Do you want to teach your kids something?

"If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger." Frank Lloyd Wright

Do you really want to teach your kids something?  Really? 

In the age of technology we live in, most of us count on our gizmos and gadgets to help us through our day almost everyday.  Is the road closed?  That's okay, use the GPS in your phone to find an alternate route.  Is the store closed?  That's okay, use Google on your phone to find an different store.  How do I feed these hamsters I just bought?  Easy.  Go on the internet and learn how.  What kind of rash is this?  WebMD knows.  There really are millions of ways technology shapes the world we live in.

"Man is a slow, sloppy and brilliant thinker; the machine is fast, accurate and stupid." William M. Kelly

I spoke with a friend a while back that said his son had called him and told him that all the electrical "stuff" is dead in his truck.  His son told him that it started and runs fine, but it doesn't have any headlights or tail lights. My friend was initially concerned, but then paused for a second and asked his son if he had turned on the headlights. His son replied, "You have to turn them on?" His 20ish year old son had never driven a vehicle that did not have automatic headlights.  This really got me thinking about all this technology in our world.  What will this next generation do if they have to solve these problems on their own?  I know it sounds a little silly, but think about it.  Could your kids figure out how to turn on the headlights when the switch doesn't even say headlights anymore?  All the headlight switches now just have generic symbols on them lest we discriminate against people that don't speak fluent English.  Back to my point though, what would these kids do if they have to figure this stuff out themselves?  I hate to be a doomsday speaker or a wacko, but what would we do if all these technologies failed?  What would they do without electricity?  What would our kids do with no real skills to survive?  Isn't it a big gamble to assume that things will always be okay?

"Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards." Aldous Huxley

Take almost any area of our lives and technology is in it.  Look at your wristwatch.  What would you do if the battery failed and you couldn't get a new one?  Would you wind it?  Or, would it become useless?  I imagine a discussion with a group of people comparing their watches in an braggish fashion.

"My watch is back lit and waterproof to 500 meters " says one person.

"Oh yeah?  My watch is back lit and the color of the back light changes with my mood.  It's waterproof to 600 meters" says the next person.

"That's wonderful, but my watch does all of those things and also measures my walking steps per day, my heart rate, my blood pressure,  gives me GPS readings of everywhere I have gone all day, and it is waterproof to 1000 meters" proclaims the next person.

Then, it comes to me.

"What does your watch do?"  They ask.

"My watch tells me what time it is.  Each day I wind it up and it's very accurate.  If I forget to wind it and the time gets off, I can reset it at noon with some sunshine.  It isn't back lit at all but I don't really care. If I need to know what time it is after dark, I can lean closer to the fire to illuminate the dials.  Since I don't want to see what time it is at the bottom of the ocean and I doubt I could survive at that depth, mine doesn't need to be waterproof to 1000 meters.   My watch really needs to be just waterproof enough so I can wash my hands and shower with it on if I forget to take it off without ruining it.  My watch does this all without batteries.  What will yours do without batteries?"

"Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink." Samuel Taylor Coleridge

I was trying to decide what is most important to sustain life if everything else in our world fell apart.  Simple enough, right?  Food and water would be needed by everyone to live.  Water more immediately important than food, but both are needed to survive any significant length of time.  So, you want your kids to learn?  Teach them to purify water.  Hopefully there never comes a time when they need to purify water to survive, but it's a great skill to have.  What if there is no bottled water?  What if you have to drink the river water or no water? Do you know how to purify water for drinking?  Do you know how much to set aside for daily consumption?  You should.  Your kids should, too.  It would be easy to have purification tablets or filters to should your kids how to purify water, but what should they do when they run out of those things?  Your kids should know to boil water to purify it.  Your kids should know that you can add small amounts of iodine or bleach to water to make it safe to drink if it is questionable.  If nobody teaches your kids this stuff, how would they know?  If they fail to make their water safe for drinking, they get sick and there is no readily available medical attention, what would they do?  If we have a technological collapse, who will be able to Google this stuff?  So, it's a good skill to know.

"Life's a garden, dig it?"  Joe Dirt

You want your kids to learn something else valuable?  Teach them to garden.  I don't mean that you should go to the store, buy a grown tomato plant, water it, and count that as gardening.  In a way, it's still a good lesson (a little like cheating), but what would you do it you couldn't buy a plant?  I think you should take it a few steps further.  I think you should buy seeds to plant.  You should find suitable soil to plant them in.  You should care for them as they grow.  You should fight off insects and rodents.  You should aerate their soil and remove the weeds.  You should harvest them as they mature.  Then, you should save your seeds for next year and do it all over again.  This is something you should teach your kids.  This would be a great lesson.

"Everyplace is walking distance if you have the time."  Steven Wright

Teach your kids to walk.  That's a great lesson.  Most kids you talk to these days seem to think that walking 10 miles is impossible.  Or, they think that if you can walk 10 miles that you are some sort of freak.  All generations of humans before ours did a lot of walking.  In the last couple hundred years we have become used to letting something else like a car or horse carry us.  Our bodies are incredible when it comes to exercise and walking.  Our bodies are well equipped to walk and can easily carry our own weight for many, many miles.  In fact, we can carry a lot more than our own weight for a long, long time.  What if a trip to town meant a walking trip to town instead of a drive?  Could you do it?  Would you do it?  It's something to think about.

"Technology... the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it." Max Frisch

Can any kids read a map these days?  I wanted to buy a map a while back and I see it is easiest to find one in a bookstore.  In days past, every gas station had them for sale.  Most gas stations had one posted for public viewing.  But now, if you ask for a map, they look at you like you just asked for lead shot your musket.  What would these kids do if we were unable to tell them how to get where they are going?  What would they do without GPS?  What would we do without it?  My fiance is a avid map reader.  I used to give her a steady stream of teasing about it, but she's right.  The ability to navigate with a map is a great skill.  The ability the navigate north, south, east and west without a map is even a better skill.  So, touche Amanda.  You are wise.

"What the country needs are a few labor-making inventions." Arnold Glasow

Teach your kids how to work.  I don't mean go to a job and run a cash register, although that's valuable, too.  Teach them to physically work.  Teach them that it's sometimes necessary and always okay to get sweaty and dirty.  Teach them that to get a job done, it's sometimes unavoidable to get dirty.  Encourage them to jump right in and help.  Our bodies can be washed.  Our clothing can be washed.  You cannot put a cost on sweat equity.  Teach your kids that there are many, many people in this world that aren't able-bodied whether it's from illness, accident or circumstance, but that those people wish that they could work physically.  Impress upon your kids that having the ability to work physically is not something to be taken for granted.  Trust me.  There are thousands of people that wish they had the physical capabilities that our kids do.  Our kids need to be mindful of that.  It's a good lesson.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." Albert Einstein

Teach your kids to help take care of those that cannot take care of themselves. When they are cutting wood, they can cut some extra for the neighbor not because they can get paid, but because it's the right thing to do. They can pick branches off of the neighbor's lawn and open doors for them.  They can help out others just to keep themselves busy. They need to learn to do these things for not reward, but just because. These days, it seems many of our kids don't want to be "bothered" visiting grandma or grandpa.  Or, they can't be "bothered" going to help out relatives.  As if our kids are really that busy? They're kids, right? Don't we plan their days for them?  They are never "too busy" to see their family.  They are never "too busy" to help out the neighbors.

"For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three." Alice Kahn

I think our kids just need to be taught. That might be the most difficult job of all.

The Minnesota Freeloaders

I'm frustrated.
I'm confused.

I don't think I am really arrogant or cocky.  I definitely don't think that the way I think of things is the "right" way if it means that to be "right" the views of others would have to be "wrong."  But, still I am confused.  I simply don't understand many of the views of my peers.  For the most part, I don't bother them with my views regardless if they bother me with theirs.

Jeepers.  The last thing I want to be is political or be a guy that rants about current events.   It truly is the last thing I want to be.  I feel like I am forced to be the crazy extremist political ranter in light of the ideas of our state.  I feel for the most part I am pleading with everyone around me and expressing views on things that they do not share.  But, does nobody else see the financial state of Minnesota and our world the way I do?  I mean, you are all intelligent people and are perfectly capable to make decisions.  Each and every person in this world deserves to state their opinion and be heard.  Everyone deserves to be able to hold their opinion without criticism or guilt.  I guess to me, I don't understand why my views might be the unpopular ones.  Here's what I am confused about today.

The Minnesota Vikings more or less believe that they "deserve" a new stadium to play in if they are to remain in Minnesota.  It isn't that they want permission to build one.  They don't even want an option on land or a tax break.  They more or less want us to build it for them.  I think they are willing to chip in a little money, but the bulk of this stadium they want for free.  The project began with an estimated $500 million dollar budget and has since expanded into a $1.2 billion dollar project.  To put this into perspective, that $1.2 billion dollar amount divides out to be $224.51 for each and every person in Minnesota.  This is every man, woman, and child using 2011 census numbers, not just taxpayers.  How could this ever be a viable endeavour?  How could this even ever be a remote consideration?  What would ever give government the power to spend $224 of my money without any sort of choice in the matter on my part?  Well, since my daughter is still a minor, I guess I get to pay $448.  Better still, right? 

I have had multiple discussions with people about this topic and they seem to just shrug it off and not care about it.  Think about this seriously.  Do you want government to forcedly take money from everyone in the state disregarding their will?  Is it a fair situation to you since you want to Vikings to stay in Minnesota?  Are you really so selfish to think that keeping the Vikings in Minnesota by bribing them with a new stadium "works" for everybody whether they like football or not?  Or, do you just disregard others completely?

In 2011, it was the original projection that the state of Minnesota had a rather large deficit.  The state of Minnesota actually shut down for a while last year because of budget proposal failures.  But, then the topic got changed to the Vikings "needing" a new stadium and the budget "crisis" disappeared and was replaced with a surplus.

Now, in light of negative talks about the new stadium, Minnesota tax payers have been notified that the state capital building is more or less "in ruins" and they might need $241 million to fix that up.  Just so we are clear on this.  The figure I saw on the news for repair of the building was $241 MILLION dollars.  Yes, $241 MILLION dollars to REPAIR a building.  I bet I could have at LEAST 482 huge pole buildings built and furnished for $241 million.  I bet our state government could all fit into one or two of them.  That would leave about 480 of them empty for use for housing or some other noble cause.  How can the state government ever justify this sort of spending?  How can all of you, my peers, not be really, really pissed about this?  It's your money.  It's my money. 

Precedent for this silly spending was set in 2007 when the state of Minnesota added additional sales taxes to help fund a $522 million dollar stadium for the Twins baseball club.  That worked like a charm when it rained most of this past spring and game after game was cancelled.  When there was a chance of poor weather, attendance was next to nothing, yet the games went on.  But, they were better off there than in the Metrodome, right? 

What are some of the arguments for the new stadium?

It will create jobs.

It will create jobs.  I agree completely.  While it is being built, a lot of new jobs will exist.  But, after it is completed, most of those jobs will end.  So, we could argue that job creation, even it if is short term (1-3 years) is still a good thing.  Again, I would agree.  But, I would ask you to consider at what cost per job for these jobs?  What about fixing up our state highways, streets and bridges?  Why don't we demolish some of the rundown buildings in the metro and create some parking ramps or something to help everybody have good access to the events that we already have?  Could we level out a block of decrepit buildings and make a park or something?  Don't these things create jobs?  I mean, the situation isn't really any different except these works would benefit everyone rather than just Vikings fans.  Also, I don't know about you, but I get around the metro and out state quite a bit.  Our roads are rough and terrible.

The argument has been made to me that the actual finished Viking facility would employ more people long term.  I guess I can see some property management and public relations sort of jobs, but I really can't see the point of them.  Creating jobs in a sense of day to day operations for an establishment that is built and operated with tax money is nothing more than another liability.  As far as food service goes, I think the discussion is even more moot.  There will not be any significant new food service or janitorial jobs created for the new Vikings stadium that don't directly damage the supply of jobs available at the Metrodome.  Don't kid yourself.  The food service people work their butts off and get paid very little because the margins are fairly tight on food service.  The managers of those food service companies will continue to trim back jobs at one location and move staff to the other and will likely even use most of the same staff.  It isn't like they are going to schedule huge events at the Metrodome on the same day as Vikings games.  It isn't going to happen.  Think of it this way:  Susie works at the wiener stand on the Metrodome on Tuesday for an event and then again on Friday for Monster Trucks.  Then, Susie works the wiener stand at the Twins game Saturday.  Then on Sunday,  Susie works the wiener stand at the preseason rally at the new Vikings stadium.  Susie CAN work at all locations on different days.  And, why wouldn't she want to?  I see no new jobs here.  Well, maybe there is a few, but again, try to justify spending over a billion dollars to create these jobs.

The new complex will make over $85,000 per event in parking alone.

This is really silly and it makes an assumption.  This statement assumes that the events will all sell out.  This statement assumes that all parking will be purchased at full retail.  You cannot believe that if Xcel Energy, Coke, Pepsi, Target, or anyone else wanted to throw a big party for their employees and take them to a game that the management of the new stadium wouldn't cut them a deal on parking for multiple cars?  You better believe they would give them a break.  They better.  Vikings stadium management would be fools not to.  It's only good business.  Either way, the Twins pitched us all on a profitability scale figuring that almost all of the seats were full.  How much do they make if nobody goes to the games?  Hard to bank on unrealized income.

The new complex will bring lots of tax money into Minnesota.

I guess I don't understand this idea, either.  Who is this additional tax money coming from?  The players?  Most of the players don't even live in Minnesota.  Is this additional tax money coming from fans?  Is it from increased capacity of the new complex?  If it is, it is also banking on unrealized income from an unproven source.  I don't remember too many sold out Vikings games in this lifetime.  So, does that mean if we the people build a new stadium that seats more people that magically more people will come?  No, it doesn't mean that at all.  In fact, it is financially irresponsible to assume that it would.  But, it comes to your opinion about it, not mine.  I do not want my money handled irresponsibly.  Do you?

I think the only way I could see more tax money coming into Minnesota is that the property values of housing and of the property the new stadium is built on would change.  There is potential for huge property tax gains.  But, that really seems to help out the city and county where the new stadium is.  It does not help out anyone else in Minnesota.

The new stadium is an investment in the future of our state.

I just don't think so.  I think roads are an investment.  I think education is an investment.  I think parks are an investment.  I do not think that a stadium is.  Even if we build it, we aren't guaranteed that the Vikings won't leave five years from now anyway.  Or, maybe ten years from now they will demand another new stadium that costs $5 billion?  Who is to say?  I do think that if the stadium idea was such an absolute cash cow and a terrific multi-billion dollar making idea, the owner of the Vikings would want to build it himself.  Why wouldn't he?  He could afford it.  He doesn't build it himself because then he is tied to Minnesota.  If he built it himself, it would be his neck in the line if it didn't work out, not the tax payers of Minnesota.  These risks are not acceptable to him.  So, the other way to get the stadium is to threaten to leave and watch Minnesotans that like football kick, scream, and cry about it.  Then, when enough pressure gets put on politicians, the Vikings get their stadium for free.

The Vikings will leave without a new stadium.

Wow.  Well, it was fun while it lasted.  Sorry Vikings, but this just isn't working out.  You can't win a Superbowl and a good portion of your players are being bailed out of jail regularly.  I'm sorry, Vikings, but I think we need to see other people.  Really, let them leave if they want to.  If they don't want to be in Minnesota, let them go.  Are you willing to pay $1.2 billion dollars so they stay?  If they leave the state, they will still be on television, would they?  Or, if they leave the state do they just ride off into the sunset on a dusty saddle with worn out spurs?  Seriously?  What appeal does any of this argument have to a person like me that just doesn't care about the Vikings?

Last but not least is my favorite argument.

Well, I like football so I want a new stadium.  If it was something you liked, you would want it, too.

Wrong again.  If our state had a product and giving money to the state via taxes actually earned something, an investment in a project of the state might be more appealing.  But, when our state does little other than argue over insignificant things, blow billions and billions of dollars of our money, lie right to our face in the media, and place blame in a he said/she said fashion the idea of believing or backing any of the politicians or their ideas has very little luster.  I'm sorry, but I just don't trust them.  I don't trust the governor.  I don't trust any of the house or senate politicians.  I think they look out for themselves, their careers, and they pass legislation to help out those that got them elected.  They do this much of the time at the expense of what would be decent or good.  There frankly is NO project that I can think of that could benefit me that I would think the using tax dollars from everyone in Minnesota would be justified. I would never think it's okay to steal money from you so I can be entertained on the weekends.

But, what do I know.  I am just a crazy political ranter.

You lose with big gas prices.

Gas prices being high.  Who benefits? Why?  How?

Obama and his administration benefit.

Obama campaigned for "green" energy and still gets support for this unrealized campaign idea.  What's the reality?

Big gas prices benefit him and his administration.  How do they? 

Well, ultra liberals will support him despite high energy costs because not unlike ANY  "ultra" stance, they do not want to be confused with facts or reality because their minds are already made up.  Their persistence is respectable, but the inability to accept true reality makes them unreliable sources of facts.  Also, if they are crazy (like PETA crazy) they would not care about spending their inheritance on gasoline because they are under the illusion that it needs to be expensive to do "the right thing" or what they might think "the right thing" is.  So, ultra liberals will love Obama despite whatever energy costs are because they are sure they are correct.

More moderate liberals will tolerate these inflated fuel prices because gas might not be nearly as big or a topic to them in their world as say abortion, gay marriage or naturalization of illegal immigrants.  These people realize that if they fail financially due to excess government taxes, fees, spending, and fuel costs, that the Obama administration has created multiple safety nets for them to live anyway funded by the tax dollars of others.  They are under the impression that this is America and they have a "right" to money and a "right" to a good living.

Obama has also deficit spent more money than all other presidents through Bush combined.  A high gas price brings in billions of additional monies in gas taxes and this may help ease the drought of federal money that states have available to them.  A representative of the state of New York was on record a couple years back praising high gas prices for helping them balance their budget as a state.   Most states have a gas tax of some sort and many of these states use a tax based on the dollar, not on the gallon.  So, higher gas prices equals more money for state government.  More money for state government means state government spends more money.  All in all this just means less money for consumers.

A few of Obama's biggest financial backers are Wall Street banks and oil companies.  British Petroleum is a huge contributor to the Obama cause.  So is Goldman Sachs.  Do you remember them?  They are one of the banks "too big to fail" and they received $10 billion dollars of "stimulus" money because they were in such financial peril.  Wait, do you mean Obama has helped out some of the banks that gave him campaign money?  Really?

A high gas price certainly helps out any gas company in the world.  In the days of Bush, liberals everywhere would be crying foul and burning crosses on the White House lawn if G.W. would have directly had a hand in helping out oil companies.  How does Obama directly have a hand in high gas prices?  By banning offshore drilling, his administration has created higher demand and thus higher prices.  By letting drilling permits expire without renewal, he has further increased demand and prices and also unemployed thousands of America workers.  His excuse for banning drilling and permit renewal was because of the Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico where millions and millions of gallons of crude oil were spilled when a rig blew up and the safety valve failed.  The idea that because of disaster, ALL oil drilling and exploration is hazardous to the environment would be same thinking that if one school bus crashes, ALL school buses are unsafe.  Or, if we have one car accident in this country, all car driving will result in an accident.  Or, if we have one case of food poisoning in this country, food should be banned because food isn't safe.  Obama was on record "punishing" BP for their negligence, but then helped gas prices soar and remain high for a prolonged period of time and that allowed BP to pay for their "punishment" money right out of excess cash flow. Convenient. 

Big banks benefit.

Yes, that's right.  Banks benefit greatly from a high gas price.  So, all this time spent by Obama and other politicians complaining about "big banking" and how the banks "rip off" consumers is a complete crock of crap.  Don't get me wrong, I am not defending the banks.  I am just stating the FACT that bank fees are based on the dollar, not on the gallon when it comes to gas.  The banks that run Visa/Mastercard/Amex can now charge me the retailer a lot more money for their services even though I am handling less gasoline.  Every gasoline retailer pays credit card fees based on the dollar, not on the gallon.  Also, if you charge your gas on a credit card and don't get the balance paid monthly, more than likely the dollar amount of gas consumed is higher than it used to be.  Then, the banks make more interest off of you, the consumer.  What better way to earn money off of the public than increase fees on something that most people cannot operate without?  As a consumer, you end up paying for it in the long run as retailers cannot continue to absorb more and more overhead when already faced with low margins.

Wall Street traders benefit.

Banks also back Wall Street traders in the gasoline and oil markets.  Even though the markets are volatile, the markets end up being manipulated by their trading.  Figure it this way:  If you are a market trader and are averaging 5% profit per trade, do you make more money in the product is worth $10, or in the product is worth $100?  If the margins remain, the traders cash in on high gas prices.  Also, in the stock market, if enough people buy up supplies and hold onto them, they price has to go up.  It's because of supply and demand.  Now, if you and a bunch of your billionaire buddies want to make a bunch of money, why wouldn't you buy up as much of the supply as possible, sit on that supply until the market goes up, and them dump it all on the market?  Then, as the market prices fall from being saturated with product, you buy it again at the bottom price, hold on to it until demand gets high again, then sell it again high.  Rinse, recycle, repeat.  This is what is happening right now every single day.  But, instead of the traders making 5% on $10 crude, they are making 5% on $100 crude.

Alternative energy sources benefit.

Obama was on record a couple years ago saying that to make solar or wind power a viable energy option, fossil fuels would have to go up drastically in price.  This is and has happened.  The Al Gores of the world are celebrating I'm sure as he has made billions and billions of dollars preaching his unproven climate claims.

Our government has justified spending in companies like Solyndra for this very reason.  The premise is that before when fossil fuels were cheap, we didn't NEED to look for other choices.  Now that fossil fuels aren't cheap, we NEED to.  The problem with this theory is that the government fails to acknowledge that they are the ones causing the inflated fuel prices in the first place.  Doesn't really seem like much of a crisis if they are in control of it, does it?

Who doesn't benefit?  Everyone else.

Without a choice in the matter you get to pay more for everything.

Taxes.  Sales tax will increase on each and every item you buy.  Why?  Because each and every item that is sold in this country will have to cost more to offset additional overhead due to additional fuel costs in trucking and production of these items.  The government wins again because anytime that goods cost more, they collect more tax.  This is just simple math.  If you are paying 10% sales tax on an item that costs $2.00, you pay $.20.  Increase the cost of that item to $3.00 and now you pay $.30.  This applies to any taxed item.  Government wins.  You lose.

Crops are grown and harvested using diesel fuel.  Corn is used in 75-95% of products in the grocery store (depending on where I sourced).  So, soda will be more expensive because of the high fructose corn syrup.  Ketchup will go up.  Also Oreo cookies, Wonderbread, Corn Flakes, Eggo Waffles and about a million other products.  When the cost of production of corn goes up, the cost of the finished goods almost has to go up.  A high petroleum market also means drastic increases in fertilizer costs, too. This increased cost of production will have an effect on every product that is farmed in this country.  What's the solution?  Import more crops?  I mean, we have government mandated ethanol blended into our gasoline in this country, but we aren't buying the ethanol here.  We are importing it from South America because it's cheaper.  Should we do this with all of our food, too?

Chickens, cows and pigs all eat crops or by-products of crops, so the price of meat goes up.  This increase comes from a few other different ways here, too.  Inflated fuel cost adds to increased feed input costs for animals, increased waste handling costs, and also increased costs for trucking and shipping the animals.  As a consumer, you lose again.

Everything you can buy in this country is trucked, trained, or boated to you.  Many of the things you buy are handled all three of those ways.  With higher fuel costs, the added costs of fuel gets passed down to the consumer.  Every shirt, computer, candy bar, cell phone pair of socks, anything and everything is shipped, trucked or trained to you.  As a consumer again, you lose.

Tires for your car have already seen a huge price increase from a high crude oil market.  Not only are they manufactured from oil, but they are also shipped and freighted many times before they get to you.  Again, you are paying more as a consumer.

The government in Minnesota is talking about reducing the gas tax and adding a mileage tax.  Although the government wants you to drive a very fuel efficient car, they aren't making enough money off of you if you do since you buy less gas.  Their solution is to tax you additionally for your mileage.  So, even though the government has manipulated gas pricing so you have to pay dearly, they are still unhappy with how much money you give them and they still want more of your money.

I could site dozens and dozens of examples here, but I hope you get the idea.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not opposed to green, renewable energy.  But, if the government destroys our economy and keeps us broke, how will we be able to afford to try new things that could lead to breakthroughs in energy?  Do you think the government should be telling us how to solve these problems?   Truly there is no innovation in government.  All innovation, creativity and problem solving comes from sources outside of government each and every time.  I don't know about you, but I frankly don't think government is the most qualified for the job of creating new ways to be environmentally friendly coupled with financial responsibility.  They can't even deliver our mail without going broke.  Do you think they can handle this?

Is your life better now than it was?

Change.org

Dear Change.org~

It seems that your organization, like so many others in this fine country really miss the point of things. You allow people to create petitions on your website and then send those petitions out via email to thousands and thousands of people to sign. You do this under the impression that you are going to "change our world."

Let's set the record straight on a few things here:
Target wants to be open on Thanksgiving evening (In MN) and one of your participants started a petition to gripe about this change of hours and attempt to change Target's schedule to be closed on Thanksgiving evening. I see this morning that this petition has 189,000 signatures. Remember this: Work is work and is not always on anyone's preferred schedule. Work is not always when it's convenient for you. Right now there are about 14 million people in this country looking for a job. Well, I suppose it's fair to say that at least MOST of these people are looking for a job. In my opinion Target employees (and friends/family), if you don't want to work the hours that your store is open, don't show up. There are 14 million people that would like to have a job and would probably jump at the chance to have yours. As an employer, I have wonderful employees because they do NOT bitch about working some crappy hours now and then because they know that it is just part of having a job and being a responsible adult. If my employees started a petition and refused to work on Thanksgiving evening, I would encourage then to find a new job. In this economy, I could wish them luck. I mean, they would only be in competition with 14 million other people. Let's spell that out again for the cheap seats...14 MILLION people are out of work an you (Target employees and their friends/families) are complaining about some shit hours on a holiday?!? Can't buy a lot of presents for Christmas when you are unemployed, can you?!? I hate to say this again because I say it all the time. To everyone that has a job: Shut up. Go to work. Do your job. Be thankful you have a job at all.

Another recent topic at Change.org. "We're willing the battle against high credit card fees!" Just so you understand REALITY, your elected government has changed regulations for credit card companies the last few years in a row. A couple years back, the government changed the amount of interest and charges that could be compiled on your credit account if you don't pay your bill. Let's let this sink in for a second and truly understand what these regulations are doing. Since you are NOT smart enough to manage your own credit account and found yourself in financial peril, the government will now try to "save" you from the banks you borrowed money from. Aside from the FACT that you agreed to pay the banks back and agreed to specific terms in regards to them extending credit to you, you are still not smart enough to handle it and the government had to step in to "save" you. Since the government has regulated the banks out of making money in this area and has changed the rules in how the banks can make money in other areas, the banks have decided to charge you a fee to use their card and credit services. As a owner of a retail shop, I know all about paying bank fees. In my better card terminals, I pay $.15 per card swipe and 1.5% on each dollar. This is just a cost of doing business for me. For the consumer using a Discover card, Discover gets to money to "pay you back" from me in the form of and increased transaction fee (3.5%). This $5 per month fee the banks want to charge you is CHEAP to use their very secure (and with zero liability for fraudulent use on your part), reliable, and convenient system. What service they give you for so little money! What are you people thinking? How could you protest and petition this? Five dollars a month is a cheap fee for you to have the convenience of instant, secure, risk free money all the time. These banks do not want to lose money on your debt or your business. These banks cannot lose money on your debt because their shareholders and investors cannot afford it. Your debt cannot be made into somebody else's responsibility. Since the government stepped in on your behalf, this is the result. The government has created these regulations because YOU cannot manage your own credit and YOU cannot pay your bills in a timely fashion. Because of YOUR lack of responsibility, the government has regulated the banks into not making money. So, now they want to charge you and upfront fee for their services? Good for them. For what they have to offer, 5 dollars a month is an absolute bargain. Again: Shut up and pay your damn bills. Realize that there isn't anything free in this country. For the secure service the banks give you, their fee is not only fair, but cheap.

Today the folks at Change.org emailed me about the corruption in our park systems by complaining that Coke donated $13 million dollars. Then, when the parks department decided to ban plastic bottles and Coke asked them not to ban them, they didn't put on the ban. This is really wrong on many levels. I know a lot of people love to hate big companies despite the fact that they use products from these companies all of the time. But, for the petitioners that suggest that Coke's donation of $13 million to the park system was a bribe maybe you could consider that $13 million dollars goes a long way in maintaining parks. Maybe you should consider that it isn't Coke's fault if people throw plastic bottles all over the park. It is all about personal responsibility. PEOPLE throw trash all over the park, not Coke. I go to parks all summer long and I not only see pop bottles and trash, but I also see dirty diapers. Did the people at Change.org petition to ban babies or children from all of the parks because the babies and small children wear diapers? I think not. But really, if you think about it, it's the same thing. People throw used diapers in the woods, not Huggies. This is just like people throw pop bottles into the Grand Canyon, not Coke or Pepsi. Think about it. When will you people become hip to the idea that there HAS to be personal responsibility in this world? At some point, individuals need to be held accountable for what individuals do. This would be a big departure from the mentality the folks at Change.org have now where they are under the impression that it's government's job to punish everyone for the actions of a few. This mentality that we need to be protected from ourselves eliminates our freedoms and our right to make our own choices. It also creates a generation of people that CAN'T think for themselves.

By the way, companies like Target, Coke, and Pepsi are not the bad guys.  These companies donate millions and millions of dollars to many,many different wonderful causes and organizations in this country.  Remember this FACT before you try to run their name through the mud.  What have YOU done?

Sorry, Change.org. You missed. Then, you missed again. Then, you missed. I have emailed you my views on these topics and I patiently wait for your response. But, I am sure you will not grant me one.

Taxes? Entitlement?

I have opinions about things.  Many things. I watched a video on youtube.com today and the man interviewed was a very bright, intelligent man but he had some misguided views.

One of the things I have an opinion about is this bombardment of entitlement mentality that I have seen everywhere in this country since the economy has come to a halt.  Let's get one thing completely entirely perfectly straight here:  It isn't your money.  None of it is.  You might argue and think it is, but it is not.  You might have all sorts of reasons why it should be, and your reasons are probably rational and morally correct, but it still isn't your money.  It sucks.

Even though you paid your money into the government, you have elected officials that have the rights BY LAW to decide what to do with said money.  So, despite your current financial situation and despite all of your complaints and grumbling, the government's money (although it USED to be yours) is no longer your money.  You elected people that took this money from you and you have trusted them in spending wisely for you on things that you may want or need at some time.  As it is for now, the federal government has given your money away, most of your children's money, and some of your children's children's money.  So, consider this fact before you raise your hand like a 3rd grader that needs to use the bathroom and ask the government for your money back.  They don't have it.  Plain and simple.  The government has spent all of your money taking care of those who elected them and those that could bolster the highest level of public approval from being helped.  So, before you ask and think that you deserve some money or that you have some money coming from the government, realize that you don't and they don't have it anymore.  The officials you elected have taken your money and given it to somebody other than you.  But, all in all, that's what you wanted them to so when you elected them (equality for all Americans, right?), anyway.  So, success.

The idea that higher taxation of any segment of our society solves any of our long term problems is laughable.  You know what that reminds me of?  It's a friend trying to help out another friend that drinks too much by paying his bar tab.  I think Glenn Beck came up with that.  It's a great analogy of what's going on here.  There is NO solution to excess debt that is more effective than cutting spending.  That's the best idea for recovery and it is the only reliable, sound idea.  Since taxation is based on consumption and on economic activity, it cannot be deemed a reliable source of proposed income since the government cannot control the rate of spending by consumers (yet). 

Let me give you an example from the fine State of Minnesota.  Minnesota decided that smoking is bad (m'kay).  So, the State raised the tax on cigarettes drastically with hopes that the extra cost of cigarettes will make people want to quit and also generate scads of income that they (the State) can use to pay for all sorts of other beneficial things (to be fair, one thing was health care for smokers since they have much larger health risks).  Not too bad of a plan, eh?  Well, then they did it.  The result?  Lots of smokers quit and many others started buying their tobacco online or buying raw tobacco and rolling their own cigarettes (since these were exempt for the additional tax).  So, a successful plan?  Not really, since after the initial financial shock people that wanted to smoke regardless of anything still smoked and many of them just became more and more creative with how they were going to accomplish it.  So many smokers quit smoking or found other means to smoke that the level of money that the State planned on getting in for these new programs never came and they fell short of their budget for the programs associated with the tobacco taxation.  What did the State of Minnesota do?  They raised the tax more to try to cover their budget shortfalls.  Then what happened?  More people quit smoking, bought cigarettes out of state, bought cigarettes online, or grew tobacco at home (no kidding... I know 2 people that do it).  So, what happened then?  The state STILL fell short of their budget because the people don't WANT to pay so much tax.  This went on and on and continues today.  A successful plan? No. 

Any time you expect the government to tax another sect of society be it businesses, the super rich, or whoever to make things better for you, be prepared to pay this same level of tax money yourself.  Once the government has permission and law that says they can tax one group of people at a high rate, be prepared for them to pass laws that allow them to tax ALL people at a higher rate.  If the government cannot reel in the spending, it is purely just a matter of time before they come after your money, too.  Think about it.  This is a pivotal idea and an important one to consider.

Nobody wins with tax income based on consumption because as Americans, we come from a long line of innovators and free thinkers.  We are bright and creative.  We will find a way to do what we want and be able to afford it.  Plain and simple.  It is too bad we waste this creativity on finding ways to afford to smoke cigarettes rather than use it for something that could benefit others.

If you are an advocate of higher taxation for the rich or companies, realize that their money is not your money.  If you have been evicted from your home, these people did not force you to buy it.  If you have huge student loans, these people did not force you to take them out.  If you lost your job and then lost your home and cars, life is horrible for you but it is still your fault.  I'm very sorry, but it is.  If you planned poorly for your financial future (as most of us did) it is OUR OWN fault.  We need to own this responsibility.  It is ours and ours alone.

Taxing one group of society at a higher rate to pay our bills is nothing more than stealing.  Also, as far as retail goes, you can tax the companies at a higher rate and they will pay it with your dollar.  Every time.  Each time.  They will be forced to inflate the cost of their goods to offset the higher tax, and who do you suppose will pay that tax?  YOU.  Me.  All of us will pay it every single time we buy anything.  So, you want to be cocky and not give them an inflated rate?  Simple. Buy imported goods and further deflate our own economy.  There is no way around this and it takes a fool to not understand this.

The flat tax idea is a great one, but it will have a hard time getting into practice in this country because those of you that think that people with more money than you are not paying their fair share will have to pay your fair share for the first time ever.  What would that be like?  You can argue with me if you like, but what I am saying is true.  If we get a flat tax rate in this country for the first time in our lives taxes will be fair for all.  But, those of you that don't pay any taxes in now (and seem to have many great plans on how to spend the money that belongs to others) will have to pay.  It is an exciting idea.

Plain and simple, the only people we can be mad at for most any of this go to work in Washington.  They spent your Social Security.  They spent your tax money on programs that may or may not have helped you.  Flat out, they spent your money. Now, they don't know what to do to pay the bills they have created.  So, they have demonized success, wealth, and innovation in this country to try to gain support from a disheartened and hurting public.  They use your financial ruin and hardship as steam to power their train.  They propose legislation based on ideas that came out of misery, and as Americans many of us are so beaten down by it all, we are agreeing.  Do not let them pollute you with this. You want to make a difference?  Take away their jobs.  Vote them out.  Become educated about who you are voting for before you vote and pick candidates not based on nostalgia or emotion, pick them out of their ability to do their job.  Pick them out of what they can do for all of us and America, not just based on what they can do for you short term.  If they fail, vote THEM out and find the next candidate for the job.

Think, people.  I am not always correct about all the things I think and say, but this is how I see it.

Monday afternoon comin' down...

Does this make any sense?

You circle the parking lot at the mall 352 times to try to find a close parking spot (almost getting into a brawl with the woman waiting for the open spot you stole).  Then, you park and proceed to walk around the mall all day.  What?  This makes zero sense.  I see this silly shit and I shake my head in wonder.  What do people really think?  Are they robbing the place and need to make a quick getaway?  Do they think their car is safer next to the building (It IS a great place to get door dinged because of the congestion)?  This silly behavior also applies to outside concerts/festivals and sporting events for the most part.  If you aren't in a wheel chair or using a walker, toughen up, take the first readily available parking spot and walk on in.  If you aren't handicapped already, walking is a great exercise to keep you from becoming handicapped.  If sloth doesn't make you handicapped, you could end up that way from the brawl over a parking space.

Passing lanes are made for passing.  Passing lanes are NOT made for the slow leading car to speed up to ten miles per hour over the speed limit for the duration of the passing lane, only to slow back to ten miles per hour below the speed limit when the road necks back down into two lanes.  This drives me crazy.  I am usually the "crazy" guy passing everyone going about 120 mph because I KNOW that once it becomes two lanes again, one of the cars in front of me is just waiting to piss me off by drastically slowing down.  Then, if I tailgate, they hit the brakes as some sort of "warning" that I should BACK OFF AND GIVE THEM ROOM even though they are going 47 mph in a 55.  Seriously.  If you aren't passing, stay to the right.  Period.  If you are passing, move your ass and permit others to pass, too.  Then, move to the right.  If I was a cop, I would ticket you people for erratic driving for slowing down too much post passing lane. 

Bakery goods made with artificial sweeters are downright insulting.  Seriously.  I have seen these "diet" rolls and baked goods a few times.  Why would anybody want this?  I can understand the diabetic argument all day long.  I get that.  When I see non diabetic people looking for a low calorie cinnamon roll, I really wonder what is wrong with them.  Let's get something straight here.  No matter how much sugar is sweetening up a sweet roll, it still has no real food value.  About 150% of the carbs (read:sugar) you need for the day baked right into it because of the choice of flour and other ingredients.  It is not going to be a healthy choice for you no matter what, so why wouldn't you just take your few extra calorie lumps, shut up, and eat the fucking thing.  You don't go the bakery's sweet roll area looking for healthy things to eat.  Don't kid yourself.  You go there to be a glutton and ram 4000 calories of sweetened, sugary bread into your month.  So, skip the diet rolls.  Skip the artificial sweeteners.  If you want to save calories, watch what you put into your coffee.  Leave the sugary breakfast foods out of it.

It is supremely silly to drive fifteen miles to save two cents per gallon on gas.  This is silly in many ways.  First off, unless you are going that way in the first place, you burn more dollars worth of gas than you could ever save by driving there to get it.  I would think in this day and age, people would realize this, but they still do not.  Supposing that the average gas purchase is ten gallons, be driving the extra distance to save two cents a gallon, you would have saved twenty cents.  Can you drive 30 miles (fifteen each way) for twenty cents?  Let's do some simple math:  If your car gets 30 miles per gallon and you drive 30 miles to get gas and that gas costs $3.50 per gallon, it cost you $3.50 to get the gas just in fuel costs.  You would have to also factor in tire wear, other vehicle wear and also your time (I hope you time is worth something to you.  If it isn't, I have a house to paint and a lot of other shit you can do for me).  So, a twenty cent savings seems a little silly unless your car gets well over 200 miles per gallon (still like two cents a mile fuel cost) and floats on air (so the tires and brakes don't wear out) and your time is completely useless (in which case, the paintbrushes and ladder are in the garage).  Not only is there a very, very limited potential for money savings, there is also the loss of convenience factor that play into it.  If you don't buy local and your local businesses close (due to lack of sales) then you have earned the privilege to drive fifteen miles away to buy what you need.  Think about it.  I know in our minds now we have a mentality that "it all adds up" as far as money goes.  This is true thinking except it adds up very, very slowly when it comes to gas.  The cost of gas is a significant bill, but in the scale of $3.50 per gallon, two cents or even a nickel is almost an insignificant amount of money.  You want to save money?  Skip the $5 coffee for breakfast.  You save more right there than you could save in many, many tanks of gas.

I hate to sound crazy all the time, but no, I didn't see the new commercial (that was funny) for whatever product on television.  Why?  Because I don't have network television.  I don't have cable at home.  Seriously.  I have a television to watch movies on and I have Netflix On Demand, but I do not have any other sort of television service.  I am not willing to pay for it because it is 99% trash.  Sorry, I missed the Bud Light ads at the Super Bowl and the Geico ads during the Nascar race.  I cannot bring myself to ever watch another minute of Two And A Half Men because although at some point in my life that might have been funny, it is total shit for my kid to watch.  It is eye pollution.  It is brain pollution.  I don't mean to get all preachy or anything because I don't really give a crap what you chose to do in your house, but in my house I think television is immoral and creates a poor view of reality for our kids.  Also, it seems like the really, really racy shows get the best ratings and they are constantly trying to top the last big doozy (Had to look up "doozy."  I have said it a thousand times, but never had to spell it.) they pulled off and our kids watch this crap and emulate it in their lives.  Our kids think it is normal behavior.  Our kids think it is okay.  Our kids think "everybody does it."  It seems like even the commercials are all full of half naked women and men, too.  There are shows about being 16 and having kids.  There are shows where the main "hero" characters do little other than look cool sleeping with other people's wives and husbands.  Almost each week a professional athlete (This truly is in all sports) is busted in some way doing something pathetic, illegal and immoral.  I think characters with integrity don't do well in the ratings on television, so they don't exist anymore.  I think since cable exploded a few years ago, network television will do whatever it can to attract and keep viewers.  Don't tell me that I can't keep my kid from that stuff because unfortunately, I know you are correct.  But, that still isn't acceptable to me.  I still have to try.  It is still my job to raise my kid, not the television networks.  Hopefully my definition of right and wrong will be to her understanding.  Hopefully she will learn integrity from me and carry that in her life. 

[sighs]

I wonder about this world we live in.

Want a Job?

I was thinking about the employment situation in our fine country. Just so we are clear:


If you are unemployed, you will have a hard time finding work because there aren't many new jobs.

There aren't any new jobs because there is little job growth in this country.

There is little job growth in this country because of all the regulations (See: Big government) and the lack of consumer demand for products that aren't inexpensive (See:China).

Since you have less or little money to spend on anything because you are on a limited income or unemployment (since you can't find a job), you become thrifty in your spending and may purchase less expensive, imported products.

When you buy imported products, you further deflate demand for services and products built in this country further slowing the creation of new jobs.

So....

If you are unemployed, you will have a hard time finding work because there aren't many new jobs.

So, be aware that companies like Walmart (92% imported goods) are the ones keeping you from long term prosperity and employment. It is a circle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you are a skilled worker and are on unemployment, the rate of pay may not (almost surely not) be enough for you to live on.

If you choose to do side work "for cash" to supplement your unemployment benefits, you are able to do skilled labor more cheaply then others in your field since you don't have a license, insurance, or pay any taxes.

If you take potential jobs away from tax paying legitimate employers in your field, those employers decrease their staff and do no new hiring.

When employers do no new hiring, you have a harder time gaining employment, since employers have lost their potential work to people working "for cash" because those people can do the work for a lesser charge.

So...

When you are a skilled worker and are on unemployment, the rate of pay may not (almost surely not) be enough for you to live on.

But, what are you supposed to do?  

Maybe we should start by buying American and using our money to reinvest in our own country like our parents and grandparents did.

Craigslist

Recently I decided to sell one of my cars on Craigslist since I pay insurance on 6 vehicles and I am the only one that drives in my household.  I love the car, but I really just don't NEED it.  So, I wrote an ad for Craigslist locally and got some strange responses.  Well, I got ridiculous responses.  It truly is proof positive that people in this country don't bother reading or can't.  Also, I am now CERTAIN that Craigslsit is the Walmart flee market of online sales sites.  Anyway, here's my ad followed by a few of the responses I got:

Tired of driving a minivan or your mother's weenie Volkswagon? Check this car out.

For Sale: 2006 Dodge Charger R/T.

It has:
5.7 Liter HEMI V8
Automatic (Autostick) Transmission
Multi disc CD player
Power Seats
Heated Seats
Upgraded Engine Programming from Dodge
Magnaflow Exhaust
Cold Air Intake
120XXX miles
Clear title
Needs nothing other than your butt in the driver's seat.

The car is black with a black leather interior.

Car gets 24ish MPG and should have 375 HP with the performance upgrades.

This car runs and drives like it is new. I bought the car from an Amsoil dealer and the car has had nothing but premium synthetic oil since new. Interior is very, very nice. Do not let the miles scare you away.

For the $11,000 you will get the car and also another set of snow tires for it that have about 3000 miles on them.

It looks wicked. It's fast. It's fun.

DISCLAIMER (*updated*): I know it isn't a requirement to read the whole ad here, but I have had about 30 calls/emails offering me $4000 and up or a trade for some decorative rock and your Jet Ski (that doesn't run, but did at one time) among other things. Let's get one thing perfectly crystal clear: If you don't have any money or an Indian Chief to trade me, please just go on the the next ad and leave me alone. I don't want your decorative rock. I don't want your Bobcat, your 1978 Mustang, your Lincoln LS or your 2003 Tahoe. I am not a bank. I am not interested in financing you no matter what the terms might be. I would never consider letting you take the car and make payments to me. Never. Let's get that in here again for the cheap seats: NEVER. I don't want your lowball cash offer when you haven't even seen the car. If you can't afford this car, please don't waste my time and yours. I don't want anything on trade besides MAYBE an Indian Chief or money. This is a nice car that I own and I do not NEED to sell it. I am NOT desperate and willing to sell it for a third of what it is worth. I am not getting divorced, hurting for cash or trying to save my home. I know a lot of people selling things are in that reality right now and I was too, but I am not anymore. I have priced this car well below KBB and NADA values for a quick sale. If you aren't able to pay this amount or could only pay half or a third of this amount (and trade me for your neighbor's lawnmower and some bird houses or whatever else you can dream up) please do not bother contacting me. So, serious inquiries only PLEASE, okay? Thank you. ;)

$11,000 FIRM

Cash or possible trade for Indian Chief only. Email only now since my cell phone has been abused by tire kicking wasters of my time. Sorry. I will answer emails promptly.

Thanks for looking.

Here are some of the responses I got:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From "Joe:"

interested in 06 lincoln ls>>

95xxx miles
silver/chrome pillars
heated and cooled leather
tinted windows..

Response:  I would take your trade if the car has $11,000 or and Indian Chief in the glove box.  What do you think?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From "Hank:"

Interested in trading for a 1972 mustang convertible??

Response: I would take your trade if the car has $11,000 or and Indian Chief in the glove box. What do you think?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From "Oscar:"

Hey buddy do u still have the charger 4sale ? If so I want 2 offer u $8000 cash what do u think ?

Response:  Haha.  No. 

Oscar: Haha y?

Response: It's already 3 grand below book.   How about $14,000?

Oscar: Why more?

Response: Because if you are willing to go up $3000 and I am willing to go down $3000 we can settle on $11,000.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Easyrider:"

Trade for a Bobcat 463 skidsteer with grapple bucket and only 384 hours?



Response:  Sounds great!  As long as you also trade me $11,000!  What do you say?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Brandon:"

Would u trade for my 85 cutlass I got it listed on CL for 27,000 but will do a straight out trade for ur charger if interested!

Response: If it has $11,000 cash in the glove box, yes. If not, no. ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Brandle:"

Yo you should definitely call me 347-225-9817. 100 % pure A big heads up.

Response:  Yo! You should definitely email me with your questions, 100% pure big heads up!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Marcus:"

I want to trade with you and the rest I'll pay with cash on the spot.

Response:  What do you want to trade?

[Crickets chirping]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Jake:"

I am interested in your 06 Charger. If the vehicle is still available, please contact me at 763-354-XXXX. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Response:  *I called him.  He's a dealer that wants to consign my car.  He emails me a couple times a week to tell me how he could easily sell my car, but I need to give it to him to "show" people.  So, just so we are clear, he wants me to give him my car to drive for a couple months so he can sell it.  Seriously.  Where does it say in my listing that I want to give you my car to drive so you can sell it for me?  WTF?!?*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Hoppen:"

where is the car located? what kind of gas mileage does it get?

Ever been in a wreck? any thing else about it.

Response: These things are all in the listing. All of the answers you seek are in the ad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Whitney:"

Would you do a payment plan over 2 months time?

Response:  No.  I will not finance. Will you take a reading course and apply your new skills to my ad?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Jose:"

Hey names Jose would you take 9000 cash

Response: Hard to make an offer on a car you have never seen, isn't it?

Jose: Haha yea but have you sold it

Response: Nope.  I still have the car.  I haven't been contacted by anyone that has actual real money yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Hank:" (AGAIN)

Interested in trading for a 1972 mustang convertible??

Response:  No.  Still no.  No.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From "Celania:"

What kind of CAI do you have in your charger? Would you be willing to sell it separate from the car? If so, how much?

Response:  Yes!  I would LOVE to sell it.  Nothing like parting out a car I am trying to sell.  Would you like the driver's seat and perhaps the left rear taillight?  I am only asking $11,000 for the CAI, but I will throw all the rest of this stuff in as well as some other parts (the whole car) to sweeten up the deal for you.  What do you think?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You have to love Craigslist.  You have to be impressed with the brilliance of many of the people that shop there....

To pay for TV...

I recently..well in the last couple months decided that I no longer need cable or television at all. This isn't some strange cult thing, I just see no need to pay for a service that I rarely use and quite frankly think is pretty depressing to watch.  Also, I prefer to spend my time being active versus sitting on my ass.  Anyway, I cancelled the service and paid all remaining bills I had and then returned my equipment.  A month or so after I received an email from them saying all of my equipment was returned in good condition, I received another bill from the company.  I am protesting it.  Here it is:

Hello~

This is in regards to account # 8255 11 024 00140

I cancelled my service a couple months ago and paid via credit card for all outstanding charges. In fact, I overpaid. You refunded me my overpayment.

Today I got another bill in the mail from your company for a "receiver return" fee. I am certain that this bill must be in error since I returned all of the equipment that I ever got from you as per instructed (and in a timely fashion) and I received an email confirming that everything was returned in good condition.

I am not willing to pay this bill without explanation. It seems that this bill is just another way to get $15 and some sales tax from me. I tried to call and have this bill explained to me, but the customer service line is nothing more than 25 minutes of automated menu nonsense. So, I called the sales line and "ta da!" I got a real, live person right away. I am unwilling to sit on hold and got through countless menus of automated service to try to correct a bill that I think is a mistake.

So, explain this to me. Or, just correct this incorrect bill and say thanks for the many, many years I paid your company for television.

I appreciate your attention in this matter.

Regards,

Brad Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Mr. Miller,


Thank you for taking time to contact us.


We understand your concern. The customer agreement that you signed upon starting service with DISH states that customers are responsible for the return of leased receivers when disconnecting service. The label included on the box that you will receive is at a discounted price and will cost you significantly less than if you opted to ship the equipment back on your own. If you choose to use the label, you will be charged a flat $15.00. If you choose to use your own shipping method and box to return the receiver, you will not be invoiced for this fee. If you return the equipment before the end of your last billing cycle, you’ll see that fee included on your final invoice.


If you wish to discuss any points we have not clarified or need any further information, please call our Customer Service Center toll-free number at 1-800-894-9131. You can also visit dishnetwork.com/chat to start a live chat with a customer service representative so we may further assist you. Our DISH Network representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help answer any questions you may have.


Thank you for your e-mail.


Sincerely,


Darrel G. – CN1
TID:OR-Chrysler
DISH Network eCare

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Darrel G. – CN1

I appreciate your response.

Just so I understand this correctly. Via email and telephone I was informed that I was being sent return packaging and a label for my convenience and the safety of the receivers and remotes that I was returning, correct? After you sent these out and since I used them, I am being charged for their use?

If this is the case, can I have the box sent back to me? If I have paid $15 for a box and a label that your company mailed out for my convenience, at this time I think it would be more convenient for me to have said box since I am not sure that any other time in my life I have seen a box that is worth $15.

If I had just thrown the box away, I would not have gotten charged? What happens to the box then? Is the label reusable?

Regards,

Brad Miller
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Sir or Madam,


Thank you for taking time to contact us.


We understand your situation. Please contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-894-9131 and they can better assist you with your concern or by visiting the link below to chat live with a customer service representative.


www.dishnetwork.com/chat


Thank you for your e-mail.


Sincerely,


Darrel G. – CN1
TID:OR-Chrysler
DISH Network eCare
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Darrel G. – CN1,
The reason for my first email to you was because I had just spent a good portion of my morning on the phone with an automated menu service that was unable to do anything for me other than cause frustration and elevate my blood pressure to levels only normally reserved for people attempting to fly into space with a homemade craft.

Please reread the first email I sent you. I can wait.

[waits]

[still waits]

[waits even longer]

[Tom Waits]

Okay. So, do you understand where I am coming from as far as returning to phone support goes? I really have zero interest in wasting my time on hold with your automated system or with a customer service representative that cannot help me with my problem (READ: Sales department since that's the only line that has a LIVE person on it).

So please just credit my account for the $15 or return the box to me and I will pay for it. Be sure if you are returning the box to me that you return the box I used and no other. I do not want to have you accidentally give me somebody else's $15 box. I will know my box when I see it as I put a special, secret mark on it.

Regards,

Brad Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Sir or Madam,


Thank you for taking time to contact us.


We will credit your account for the charges..


www.dishnetwork.com/chat


Thank you for your e-mail.


Sincerely,


Darrel G. – CN1
TID:OR-Chrysler
DISH Network eCare

More good ol' Barry...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gulf_oil_spill_bp_moving_on

"By the fall, there was talk that the crisis wasn't as bad as feared and that the Gulf might recover sooner than expected. Then soaring oil prices came to the company's rescue, boosting its bottom line..."

It's truths like this that make the President going on TV saying he's looking for "asses to kick" ridiculous. Seems our government's involvement in "safer and environmentally friendlier" drilling methods via lack of drilling permits and drilling bans actually rewarded BP. Since the drilling ban and limited issuance of permits, crude oil prices have soared and this is directly making billions of dollars of profits for all oil companies including BP. So, at the rate they are at, BP will have recouped ALL losses from the lost Horizon rig within a few years. Sure makes Obama's "ass kicking" monetary fine to "teach BP a lesson" seem silly, yes? Did the Obama administration know that BP was going to be making huge money this year? Well, they are foolish at best if they didn't. Free markets are controlled by supply and demand. If the government hinders the supply, prices will increase because of increased demand. Was this an under the table deal? Who knows? One thing is for sure, though. Pretty tough to keep blindly following the Obama way when it is constantly wrought with failure, lack of foresight, outrageous spending, and lack of understanding of simple economics.

If anyone wants to complain about high gas prices, they should be thankful they voted for Obama (if they did). If you are an Obama supporter, you are now just beginning to get what you wanted so badly. Also, in the next few years with increased taxes, reduced value of the dollar, and drastically higher food costs, you will get another full serving of Obama goodness.  I suppose I should also mention the lack of private sector economic growth we will have in this country due to the passage of Obamacare.

Hats off to our government. Bang up job on "kicking asses," Barry.  You really showed BP who's boss.