Ben Stein - From Snopes.com

Here is the actual address without the made up guilt trip about forwarding it at the end.


Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart:

I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is, either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.

Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.
Origins: Ben Stein, a lawyer by training, has also served as a speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon, has to date authored sixteen books (both novels
and non-fiction efforts), and continues to write editorials and columns for a number of publications. He is perhaps best known to the world at large, however, for his in-front-of-the-camera work as the dreadfully dull economics teacher in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (and his similar role as the monotonic science teacher Mr. Cantwell on the TV series The Wonder Years) and as the keenly competitive host of the Comedy Central game show Win Ben Stein's Money.

Mr. Stein offers occasional commentaries for the CBS Sunday Morning news program, and the item quoted above is based on one such commentary, entitled "Confessions for the Holidays" and delivered by Mr. Stein on that program on 18 December 2005, one week before Christmas. However, the version widely circulated via e-mail includes some transcription errors and modifications that were not part of the piece as originally aired. Here is the full version as broadcast, taken from a CBS News transcript of the program:
CHARLES OSGOOD: We all have our own thoughts about the holidays. Here's Ben Stein with his.

BEN STEIN: Here at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart. I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are.

(Footage of People magazine; Us magazine)

STEIN: I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I'm buying my dog biscuits. I still don't know. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores who they are. They don't know who Nick and Jessica are, either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they've broken up? Why are they so darned important?

(Footage of People magazine)

STEIN: I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I don't care at all about Tom Cruise's baby.

(Vintage footage of congressional hearing)

STEIN: Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I'm a subversive? Maybe. But I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young? Hm, not so bad.

Next confession: I am a Jew and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish, and it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautifully lit-up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees.

(Footage of Christmas trees)

STEIN: I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are — Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they're slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. I shows that we're all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.

It doesn't bother me one bit that there's a manger scene on display at a key intersection at my beach house in Malibu.

(Footage of manger scene; menorah)

STEIN: If people want a creche, fine. The menorah a few hundred yards away is fine, too. I do not like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way. Where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and aren't allowed to worship God as we understand him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we used to know went to.
In mid-2006, someone added the following coda (not written by Ben Stein) to this piece. It combines older items about a television appearance that Anne Graham Lotz (the daughter of evangelist Billy Graham) made just after the September 11 terrorist attacks and the false claim that the son of child care expert Dr. Benjamin Spock committed suicide:
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in body our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is through suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they on believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

Ben Stein

Here's another good email I got recently

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It does n't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .. If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want praye r in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank o our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on

your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they

will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

Bailout Fable

I got this in an email this morning.

A Fable (or not)

Once upon a time a man appeared in a village and announced to the villagers that he would buy donkeys for $10 each.

The villagers, seeing that there were many donkeys around, went out and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10 and, as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort.

He next announced that he would now buy donkeys at $20 each. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching donkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms.

The offer increased to $25 each and the supply of donkeys became so scarce it was an effort to even find a donkey, let alone catch it! The man now announced that he would buy donkeys at $50 each! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would buy on his behalf.

In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers: "Look at all these donkeys in the big cage that the man has already collected. I will sell them to you at $35 and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each."

The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the donkeys for 700 billion dollars. They never saw the man or his assistant again, only lots and lots of asses!

Now you have a better understanding of how the Wall Street bailout plan will work.

12 Days of Christmas

Ask a Ninja - Mormon Ninjas?

Voter Intimidation

Obama's Joke

I heard some audio this morning where Obama joked that his opposition had dug into his past and found that in the 4th Grade he shared his toys and half his peanutbutter sandwhich as more evidence of his socialism.

I screamed at the radio, "IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY!"

Wouldn't it be more as though he took the "rich" kid's lunch to give it to others, took the "rich" kids toys and gave them to others.

Senator Government, You can give as much of YOUR money away as you want, I'll applaud it. Let me retain the freedom to chose what to do with MY money.

I Voted Constitution Party

I voted for Chuck!

www.baldwin08.com





I think I may be done with the Republican Party. I think we need smaller government and a return to the Constitution. Democrats and Republicans are not making moves to take us there.

CRA ACORN SSN FNMA DEM OBAMA

Minorities’ Home Ownership Booms Under Clinton but Still Lags Whites’By Ronald Brownstein
May 31, 1999 in print edition A-5
Full Article

It’s one of the hidden success stories of the Clinton era. In the great housing boom of the 1990s, black and Latino homeownership has surged to the highest level ever recorded. The number of African Americans owning their own home is now increasing nearly three times as fast as the number of whites; the number of Latino homeowners is growing nearly five times as fast as that of whites.

As HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo says: “There have been points in the past when the economy has done well but minority homeownership has not increased proportionally.” All of this suggests that Clinton’s efforts to increase minority access to loans and capital also have spurred this decade’s gains. Under Clinton, bank regulators have breathed the first real life into enforcement of the Community Reinvestment Act, a 20-year-old statute meant to combat “redlining” by requiring banks to serve their low-income communities.

Lenders also have opened the door wider to minorities because of new initiatives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–the giant federally chartered corporations that play critical, if obscure, roles in the home finance system. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy mortgages from lenders and bundle them into securities; that provides lenders the funds to lend more.

In 1992, Congress mandated that Fannie and Freddie increase their purchases of mortgages for low-income and medium-income borrowers. Operating under that requirement, Fannie Mae, in particular, has been aggressive and creative in stimulating minority gains. Most importantly, Fannie Mae has agreed to buy more loans with very low down payments–or with mortgage payments that represent an unusually high percentage of a buyer’s income. That’s made banks willing to lend to lower-income families they once might have rejected.

But with discrimination in the banking system not yet eradicated, maintaining the momentum of the 1990s will also require a continuing nudge from Washington. One key is to defend the Community Reinvestment Act, which the Senate shortsightedly voted to retrench recently. Clinton has threatened a veto if the House concurs.

The top priority may be to ask more of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The two companies are now required to devote 42% of their portfolios to loans for low- and moderate-income borrowers; HUD, which has the authority to set the targets, is poised to propose an increase this summer. Although Fannie Mae actually has exceeded its target since 1994, it is resisting any hike. It argues that a higher target would only produce more loan defaults by pressuring banks to accept unsafe borrowers. HUD says Fannie Mae is resisting more low-income loans because they are less profitable.

Barry Zigas, who heads Fannie Mae’s low-income efforts, is undoubtedly correct when he argues, “There is obviously a limit beyond which [we] can’t push [the banks] to produce.” But with the housing market still sizzling, minority unemployment down and Fannie Mae enjoying record profits (over $3.4 billion last year), it doesn’t appear that the limit has been reached.

All signs point toward a high-velocity collision this summer between two strong-willed protagonists: HUD’s Cuomo and Fannie Mae CEO Franklin D. Raines, the first African American to hold the post. Better they reach a reasonable agreement that provides more fuel for the extraordinary boom transforming millions of minority families from renters into owners.

Banking on illegal immigrants
Banks are seeing an untapped resource in providing home loans to undocumented U.S. residentsAugust 8, 2005: 3:39 PM EDT
By Shaheen Pasha, CNN/Money staff writer\
Full Article

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The banking industry is opening its doors to a controversial new market: illegal immigrants.

Despite heated political debate in Washington over illegal immigration in the United States, an increasing number of banks are seeing an untapped resource for growing their own revenue stream and contend that providing undocumented residents with mortgages will help revitalize local communities.

...advocates of the practice say the benefits outweigh any potential downside.

Citibank Offering Illegal Aliens Mortgages With Below Market Interest Rates, Down Payment Assistance And No Mortgage Insurance Requirements
By Digger - 2006
Full Article

Citibank has been offering illegal aliens mortgages by using Taxpayer ID numbers instead of Social Security numbers to bypass the fact that these people are illegal aliens. On top of this they are actually giving these illegal aliens special treatment they wouldn't even extend to US citizens. This is an outrage. To the millions of Americans who cannot afford a home this is simply indefensible.

As you'll see below this is not just Citibank and advocacy groups, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and taxpayer money is directly funding this!

San Diego Union-Tribune

The local program, which uses tax identification numbers instead of Social Security numbers, is similar to programs run by small lenders – and two state agencies – around the country that have distributed millions of dollars to undocumented immigrants over the past few years.

“There is a huge untapped market out there, but it is a controversial program,” said Sarah Lumbert, office director of San Diego's ACORN Housing Corp., part of a national group working with Citibank to provide tax-ID loans.

ACORN members, advocates on housing issues for low-and moderate-income people and Citibank have quietly recruited applicants in the county for more than a year. Their program has ramped up slowly because applicants need to establish credit and hunt for an affordable home.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17597739

Inside Obama’s Acorn
By their fruits ye shall know them.
By Stanley Kurtz
Full Article

What if Barack Obama’s most important radical connection has been hiding in plain sight all along? Obama has had an intimate and long-term association with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (Acorn), the largest radical group in America.

Full Article

Yesterday, ACORN's political action committee endorsed Barack Obama for President. This is an important nod from a group that understands the urgent needs of Americans most hurt by this economy and how to organize for social and economic justice.

ACORN is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, with over 350,000 member families, organized into 800 neighborhood chapters, in 104 cities nationwide. The endorsement reflects a belief that Obama – who worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago – understands that change must come from the ground-up, as part of a working coalition, rather than from position papers.

As Maude Hurd, ACORN's National President, put it, "What it came down to was that Senator Obama is the candidate who best understands and can affect change on the issues ACORN cares about like stopping foreclosures, enacting fair and comprehensive immigration reform, and building stronger and safer communities across America."

September 30, 2008
ACORN, Obama, and the Mortgage Mess
By Mona Charen
Full Article

The financial markets were teetering on the edge of an abyss last week. The secretary of the Treasury was literally on his knees begging the speaker of the House not to sabotage the bailout bill. The crash of falling banks made the earth tremble. The Republican presidential candidate suspended his campaign to deal with the crisis. And amid all this, the Democrats in Congress managed to find time to slip language into the bailout legislation that would provide a dandy little slush fund for ACORN.

ACORN does many things under the umbrella of "community organizing." They agitate for higher minimum wages, attempt to thwart school reform, try to unionize welfare workers (that is, those welfare recipients who are obliged to work in exchange for benefits) and organize voter registration efforts (always for Democrats, of course). Because they are on the side of righteousness and justice, they aren't especially fastidious about their methods. In 2006, for example, ACORN registered 1,800 new voters in Washington. The only trouble was, with the exception of six, all of the names submitted were fake. The secretary of state called it the "worst case of election fraud in our state's history." As Fox News reported:

"The ACORN workers told state investigators that they went to the Seattle public library, sat at a table and filled out the voter registration forms. They made up names, addresses, and Social Security numbers and in some cases plucked names from the phone book. One worker said it was a lot of hard work making up all those names and another said he would sit at home, smoke marijuana and fill out the forms."

ACORN explained that this was an "isolated" incident, yet similar stories have been reported in Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, and Colorado -- all swing states, by the way. ACORN members have been prosecuted for voter fraud in a number of states. (See www.rottenacorn.com.) Their philosophy seems to be that everyone deserves the right to vote, whether legal or illegal, living or dead.

ACORN recognized very early the opportunity presented by the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977. As Stanley Kurtz has reported, ACORN proudly touted "affirmative action" lending and pressured banks to make subprime loans. Madeline Talbott, a Chicago ACORN leader, boasted of "dragging banks kicking and screaming" into dubious loans. And, as Sol Stern reported in City Journal, ACORN also found a remunerative niche as an "advisor" to banks seeking regulatory approval. "Thus we have J.P. Morgan & Co., the legatee of the man who once symbolized for many all that was supposedly evil about American capitalism, suddenly donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to ACORN." Is this a great country or what? As conservative community activist Robert Woodson put it, "The same corporations that pay ransom to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton pay ransom to ACORN."

ACORN attracted Barack Obama in his youthful community organizing days. Madeline Talbott hired him to train her staff -- the very people who would later descend on Chicago's banks as CRA shakedown artists. The Democratic nominee later funneled money to the group through the Woods Fund, on whose board he sat, and through the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, ditto. Obama was not just sympathetic -- he was an ACORN fellow traveler.

Now you could make the case that before 2008, well-intentioned people were simply unaware of what their agitation on behalf of non-credit-worthy borrowers could lead to. But now? With the whole financial world and possibly the world economy trembling and cracking like a cement building in an earthquake, Democrats continue to try to fund their friends at ACORN? And, unashamed, they then trot out to the TV cameras to declare "the party is over" for Wall Street (Nancy Pelosi)? The party should be over for the Democrats who brought us to this pass. If Obama wins, it means hiring an arsonist to fight a fire.

Michelle Malkin
September 24, 2008
Full Article

AS panicked politicians prepare to fork over $1 trillion in taxpayer funding to rescue Wall Street, they've fingered regulation, deregulation, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Community Reinvestment Act, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, both Bushes, greedy banks, greedy borrowers, greedy short-sellers and minority-home-ownership promoters for blame.

But there's one villain that has slipped notice: how illegal immigration, crime-enabling banks and open-borders Bush policies fueled the mortgage crisis. It's no coincidence that the areas hardest hit by the foreclosure wave - Loudoun County, Va., California's Inland Empire, Stockton and San Joaquin Valley, and Las Vegas and Phoenix - also happen to be some of the nation's largest illegal alien sanctuaries. Half of the mortgages to Hispanics are subprime. A quarter of all those subprime loans are in default and foreclosure.

Important FYI

The second sink from the north, in the men's restroom, on the third floor, in the old building, on the west side, at the Department of Natural Resources, has the hot and cold reverse of what it should be.

Just thought you might like to know...

Halloween is going to suck this year.

AIG Bailout

Now here is something I could go for, funny how the government can't come up with a plan this brilliant.

Hi Pals,

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 billon that equals
$425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,0 00 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 taxes.

That sends $25,500,000, 000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.

A husband and wife has $595,000 .00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college - it'll be there

Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car - create jobs

Invest in the market - capital drives growth

Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks

who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company

that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed
Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth le t's really do it...instead of
trickling out

a puny $1000.00 ( 'vote buy' ) economic incentive that is being proposed
by one of our candidates for President.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult
U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG - liquidate it.

Sell off its parts.

Let American General go back to being American General.

Sell off the real estate.

Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion

We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in
Washington DC.

And remember, The Family plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because
$25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Kindest personal regards,

A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic.

PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's good for a laugh

Glenn Freezman

Family Abstract, Inc.

Who Caused the Housing Crisis?

Archive for Monday, May 31, 1999
Minorities’ Home Ownership Booms Under Clinton but Still Lags Whites’
By Ronald Brownstein
May 31, 1999 in print edition A-5

(If you are pressed for time, just read the bold/italic parts)

It’s one of the hidden success stories of the Clinton era. In the great housing boom of the 1990s, black and Latino homeownership has surged to the highest level ever recorded. The number of African Americans owning their own home is now increasing nearly three times as fast as the number of whites; the number of Latino homeowners is growing nearly five times as fast as that of whites.

These numbers are dramatic enough to deserve more detail. When President Clinton took office in 1993, 42% of African Americans and 39% of Latinos owned their own home. By this spring, those figures had jumped to 46.9% of blacks and 46.2% of Latinos.

That’s a lot of new picket fences. Since 1994, when the numbers really took off, the number of black and Latino homeowners has increased by 2 million. In all, the minority homeownership rate is on track to increase more in the 1990s than in any decade this century except the 1940s, when minorities joined in the wartime surge out of the Depression.

This trend is good news on many fronts. Homeownership stabilizes neighborhoods and even families. Housing scholar William C. Apgar, now an assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development, says that research shows homeowners are more likely than renters to participate in their community. The children of homeowners even tend to perform better in school. Most significantly, increased homeownership allows minority families, who have accumulated far less wealth than whites, to amass assets and transmit them to future generations.

What explains the surge? The answer starts with the economy. Historically low rates of minority unemployment have created a larger pool of qualified buyers. And the lowest interest rates in years have made homes more affordable for white and minority buyers alike.

But the economy isn’t the whole story. As HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo says: “There have been points in the past when the economy has done well but minority homeownership has not increased proportionally.” Case in point: Despite generally good times in the 1980s, homeownership among blacks and Latinos actually declined slightly, while rising slightly among whites.

All of this suggests that Clinton’s efforts to increase minority access to loans and capital also have spurred this decade’s gains. Under Clinton, bank regulators have breathed the first real life into enforcement of the Community Reinvestment Act, a 20-year-old statute meant to combat “redlining” by requiring banks to serve their low-income communities. The administration also has sent a clear message by stiffening enforcement of the fair housing and fair lending laws. The bottom line: Between 1993 and 1997, home loans grew by 72% to blacks and by 45% to Latinos, far faster than the total growth rate.

Lenders also have opened the door wider to minorities because of new initiatives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–the giant federally chartered corporations that play critical, if obscure, roles in the home finance system. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy mortgages from lenders and bundle them into securities; that provides lenders the funds to lend more.

In 1992, Congress mandated that Fannie and Freddie increase their purchases of mortgages for low-income and medium-income borrowers. Operating under that requirement, Fannie Mae, in particular, has been aggressive and creative in stimulating minority gains. It has aimed extensive advertising campaigns at minorities that explain how to buy a home and opened three dozen local offices to encourage lenders to serve these markets. Most importantly, Fannie Mae has agreed to buy more loans with very low down payments–or with mortgage payments that represent an unusually high percentage of a buyer’s income. That’s made banks willing to lend to lower-income families they once might have rejected.

But for all that progress, the black and Latino homeownership rates, at about 46%, still significantly trail the white rate, which is nearing 73%. Much of that difference represents structural social disparities–in education levels, wealth and the percentage of single-parent families–that will only change slowly. Still, Apgar says, HUD’s analysis suggests there are enough qualified buyers to move the minority homeownership rate into the mid-50% range.

The market itself will probably produce some of that progress. For many builders and lenders, serving minority buyers is now less a social obligation than a business opportunity. Because blacks and Latinos, as groups, are younger than whites, many experts believe they will continue to lead the housing market for years.

But with discrimination in the banking system not yet eradicated, maintaining the momentum of the 1990s will also require a continuing nudge from Washington. One key is to defend the Community Reinvestment Act, which the Senate shortsightedly voted to retrench recently. Clinton has threatened a veto if the House concurs.

The top priority may be to ask more of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The two companies are now required to devote 42% of their portfolios to loans for low- and moderate-income borrowers; HUD, which has the authority to set the targets, is poised to propose an increase this summer. Although Fannie Mae actually has exceeded its target since 1994, it is resisting any hike. It argues that a higher target would only produce more loan defaults by pressuring banks to accept unsafe borrowers. HUD says Fannie Mae is resisting more low-income loans because they are less profitable.

Barry Zigas, who heads Fannie Mae’s low-income efforts, is undoubtedly correct when he argues, “There is obviously a limit beyond which [we] can’t push [the banks] to produce.” But with the housing market still sizzling, minority unemployment down and Fannie Mae enjoying record profits (over $3.4 billion last year), it doesn’t appear that the limit has been reached.

All signs point toward a high-velocity collision this summer between two strong-willed protagonists: HUD’s Cuomo and Fannie Mae CEO Franklin D. Raines, the first African American to hold the post. Better they reach a reasonable agreement that provides more fuel for the extraordinary boom transforming millions of minority families from renters into owners.

Lurking Danger In Your Home

What did he say?

I was listening to the radio and I heard a commercial about investments and the financial market and they guy said that something was breaking out faster than Michael Phelps. I thought, that's a really cruel thing to say about someone's acne. It took me a minute, but I realized they must have meant breaking out in a race. Who are these people who can't see the way something they say could be taken? You can put lipstick on a pig, but... well, let me stop there so as not to be taken the wrong way.

Early INBOUND

So let me get this straight, Only Clusterbuster and MapMaker are cool enough, tough enough, manly enough to ride the Early Inbound. Man, you guys need to set your clocks and get out of bed. The 5:30 bus is where it's at.

Obama Pig Comment - Brilliant Move

The surge of the McCain/Palin campaign coming out of the convention may have been effectively derailed.

In one short sound bite, Obama set up a decoy that drew all the fire from the right. All discussion of McCain's rise in the polls, the energized conservative base, the excitement over the Palin selection and the the blatantly false attempts to smear her seemed to cease. All of the valid arguments against Obama and Biden from inexperience to corruption were set aside and the right spent the day replaying and commenting over and over again on a poorly delivered joke which had plausible deniability regarding its connection to Gov. Palin. Even worse, it left the right open to the charges that they were taking comments out of context, trying to play the gender card and not concerned with real issues.

The right must find a way to regain it's momentum and avoid being distracted again, especially with the possibility of Obama changing his VP selection and having a big surge of his own.

Mythbusters Not Allowed to do a Show About RFID vulnerabilities

Get Back!

Kavorka and his band rocked out at the Hogle Zoo on Friday. I went there with my family and had the chance to listen for a while.

Look at that guitar, it's made out of stickers or something. Sounded pretty good though for being made out of stickers.





As you can see, my son busted some moves in his Gilligan hat.

Chump Change

Most Americans are frustrated and would absolutely love to know where or when does the cost of gas finally end. With so many intangibles there is no way of being able to predict such a thing. On the flipside there is likely a high percentage of Americans who probably have no clue whatsoever where the money is going once it is pumped into their vehicle. With a little of research here's what I was able to come up with. Off the top there are the government taxes (what else is new? LOL) typically for building and road maintenance (approximately 40 cents of which per gallon while the national average has the state governments taking approximately 22 cents per gallon). Obviously there is also the logistics of moving the product from refineries to the local pump which is approximately 25 cents per gallon. About another 25 cents per gallon goes to the actual refinery companies such as Sunoco, Frontier, etc. About $2 per gallon (the big portion) goes to the actual producers like Chevron or Marathon. However, once at the local convenience station (keep in mind most are typically independently owned/operated) which generates typically about 7 to 10 cents for every gallon (according to the US Energy Information Administration). At that rate there is absolutely also no way that could even be considered profit when you figure in the local employee wages, the lease, the station bills (electrical/upkeep etc). Any profit whatsoever at that level likely would have to come from coffee, cigarette, alcohol, soda or food/candy sales. From another website there was a percentage breakdown for a gallon of gas which was as follows...

58 crude oil
17 refining
15 taxes
9 distribution/retail
1 local store income

Just something to think about or ponder next time you fill up at the pump. Any thoughts? Would love to hear!

Hey yo!

Face it most of us at one time or another (most likely in our youth) have had or messed around with a yo-yo whether it was learning tricks as walking the dog or splitting the atom (or just simply goofing off). The yo-yo is thought to have originated in China where it was first mentioned from about 500 BC. James L Haven and Charles Hettrich received the first US patent back in 1866. However, in 1928 Pedro Flores opened a yo-yo company in Santa Barbara California. By November that year Flores was running his company with 600 workers and producing over 300,000 units daily. The world yo-yo contest was held recently in Florida with John Ando taking this years honors as champion. Back in 1996 it was actually won by a local named Dale Myrberg from Sugarhouse (even set 9 American yo-yo Associated World Records). He was also recently inducted into the American Yo Yo Association Hall Of Fame (yes it actually does exist). Over the years Dale has collected over 3,000 yo-yo's. It all began at the age of 13. He was a rather quick study and progressed to a elevated state of yo winning the state title at 15. To some it might be perceived as a waste of time. To others it teaches practice, patience and persistence!

Bair Gutsman

Here is some information on my upcoming race for Motortales.

Hello everyone!
We are a less than a week away from the big race! We hope that your training and preparation has gone well and that you are all excited about putting it all on the line.
This year we have a wide variety of racers from very young to not so young and from a bunch of first timers to some vetran Bair Gutsman racers. This year we even have the "Running Divas" group from Ogden participating which will more than likely spice things up a bit!
Just a few reminders....There is no water or aid station for the first 6 miles. These are not easy miles so plan accordingly. After reaching the top there is one aid station and then no further support until the finish line (another 5 miles). Also, the finish line is not the same place as the starting line. The race ends about 6 miles up Farmington Canyon and there is no transportation provided so please make appropriate plans.
We will be marking the trail the night before the race and hope that the signs are not tampered with for race day. Don't always trust the person in front of you....they are probably lost too. A general rul of thumb is that if you're not climbing strainght up the mountain with a maxed out heart rate, sweating, bleeding and on the verge of tears....you're probably on the wrong trail.
Check in begins at 5AM and the race will begin at 6AM sharp!
We look forward to seeing you all bright and early saturday morning!
Good Luck!

"You can observe a lot just by watching" - Yogi Berra

The Running Divas thing has me a little worried. I'm just hoping they aren't a bunch of men in drag.

Keeping Dry

Golden Shellback Waterproof Coating from gCaptain.com on Vimeo.

We had a keyboard meet it's untimely death from a glass of water knocked over in a pillow fight recently. Wow, that sounds like it needs more explaination.

They should just make them this way to begin with! Maybe they will eventually.

Early Bird Special

Hey Guys

If we all started riding the 5:30 bus, maybe we'd actually be able to find a seat and re-establish the Back Four seating postitions. How can we maintain a back four montra without a back four?

So next week, set your alarms and be on the 5:30.

Kerli - Walking on Air

This is what I am listening to lately. Its a nice little song about being positive.

Hybrid Games

Chess Boxing, can you believe it exists? They alternate rounds of boxing and chess.

What games would you combine?

Hot Dog 2008 Champ In Overtime

Just finished watching this years hot dog eating championship on the day we celebrate our independence from tyranny and the right to pursue our personal freedoms. The contestants sought to pursue their right to gluttony, acid reflex and intestinal discomfort. Weighing in at 128 pounds dressed in a tshirt, flip flops and basketball shorts Takeru Kobayashi stopped to pose for some photos. In this grueling rematch defending champ Joey Chestnut's quest to fend off Kobayashi (who had won the event every year from 2001 to 2006) was taken into overtime . Apparently, this years regulation time was changed to coincide with the original format from when the event first began. Last year's event was 12 minutes to down as many hot dogs. The contestants this year only have 10 minutes. After regulation Chesnut and Kobayashi were tied at 59. Judges decided in a photo finish to have a 5 dog eat off. When the frankfurters were gone (as well as everyone else's appetite) Joey Chestnut retained the coveted "mustard belt". Wonder how they train for something as such (binge/purge?). Regardless, that is seriously major league eating. Think I'll go grab a hot dog (just kiddin).

You Four ia

As many may have heard, Utah State employees are going to a Monday to Thursday schedule, Four Tens. This will have many consequences, the most tragic of which will be the end of you four ia on the 453 inbound.

The world will never be the same

Citius, Altius, Fortius

Most of us might remember back in 1989 a lone individual standing bravely in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square. With the Olympics less than 45 days how much do we really know about Beijing? In the city there are over 17 million citizens. Encircling the city are 9 expressways, 11 national highways, several railway routes and an international airport. Beijing only runs 5 subway lines for roughly 17 million citizens. By comparison NYC alone runs 26 lines for only 8 million. On an average day in Beijing the air pollution is nearly 5 times above World Health Organization standards. Coal is China's main source of energy and bears much of the blame. Beijing has numerous professional sports teams present. They are: Beijing Guoan (Soccer), Beijing Ducks (Basketball), Beijing Tigers (Baseball) and the China Sharks (Asia League Ice Hockey). The Olympics run 8 Aug thru the 24th. I will definately watch when I can track/field, basketball and women's beach volleyball (Hot-ologist Apprentice here). What will you be watching?

The Squeaky Wheel

We got a long bus today. I guess my complaining worked.

The Evils of Carbon Dioxide

Don't Download This Song

I can't embed!

Well, today was interesting on the bus. Crazy people. (meaning me I guess)

Hey, let's all send UTA nasty emails about how we don't like the short bus.

http://www.rideuta.com/root/contactUs.aspx

I just did.

Pretty Cool Guitar

This guitar has infinite sustain and a muted mode that sounds like a banjo or sitar.

Kurt Nilsen

I think I sent you guys some links to this guy, I'm sure none of you have looked at them, so here he is.



Four Guys From Norway

www.kurtnilsenmusic.com

Bus Bunch Breakfast

I noticed when we got off the bus to go to Denny's that you guys were all shorter than I thought and I thought you wouldn't like this video.

Did You Actually Pass The Bar Exam?

I got this in an email

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.
____________________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh........ he's twenty.
________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you kiddin' me?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh....
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you kiddin' me? Your Honour, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to
rephrase that?
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?
____________________ __________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law

Wanna Get Away?

Got some time off coming up? Wanna get away? Need some ideas on what to do or what to see? Is the cost of gas altering that decision on where to go? Need to try something different? Ever consider instead of a vacation in taking a stay-cation? Here's a few ideas if you'd rather not travel far but still want to discover whats right in your own backyard. How about...

The Clark Planetarium
Desert Star Playhouse
Hogle Zoo
Hale Center Theatre
Paintball Planet
Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum
Utah Bees (Riding a 32-12 Record!)
Pioneer Theatre
Living Planet Aquarium
Tracy Aviary
Utah Blaze
Take The Family Bowling
Red Butte Gardens
FastKart Indoor Speedway

Got any others not listed? Or other suggestions? Would love to hear!

The Latest Thing I am Listening To

Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Letter from God

If you like that then you can try this:


dan le sac VS scroobius pip "Thou Shalt always Kill"

Nougatocity?

This morning since I was runnin late (what else is new?) upon arriving at work my first stop was the good ole vendin machine to get some sugar in my system before rollin to my desk. A couple quarters later a snickers bar popped out. After taking a few bites I came across the definition of "nougatocity" on the inside wrapper. It states "A heightened yet fleeting state of accomplishment that makes you realize how unbelievable unmotivated you normally are". Now if a nougat is a specific sugar and peanut combination in a sugar confection by reasoning shouldn't nougatocity then really be the amount or level of nougat in that confectionary? Or am I missing something? Thoughts?

You look like...

Rock The Vote?

Most Americans are familiar with the common catch phrase "Rock The Vote". Yet as Americans are we really Rocking The Vote? Are we making the most sound decision we believe in when we cast our vote? Voting is that very act in which an individual expresses their support or preference for a certain motion, act or choosing a candidate. It is absolutely essential in making a democracy work most efficiently. In recent years only 70 to 75 percent choose to register to vote. Even worse in the 2004 presidential election voter turnout was only a mere 56 percent. Why is it that we can make the effort to head to a convenience store for a soda refill but can't seem to make it when placing someone to make decisions representing us? Somewhat recently individuals in Iraq had the opportunity for the first free election in years. Many traveled miles risking their own lives to make their voice known. Without voting citizens lose much of their ability to best represent their voice on the different political opinions and issues. How can we as Americans expect the best when we haven't even researched or delved into the different arenas that each candidate supports? Often candidates will say one thing to get elected and actually do another. So when was the last time we actually searched those candidates voting history and saw where they truly stood on certain issues (immigration, gun rights, abortion, etc)? Many voters usually see one or two things they like and call it good. Uneducated individuals can be highly susceptible to jumping on an influencial bandwagon based on family member views, biased headlines/tabloids, attack pamphlets or smear ads. Often an uneducated vote can be more harmful than no vote at all. Before we stand and be counted lets take some time to reflect, ponder, and study out the different issues and candidates. Only by doing so can we reach the best possible conclusion in showing America (and the community we live in) who really rocks!

But Wait There's More...

Whether you are Pinky & The Brain (trying to take over the world) or a Maxwell Smart there's a gadget out there everyone wants in order to help us succeed, can't live without or simply just purely enjoys. Since the beginning of man there have been gadgets around (abacus, etc). We now live in a day and age that gadget's are all around us in our everyday life. Most of us have seen some amazing inventions (handheld calculators, CDs, DVDs, dustbusters, remote control for the tv, microwave ovens, popcorn poppers, laptops, digital cameras, flash memory, etc) that have also changed the way we live as well. Seems like wherever we turn someone is trying to sell us something. If you turn on any tv there's often a informercial on somewhere (but wait there's more, or if you act now, etc) selling something whether it was the clapper, the pocket fisherman, George Foreman grill, etc. Five of my favorite gadgets I love include

Ipod
Tivo
Electric Shaver, Self Cleaning
Garage Door Opener (esp during bad weather)
Smartphone (Treo)

...what's on your list of favorite gadgets? Would love to hear.

Ten Things I Hope I Never See On the Bus

1 - Another idiot
2 — Another guy without shoes
3 — Another wild turkey
4 — Another narcoleptic driver
5 — Another Egyptian hieroglyph
6 — Another pizza
7 — Another escaped prisoner
8 — Another license plate
9 — Another print made from a wood carving
10 — Another new disease

Knowing?

"There are things we know we know, and that's helpful to know you know something. There are things we know we don't know and that's really important to know, and not think you know them when you don't. But the tricky ones are the unknown unknowns, the things we don't know we don't know. They're the ones that can get you in a bucket of trouble." Donald Rumsfeld (in an interview with David Frost, 27 June 2004)

Back-four's mantra

I’ve adopted this for my blogging mantra: "It is dangerous to inform morons about what their fellow morons are thinking. It only reinforces their moronic opinions. And the only thing worse than a moron with an opinion is lots of them." (give credit to "Cali Valley Girl," terrorism blogger, December 6, 2005)

Sweet Tooth Favorites

This morning's discussion centered around nougat and one's favorite candy bar. To begin nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat can range from chewy to hard depending on its composition and is used in a variety of candy bars. Candy was a term derived from the Arabic "Qandi" meaning a sugar confection. The ancient Egyptians originally preserved nuts and fruits with honey. Nougat used as an ingredient in many modern candy bars is not similar to traditional recipes but is a mixture of sucrose and corn syrup aerated with a whipping agent such as egg white or hydrolyzed soya protein. It may also have vegetable fats and milk powder added and is typically combined with nuts caramel or chocolate. Today it is a million dollar industry with product rather accessible at any local convenience store. Such companies include Mars, Hershey, Cadbury and Nestle. Some of the more common candy bars include:

3 Musketeers
5th Avenue
100 Grand
Almond Joy
Baby Ruth
Big Hunk
Bit O Honey
Butterfinger
Caramel Crunch
Crispy Crunch
Dove Bar
Heath Bar
Hershey Bar
Idaho Spud
Kit Kat
Marathon
Milky Way
Mounds
Mr Goodbar
Nestle Crunch
Nutrageous
Oh Henry
Powerhouse
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Reggie Bar
Rolo
Salted Nut Roll
Skor
Snickers
Take 5
Twix
Whatchamacallit
Wonkabar
Wunderbar

So what are some of your personal favorites? Got any different ones you like I forgot to include? Would love to hear.

What's In Your Wallet

Since Clusterbuster said there wasn't any good advice I figured I'd do my share to help out. Often on tv we see the commercial with those famous words "what's in your wallet". Well often that can be telling. Do you have a often used credit card? Are there multiple receipts? I figure this is a place we all can start with. Budget each month but review your amounts and categories every single paycheck. In the process of setting up a budget identify your financial priorities. Then no matter how little or how much we make always pay yourself a small portion. Set it aside on a regular basis for that "rainy day". Know the difference between wants and needs. We all need food but we all want prime rib. If there's something you'll use often or for a long time always do a little research and purchase the best you can afford. Control debt at all costs. Save for what you want tomorrow. Don't gamble more than you can afford to lose (stock, funds, credit cards, etc). Invest for time. A penny saved is definately a penny earned. Those pennies add up and add up fast over time. After looking at what's in your wallet (how its earned or spent) might help in how it might be saved.

Searching

I tried Map Maker, Kavorka, ClusterBuster, Cluster Buster, Bus Ride Conversationalist, Bus Ride Conversationalist Extraordinaire, and several others, but here are two that worked.

Four Fifty Three Inbound - Number one Search Result

Tooele Inbound - Fourth Search Result

And of course, I didn't write either of the posts it references. I'm a failure!

Unintended but not Unforseen

Old post about corn ethanol

Biofuels under attack as world food prices soar

by Marlowe Hood
Sun Apr 20, 5:36 AM ET


PARIS (AFP) - Hailed until only months ago as a silver bullet in the fight against global warming, biofuels are now accused of snatching food out of the mouths of the poor.

Billions have been poured into developing sugar- and grain-based ethanol and biodiesel to help wean rich economies from their addiction to carbon-belching fossil fuels, the overwhelming source of man-made global warming.

Heading the rush are the United States, Brazil and Canada, which are eagerly transforming corn, wheat, soy beans and sugar cane into cleaner-burning fuel, and the European Union (EU) is to launch its own ambitious programme.

But as soaring prices for staples bring more of the planet's most vulnerable people face-to-face with starvation, the image of biofuels has suddenly changed from climate saviour to a horribly misguided experiment.

On Friday, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said biofuels "posed a real moral problem" and called for a moratorium on using food crops to power cars, trucks and buses.

The vital problem of global warming "has to be balanced with the fact that there are people who are going to starve to death," said Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

more...

LOOK!

Nobody commented on this (except for some crazy old coot), so it makes me think no one looked at it.

Go try it!

Go to http://maps.google.com/
Search for a location you are familiar with
At the top of the map, click on Street View
(The streets where this option is available get highlighted in blue)
Double Click on a street you want to see...

And... Holy Smokes!

Star Wars - It was only a matter of time

Here is my test result.



George Lucas in Love



TROOPS (COPS)

Nerdier Version

If you thought that was geeky check this one out.

Better Advice

Good Advice

ClusterBuster said, "I have yet to find one edifying fact worth capturing" on this blog, so here is some good advice.

What's On Your List?

Every day I always see lots of individuals hiding behind a book I wonder what they might have on their reading list. Some of the reading material that I've seen include Michael Beschloss (Presidential Courage) and James Swanson (Manhunt) among other books and magazines. Am totally curious what on your list to read. Would love to know. Here's what's on mine...



Ali M ansari/Confronting Iran
Viktor Bilenko/MiG Pilot
Bruce Bower/While Europe Slept
John Buchanan/The Road To Valley Forge
Rodger W Claire/Raid On The Sun
Wayne Coffey/Boys On Ice (Olympic Miracle On Ice Story)
Alice Cooper/Golf Monster
Daryl Dawkins/Chocolate Thunder
Frederick Douglas/Escape From Slavery
Albert Einstein/World As I See It
Brett Favre/Favre:For The Record
David Hackett Fischer/Washington's Crossing
Benjamin Franklin/The Autobiography Of
Geronimo/His Own Story
Oren Harari/Leadership Secrets Of Colin Powell
Thomas Jefferson/The Jefferson Bible
Latifa/My Forbidden Face (Growing Up Under Taliban)
Vince Lombardi/What It Takes To Be #1
Sally Magnusson/The Flying Scotsman (Eric Liddell Story)
Nelson Mandela/Long Walk To Freedom
Pervez Musharrof/In The Line Of Fire
James Naismith/Basket Ball (Its Origin & Development)
Ted Nugent/God Guns & Rock n Roll
Hampton Sides/Blood & Thunder: Epic Story Of Kit Carson
Mother Teresa/In My Own Words
Steve Turner/Amazing Grace (Story Behind The Song)
Reggie White/God's Playbook
Billy Waugh/Hunting The Jackyl (Life In The Special Forces)

....looking forward to whats on your list.

The Bus...

The Bus is like a mullet. Business in the front, party in the back. Kavorka shaved his goatee, and Motortales cut his mullet. Let us observe a moment of silence for the hair that has been lost.

Cluster Buster for President

I wanted to change my name to .-- but it will mess up my other blog.

Map Makers Malificent Manipulated Multi-Media Makes Menacing Millionares Mighty Merry. My Merriment Might Make Mere Millionares Mad. Maybe Marinated Meat Magots Miss My More Mystical Moods. Mustn't Mix My Musical Melodies Minus Maps.

Ok so that was something.

I know that Map Maker loves being up on all the new music, so here is the Flobots singing Handlebars.

The Thousand Dollar Oil Change

Every time I have the oil changed on my car, it seems like they magically find at least $1,000 of work that needs to be done right away. Does that only happen to me? Maybe it has to do with the condition of the cars I drive. I better start doing my own oil changes again, especially if it will save me $1,000! AutoZone should put that in an ad, change you own oil, save a grand.

Skills

I just need someone who can do this...

Video Deleted due to objectionable content

and all my Karate Kid/Back to the Future dreams will come true.

Plus, like I said on the bus, they could run into Bill and Ted while traveling through time and have a battle of the bands. Then they could stop in on the movies Men at Work and Weekend at Bernie's and you'd have the best movie of all time!

Making The Most Of Your Dollar

Since most of us answered the best thing about riding the bus was to save money I figured I could include a post on things we could do with our dollar. I've included 10 items of things we could do with a dollar. They are as follows....




1-Park downtown for a half hour
2-Purchase the latest edition of the Tooele transcript
3-Drive out to Wendover and put it all on red (granted the trip will cost you more than a dollar in gas)
4-Trade it on ebay for a different dollar
5-Make a lightweight two inch telescope (1x powered)
6-Get 100 pennies, find a fountain and make a 100 wishes
7-Pay off all your debts in Mexico
8-Level a wobbly table
9-Buy something off Mcdonalds Value menu for 99 cents (save a penny!)
10-Buy pretty much anything at the dollar store

Got any other ideas? Hey it's all about value!

Six Strings

Earlier while riding in "the limo" there was a discussion on who the best guitarist is. I believe that depends on a number of different factors. One could look at the what genera. One could look at musical theory or the technical. One could look at what time period. Typically its either most popular or personal favorite. I decided to list my favorite living guitarists (tried to include different genera's overall). They would be as follows in no particular order....



Neil Zaza/Rock
Ottmar Liebert/Flamenco
Gary Hoey/Rock
Govi/New Age
Edward Van Halen/Rock
Joe Satriani/Rock
Armik/New Age
Christopher Parkening/Classical
Eric Johnson/Rock
Eric Clapton/Blues

....would love to hear who's on your list.

New Movie Idea

But would it be Back to the Future 4 or Karate Kid 4? Either way, it's number 4.

Marty McFly and Daniel LaRusso meet up and become friends and travel through time. It'd be awesome.

Look, they are even trying to date the same girl. They could fight over her at first, then become friends. Don't tell Daniel, but Marty's already been to the future and found out he marries her.

Greatest Guitar Duel on Film - Steve Vai

This isn't the greatest movie in the world, but its worth sitting through just for this duel. The guitarist playing for the devil is Steve Vai. He is the guy that David Lee Roth recruited for his band after he left Van Halen.

I love the band Van Halen, but as far as technical ability David Lee Roth's band kicked butt over Van Halen. But that being said when it comes to $$$ Eddie Van Halen's brown sound seems to clean up.

Who Are We

Since some of you might be wondering about our great city and its origination I took a few and googled (yes I hold the great power of Google!) some information. Back in 2004 Tooele had a population estimated at 27,903. Tooele according to the Census Bureau has 21.2 miles of total area. Its name is thought by some to have evolved from an old Ute indian word for tumbleweed (we definately have enough tumbleweeds!). Some explain its origination from a Native American chief but controversery exists about whether such a chief actually lived. Others hypothesize the name derives from "Tu-Wanda" the Goshute word for Bear or from "tule" a spanish word of Aztec origin meaning bulrush. About 100 Goshute Indians lived in the Tooele valley when Capt. Howard Stansbury surveyed the region for the US Army in 1853. On 4 Sept 1849 three Mormon pioneer families settled on a small stream south of present Tooele city. A few months later four men obtained timber rights from Small Canyon (today's Middle Canyon) and Big Canyon (Settlement Canyon). Tooele City Corporation was formed in 1853 and grew to a population of about 1200 at the turn of the century. Now over 150 years later we have the "luxury" of riding bus 453 inbound.

Private Eyes, Are Watching You

Hall and Oates Classic



Now, if that doesn't scare you, check this out.

Go to http://maps.google.com/
Search for a location you are familiar with
At the top of the map, click on Street View
(The streets where this option is available get highlighted in blue)
Double Click on a street you want to see...

And... Holy Smokes!

Priavaate Eyeeeeeeeeeeeees are watching you watching you watching you, yououooooooo.

Sick

I'm so sick of these Mickey Mouse Communist Dictators!

Come on!

This Is The Place

Quick geography lesson for all those absolutely curious. I've compiled a list of all those hard to find places you've always wondered about or wanted to visit here in this wonderful state. Just wanted to make sure we're all up to speed on the same page in our discussions.

Avon/Kinda by Mantua & Hyrum
Beaver/Yes it actually has its own airport!
Booth/That's about all it is
Dividend/Sits near Eureka but probably doesn't make a dividend
Echo/Awesome fishing near Coalville
Eggnog/Heard about it from Mapmaker
Flux/Past Grantsville on I-80 but before Delle
Gandy/Upper Corner Millard County
Genola/Down by Payson
Gilluly/Soldier Summit (Wasn't he in some video?)
Hailstone/Other side of Park City
Ioka/Near Roosevelt
Jerusalem/2000 miles away (actually by Moroni)
Keniworth/Price helper area (thought it was a trucking company)
Leeds/Nothin but weeds (Near Hurricane)
Levan/Down by Nephi
Loa/Good fishin at Fishlake
Mutual/Castledale area
Neola/Near Roosevelt
Notom/About 20 mi west of Hanksville
Ouray/Campground & fishing at Pelican Lake
Partown/Juab county almost NV border
Sego/Above Junction of Hwy 191 & 70
Shivwits/St George area
Ticaboo/Just above Lake Powell-great for summertime visit!
Toquerville/Near Hurricane (I thought this is where Afroman lives)
Tucker/Soldier Summit area
Upalco/Kinda by Tabiona
Virgin/By Hurricane (Ironic its near Spendlove Knoll)

Now that we're all up to speed in knowing this is the place we're talking bout...feel free to discuss.