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A Country Losing Itself

by | Dec 26, 2012 | what the...?

My wife pointed out this poem to me written after the Massacre (including the cold-blooded killing of 20 children).  I have not written much about this.  I was just so torn up by the whole thing.  It goes well beyond the “Gun” issue.  It is just pure the thought of such evil existing in this world.  I will delve into that more in future times, but for now check out this poem –
victims

 

 

Twas’ the Night Before Christmas – A song for Sandy Hook Elementary

 Twas’ 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38,
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say…….
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
“Where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
“This is heaven.” declared a small boy.
“We’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring.
Those children all flew into the arms of their King.
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had,
He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”
“May this country be delivered from the hands of fools”
“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”
Then He and the children stood up without a sound;
“Come now my children, let me show you around.”
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran;
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
“In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”
Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke

A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke

by | Dec 25, 2012 | Health-Wellness-Sex

What Is a Stroke?
Stroke is a medical emergency and a leading cause of death in the U.S. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts or, more commonly, when a blockage develops. Without treatment, cells in the brain quickly begin to die. The result can be serious disability or death. If a loved one is having stroke symptoms, seek emergency medical attention without delay.

Source: WebMD

President Obama in Newtown, Connecticut

by | Dec 18, 2012 | My Videos

Our hearts broke on Friday as we learned of the tragic and senseless deaths of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

Last night, President Obama addressed the families of Newtown, offering the love and prayers of a nation, and vowing to use whatever power his office holds to protect our children from such unthinkable acts of violence.

Confessions of a Car Salesman

by | Nov 23, 2012 | Money Matters

Introduction

What really goes on in the back rooms of car dealerships across America?

What does the car salesman do when he leaves you sitting in a sales office and goes to talk with his boss?

What are the tricks salespeople use to increase their profit and how can consumers protect themselves from overpaying?

These were the questions we, the editors at Edmunds.com, wanted to answer for our readers. But how could they really know that our information was accurate and up-to-date? Finally, we came up with the idea of hiring an investigative reporter to work in the industry and experience, firsthand, the life of a car salesman.

We hired Chandler Phillips, a veteran journalist, to go undercover by working at two new car dealerships in the Los Angeles area. First, he would work at a high-volume, high-pressure dealership selling Japanese cars. Then, he’d change over to a smaller car lot that sold domestic cars at “no haggle” prices.

Source: Edmunds.com    | Read follow up here

My comments:
This is definitely a must read for anyone getting ready to go buy a car.  It was really a great heads up from a good friend of mine.  I am getting ready to buy my second real car in 22 years and this was really insightful.

Title: 23 Things They Don’t Tell You about Capitalism

Title: 23 Things They Don’t Tell You about Capitalism

by | Nov 23, 2012 | Mad Musings, Not So Recent Reads

Title: 23 Things They Don’t Tell You about Capitalism

 

Summary:

Thing 1: There is no such thing as the free market.23capitalism
Thing 4: The washing machine has changed the world more than the Internet.
Thing 5: Assume the worst about people, and you get the worst.
Thing 13: Making rich people richer doesn’t make the rest of us richer.

If you’ve wondered how we did not see the economic collapse coming, Ha-Joon Chang knows the answer: We didn’t ask what they didn’t tell us about capitalism. This is a lighthearted book with a serious purpose: to question the assumptions behind the dogma and sheer hype that the dominant school of neoliberal economists – the apostles of the freemarket – have spun since the Age of Reagan.

Chang, the author of the international best seller Bad Samaritans, is one of the world’s most respected economists, a voice of sanity – and wit – in the tradition of John Kenneth Galbraith and Joseph Stiglitz. 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism equips listeners with an understanding of how global capitalism works – and doesn’t. In his final chapter, “How to Rebuild the World”, Chang offers a vision of how we can shape capitalism to humane ends, instead of becoming slaves of the market.

Ha-Joon Chang teaches in the Faculty of Economics at the University of Cambridge. His books include the best-selling Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism. His Kicking Away the Ladder received the 2003 Myrdal Prize, and, in 2005, Chang was awarded the Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought.

My Comments:
Really great read.  I did not have a decent understanding of what the Free Market means, this breaks it into pieces and provide a pretty concise and interesting treatment of how it affect impacts modern (primarily U.S focused) society.  Thoroughly enjoyed and very much recommend.

Grab it from Amazon