Debate has been pretty heated on whether Ben Bernanke should be re-elected to his role as Federal Reserve Chief. President Obama ended all doubt when he reappointed Bernanke this past week. Many, myself included weren’t thrilled the Fed shoveled out tons of money to failing banks who were largely responsible for the recent recession. I doubt if the taxpayers get anything in return for the government’s generosity but we’ll see. Like I’ve said before. Something had to done to avert the disaster committed by just a few big players even if it meant flooding the streets with printed money. We had to revive the struggling stock market, because the majority of our wealth whether it be 401ks, IRAs, or whatever are connected to investments.  I think what many find so galling is the dramatization acted out by the media of Bernanke as a public hero who came to the rescue of the country when it was on the blink of another Great Depression. It’s plausible Ben and his crew contributed to the disaster, which took down millions of unfortunate victims by the reckless policies the Fed forged with financiers on Wall Street.

 

If you think about it, Bernanke is out of the Allan Greenspan mold, a conservative economist who believes the Fed’s role is to focus on fighting inflation, not to address the pain and suffering on main street. Thus the reason why several years back the Fed continued to raise interest rates when inflation was hardly a blimp on the radar. Moreover, the Fed has a history of decision-making that is often highly politicized. For example, Greenspan support of George Bush’s tax cuts in the early 2000s helped this incompetent president unravel the nation’s economic prosperity.  And then there was the increase in the money supply to depress interest rates by Federal Reserve Chief Arthur Burns in the run up to Nixon’s reelection campaign in 1972.

 

Today the massive federal deficit and a chorus of voices warning an imminent danger of staggering inflation lies ahead has caused echoes of broad-based tax increases for the middle class to ring out. True, inflation could and probably will pick up, but it doesn’t mean a vicious cycle of hyperinflation. During last year’s campaign Obama vowed he would enact an agenda that was middle class friendly, which excluded raising taxes for those earning less then $250,000 a year. Anyone here who voted for Obama and still unabashedly believes he’s going to change anything that’s businesses as usual please show us your hand.

 

In addition to announcing Bernanke appointment four months in advance, Obama’s plans to reform the financial system involves giving the Fed more power then it already has. Ron Paul is sponsoring a bill HR 1207 that would have the Federal Reserve audited by the Comptroller General. In my opinion Paul is a scary dude, but nevertheless the bill appears to have some strong backing, as many as 282 co-sponsors. As you would suspect Bernanke is one of many seeking to prevent its passage. Seems there’s not much of an appetite for accountability and transparency when it comes to the Fed’s monetary policy. Wonder why?

 

 

Just a few thoughts on Senator Ted Kennedy who died from a brain tumor this past week. I’ve never been a slave to the cult of personalities, and probably never will be. That’s why I haven’t given the MSM the time of day for the last several years. For one thing there are far too many real heroes who have passed on without so much of a whisper, and the media has been the biggest culprit when it comes to ignoring the flight of the little guy. Certainly in my eyes, Kennedy was no hero when it came to how he handled some of the incidents in his life. You wouldn’t know this if you’ve been watching the 24-hour news services. Even still I have to admit one of the images I’ll never forget was in 1968 seeing footage of the funeral train that carried the body of Bobby Kennedy’s from New York to Washington D.C. I remember the hordes of people jamming the platforms watching as the train slowly passed them by. It was the most vivid display of public emotion I had ever seen. I was a kid then living in Detroit, and somehow I knew I was living at a time when the country was full of turmoil. My hometown like other cities would be rocked that year by race riots, the horrors of the Vietnam War, and eventually have federal troops patrolling its streets.  I recall these events, because I never forgot the dark-haired man who gave such a poignant eulogy at Bobby Kennedy’s funeral.  I later learned he was his younger brother, Ted.

 

 Unlike Bobby and John Kennedy I was not one of Ted’s biggest fan. His entire life seemed filled by so many ironies and tragic episodes. And yes I can’t forget the Chappayuiddick incident where he acted like an out of control frat boy, pleading with the public to have mercy, while suggesting he was too panicked to stop a young woman from drowning. Had it not been he was a member of the Kennedy clan he probably would have went to jail. But no, he was part of a dynasty, and to me that’s part of the problem with our political system. Rich families, deeply entrenched, with too much political power. And yet with that being said I honestly believe Senator Kennedy made every effort to make his own legacy as a dedicated public servant who responded to the voice of the working class. I doubt American will ever again see the likes of another Kennedy family.  Unlike the mental midgets we have now across the political landscape at least they seemed to care about what was in the best interest of their constituencies.

Remember when back in the 1990s’ the National Debt clock was turned off, because the federal budget was balanced? Well the clock is back on, and with revenge big time. In fact the US debt clock has run out of digits. It only has room for 13 numbers, but since the debt has surpassed $10 trillions it has to be updated in real time. Wow, $10 trillion dollars and counting. What an absolutely staggering quantity of money. You can see all the scary figures, including the debt per citizen at http://usdebtclock.org.

 

I’m not big on the celebrity front, but can’t help mentioning that Michael Jackson’s death is being ruled a homicide. This is according to the Los Angeles Times based on a search warrant affidavit unsealed in Houston today. An autopsy conducted by the L.A. County coroner’s office, apparently found lethal levels of a drug called propofol, which is an anesthetic used for surgery. It’s not as a sleeping aide, and its use is supposed to be monitored in a hospital setting. Jackson was reportedly demanding the drug to help him fight severe insomnia. This development makes it’s likely Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray, who already admitted to providing the deadly doses will have criminal charges filed against him for manslaughter. And if this isn’t bizarre enough, the King of Pop has yet to be buried. What are they waiting for mummification? You know it’s terrible this doctor apparently was more concerned about making a buck, instead of his patient. But to be honest if it wasn’t him it’s another doctor Jackson would have just waved his money at. It’s really bad when you’ve abused drugs to such an extent that your body rejects sleep.  Murray told investigators he was on the nervous side about his patient’s addiction to propofol, and tried weaning him off by lowering the dosage and mixing it with two other sedatives, lorazepam and midazolam. Eventually he left propofol out of the mixture altogether, but on the day of his death Jackson was given a number of sedatives that were ineffective, so he intravenously administered propofol once again. It worked a little too well. Maybe death is what Jackson wanted, who knows. Like so many others, his passing saddened me, but I almost wonder if his fate had been years in the making.

It’s time for the United States to vote in a 3^rd party, or deport the people who are supporting the two we’ve got.  I’m serious. Just look at the insanity going on in the healthcare debate.

 

The reality the GOP is a bunch of losers has yet to sink in. Instead Republicans seem to hold steadfast to this outrageous ideology that to conquer the American electorate means to divide Americans. With a platform singling out the perceived evils of minorities, immigrants, gays, environmentalists, anti-war supporters, anti-NRA, or anyone else who dare point out their hypocrisy, the GOP continue to wage their campaign of sheer rhetoric against healthcare reform. One conservative leader, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint predicted back in July that if Republicans were able to block any votes on healthcare reform until after Congress’ month long break in August, “Senators and Congressmen will come back in September afraid to vote against the American people.” He further added “If we’re able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.”

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith

 

The rabid sickness of the Republican strategy has mutilated into an uncontrollable beast with senators, congressmen and congresswomen fulfilling Manchurian Candidate roles, willing to forsake any new ideas, innovations, or policies that would offer some improvement in the quality of people’s lives. Keep in mind it was a Republican who recently said the party would never support a bill that cost $1 trillion dollars. But a tax giveaway to the rich with a price tag of $1.7 trillion? Or a war in Iraq costing us billions so we’d get to see Saddam hang? Well those are bargains. Given the increasingly polarized landscape Democrats now are all over Obama, and members of Congress have indicated they could potentially split the healthcare bill into two parts in order to get the legislation passed without Republican support. One part of the bill would include insurance reform, while part two would include the controversial “public option” allowing the government to compete with private insurers. Think Obama is finally starting to feel some of the intense progressive heat?  In his radio address today he decried some of the healthcare ‘Myths” Republicans are using to preserve the status quo.  Like this oldie but goody abortions would be mandated under reform, which really coils the panties of the Christian right in a knot. Or the really obnoxious Sarah Palin’s ‘death panel’ statement that is being crafted suggesting a panel of bureaucrats will decide who gets medical treatment and who doesn’t. Some questions these panels (probably Democrats by the way) will need to answer?

1. Should old people who are a burden to their families be allowed to die so young children can afford their IPhones?
2. With life expectancy increasing how much money should be set aside to socialize McDonalds, making a daily Big Mac mandatory by the time you reach forty?

Predictably ‘tea parties’ are joining the act planning for hundreds of protests in congressional districts in one big collaborative effort to bring Americans together. It’s only through resistance fellow citizens can continue to make informed decisions about what type of insurance they can’t afford it, and keep big government out of their lives and big pharmaceutical companies, hospital groups, health insurers, and others in with their enormous money grabbing pipelines.

 

And then least we not forget there are the Democrats. The party that never demonstrates, disrupts, or participates in shout downs like those crazy right-wing mobs are doing at town hall meetings.  From commentators, activists, to the progressive bloggers, they are completely innocent of propagating smears, and are currently in a collective chorus of criticism over Obama’s annoying deals with drug companies and other health-industry conspirators. You would swear their man never did an about face on any other important issue during his presidential campaign. The audacity that he has the audacity to do the exact opposite of what he said he would do. The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll showed the president’s approval rating has dropped among the liberals from 94 percent in April to 83 percent today. I guess they’ve lost their faith in the agent of change. But hey, I suppose it could be worse. His supporters could have gotten their fingers cut off like two Afghan voters did last week.

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/AleqM5hvWEq…

 

Unfortunately like I’ve said before healthcare reform isn’t about achieving a political advantage. It’s about Congress doing their jobs and representing the best interest of Americans. The media needs to expose the people who have a vested interest in seeing healthcare exactly the way it is, and we need to put them out of business.  That being said, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. The healthcare industry is stretched to wide, and its pockets are way too deep. But like Obama’s supporters, it’s the thought of change that counts.

 

http://clownsonleftjokersonright.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Funny I would come across this article today. It so happens my sister and me were discussing old times about how snack foods like Twinkles, Dolly Madison and other goodies over the years have gotten smaller size wise, but fairly expensive.  Is the smaller size, bigger price phenomenon a recent scheme? Not hardly. And it’s no different then the potato chips trick where there’s more air then food in the bag. The latter by the way is one of the eleven devious secrets mentioned in an article by Tina McCarthy; of EcoSalon called  '11 dirty little secrets your grocery store is hiding. ' Interested in some of the others? Well there’s the baked foods scam where so-called freshly baked foods turn out to be actually frozen products. Another older but goodie has to do with strategically placing more expensive items at eye level where they’re easier for you to see, and more likely to be chosen. Then there’s a ploy geared toward the younger fair.  This is a gimmick used by stores where they strategically place items appealing to children on lower shelves where the kiddies can snap them up. The author writes about other scandalous examples of grocery store manipulation each utilized to take advantage of an uninformed, gullible shopper. Personally, I don’t think us shoppers are completely stupid. Well most of us anyway. To me just as fraudulent are the scanners at the checkout used to ring up your purchases at a higher price then what’s actually marked. Now that’s really being ripped off.

 

 

Have you stopped to think just how short life really is? Do you realize that every day you spend worrying or feeling bad about yourself is one more day that you are putting off being happy? If you are ever to get the most out of life, now is the time to start. Is there a dream, purpose, or accomplishment you have desired for a long time? Then now is the time that motivation counts! What are the components of a life worth living? Many people would say that their relationship with their spouse and their children are an important part of what makes their life worthwhile. Do keep this in mind, though. Family life and marriage are not always easy. It requires that you put time in with those special people. It requires you to learn to be patient and keep your cool, too. Right now is the time to get motivated and start taking that weekly date with your spouse. Right now is the time to start having dinner with your kids and talking about their day. Now is the time motivation counts! If you're single, you don't have to give up hope. You can know that fulfillment, too. The person you eventually attract will depend a lot on the person you are. A good rule of thumb is to be the person you desire to make your mate. In other words, do you want someone who is patient and loyal? Honest and humble? Virtuous and hard-working? Then be those things yourself. Then get out there and meet people. Or go online. With today's internet options, there is no reason everyone can't find Mr. or Ms. Right. But now is the time to get motivated and work toward that dream. Motivation counts now! Another thing that makes life worth living is having the ability to have fun. This can mean having enough money to take vacations and the like, and with motivation, you might be able to have the money you want. However, if you don't learn to relax and enjoy what you have, the money itself might never really bring you the fun you crave. An easy-going, up-beat, contented attitude goes farther than money when it comes to having fun. If you don't have this type of outlook, then now is the time to get motivated and become more positive. Now is when motivation counts! Almost everyone is required to work in order to have food on the table and a roof over their head. If your job makes you miserable, then even with a great family and lots of fun, you're going to be putting in forty hours a week of misery. How can you improve this picture? Do you need to look for a job in a different line of work? Or would a successful work-at-home business be perfect for you? If your income or work tasks are unsatisfactory to you, then it's time to push yourself a little to make a change. Motivation counts now! So when does motivation count? Maybe a better question would be, when doesn't it count?

About the Author

For more personal growth articles visit: http://www.personalgrowthunlimited.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

The critics and supporters of health care reform are really starting to go over the top, and to me both sides seem more interested in fulfilling the fantasies of their political parties rather then supporting what’s in the best interest of Americans. The right is crying out ‘socialized medicine’, literally making death threats, and as usual wants things to remain the same. Problem is millions continue to suffer from a health care system that’s become so bloated with companies each wanting their piece of the pie that cost have soared completely out of control. The left wants a single payer system, or nothing at all. They’re just as guilty for throwing out all sorts of diversions while Obama quietly strikes a deal with big drug companies reportedly to save Americans a whooping 2% on their drug costs. The people in the center, I believe just want an affordable system with at least some form of public option. The current system isn’t exactly killing people it’s the fact so many with diseases have no access to affordable health care that could help them to manage and survive their diseases. It really shouldn’t be about the left or the right, but there seems to be people misled by the propaganda on both sides. How insane is it to hear that if you can’t afford health care you shouldn’t get it? And what makes others think our government, which has never run anything efficiently will be able to put all the overwhelming bureaucracy of the current health care system under its wing, and magically reduce all its costs? To think everyone will have unlimited access to drugs and treatments just because it would be a mandatory government run program is delusional. Yup, divide and conquer while Big Pharma promotes Obama’s watered-down reform package that probably won’t offer any real relief, while keeping all the fat cat players happy.

 

Read more on Obama’s deal here  

 

http://robertreich.blogspot.com/

The mind is a very powerful tool. Trish Kinney, author of Silver Platter Girl from Seven Locks Press (www.silverplattergirl.com) is living proof of that. The fact that she is living at all is proof. A survivor of breast cancer, a survivor of sexual abuse, Kinney's inner strength and belief in the power of healing was the key to her survival. Living in a sexually charged environment during her formative years eventually led Kinney to a place inside herself that was dark and painful. In her attempts to escape the pain, she placed herself in situations she was not proud of, knowing that what she was doing was not right, but going forward with the behavior anyway. "It was shocking that I was able to so completely separate my secret life and growing sexual conflicts from my real life and I tried very hard, usually with some success, to forget that this was exactly how my father did it for so many years" she said. Kinney's moment of realization came one day as she was watching the Oprah Winfrey show. "It was as though I suddenly stood up inside myself and instantly recognized the feelings that had swirled in me for so very long," she said. "I realized my father was a classic sexual abuser and even though he had never actually raped me, he had molested me, and probably my sister, and had raised us in a sexually charged environment." Kinney was always very connected to her feelings and was able to physically manifest her pain, even as a young child. When she was forced to leave her dog to go live in Turkey, she became ill. Only the reappearance of her beloved pet was able to cure her. As an adult, she continued to physically manifest her pain. After a particularly devastating encounter with James, a man she is in a long-term pseudo-sexual relationship with, she felt the beginning of the creation of her tumor. "I instantly begin to create my tumor, the mass that will encompass all my pain and suffering and abuse and lust and self-loathing," she said. "It is as if all of these emotions begin a rush to my breast." Kinney began a journey to self-awareness and forgiveness. She journaled her experiences. Her treatment included painful chemotherapy and a stem cell rescue, a type of bone marrow transplant. In her sterile room, which she called her cocoon, her compromised immune system was destroyed, along with her emotional trauma, and as her own donor, she made every cell in her body from scratch. She connected with only positive thoughts and people. By the time her treatment was complete; she had experienced a rebirth and began the process of building a new, healthy life. Many of the journal entries from this time period appear in her book. Kinney realized that in order to truly be well, she needed to remove her parents from her life. The minute she found out she had cancer; she removed James from her life as well. She filled the space he used to occupy with love and hope, peace and contentment. Kinney's story is an example of the power of the mind over the body. Her bravery in telling it touches the heart of the reader. Anyone who knows someone who is in pain, whether physical or emotional, will receive insight from this story. "My legacy, the power of my story, is my willingness to stand up in the face of enormous pressure for what I believe is right, just and fair," she said. "Not only for me, but for all of us who have ever been controlled and manipulated, used and abused. For the God given right to say no."

About the Author

Trish Kinney is an award winning documentary filmmaker, actress, dancer and choreographer. She is well known for speaking out about her amazing recovery from cancer and the profound impact of the mind/body connection. Trish and husband, Mark, have two sons, Andrew and Peter.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

The employment report for July came out this past Friday and showed 247K jobs were loss. That’s considerably better then economists forecasted, which I believe was predicted to be somewhere around 350k plus. The New York Times columnist Paul Krugman believes the economy has finally stabilized, but thinks a second stimulus package is needed for state and local governments. “It’s quite possible, though not certain, that retrospectively, we’ll say that the recession ended in July or August, maybe September,” the Nobel Prize economist said. “My guess is that we’ve bottomed out now, that August was probably the trough month.”

 

Let’s hope so although there are possibly a couple of things weighting in on what might be fueling the current recovery. China’s economy has picked up again, perhaps re-igniting investments worldwide, and some of the economic droughts in various parts of the country has abated, especially in housing. Will this continue? Another question will be how long can the economy continue its recovery with a prolonged and sluggish period of GDP growth of say 2% or less. Economists have offered this very low level of growth as one mathematical possibility. It seems to me the economic foundation of the United States is so fundamentally bad 2% or less GDP is not just a possibility, but also a certainty for the next couple of years.  IMO this will be a jobless recovery that will strain the Treasury and taxpayers, and will be too dependent on increased government spending, and other financial engineering like maintaining lower interest rates. Like I’ve said plenty of times many of the measures addressed in the stimulus packet were needed, so I’m not complaining. It just seems to me somehow pieces of the puzzle are missing. The focus will have to be moved from the current trends of excess supply and cheap credit to strike a balance with actual consumer consumption. Going forward the problem for the economy will be how to tackle consumers who are saving more, and spending less. That’s why when the government decides to create new economic programs these have to be managed carefully otherwise we become what Japan has been for the last 15 plus years. A country with zero interest rates and zero GDP. Then there will be the challenge of a mounting budget deficit not only in the United States, but worldwide. The Telegraph.co.uk reports the IMF (International Monetary Fund) puts the total cost of the financial stimulus at 7.1 trillion pounds with the countries making up the G20 group facing a combined deficit of 10.2% of GDP in 2009. It’s possible if the economy starts to nosedive again our government won’t have the creditworthiness to do anything to stop the implosion.

 

Read more on the Krugman here

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aMZ5qIkGppqA

 

http://clownsonleftjokersonright.blogspot.com/