Savvify

Well I guess it had to happen. It has finally come to this and I am sorry. My Construction Company is now officially out of cash. I know, and I am comfortable in that I did all I could to not let it happen.

I looked at bankruptcy but feel that if I were to enter chapter 11 proceedings my customers would no longer have confidence in the homes we build. Our suppliers could lose confidence in our ability to produce a first class product. Therefore I feel that bankruptcy is not an option.

I have examined every option and firmly believe that a government bailout is the only viable option. Furthermore, it is my opinion that the metroplex will suffer an un-repairable loss to the economy if we are allowed to fail.

My construction company supports 50 to 60 skilled and unskilled workers. However the domino effect will be felt all over the metroplex. Our suppliers will no doubt have to cut back on their employees. Factories producing goods for the building trades will be impacted also.

I am at this moment preparing my 1985 Chevy Van for the trip to Washington D.C. where I will stay in the lobby of a fine 5 star hotel. I am hopeful that congress will allow me to meet with our Treasury Secretary where I will make the case for a government bailout.

I am not asking for much. I think a billion or two will carry me through the middle of next year. At that time the economy should be recovered enough so that I can begin to pay back this government bailout. As a money saving measure for the taxpayers I am also requesting congress wave the customary oversight committee as I feel that I know what I am doing and do not need any oversight.

So it now appears that I am doing the taxpayers a favor. By asking for and receiving this government bailout I am helping to save the Metroplex economy and I am also helping families keep their homes out of foreclosure. And let’s not forget the big one - the taxpayers will get part of my profits, once I become profitable again. This is a great deal for all concerned.

I know the banking committee will be more than happy to help me out. After all I am a business man and a taxpayer.

What a country we live in!!!! No where but in the United States of America can it be said that we live in a free market economy and then have the government subsidize big business.

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Pancho Villa - a bleeding heart liberal Revolutionary.

Work with nature - plant a tree for more oxygen and less pollution.

http://www.saintdiva.com/page.php?11

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Is the city where your parents or grandparents live stealing your inheritance? The biggest investment we make as middle class citizens is the purchase of a home. For most of us this home is filled with loving and caring memories.

The most we can leave our children or grandchildren when we die is the home where we spent a life time. The home where our children grew up and the home where grandchildren came to visit grandma and grandpa.

Increasingly, cities across the nation are placing labor liens against the family homestead and waiting for the owners to die to collect. By the time grandma and grandpa leave this earth the home has city labor liens well in excess of its value.

Here is how it works. All cities have a building code. This code is meant to protect its citizens from shoddy builders, remodelers and slum lords as well as keeping the city well groomed and presentable.

As our citizens age they become less and less able to maintain the home they purchased 20 or 30 years ago. In addition, their income drops dramatically to the point where they are unable to pay for someone else to do the maintenance.

A senior citizen, especially one with a medical condition, can no longer mow the lawn or do most any kind of yard work. And if that same citizen’s only income is social security in the amount of $300.00 to $1,000.00 then the choice becomes one of getting the lawn mowed, buying medications, eating or paying the utilities.

Most cities will mow the lawn once the grass grows to between 6 and 12 inches. Regardless of the size of the lawn the charge will be anywhere from $300.00 to $600.00 and this does not include the back yard. The yard is not cut with care nor is it cut with a lawnmower. A large tractor with a brush hog attachment is used.

A bill is sent to the homeowner. If the homeowner is unable to pay the bill then the city will file a labor lien and carry the amount until the property sells, at which time they collect at closing, or if the owners pass away, they will put the house up for auction.

Grass mowing labor liens are not the only things the cities use to take your inheritance and generate funds for themselves. Most homes have a roof overhang called an eve, attached to the eve is the fascia board. Assuming the home is a brick home, the only thing that requires painting is this 3 ½ inch board that runs all the way around the house. It is close to impossible for a 80 year old man or woman to climb a ladder and paint this board. Yet if it is not painted the city will condemn the home as “unfit for human habitation”. Cities have numerous laws by which to steal your inheritance.

Is there a solution? Yes there are several options. 1) We could just let the cities continue to unjustly enrich themselves. 2) We could abolish the building codes or portions thereof. Or 3) We could pass new laws making it a crime for senior citizens and handicapped citizens to own real property. 4) We could make it a requirement that all property owners pass a physical and general knowledge test of home ownership.

If indeed the building codes are for the protection of all citizens then option 3 makes a lot of sense. We cannot continue to let these non-compliant citizens endanger the rest of society.

If the real object of the building code is to generate revenue for the city then of course option 1 is the proper course of action.

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Pancho Villa - a bleeding heart liberal Revolutionary.

Work with nature - plant a tree for more oxygen and less pollution.

http://www.saintdiva.com/page.php?11

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It just keeps on happening. Residents of St Louis have been advised by a City Alderman to arm themselves. The Alderman said that the police are ineffective, outnumbered and really don’t care about the increase in crime in his ward.

The Alderman made note that the economy is going to get worse before it gets better and that criminals are going to get bolder. Not because we have more criminals but because when there are less resources some people will take what they think they need by force if necessary.

The Alderman further stated that the community has to be prepared to defend and protect what the local police can not or will not defend and protect.

Unfortunately, this is not the first city police department to be intimidated by the criminal elements. Fort Worth Texas also has a few good men in blue that are either unable or unwilling to defend and protect the citizens of this great city.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity of meeting a lady that was besieged by break ins at her home. She would call the police and file a report and soon someone would break into her home again.

One day she was on a street not far from her home and noticed a home with a garage door open. She recognized some of her belongings that had been stolen from her home several weeks ago.

She called the police and asked for help in recovering her property. When the police arrived she was told they could not help her because they needed proof positive that the things in that garage belonged to her. No receipts, no serial number etc. meant that this lady could not recover the property that had been stolen from her.

When this person complained that her home was constantly being broken into the police told her “…we are not your personal security guard. We can’t be here watching your house 24/7”.

So this person put up burglar/security bars on her windows and doors. A week after that the bars were stolen. She called the police and they told her very plainly “Lady you need to sell your home and move from here. We can’t help you”.

Yes I agree that the boys in blue have a difficult job. Sometimes it is an impossible job. But let us be real, without law and order where would our economy be??

How much is a house worth if anyone can enter and take whatever they want? How much are you willing to pay for a nice car knowing that in less than two weeks it will be stolen or vandalized piece by piece?

How much is an investor willing to invest in rental property if the neighborhood is run by criminals? How much are we as a society willing to invest through our property taxes in our city if there are no city services?

The economic downturn has many implications. As our law enforcement is directed more and more toward revenue generating activities, safety and security have to be sacrificed.

What to do?? One Alderman in St Louis has an excellent idea, arm yourself and prepare to defend your economic rights.

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Pancho Villa - a bleeding heart liberal Revolutionary.

Work with nature - plant a tree for more oxygen and less pollution.

http://www.saintdiva.com/page.php?11

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When you are immensely wealthy it is sometimes difficult to tell why the people outside your family are drawn to you.

Because most of them are drawn to you because of your wealth. And it does not matter how you happen to come by all that wealth. You could suddenly inherit it, win the lotto, or earn it through hard work. Once people know you have it, they will find a way to find you, it’s happened. So recently, when it was noted that Madonna’s soon to be ex husband, Guy Ritchie stated he wanted nothing from the divorce settlement with the ‘Material Girl,’ I was surprised.

Why? Because usually, most people, whether or not they entered a marriage with their own money, want something with a monetary value from the other person.

Or as one of my high school teachers put it when I told her I was missing something valuable from my belongings: ‘Some people want souvenirs.’

I commend Mr. Guy Ritchie for not wanting any of Madonna’s money. Especially when nowadays it seems as though  being divorced from a wealthy person is looked upon as a way for the other party to obtain what he/she thinks is theirs.

On a personal note, I have never been married, but if I were to marry a wealthy person and that marriage ended in a divorce, I would want to walk away with none of that person’s wealth.

Because maybe what initially drew me to that person had nothing to do with their money. It could have been the way they talk, laugh, the way they made me laugh, the happy uplifting way I felt when I was around them etc…

No Gold digger here.

In Newark Ohio a fifteen year old girl has been charged with manufacturing and distributing child pornographic materials and possession of criminal tools.   The District Attorney has said enough of these underage criminals.  So the District Attorney has charged her with breaking every law related to child sex crimes. Additionally, those receiving the pornographic material will also be charged.

What did this girl do that is so bad that the District Attorney wants to destroy her life and the life of some of her close friends?  The girl took some photos of herself  in the nude and sent them to some of her friends.  That is all.  She did not sell the photos. She did not take pictures of anyone else. She only took pictures of her own body.

What about the criminal tools charge.  Well that is the cell phone. It seems that because the cell phone was used and can be used to send pornographic pictures it can now be considered a criminal tool.

Do we live in a police state or what??  This used to be something that the parents handled at home.  Charges like these were reserved for the most despicable perverts society has to offer.  Do these police and District Attorney have nothing better to do?  The community would be well served if they just took the girl along with the pictures and handed both over to the parents.

Think about your adolescent days and while trying not to blush count the times you could have been charged with some sex crime had you been caught.  Remember the terms, “necking”, “parking”, “making out”, etc.

Think about how getting charged with a sex crime could have impacted your life.  Like having to register as sex offender with your local police every time you move.  Like not being able to pass out candy at Halloween because you are a registered sex offender. Not being able to become a teacher or be around kids at all.  Like not being able to work where you want because you are branded a sex offender. Like not being able to hang out at the park or anywhere children congregate .

I am not saying that what the girl did is correct.  But I do believe that the teenage year are for exploring. The teenage years are for learning not only about the world we live in but also about ourselves.  That learning should also include learning about our sexuality.

We need laws to protect our children against perverts.  But pray tell me how charging this girl with child pornography protects my child?  Is your child safer because this girl was charged with photographing her own nude body?

The truth be told, I think your child is more in danger of the police than this fifteen year old girl.

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Pancho Villa - a bleeding heart liberal Revolutionary.
Work with nature - plant a tree for more oxygen and less pollution.
http://www.saintdiva.com/page.php?11
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It seems as though time travel has fascinated mankind since the concept entered the atmosphere. And if you asked most people what they would do if they could travel back and forth in time, most might say they want to eliminate some bad person or not have a certain event or situation take place.

And when I played Chrono Trigger on the SNES in the mid nineties, I was also fascinated that the main character you were in charge of, Chrono, could travel back and forth in time to rescue other in game characters, defeat vile monsters and so on.

Then came Crono Cross for the Playstation. Again, your main character, Crono was able to travel back and forth to set things right with his world in this CD based adventure.

And after I played that particular game, I was left wanting more. But since no more Chrono Cross/Trigger games were made, I moved on.

But now comes a remake of Chrono Trigger for the Nintendo DS. Although it’s more or less the same game as the SNES version, I can’t wait to play it as it also promises to have a new ending with Crono, the Frog and Marie, and it’s portable.

You no longer have to be confined to your room or your living/entertainment room in order to play this Nintendo DS version.

Due to be released next Tuesday, (November 25th 2008) now you can take Crono, Lucca and the rest of the group with you as you travel back and forth in time with Crono and help him defeat monsters and rescue his friends and so on.

What’s more? It’s an RPG and will be a great addition to your collection if you are a lover of RPG video games. I can’t wait for it’s release next week, can you?

The American Stock Market, two steps forward one step back. Or at least that’s the way it was before the financial meltdown.  Now it seems to be just the opposite, one step forward and two steps back.  Just what does it really mean for the businesses traded on the stock exchange?

To the business it means nothing, absolutely nothing.  But how can this be?  I own 100 shares of XYZ Company, what do you mean it means nothing to the company?  Well yes it is true that it means nothing to the Company.

The only time a Company should care about the price of it’s shares is when it is poised to offer the shares to the public.  Once the shares have been issued they are of no consequence to the Company.  The company issues shares to raise capital.  Once the company sells the shares it has raised the capital it wanted and the shares become nothing more than evidence of ownership in that company.

Now here is where the stock market and wall street come in. If I no longer wish to own a part of XYZ Company I look for someone to buy my shares (part ownership) in that company.

Therefore, one might say that Wall Street is simply a flea market of people selling their tiny part ownerships in  companies.  If a company is doing well that means the owners will do well, if the company is not doing well then the owners (stockholders) stand to lose their investment in the business (the purchase price of the stock).

I say that because the health of the company has some bearing as to the price one is willing to pay for part ownership (stock) in a company.

So now the company has raised the capital it needed and is out of the game.  The players now become those participating in this flea market we call Wall Street.  At this flea market (Wall Street) most people investing want to buy a part ownership (stock) at a reduced (cheap) price and resell it at a much higher price (profit). Others want to sell stock they don’t yet have and replace it when the price drops (short sale).

Now here is the interesting thing.  A lot of people are saying that they are losing their shirt, that the value of the stocks they own are down.  That is not true!  If those investors would just hold on to the stock they own nothing would happen in their bank account.

Let’s look at how it works.  Suppose you own a hundred thousand dollar home.  And that home prices just dropped 20 percent.  Your home is now worth only eighty thousand dollars.  Does that mean you lost twenty thousand dollars?  NO NO.  Take a good look at your bank account.  Every thing you had is still there.  You have lost nothing UNTILL you decide to sell and someone offers and you accept the lower price.

The same is true for the stocks on Wall Street.  The value of the offers may have dipped but the ownership and the amount of shares is still the same.  If the sellers would just refuse to sell then the price of the investment would go back up.

So as is plain from the above, the fact that the stock market is down has nothing to do with the company losing money. If a company is losing money it is because of poor leadership not because Joe Six-pack sold his 100 shares to Windy the Waitress at a loss.  The loss Joe Six-pack suffered is entirely outside of the company.
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Pancho Villa - a bleeding heart liberal Revolutionary.
Work with nature - plant a tree for more oxygen and less pollution.
http://www.saintdiva.com/page.php?11
Save $$ on gas here

While I played Animal Crossing Wild World on the Nintendo DS, I was so intrigued by it, that after paying off that mortgage to Mr. Nook and decorating my in game house the way I wanted it, I was left yearning for more.

So you can imagine how high my enthusiasm level must have been when  Animal Crossing City Folk for the Nintendo Wii came out.

Set in real time like the Nintendo DS version, you still have to do all the initial things you have to do before you actually start playing the game. Like you still have to meet Mr. Nook, work for him for a while to get your mortgage payments  going and speak to everyone in town.

And the good folks at Nintendo sort of reward you if you have been playing the Nintendo DS version. For in the Wii version, Animal Crossing City Folk,  you have a DS Suitcase option that lets you choose items you like from Animal Crossing Wild World.

For example, you can get certain pieces of clothing you are fond of, like a shirt, or cap or even   furniture from your DS home.

Another unique aspect of the Wii game: Animal Crossing City Folk  is,   you get to take your character to the city. And you  do so by boarding a bus, but once you are in the city, there are lots of fun things to do.

You can go and have your hair done at Shampoodle or get a makeover. Or get both. Your choice. Also there is an Auction House where you can sell some of your stuff and buy  more things  from other in game characters.

When you buy items from other characters, these items will come to you via mail. So you don’t have to panic, if, after purchasing an item, it does not automatically show up in your inventory.

In addition, there is also a movie theatre or cinema where you can meet and talk to other characters. And wait until you connect your Wii speak  microphone.

This operates  as stated, like a microphone that lets you chat with other   people who are playing Animal Crossing City Folk, such as your friends or relatives. You can connect this device via a USB port that works with an internet connection.

Also, do you remember Gracie from the DS version? She comes to Animal Crossing Wild World on certain days, but in the Wii, Animal Crossing City Folk  game,   you get to go to her store to stock up on her high priced line of clothing while you are in the city.

Keeping in mind that the game is being played in real time, remember, clothes  are seasonal, you will see rain, or snow and  there are things you can do during the day you might not be able to do if you say, play the game at night.

You can fish day and night, but  can talk to most of your neighbours in the daytime. As they might be asleep or getting  ready for bed at night.

In case you were wondering, yes, you do get to use familiar items like: the shovel, slingshot, fishing rod, etc. and there is a bank in the city where you can store your ‘Bells’ or money.

And while you are playing  Animal Crossing City Folk, be prepared for: plenty of dialogue, crisp and clear graphics and sound effects, you might have to write an in game letter or two, don’t forget to visit the city  museum, but most of all, I hope you have as much fun playing this Wii offering as much as I have and I am in the process of still enjoying.

RATED  E  FOR EVERYONE. And can be addicting.