My Unique Life in Windows Live Space: News and politics

Storms disrupted my Cable!

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:23:25 GMT

I feel like I have just stepped back 10 years in time today as "Storms disrupted my Cable!" I am on line only because I still have a working phone line, and I set up my phone modem for the first time on this computer today. The Power is still on here at my house, but 136,000 other people and businesses aren't so lucky, as Detroit Edison says it will take some time to get everyone back in service.

I want to post this story to satisfy my commitment to write something in my Blog every day. We are expecting more storms and I don't know if I will be able to post again later on today or not?

Update to follow if possible!

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Are you listening America?

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:13:23 GMT

National Conference for Media Reform: Bill Moyers Address

I have already written my entry for today: Pushing People Up, but "Are you listening America?" I received an Email from Save the Internet and it had a link to this video. I watched the video and it has inspired me to pass it along, because if anyone needs to be pushed up it is people like Bill Moyers. I don't consider myself a journalist or a writer, but here's what I say: "I consider myself a writer only by default: Because I am writing this and you are reading it, then I guess that makes me a writer."

I want to record this video in my Blog because there's so much truth in it that we as Americans need to hear. This is My Truth Quote:

"Even if the truth hurts; it doesn't make it any less true!"

I don't believe that very many people will be reading my entry today or in the future, but when you hear about things like Bill's talking about: I feel like everyone should hear what he's saying and come to their own conclusions. The video also reminded me of these entries I have made:

I am so Excited? about: Saving the Internet!
World's Monopoly Game!
Cynical Thoughts!

The video and Save the Internet places the burden of spreading the word on us: The people of this great nation, to have our voices heard, however soft or loud your voice maybe. To express your opinion on how the government is to be run, and to not forget who our government officials work for: We The People...Not just big corporations, the lobbyists, the people of wealth and power, but for all people, just like you and me too!

The stage is set for the election of our new leader of the United States of America and I want someone who is going to represent me. I don't know either of the candidates, but I will be listening to hear what they have to say to me.

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Cynical Thoughts!

Sat, 24 May 2008 23:43:20 GMT

This is not where I want my mind to be on this Memorial Day weekend, but nevertheless that's where I am at with my "Cynical Thoughts!" I was reading Bobby's article today: Help Fight Modern Day Slave Labor, and although he got a good deal on a new roof for his house, the laborers that were used to get the job done were not paid for their toil and trouble, which is a travesty of justice.

It made me think of a local issue here in Michigan at the American Axle plant. Does free trade mean free labor here in America? The United Auto Workers at the axle plant just gave up on their strike and ratified a new contract, but does this mean that there's going to be a greater divide in the classes of society in this country? You don't need to be Einstein to figure that one out!

Who is going to stand up for the working men/women if injustice is left to run rampant in the United States of America? I don't believe that our government had what is happening here in America in mind when they signed the Free Trade Agreement. I am no expert on our government, politics or the law. It looks like what is happening here is government at its worst and We the People are not being heard.

I don't feel good about writing this story, but I am writing it so that my voice can be heard. I have faith in the love of God and our fate is in His mighty hands. Lord have mercy on Your children here on Earth so we may join You in Heaven!

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Tax Day!

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:53:25 GMT

Taxman by The Beatles

It's April 15 and we all know that it means today is "Tax Day!" I liked this Beatles Cartoon about the Taxman and this Taxman song/video. I wrote this Fiction Friday entry:The Tax Man, and there is something I have been hesitant to talk about, but I can't seem to resist telling you about. I was talking to someone recently about how the government seems to be spending more money than it has to spend, and what can (We the People) do about it?

I was surprised by this person's answer they said, "There is nothing that anyone can do about the corruption in our government", my first thought was, That can not be true! I mean we hear it all the time on the news about our government officials being prosecuted for breaking the public's trust that they are sworn to uphold. It was like there was no way of changing this person's mind. My question to you is, "Do feel like there is no way to stop corruption in our government?"

I am bringing this up on tax day because the government is spending our money, and how much control do "We the People" have over how it is spent? The thought that came into my mind is, How do we know that the government officials representing us are not wasting our money? The saying, "The fox guarding the hen house" comes to mind, and who is supposed to watch the fox?

In regards to Iraq and what the government there is doing with the revenues from the oil: CBS News video: State of Corruption. I was shocked to hear on the news that Iraq's government knows that the revenue from the oil is being embezzled by the different departments of their government. It made me think that how much of the very same type of embezzlement is going on in the American government, what can anyone do about it?

This kind of doubt in government is not what we the people want to hear on tax day or any other day for that matter. To have a Pollyanna view of one's government isn't in our best interest, either, to keep the American dream alive and well. I for one just can't believe that this is the way most people think: What do you think?

I am not writing about this to upset anyone on tax day; I just want to make sure that someone's watching the fox!

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

World's Monopoly Game!

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:07:25 GMT

$9,406,067,929,777
National Debt

Yesterday I wrote My mind in a Knot! Little did I know that today I was really going to make my head hurt with the "World's Monopoly Game!" What happens when there's no more cash to play the game? Treasury security bonds are sold, and it's a good thing that I am not in charge of the money, because the more I try to learn about securities and finance, the more my head hurts.

I read this article: Fed takes further steps to ease credit crunch, "Central banks add $200 billion to lend into mortgage market" and this is what it brought to my mind. Uncle Sam is bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—as they loaned the Average Joe, who can't make his payments on his house, which was the collateral for the loan. But now the house isn't worth what the loan is for so We The People are going to pay, is that right? Maybe I just don't understand what exactly is going on here, but it doesn't sound right to me.

The story: Uncle Sam is doing the best that he can to keep America moving forward in this World's Monopoly Game. He gave Fannie & Freddie .10 cents each to start their business and before they could even get started, they lost their money. Now Uncle Sam is going to give them another .20 cents (200,000,000,000) that eventually we are going to have to pay for, if not in tax dollars then in higher prices. You would think that Uncle Sam would make sure that his niece and nephew would have that hole sown up in their pocket before giving them any more of our money!

I don't know anything about the economy, but with the National Debt spinning wildly out of control, as you can see by the counter at the top of the page, (the number is 9 trillion today) somebody is going to have to pay. Wall Street liked the news that Uncle Sam was going to bail out the financial markets, is that so these entrepreneurs can get their hands on more of the game's money?

This Chinese Proverb as told by Jay Leno: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. Teach a man to create an artificial shortage of fish and he will eat steak." Sums up the situation quite nicely wouldn't you say? I really have no idea why I am even writing this in my Blog today, I guess it is just to ask this question, "Does that National Debt counter go in the other direction?"

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

America the Beautiful

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:53:15 GMT

I received this Email recently and felt the need to share it with all of you!

Alabama Judge
Some of you may be wondering what Judge Roy Moore has been doing since he was removed from the bench for refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom wall. Please read the poem he wrote. It's below his picture.

The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama. Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama! The judge's poem sums it up quite well.

America the beautiful,
Or so you used to be.
Land of the Pilgrims' pride;
I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters,
Abortion on demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty;
Your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly
Poisoned by cocaine
Choosing to indulge their lusts,
When God has said abstain

From sea to shining sea,
Our Nation turns away
From the teaching of God's love
And a need to always pray.

We've kept God in our temples,
How callous we have grown.
When earth is but His footstool,
And Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government
that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless Judges;
Who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer
In a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby
Before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry,
That our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait
Before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God,
From Whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do,
But stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children,
Will humbly turn and pray;
Seek His holy face
And mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven;
And forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land
And those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful,
If you don't - then you will see,
A sad but Holy God
Withdraw His hand from Thee.
~~Judge Roy Moore~~

This says it all. May we all forward this message and offer our prayers for Judge Moore to be blessed and for America to wake up and realize what we need to do to keep OUR America the Beautiful.
Pass this on and let's lift Judge Moore up in Prayer.
He has stood firm and needs our support.
IN GOD WE TRUST!

I also thought that it would be a good idea to show The Ten Commandments that the Judge would not remove.

Ten Commandments

I am the Lord thy God
Thou shalt have no other gods before me
Thou shalt not make for thyself an idol
Thou shalt not make wrongful use of the name of thy God
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
Honor thy Father and Mother
Thou shalt not murder*
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife
Exodus 20:1-17

I understand the division of church and state, but it just feels like to me that: Why should the Judge lose his job and his right to practice law, when the law lets people get away with crimes just because they cannot catch them. The Judge will have to live with his discussion, but when will justice be severed on the criminals that can't be caught?

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Be careful what you Say!

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:53:22 GMT

I never know what I am going to say, so that's why I using this title today, "Be careful what you Say!" I have been listening to the political debates, and I had this thought that it would be great to have the candidates hooked up to a lie detector, like that new game show has their contestants. To funny don't you think? The first thing that comes to mind is the famous joke about: How to tell if a politician is lying? Their lips are moving. Well, I thought it was funny. (laughing out loud)

The other thing I wanted to write about today was something that I said in my New Year's Anti-Resolutions: I will not be running for President of the United States of America this year, honestly I can't believe people that have enough money to run for president would actually want to job! and as you can see by my mood, I am not thinking very positively, today.

This all has to do with one of my writing goals: Don't take Writing/Blogging too seriously, have fun! and how I think that the whole world is going to hear what I have said here today. Although anyone can read my Blog, I can't believe how self conscious I am about what I write about, like everyone's reading what I write. It's hilarious, to me, now that I am thinking about it.

The whole point of this entry is to confirm to myself (because believe me, I am the only reading my Blog) that I can write whatever I want, within reason. I really do need to accomplish this goal so that I can have more fun writing and quit worrying about what "YOU" might think about the things that I say. I am not that self conscious of the things that I say in public, so why should I be that way here?

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Government by the People

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:29:29 GMT

I feel like a citizen that has been released by a "Government by the People" today because we have the services that our State provides restored. The Legislators' of The State of Michigan averted a State shutdown this morning and I want to say Thank You! You have done the right thing to submit a budget that we desperately needed to keep our Government working and to uphold our State's reputation. Something that the Governor said in the speech a quote:

A house divided against itself cannot stand. Abraham Lincoln

That made me think of these quotes:

A Government divided against itself cannot stand. Or

We the People divided against itself cannot stand.

What are the answers to our numerous troubles that are dividing us and hindering us from being We the People? The constant fighting between the Republicans versus Demarcates, Peace versus War, Rich versus Poor and to put it another way: Right versus Wrong or Good versus Evil and I believe the answer is God.

God's Love and Ours

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7

10 Million Clicks For Peace.

It starts one click, one heart, one person at a time.

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

John 20:21

I said yesterday that I was going to write today's post after I finished writing that one, but I had second thoughts and I decided to wait until today to write this. It's about Blogging Razzmatazz the essence of writing in the moment what you are feeling and what is in your heart. The therapeutic value of Blogging what's on your mind is worth the effort to explore your feelings and put them into words. Me writing about a "Government by the People."

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Maybe this will Help?

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 23:11:24 GMT

I don't think that I have all the answers to the State's budget problems but "Maybe this will help?" I am sure that all of our elected State Legislator's are doing their very best to come up with a solution to the Michigan budget crisis. If anyone's to blame for this situation it's ourselves; we elected them.

Our country has changed its Governmental polices (Free Trade) that have hurt Michigan worker's by sending their jobs elsewhere. That fact has made the job of our representatives in Michigan Government next to impossible.

We can't let what's happening today thwart our thinking; I have been using a new way of thinking to help me to cope with my problems. It has changed my Life and it could help anyone that's overwhelmed by troubling thoughts. I have an analogy that I want to share with you today:

Johnny and his Mommy are in the candy store and Johnny has one dollar that his Mommy gave him to spend. He sees all the different kinds of candy that he wants to buy, bubble gum, licorice, gum drops, lollipops, gummy bears and the list goes on and on, you get the idea, Right? But he only has one dollar...he has tough choices to make, because he doesn't have enough money for everything that he wants.

Our State Legislators also have tough choices to make, and shutting down the State of Michigan isn't going to make those decisions any easier. Johnny! What's it going to be, Bubble gum or licorice? You are our representative of the people of the State of Michigan; you were elected because we have faith in your judgment, so do your job!

With the difficult decisions that I have to make in my life, I always like to break things down into simple basic facts (KISS) that even Johnny can understand. Me with an analogy; "Maybe this will Help?"

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

What is on my Mind?

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:21:23 GMT

MICHIGAN'S COUNTDOWN TO SHUTDOWN

I really have no idea as to "What is on my Mind?" I have been sitting here pondering what to write about today and I haven't come up with a topic to write about. I have done this before, where I just type whatever I am thinking and see what turns up on the page. I know one thing that I want to write about is that our State government is going to shut down if they can't approve a budget before Monday.

I find that fact beyond my comprehension: How can our elected Michigan Legislature let the people of the State of Michigan down like this? They're telling us that they can't do the job that they were elected to do, what's up with that? It seems completely illogical to me that they knew that they needed to have a budget in place, but yet they let the time run out and continue to point fingers at each other, like little children.

It doesn't make any sense at all. If our State representatives were working for a business and couldn't come up with a budget (that being part of their responsibility: to have that budget in place so that the business could continue to operate) and they failed to do their job, they would surly be fired by the owner of that business. They were elected by the citizens of this state to do their job or we need to find someone who can.

When I started writing today, I had no idea what I was going to write about, but it looks like I need to explore Government a little bit more. Me writing about "What is on my Mind?"

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

My Unique Life in Windows Live Space

Stock Market has a Sale

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:45:14 GMT

What a coincidence that I had an appointment with my financial adviser today, but there are no coincidences, did I save myself from taking a loss today in the "Stock Market"? No, I didn't, am I concerned? Yes, I am looking at this as a buying opportunity at bargain basement prices, I wrote about it in this article; Making Decisions and it really does look bad if you are a pessimist but the optimist would say what a deal to invest in great companies at lower prices.

If only I had a Crystal ball to be able to see what the future holds. Wouldn't that be amazing? The reality is I don't, what I have to do is make sound decisions and buy companies that I think will prosper in the future. I feel like what I did today was to take control of my financial future.

This couldn't have happened at a better time for me, not that I like to see the Stock Market lose ground; I am looking at this as part of my Destiny to take control of my financial future. My only hope is that I am up to the challenge to make the right choices and achieve financial success in the future.

This isn't my usual kind of Blog article but it's what's on my mind today. Who knows what the future holds for any of us? Only God knows! God bless America and the World! Me wondering what to buy when "The Stock Market has a Sale"

Thanks for Listening,

Jeff

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