What Are Other Options Than Protest?

By George Gervais

A call to action. Peaceful gatherings.

While the grassroots ideas and philosophies are wonderful at the initial onset, these protests usually suffer some sort of violence. Why does it take protest to make government leaders and officials to pay attention? It’s a sad state but also a reality that this type of action sometimes must take place for issues to be resolved.

Not everyone is prepared, nor is it viable for many to participate in these protests, for many reasons. I believe most of us support and agree with the need for change and agree with fighting for a cause.

But does it take a protest? What else can be done? For most, a protest is out of their comfort zone and fear is a pretty powerful motivator.

History has shown that much can also be achieved by one single person. We all have the ability to make a difference, and yes, it can be done one person at a time.

I am of the belief and facts show that we are ultimately responsible for how we respond to what happens in our lives. We make not control what happens to us but we certainly control how we respond.

Its starts with our circle of influence and what can we do to make a difference locally.

What can we do that puts us in control of our finances and minimize the impact on decisions at Wall Street that are made that affect the global economy.

One of the answers, if we look back prior to the industrial revolution, is that people did not depend on corporations for security. They had their own businesses, and within communities, supported each other.

We are still teaching our young to get good education and find a good job. That’s ludicrous when major companies are downsizing, outsourcing to third world countries, education cost are excessive and student loans are out of control. Why are we not teaching about entrepreneurship?

With everyone wanting a quality of life, having your own business is one way to ensure your own financial stability, while doing something you enjoy, work with people you like, and have the time flexibility to spend with your family to do the things you want to do.

And its does not mean having to get our of your comfort zone. It can be done by expanding your comfort zone and making it a positive process that’s fun and enjoyable.

Occupy Wall street is a call to action. Make this your personal call to action.

For more information about about a system that provides the resources to help you expand your comfort zone, go to http://www.thebestjob.ca The best job is not having a job after all. but owning the right home based business.

Article Source: George Gervais
Occupy Wall Street, What Are Other Options Than Protest?

We Need to Define Poverty Before We Measure It

By Larry M. Elkin

Most of us would say that a homeless person with an undiagnosed mental illness, no job, no marketable skills and no bank account is “poor.” Does the label still apply if that person wins a $1 million lottery jackpot?

What about a doctor just out of medical school who has $200,000 in debt, no savings, and a residency that pays $40,000 a year for long hours of arduous work? Is this also an example of poverty?

Is an aspiring novelist “poor” if she has a newly minted liberal arts degree from a prestigious college, $100,000 in debt, a minimum-wage day job and no history of selling any books? How about the novelist’s co-worker, who has the same income but has no debt and no higher education?

We are much better at counting poor people than we are at identifying them. This makes no sense, and it explains why decades of anti-poverty programs have made little headway at actually reducing poverty.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2.6 million more Americans were poor in 2010 than in 2009. That brought the poverty rate to 15.1 percent of Americans, the highest since 1993. (1)

Critics of the official poverty index, which is based on comparing food costs to income, point out that it ignores many significant financial dimensions, including non-cash government assistance such as food stamps, as well as non-food expenses such as out-of-pocket medical expenses, transportation and child care. Various alternative measures have been created, but so far none have caught on.

I believe we approach poverty from the wrong direction. Most definitions of poverty focus on an individual’s circumstances – how much money the person has, or how much income the person receives, compared to some benchmark.

I think of poverty as a human condition that does not change as quickly or readily as circumstances. A poor person, in my view, is one who cannot adequately provide for himself, or who cannot conserve and manage what resources are available to him.

No wonder anti-poverty efforts ultimately fail when they merely provide cash or goods. If you hand a poor person a check, you still have a poor person, just one who has some money at the moment. The Chinese understood this when they created the proverb about the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching him to fish.

If we measure poverty according to net worth or according to single-year income, the homeless lottery winner is richer than the young doctor, the aspiring novelist and the minimum-wage worker. In fact, the latter two might already be part of the 15.1 percent of the population that is officially considered poor.

But I would consider the mentally ill, homeless person to be the poorest of the group. Winning $1 million may temporarily change this person’s circumstances, but it will not change his condition. With no financial skills and an untreated, disabling illness, the lottery winner is likely to quickly squander his windfall and revert to his former situation.

The minimum wage worker, lacking skills or opportunity to better his financial circumstances, also qualifies as poor in my book. But the aspiring novelist working at the same job for the same minimum wage does not – even though the novelist has $100,000 of debt.

The novelist’s degree from a prestigious school is a pretty good indicator that she has opted to follow a personal dream instead of choosing a different, more financially secure path. This person’s education and intellectual skills should continue to provide opportunities that the unskilled minimum-wage co-worker does not have. Poverty by choice ought not to be seen as poverty at all, at least for purposes of making public policy.

And what about the doctor? The doctor has the lowest net worth, at negative $200,000, of the entire group. When we consider that most minimum-wage-earners are entitled to overtime at time-and-a-half, the doctor, on a per-hour basis, may make even less than the official minimum wage. But hardly anyone would consider the doctor to be truly poor. While medicine is not the automatic ticket to wealth and luxury that people assumed it to be when I was growing up, it still provides a decent living – and provides enormous intellectual and emotional satisfaction to a lot of very smart people, not to mention the benefits to society.

We cannot make the unskilled worker or the disabled homeless person “non-poor” just by giving them cash or goods; doing so only perpetuates their poverty while masking its symptoms. To reduce poverty, we have to offer tangible help in the form of skills, treatment or some sort of structure to manage resources. This is why financial planners like me help clients set up special needs trusts for disabled family members. (My colleagues Shomari Hearn and Anna Pfaehler have written a very good article on this topic.)

Besides tangible help, opportunity is the other vital ingredient in a recipe to reduce poverty, as well as the pseudo-poverty that comes from unemployment of capable people. The truly poor have little chance of escaping poverty when even their formerly better-off neighbors cannot find work. Some people seem to believe it is the wealthy – the people who not only have money, but also the skills (personal or hired) to retain it – who suffer most when businesses struggle with scarce capital, high taxes and onerous regulation. But if you ask someone who is desperate to find work in order to prevent her family from bouncing from one shelter to another, you’ll get a different viewpoint. A breadwinner who needs a job does not care how rich the boss gets from her labor.

The deep recession and rotten recovery has hurt a lot of people. It has cost homes, jobs, savings, marriages and more. It has pushed far too many households down to poverty-level income and net worth. But it has not made those people truly poor, at least not yet. We do not help anyone when we lump the unemployed with the unemployable under a single label of “poverty.” The problems in both groups are real, but the solutions are not entirely the same.

Source:

1) U.S. Census Bureau

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Article Source: Larry M. Elkin
We Need to Define Poverty Before We Measure It

Whereabouts of the Gaddafi Family

By Sami Agush

Colonel Gaddafi has eight biological children (7 sons and just one daughter) from two marriages and has adopted 2 more. While Tripoli is besieged, no one knows the exact location of Gaddafi and the members of his family.

Muammar Muhammad al- Gaddafi is now 69. Behind him, he has almost 42 years of authoritarian rule over his fatherland Libya. It is unknown whether he is in Tripoli, or even in the country, but his forces have very limited power now.

His eldest son, from his short first marriage, is Muhammad Gaddafi. He was never interested in succeeding his father and instead runs the Libya’s Olympic committee and the mobile phone and internet provider. His case is rather curious, because after surrendering to rebels on Sunday, he escaped from then with the help of loyal to Gaddafi forces.

Gaddafi’s superstar son- Saif al-Islam, is his second son and was presumably captured by the rebels on Sunday, which was confirmed by the ICC (international criminal court). Surprisingly, early on Tuesday, he arrived with a white limo at Tripoli’s Rixos hotel and showed to foreign journalists parts of Tripoli seemingly under regime control. When asked about his arrest warrant and the charges of crimes against humanity against him, he replied- “To hell with the ICC”. Saif al- Islam is on the opinion, that Gaddafi loyalist forces will “break the backbone” of the rebels- an obviously unrealistic statement similar to the Nazi’s attitude during the siege of Berlin.

Muammar’s other son, Saadi (aged 36), has had both a football and business career. Firstly he played for the Tripoli Alahly team and then for a short period of time in Italian football, joining Perugia, Udinese and Sampdoria. He played only two games for four seasons and suspicions were raised, that the two sides where richly paid to add him. In March he presumably ordered soldiers to shoot at unarmed peaceful protesters in Benghazi. He fled with his brother Saif and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

Mutassim Gaddafi, son of the Colonel, was officially the country’s national security adviser. He held talks with Hillary Clinton in April 2009. There is no information of his location to the moment.

Hannibal Gaddafi is mostly known for his arrest with his wife in Geneva in 2008 for an alleged beating of their servants. Now 35, he is a trained seaman, who went into the shipping business. His whereabouts are unknown.

There is a mystery around the Colonel’s youngest biological son Khamis Gaddafi. While rebel forces claim he has been killed, it’s likely that he is still alive in an unknown location. Being the Gaddafi family member closest with the military, he commanded the army’s elite 32nd Reinforced Brigade named after him.

The only child of Gaddafi reported and confirmed death is Saif al- Arab Gaddafi. He was killed during the NATO campaign on 30 April. He was a student at Munich when the revolt broke and he was ordered back to Libya. It turned out that he was known to the German law enforcers for arms smuggling and ordering an acid attack on a nightclub bouncer.

If you need to know more on the outcome of the Libyan War check out my site at http://www.libyanwaroutcome.com

Article Source: Sami Agush
Whereabouts of the Gaddafi Family

Profile of a Bully

By Norma Holt

There is a definite trend among bullies these days which is causing intimidation and stress among many innocent and decent people. It can become so bad that suicide may be an outcome. So why do they do it and how can we tell who is the culprit?

Their Identifiers

Most bullies have a profile which stands out from the crowd, and perhaps that is the first and foremost thing to look out for. They want to be seen to be the best and for that reason they elect to bring down anyone who might be better, have a greater standing in the community and who might be even more intelligent.

They do this usually with slurring comments, name calling, highlighting weaknesses and causing the victim to address things that are so petty that he or she becomes confused, intimidated and frightened. That is when the bully senses blood and goes in for the kill.

Undermining the poor fellow to his or her friends and acquaintances is a great way to turn others off the prey as the game continues. Now there are social media sites to do a lot of the dirty work and to really stir the pot.

Double Personalities

To the outside world a bully can be charming, calm, well presented and even helpful. These are the things that throw others off when it comes to believing claims that this person is a bully. Their cool compassionate and innocent way of disarming others against them is just one of their traits.

The truth is that they are compulsive liars. They see nothing wrong with their actions against others and they promote themselves as someone that should be recognised as a high achiever while their abilities say otherwise. They will generally do and say anything to get their own way.

They are ingratiating, fawning, slimy and unusually skilled at defaming others and best labelled as worms of society. They focus on what their audience wants to hear. With a good sense of humour in the main they laugh spontaneously and come across as a ‘good bloke’.

Generally a bully has poor working skills often not completing their assignments or getting someone else to do it for them. On the other hand they may have done one or two things that gives them credibility and upon which they harbour for recognition.

Their greed and selfishness makes them a poor partner in work and marriage and many will intimidate, bash and even kill when the going gets tough enough for them. They allocate blame but in their own minds are blameless of any problems they create.

Promises and the Future

They have big plans that they generally believe will happen but when it comes to fulfilling them there is one excuse after the other easily forthcoming. They may become leaders of political parties and with guns and likeminded people can take over countries and convince a nation that they are the greatest thing on earth.

So it was with people like Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Gadhafi, Mugabe, and so many others who intimidated and removed their opponents, murdered and fought their way to the top. We have seen opposition leaders jailed and their action slurred by forceful bullies in politics globally in recent years. Without naming them some have been jailed for several decades while their countries have been raped and crooked general ruled in their place.

Nelson Mandela is perhaps the most famous along with Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma. There are many others who have been accused of atrocious crimes that offend the religious beliefs of the nation or that will cost the community money or jobs.

How to Pick and Bully

Listen to the way he or she talks, acts and his body language. Does he ridicule others, accuse his opponents of outrageous things, and is he a dreamer or a doer? Is he a control freak, nit picking and manipulative? Does he have a resume built up to make him look great and filled with false claims of achievement? Is he or she responsible?

The things that bullies despise in their opponents are their sense of worth, their ability to perform and outperform themselves and they hate experts. Perhaps it can be summed up in misdirection of emotions and in using their energies to overcome jealousy and hate rather than achieving their goals.

Being bullied is devastating and Profile of a Bully explains more. Having been bullied by many throughout my life their effect on me proves how devastating this problem is at any age.

Article Source: Norma Holt
Profile of a Bully

It's Now Official

By Philip C Johnson

After the markets closed on Friday, Standard & Poor’s made the widely expected and appropriate announcement that they were lowering the credit rating of the United States to AA+ and sustained its negative future outlook.

No big surprise. If my family had an income of $100,000 and spent $142,000 year after year, borrowing the difference, I wouldn’t expect to maintain an 820 credit score. Pretty basic stuff. And if the credit agencies had the manpower to monitor my wife and me and surmised that my income stream outlook was at best flat, that we had no intention of moderating our spending or borrowing, and had a few kids ready to enter college in the near term, that credit bureau would shred every credit card I possessed.

That’s where the U.S. is today. Growth in GDP is essentially flat, spending continues on the rise, and ‘the college bound kids’ are the baby boomers retiring and entering the Medicare and Social Security rolls at a 10,000 a day clip.

So S&P looked at the landscape and said the U.S. is less credit worthy. Duh. And that AA+ won’t last long – future downgrades will be in the offing unless the fiscal policy gridlock breaks. I don’t see that happening anytime before the seating of the 45th president in January 2013 – I hope I’m wrong.

Unprecedented has become an all too familiar word in the past few years. Unprecedented spending, debt, bailouts, regulations, market interventions – you name it, we’ve done it. If you developed a road map showing you how to crash an economy, stranglehold business, and dishearten a people, we have followed it at every turn.

We are in a great correction that will be long lasting – even if we begin making some good decisions.

First, the American consumer is de-leveraging and will continue to do so for several more years. And their aversion to debt will likely take on post depression era thinking, becoming a generational outlook. That is a good thing for American families, though will be a continued drag on an economy dependent on debt-funded consumer spending.

Second, housing will go nowhere fast. There is somewhere between 4 and 6 million homes sitting in shadow inventory – a large percentage of which will find their way into the foreclosure process. This overhang will continue to depress home prices for the foreseeable future. As a result, the construction trades and the associated materials producers will remain at severely depressed levels.

Third, big ticket items such as autos, appliances, furniture and the like will stay soft as fear and uncertainty cause consumers to delay purchases, adding to the headwinds of tight credit markets and a credit averse consumer mood.

Fourth, state and local governments will continue to shed jobs and spending as the Federal government supports wane and as tax receipts slow – less economic activity rolling downhill.

Fifth, interest rates are sure to rise over time. Higher rates make debt more expensive, affecting family, business and government expenses alike. At the Federal level, our brilliant money managers have us predominantly in short term instruments, despite historically low long-term rates. So, as we roll over our debt, our interest expense could quickly become a huge drag on our budget.

Sixth, business is no mood to invest in this country. Once you look beyond the administration’s business friends – the crony capitalists like GE, GM or Google – you find all those business leaders, from companies large and small, that fear for the very lives of their enterprises. Listen to Steve Wynn – and he’s a Democrat. This government is so business unfriendly and has created so much uncertainty that sitting on the sidelines and expanding liquidity are the only appropriate response. And until sanity is restored in Washington, D.C. this trend will continue. So don’t look for a growing GDP or accelerated hiring anytime soon. Unemployment will worsen and the attendant strain of more unemployed no longer paying taxes or spending, and instead drawing jobless benefits, food stamps and the like will further swamp Federal, State and local budgets.

The only silver lining I see is that large and mid cap companies are lean and their balance sheets are in excellent shape. If at some future date a friendlier environment exists in the U.S., these players will be ready to respond.

So will our outlook change? Is a political, and thus economic, sea change ahead? On that question, I vacillate from day to day, and sometimes hour by hour. I could argue either side easily. I do believe there are a growing number of people awakening to our desperate situation and that hold traditional American values of self-determination, self-reliance and personal liberty. And many have found their voices in the political forums. Still, the majority of the American people suffer from a lack of understanding of who we are and what made us special as a country and a people. We now have 51% of the people paying no income taxes, and a similar number who in fact receive money from the Federal government, providing all or part of their means of survival. The tipping point has arrived. Will these folks vote to receive less or more dollars and giveaways from the government? I think that answer is pretty clear.

So, there is the dilemma in a nutshell. We have a dysfunctional, ideologically polarized government. We have nearly insurmountable economic headwinds (mostly government imposed). We have an economically illiterate people and we have a moocher class now in the majority. We have a class warfare, anti-business, anti- free market, anti-American values president dividing us daily. And fear and uncertainty reign supreme. In all, it paints a bleak portrait of our nation and its future prospects.

As Maggie Thatcher said, “the only problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” In our case, we have not only run out of our money, but also our kids and grandkids future money. Not to mention those who hold our nation’s mortgage – the Chinese, Japanese, Saudis and others.

I’m not smart enough to figure out the endgame of all this. I think we can safely surmise that the days ahead will be tougher than what we have experienced over the past few years – much tougher in fact. I think we can also surmise with some certainty that as the pain and fear increase, that people will get angrier. And that anger will play out in increasingly bad ways.

In the meantime, for today, search your soul and decide who you are and what you value. Consider what impact a deepening correction may have on your family and how well prepared you are to weather that possibility. Hold your family close and support each other as best you can. Talk about what’s going on with your kids. Let them know what you are doing to deal with potential challenges and share your plans with them to allay their fears. If you haven’t already, get to know your neighbors. The more difficult the times, the more we need to hang on to and rely on those close to us – friends, family, church and neighbors.

We have as a country encountered enormous challenges in the past and survived. I hope and pray we can once again find the strength of purpose to chart a new course out of these reef laden seas.

Article Source: Philip C. Johnson
America In Decline: It’s Now Official

The Unintended Consequence of American Consumerism

By Sal Ventimiglia

The unintended Consequence of American consumerism is the absence of a strong, archetype, unitary myth. “A myth is a way of making sense in a senseless world… Myths are like the beams in a house: (Those cultural ideals unto a specific group, e.g., certain foods, or a work ethic, etc.)… They are the structure, which holds the house together so people can live in it… [it] is essential in gaining mental health.” (Rollo May, The cry for myth.) The mental health of American society is at a great risk, and is awaiting the hundredth monkey; hence a pandemic of psychopathology! The crisis of addiction, alcoholism, and the long-standing DSM4 spectrum on anxiety disorders alone is evidence enough to take May’s, et al, “a cry for myth,” seriously.

Archetypes constitute the structure of the collective unconscious – they are psychic innate dispositions to experience, and represent basic human behaviors and situations. “Thus mother-child relationship is governed by the mother archetype. Father-child – by the father archetype. Birth, death, power, etc.” (Carl Jung Resources, 2011.) These subconscious experiences, today, are governed by the absence of such archetypes, thereby weakening the collective unconscious and grasping on-to meaningless cultural norms. (Shopping, Gambling, Addictions etc.) of such are everywhere. The sacred Madonna and her child, e.g., insofar as the news reporting mothers killing their off-spring in record numbers! Abortion rates, etc. Collectively, the American psyche no longer holds on to anything sacred. If we stand for nothing we fall for anything. The ties that separate us are far greater than those that bind us.

We have replaced, meaningful, evolutionary biological needs for an archetypal myth (the pursuit of happiness=the pursuit of goods, and property e.g.) that has no power to authentically bring us together: the Capitalistism ethic… “Everyman-for-himself,” “dog-eat-dog,” “survival-of-the-fittest, brute-ugly, Darwinian weltanschauung divides us. The unintended consequence of consumerism, albeit temporally a saving entity, distracts us from genuinely forming any social capital. It is the ubiquitous nature of consumerism and international trading that gives it (consumerism) archetypal power. It does not, however, possess strength enough to grip anything authentically.

Myths, like consumption are a form of pain relief: long term pain management! The more we consume, the less painful things are. Post 9/11 President Bush said, “we must also work together to achieve important goals for the American people here at home. This work begins with keeping our economy growing…. And I encourage you all to go shopping more.” Our preoccupation in the myth of consumerism: the great American dream of wealth, brings to light the psychological fact that we are in desperate need of something biologically Meaningful, and the why we exist is becoming a serious threat for the how we are existing. The gift of consumerism, similar to opiates, even if but for a moment allows us as a culture to escape our problems, and numb our pain!

The psychology behind the myth, therefore, is a good approach for mental health… however, it must be sustainable, long lasting and authentic. And even though American consumerism is not a healthy approach for mental health, for all its anxiety disorders it engenders, Americans being, however, so much more than that, the myth of consumerism hold us together until we can figure it out.

Article Source: Sal_Ventimiglia
The Psychology of Myth: The Unintended Consequence of American Consumerism

Has the Revolution Finally Come?

By A Gineen Hohwald

You may (or may not!) have heard by now about the riots in Greece, 2011′s biggest, yet most under-reported news story.

And if you have, you’re probably wondering, like the rest of the Western hemisphere is…

What is going on with these lunatics? What could have compelled them to march, 200,000 strong, on their own parliament?

What could provoke them to lob Molotov cocktails at their own Ministry of Finance?

Maybe you know the nation of Greece is “in debt,” but you think to yourself, quite rationally, “Isn’t the U.S. in debt too?” Yet, we aren’t marching on anybody, much less throwing petrol bombs around and being beaten bloody by riot police.

What’s so different about what’s happening in Greece? And what does it mean for the rest of the world?

Well, what’s happening is that the Greek populace is just now waking up to the fact that the mountains of debt they are under — together with the all but inevitable collapse of their already struggling economy — are all the tragic result of a big power play and cash grab by international bankers. A cash grab that has been carried out each step of the way with the all-too-willing participation of Greece’s own elected high officials.

Seem implausible?

Here’s how the story went down.

Greece, for ages now, has been one of the world economic centers of shipping and tourism. And throughout much of the past half century, post WW2, these factors have been enough to lead Greece to a steady and impressive growth in their national economy.

They joined the group of charter nations that would eventually become the EU back in 1981, and in the runup to the turn of the century, while money was being made hand over fist all over the global economy, shipping and tourism were pretty great things to have your economy centered around.

And so, in 2001, the other members of the Eurozone — the official monetary policy and currency-sharing “inner circle” of European Union members — invited Greece into their inner sanctum.

“Come in,” they beckoned. “The world economy is terrific, and your little economy, what with your robust shipping and tourism empires, is set to look awfully good for the next century. We’d love to have you aboard!”

Greece danced a little dance and joined the Eurozone swiftly and with great fanfare. They finally had a seat at the big table.

To welcome Greece aboard, and show them just how much confidence they (the big financial powers) had in the little Aegean nation, the large international banks headquartered in the Eurozone nations offered to extend Greece a gigantic line of credit. The presumption was that the new global economy would continue to grow ever-larger, and with it, Greece’s might in shipping and tourism would skyrocket.

“What an excellent time,” they said to Greece, “for you to undertake massive domestic projects and bring your whole nation into the future with us!”

And so it went. Greece accepted infusions of cash amounting into the hundreds of billions from the giant Eurozone banks, with the intention of paying it back with interest once their economy began to really soar.

Then, of course, the bottom fell out. The U.S. housing bubble burst. The fall of Lehman Bros. and the massive way the mortgage lending crisis rocked the whole global economy meant that suddenly, there weren’t nearly as many dollars left to bounce around the global economy.

No longer were nations shipping nearly as much as they had been before the crash. No longer were hordes of cash-infused tourists showing up eager for Aegean sun and fun. So not only did new sectors of the Greek economy never really get off the ground…but the economic staples they had grown to rely on for decades quickly dried up too, as the global economy shrank back to a more local scale, and nations struggled to take care of things closer to home.

This, naturally, is when the banks came to call.

Remember those hundreds of billions? Plus interest? Yeah, we’re ready to collect on that now.

Greece, of course, found themselves in a position where they were completely unable to afford to pay back the loans to the large international lenders. The money was spent, but no return on the investment had ever materialized. And so Greece, in cooperation with international financial overseers, began to work together to come up with ways that Greece could make good on its now delinquent loan payments.

Large national industries, Greece agreed, could be sold to foreign banks at a discount. Greek workers, greece agreed, could be taxed a bit more to make up the difference. Social services, Greece agreed, could be curtailed or stopped altogether.

So suddenly, the proud citizens of Greece found themselves burdened by an austerity brought on by their own government’s reliance on loans from international banks. Things were bad.

But it was about to get worse.

By 2010, the crushing weight of the debts had absolutely flattened the Greek economy. Unemployment had soared. As a result, the austerity measures didn’t prove adequate to pay back the full balance of the loans. Thus, the international banks and the Eurozone partners suggested an even more radical measure.

They would loan Greece an ADDITIONAL hundred billion or so dollars, with the full understanding that this would not be nearly enough to cover any of the things like social services that the Greek citizens has already lost…and would not be nearly enough to help re-start the engines on the Greek economy.

No, this sum they were suggesting would merely be enough so that the Greek government could use the money to write a check right back to their creditors. And the money to pay off THIS loan (plus interest, of course) would come in the form of even HIGHER taxes, even GREATER losses of social services, and even MORE national business and infrastructure being sold for pennies on the dollar to international banking interests…with essentially no hope of getting out from under the crushing weight of the banks’ terms…ever.

In short, this new plan could only have one possible result for the Greek citizenry: years of pain, hunger, chaos, unemployment, and misery…all so the banks would not be late in receiving their loan payments.

This, then, is the story. This is why the Greek citizens have taken to the streets. This is why they hoist torches and pitchforks and scream, “no more!” They feel their whole future as a people has been sacrificed by lies and treachery perpetrated upon them by their own government and the international banks of the Eurozone.

And this is why we all ought to be paying attention. There is hardly a nation on the planet that isn’t burdened under so much debt to national and international banking interests that they have no hope of ever getting out from under it. Not in Europe…Not in Asia…Not in South America…and certainly not the United States.

What we see today in Greece is the canary in the coalmine, gasping its last breaths. The austerity measures we see enforced on the people…the fire sale we see of the national economic resources…the struggle, panic, pain, and eventual fury of a citizenry who never asked for the loans their governments took out in their names, but will now have to suffer to pay back while the politicians and bankers wait out the drama together in their country clubs…

All these things are inevitable consequences to debt run amok. The riots in Greece, 2011, are not going to be isolated instances. This is merely the first of what promise to be many similar dramas played out all across the globe in the coming months and years.

You might want to watch the riots in Greece carefully. The story is a big one, and it affects us all.

The opinions voiced here are just a small part of what you can find at http://afreakshow.com. Dark comedy, the modern condition, and good old-fashioned rants. Yowza, yowza.

Article Source: A. Gineen Hohwald
Riots in Greece: 2011: Has the Revolution Finally Come?

How Will 2012 Affect Society?

By D G Cuthbert

Over the years there have been countless predictions as to how and when the apocalypse will occur, mainly from religious groups and cults. All of these predictions have obviously been incorrect, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t been damaging.

Whenever an apocalypse prediction is approaching, it’s a pretty safe bet that a dedicated group of believers will lead mass suicides, and usually demonstrations to recruit other believers. A prime example of this is the recent 21st May 2011 Apocalypse prediction, where an American preacher predicted the Apocalypse, proceeding to spend vast sums of money to advertise his theory to the World. The infamous “Millennium Bug” is another example of the kind of mass panic which can be caused by these theories.

Normally these theories affect only a fairly small group of people, but what would happen if this kind of thing happened on a mass scale? In the next 12-18 months, we may very well find out.

The Mayans, an ancient civilization, had a calendar which ends on 21st of December, and many have predicted that the end of the World will come on this date, although many modern Mayans dismiss this idea, and others suggest that it is a time of change rather than destruction. While the Apocalyptic predictions are nothing we haven’t seen before, the hype and belief surrounding the Mayans’ prediction is far greater than anything which has occurred in the lead-up to any other Apocalypse prediction.

Whether or not the Apocalypse actually occurs on this date is, at this stage, more or less irrelevant. If the World does end – and I’m not suggesting that I believe it will – then everything will be destroyed. If the World does not end, then I believe that there will be major changes to the way our society functions. I say this not because I’m a believer that the Mayans have successfully predicted anything, but because so many people believe that the Mayans’ prediction will come true.

Let’s look at why this is. In the lead-up to most Apocalyptic predictions, there have been cults organizing mass suicides. With the Worldwide belief in the Mayans’ prediction being vaster and more widespread than anything we’ve seen for many generations, there is expected to be mass suicide on a huge scale. As well as the obvious issue of being a major influence on friends and relatives’ lives, this is likely to have a huge impact on the global economy; in addition to the huge strain that this is likely to have on the Emergency Services, how will small businesses manage with the loss of Employees?

Unfortunately, mass suicides are not the only concern. When anyone is asked: “If you had one week to live, how would you spend your final days?” I can’t recall anyone answering: “I would go to work as normal”. While some believers’ final days may be spent relatively harmlessly, with skiving off work perhaps the most detrimental of their plans, others may unleash their darker demons, strongly believing that the worst backlash they could face is a few days in jail before the Apocalypse ends their sentence. Potentially there could be a huge increase in crimes such as rape and murder.

While the thought of any normal citizen taking this path is scary enough, imagine the consequences if someone in a high position of authority strongly believes that the World will end on this date. Given how far the belief in the Mayans’ prophecy stretches is it really impossible that any of the World leaders believe that the Apocalypse is coming? With the level of responsibility they have, and the resources at their disposal, how would they spend what they believe to be their final weeks? The possibilities are simply chilling.

Assuming the World does not end, the aftermath of the Mayans’ prophecy could change our society for a very long time. Jails could become ludicrously overcrowded due to the increase in criminal activity, individuals’ lives could be destroyed by the loss of loved ones or becoming victims of horrific crimes, and the economy could potentially collapse; in addition to huge overspending on items like luxury cars – if someone strongly believes that these are their final days, will they continue to “save for a rainy day” or squander their riches on overpriced items – companies could face massive shortfalls in income; many companies rely on the extra income at Christmas to continue trading, but those who believe the World will end on 21st December are unlikely to waste their money on presents for a Christmas that they don’t believe will arrive.

So where does all of this leave our society? Well, 21st December 2012 may well pass without event, or maybe society as we know it will crumble. However, we are a race of natural survivors, and as long as there is an inhabitable World here for us on 22nd December 2012, we will be here, possibly trying to rebuild our society.

Article Source: D. G. Cuthbert
How Will 2012 Affect Society?

By Robert Bryan Anthony

3 Reasons Why Honesty is the Best Policy

I believe that plenty of mainstream Americans are so enamored by these types of “sex scandals.” But, why? I believe they follow the details – galore – because they are more interested in another person’s dysfunctional lifestyle…providing them a “break” from their own drama and pain.

I know…I’ve been there!!

However dramatized or painful your life may become, I sincerely believe that honesty is the best policy! First, being honest with yourself, then others. I’m not referring to the way “honesty” was portrayed during the “wedding toasting”in the pseudo comic-dramatic movie, “The Dilemma.” I’m speaking of sincere honesty that creates reconciliation, solutions and trust. There’s no question that this sort of “honesty” is what’s been missing in the Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal.

Whether sender or recipient of the Twitter messages, or whichever side you support, this story could have remained “low-keyed” had honesty ruled supreme…a needed priority for a Congressional lifestyle. So, where does this lesson, story, or dysfunctional masquerade leave us?

3 Reasons Why Honesty Is the Best policy

Reason 1: Character Is Crucial For Success

I believe that developing character is one reason why honesty is the best policy. When it comes to this Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal, Congressman Weiner has unfortunately damaged any credibility and character by allegedly lying about the extent of the Twitter scandal. More women tend to coming forward, testifying to his misconduct as a viable and trusted Congressman.

James Leggett once stated that, “Reputation is made in a moment. Character is built in a lifetime.” In just that one moment of greed, lustful desire, or slanderous act, someone’s character can be ruined. Ruined for life!

Because character is key for your success and you’re discovering why honesty is the best policy, it’s important to know that true, genuine leaders, are those who…

“…are more concerned with doing the right thing than they are doing things right. Right methods without right motives are shallow at best and evil at their worst. In the end, the great leader is not the person who can simply get the job done. It is the person who knows how to link motives with methods.” (Toler, Stan; “Minute Motivators for Leaders-Quick Inspiration for the Time of Your Life, Publisher: David Cook, 2002, pg. 7)

Are you a leader who’s doing the RIGHT thing? Appears that Congressman Anthony Weiner has not read the “memo.”

Reason 2: People Are Progressively Watching

Realizing that people are consistently watching you is another reason why honesty is the best policy. As with any other high-profiled status, like a Congressman, the Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal has gained exposure because Congressman Weiner is a high-profile public figure. Of course people would be drawn to his calamity of poor choices. Thus, finding himself in the “loot” of late night comic conversations.

I believe it’s vital here to realize that as your reputation in public and character grows, more and more people will watch you…watching HOW you react, respond, and live your life! Even more so, as people begin to “relate’ to your STORY, they will progressively follow you…hence, a Twitter following!!

We must live above reproach in order to inspire a generation of people! Are you?

Reason 3: Transformation Must Begin with Trust

Building trust is one more reason why honesty is the best policy. One incredible lesson the Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal has taught us is that the American people find it difficult to trust the Congressman. Like deja vu of the Casey Anthony trial here in Orlando, people cannot trust Congressman’s word because lies are profoundly rampant. As the Twitter scandal unfolds, more dishonesty and misconduct appears.

Winston Churchill once stated that, “the price for greatness is responsibility.” Responsibility for any actions is key to developing trust in any type of relationship. I believe that true leaders are those who ask for forgiveness and act responsibly. As one who leads, I won’t need you to tell me I’m wrong. More often than not, I will tell you that I’m wrong because I manifest in my own life a personal “openness” to honesty.

And because I choose to live my life this way, a transformation has taken place in my heart, allowing for others to TRUST what I do, say, and think. Congressman Weiner’s actions have shown us that he most likely cannot be trusted.

Can you be trusted?

In Conclusion

Although the Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal may occupy some of your brain cells, thoughts, and “stolen” time of your day, may I remind you that the Anthony Weiner Twitter scandal can teach you something about a successful life: Develop character that adds value to people’s lives because they are watching your life and will begin to trust you. As you begin to trust yourself to “do the right things,” your transformation will lead a generation of a life of integrity and success…and that’s why honesty is the best policy!

R Bryan Anthony is a Certified Online Marketer and Certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer and Speaker (Aug. 2011 graduation) providing relevant solutions, mentoring, and value to home business owners and network marketers, encouraging them to create their own success story as they discover their own Secrets of Business Success.

Bryan teaches how to Start a Home Based Biz using Integrity and Well-Sought after business training. He believes it takes commitment, honesty, loyalty, and trust to have the faith to overcome any challenge.

If you want to know more and/or agree that honesty is the best policy that can benefit your business and life, then partner with Bryan at http://www.facebook.com/Robert.Bryan.Anthony.Inspires and/or call Bryan at 1+206-337-9896 and/or join Bryan and the excitement…a work in progress at http://MeetRBryanAnthony.com

Article Source: Robert_Bryan_Anthony
Anthony Weiner Twitter Scandal: 3 Reasons Why Honesty is the Best Policy

Obama in Ireland

By Namige Kayondo

It came to pass and O’Hara met Obama in Ireland. Or was it the other way around: Obama meeting O’Hara, I mean? Whatever! The thing is this: When Obama visited Ireland this week and met his cousins, generations removed and shook hands; history was already in the making. The one thing historians will never confuse is the fact that an African-American president of the United States of America came to Ireland to reconnect with his Irish ancestry.

Global Village

This otherwise insignificant fact overshadows the over-arching significance of Obama’s visit to Ireland in that:

• It eclipses the deeper implications: We know of course that Obama’s father hailed from Kenya and the fact that the Irish have blissfully stepped around this happenstance and accepted him as one of their own has got lots of significance for racial relations across the board.
• I have not heard that Obama drank Guinness beer in Ireland but the lesson is abundantly clear: When in Ireland do as the Irish do – and who knows? Gone are the days when you are considered a national solely from your looks or your heritage. The events in the Ivory Coast bring this to mind. The guy that won the presidential election has been trying several times and on previous occasions when he declared his intention to stand for the presidency he has found himself beset by allegations that he was in fact from a neighboring state – Burkina Faso. But in the end who really cares? What we need is leaders that are accountable, leaders that deliver what will work for the masses. Leaders Without Borders, if you get my meaning.
• The American system should teach us all a lesson or two: Reagan, Kennedy and now Obama among others, can all claim Irish ancestry of a sort and the fact is unarguable, but still some people will not accept Obama for what he is, just like some Ivorians will not accept Allessan Ouatara for an Ivorian just because his parents migrated from Burkina Faso, then known as Upper Volta – African territory, anyhow!
• Obama’s visit is obviously a springboard for his re-election campaign, but who really knows? My own mother is now dead but I would gladly visit her ancestral home just to commune with her spirit, or assume to have done – and hope to have reassured her that I’m taking real good care of myself, like she asked me to – and not to worry!

In Essence:

It’s now almost cliche: the world has become a global village, like it or not, although we still have got to be careful how we interact with people from other cultures and civilizations. In this day and age the demand is for leaders who deliver, leaders that answer to the demands of their people; leaders that are adaptable and ready to submit to the will of their electorate should that will deviate from what they desire or have come to expect. And it behooves the rest of the world to intervene in behalf of the minorities therein (decided or otherwise) and to act decisively in their defense when the need arises.

Namige Kayondo

Article Source: Namige Kayondo
Obama in Ireland