about $24 billion a day, or about $1 billion an hour—most of it borrowed. There’s simply no question: government spending has spun out of control.” … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Proof – Government IS the Problem
Northern Trust, a Chicago based bank, a bank that received $1.6 billion in bailout money, was caught by TMZ, recently spending a fortune hosting a series of lavish parties and concerts to go along with a Golf Tournament. We’re told Northern Trust paid millions to sponsor the PGA event which ended Sunday, but what happened off the golf course is even more shocking. Northern Trust flew hundreds of clients and employees to L.A. and put many of them up at some of the fanciest and priciest hotels in the city. We’re told more than a hundred people were put up at the Beverly Wilshire in Bev Hills, and another hundred stayed at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Still more stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey and others at … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
The Money Behind Obama
Yes we’ve heard all about the $5 donations that helped build Obama’s record-breaking $742 million campaign funds, but what is the whole story? Ever since he ran for the Senate in 2004, Barack Obama has had a wealth of 10-figure tycoons advising – and funding – him. …Barack Obama has had a slew of billionaire backers with him on his journey to the White House–plutocrats who provide economic and political advice and help to raise money. Lots of money. Since campaign contributions are capped at $2,300 per individual and donations to the Inaugural Committee have a $50,000 limit per person, most billionaires help out by serving as "bundlers"–well-connected folks who help gather donations from family, co-workers and associates. Obama’s national finance chairwoman during his presidential campaign was Penny Pritzker, one of 11 members of … Read entire article »
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We Are One, but Some Are More One Than Others
“We Are One, but Some Are More One Than Others,” says Kriston Capps, a little disenchanted with how the Inauguration is being handled. The theme is “We Are One” but Kriston saw fit to rename it. She was speaking of the Inaugural Concert held Sunday. The concert was supposed to be part of “the people’s party,” said Shawn Paterniti, who had come with his wife Mia from Columbia, Md., to see the show. “But still, you have the VIPs who want their front-row seats. So I guess they get their tickets no one knows about,” he said, as he and his wife headed to join the “general population,” far away from the performances. It seems odd to have a VIP section for a concert about unity,” says Kriston again. The candidate of CHANGE hasn’t … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Where Does the Money Go?
“If ALL the nations in the world are in debt, where did the money go?” ~ Steven Wright In July, the Washington Post reported that the Air Force sought to divert a portion of $16.2 million set aside for the global war on terror. They wanted the funds to install first-class amenities called private “comfort capsules” on the military planes that whisk top officers and civilian officials around the world. The upgrades included 37-inch flat-screen monitors, plush leather seats, and full-length mirrors intended to make the planes “aesthetically pleasing and furnished to reflect the rank of the senior leaders.” Last October, Congress budgeted $700 billion of our tax dollars to clean up the mess left by Wall Street’s supposed financial geniuses. And what price did they pay? None. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’sCEOs Daniel Mudd and … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
New Bailout?
Just when you think the newspaper media couldn’t get anymore biased, you see them joining other industries with their hands out, asking the government for money. This is a very bad idea. The media are supposed to be the watchdogs of corruption, not taking money from them. Here’s an idea, newspapers, PRINT THE TRUTH. The people might even buy it, instead of the mindless, brainwashing, birdcage liners you give us now. More HERE … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Bonuses
Well if Congress can get its raise I suppose bank executives can have their end of year bonuses. As far as I am concerned both sides deserve each other. What isn’t deserved is the average American taxpayer paying for it all – ask the waitress who spends 12 hours a day on her feet what HER bonus is…paying more taxes to keep Congress and banks happy? The thing is, these aren’t banks that are rolling in dough, these are banks that had their hands out in the recent government bailout. To me that means, they don’t HAVE the money for bonuses. So where did the money come from? Goldman-Sachs got $10 billion in Government bailout, announced Tuesday that it handed out $10.93 billion in benefits, bonuses, and compensation for the year. I am no … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
The Bailouts and Lobbyists
Do you mean to tell me that our government is practically writing blank checks, giving it away, only to have those companies use the bailout money, pay lobbyists to ask the government for more??? Lou Dobbs says: Lobbyists from the banking industry and other groups are in a frenzy to win an even bigger share of the bailout for their clients. The list of industries seeking bailout money is expanding by the day. Lobbyists are making hefty profits even as this economic crisis worsens. According to CNN’s reports, limos are lined up like crazy in front of the Capitol, lobbyists, paid to ask for more money. Here is the report (I think a brief ad is first) … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Wisdom from Aunt Lynn
My Aunt and I likely couldn’t count the hours we have discussed [over the phone and in person ] the Bible, Religions, Politics, Relationships, and all sorts of World Affairs. She asked me to share something on my blog that was from her Sunday School class, especially since we are so close to election time: Christianity should be an attraction to everyone…but it isn’t. Why is that? It is because so many have made Christianity into a “religion”- it is a relationship, but it has been made into a religion by those who don’t know Him. Any religion is bondage. Let’s look at the Pagan religions of the world today and see what is has done to those countries: Look at India. Look at China Look at the Muslim world. Look at South America; a continent … Read entire article »
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Creative Economy Recovery Plan
This was forwarded to me and if it works or not, we’ll likely never know! The Birk Economic Recovery Plan I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend. To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.. So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00. My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend. Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in … Read entire article »
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Stewards and Managers
I was watching Neil Cavuto today and he had a guest on his show named Larry Winget. Neil was asking Larry about the Federal Rescue of Wall Street. Larry was quick to remind him it was not a rescue, it was definately a bailout, and that it was irresponsible to reward bad behavior, which is exactly what we’re doing by rushing to put money into something where no one goes punished or investigated. He also expressed concern over the rush of this bill. Later, Cavuto interviewed Ted Nugent. Ted Nugent had stronger words about this bailout, “Uncle Sam is a pig and I wouldn’t trust congress-Fedzilla- to take care of my animals.” Later in the show, Ben Stein declared whether we bailout now or later, he called for drastic legal prosecution for those at fault. All men … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Regulation
I talked with someone recently, an Obama supporter, who said that the reason this country is in the financial shape it is in was because of lack of regulation. I don’t think he was aware of John McCain was one of the three cosponsors of S.190, the bill that would have averted this mess. I am not sure he is also aware many of the senators who protected Fannie and Freddie, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Christopher Dodd, have received a lot of financial support from them over the years. Throughout his political career, Obama has gotten more than $125,000 in campaign contributions from employees and political action committees of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, second only to Dodd, the Senate Banking Committee chairman, who received more than $165,000. Clinton, the 12th-ranked recipient … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Financial Crisis
I am trying real hard to understand Obama’s latest declaration: “…we are in the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression.” And to be honest, after listening to news yesterday and today, things aren’t looking too hot. I saw some headlines calling it the “Nightmare on Wall Street.” Here is my confusion, while Obama says he cares about people in general and this country, his half brother is still living in a shantytown, in poverty. My other point of confusion is if we’re in financial crisis, where are all the campaign dollars coming from??? Today he will host a dinner in Beverly Hills — costing attendees $28,500 dollars each! Hundreds of high rollers, including some of the biggest executives in film, television and music, will munch gourmet chow and hang out with the candidate. Streisand will then sing … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Debt and Covetousness
Money is a terrible master, but it’s a good servant. I don’t think that I am a materialistic person, however we learned in a sermon by Dr. Michael Duffy in church a few Sundays ago, that ‘wanting stuff’ is basically in our fallen nature. He went on to say, “You don’t really have to teach a child how to want stuff, you do have to teach them to SHARE.” He defined covetousness as “valuing stuff over relationships.” It’s a destructive sin. It’s a trap and a lie we believe (hence the commerical ads on television making us believe we need the latest and greatest). It never bring satisfaction, in fact, intensifies the lust. Enough is never enough. Mike Duffy went on to share that if you didn’t believe that we don’t have enough stuff, take a look … Read entire article »
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Campaign Money Trail
I got an email from Ann Coulter today. She asks: “Do you know which special interest has given more money to the Obama and Clinton campaigns than any other?” Not Labor Unions Not the Green Lobby Not NEA nor AARP The answer is WALL STREET. According to CNNMoney.com, Wall Street securities and investment firms have given over $35 million to Democratic candidates this election cycle. And the amount they’ve given to the Clinton and Obama campaigns is nearly five times the amount they’ve given to McCain. Can this be the end to Democrats saying that Republicans are the party of money and big business? I never believed it anyway. After all, the Kennedys and everyone in Hollywood who love liberals have always had money. … Read entire article »
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My Birthday!
As well as Mother’s Day, today was my birthday. I came back from my trip to find presents and cards from Australia and Holland, as well as a card from my friend Myrna (a friend from as far back as before kindergarden!). Now that I was back at home, I got to celebrate the occasion with those near me. Thanks everyone. I love my presents and I love you! … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Chase It Down
It seems Hillary Clinton’s campaign is short of money, and while it seems to me that they could tighten up with the $6,000 a night at the Bellagio and the tremendous steak and lobster dinners, she was found out to have taken 5 million of her own money and put it to her campaign. Which had people asking, “Where did that money come from?” The Clintons have made some disclosures, which reveal only broad ranges of assets, place her and former President Clinton’s wealth between $10 million to $50 million. I really like how Obama handled the issue: Asked whether he would call on the Clintons to release their tax returns, Obama stopped short of saying they should. “I’ll just say that I’ve released my tax returns. That’s been a policy I’ve maintained consistently. I … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
What is a Billion???
The next time you hear a politician use the word “billion” in a casual manner, think about whether you want the “politicians” spending YOUR tax money. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases. A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959. B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it. A look at some taxes that never existed 100 years ago: Accounts Receivable Tax Building Permit Tax CDL License Tax Cigarette Tax Corporate Income Tax Dog License Tax Federal … Read entire article »
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Money and Time
“Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time.” ~ Goethe … Read entire article »
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“Green” Also Means Money
The day after Live Earth, I read my daughter’s science book on the “global warming” theory and scanned news articles, which a few were revealing about the MONEY some of the headliners and people associated with Live Earth make and made. For instance, Live Earth Participant, FoxNews says about Madonna: Madonna, who seems to be on top of all her many business endeavors, has actually invested about $2.7 million dollars in companies that are creating the destruction that Live Earth is trying to raise awareness about. She has invested in several companies named as the biggest corporate polluters in the world. It’s a cruel irony that Madonna’s Ray of Light Foundation owns blocks of shares in companies that folks like Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio would like to see punished and rehabilitated for their attitudes toward global warming, … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
PayPal
Do you provide a service or do work that demands that you accept money that is not in the way of direct deposit or a personal check? I seem to have far reaching clients, all the way to Australia, that I either do web or graphic design for that seems to necesitate an easy way to allow others to provide payment to me. I am really enjoying how PayPal allows this. PayPal accept credit cards, … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
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