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Rick



Last Updated: 3/23/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: Single
Age: 45
Sign: Pisces

City: So, burbs of Chicago
State: Illinois
Country: US
Signup Date: 10/17/2005

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Wednesday, April 08, 2009 

Current mood:  betrayed
Category: Life
This blog was written by a close freind of mine (Thomas):
www.myspace.com/thomasofeastmilton
All being said we have similar backgrounds and probably more times than not with dwelling into details and long emails back and forth we understand one another, and have walked similar roads. But what he wrote and posted today caught my attention about friends, people I know, the choices they make, I have made, and despite everything still staying forward focused enough to fight everything around us if need be. Before putting his blog out here I ask that you read this quote I proudly have posted on my page, think about everything you've recently done, the choices you've made both today and yesterday, and without lying to yourself or avoiding the truth ask yourself..."Am I really doing everything right that I can be doing? Have a made positive influence for those around me, done the right things for my kids? Am I being a great example of whats right?"
My quote from my profile page:  "YOUR THOUGHTS, become YOUR WORDS. WORDS, become YOUR ACTIONS. ACTIONS, become YOUR HABIT(S). HABIT(S), become YOUR CHARACTER. CHARACTER, then becomes YOU and YOUR DESTINY. Its YOU and YOUR DESTINY for which others will know you, and its this for which you will always be KNOWN and REMEMBERED, even by YOUR FAMILY and CHILDREN!"
Thomas' Blog...
April 7, 2009 - Tuesday 



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Category: Religion and Philosophy
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The Reality of A Lie


The first breath of air rushes into the lungs as the child gasps for it's first breaths, the slate is clean...innocence prevails for a little while. The child isn't born knowing how to behave in a good way, but it isn't born “evil” either. The baby's “unwritten operations program” doesn't remain blank long as the child takes it's world in. A child begins a journey of observation and learning from the very onset of life. It is beyond the reach of our comprehension to understand exactly what is going through the mind of a young child who isn't able to speak it's thoughts to us. Even for a newborn, learning is the first order of business.

As my daughter and I approached the intersection of Davis Highway from the I-10 exit ramp, I observed a homeless man in a wheel chair sheltering from the rain under the cover of a shut down restaurant porch. A day earlier I was thinking of buying a round of hamburgers for the whole gaggle of homeless folks there; but due to “time constraints”, I had to be on time for an appointment. I knew on this day, I had time. I detoured over to McDonald's and grabbed three hamburgers. I drove back and fed the man. His exact words were; “I love you”. He was obviously intoxicated, but that wasn't any of my business. Sure, I was obedient to the Godly directives I've learned, but I wondered...how? How did this happen to him. Somewhere along the line this guy was lied to, no doubt about it! He obviously believed this lie; and, OH...the circumstance!

I wonder what kept me off the streets? What lie did I not heed to avoid such a fate? I further thought; What lie did I listen to that prevented me from owning the 5 bedroom custom built home home on Scenic Highway with the black Vette in the driveway? 



Philippians 4 (King James Version) 




8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 



Philippians 4 (The Message) 




8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.





The Biblical reference above is basically instruction on how to live a good, peaceful life. The thoughts and ideas focused upon in our minds have a HUGE bearing on how we live our lives.





The quote below is from Bobby Lepinay of Harvest Outreach Church of Pensacola, Florida.





My inner thoughts form my true 'belief system'. These thoughts WILL produce FRUIT or “results” in like kind, which direct my life.





Your inner thoughts; or heart thoughts, eventually surface in some degree, and if those thoughts are sinful, that's bad news! 



Proverbs 18 :20-21 ( NIV)




20 From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. 21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.



Proverbs 18:20-21 (The Message)




20 Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. 21 Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.





Inner “HEART” thoughts are pretty much what we operate by! Most of our heart thoughts are learned. The words we speak to people often sink in deep, especially if the words come from people that we trust and look to for guidance. Godly minded words that are found in our bible also have power. The Biblical words have power to change our lives.



The “Label” Lie



“Your STUPID” exclaimed the angry father as he disgustedly signed the report card. The man's angry countenance and facial expression communicated disgust as he looked into his son's eyes across the dinner table. As the boy's shaking hand reached out for a glass of tea, he tips it over. The angry dad hurls another barrage of insults.



Words like: Worthless, pathetic, and you'll never amount to anything, carve a spot deep inside a child's mind. The labeling words issued by parents, friends, and other adults are taken to heart by the child; therefore, the child will begin to 'believe' that they are who others say they are.



I wonder what was said to the man holding up the sign; “please help, I need food”, when he was a child? DO you think that the majority of the homeless had supportive, encouraging parents...I sure don't! I often wonder how many times the dirty, hairy homeless guy was told he was worthless during childhood. Outside of messed up childhoods, I wonder what lies the homeless are told that create an imaginary barrier that prevents them from joining society? Most of the homeless want to be where they are because of the words of others. Many people are LIED to and tossed away as if they were garbage. Labels are another example of a LIE which originates from evil!



Heart Thoughts That Originate From Self “stinkin thinkin”



These are just a few of many examples of sinful thoughts and meditation:



violence, revenge, anger, sexual fantasy, plotting theft, planning a lie, and covetous pondering.



Sometimes we conjure up our own heart thoughts by living by our personal standards. Since we learn to operate by observation, the thoughts that were spoken to us by others evolve as we traverse life. We begin to set up our own way of living. Think about it; if we take in garbage, and then pile some of our own stuff on it, the pile get higher and stinks even more! We need to look no further than the word of God to find the way to clearer thinking.



Romans 12 (King James Version)



2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.



Our thoughts become our belief system.



The below truths are also originally derived from Bobby Lepinay of Harvest Outreach



Ungodly Beliefs v/s Godly Beliefs



ACCEPTANCE BELIEFS:



Ungodly



I am unloved.



Godly:



Romans 8:38-40 (King James Version)



38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.



SECURITY BELIEFS:



Ungodly:



I am alone.



Godly:



Philippians 4:19 (King James Version)



19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.



SIGNIFIGANCE BELIEFS:



Ungodly:



I have no purpose.



Godly:



phesians 2: 4-6 ( King James Version)



4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:



Conclusion



We get lost somewhere in the middle between right and wrong. I know I have landed in this very place from time to time. To this day I still get lost in the fray of life. What I am trying to bring to you is hope...the same hope in Christ that I have. Hope for a better tommorow.  Hope for clearer thinking. Hope for a real change.  We don't clean up and go to Jesus...we go to Jesus and he begins to change us. I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm being changed from the inside out.


 





9:17 PM 
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Sunday, April 05, 2009 

Current mood:  betrayed
Category: Life
1)  Does it make any sense at all to replace a CEO that took on a sinking ship (GM) and decided to recieve a $1.00 a year salary, with another thats making sure he is taking his 1 1/2 million dollar a year salary of this still sinking ship?
2)  Did we notice there was no fanfare at all when the Chicago bears let go of Rex Grossman?
3)  Has anyone noticed that since Obama has taken office and even passing his losing so called stimulus package that we have lost an average of 650,000 jobs per month in this country since he has taken office?
4)  The "Stimulus Package" was supposed to create jobs so how is it that Chicago's Mayor Daley added a new computer system at O'Hare Airport thus, eliminating 12 jobs?
5)  Join the National Rifle Association ASAP if you are even considering owning a gun or already own one. Ala the Clinton Administration Ways this Administration now too is using the drug problems of Mexico as another way of again infringing on our rights and freedoms. Criminals will not ever give up their guns, and these laws only take away rights from those that abide by the laws. This administration is also side stepping the fact that the problems are drugs and revenue, and we need better enforcement of our drug laws here as well as being hardline on drug rehabilitation, illegal sales/trafficing, as well as all drug related crimes and the gangs here. Mexico's drug problems now have known links to terrorist groups, and even those addicted to drugs here in this country need to realize the help/funding they are giving these organizations by using narcotics. Guns do not kill...people kill PERIOD!
6)  If you cannot be honest, love, respect, or face yourself then how can you give those things to anyone else? A lie is a lie, a sin is a sin, whether its little or big...it is what it is, and if you thought it! You have sinned!
7)  I am for licensing for certain things...internet access and Parenting!
8)   We now have Jay Cutler from the Denver Bronco's and Santa Claus, Indiana. as The Chicago Bears new Quarterback. We also have perhaps 1 new burnt out defensive player Orlando Pace to protect this new QB. Cost for the new QB...1 progressing and learning QB Kyle Orton, 2 first round draft choices for the Bronco's, and 1 - 3rd round draft choice for the Bronco's, all for the cost of 1 person. Now whats the point when we have an offense that maybe able to put 35 points on the board with good receivers (do we have those?), but at the same time we have a Defense that gives up 41 points in a game? My prediction...Bears will still be the Bears for alot longer now giving up their draft choices. Denver maybe in the playoffs this year the legit way (by earning it this time), and the Bears will be at home watching the game! I say, "Bah Hum-Bug!"
9)  Are we having fun yet?
10)   Why do we celebrate Columbus Day when this man began genocide against the real owners and founders of this country...The Native AMERICAN Indians. "The North American Indian population is estimated to have been 12 million in 1500 and was reduced to barely 237,000 in 1900!" That to me represents a vast genocide and when you read C. Columbus' own journal notes from that journey, he freely admits the slaughter and torture of men, women, and children for fun, and even the rape of the women...this was a sick, sick, very sick man, and if a Bible had only been opend and read he would have realized that a part of the reason for his journey about debunking the theory of the earth being flat vs. was round was answered in  Isaiah 40:22. Obviously this man had no Christian or human qualities to begin with...he was a moraless rogue!
11)   Do we notice that King Obama has kept his word about not raising taxes and in fact lowering them? The individual States are doing that for Him just as I said right from the start!
12)  Stop waiting on your $500.00 Stimulus Check...this is rumor, has been a rumor, and will remain a rumor! There is none, and never was there one aside from the Reagan years...thats been the only true "Stimulus Check!"  What you recieved the year before last you also paid right back to the government last year when you filed your taxes, and do you know where your stimulus money went from the Bush year? It went on Asian Electronics, and the Oil Companies respectively...boy aren't we a smart lot of free people?
13)  There are currently 10.1 million unemployed people here in the US of A...the lie behind this number is the fact that it does not include those workers past their benefit allowances, and are recieving no help or support. It would be safe to add at least another 5 million plus perhaps to that number, if not even an equal or greater?
14)  I am now using Facebook just a little bit more, but admit I feel the applications are a nuisance, and I find it difficult to support a site that seems to drags it feet on removing pedifiles, registered sex offenders, and other such predators from its site. If you want to add me or find me on Facebook please do get a hold of me as some of us are already friends there now too.
15)  I want to ask continued prayer for Sarah for whom I posted a prayer request out here for earlier in the week...I also ask for continued prayers for several others right now that I will remain silent on as for their names. Please raise up a silent prayer request for these others.
16)  Think about these words (readers/people) and really read them, look at them...Obama on N. Korea:  "Now is the time for a strong international response, and North Korea must know that the path to security and respect will never come through threats and illegal weapons," Obama said to applause. "All nations must come together to build a stronger, global regime ... we must stand shoulder to shoulder to pressure the North Koreans to change course." Pay close attention to the words of the very last sentence and the words "global regime,"...A one world power? You voted for him...I didn't, and I say that proudly!
17)  American pop icon Madonna left Malawi Sunday after a court rejected her application to adopt a second child from the southern African country, an airport official said. For once money couldn't buy a child in this world...Madonna, donate equal funds to a homeless shelter, feeding center, or save a family here first...thats going to be out on the streets in foreclosure tomorrow!
18)  Run-DMC was installed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this past week...aside froma remake of Walk this Way with Areosmith, name me one other "Rock" song they ever recorded, or did the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame change its name to the Rap and Roll Hall of Fame?
19)  I see we are finally down to our teams for the national college basketball champioship game...seems to me like every team big, small, and in between is now in March Madness, or a Bowl game of some sort when it comes to college football too?
20)  If a turtle has not a shell, is it naked or homeless? And...if a little person falls in the woods, would anyone hear them?
 
 
5:14 PM 
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Monday, March 16, 2009 

Current mood:  awake
Category: Life

Category: Religion and Philosophy
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I AM A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR
I'VE DONE MY TIME IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
CURLED UP IN A BALL ON THE FLOOR
AFTER HIS RAGING TEMPER WAS SPENT

ON MY HANDS AND KNEES I HAVE PLEADED
PLEASE DON'T BEAT ME ANYMORE
BUT ALL MY PLEAS WENT UNHEEDED
AS HIS FISTS ROCKED ME TO THE CORE

I WAS ALWAYS ACCUSED OF CHEATING
HE TIMED ME WHEN I WENT ANYWHERE
WHY WOULD I RISK ANOTHER BEATING
BY HAVING AN AFFAIR

HE CHECKED THE MILEAGE ON MY CAR
AND EVEN TOOK MY CAR KEYS AWAY
I WASN'T ALLOWED TO GO VERY FAR
BUT TO MY PARENTS A MILE AWAY

THE BEATINGS GOT WORSE WHEN I WAS PREGNANT
AT A TIME WHEN MOST WOMEN WERE PAMPERED
EVERY LITTLE THING SENT HIM INTO A RANT
HE DIDN'T EVEN CARE IF HIS MOM OVERHEARD

HIS PARENTS GAVE US THEIR OWN BEDROOM
SO WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF PRIVACY
I HAD TO WAKE HIM UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM
AT NIGHT I WAS UNDER LOCK AND KEY

SOMEHOW HE APPOINTED HIMSELF MY JAILER
HE CONTROLLED EVERY PART OF MY LIFE
IF I DIDN'T OBEY A BEATING WOULD OCCUR
I WAS HIS PROPERTY...HIS LOWLY WIFE

WHILE I WAS IN LABOR IN THE HOSPITAL FOR HOURS
HE THREATENED OUR UNBORN CHILD AND ME
IF THE CHILD DIDN'T HAVE BLACK HAIR LIKE OURS
HE'D WAIT TIL' THE NURSE LEFT TO THREATEN ME

I THANK THE LORD FOR WATCHING OVER ME
I COULD HAVE BECOME ANOTHER STATISTIC
I AM SO BLESSED BECAUSE HE PARDONED ME
HE RESCUED ME FROM A MIND THAT WAS SICK

©COPYRIGHTED 2008
DEBBY HARRIS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PLEASE GET OUT.  WHEN KIDS WITNESS THIS, THEY GROW UP THINKING IT IS ACCEPTABLE.  I DID.  I THOUGHT BEATINGS WERE NORMAL BECAUSE I WITNESSED THEM AS A CHILD.  IF I'D HAVE GROWN UP DIFFERENT, I WOULD HAVE HAD RESPECT FOR MYSELF AND NOT PUT UP WITH IT.

I THOUGHT I ASKED FOR EVERY BEATING I GOT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT SO OFTEN.  I LOOK BACK AND I AM ANGRY THAT I LOVED SOMEONE WHO TREATED ME LIKE THAT.  HE DIDN'T UNTIL, AFTER HE JOINED THE NAVY.  HE CHANGED DRASTICALLY AFTER THAT.  I COULD HAVE DIED AND IT IS BY GRACE THAT I WAS SAVED.

PLEASE SUPPORT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.  MEN ARE ALSO VICTIMS SOMETIMES.  THEY GET EMBARRASSED TO GO TO THE COPS BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY WILL BE LAUGHED AT.  THERE IS ALOT OF STIGMA ATTACHED TO BEING A VICTIM.
THIS IS BEING RE-POSTED BECAUSE SOME OF MY FRIENDS ARE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.  RIGHT NOW THEY ARE STILL AFRAID AND HURTING.  THIS IS DEDICATED TO YOU, AND YOU BOTH KNOW WHO YOU ARE.  LOVE, DEBBY


3:35 PM 
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Sunday, March 08, 2009 

Current mood:  awake
Enclosed is a copy & paste on AIG and where "OUR" money has gone. I don't know about you, but I sure as hell didn't want a penny of my money to be used for this. Notice the lack of disclosure and this is just one major player that has their hand out for more, more, more. Why did the Feds report a few weeks back that our banks were safe and secure, and then turnaround and decide to "Stress Test," the banks just two days later, if in fact they were stable and safe? This came right after the "so called" stimulus was passed. Now being just one company we are looking at what about Bank of America, CitiGroup, GM, Chrysler, etc, etc...are we paying attention that everyone of these companies after being handed over billions in so called loans reported billions more in losses. Personally, I say its enough with the bailouts for everyone, forget chain reactions, the fact is that even with this new mortgage bailout that only 20% of those introuble will qualify, and yet on the other side of the coin the Whitehouse realeased stats saying that by 2020, 16% of all homes in the United States will be foreclosed on. Lets also not foget that we have yet been given Bernake's plan for the "4th" Financial Institutions Bailout Plan...yes, the FOURTH since Bush and now Obama, and lets keep a very clear persepective on the fact that Obama was pushing this legislation through all along as a US Senator! Also lets for once stop saying the republicans or Bush did this...this all began with Clinton Administration. Count the years people..it takes on average 12 years for a administrations financial plan/policies to take effect. The problems in the mortgage industry were already known in that administration as were the possible downfall of Freddie and Ginnie. The Clinton Adiminstration years allowed mergers, free trade with narrower exports, and whitehouse order to approve mortgage loans destined for failure, and a smoke and mirror economy by never raising interest rates...we were losing jobs and saw companies fail then in record numbers. This Bernake plan was disclosed the Tuesday Morning of which Obama addressed the nation on television. Bernake said that day, "That bailout may well be 2 tillion dollars in itself!"
That Tuesday and the address or shall I say "Song and dance to the nation," was a week earlier in a interview with Bill Clinton precisely scripted by the Obama Administration. Billary Clinton said, "I believe the administration has said enough about the gloom and doom to pass through the legislation (stimulus package), now its time he speaks the good to come of and bring back hope to the people!" So yes folks, its all a staging, a show, a smoke and mirror thing...thats politics, and thats all we end up with people in Capital for any real length of time. Out of touch politicians. I know every Asian country has to be cringing when Hilaary went to Asia to express that all our trade agreements will remain and less than a few days later Obama addresses the nation and says, "Our trade agreements will also need to be changed and balanced!" We are actually lucky to not have another world war happening right now, and theres alot of inexperience showing right now thats cutting this country's throats for generations to come.
As for that Tuesday night address to the people...I sat there praying that someone please throw a damned shoe already. Better still everyone in the house throw both shoes at the podium fast!!!!!!! If not at Obama then please some throw then at Nancy Pelosi. That insane woman stood up applauding every 15 seconds...they should have drug tested that psycho after the first 15 minutes, because she had to smoke $1,000.00 worth of crack for the psychotic behavior and energy she had, when she doesn't even know how many Americans are in the US Population!!!!!!
Go back to a few blogs back and see the count of the money being handed out just a few days prior to the stimulus bill being passed, and lets add these numbers to that now...400 billion Obama is giving to cities for Capital projects (Daley's 50 million for a runway when flights are down 63%, and that project is 120 million in the hole right now, a $800,000 dog park for San Jose, CA that will create 1 job, but lets not forget it added 14 police officers in Ohio...God, I feel so safe now!), God knows how much that "stress testing of the banks will cost us, an undisclosed amount of federal funding now for brain stem research, which reminds me that Obama is overturning the moral and ethics bill that Bush signed into effect prohibiting doctors and nurses that for whatever moral and ethical personal beliefs would not be forced to perform abortions...now they will have to against their own personal moral, ethical, and religious beliefs! National Healthcare ala Socialism, think people?!?!! Hillary also pledged Gaza 4.5 billion to rebuild it...excuse me? Did we bomb or destroy Gaza, do they provide anything we need such as oil...let Isreal pay to rebuild it, they destroyed it AGAIN. I guess we will pay for more terrorists in the long run, AGAIN!
The article from Reuter's News Agency:


NEW YORK (Reuters) – Where, oh where, did AIG's bailout billions go? That question may reverberate even louder through the halls of government in the week ahead now that a partial list of beneficiaries has been published.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that about $50 billion of more than $173 billion that the U.S. government has poured into American International Group Inc since last fall has been paid to at least two dozen U.S. and foreign financial institutions.
The newspaper reported that some of the banks paid by AIG since the insurer started getting taxpayer funds were: Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Deutsche Bank AG, Merrill Lynch, Societe Generale, Calyon, Barclays Plc, Rabobank, Danske, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Banco Santander, Morgan Stanley, Wachovia, Bank of America, and Lloyds Banking Group.
Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Bank of America, Calyon, and Wells Fargo, which has absorbed Wachovia, could not be reached for comment.
The U.S. Federal Reserve has refused to publicize a list of AIG's derivative counterparties and what they have been paid since the bailout, riling the U.S. Senate Banking Committee.
Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Donald Kohn testified before that committee on Thursday that revealing names risked jeopardizing AIG's continuing business. Kohn said there were millions of counterparties around the globe, including pension funds and U.S. households.
He said the intention was not to protect AIG or its counterparties, but to prevent the spread of AIG's infection.
The Wall Street Journal, citing a confidential document and people familiar with the matter, reported that Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank each got about $6 billion in payments between the middle of September and December last year.
Once the world's largest insurer, AIG has been described by the United States as being too extensively intertwined with the global financial system to be allowed to fail.
The Federal Reserve first rode to AIG's rescue in September with an $85 billion credit line after losses from toxic investments, many of which were mortgage related, and collateral demands from banks, left AIG staring down bankruptcy.
Late last year, the rescue packaged was increased to $150 billion. The bailout was overhauled again a week ago to offer the insurer an additional $30 billion in equity.
AIG was first bailed out shortly after investment bank Lehman Brothers was allowed to fail and brokerage Merrill Lynch sold itself to Bank of America Corp.
Bankruptcy for AIG would have led to complications and losses for financial institutions around the world doing business with the company and policy holders that AIG insured against losses.
Representative Paul Kanjorski told Reuters on Thursday that he had been informed that a large number of AIG's counterparties were European.
"That's why we could not allow AIG to fail as we allowed Lehman to fail, because that would have precipitated the failure of the European banking system," said Kanjorski, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who chairs the House Insurance Subcommittee.
TOXIC ASSETS/TOXIC WASTE
As part of its business, AIG insured counterparties on mortgage-backed securities and other assets. The collapse of the U.S. subprime mortgage market, which triggered a global financial crisis, left the insurer and some of its policy holders facing possible ruin as the value of assets declined.
U.S. regulators failed to recognize how much risk AIG was piling on in credit-default swaps, and by the time they understood, they had no choice but to pour in billions of public dollars, Kohn and other officials told the Senate panel.
Senators were outraged by the lack of details about where the bailout money has gone.
"That we find ourselves in this situation at all is ... quite frankly, sickening," said Senator Christopher Dodd, the Democrat who chairs the committee. "The lack of transparency and accountability in this process has been rather stunning."
Eric Dinallo, superintendent of New York State's Insurance Department, railed on Friday against AIG's failed business model, likening its insuring credit-default swaps as gambling with somebody else's money.
"It's like taking insurance on your neighbor's house and even maybe contributing to blowing it up," he said at a panel sponsored by New York University's Stern School of Business.
U.S. lawmakers have said they are running out of patience with regulators' refusal to identify AIG's counterparties.
On Thursday, Richard Shelby, the top Republican on the banking committee, said: "The Fed and Treasury can be secretive for a while but not forever."
(Writing Toni Reinhold; Additional reporting by Juan Lagorio in New York; Editing by Clive McKeef)

 
3:54 PM 
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Thursday, March 05, 2009 

Current mood:  apathetic
I just want to acknowldge those friends of mine that acknowledged my past Birthday and say thank for the comments, and emails of good wishes. I do know whom my real freinds are and a personal note to Wayne: Trust me I am not mad or disappointed that you did not leave a comment or anything. I know some people do have things to do aside from Myspace or complete self indulgence, etc. As for my bithday I want to share one thing about it, and it kind of shows you the more things change the more they stay the same.
Friday evening when I got back to my aunt's, and just prior to bed. My aunt says to me,  "Oh! Since tomorrow's your birthday (now keep in mind I was with my parent's all that day) we are going to Warsaw Inn for dinner for you. We have those gift certificates from Christmas and we'd figure we'd use them." Now, I turn around and say, " Must be expiring soon, and how can that be for my birthday when they are gift certificates that the 3 of (mom, dad, and my aunt recieved from my one brother at christmas) got at Christmas. I was there all day and no one said a word about tomorrow, so why bother or start acting like its a big deal now, when nothings been a big deal for the last 8 1/2 years?" My aunt just kind of had a look on her face that told the whole story...I wasn't too far from the truth! She finally said, "Ok, lets forget it!" off to bed I went.
Saturday I am by the folks, not a happy birthday, etc, so that was already the usual day. Now about 3:30pm I hear the doorbell ring and I knew someone was over visiting. For my own lack of getting aggrivated over things, I can be here, but I've learned how to detach from the whole situation over the years. Now about 4pm they call me and tell me that dinner is ready...I walk downstairs to see my oldest brother sitting at the table, and mom and dad have homemade sloppy joe's they are serving. Okay, still no big deal but the pieces fell into place.
My oldest bro. whenever he graces them with his presence will call ahead and they will make or have whatever he wants. Everyone here knows that although far from a fussy eater...sloppy joe's are just boring to me despite them being good, from that recipe. But heres the real scenerio which I mentioned to my aunt, and heard not a word back to deny what I said wasn't true. My folk's probably had that dinner arranged for Saturday from midweek at Warsaw Inn, a guise to make it sound different than what it was and being dinner for him was saying it was my Birthday. I know Mom well enough where she'll someone else do her dirty work. and used my aunt to bring up the whole dinner thing in honor of my Birthday...yeah right, I knew/know better after 8 1/2 years.
So in closing...yeah it was just anothe day just like most holiday's, birthdays, and such! Thus the new heading thats been there since Saturday. Games. lies, self indulged people...day by day I seperate from them more, and thank God for giving me the courage and strength at times from where there can only be one place that helps me to carry through at times. I mean hell, even my buddy from Colorado called me both Friday and Saturday to say happy birthday at least, and will be here next month the 4th thru the 11th to celebrate. So hey, Happy Birthday and Wayne theres no reason at all to be upset with you for anything. Family should mean more, but they do mean less, and I even had a one or two friends that wereascloseasthis, that were too self absorbed to really remember aside from the next day or very last minute after seeing the comments. I guess from 1-2  I expected just a little more as they really do know me heart and soul, but like I say, "The more things change, the more they do stay the same!' God bless peeps.
9:40 PM 
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Sunday, February 22, 2009 

Current mood:  blah
I have warned people repeatedly to be careful of what you post...pics, things said in anger, accusations, all out lies, threats to other people, etc. Now early last week and no one seems quite sure when it was done in the first place, but last week it was discovered in the agreement for Facebook that they "Own all licenses to their site," which is totally legit as its your choice to use that kind of forum. Fact is even if it were a paid site, whoever owns the site would still most likely own all licenses...You the user are their a part of their license when clicking that "Agree" button.
Now I have seen personally pics of all kinds imagineable posted, police reports posted, read and saw more then enough threats of bodily harm to other people, have seen all sorts of slander and deformation of character out of shear spite or anger. Need I remind everyone that future employers check these sites, family, your children, neighbors, your children's teachers, parole officers, police departments, current employers, spouses, ex spouses, lawyers and law offices in letigation for cases, etc. Do you get the picture just yet?
As per every news channel I saw concerning the  use of Facebook, and I remind you this too is a site just like Facebook, but a site that has done great strides in eliminating predators, spammers, hackers, flamers, etc. It is their site, and not yours regardless of what people think. This same thing could happen at anytime as it had with facebook. Facebook had actually removed the capability for you to delete and remove things from your own profile that you had posted, be it pictures, blogs, comments, etc. under their licensing agreement, but reversed their policy once it became public and was aired on network news. They did release a public statement to the affect as something like this..."After review we have removed our policy until a later time in which we can work out some deatils, and clear things with our legal department," which means it will come back and whatever you put out there, stays out there, as you will not even be able to delete your own profile once its out there. Now imagine the the pic that your grandchildren would see 15 years from now, that threatening blog you wrote about your neighbor that you intended to delete in a week and its still there, the things you said that were untrue about your ex when you first broke up, etc. All these things people are public rcord and if they can own your profile through licensing agreements it too is public record and forget about "private profiles." Its their, they can do what they want, just as MySpace or any other social networking site. Imagine a few pics you throught were harmless a year ago, and today after 7-8 real good interviews you never even get a call back. That blog you wrote is finally seen by a friend of the ex or your nieghbor and you are charged with internet threats, etc.
Not let me also share with you about this current administration and whats going on in many states. They do and do want policing of the internet, and they also want lost revenues from out of state taxes, they want to control what can be bought and sold, and even what can be viewed...lets face it, and yes its something that WAS/IS needed....more and more states are passing criminal laws against threats made over the internet, and under these laws slander and such are open doors for lawsuits. General Rule of thumb is, "if its the truth, " then it is what it is...if it is assumption, written without fact just to defame someone , lies, jealousy, envy beased upon ignorance and anger then that generally that falls into a catagory of slander and all out lies. The thing is those things will NEVER disappear once these policies are applied. They can turn right around and bite you right in the ass, be it a year from now, or 20 years from now under these sort of policies. Remember that person you hated and had beat up? Well they find out 2-3 years later you set them up, and suddenly you are sitting behind bars because you made the threat here that happened, and they heard from a friend of the person that you had do that to them!
I firmly believe under this administration today and seeing a deep mix of socialism being hidden within policy changes and laws, that we will be seeing more of so called "Big Brother,"monitoring the people even more, Keep putting it out there about the cash jobs you do on the side, keep slandering everyone because of shear spite and ignorance, and go ahead and threaten that neighbor again. The times and stresses are more than enough today, and the people around us seem to get no better. But we all do not have to be like everyone else, take care of you and eachother so long as you get the same in return. Included is a little video about Facebook that does need to be seen: If the link below is higlighted simply click on it, if it is not highlighted copy and past into your browser, the video is about 10 minutes in length...

http://blip.tv/file/1613641
11:29 PM 
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Thursday, February 19, 2009 

Current mood:  accomplished
     Well now we have a pending 75 billion dollar bailout for the mortgage institutions, let me remind everyone that already we gave them 200 billion, and this is not counting just yet what the Secretary of the Treasury has in store to the tune of maybe 2 trillion dollars alone. This SECOND bailout will help by definition, but is it fair to those that have already lost their homes, and everything else, and yet its the little bit of money most of them have left thats going to be bailing others out in theory. There are pluses and minuses on this one, although it doesn't change the statistic our own governement put out there just last week that, By 2020 16-18% of this nations homeowners will lose their homes in foreclosure...thats a lowball figure being a government report, just like the unemployed...that only counts the people on unemployment and not the many more who's benefits have run out and in some cases have been out for years now!
     The pluses to this new announcement is that some will be able to renegotiate high mortgages, but only those with Fannie and Freddie held mortgages will be the ones to benefit from that because the others banks Do Not Have to Abide by The Guidelines when announced in Two Weeks! Again, if your house had devalued, and it has, and are stuck with a mortgage based upon a 180k home, and its now valued at 130k...you may very well be still out of luck to fimd refinancing for that lower value.
     The minuses, and theres more than good in all this. One huge minus is this does not take into account the fact that all of this assumes the people paying for those homes are steadily employed and earning money. Lets face it we are losing jobs at record rate, and that stimulus package doesn't creat job ONE! People may still refinance, but then lose their job the very next day so how does that prevent whats happening?
     Another minus to this whole thing is who is being watched out for once again, and who is being allowed to really be bailed out for the second time in less than one year...Fannie and Freddie, AGAIN! They are huge part of the problem that started this at the urging of giving credit to questionable loan under the Clinton Administration. It wasn't in fact "urging", they were told by that administration to give more loans. So, again money is balied out by our money, we pay the price, and they are allowed to do it all over again atop of it all. So much for this administration being so preachy about accountablity! Lets reward Freddie and Fannie...yeah right!
     One more real drawback is that already there are reports of people that are fine paying their mortgages suddenly not paying their mortgages just to get a piece of that 75 billion pie, and the hell with the one's really in trouble. That 75 billion, just as in the case of the Stimulus Package Money handed to each State will be sqaundered, lost, gone, and misused out of greed and selfishness. San Jose needs a 800k dog park that will add 1 job to the city, Daley needs his new runways when we have 30% less travelers and the project is already 20 million in the red...its on these things that all that money will be supposedly used on.
     For this to really work we need banking reform period. Since their inception the banks have raked in and given nothing in return. We now pay fees for everything at most banks, as few are totally free anymore, and the sick part about all that is that the second you make a deposit into your account that bank is suing your money to make itself money and give you a piece of candy in interest in return, if its not charging a monthly dee just to bank there! Do you realize that with the average 30 year mortgage that pay for your home 1/ 1/2 - 3 times its original value to the bank? That means if you buy a 100k home, you will pay minimum 200k PLUS for it when you finally get the deed? Its always killed me the one's that would say, "I made 40k on my house!" No you didn't...lol! You lost 160K!
What really need is regulation on fee charging from the banks...whats 1 1/2% interest on the avg. account when you are being charged $25.00 a month on upkeep. They take it back plus nowadays because of the interest rate. We also need flexible lending guidelines for mortgages, and homebuyers that are based upon actual earnings at the time the loan is originated and not exceeding 25% of the net income in payment. We also need the credit card interest rates bought in line with the prime lending rate...PERIOD. These 3 things alone would work wonders in stabalizing that industry and sure the banks won't like losing a little bit, but as I said, "Since inception the bamks have raped everyone of its customers!" Think of the trillions plus they have made since say as far back 1900 till present. Its enough.
Also there will be several new blogs posted hopefully this week. Maybe one about me, a person I know because this woman attends a Bible Study I am familiar with and has been pretty blind to whats been going on with her daughter's addiction. The woman is in her 70's and the daughter in her 50's, but I just realized during the week that the daughter has been doing on average 8350 milligrams of Vicodin A DAY! Yes, I said, Eight thousand, three hundred and fifty milligrams of Vicodin a day, and this while in a nursing home unaware that her nephew's been sneaking them in for her while she recieves physical therapy for a broken hip due to a fall...a fall no doubt because of the drugs she's been doing after numerous rehabs, detoxes, etc. I distinctly remember this same woman having a morphine pump attached to her just last year, and playing the revolving doctor ACE for refills, new scripts, etc. Yeah, theres been alot on my mind and its time I start writing a bit more.
 
10:55 PM 
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Thursday, February 12, 2009 

Current mood:  adventurous
Category: Blogging
1) If in this doom of financial crisis your property is taxed on its current market value, and property/home prices have depreciated by 28%-60% across this nation. Then why has no one seen their property taxes decrease?

2) Exactly what is Hillary Clinton getting a salary for...should she not be on a peace mission somewhere?

3) Does it make sense that we now get a tax break from the sales tax on the purchase of a new vehicle when american car prices have gone up, quality down, and our states take right back that tax break in their sales tax? Yes, we are going to see cars move out the lots in record numbers, aren't we...especially when anything decent  will run you 20k plus!

4) Hmmm..."We will never surpass 1 trillion dollars!" Is my calculator wrong? 750 billion which Obama backed through Bush, 14 1/2 billion via Bush that Obama demanded as President Elect, 789 billion thus far under Obama, and lets not forget the second round of financial institution bailouts under Obama and cabinet to a tune of another maybe 2 trillion alone!!!!!!!!! Does this not already total up to...3 Trillion, 553 billion, 3 million and one half dollars??? Obama said, "We inherited this debt." No Mr. Person in the Whitehouse...you are as much at fault for this debt through your votes as Senator, and even more so as President as the biggest amounts thus far have all been directly because of YOU!

5) Are we aware that our tax cut back applied to the average american comes down to a whopping $13.00 dollars more actual cash in our hand every week (if  you get paid weekly)? With what inflation will be with the money being printed to cover this stimulus bill, we may now be able to affoord an extra box or two of jello on shopping day!

6) Do we remember there is a real and living God that still has the last say in EVERYTHING?

7) Nadya Suleman the new mom of octuplets had said, "I can raise and take care of my children!" Then why in fact are we the ones doing it, being that she is on welfare?

8) Do we remember in this age of near depression that drug and alcohol use increases, and along with this so does the spread of AIDS, antibiotic immune strains of common STD's...check with the National Center of Disease Control to see that the leading areas are Southern Illinois, and the St. Louis MO. areas, and lets remember there is also an increase in AIDS due to minors now having sex who's parent's were HIV positive at the time of these now teens births.
 
9) Why were 8 people arrested that were at that party in which Michael Phelps was photographed smoking marijuana, arrested after the fact, and yet the one obviously part taking in this illegality never arrested?

10) Does Alex Rodriguez have a chance of ever making into The Baseball Hall of Fame? I think not when the facts speak for themself that his steroid use did add good numbers to his game while taking steroids through those 3 years. But then again his numbers dropped off again right after he quit the use of steroids. My personal opinion..."The record speaks for itself. It wasn't his natural abilities that peaked his record during that time which makes his whole record null and void!"

11) Wth oil prices as low as they've been, how did ExxonMobile post another record breaking profit quarter? 

12) Why is Illinois the Land of Lincoln when President Lincoln was born in Kentucky? Why is Obama considered being from Illinois when his campaign claimed he was born in Hawaii, and yet his grandmother said, "He was born in Kenya?"

13) If Jimmy did crack corn, With what did he crack it with? Whatever it was I really don't care!

14) This is just a test to see if you really read this, "What is the closest thing to the right of you right now?"

15) Did anyone see the interview last night between Joaquin Phoenix and David Letterman? Tell me something is not wrong with Joaquin Phoenix...the interview video can actually be scene on YouTube for those of you that had not seen it.

16) Wrigley Field, Elton John, and Billy Joel. Thats the big concert of the summer? I trult admire both the men as artist and song writer's simply for the vast amount of songs these two have made and recorded, but would I pay perhaps several hundred dollars to see them...NOT! Now need I remind everyone the EAGLES are back together for a tour and those tickets go on sale here this month for a concert in Chicago. Now this would I go see? In a minute as they are ALL back together and Joe Walsh is with them too!

17) Are we aware that a Russian and USA satellite collided in space yesterday, and both were destroyed upon impact? What are the odds of that one happening...maybe about as high as our national deficiet to one, huh?

18) Is anyone tuned into Idol this time around? I haven't a clue why, but I cannot seem to get into this year. Now "Hell's Kitchen," thats a whole different ballgame...after the years of cooking in soup kitchens, managing two restaurants, and spending six months volunteering at Teen Challenge and cooking for just a tad over 200 people day, three times a day, seven days a week...I know that Ramsey couldn't rattle me at all in the kitchen!

19) So Drew Petersen is again engaged and that 22 year old has once again moved in with him, after he's killed two wives, and said the first engagement, and inhabiting together was a publicity stunt devised by Drew's lawyer!

20) Our soon to be convicted ex governor of Illinois now claims that all the state politicians are drunkards, adulterers, and have no idea what they are doing! Now wasn't he a "Politician" too?
8:18 PM 
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Wednesday, February 04, 2009 

Current mood:  accomplished
     I am just now sitting down to write this real quick, and have to admit I am proud of myself right now. This pc is now running with the new hard drive installed. Let me explain to you that I used to have more confidence in my own pc and techy skills, but my 3 1/2 years in ministry left me no time for alot of keeping up with the skills I gained with my IT buddy that has now moved to Colorado. I never worried about getting into operating systems, building pcs, and keeping up with every new pc related thing that came out. That was until ministry when I basically worked 24/7, 365 days a year in that field.
     It was time for myself that I really needed in part, a time of growth, learning, and giving of myself completely. But for what was gained from that, I also lost when it came togetting right into the heart of pc's and their systems. Aside from checking my emails a few times a week, the closest I came to having hands on again with any systems was via pc donations we'd recieve for the food, clothing, and housewares pantry for which I was in charge. I'd set up from donated pc's about 6 pc's by stripping parts, drives, memory and such for the students that were in the Master's Commission (A discipleship program of 4 years for teens).
     I admit I was scared when I realized the drive was going to go on this pc. It was having problems every once in awhile finding the boot sector, and was also making a clicking noise at times. Experience tells me you hear clicking from a pc, and you know its not a fan...then odds are you are going have a total failure of your hard drive at some point. A hard drive making that clicking noise may last a day, and even at times a year and longer. But either way its going to go so, unless you have your sysytem backed up say good bye to photos, files, records, etc. if you do not get it fixed.
Well, finally after waiting 3 weeks of a due day to get this done I did it tonite. Almost 3 hrs., when originally it was estimated too take about 8 hrs. plus. Thank God another IT friend of my IT buddy came through with a cloning program he had used. I have downloaded 3 differnt cloning programs of which one I was going to use, but I was scared. They were so complex that even experienced people would have had problems with them. The one my friend's friend gave him to give me was simpler then even Windows 98 to use. Best of all the whole cloning process only took 45 minutes total.
So, for tonite I am done...I am going to run a full virus scan, optimize the new drive while I sleep, and tackle one or two other things in the next few days to couple of weeks. I have a Plextor DVD reader burner on this pc thats stand alone because I actually have another brand new in the box that I haven't installed because I gave the power cord to another friend that had a failure on their system...no power cord, no install. So along with this drive I order a new cable which I realized I didn't need (well, right away). But now after looking at things I realize I can now do the install the way it should have been done a while back now. A DVD burner reader, and another the same so you can copy DVD, CD, etc. from disk to disk.
I am actually going to wipe the other hard drive cleam too, reinstall it and use it strictly for non critical files in case it does decide to quit, and backup to that sits a 1 terabyte external hard drive now. But again that means getting into the case, restting the motherboard bios, using jumpers on the drives, etc. and tonite was enough. Once I got rolling things went very well and I felt like I had not skipped a beat. In fact my IT buddy asked me over the phone frome Colorado at one point from the two or three calls we made back and forth tonite, "So, how long do you think it will take you to get that old drive out, install the new, and remember use the jumpers and make that new hard drive the slave, and then after that you have to make it the master, so don't forget! 10 minutes, or so?"
     Inside I was like, Yeah Right! I told him, "I'll call you back in case I run into any snags..ok?" I have a tool less Tsunami Dream Case with blue neon lights around this pc, and have to admit I called him back in under 10 minutes and was booting it back up when I called...word to the wise! Unplug your power cord unless you have real done this stuff before. Ask my buddy as he thought he blew himself up while changing the lights on a water cooled system he built that he ran over clocked. he lost two hard drives by changing the lights with the power still on when a neon light broke on him, sending his cat running, leaving a plume of electrical smoke hovering in his apartment, and throwing a shower of sparks into his face and all around his living room from what he said....lol! Me? Yeah I had the unit powered down, and the cord off..."I just lied!" I had the unit powered down, but realized the green light was still on on the motherboard while inside the case doing all this and figured...I got lucky thus far by removing the one drive like this and not causing a static charge blowing everything, so all thats left is mounting the new drive, hooking up power  to it, and attaching the IDE cord and we're good to go. Yeah, God had angels around me, as I didn't damage myself or components. But all you that knew I was having this pc....I am done, finished, and not worried as to whether or not I was going to have a major failure here or not before all the parts and such had come in.
4:11 AM 
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Tuesday, February 03, 2009 

Current mood:  busy
Category: News and Politics
     So, we have already bailed out the auto industry once! GM and Chrysler respectfully, and this doesn't include the fact that we have TWICE now bailed out Chrysler, remember the Lee Iaoccoa days and acquiring of AMC and Jeep shortly after. Today GM announces buyouts to "ANY" hourly employees. Now wasn't this about keeping employees employed? Seems to me, it was a huge part of their money needs, and keeping America working! Wasn't this government plea and reason behind the loans for one...yes, a bailout loan!
     Now this loan was near 15 billion in two installments, which if I am correct GM and Chrysler were to repay within a year or so. Now how are they going to repay when GM reported billion dollar losses, as did Chrysler Corporation? Have we followed things close enough to realize that these two companies want more bailout money now? Lets remember now folks, this isn't part of the original 700 billion dollar bailout plan that President Bush and the houses passed. We now have President Obama wanting a "Stimulus Package" (its a SUBSIDY, not a Stimulus Package at all, in current state...see the previous blog) passed that is now reaching 820.5 billion dollars, and growing with each report, above this is the fact that sometime this week or next our new Federal Reserve (Not a Branch of our Government at all, may I remind you!)  Director will be announcing the Obama Financial Institutes Bailout plan. Double dipping at our exspense, as we bailed them out under Bush...so, where is that "Change" we heard about? I guess that change Mr. President was speaking of was "lube" or no "lube", we are so blessed to have choices in this country, huh?
    So yes, we have surpassed that Trillion Dollar mark already, but we don't hear any politicians telling us that..now do we? This also just in too, Tom Daschle withdrew his name as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. I guess the fact about the unpaid taxes and his being a lobbyist for that very same group the office would over see, couldn't be smoked and mirrored enough? Thats only one of other cabinet members that also forgot about taxes here and there and even the president him self paying years of traffic tickets that went unpaid since college, just prior to announcing his candidacy. By the way...whats happened to Hillary, isn't she supposed to be keeping world peace, and setting the grounds for a world governement?
     Back to this auto bailout lie we are being told. Do we realize what Chysler has gone and done? Chrysler has, without any cash transaction given 30% of its company to Renault Auto of France. We already realize that only the best engineered vehicles come from France, right? This slick little move by Chrysler has only one purpose behind it. It means that Chrysler will now be eligible for another 3.2 billion dollars in funding, again of our money. That 15 billion we gave the automakers wasn't enough so, Chrysler turns around and does this, and it certainly wasn't enough for Chrysler and GM to merge as one company, making them both eligible for even more down the road. So, slick little move there Chrysler...liquidate and give us tax payers back our money plus interest as you would charge on a car loan. Sounds fair to me, when technically now 30% of Chrysler's profits will go to a company in France...we are really helping us first here, aren't we? Thats also 30% less in revenues they need to pay back that Auto Bailout Loan! Why do I see every dollar being given out of ours being defaulted on by each of these companies?
     Another thing that smells afoul under this newest bailout plan of this administration are the games being played. The money of which each state will receive is going to work like this, and this is my question on all of this, as we know we won't ever see the interest. Using Illinois as example, we are slated to receive like 24.2 billion dollars, but the catch is that next year Illinois must pay back 35 billion dollars to the Federal Government!!!! Sure Obama is keeping his word about not raising taxes, because he won't be, and he'll look great for it too, even greater giving us tax breaks. But! Where will these states get the money to pay back that Federal Money, and to whom and where is all that interest going to go? That money that will need to be paid back in order to keep federal funding is going to come right out of our pockets again! No doubt the individual states will be scrambling to raise money any way they can to keep the federal funding the states do need. Now we know why the parking meters in downtown Chicago will soon be at $7.50 an hour for parking, has the highest sales tax in the nation, and between Cook county and Illinois State cigarettes are $7.00- $8.00 a pack, and roughly .40 of of every gallon of gasoline sold here is tax money! Smoke and mirrors people, get involved, be informed, and God help us all.
 
6:55 PM 
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