Friday, September 17, 2010

In America - become American!

Being that I grew up in Minnesota I am always interested in stories from back home, but this story was a bit hard to hear and quite sad to me.  This is ridiculous that a group (in this report it is Somali's) are given the right to discriminate (not giving rides to "infidels" in their cabs or handling bacon as a cashier) based on their religion yet other religions (Christian churches for not hiring homosexuals or couples living together or stating that marriage is between a man and women to name a few) can't enforce their convictions as that would be discriminatory?  My dad used to say, "That you have the right to swing your arms, until you hit someone in the nose." See my rights (to swing my arms) end when I enfringe upon your rights (of hitting your nose).

I don't have to work for a church if I don't like their policies just as I don't have to work as a grocery clerk if I have convictions about handling "unclean" meat.  The choice is the individuals NOT to work there, not the company's policies to be set to make all employees happy.  Don't like it, don't work there!  If you start a company servicing the public, than you must service the public...ALL those in the public.  Don't like it, don't start a business servicing the public!  Whatever happened to common sense?  People have the choice of where they work and for that matter, what business they start.  This is America and what we  have always stood for...the American Dream = Capitalism!

When I go to other countries, I have to "fit-in" if I want to enjoy the good graces of their country.  In America, we are inclusive. We allow others to come in but they are not allowed to come here and make this country a satalite of their homeland.  They can not take over and impose their rules and cultures on us.  Before you get on the band-wagon that I am intolerant, I am speaking from my own families personal experience!  My mother was an immigrant and she became an American.  She had to forsake ALL allegiances to her homeland.  She learned the language of English and had to use it and speak it.  She became and American citizen and even exercised her right to vote.  This is how it works!  If you want to be here, become one of us!

To quote Theodore Roosevelt, "In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes and American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.  But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." -1907

How can one religious group have freedoms while another is targeted as raciest or intolerant?  Seems we have dual standards that are developing in this country and we need to get back to the basics as outlined by Roosevelt...one flag, one language, one loyalty!  The founders were tolerant of other religions even though most of them were Christian by faith.  They understood that the govenment does not dictate religion and that people need to have the right to choose their faith.  With that, they also knew that without God for us, we would never make it!

I totally understand some of the reporters closing words, "There is such a thing as carrying politeness too far."

Minnesota,  Next Somali? - Posted July 2, 2007
Somali Pirates in St. Paul, Minnesota - Posted November 18, 2009

Thursday, September 16, 2010

US Capitol Tour by David Barton

The first Bible printed in America was printed by U.S. Congress in 1782 for Public Schools and done for the inhabitants of the United States.  This is an INCREDIBLE video of a Capitol Tour by David Barton showing how our nation IS and WAS founded by Christians and that faith was very important to their personal testimony.  They were so into their faith that they allowed ALL to have their faith but the majority of the founders were Christian.

My family personally knows David Barton and we have been blessed to hear him speak on several occasions and each time I learn something new.  If you ever have the opportunity to take a tour with David, you will never be the same as you watch our history come alive as you hear about the faith of so many of the founders and how many of them were even pastors.  Did you know that 29 of the original 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence had Seminary Degrees?  Again, this in INCREDIBLE and you haven't heard this in your public schools but he has the documentation and the evidence to show you the truth!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Hedge Funds and Global Economic Meltdown

To understand the current economic situation a person would have to go back in time to March 11, 2008 and when Bear Stearns (a 158 year old company) shares were bought with some interesting effects.  It appears that somebody was betting that they would not be going to make their upcoming financial promise even though there was NO indication that the company (Bear Sterns) was in trouble as they still had several billion dollars on hand.

This risk taken by those buying would be comparable to someone buying something like $1.7 million dollars worth of lottery tickets.  When they bought these shares it gave them the right to sell $5.7 million worth in shares at a future date for $30 a piece.  Here is what is curious...at the time Bear was selling for about $65 a share and that future date was just 7 days away.  This was so irrational that people commented that someone must have known something inside to make this deal happen.

These videos are really informative and I encourage you to watch them.  Someone was involved and we may never know WHO caused this meltdown, but we do know someone gained and incredible profit from it.  The SEC needs to be re-vamped...seems like the fox is guarding the hen house to me.  Wonder what some of these regulator's bank accounts and investments look like?  They (the SEC) are NOT doing their jobs and ENFORCING the penalties that are necessary for people who break the laws.  The SEC has not done a THING about this issue to date!

Hedge Funds and the Global Economic Meltdown (Part 1).
Hedge Funds and the Global Economic Meltdown (Part 2).
Hedge Funds and the Global Economic Meltdown (Part 3).

Hedge Funds are who are responsible for this.  What are Hedge Funds?  Some of these people are the richest people in the nation.  Dan Loebo, Jim Chanos and Steven Cohen are just a few of the names of these ultra-rich who are just getting richer!  My mother used to call the group of people who are the puppeteers of the financial markets, "the money lords".  Seems we may have some names now.

What can we do about this?  Write your Representative! Send a note to your elected Representative and demand that the process of hedge funds must be dealt with.  They (hedge funds) must be put as an observer.

Hedge Funds - What are they?  Did you know that Hedge funds can make money when other funds (mutual) are lossing money?  Interesting...hmmm.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

HR 875 - Outlaw Organic and Homegrown Foods?

This is another version of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 and is in this version HR 875 will effectively make personal gardens subject federal inspection and regulation.  The speculation on the why to this is because individual home gardens are cutting into the profit of multinational food, herbicide and pesticide producers.  This bill has many outrageous infringements and it is just another reason why people need to wake up and see what their congress is up to and change up those with these radical agendas by voting them out this November!

This bill has been quietly pushed through the processes by those in special interest groups representing the money behind manufacturing of larger farms and industry where regulation already exists.  If local and small facilities are included in this final bill and it becomes law, then those who violate it will subject to a $1,000,000 for any perceived violation.  The bill was rendered dead on March 11, 2010 but was amended and moved forward again by these big lobbyists and was sitting in committee back in April without having been read because the lobbyists are telling the congress what THEY want them to know.  Because of the outcry of people this bill is still sitting in committee and yet there have still been some modifications to it.

This bill will override states rights and cause federal regulations to be imposed on all states and local farmers.  The attack against "organic" farming is not spelled out clearly but infers that it affects anyone growing food even if they are not selling it by only consuming it.  It would also affect anyone producing meat of any kind including the processing wild game for personal consumption.  This law as now written would also allow federal authorities to seize records, products or produce as they see fit as part of the inspection process.

Section 103 is almost entirely about the administrative aspect of the legislation. It will allow the appointing of officials from the factory farming corporations and lobbyists and classify them as experts and allow them to determine and interpret the legislation.
Section 206 defines what will be considered a food production facility and what will be enforced up all food production facilities.
Section 207 requires that the state's agriculture dept act as the food police and enforce the federal requirements. This takes away the states power and is in violation of the 10th amendment. There are many more that you need to check out for yourself!  HR 875 as it is written, could mean the end of the vibrant and growing local foods movement, the demise of farmers markets, road-side farm stands and small family-run farms altogether.
Ironically, HR 875 fails miserably in promoting food safety as it pretends; on the contrary, it promotes it. Rather, than promoting true accountability and proper farming techniques that minimize the risk of introducing pathogens into the food supply, it simply will create greater barriers for our already struggling small farms and farmers markets. It will give a few huge companies total control on the food we eat, which will be their food -- food that has bio-genetically engineered and laced with toxins, carcinogens and poisons that they call pesticides. Food, seed-stocks, herbicides and pesticides that will be owned by these companies.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

A Muslim Girl

This is a troubling video, so be warned.  It totally grieved my spirit regarding the extent of hate that is held in some people's heart and how they are teaching that to their children. 

This 9/11 may we never forget that we have an enemy to our very existence and that enemy is the devil, not a group or an individual but evil itself.  The Word says in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  May we PRAY for the peace that ONLY the Lord can bring and yet may we stand watch to protect our very liberty!  We have to be willing to fight to defend our freedoms!

This little Muslim girl looks so precious and then she speaks during an interview and she reveals what she has been taught.  Lord, please forgive the hate that we as children of God have against our brothers!

"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Friday, September 10, 2010

2010 Top Ten Anti-Israel Lies

The Simon Wiesenthal Center recently released the 2010 TOP TEN Anti-Israel Lies and I felt this was worth passing along.    The Simon Wiesenthal Center, according to its mission statement is "an international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time".  It is located in Los Angeles, California and was established in 1977 and named for Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi hunter. 

Rather than re-writing the whole document, I am only listing the "lies" as they published in their document.  Click on this link to read them all:
2010 TOP TEN Anti-Israel Lies Brochure.
  • Lie #1  - Israel was created by European guilt over the Nazi Holocaust.  Why should Palstinians pay the price?
  • Lie #2 - Had Israel withdrawn to its June 1967 borders, peace would have come long ago.
  • Lie #3 - Israel is the main stumbling block to achieving a Two-State solution.
  • Lie #4 - Nuclear Israel not Iran is the greatest threat to to peace and stability.
  • Lie #5 - Israel is an Apartheid State deserving of International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns.
  • Lie #6 - Plan to build 1,600 more homes in East Jerusalem prove Israel is 'Judizing' the Holy City.
  • Lie #7 - Israeli policies endanger U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  • Lie #8 - Israeli policies are the cause of worldwide anti-Semitism.
  • Lie #9 - Israel, not Hamas, is responsible for the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza.  Goldstone was right when he charged that Israel was guilty of war crimes against civilians.
  • Lie #10 - The only hope for peace is a single, bi-national state, eliminating the Jewish State of Israel.
At the closing of their brochure was the following sentence:  It is up to us to help disseminate the facts about Israel -- to our Nation's leaders, to world governments, to our media outlets, to all who will listen.  Please stand up today and do your part.

One thing I would add to the following "check list" of people to call and contacts to make is for us to pray!  God has a heart for Israel and has required us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  After we have covered them with prayer, then I agree, we need to contact the media outlets and those in govering authorities to speak out against any anti-Israel moods that manifest in this country.  They then listed these numbers:

UNITED STATES :
President Barack Obama
www.whitehouse.gov/contact
202.456.1111

Vice President Joe Biden
www.whitehouse.gov/contact-vp
202.456.1111

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
www.contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state
202.647.4000

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx
703.571.3343

National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones
www.whitehouse.gov/contact
202.456.1111

To reach your Senator or Congressman
http://www.senate.gov/  OR  http://www.house.gov/
202.224.3121


CANADA:
Prime inster Stephen Harper
pm@pm.gc.ca
Canada F:   613.941.6900

Foreign Minster Lawrence Cannon
Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca
Candad:  613.992.5516


MIDDLE EAST QUARTET:
Quartet Representative Tony Blair
info@quartetrep.org


UNITED NATIONS:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
www.un.org/en/contactus/
contactform.asp


COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN UNION:
eeas.europa.eu
011.32.2.281.56.50


MEDIA:
CNN
cnn.desk@turner.com
404.827.1500

Fox News Channel
yourcomments@foxnews.com
888.369.4762

MSNBC
www.msnbc.com/id/10285339
212.664.4444

New York Times
letters@nytimes.com
888.698.6397

Washington Post
letters@washpost.com
202.334.6000

Los Angeles Times
letters@latimes.com
213.237.5000

Wall Street Journal
swj.ltrs@wsj.com
212.416.2000

Globe and Mail
newsroom@globandmail.com
Canada:  416.585.5000

National Post
queries@nationalpost.com

CBC
ombusman@cbc.ca
1.866.306.4536

iACT CAMPUS OUTREACH:
Rabbi Aron Hier
iact@wiesenthal.com
310.772.2478

Monday, September 6, 2010

the Elana Kagan, Obama Connection

Seems there is some controversy surrounding this newly appointed justice to the United States Supreme Court, Elena Kagan.  It seems to becoming quite clear why she was Obama's choice for the recently vacated seat and the reasons for their connection are in the least, very interesting.  You see, Ms. Kagan was the Solicitor General for all the suits that were filed against Obama with the Supreme Court regarding Obama's proof of natural born citizenship.  Some are saying that this was a "payment" for all of her hard work in helping him with all his legal issues.  See, all the requests that came across Kagan's desk were denied and never heard by the court.  The American people were totally kept from the truth regarding all of this as even Congress didn't bring up these facts during the confirmation hearings on Kagan. 

David and Barbara Mikkelson are the couple behind Snopes and they have posted on their site that, "No, Virginia, There is No Obama/Kagan Connection."  They are still saying that they are "correct" in posting that this "rumor" is "false" but they have never explained all the United States Supreme Court dockets (listed below) that are all signed off by ELana Kagan.

World Net Daily (WND) has posted that Kagan's name is on at least nine dockets involving Obama and his eligibility to be President and Snopes has a link on this as well, yet  Snopes still concludes there there is NO connection.  Not sure I am following the math on this one.  Snopes lists the dockets too and even highlights Kagan's name on them, yet they say there is NO connection?  I don't understand their reasoning as all of this seems pretty obvious to me.

I have included all the links in this blog for you to check it out for yourself.  After reading all this, I would hope you have ONE more reason to vote this November.  Not only am I upset about the conflict of interests and total disregard for the process that has permeated this administration, but I am also upset at those in Congressmen and women who did NOT expose this and stop this nomination. 

Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #08M38     November 25, 2008
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #09A381
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #08-8145   January 12, 2009
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #08-1234   April 7, 2009
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #08-10382 May 15, 2009
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #09-6790   October 1, 2009
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #09-581     November 13, 2009
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #09-724     December 22, 2009
Supreme Court of the United States - Docket #09-8857   January 29, 2010

Remember that all of this "controversy" is swirling because there are still so many questions that have not been answered regarding the birthplace of Barack Obama, Jr.  There is still no birth certificate stating that Obama was born in Hawaii among the passport documents for Stanley Ann Dunham Soetoro that were recently released by the State Department on July 29, 2010 regarding Obama's Citizenship. In these recently released documents, Dunham's husband, Lolo Soetoro petitioned the Immigration and Naturalization Services of the State Department in 1967 to obtain a waiver to return to the United States to rejoin his wife and her infant son, Barack.

An Indonesia timeline was recently compiled by World News Daily (WND) created from information gathered from the State Department's July 29 Freedom of Information Act.  This information shows that Lolo Soetoro returned to Indonesia on July 20, 1966, after completing his studies at the University of Hawaii.  Soetoro was required to complete a mandatory two-rear residence requirement in Indonesia before he could be granted a visa to return to the US.

There is a document dated September 14, 1967, as an apparent attempt to establish the nationality of Barack Obama Jr. by a person named Mix who submitted a poorly typed and difficult to decipher memo to the file but failed to identify their official position with the State Department at the time.  This memo was written pursuant "to inquire from Central office regarding the status of the aplicants' spouses' child by a former marriage." (sic)  The next paragraph reads:
"The person in question [Barack Obama, Jr.] is a united states citizen by virtue of his birth in Honolulu, Hawaii Aug. 4, 1961. He is living with the applicants' spouse in Honolulu. He is considered the applicants step-child, within the meaning of Sec. 101(b)(1)(B), of the act, by virtue of the marriage of the applicant to the childs' mother on March 15, 1965."
The person writing the document does not indicate that they ever SAW any birth-certificate document to establish the citizenship of her son, Barack Obama, Jr., but instead, it suggests that is was written as a result of conversation, possibly with the mother, and was accepted as is without documentary verification.

In contrast, various forms in the Freedom of Information Act release clearly indicate when corroborating documents have been presented. For instance, an examining Immigration and Naturalization Service and State Department official filing a particular report had examined the divorce decree between Barack Obama's mother and his father, Barack Obama Sr., to establish that the parents were legally divorced.
In the two separate releases of Freedom of Information Act documents July 29, what should have been a clear opportunity to see a birth certificate for Barack Obama Jr. was lost when the State Department destroyed any and all passport documents that may have existed for Dunham prior to 1968.  The released State Department documents make clear that Barack Obama Jr. was listed on his mother's passport. However, as WND has previously reported, the State Department claims Dunham's application for her 1965 U.S. Passport No. 777788, issued July 19, 1965, was destroyed at some unspecified time in the 1980s, apparently pursuant to a General Services Administration directive.

Lacking Dunham's application for her 1965 U.S. passport, it is impossible to determine what documentation, if any, she submitted to the State Department to establish her son was a U.S. citizen. WND has reported that in a passport amendment submitted Aug. 13, 1968, Obama's mother identified her son with an Indonesian surname and asked the State Department to drop him from her U.S. passport, bolstering evidence Barack Obama Jr., became a citizen of Indonesia when he moved to the Southeast Asian nation with his mother and stepfather in the late 1960s.
Since 1961, the Obama family has always maintained that Barack Obama Jr., was born in Hawaii. However, as WND has reported, the family has changed its story about his hospital of birth, first claiming it was Honolulu's Queens Medical Center then changing it to Kapi'olani Medical Center.  What has yet to be produced is a long-form certificate of birth that lists the hospital where Obama was born and the doctor that attended the birth.

In, June, Tim Adams, a senior elections clerk for the city and county of Honolulu in 2009 made the claim that Barack Obama Jr., was definitely not born in Hawaii and that a long-form, hospital generated birth certificate for Obama does not exist in that state.

The birth address reported in the Honolulu newspapers in 1961 announcing the birth of Barack Obama Jr. was the address where his grandparents lived, suggesting the grandparents may simply have applied at the Hawaii Department of Health for a short-form Certificate of Live Birth. WND has also reported that newspaper birth announcements in Hawaiian newspapers in 1961 did not necessarily indicate a baby was born in the state. Hawaiian law in 1961 allowed "an adult or legal parent of a minor child" to apply to the health department and, upon unspecified proof, be given a birth document in the form that is known as a short-form Certification of Live Birth.  Under Hawaiian law at that time, a family wishing to register the birth of a baby outside Hawaii was permitted by the Hawaii Department of Health to list a family residence in Hawaii as the birth address, even if the mother was residing outside Hawaii at the time the baby was born.  Moreover, WND has reported that being a U.S. citizen does not by itself fulfill the requirement under Article 2, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution that the president be a "natural born citizen."

Information used above from WND - No Birth Certificate.
CHECK IT OUT FIRST...here are some sites to use:
Snopes.com
FactCheck.org
urbanlegends.about.com
PolitiFact.com - Obama White House Fact Check

Sunday, September 5, 2010

EPA Considers Banning Lead Bullets

According to the Weekly Standard, Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to make a change to existing rules before the November 2 elections.  What is she up to?  Well, she is considering banning lead bullets and shot as well as lead sinkers that are used for fishing.  Several environmental groups [including Center for Biological Diversity (CBD)] are petitioning the EPA to rate these above products under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

EPA is currently barred by statute from controlling ammunition, CBD is trying to have these banned further up the marketing line.  Non-lead alternatives are available but they are much more expensive.  This ban would force sportsmen and hunters to buy the non-lead ammunition that has been twice the cost of regular ammunition.

I then found this link that I thought was most pertinent to this discussion from the National Rifle Association Institute of  Legislative Action (NRA-ILA).  It seems that the EPA has denied a petition by the CBD and the other groups trying to ban the use of lead bullets.   There still is an open comment period until September 15 however to the EPA on the other part of the petition regarding the lead sinkers.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Those Voices Don't Speak for the Rest of Us!

This is a great video that is at times UNBELIEVABLE in the audacity of the plan of some liberals.  When Representative Alcee Hastings of the Florida's 23rd District says that, "we make 'em up as we go along" referring to "rules", I felt chills run down my spine.

With the mid-term elections less than 60 days away now, we NEED to remember what these politician have said and what their motives are toward their agenda against the people's desires.  Here is Ronald Reagan speaking about Those Voices many years ago and here we are again today, battling the same fight for our American Dream.

Please share this link with friends and family members as to the importance of voting these radicals out of office.  Their vision of America is NOT representative of my values or desires.  I pray that you vote, encourage those you love to vote and help get the vote out!  WE have a role to play in our destiny...we still have the RIGHT to vote.  Your vote matters and it CAN bring about the change we all desire.  This past administration offered "hope and change".  Many people believed he would bring good forth for our country but all we have gotten is more debt, more government and more problems.

"The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing." - Ronald Reagan

"Your telling me that we gotta go spend money to keep from going bankrupt?  The answer (is)Yea, I'm telling ya." - Vice President Joe Biden.

“But the truth is that outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector of the economy.” - Ronald Reagan

"I think are a lot of rich people out there whom we can tax at a, at a point down the road and recover some of this money."  Representative Barney Frank of the Fourth Congressional District of Massachusetts.  Well then, let's start with those in Congress, Mr. Frank.  According to CNBC the top 10 are listed below (and note that only two are "RICH Republicans":
01 - Darrell Issa (R - California) $251.03 Million (Greene Properties) Ranks 1st in House
02 - Jae Harman (D - California) $244.80 Million (Harman Int.) Ranks 2nd in House
03 - Herb Kohl (D - Wisconsin) $214.57 Million (Ranch Blgs/Horse Breeding) Rank 1st -Sen.
04 - Mark Warner (D - Virginia) $209.70 Million (Not Avail.) Ranks 2nd in Senate
05 - John Kerry (D - Massachusetts) $208.80 Million ((Dryfus Prime Mgmt) Rank 3rd in Sen.
06 - Jared Polis (D - Colorado) $158.17 Million (Goldman Sachs) Ranks 3rd in House
07 - Vernon Buchanan (R - Florida) $142.43 Million (VB Motor Yachts) Ranks 4th in House
08 - Jay Rockefeller (D - West Virginia) $94.31 Million (Wachovia Bank) Ranks 4th in Senate
09 - Frank R. Lautenberg (D - New Jersey) $74.74 Million (Not Avail.) Ranks 5th in Senate
10 - Dianne Feinstein (D-California) $72.38 Million (Clariton Hotels) Ranks 6th in Senate
There have been many in last few decades saying that we can eliminate poverty if only the poor would be given more.  My father used to tell me that no one appreciates what is given to them.  When you earn something you cherish it.  The solution for America is to get ALL Americans working again.  We have given too much to too many for far too long and it times for people to get back to basics.  If you can't afford it, you can't buy it.  Today in America we have 40% of Americans paying 86% of the Federal taxes.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Press One For English

With all the turmoil in this country about immigration and all the discussion regarding the same, this is an up-beat song to get it all back into perspective.  Press One For English is a good reminder to those coming in to become a part of THIS country.  My mother did.  She left her homeland, her language and her citizenship behind and became an American.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes and American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.  But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here.  Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." - Theodore Roosevelt 1907

If we would just live up to what Theodore Roosevelt stated, we would not have the mess that we have today.  "Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all."

Seems pretty clear to me.  Wake up America!!!  This is MY country and these are the rules!  This is not just my opinion but also the opinion of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

the Preamble to the Constitution

Do you remember the Andy Griffith Show?  They just don't make television like they did.  Here is a clip of Barney Fife reciting the Preamble to the Constitution, with a little bit of help from Andy.

Sad thing is back in these days, EVERY child had to learn the Preamble.  Today, I bet most children of school age don't even know where the Preamble is found.  A bit discouraging to think about and how little of our important history is being taught to our children today.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Stimulus was spent on what?

So we have all read and heard about the stimulus money and how we needed to pass the legislation to allow the spending of this money to spur on the economy toward a recovery.  Right?  Well what I bet you didn't know exactly what that $862 Billion (yes that is a "B") American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  taxpayer money in 2009 was spent on, did ya?  I found this list and just had to share it as people need to get more involved with their government.

I am a parent of more than the average number of children compared to the average medium family size in America and I for one know that if I assign a task or duty for my children to do, I have to follow-up with some investigation to be sure the task or duty was completed per the directions.  This is how it is as the authority.  You have to follow-up and hold people accountable.  So, if "We The People" aren't taking OUR responsibility seriously should we be surprised that those who work for us are not doing what they should be doing?  We need to follow-up.  There is NO easy way to be a parent or for that matter a constituent.  America WAKE UP!

We have gotten too comfortable passing the buck and not paying attention because we don't like politics or we don't like politicians or we would rather be reading a book, driving a boat or watching a movie.  We have become lazy and it is costing us our country.  Well, when the cats away, the mice will play.  Let's take a look at where all those dollars were spent.  Remember they were spent to "stimulate the economy" and we were told with assurance that it would help stop the loss of American jobs and keep the economy from floundering.  One of the best ways to stimulate the economy is by creating jobs - right?

Well, here is 18 months later and millions of jobs are still gone and the economy is as uncertain as ever.  The National debt is growing through as it helped push it 23% higher to $13.2 TRILLION...a NEW record!  Remember that the creation of jobs was the goal as you read on.  Summertime Blues is the PDF of the list below.

Top 100 Stimulus Projects That Actually COST America Jobs!
by Senator Tom Coburn, MD and Senator John McCain
  • Forest Service to Replace Windows in Visitor Center - Closed in 2007 (Amboy, WA) - $554,763   Despite having no plans to reopen a shuttered visitor center at Mount St. Helens in Washington state, the U.S. Forest Service is spending more than $554,000 to replace its windows. One government official likened it to keeping a vacant house in good repair,” while another official noted that there is hope to find some purpose for the building in the future, whether as a hotel, science camp or restaurant. Despite those efforts, there are no current plans to use the empty space.
Spending $11.5 million in 1993, the Forest Service opened the Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center to provide visitors to Mount St. Helens a “sweeping view of the volcano”4 through the center’s soaring windows. In 2007, however, the Forest Service closed down the visitor center after just 14 years in operation. Former USDA official, Mark Rey, said at the time regarding Mount St. Helens, we have more visitor center capacity than the public can reasonably use.”Officials are hoping to maintain the facility so that another use can be found, such as a lodge or educational facility. But the Forest Service has been criticized in the past for poor facilities management, especially within the Mount St. Helens National Monument, and there is no sign that an economically viable use for the center is close to being found.

  • The University of North Carolina (Charlotte, NC) Developed An Interactive Dance Software for $762,372 
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte received more than $750,000 in stimulus funds to help develop a computerized choreography program that its creators believe could lead to a YouTube-like 'Dance Tube” online application. The grant says UNC-Charlotte will “define an evolving system that assists in the design and production of interactive dance performances with real-time audience interaction.”
A device is attached to each dancer, which will be recorded on video, and their movements will be logged and analyzed. “This will allow choreographers to explore interactive dance without always having a full cast of dancers present,” the grant states. One day, dance performances may enjoy the popularity of YouTube hits like “double rainbow” or “dramatic-look prairie dog.” States the grant:
“The system will be extended into a Web-based 'Dance Tube’ application that will allow the public to engage in interactive dance choreography.”
Administrative expenses are unusually high for this project, however. The project’s lead researcher noted that the university is taking a 44 percent cut to cover “overhead expenses.”

  • A rail extension is to be built to get to professional sports stadiums and a casino (Pittsburgh, PA) for $62 million
In February 2009, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell called Pittsburgh’s North Shore Connector “a tragic mistake,” leaving taxpayers wondering why the project recently received a $62.5 million windfall from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project would allow the Port Authority of Allegheny County to extend the city’s light rail under the Allegheny River to the new Rivers Casino, as well as to its two professional sports arenas, PNC Park (home of the Pirates) and Heinz Field (home of the Steelers). Unfortunately, the North Shore Connector has been plagued with problems since its inception, making it seem in this case that federal officials are throwing good money after bad.
Almost immediately, the North Shore Connector went over budget, blowing through cost projections at alarming rates. Original estimates put the final tally at approximately $390 million, but quickly ballooned. Pennsylvania auditor Jack Wagner noted in a 2007 audit that, “In mid-2005, the [Federal Transit Administration] directed the Port Authority to solicit bids for construction of the [North Shore Connector] under the Allegheny River. Three firms responded - the lowest of the three bids was 24 percent higher than the engineer’s previous estimate” (original emphasis).
To deal with the cost overruns, officials dropped plans to extend the rail to the convention center, reducing costs by $85 million. Despite that, current estimates put the final cost at $529 million, far exceeding the $435 million total estimated just last February. Even after removing the convention center portion, project costs are more than a third greater than original estimates. State auditor Wagner blamed the cost overruns on “poor planning,” adding later that it is “a waste of taxpayers’ resources".

  • The construction of two Texas fire stations is delayed for more than a year, and it increases costs (San Antonio, TX) - $7.3 million
The City of San Antonio is hoping that there aren’t any fires for at least a year in the vicinity of two planned fire stations, thanks to “help” from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA awarded $7.3 million to the city for construction of fire stations #50 and #51, but the projects have become so mired in red tape it is not clear when they will be built.
Before the stimulus award, San Antonio was set to fully fund the two new stations with its own money, having even gone so far as to hire private contracting firm, Bartlett Cocke to begin work. After the stimulus, however, the city found itself unexpectedly navigating complicated and expensive federal regulations, requiring environmental and historical considerations—all delaying the project significantly. The result was an estimated $2.2 million overall increase in the cost of the two stations,and Bartlett Cocke losing its contract, which in turn had to lay off employees. In an email between employees of the City of San Antonio, they discussed the delays and that FEMA officials had informed them that “‘shovel ready’ was not a term in their lexicon.”

  • An abandoned train station is to be converted into a Museum in Glassboro, NJ) for $1.2 million

    Taxpayers may not be happy to learn that they are paying for one broken down train station twice. The Glassboro train station was built in 1860 and closed in 1971.45 Unused for nearly 40 years, it now sits boarded up and riddled with graffiti. In 2002, the Borough of Glassboro, New Jersey received nearly a quarter of a million dollars from the U.S. Department of Transportation to purchase the train station from Conrail. At that time, officials hoped to incorporate the station into the regional NJ Transit system. But those plans fell through, and since then local officials have been looking for a way to fund renovations to put the building to some use.
    After eight years of failure and further deterioration of the building, the effort has been saved only by the availability of federal stimulus dollars.Local officials lobbied hard for additional stimulus money.They are hoping to spend the more than $1 million for the project “interpreting local history in its proper setting and make it a museum, public meeting space and welcome center.”


  • An analysis of exotic ants is to cost $1.9 million (San Francisco, CA)

    The California Academy of Sciences is receiving nearly $2 million to send researchers to the Southwest Indian Ocean Islands and east Africa, to capture, photograph, and analyze thousands of exotic ants. The photographs of the ants – over 3,000 species’ worth, according to the grant proposal – will be posted on AntWeb, a website devoted to organizing and displaying pictures and information on the world’s thousands of ant species.

    The project’s goals are, to the lay person, both laudable and arcane: In addition to “foster[ing]…a large pool of ant taxonomists,” it also strives to document “the vast majority of ant species known from [Africa].”“[Ants] give us back the most data on the environment than any other group. Their life cycle is shorter, they change very quickly,” says the project’s Principal Investigator in a promotional article on the Academy’s website. “Everyone has run into ants . . . now we need to listen to them.”


  • A $1.8 million road project threatens a pastor’s house (Newark, OH)
An Ohio road project received $1.8 million in stimulus funds, despite the threat it poses to the residents of over two dozen homes next to it. Pastor Greg Sheets of Newark, Ohio’s Truth Tabernacle has already lost his front yard to the project, and could lose his entire home.
The house – which has sheltered three generations of Sheetses – has suffered cracks in its foundation and damage to its front porch from the work, Sheets says. His neighbors, some of whom have hired lawyers, have had windows break and walls crack as a result of the construction.

  • An old abandoned iron furnace is to be renovated for $357,710 after money was squandered on same project years before (Fitchburg, KY)
Once considered ahead of its time, the Fitchburg Furnace in Kentucky was abandoned after just five years in service—it then sat unused for nearly 140 more. Now it is getting a $357,710 makeover to repair stonework on the old structure and allow historians to conduct research. Much of the damage to the structure occurred more than half a century ago when a local moonshiner loaded the structure with dynamite and tried to blow it up. In 2004, however, the federal government provided $661,000 for restoration of the building, though “much of which was lost” due to “bad stewardship of money,” according to Skip Johnson, current treasurer of the Friends of Fitchburg.
The work was performed by the University of Kentucky’s Center for Historic Architecture and Preservation (CHAP), which has since disbanded, but it did not accomplish much. Remarked Johnson, “They did stabilize that corner and put a roof on it, but that’s about all there is to show for $670,000.” At one point, the director of CHAP asked the Forest Service to consider finding another contractor because it was “without staff suitable for overseeing the project.”

  • A power plant construction awarded $308 million won’t start for at least two years (Kern County, CA)
BP may have found itself staring down huge financial losses over the past several months, but executives can take solace knowing that a stimulus windfall will help offset them. On September 28, 2009, Hydrogen Energy California, LLC (HECA), owned largely by BP, was awarded $308 million in stimulus funds to “generate more environmentally friendly electricity by capturing carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels.” HECA is a joint venture of BP Alternative Energy North America and Rio Tinto subsidiaries. Stimulus funds “enabled continued development of the HECA project which otherwise would have been cancelled.” Construction is not expected to begin until December 2011, nearly three years after the passage of the Recovery Act, raising serious questions about whether it is anywhere near “shovel-ready.”
The clean coal power plant would convert raw materials into a gas that would be scrubbed for pollutants like sulfur and carbon dioxide. The leftover gas would be used to power turbines that create electricity. Any leftover carbon dioxide would be transported via pipeline to the Elk Hills oil field approximately four miles away from the power plant for underground storage and enhanced oil recovery. Originally, the project was to be located at BP’s Carson refinery, but was moved to Occidental Petroleum’s Elk Hills enhanced recovery site. Notably, in 2005, the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California won a record $81 million settlement from BP, which regulators had “accused of illegally spewing toxic gases from its Carson refinery for nearly a decade.”


  • A town replaces for $89,298 new sidewalks with newer sidewalks that lead to a ditch (Boynton, OK)

    People around Boynton, Oklahoma were left scratching their heads after the town was awarded nearly $90,00096 to replace a quarter-mile stretch of sidewalk that was replaced only five years ago.

    One longtime resident of Boynton, Ray Allen, said the project “had been the talk of the town recently, and none of it positive,” because it is “100 percent a waste of money.” Another resident, Mike Lance, noted that “the best indication of the absurdity of the project is what the contractor did with a section of sidewalk at the north end of town – one that fronts no homes or businesses, and leads directly into a ditch.” Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation defended the project as necessary to bring the sidewalk into conformity with federal guidelines.
There were just the top 10.  You can read all about the rest of this baffling list at: Summertime Blues.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Free Speech! Not So Much Anymore

Last night I heard that Sheryl Crow has written a song entitled Say What You Want. In the song Sheryl slams Sarah Palin and then she went on a rant about her political feelings against the political right and how she embraces and endorses the far-left.   I did some checking and recently, when asked about the Tea Party movement in an interview with Katie Couric, Sheryl said, they (Tea Party people) "haven't educated themselves...they're just p*ssed off.  They're not sure what they're angry at," Crow continued.  "[T]hey don't understand what's happening on Wall Street."

She went on to say that "[K]nowledge is power, and anything less than that when it comes to anger can be dangerous".  Maybe Sheryl should take her own advice and educate herself before she opens her mouth about education.  According to a New York Times poll Tea Party members are "more educated than the general public".  She is the one stirring things up as she went on to say how they (TEA Partiers) are "angery".

It's a free country and people have a right under the First Amendment of the US Constitution to express their opinion.  Right?  Well, maybe not so much anymore!

This morning I receive some information about another song written by a guy named Bryan Glover, a "former" middle school assistant football coach from Williamson County in Franklin, Tennessee.  He too wrote a song (along with a parent from the team) and shared it will his email contacts list.  Seems a few people in that list were parents of some of his football team members.  The few parents went to the principal and demanded his firing.  Well, he is now fired for expressing his free speech rights.

I too have received emails from people who have acquired my address through "events" and these emails were promoting their business or their fundraiser.  I guess it would qualify as SPAM as I didn't give my email for that purpose but a simply notification of the offender is adequate.  At most, the coach just wasn't thinking it through but that is not grounds for dismissal.  Below is the link to the song and the words.  I think this should be the TEA party's new theme song!  I like it!

(Click on bottom right corner of link to listen to song)
Words and Music by Kyle Hill and Bryan Glover

He was a little man, just turned three
Took the present from his daddy’s hand
A genuine toy hammer
He started beatin’ to beat the band
He hit the floors and the wall, broke a lamp in the hall,
Started swinging at the puppy’s tail
When you’re holding a hammer
Everything looks like a nail

He was the president, number 44
He says “Trust me, I’m here to help you
I have got some big big plans
You’re gonna love what I’m gonna do”
There’s no problem too big or small
He thinks he’s got an answer that just can’t fail
When you’re holding a hammer
Everything looks like a nail

He thinks big thoughts and he dreams big dreams
But it’s another man’s sweat that pays for those schemes
He don’t care how the little people feel
‘Cause savin’ the world is a big freakin’ deal
So he does his business behind closed doors
And pretends that the world is just beggin’ for more
When the stuff hits the fan he says “Don’t look at me
If you got trouble, blame 43”

Now Congress is saving Wall Street
While they’re watching Main Street fall
They got health care all figured out
But it don’t seem to care much at all
As soon as they save this planet
They’ll put the fire out in hell
When you’re holding a hammer
Everything looks like a nail

They think big thoughts and they dream big dreams
But it’s another man’s sweat that pays for those schemes
They don’t care how the little people feel
‘Cause savin’ the world is a big freakin’ deal
They do their business behind closed doors
And pretend that the world is just beggin’ for more
When the stuff hits the fan they say “Don’t look at me
If you got trouble, blame 43”

There’ll be a party come this November
Where we’re gonna set things straight
All good people gonna gather ‘round
Gonna show what made this country great
We’ll run off the schemers and back-room dealers
So the Red, White and Blue will prevail
When we’re holding the hammer
When we’re holding the hammer
When we’re holding the hammer
Every one of them looks like a nail

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Bush Tax Cuts Should Be Extended

If people are not awake yet, they need to be.  This current administration is heading down cascading track and this train is picking up speed.  The Obama administration had all these great "ideas" but they were just that, ideas.  The arrogance of young leadership runs things that way.  They "think" rather than study or get input from proven and trusted sources.

For me the mid-term elections can't get here fast enough and I pray that Americans vote these allies of this administration out-of-office.

An official of the ex-Bank of England warns that if the Bush Tax Cuts are not extended, America could see another depression.  He states that the weak economy begs for tax cuts.  The working class need all the help they can get right now.  They need jobs, not government take-overs.  Banks aren't lending and firms need incentives to hire and things seems to grinding to a halt.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Setting Goals

Jim Rohn [(September 17, 1930 - December 5, 2009) was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. His rags to riches story played a large part in his work, which influenced others in the personal development industry.] said, "To have more than you've got, you've got to become more than you are."  He learned this at 25 years of age when he met Earl Shoaff [(March 21, 1916 - September 6, 1965) was an American entrepreneur who was widely known as "The Millionaire Maker."] who became his mentor.

Too many people in our culture today don't know the value of hard work and why it is necessary for all Americans to work hard.  The biggest thing people need to learn is how to make and set goals.  Jim has mentored over 10's of millions of men in this skill.  This seems to be a dying art today, working toward success.  There are two videos below that I would like to recommend to you to watch:
Jim Rohn: Setting Goals Part 1
Jim Rohn: Setting Goals Part 2
 Jim says that one of the first books he read as an adult was, How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler [((December 28, 1902 – June 28, 2001).  Adler was an American philosopher, educator, and popular author].  In this book, Mortimer outlines a "must read" or Ultimate Goals of Reading list (see link above for list).  One goal every person should have according to both of these highly successful men  is to make your own list of books YOU want to read in your lifetime.  Include in the list the classics and also add some that are of interest to you.  Jim says that if you read just two books a week in 10 years you will have read a 1,000 books.  According to Jim you can't read that many books and not be changed.  It has to change you.  I encourage you to pick your list of books to begin reading.  Carefully choose this list and then do it and watch how success will follow you!  Jim goes on to outline some of his success.  Below is the outline.

I. Attract People: Another philosophy that Jim picked up from Shoaff was that, "Success is something that you attract by becoming an attractive person.  It is not something that you pursue.  What you pursue, more often than not alludes you but become an attractive person."  Jim's whole life became a series of things that he learned or began to think about. Another quote, "Work harder ON yourself than you do FOR yourself."

II. Find and Seek: He then moved into how to find good people.  He said the Bible encouraged him with this concept, "if you search you will find. Finding is reserved for the searching."  He made this another philosophy that he lived by.  Jim saw that the Bible talked about knocking on doors.  So he said, go knocking on doors!  He picked up this principal and started in sales which helped him develope more skills.

III. Agreement: The next skill he learned was how to get people to work together.  This too he found from the Bible.  If two or three agree on a common purpose, nothing is impossible.  He said if you can get someone to join you, you will find success.  "Let's do it!" is a very powerful phrase.  He learned the value of the "Let's...let US!"

IV. Recognize and Reward: He learned the power of recognition and reward.  Reward small steps of accomplishment in those who work for you.  Be so busy rewarding and acknowledging and giving other people recognition that you really don't need it for yourself.  He heard Zig Zigler quote it this way, "if you help enough people get what they want, you can have everything you want."  Jim heard Zig say this over 50 years ago.

V. Communication: Then he learned communication:
1) Training: First - Training...showing someone here is how the job works.
2) Teaching: Second - Teaching...this is how life works (set goals).   One day, early in his walk, Jim's mentor said to him, let me see your list of goals.  Jim was a bit surprised as he didn't have a list of goals.  Mr. Shoaff said, really?  I can tell you right now that if you don't have list of goals, I can guess your bank account balance within a few hundred dollars and he did.  Jim said you mean my bank balance would change if I had a list of goals?  Earl said, drastically.  That changed everything for Jim and he began to set goals!  Jim began to make goals and create lists:
  • Decide what you want.  Write it all down.
  • Who do you want to meet?  Make that list!
  • The books you want to read.  Make that list!
  • The places you want to go.  Make that list!
  • The experiences you want to have.  Make that list!
  • Education for your family.  Make that list!
Jim stated that he started with the lists having every little thing on it so he could have lots to check off .  Checking off was what was fun.  Then his mentor said, if you check off something significant, celebrate.  This motivated him to make longer and bigger lists and dreams.

3) Inspire: Finally the third thing on communications list was to inspire other people.

Jim shares some of the first things that he had to correct in his thinking was:
1) Learning:  He had to learn to have an appetite for learning.  He would just get by before this.  Earl told him to pursue learning.  Become a searcher for learning and understanding.
2) Developing His Library:  Mr. Shoaff said that what you think about is like a sail on a sailboat.  You don't arrive on a boat in a storm by cursing your sail, you adjust it.  This, Mr. Shoaff told him, was what his thinking was like to his life.  He had to change the way he thought to change his course.  This too is Biblical as the word says, as a man thinks, he is!
3) Financial Plan: Mr. Shoaff wanted to know Jim's financial plan and Jim had none.  He had to develop a plan because he was financially spent when they met.  At 25 Jim had nothing and by 31 was a millionaire.
4) Attract Other People:   He made dramatic changes to his personality to draw people to him.  Jim stopped making excuses.  Like Jim thought he wasn't paid enough and he blamed the company.  Jim said showing Mr. Shoaff his paycheck, "This is all that they pay."  Mr. Shoaff said, "No, that is not all they pay.  That is all they pay you!  Aren't there other's working for the company who are making more?"  See, Jim had to change his thinking and stop blaming!  "If you will change, Mr. Rohn, everything will change for you." - Earl Shoaff.  You have to change YOU!

Jim would say that "it" cost too much or that taxes were too high or whatever and Mr. Shoaff would say, no it's not "it", it's not circumstances, it's you.  Change you!

Daily Habits that Jim Began to Change:
1) Time Management:  Jim would say, "Don't start the day until you have finished it."  In other words, know what you are going to do tomorrow before you go to bed today.  He likened it unto when do you start building the house?  When the house is finished!  In other words, you have to have a plan finished before you start to lay the bricks. 

 Be inspired!  I was!


A great book to have: The Treasure of Quotes by Jim Rohn.  Here are some more quotes by Jim Rohn:
  • A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.
  • A novel is never anything, but a philosophy put into images.
  • Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.
  • Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don't go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won't laugh at you.
  • Better understated than overstated. Let people be surprised that it was more than you promised and easier than you said.
  • Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you weren't born with and must take responsibility for forming.
  • Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
  • Don't bring your need to the marketplace, bring your skill. If you don't feel well, tell your doctor, but not the marketplace. If you need money, go to the bank, but not the marketplace.
  • Don't just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.
  • Don't start the day until you have it finished.
  • Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better.
  • Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.
  • Either you run the day or the day runs you.
  • Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.
  • Failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.
  • For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward.
  • Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.
  • Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention.
  • Giving is better than receiving because giving starts the receiving process.
  • Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.
  • Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.
  • If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn't need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.
  • If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.
  • If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.
  • If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree.
  • If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.
  • It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.
  • It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.
  • Labor gives birth to ideas.
  • Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.
  • Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.
  • Make measurable progress in reasonable time.
  • Maturity is the ability to reap without apology and not complain when things don't go well.
  • Miss a meal if you have to, but don't miss a book.
  • Money is usually attracted, not pursued.
  • Part of your heritage in this society is the opportunity to become financially independent.
  • Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you're signed up for a season, see it through. You don't have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through.
  • Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.
  • Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.
  • Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.
  • Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.
  • If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn't need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.
  • If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.
  • If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.
  • If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree.
  • If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.
  • It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.
  • It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.
  • Labor gives birth to ideas.
  • Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.
  • Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.
  • Make measurable progress in reasonable time.
  • Maturity is the ability to reap without apology and not complain when things don't go well.
  • Miss a meal if you have to, but don't miss a book.
  • Money is usually attracted, not pursued.
  • Part of your heritage in this society is the opportunity to become financially independent.
  • Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you're signed up for a season, see it through. You don't have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through.
  • Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.
  • Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.
  • Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.
  • Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.
  • To have more than you've got, you've got to become more than you are
  • When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.
  • Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness - great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy.
  • Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.
  • Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.
  • Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.
  • You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.
  • You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.
  • You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.
  • Your philosophy determines whether you will go for the disciplines or continue the errors.