And a special thanks to all the new people who came in last week. It was a good time. Remember, if you think that you're too small to make a difference, than you've never tried to sleep with a mosquito in the room.
more information: e- mail WeThePeopleOfRI@verizon.net
Meanwhile, as Sen. Goodwin has compared Paiva-Weed to Mother Teresa, the Vatican is sending an emissary to evaluate her stigmata to see if she is really worthy of sainthood which I strongly doubt.
It is been proven that she is a bleeding heart Liberal bent on giving the state away to all the illegal aliens, but perhaps our money would be better spent buying them all luggage so that they can return from whence they came…Like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, to name a few.
The state could also save money by not having to print all signs and state literature in two languages so that Sen. Rhoda Perry and Sen. Juan Pechardo can read them.
By the way Teresa, get those damn teeth fixed. I had to keep adjusting the brightness on my TV during your speech last night as the light reflections were blinding. The Bugs Bunny look went out about twenty years ago. In keeping with Rhode Island tradition, perhaps you could approach a lobbyist from the RI Dental Association about some Pro Bono work.
As for Sen. Charlie Levesques… Please see a damn Barber. For God’s sake, Donald Trump has a better hairdo. You only look like an intellectual… Those of us in the know… Know better, and please stop trying to act as if you care about your constituents, you don’t, you self serving leech. Take the Master Lever off the ballot and see if you still survive next election. Also; You should probably see a Proctologist while your at it because all the crap coming out of your mouth must be very painful.
So what has changed in the Senate? Paiva-Weed is only a figurehead fronting for Montalbano, Dan Connors works out of Montalbano’s office, and Dan DaPonte is one of ex-Sen. Alves kiss asses and partner in Crime.
Because the average Rhode Islander is either too stupid, or too apathetic to notice the difference doesn’t make the musical chairs transparent. So who is really calling the shots in consult with Montalbano… My guess would be another thug like Sen. Ruggerio or Sen. Paul Moura?
How close am I? Anyone want to bet I'm right on target.
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
--------------------------------------------------------
FindLaw's List of the Top 10 Legal Issues
--------------------------------------------------------
The legal issues beneath the mortgage meltdown are myriad: from
predatory lending to the rating and regulation of mortgage-backed
securities. It will take years to understand and remedy the
regulatory issues that allowed a bonanza in sub-prime mortgages in
the U.S. to sink the world economy. However, the legal issues faced
by homeowners and renters are immediate."
They often never even reply to low ball offers on foreclosures. In
the last couple weeks, I have seen a dramatic change in many of the
bank’s responses to lower than average offers. They seem to be
having Christmas sales or something because offers that my customers
submitted, but I never figured would be even considered, are getting
accepted."
--------------------------------------------------------
Realtor Vs FSBO - An Unbiased Comparison
--------------------------------------------------------
Every Realtor, without fail, will tell you that they can sell your
home faster and for more money than you can. They will even have
statistics to prove their point. On the flip-side, almost every "For
Sale By Owner" site on the web will tell you the opposite. So who do
you believe when both parties are self-serving?"
---------- Quote of the Day ---------
The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and
breeds reptiles of the mind.
- William Blake (1757-1827)
Don't believe that Israel is some helpless babe-in-the-woods. They have the entire support of the UN behind them, and the conflict is induced purposely.
Operation Clean Government, in its effort to fight for transparency in RI Government, is pleased to announce that the Rhode Island Ethics Commission has a new website that includes access to the financial disclosure statements filed by members of the General Assembly and State General Officers, as required by law. Now the public can see for themselves where their elected officials derive their income. This is extremely important information when determining if an official has a conflict of interest.
Openness in government reduces the opportunity for corruption. We hope you will take time to check out the website and learn more about your elected representatives. For a democracy to function successfully, it is paramount the public be informed about their government. You can access the website from the OCG website www.ocgri.org or go directly to www.ethics.ri.gov/disclosure
Also new on the OCG website www.ocgri.org
Outrageous ruling: Legislators can ignore ethics law; Robert A. Benson Jr., Providence Journal, January 2, 2009
Ethics Commission asks R.I. Supreme Court to overturn ruling questioning its authority, Providence Journal, Dec 27, 2008
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
--------------------------------------------------------
Wells Fargo & Deutsche Bank sued in foreclosure mess
--------------------------------------------------------
Ohio has been hit hard by foreclosures. Not just Cleveland but also
Cincinnati. This lawsuit is aimed at Wells, Deutsche Bank and the
City of Cincinnati for allowing the Price Hill areas to become
dangerously blighted. The complaint states that in East and West
Price Hill neighborhoods there were nearly 300 foreclosures in 2007.
"
--------------------------------------------------------
Master the Foreclosure Market
--------------------------------------------------------
With foreclosures continuing to rise in most areas of the country,
one of the most common questions asked of real estate professionals
these days is some variation of the following: “Is now a good time to
buy a foreclosure?”
"
--------------------------------------------------------
Breaking Up Is Harder to Do After Housing Fall
--------------------------------------------------------
With nearly one in six homes worth less than the mortgage owed on it,
according to Moody’s Economy.com, divorce lawyers and financial
advisers around the country say the logistics of divorce have been
turned around. “We used to fight about who gets to keep the house,”
said Gary Nickelson, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial
Lawyers. “Now we fight about who gets stuck with the dead cow.”
"
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
-------------------------
Are Home Prices Still Too High?
--------------------------------------------------------
The Wall Street Journal, in “Home Prices Declined at Record Pace in
October”, reports that the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price
index fell 2.2% month over month and 18% year over year for October.
Some of the metropolitan areas fell more than 30% year over year.
Prices peaked in mid 2006, but are still 58% above early 2000.
"
--------------------------------------------------------
Commercial real estate in for tough 2009
--------------------------------------------------------
The balance of power between landlords and tenants will shift
dramatically in 2009.
For landlords, this promises to be a year of intense competition,
more bankrupt tenants, and tightfisted lenders. For renters, it looks
like a time of abundant choices and tiny -- if any -- price increases."
--------------------------------------------------------
2009 - Take Your Future into Your Own Hands
--------------------------------------------------------
A year ago, we didn’t know it, but the beginnings of the financial
meltdown we’ve now witnessed were there. The subprime mortgage
debacle had already struck and the media madness was in full swing. "
---------- Quote of the Day ---------
A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a single hope.
- Epictetus
D. Schedule of Events
1. Monday January 5 - Mayor Allan Fung Inauguration In Cranston
2. Tuesday January 6 - Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian Inauguration
3. Tuesday January 6 - Lincoln Town Admin. Joe Almond Inaugural
4. Thur. Jan. 8 - R.I. Republican Assembly (Conservative GOP) Mtg.
5. Thursday January 15 - R.I. GOP Volunteers Meeting
6. Saturday Jan. 17 - South County GOP Breakfast In Westerly
7. Saturday January 17 - Coventry GOP Victory Party
8. Saturday January 24 - East Bay GOP Brunch In Newport
9. Tuesday January 27 - Right To Life Rally At State House
10. Thur. Feb. 12 - R.I. Republican Assembly (Conservative GOP) Mtg.
11. Saturday Feb. 21 - South County GOP Breakfast In West Greenwich
12. February 26 to 28 - Conservative Political Action Conference In D.C.
13. Friday February 27 - Providence Journal Follies
14. Sunday March 1 - Lincoln GOP Lincoln Day Dinner
15. Saturday March 7 - North Kingstown GOP Lincoln Day Dinner
Bruce Saccoccio, former Cranston Republican City Chairman, and recent GOP candidate for City Council and School Committee, has started a new column in his city's weekly newspaper, the Cranston Herald. Bruce's column, which runs every other week, gives well-written commentary about city and state issues from a GOP viewpoint.
The Cranston Herald comes out in print form on Wednesdays, and on the internet on Thursdays. Check out Bruce's column at:
www.CranstonOnline.com/pages/news_opinion
You can E-mail Bruce at: bruce.saccoccio@yahoo.com
Incidentally, the Herald, which has a good record of covering local issues from all perspectives, has previously had another GOP columnist, Randy Jackvony (another former City Chair), who stepped down to spend more time with his family.
The Republican Jewish Coalition, a branch of the Republican National Committee, has chapters in 45 cities. It promotes ties between the Jewish community and GOP decision makers. Local chapters usually have regular meetings and social events, with guest speakers talking about Israel, national defense, and other issues of interest to the Jewish community.
Until now, the closest chapter was in the Boston area, and was not convenient for Rhode Islanders to participate in. So Stacy Silverman from Providence has started up a Rhode Island chapter. Stacy, a recent Brown University graduate, is an analyst for an investment banking firm in downtown Providence. She plans to have an initial kickoff event within a month. For more info, and to get on her notification list, E-mail Stacy at: silverman.stacy@gmail.com , or call her at 401-595-9943
To learn more about the national organization, check the web site: www.RJCHQ.org
Dean Fachon, an active Republican from East Greenwich, asked us to publicize the free bumper stickers he has designed and printed, opposing the Democrats' efforts to destroy conservative talk radio (like Rush Limbaugh) by bringing back the so-called fairness doctrine. The fairness doctrine, which was abolished during the Reagan administration, required radio and TV commentators to give equal time to both sides of every issue (with government bureaucrats deciding whether they complied). Of course, the Democrats do not propose applying this to ultra-liberal print media, like the New York Times.
Dean's red, white & blue bumper stickers, carry the message:
"Fairness" Doctrine?
Try the First Amendment
For more info about these bumper stickers, E-mail Dean at: fachon@tiac.net
Do you know of any GOP events in your city or town? Contact us, and we will include them in this calendar. Since this Update only comes out every month or so, look for more timely info in these places.
The state Republican Party's web site, www.rigop.org , has an "Events" section.
Also, check out the RIRA web site (www.ri-ra.org or www.rirepublicans.org), and go to the “Coming Events” link on the left side. In addition to sending your event info to this Editor, send it also to RIRA webmaster Will Ricci at events@ri-ra.org
1. Monday January 5 - Inauguration of ALLAN FUNG as Mayor of CRANSTON - 7:00 P.M. - at Cranston East High School (Park Ave., between Reservoir Ave. & Pontiac Ave.). Ceremonies in the auditorium; reception to follow in the gymnasium.
2. Tuesday January 6 - Inauguration of SCOTT AVEDISIAN to his 6th term as Mayor of WARWICK - 7:00 P.M. - in the Council chambers of City Hall.
3. Tuesday January 6 - Inauguration of JOE ALMOND to his 2nd term as Town Administrator of LINCOLN - 7:00 P.M. - in the High School
4. Thursday January 8 - RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY (Conservative GOP) Meeting - Dinner at 6:00 P.M.; Meeting at 7:00 P.M. -
at the Tri-City Elk's Lodge #14 in WARWICK, located at 1915 West Shore Road.(this is Rt. 117, about half-way between Oakland Beach Ave. and Warwick Neck Ave.). Note that this is a different location from where previous monthly meetings have been held.
There will be a Pasta Dinner (buffet style) before the meeting. The cost is $7.00 per person. There is a bar for sodas and other drinks.
The Rhode Island Republican Assembly is our state's largest conservative political organization. The RIRA is the R.I. affiliate of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, a thoughtful organization of GOP conservatives working to grow and strengthen the Republican Party, in the tradition of President Ronald Reagan.
This is a dinner meeting, and if you want to eat, you pay for your own meal. Any like-minded conservative Republican is invited to attend. As always, there will be a free raffle for GOP prizes at the conclusion of the meeting.
For more information, please contact RIRA President Ray McKay at president@ri-ra.org or NFRA Northeast Region Vice President Will Ricci at NEVP@ri-ra.org or visit their informative web site at http://www.ri-ra.org. You can also view current and past copies of these Updates on their web site, under "Archives". Also, check out the RIRA's great blog, THE OCEAN STATE REPUBLICAN at http://oceanstaterepublican.com.
5. Thursday January 15 - R.I. GOP Volunteers (Victory 2010 Committee) meeting - 7:00 P.M. - at Avedisian headquarters, 1800 Post Rd. (Airport Plaza - corner of Post Rd. & Airport Rd. - to the left of Staples, and down the hill below). The volunteers, who manned the phone banks and did all the other activities in the 2008 campaign, are staying together and planning for next year. They will be working on fundraising; news media relations; operating a store for GOP paraphernalia; and much more. For info, contact Eileen Grossman, the Volunteer Coordinator, at 338-4504 (E-mail: EileenGGrossman@aol.com ).
6. Saturday January 17 - South County Republican Breakfast - 8:00 A.M. - hosted by WESTERLY, at the Venice Restaurant, 165 Shore Rd. (Rt. 1-A) in Misquamicut).
Open to all Republicans in 10 southern R.I. towns (Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Westerly, Narragansett, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Exeter, West Greenwich, East Greenwich).
For more info, contact Martha Stamp at 783-6192 or Caswell Cooke at 932-3519 (E-mail: CaswellCookeJr@yahoo.com )
7. Saturday January 17 - COVENTRY GOP Victory Party - 6:00 to 10:00 P.M. - at Nino's On The Lake, 446 Tiogue Ave. (Rt. 3). $45/person. Dinner; silent auction; 50-50 raffle. The Coventry GOP ousted the previously Democrat Town Council, and now hold 4 of the 5 seats. For info, call Charles Vacca at 828-0290 (E-mail: cvacca@cox.net ).
8. Saturday January 24 - EAST BAY GOP Brunch - 10:30 A.M. - in NEWPORT at the Best Western/Mainstay Inn on Admiral Kalbfus Rd. (opposite the Newport Grand casino).
Honoring outgoing GOP legislators June Gibbs, Bruce Long & Steve Coaty.
For Republicans in East Providence, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton, Little Compton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport & Jamestown.
For info, contact Sal DeRuggiero at 847-9696 (E-mail: gopeastbay@gmail.com ).
9. Tuesday January 27 - Annual Pro-Life Rally - 2:45 P.M. - at the State House, inside in the rotunda.
For info, contact R.I. Right-To-Life executive assistant Alison Corcoran at 521-1860 (E-mail: alisonc@rirtl.org )
10. Thursday February 12 - RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY (Conservative GOP) Meeting - Dinner at 6:00 P.M.; Meeting at 7:00 P.M. -
at the Tri-City Elk's Lodge #14 in WARWICK, located at 1915 West Shore Road.(this is Rt. 117, about half-way between Oakland Beach Ave. and Warwick Neck Ave.). Note that this is a different location from where previous monthly meetings have been held.
There will be a Pasta Dinner (buffet style) before the meeting. The cost is $7.00 per person. There is a bar for sodas and other drinks.
The Rhode Island Republican Assembly is our state's largest conservative political organization. The RIRA is the R.I. affiliate of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, a thoughtful organization of GOP conservatives working to grow and strengthen the Republican Party, in the tradition of President Ronald Reagan.
This is a dinner meeting, and if you want to eat, you pay for your own meal. Any like-minded conservative Republican is invited to attend. As always, there will be a free raffle for GOP prizes at the conclusion of the meeting.
For more information, please contact RIRA President Ray McKay at president@ri-ra.org or NFRA Northeast Region Vice President Will Ricci at NEVP@ri-ra.org or visit their informative web site at http://www.ri-ra.org. You can also view current and past copies of these Updates on their web site, under "Archives". Also, check out the RIRA's great blog, THE OCEAN STATE REPUBLICAN at http://oceanstaterepublican.com.
11. Saturday February 21 - South County Republican Breakfast - 8:00 A.M. - hosted by WEST GREENWICH, at location to be announced, but probably at West View Inn on Rt. 3 (half-way between exits 5 and 6 off Rt. 95).
Open to all Republicans in 10 southern R.I. towns (Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Westerly, Narragansett, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Exeter, West Greenwich, East Greenwich).
For more info, contact Martha Stamp at 783-6192 or Marge Gartelman at 397-4234 (E-mail: opals@cox.net )
12. February 26 to 28 - CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL ACTION CONFERENCE in D.C.
In these updates, we usually only tell about events taking place in Rhode Island. But there is a political conference in Washington Thursday February 26 to Saturday Feb. 28 that we think many R.I. Republicans would want to attend. The 36th annual Conservative Political Action Conference is in the Omni Shoreham Hotel in D.C. It is sponsored by the American Conservative Union, the Young America's Foundation, Human Events magazine, and the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA). The 6,000 people who attend will have a chance to hear our top national leaders talk about important issues, and they will have a chance to actually meet and talk with them.
Confirmed speakers for this year's conference include:
Sarah Palin - John Bolton - Ann Coulter - Bobby Jindal - Newt Gingrich - David Horowitz - David Keene - Wayne LaPierre - Ron Paul - Mitt Romney - Phyllis Schlafly - Robert Davi - Mike Pence - and many more.
Cost for registration is as little as $125 per adult or almost FREE for students. (This does not include costs for transportation, hotel or special banquets). Last year, over 30 Rhode Island conservatives attended this special event. For more information and for registration forms, check out the web site at www.cpac.org , or call Dave Talan at 941-3662 (E-mail DaveTalan@aol.com), or Will Ricci at WillRicci@aol.com
13. Friday February 27 - annual Providence Journal Follies at the Venus de Milo in Swansea MA - 7:00 P.M.. This popular dinner and political satire show will be attended by every activist and news media personality in Rhode Island's political scene; a total of 1,250 people. Tickets are $60/person.
If there is enough interest, Republicans can sit together at a table of 10. Respond to this E-mail if you want to do this. Do not wait, as this event always sells out in advance.
14. Sunday March 1 - LINCOLN GOP Lincoln Day Dinner - at the Asia Grille Restaurant (in the Lincoln Mall). More details in next Update.
15. Saturday March 7 - Annual NORTH KINGSTOWN GOP Lincoln Day Dinner, at the Quonset O Club. This is the Republican social event of the winter, attended by several hundred people, with big-name guest speakers.
Cocktails at 6:00 P.M.; dinner at 7:00 P.M. Tickets are $65/person; $125/couple.
For info, contact Jim Berson at 465-5169 (E-mail: jberson9@cox.net) or Mark & Ruth Zaccaria (E-mail: zaccaria@worldnet.att.net )
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
------------------------------
A Tax Change For Single-Member LLCs
--------------------------------------------------------
For federal tax purposes, an LLC with one owner is referred to as an
entity that is not separate from its owner (a “disregarded entity”)
unless an election is made for it to be treated as a corporation.
An upcoming change affects how single-member LLCs will be required to
pay employment taxes."
--------------------------------------------------------
Unemployment to weigh on housing
--------------------------------------------------------
The U.S. is entering a "severe recession" driven by contraction in
credit and a financial crisis with few historical parallels, making
it difficult to forecast its length and severity, analysts at Fitch
Ratings say.
The worsening outlook for unemployment means home prices may fall
harder and take longer to bottom than previously anticipated, Fitch
analysts said."
--------------------------------------------------------
5 Ways to Meet Seller Needs with Tough Love
--------------------------------------------------------
The only home that’s going to sell in this economy is the one that’s
priced right-and it’s up to you to prepare sellers for the competition."
Don't buy now, you won't be priced out of the market.
The year 2010 looks to be the year to start thinking about buying
something." Let the professionals get in to buy first to make a killing.
--------------------------------------------------------
HUD auction fails to sell off Syracuse properties again
--------------------------------------------------------
After months of planning, the federal government tried to sell off
nine Syracuse apartment buildings this week to nonprofit groups who
preserve affordable housing.
The only problem: Nobody showed up to bid Wednesday when the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development held its auction of the
274 apartment units."
Rising unemployment and lower home values are among the predictions
in the quarterly Anderson Forecast. But the report's authors say
there may be a turnaround in 2010.
Two million jobs could be lost nationwide next year under the weight
of a severe global recession that shows no sign of relenting soon,
UCLA forecasters say.
"We see this as longer-lasting than most recessions," said Edward E.
Leamer, director of the quarterly UCLA Anderson Forecast, which was
released today. "The job market will remain weak.""
Everything that occured convinced me that this person has been in the USA trying to legitimize foreign money , posture as a legitimate member of RI and I believe is actively seeking business deals that all seem to end up in court costing innocent people time, trouble and money.. anything to disprupt the persons professional and private life is fair game with this person..
I have been seeking to understand this situation and what ocurred and I now understand the basic culture and principles of the muslim LAW , something called < shari’a > a mandated law in Muslim to continually disrupt and create war.. There is no end to their pursuit to disprupt our lives..
I believe all Muslims should be registered ... PERIOD !!!
Please forward this website to ALL US and FREE people.<< citizenwarrior.com >>
Just do a little research and you will find they will not stop their efforts...
The liberal ways are my own.. very happy to live and let live.. This is different !!! We dont need to be united on religion to stop this agenda... We must be united under FREEDOM !!! spreading this ifo is critical.. most do not understand they are culturally united to destroy us.. This has been stopped in human history before and is time now again.. !!
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
------------------------
1031 Exchange into Oil and Gas Royalties
--------------------------------------------------------
The mechanics of completing an Oil & Gas Royalty 1031 Exchange are
the same as when doing an Exchange in traditional real estate. Just
as with a Tenant in Common (TIC) investment, it is important for
commercial real estate investors to work with experienced sponsors. "
Citing “a rapid deterioration of U.S. Alt-A RMBS performance,” Fitch
Ratings again took the hatchet to its previous assumptions for Alt-A
mortgages on Monday morning, revising its surveillance methodology
and updating loss projections for all U.S. Alt-A RMBS."
--------------------------------------------------------
For Your Clients - How Foreclosure Works
--------------------------------------------------------
While foreclosure is an emotional and lengthy process, here’s a
summary of how foreclosure works"
---------- Quote of the Day ---------
He who labors diligently need never despair for all things are
accomplished by diligence and labor.
- Menander of Athens
also on Monday the 5th: Freedom is Fundamental Book Club and Discussion Group. 100 Boone St. N.Kinston, RI @7:00-8:30 PM Book: The Late Great USA by Jerome Corsi. (no need to have read the book to show up and participate) Free refreshments served. Everyone welcome.
I've been to this book club, and it is very good. I'm going again on Monday and then after to Nostalgia for a complete "Liberty Night".
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
--------------------------
Nearly $2 Trillion in Home Values Lost This Year
--------------------------------------------------------
U.S. homes are set to lose well over $2 trillion in value during
2008, according to analysis of recent Zillow Real Estate Market
Reports. Home values declined 8.4% year-over-year during the first
three quarters of this year, compared to the same period in 2007."
--------------------------------------------------------
Where's The Bottom? Video
--------------------------------------------------------
The mortgage mess that touched off the financial meltdown is far from
over, with a second wave of expected defaults on the way that could
deepen the bottom of this recession."
--------------------------------------------------------
Condo groups sue Brookfield over services
--------------------------------------------------------
Waukesha - Four Brookfield condominium associations sued the City of
Brookfield today, pressing on with their fight to gain city road
maintenance and snow plowing services."
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
--------------------------------------------------------
Squatters: The latest real-estate menace
--------------------------------------------------------
Banks, in order to speed up the eviction process and avoid legal
action, are paying these occupants as much as several thousand
dollars to get them out quickly, a strategy known as "cash for keys."
This practice, real-estate agents and law enforcement officials say,
has encouraged all kinds of ne'er-do-wells to break into vacant
foreclosure properties in hopes of earning a little extra cash."
--------------------------------------------------------
Avoid Paying Income Tax on a Forgiven Mortgage
--------------------------------------------------------
Historically, forgiven debt (also known as cancellation of debt
income or "COD") had to be included in a taxpayer's gross income for
tax reporting purposes unless it (1) occurred in a Title 11
bankruptcy case, (2) occurred when the taxpayer was insolvent, (3)
was a discharge of qualified farm indebtedness, or (4) was a
discharge of qualified real property business indebtedness."
--------------------------------------------------------
Will 2009 be “it”
--------------------------------------------------------
And most of all, I believe this painful decline will remind us all
that we can’t build an economy based on flipping assets back and
forth to each other at ever more inflated prices with ever increased
leverage. Instead, we’ll save more. We’ll invest more in productive
ventures. And the U.S. will once again be the great country it can be.
"
---------- Quote of the Day ---------
It is well to lie fallow for a while.
- Martin Tupper
Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America , not the damned
'Titanic.' I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'
You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe
I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country
anymore.
The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in
handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and
nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead
of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my
parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about
you?
I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not
outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.
The Biggest 'C' is Crisis!
Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's
easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send
someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield
yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.
On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in
our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A Hell of
a Mess
So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for
winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the
history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while
our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas
prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy.
Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class
is being squeezed every which way These are times that cry out for
leadership.
But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders
gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people
of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be
a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.
Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us
take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent
billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to
do is react to things that have already happened.
Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina.
Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the
hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in
the crucial hours after the storm.
Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again.
Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out
what you're going to do the next time.
Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can
restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that
there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car
companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do
about it?
Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the
debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The
silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our
country and milking the middle class dry.
I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your
asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked
and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so
afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a
break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?
Had Enough?
Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to
light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope I believe in America . In
my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's
greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the 'Great
Depression', 'World War II', the 'Korean War', the 'Kennedy Assassination',
the 'Vietnam War', the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years
culminating with 9/11.
If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on
the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's
building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all
have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a
call to 'Action' for people who, like me, believe in America . It's not too
late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to
work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'
Excerpted from 'Where Have All the Leaders Gone?'.
Copyright (c) 2007 by Lee Iacocca. All rights reserved.
The real disservice is that the proponents made this sound like it was an
additional benefit. When in fact, it is not going to turn out that way. Many
employers will reclassify vacation and holidays as "paid time off" to be used
as sick pay, without adding anything.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places in the world, so the "precision strikes" supposedly aimed at "Hamas militants" were bound to take a toll on the civilian population. By late Sunday night, the official death toll after 36 hours of killing stood at nearly 300.
Meanwhile, Israeli ground forces and tanks were stationed at the border, and the military announced it was calling up its reserves, an ominous sign that the scale of the atrocities could grow worse.
Israel's all-out offensive caused fury across the Middle East. Thousands took to the streets to protest Israel's assault and the silence of many Arab regimes as the slaughter of Palestinians was broadcast on television news stations. In several places, anger was directed at the Egyptian government for its unwillingness to open its border with Gaza to relieve the pressure from Israel's crippling siege of the last 18 months.
In the U.S., antiwar coalitions, human rights groups and others organized emergency-response actions, drawing hundreds to demonstrations in cities across the U.S. More protests will take place this week; a national day of action has been called for Tuesday.
Israel's attack began with simultaneous air raids on more than 30 targets. Within the first nine hours, the Israeli military reported it had dropped more than 100 tons of bombs. Not since the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel began its occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, have Palestinians in Gaza been subjected to such an outburst of destruction.
In an interview, Dr. Haider Eid relayed the horror as he talked about conditions in Gaza:
I live in Gaza City itself, where most of the air strikes took place. The attacks came just as schoolchildren were returning home from school. It was absolutely horrible. The timing was chosen to cause a massacre.
I rushed to the Shifa hospital--along with ambulances, cars and trucks that were also streaming to the hospital with the wounded. I stood in front of the gate. I don't like to see the mangled bodies, but this was especially horrible. Cars carried dismembered bodies, detached legs and arms and heads.
The part of this that I'm still trying to cope with are the bodies of the children. This is something you don't wish on your worst enemies, to tell you the truth. The morgue at the hospital is the largest in Gaza City, but it ran out of space to keep the bodies.
As he talked, a thunderous noise drowned out Haider's voice. "Oh my God! A huge explosion just took place as I'm speaking with you," said Haider. "That was very close. Oh my God! Another one! I'm sorry. I must go." Haider hung up to check on his relatives, and subsequent attempts to reach him have so far been unsuccessful.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ISRAEL CLAIMED that it launched its offensive on Gaza to defend itself from Palestinian rocket attacks aimed at towns in southern Israel. Predictably, the U.S. backed up this assertion. "The United States strongly condemns the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel, and holds Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence in Gaza," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The ceasefire Rice referred to began six months ago, but the terms of it were never honored by Israel, and in fact, it expired days before the assault began.
Under the truce, Palestinian militants agreed to end their rocket attacks against Israel, while Israel was supposed to lift its suffocating siege of Gaza, which has led to critical shortages of all manner of necessities, from flour to electricity to medical supplies.
But the Israeli government didn't end the siege. The blockade is designed to punish the people of Gaza for the "crime" of voting Hamas into the majority in the Palestinian Legislative Assembly in January 2006 elections. Backed by the U.S., and with the collaboration of rival Palestinian leaders in the West Bank, Israel continued to hope that the population of Gaza would turn against Hamas.
Within Israel, only a tiny number of voices dissented from the claim--thoroughly dominant in the mainstream Israeli and U.S. media--that Israel was acting in self-defense against Hamas' aggression. Days before the Israeli offensive began, Jerusalem Post columnist Larry Derfner wrote:
We don't want to see how people in Gaza are living, we block it out of our minds--which, I suppose, is natural for a society at war, but which also keeps that war going longer than it might if we would recognize that Gaza is getting so much the worst of it.
The [Palestinian] Kassam [rockets] have terrorized the 25,000 people in Sderot and its environs, but have caused very, very few deaths or serious wounds. By contrast, Israel has terrorized 1.5 million Gazans, locked them inside their awfully narrow borders, throttled their economy, and killed and seriously wounded thousands of them...
This is crazy. Israel is the superpower of the Middle East, but because we still think we're the Jews of Europe in the 1930s, or the Israelites under Pharaoh, we spend a lot more time fighting our enemies than we might if we looked at the whole picture, not just our half of it. There may be a way out of this war, and if Israel does not take it--if it does not accept Hamas' offer of a ceasefire, which it should have offered Hamas from the beginning--then the principal blame for the war will lie with us. Our arrogance and blindness will get a lot of innocent people killed. And no one has a clue about when, or where, or how it will end.
This comment makes it obvious that the death toll from Israel's air strikes only count for part of the casualties in the latest phase of the war. Those Palestinians who died as a consequence of Israel's blockade--a clear violation of international laws prohibiting the use of collective punishment and attempts to physically destroy a people and their society--have to be included.
As Palestinian author and activist Ali Abunimah said in an interview: The idea that this is about Israel's "self-defense" is a very partial and one-sided claim. The reality is that Israel asked for a ceasefire with Hamas and got it, during which there were no rockets fired by the Palestinians.
During this so-called ceasefire, Israel continued to maintain a punishing blockade on Gaza, starving people, depriving them of food and medicine. Many people were dying in Gaza, not because of bombs, but because they couldn't get cancer treatments, insulin and other basic medications. They weren't even allowed to travel to get medical treatment. Hundreds of Palestinians have died because of the Israeli blockade. Ehud Barak's orders to prevent medicine from reaching Gaza were just as lethal and just as intended to kill as his orders to send bombers into Gaza.
Israel's harsh treatment of Palestinians living in the West Bank further underscores the hypocrisy of Israel's claim to be defending itself. As Abunimah points out: There has never been a single rocket fired at Israel from the West Bank. And yet during the period of the so-called truce in the West Bank, Israel continued extrajudicial executions, continued to confiscate Palestinian land, continued to demolish Palestinians homes, continued to kidnap Palestinians and imprison them. Israeli settlers engaged in regular pogroms and rampages, attacking Palestinians and destroying their property.
What was the excuse for that? Israel never needed the excuse of rockets to continue its systematic violence against Palestinians.
BECAUSE OF Israel's debilitating siege, the residents of Gaza are particularly ill-equipped to deal with the physical, medical, humanitarian and psychological consequences of this new offensive.
The statistical measures of Gaza's desperation are truly awful. Malnutrition in Gaza is comparable to the dire situation of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting some 75 percent of the population--46 percent of children in Gaza suffer from acute anemia. The majority of children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and thousands of kids require hearing aids because of repeated exposure to the earsplitting sonic booms of low-altitude flyovers by Israeli fighter jets.
Blood supplies are running critically low. There are chronic shortages of electricity, drinking water, flour, bread and more. Unemployment is well over 50 percent. The economy is in total freefall.
This is all by design. According to the logic of Israeli officials, the pressure is necessary to force Gaza's residents to turn against Hamas. Such measures have always failed in the past--on the contrary, they have led to ever more intense and desperate anger at Israel's brutality.
But according to Abunimah, the latest offensive has also exposed a new development--the outright surrender of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Fatah wing of the Palestinian national movement that he leads:
For a long time, the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah has been colluding with Israel and the U.S. against Hamas. Since the election in January 2006, the PA has been determined to overturn the election result and to maintain itself in power, and it has done that with guns provided by the U.S. and Israel.
Many Palestinians were not willing to confront this directly because it's a very painful truth. But the situation in Gaza has pulled the mask off, and Palestinians everywhere are now openly pointing to Ramallah as having colluded directly with the Israelis--and indeed the comments of PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo that Hamas is to blame for this have sickened and revolted Palestinians.
This has laid bare the reality that Abbas is working for the Israelis and is more loyal to them than to the Palestinian people that he claims to lead.
As for the U.S., it has long presented itself to the world as an "honest broker," as Palestinians struggled to establish an independent state in their homeland. Yet U.S. economic, military and diplomatic support has been the essential ingredient that allowed Israel to continue its occupation of Palestinian land and its immunity to diplomatic sanctions or international pressure to grant even the basic Palestinian right to the necessities of life.
Our goals:
-Raise awareness for international humanitarian issues in places such as Gaza, Iraq, Afhganistan, Mexico, Chechnya, and many other places.
-Raise awareness for the importance of non-violence in resolving conflicts.
-Promoting these sorts of awareness through demonstrations, pamphlets, communiques, and discussions.
Future goals:
-Create an aid/donation system.
Final goal:
-Turn PFP into an international volunteer organization. Similar to the Peace Corps, but significantly smaller.
For those of you who want to actively make a difference in someone else's life, please contact me. I am hoping to work along side the Providence SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) and the Providence Non-Violence Institute.
I am also looking for potential graphic designers/web designers. If anyone can help me make a website, I'd appreciate if you contacted me also.
Also, feel free to check us out on facebook!
Thank you all so much for your time and attention.
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
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Foreclosure home-hunting strategies
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One of the most common questions asked of real estate professionals
these days is some variation of the following: "Is now a good time to
buy a foreclosure?""
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Former HUD Secretaries Call for New Fair Housing
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Former HUD Secretaries Call for New Fair Housing Agency Commission
chaired by Kemp, Cisneros recommends stripping HUD of fair housing
authority."
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Some Amish say state permits intrude on religion
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A small group of conservative Amish who have built modest homes in
the town of Albion west of here believe the “English” anyone who is
not Amish are forcing them to violate their faith by requiring them
to get state-issued building permits. The permits, at least one
supporter claims, “yoke” them with unbelievers. "
---------- Quote of the Day ---------
One learns by doing a thing; for though you think you know it, you
have no certainty until you try.
- Sophocles
For midsize firms using off the shelf payroll software, calculating
the allowed benefit will be expensive and time consuming. The
ordinance is vague, which will lead to expensive compliance auditing
and litigation.
A person in your position may see the paid leave as a benefit that
would make you chose firm A over firm B. Other firms may better
attract the people they want by offering an equivalent 4-5% higher
wage. Yet another firm may offer neither. Ah you say 'it is the
third firm this addresses.' But does it. Perhaps the third firm
decides instead of giving the benefit they will offer no Milwaukee
employment at great harm to the city's economy.
Let's look at temp agencies. They provide some of the few job
opportunities for some area residents. An acquaintance of mine is
moving his fairly large temp agency outside of Milwaukee in response
to the mandate. Day laborers usually don't get paid time off. Leave
your temp service in Milwaukee pay 4-5% more. Move it to West
Milwaukee, South Milwaukee or West Allis and undercut your Milwaukee
competitors by 4-5% after factoring in the cost of accounting and
compliance.
And this will reopen union contracts to new negotiation during a
serious downturn.
Links to all articles are at:
http://www.OwnerRights.com
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America's Post-Subprime Boomtowns
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Thanks to buyers searching for deals, the number of sales of
foreclosed homes in these towns are highest in the U.S."
Like many retirees, Marlene Laffoon, 73, watches in dismay as both
her home’s value and her investments slide southward. And yet
everyday costs for this former bookkeeper aren’t falling
correspondingly."
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Former building inspector pleads guilty to bribery
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CHICAGO — Officials say a former Chicago city building inspector has
pleaded guilty to bribery, becoming the ninth defendant convicted in
a joint city-federal investigation of corruption in the city's
building and zoning departments.
[Perhaps he was on a career path to being governor]"
---------- Quote of the Day ---------
A person of honor regrets a discreditable act, even when it worked.