Last updated 4 months ago
"I'm 76 and I'm Tired"
I'm 76. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National
Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious
health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly
40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my
income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as
though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.
I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who
don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take
the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy
to earn it.
I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I
can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and
daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight
offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't
"believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning
teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the
genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and
Shari'a law tells them to.
I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let
Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques
and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia , New Zealand ,
UK , America and Canada , while no one from these countries are allowed to
fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other
Arab country to teach love and tolerance..
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global
warming, which no one is allowed to debate.
I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help
support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ
rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses
or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?
I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all
parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful
mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting
caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and
actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination
or big-whatever for their problems.
I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and
early 20's be-deck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making
themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.
Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 76.. Because, mostly, I'm not
going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for
my granddaughter and her children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not
on the way in.
A view from an Aged Commedian, on Life, today...and how it has changed. Bill Cosby grew up with many of us, on our TV showing us his family matters. As we enter 2012 it might strike a cord with us, to make a difference, and make a change!
Last updated 4 months ago
The surest way to achieve acceptance in any organization or in any line of work is to be successful. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way. No matter how carefully you study a subject, no matter how rationally you make decisions, no matter how well prepared you are, you will occasionally make mistakes. Human beings always do. The important thing is to realize that temporary setbacks are not permanent failures. Successful people recognize that we all experience temporary setbacks that require us to reevaluate our performance and take corrective action to achieve success. They know that adversity is never permanent.
Napoleon Hill
Last updated 4 months ago
- As we head into the final month of 2011, one thing that we can't forget and that keeps coming to mind is the strength of the economy. The articles below shed some light on the economy as a whole to offer a global perspective on where we're at?and what to look for in the near future:
Best wishes to you and yours this holiday season. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your unique situation, call or email today. And please forward this newsletter to friends, family members and coworkers who may find the information helpful.
A Productive Year for the Economy?
One of the best ways to look at a snapshot of the overall US economy is to look at Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the total production and consumption of goods and services in the US to shed light on the economy's behavior. Recently, we saw the second of three looks at the US's Third Quarter GDP.
The bad news was that the second reading was actually lowered to 2%, compared to the first reading of 2.5%. While that may not sound like much of a difference, it's a sizeable drop in GDP. And when we factor that drop into the year-over-year reading, GDP is an anemic 1.5%.
The good news is that we're not in a recession and the Third Quarter reading is still up from the First Quarter. But this very weak growth reading is not nearly enough to put a dent in the Unemployment Rate. Additionally, any external shock to the economy - for example, a deepening Euro crisis - could apply enough pressure to hit the US economy rather hard. This is very much like a person whose immune system is weak, which makes them extra susceptible to catching an illness that they might normally be able to fight off.
That said, the US economy is still much healthier than a lot of European countries, which are more like the walking dead?meandering slowly and living on borrowed time as ever growing debt literally buries them. Right now, Germany holds all the cards - and they want to wait and see if the troubled Euro member countries can truly invoke austerity and grow their way out of deficit.
The problem is that the market may not be that patient. Yields in Italy, Spain and Portugal have risen sharply in recent weeks, and the only thing keeping them from going higher still is that the European Central Bank has been buying Bonds from those countries. So the clock is ticking in Europe. In the very near future either the European Central Bank will have to print a ton of money to continue buying those Bonds?or some of these southern European countries may leave the Euro. As this story plays out, the US Dollar and US Bonds - and home loan rates overall - continue to benefit from a safe haven trade.
Let's Make a Deal: How to Save on Last-Minute Holiday Shopping
Black Friday has come and gone. But, if you're like most people, you probably still have a little holiday shopping left to do. Whether you're looking for small items like toys and clothing, big-ticket items like electronics or maybe a car, or even a plane ticket home to see the family, the following tips can help you save on your last-minute holiday purchases.
Toys, Electronics, Jewelry, and Even Groceries: Believe it or not, you can get the best deals on a wide variety of gift ideas without ever leaving your house. So whether you're looking for toddler toys, a big screen TV, a diamond necklace or even the groceries you need for that holiday feast, you should start by shopping online. For example, websites like PriceGrabber.com allow you to compare prices at popular stores. You can also save by printing coupons on the items you want by visiting websites such as Coupons.com and CouponMom.com. Finally, consider visiting sites like RetailMeNot.com that allow people to share coupons for thousands of popular stores and items.
Clothing: If you still need to buy a gift for a teenager, then
the clothing store may be a good place to start. This time of year, you'll find tons of holiday specials that make last-minute shopping easy. But you'll want to plan out and time your trip to the mall. That's because when the weekend rolls around, just about every dressing room is filled...and the best deals have been picked over already. Why? It's simple. With the large number of special promotions to be marked and shelves to be stocked, most clothing stores get started early. And savvy shoppers, like you, can get the best deals and the best selection by Thursday evenings. As an added bonus, the stores, dressing rooms, and checkout lines aren't nearly as crowded - so you save on stress, too!
Cars: Perhaps you're in the market for a big-ticket item this holiday season. Lots of automakers and dealers offer special financing or holiday specials to help increase sales near the end of the year. When it comes to buying a car, you may already know that your best chance to negotiate a better price is at the end of a month when car dealers need to make their monthly quotas. But did you know you can drive home a great deal early in the week, especially during the morning? At that time, the dealerships aren't overflowing with shoppers like they are on the weekend, so you'll get more personalized attention. Plus, salespeople are more likely to negotiate when they don't have three or four other buyers waiting in the wings to pay full price.
Airplane Tickets: Still looking for a plane ticket to see friends and family members during the holiday season? In addition to looking for cheap airfare on sites like Priceline.com, Orbitz.com, and HotWire.com, remember to shop at the right times. For example, your best chance for saving is Wednesday morning. That's because airlines introduce their savings over the weekend and during the first few days of the week, subtle price wars begin. By early Wednesday, the savings have usually hit their peak...and there are still plenty of seats left for you to capitalize on. And remember, the more flexible you can be on your travel dates, the better chance you have of grabbing a good deal.
The moral of the story is that with a little planning, you can still save big on large and small items on your holiday shopping list.
Q&A: Lessons from Europe?
QUESTION:What can we learn from Europe's financial crisis?
ANSWER: The takeaway from Europe is just how quickly things can - and probably will - change. Unless the US government does something meaningful to address our own debt problems, we will see a price adjustment in the Bond market sometime in the future. Lately, US Bonds have been benefiting from the problems in Europe?and since home loan rates are tied to Bonds, home loan rates have also benefited. But this won't last forever. Somewhere down the road, something's gotta give, which means the near historically low home loan rates may be living on borrowed time.
Last updated 4 months ago
Holiday Spending Without an Extra Cent
Time is a precious commodity, but it's even more treasured because it is fleeting. As soon as a day, an hour, or even a minute passes, it is gone forever.
While that might be stating the obvious, it's an important concept to reflect on during the often-hectic holiday season. So this holiday season - regardless of which holiday you celebrate or if you celebrate any - remember to focus on and spend time with the people around you, including family, friends, and even coworkers or clients.
When TV personality and kid expert Art Linkletter was asked about the idea of spending time with loved ones this is what he said:
"I once asked a five-year-old what he would take with him if he were going to Heaven. He replied, 'I would take my parents because I think that up there they would have more time with me'... nuff said."
The good news is, it's actually possible to slow time down in a way that seems to lengthen special events like a day of fishing with your child or a special dinner with a good friend. The key is to consciously honor the person and the event as you experience it. To be in the moment.
In the days and weeks ahead, remember to recognize the people you care about. You don't need to do or say anything specific, nor do you need to spend any money. You simply need to spend time with them. So consider setting aside two hours one day for coffee with a friend. Or if you have children, make special plans to take each one out individually for their own dinner. You can even set aside a short amount of time each day to call some of your special clients to see how they're doing and personally wish them a happy holiday. And when you do, avoid distractions like technology or worries about what else you need to do that day.
After all, once the moment passes, you can go back to that checklist of things to do. But you can never go back to that moment in time.
Last updated 4 months ago
Oven Tips
The turkey is traditionally stuffed early in the morning and roasted for hours. Since it’s a long, slow cook, there’s no need to preheat your oven, even when the recipe suggests it. This also holds true for a holiday ham. In fact, unless you're baking breads or pastries, you may not need to preheat the oven at all.
Don’t open the oven door to take a peek at what’s cooking inside. Instead, turn on the oven light and check the cooking status through the oven window. Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside—by as much as 25 degrees—which increases cooking time and wastes energy.
As long as your oven is on, cook several items at the same time. Just make sure you leave enough room for the heat to circulate around each casserole and pie plate.
In an electric oven, you can turn the heat off several minutes before your food is fully cooked. As long as the oven door remains closed, enough heat will be stored inside to finish cooking your meal. The same principle applies to your electric range-top—the metal heating elements stay hot even after the electricity is turned off.
If you use glass or ceramic pans, you can turn your oven temperature down 25 degrees, and foods will cook just as quickly.
Refrigerator Tips
In addition to your stove, your refrigerator and freezer also get a real workout over the holidays. While newer refrigerators are much more energy efficient than older ones, they remain one of the largest energy consumers in your house, often accounting for as much as 15 percent of your home’s total energy usage.
Help your refrigerator and freezer operate efficiently and economically by keeping the doors closed as much as possible so the cold air doesn’t escape. However, leaving the door open for a longer period of time while you take out the items you need is more efficient than opening and closing it several times.
Dishwasher Tips
According to research, a load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand. However, if you fill the wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run, you’ll use half as much water as a dishwasher.
If you opt to use the dishwasher, wash full loads only. If you must rinse your dishes before loading them, use only cold water so you’re not running up your energy bill by heating water unnecessarily.
Don’t forget to use the energy-saving cycles whenever possible. Dishwashers that feature air power or overnight dry settings can save up to 10 percent of your dish washing energy costs.
For more information and full article visit www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/holiday.html
Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #593160; margin-left: 35px; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-right: 22px;">Selling Your Home Out of Season?
A Great Deck Makes a Difference
(ARA) While winter may not be the optimum season to showcase your landscaping, there is one improvement you can make that will help you boost your home’s outdoor appeal no matter what the season: a deck.
When potential buyers visit your home in winter, they might not be able to envision how green and lovely your backyard will look come spring. But they will be able to see with their own eyes the square footage that a deck adds to your home’s living space.
Lighting is one way to boost your deck’s appeal. LED deck lighting kits, like those offered by deck manufacturers Latitudes and Deckorators, are both practical and visually appealing. Adding lighting to a deck can be an important safety feature, and also helps create a warm, welcoming mood for evening entertaining.
Another improvement that speaks to both safety and visual appeal are deck railings. Decorative railings with ornate balusters and postcap covers can give a deck a distinctive look for a modest investment.
www.aracontent.com
Trim a Safe Tree
1. When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant."
2. When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers.
3. When setting up a tree at home, place it away from heat sources. Monitor water levels and keep the stand filled with water.
4. In homes with small children, take special care to avoid sharp, weighted or breakable decorations, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children who could swallow or inhale small pieces.
