Mortgage Companies Vs. Homeowners

I’ve always said that I’m not the brightest bulb in the pack.  I know I have limitations.  I don’t really have a full understanding how the stock market works, and you know, I’m happy with that.  I’m not a big financial smarty pants.

I’ve also said, on several occasions, that the bail out to the banks didn’t make a lot of sense to me.  Wasn’t it about Fannie and Freddie Mac?  The mortgage backers who suddenly were left with no money coming in to pay their own bills because so many people were being foreclosed on?

But there are smarter people than me, supposedly in our government.  In their wisdom, they decided that billions of dollars must immediately be given to banks to keep them going.  This was an act that was supposed to free up credit, for those of us who still have decent credit, and thus, stimulate the economy.  I’m sorry, but that never made any sense to me whatsoever.  Seriously.  I thought it was a bad move.  I talked to people about it.  People who I thought smarter than me, who could explain it.  Their explanations didn’t help all that much.  I still thought it was a poor way to handle things.

Seems I was, for the most part, right.  The government can’t explain where all the money went, and people still have trouble getting credit.  People are still losing their homes.  The parts of the bail out that was meant to allow short term loans to small business so they could keep operating, didn’t seem to help that much.  I’ve seen a lot of small businesses close.  As a result, the unemployment rate has sky rocketed.

As I look at the current state of our country, and look back at this whole process, I must admit I’m still confused, disappointed, and yes, angry.  Good people, good honest people, are suffering and losing their homes.  It’s not just the people who were convinced to go with the interest up front loans where after a number of years faced this giant increase in they mortgage payments.  No, it’s also the normal people who have lost good jobs, and if they have managed to find one, are being paid much less.  Add to that the rising costs of healthcare, food, gas, and everything else…. well it’s obvious we have a huge mess on our hands.  I don’t care that the government and other experts are saying the economy is showing signs of recovery.  To me, that doesn’t mean a whole lot when there are still so many people who can’t find a decent paying job and are facing losing everything.  Why?  Because I think the financial experts, and the government, can’t do simple math.

It’s simple really.

John Q loses his job making $ 50,000 a year.  His wife keeps her job, and she is making something similar.  They have two car payments, 2 kids, and a mortgage.  John Q can’t find a job making the same thing, so he takes what he can get.  A job making $ 30,000 a year.  Gas goes up, healthcare goes up, food goes up, everything goes up.  Suddenly, John Q and his family are having trouble making their house payment.

The banks answer?  Kick them out.  They do this and sell the property for a 1/4 or so of what it’s worth to get their money.  Ok, that kinda makes sense.  Or does it?

Just like John Q, now the bank isn’t getting the same amount of steady income.  They have reduced their steady income drastically and instead taken one lump sum.

Oh, did I mention that John Q got a severance package when he got laid off?  His steady income was reduced to one lump sum, not much, but it was something.  It helped for awhile, and he was lucky, because not everyone gets that severance package.  But it didn’t last long.

So, can you see some parallels there?  I sure can.  By reducing their steady income, the banks are going to run out of money.

Do the math people.  Can you see what I’m trying to say here?

Instead of kicking people out, instead of the government giving billions of dollars to the banks, instead of reducing their steady incomes, the greedy mortgage companies should have been forced to do what now some states are requiring.  Give the homeowner a face to face meeting and the chance to negotiate a modification to their loan.

Think about it.  What’s better?  Reducing your overall steady income by 10%, or taking a small lump sum that will quickly run out.  I can tell you what is better.  Reducing your steady income by 10%.  How do I know?  Because I have seen a lot of companies offer this to their employees instead of closing their doors or laying off people.  Those that accepted are still around.  The employees might have had to tighten their belt, but a 10% reduction of $ 50,000 a year (which is $ 45,000) is a lot easier to handle than $ 30,000 a year.

Make sense?  Well, it does to me at least.

Some states are now requiring Mortgage companies to meet with people now, something that should have happened a year or more ago.  Maybe those billions in bailout were never necessary.  Maybe the government should have taken a stand against corporate greed instead.

Information about this was found in the article on MSNBC, HERE.

Update: August 22, 2009:  You can also see this article: HERE

What exactly did they expect? It’s the Pope!

It would seem that the Pope has caused a bit of a stir with his recent stance on condoms and AIDS.  Organizations and people all over the world went into a whirlwind of denouncement after the Pope said that the use of condoms was not the answer in fighting AIDS.

AIDS is a terrible disease.  Being in my early 40’s, I remember a time before AIDS and I also remember the countless deaths when the disease reared it’s ugly head.  I have many memories of the numerous news reports of deaths, of quilts, of scientists working hard to discover everything they could to fight it.  I remember the talks of how it came to be, of the conspiracy theories and the stories of the side affects of AZT.  I was there at the beginning and unfortunately, there seems to be no end in sight.  I’ve known a few people who have died from AIDS and I have watched famous people sicken and die, first from HIV, then full blown AIDS.  Although medicine has extended the life of people who contract HIV, there is still a long way to go before a cure can be found.  If it can be found.

There has always been two stances on preventing HIV.  Abstinence and the use of condoms.  That has been around for a long time.  So it is with great confusion that I sit here and read about the various organizations and people who are slamming the Pope about his stance and his remarks.

Has everyone forgotten who the Pope is?  He is the leader of the Catholic Church.  A Christian Religion that preaches abstinence until marriage.  I know, you are going to say the Catholic Church preaches against the use of condoms period, but I’m not writing to discuss the Catholic Church’s stance on birth control, only about the current news events.

The Bible, whether it is the Christian (Protestant) version, or the Catholic version, speaks very plainly about abstaining from sex before marriage.  The reasons are clearly given, even if disease is not specifically mentioned.  I won’t even bother going into them now.  Most everyone should be somewhat familiar with at least some of what the Bible says about sex before marriage.  To sum it up, the Bible says that sex before marriage is sexual immorality.

Now you have to understand that the Pope has integrity.  That his stance about the use of condoms not being the answer to AIDS should not be a surprise to anyone.

What is integrity?  Let me give you the definition.

in·teg·ri·ty

Pronunciation:

\in-ˈte-grə-tē\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English integrite, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French integrité, from Latin integritat-, integritas, from integr-, integer entire

Date:

14th century

1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility 2 : an unimpaired condition : soundness 3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

The definition is linked from the on-line version of Merriam-Webster dictionary.

So, as you can see, the Pope stands by his integrity in the belief of what the Bible says.  How can anyone say that if you abstain from pre-marital sex, that HIV, and therefore AIDS, would not be the great problem that it is today?

I know that there are people in third world countries, or some not quite so third world, who don’t follow the Bible.  But isn’t that the job of Christians to correct?  I can tell you that the Pope and thousands of Pastors from all walks of life would say YES!  However, because of the difficulties in spreading The Word, there are still places that do abominable things.  Take places in Africa, where gangs of men rape lesbians to “cure” them of their problem.  Or other places in Africa, such as Congo, where bands of men kill families and rape women, leaving them for dead.  I also know there are plenty of people who will ignore what the Bible says, just because they want to have sex with anyone they can manage it with.  I guess, in those cases, trying to pass out condoms to prevent HIV is understandable, except for the just plain evil people who rape women.  I doubt you will get them to use a condom for their rapes.

So don’t be deceived.  The Pope isn’t spouting nonsense of any type.  He isn’t being “old fashioned” or ridiculous.  He is simply sticking with what the Bible says about the problems of promiscuous sex.  Don’t slam him for it, applaud him for it.  Think about it.  If suddenly, as impossible as it is to imagine, the world stopped having indiscriminate sex, what would happen to HIV and AIDS?  It would die.

~ Kev

Just say please, please.

I’ve often said we live in a strange world.  I’ve also often said that times are hard.  I certainly understand that due to hard times and other life difficulties, we all tend to have a bad day now and then.  It’s unfortunate that sometimes, some moron person will find just the right button to push on us when having a bad day and push it over and over again with open glee and we get caught acting a bit out of character.

Hey, life happens right?

But a recent story from the National Post caught my eye.  It seems a moose jerky chewing gentleman has found the right button to push on some of our fellow American Border Guards.  As a result, he is a little angry because a Border Guard’s bad day turned into him getting pepper spray in the eyes.

Well boo da la boo for you Mr. Man.  I know that seems mean spirited a little cold, but sometimes people need to learn things the hard way.  Desiderio Fortunato, a Coquitlam, B.C., resident, demanded some courtesy when crossing the border.  After a U.S. Border Agent asked him to turn off his car for a search, Mr. Fortunato demanded that he say please.  He was asked again, which prompted the gleeful button pushing him to repeat his demand.  Apparently, our fellow American was not having a good day.  So, as a result, he pepper sprayed Mr. Fortunato, then held him for several hours for questioning.

I should feel some sympathy for this gentleman and you know?  Usually I would.  But apparently this is not the first time he has pulled this stunt.  He owns a place in the U.S. and frequently crosses the border.

Why people fail to realize that security, especially U.S. National Security, is tight right now is beyond me.  Sorry, but we’re all just a little tense from the events of 9/11.  Did I say tense?  Maybe I’m understating the issue.

Personally, I think this man is a jerk.  On one hand I can understand the desire for a little common courtesy, but this man probably never worked with the public.  If you have, you understand what I’m talking about.  As a species, we tend to whine and moan and complain about everything.  Especially when we want things to go exactly our way.  When things don’t go our way we tend to act like 2 year olds a tad odd.

But when you’re facing a group of workers, who have the monotonous job of checking people across the border, you need to be a little more forgiving.  If they seem to be a little short on courtesy?  Well, it’s probably from dealing with people like Mr. Fortunato, or Mrs. Smith, asking silly questions like “What do you mean I have to declare my truck load of Moose Beer.  Just because I have 30 Kegs in the back of my truck doesn’t meant it’s not for my person consumption right?”

So, in a nut shell, I hope Mr. Fortunato learned something the second go-round with our friendly but overworked Border Guards.

Now.  For the second part.  There is simply no reason that our border guards couldn’t be a little more courteous.  Courtesy gets  you a lot more results than just droning out orders.  Adding a simple please can go a long way.  So shame on you Mr. Guard.  But that is all I’m going to say about it, because after all, maybe they saw Mr. Fortunato coming and that is what put said guard in a bad mood.  But we do have a reputation, and I would like to see that reputation improve.

So, to close it all out, no one wins.  Mr. Fortunato is full of FAIL and our border guard should remember the manners his mamma taught him.  Ok, maybe one person won.  Mr. Smith, who is, even now, probably over charging for her 30 Kegs of Moose Beer on a corner in Seattle and having a grand old time.

Until next time, please and thank you,

~ Kevin

Source: "Say Please" at U.S. Border

Iran Demands Apology?

So I noticed a new article that stated that Iran is demanding an apology from “Hollywood” for their portrayal of Persians in movies.  Specifically the movie “300” and “The Wrestler”.

My first thought was: “Is this some kind of joke?”

But of course, since today’s world can be so strange and often quite weird, it was no joke.

I’m laughing anyway.  No really.  HA HA.  HAhahahahahaha.

It isn’t a joke but it should be one.

Iran, with it’s President Mr. Ahmadinejad, actually wants Hollywood to issue and apology.  Sorry, but I find this highly amusing.

Let’s not forget that this Nation’s leader is quite outspoken about the US of A.  He seems to not like us very much.  He also doesn’t believe in the Holocaust and is convinced that Israel is nothing but a tool for the US and England.  When he visited Columbia University, the made thinly-veiled accusations that the US government had created “nonexistent enemies” to justify its civil rights abuses at home and its “warmongering” abroad. He also claimed the Holocaust required “more research” and said the Palestinian people should not be forced to “pay the price” for historical events that took place in Europe.

So, let’s get this straight.  We have invented enemies just so we can go around the world killing innocent people.  Also, our government has created these fake enemies to justify civil rights abuses against it’s citizens.  Excuse me?  I hardly think that the fact that some Muslim Extremists decided to hijack some planes and fly them into buildings in this country, killing thousands of innocent civilians, to be creating fake enemies.  Sorry, but that is just crap.  If your country supports and supplies Muslim Extremists and Terrorists with resources to attack our country, then that is a real enemy.  As for civil rights abuses here at home?  What, because of the wire-tapping issue right?  Give me a break.  This, coming from a Nation that doesn’t allow women to show their own faces in public.

But despite all that, they want Hollywood to issue an apology.  For making Persians seem depicted as decadent, sexually flamboyant and evil in contrast to the noble Greeks in the movie 300.  They also want an apology because during the movie The Wrestler, during a fight scene, "The Ayatollah" tries to choke Rourke with an Iranian flag before Rourke pulls the flagpole away, breaks it and throws it into the cheering crowd.

Now here is the thing.  The movies were not allowed to be shown in Iran.  Just keep that in mind.  But despite that most Hollywood movies don’t get shown in Iran, some of our people from Hollywood went there for a meeting, to help out their own movie makers and etc. 

The first thing that springs to mind is why in the heck is Hollywood wasting their time on a country that even refuses to show their movies?  I know, I know.  It’s about their religion.  So what?  If you’re going to help them, then you are only going to upset them more by what you are trying to teach them.  Why can’t Hollywood understand that the government and many people in Iran don’t like the US, or anything having to do with the US?

Well, whatever.  Have your fun Hollywood, even if it is a waste of time and effort.

But I tell you want.  If Iran wants and apology from Hollywood, how about we tell them not until they apologize to the Jews, and the US for their remarks and actions?

I bet that would shut them up really fast.

~ Kevin

Government Stimulus Part Deux

So the President and the Democrats managed to get the President’s new Stimulus package approved.  According to the President, this package will help 95% of Americans and small business.  I guess time will only tell, as far as I’m concerned, because I’m not smart enough to figure out all the little details.  But.  BUT BUT BUT.  I can see some things that worry me.

Take the first stimulus package.  Let’s be clear on this, if you paid any attention, you will realize that it seemed to be about BANKS.  Why was it about banks?

Ok, from what I understand, is that many small businesses out there rely on “revolving loans” to pay for raw materials and their employees while waiting for their customers to pay them.  Because it appeared that everyone’s credit was hitting rock bottom, the banks were no longer willing to continue with the “revolving loans”.  This put many small businesses at risk and caused many to close their doors and people to lose their jobs.  Also, because businesses were suddenly not able to pay back their loans as quickly as they were supposed to, as they struggled to keep their businesses a float, the banks said NO to their loans to help them continue.  Again, credit ratings were tanking.

Personally, I see a big problem with revolving loans to run your business.  I think it’s a poor business model, but hey, since I don’t own a small business, what do I know right?  Apparently it makes perfect sense to get small loans every month to pay your bills.  How come I can’t do that huh?  Oh well.

So, in comes the Government to the rescue.  Since loans weren’t being paid back, the banks were in trouble, just like what the banks caused for small business.  So the Government passes this first stimulus package and hands out money in the billions to the banks, to give them the money to keep going and start loaning money again.  Trouble is, because the credit ratings tanked, they ended up holding onto the money.  Oh yeah, so that was a LOT of help huh?  So in the end, while the banks held onto billions in tax payer money, more and more businesses closed their doors and more and more American’s lost their jobs.

Now, credit ratings are even worse, because citizens credit rating suffer because they don’t have a job, can’t buy food much less replay their loans.

So the banks gleefully continued to foreclose, throwing American’s out of the streets, because they refused to use the money the Government gave them to fix the problem.  So did the first stimulus package help?  Doesn’t seem like it did to me.  No, I had to listen as the unemployment rate continued to rise, bankruptcies continued to rise, company closings continuing to rise, foreclosures continuing to rise, and etc.

Am I missing something?  Am I not seeing how things went down?

So now we have a new President who immediately says we need a NEW stimulus plan to help.  The goal?  Creating new jobs.  Thats a worthy goal.  Cut taxes.  Oh yeah, thats a good one to.  Help troubled American’s with Medical coverage.  Like that one to.  Trouble is?  It’s all tax payer money.  I kinda look at it as robbing Peter to pay Paul.

The tax break?  $ 400 for single person, $ 800 for married.  Excuse me?  Thats a break?  That’s an insult.  That might cover my groceries for me and my family for over a month.  But thats it.  Heck, it won’t even make one house payment.  And NO I am not one of those people who have a weird mortgage, you know the interest free ones that got so many people in trouble?

What about new jobs?  One of those is money to update schools… who are currently laying off teachers left and right.  Ummm, thats not a real help there Mr. President.

Ok, what about the jobs created by spending billions on infrastructure?  Roads, bridges, etc?  Well, ok, that will create jobs, but what happens when those projects are done?  What happens to those jobs in a number of years when those projects dry up?

Oh and good news if you want to buy a new car!  There are provisions for breaks for car buyers and first time home buyers! How exciting!  Unless you’re like my family, who has been hit by the jobless situation, or has had their credit tank, because I can promise you that if you’re one of those people, thats not going to get you a new car or a house.  Why? Because the banks aren’t going to give you a loan, thats why.

There is more, much more.  But I wonder if I’m missing the big picture?  Am I just not seeing reality or am I seeing reality?  I just don’t know.  Someone smarter than me must be able to explain it to me because this is what this multi-billion dollar stimulus looks like to me.

It’s geared towards helping very few people, because so many are without jobs, or have had to take a much lower paying job.  Gonna get some new jobs, but they will be short term.  Gonna get a little tax break that won’t even equal most American’s house payment for one month – the tax break is for over an entire year remember.  Gonna update our schools, but hey, gonna have empty classrooms because teachers are missing after layoffs.

So, what exactly is this stimulus package supposed to accomplish, other than allowing Washington to say HEY WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE ECONOMY and create an even bigger deficit?

I’m not trying to be cynical here, I’m really wanting to know.  Anyone care to comment and help explain it to me?

Confused,

Kevin

We still live in a strange world

 

Every day I turn on the news here lately, I hear about more people losing their jobs, companies closing their doors, and how some employees are forced to take pay cuts or furloughs to help their companies.  The current job market is awful, and forecasts warn that it’s not going to get better in the next year.

I understand our economy is in trouble.  I understand that companies are seeing drastically reduced orders and that small business, the backbone of our economy, is having a hard time.  I would have had to be living on Mars for the past year not to know it, in fact.  The evidence is everywhere.  From growing prices, failing banks and the constant chatter of just about every news correspondent out there.

But then again, I know we live in a strange world.  Ok, I will revise that to say we live in a sometimes strange country.

I was treated today, by reading the news, to learn of a man who works for his state government, who gets paid…. wait for it…..

$ 93,803 a year.

Let me repeat that incase you didn’t catch on to that the first time.

$ 93,803 a year.  Or $ 1,803.80 a week, or $ 45.10 an hour.

His official title is: Director of Investigations

State agency he works for? Insurance Fund.

That pretty much sounds on the up and up so far right?  Here is a man, a Director of Investigations, who makes a good salary, not to mention his state benefits.  None of this is what makes this whole story strange.

So, you ask: Kevin?  What is so strange about this?

Let me explain.

I will explain what this man’s official job duty is.  Normally, this can be a long complicated list.  But it just so happens that is not the case here.

Mr. Randall Hinton, Director of Investigations job duties are:  NOTHING.

How can this be? You ask.

Well, it seems that Mr. Hinton sued the state some years ago.  Mr. Hinton sued Gov. George Pataki’s administration 10 years ago.  The administration settled the case.  Although this is not a sign of guilt, or an admission of guilt, it makes  you wonder doesn’t it?

Be that as it may, since then, Mr. Hitton has been transferred to several positions.  Eventually, he wound up in his new position.

Mr. Hitton claims that he is still be discriminated against (he is a Native American) and being blackballed by his supervisors.  The thing is, he actually has documentation that indicates he is right.  Even his old boss agrees with him.

Court papers show that as part of the settlement, he was guaranteed a job and then according to both Mr. Hitton and his former boss, was told that no one was to give Mr. Hitton anything of substance to do.  Despite complaints and e-mails, ASKING for work to do, nothing has been done.  NOTHING.

Mr. Hitton even lacks the resources that other equal pay grade employees get.  A car, a cell phone, a computer.  He does, however, have an office and a desk.

So, what does Mr. Hitton spend his time at work doing?  Why he puts his feet up on his desk, bored out of his mind.  He listens to music on his ipod.  He reads a new book.  His boss’s?  They seem to be perfectly content to let that continue.

So, here we have a man who is willing to work, to earn his pay, to try and do a good job for his customers (the people of the state) and his employer (the state) and his bosses.  But he isn’t allowed to.

With millions of American’s out of work and even more about to lose their jobs or risk pay cuts of some form or other, the state of New York is employing a capable and talented man to do…. nothing.  Get paid with tax payer money… for nothing.

I don’t know about you, but I’m having a very hard time swallowing that.  I mean really.  I’m having a really hard time here.

There is always more than one side to any story, and after all, I have only the news article to go on.  But this man has documentation that his situation has been allowed to continue.

I don’t think this man should lose his job.  After all, not being given duties to perform for getting paid is hardly his fault.  It’s the state administrations fault.  Honestly.  What are the people of New York paying the administrators for anyway?  To pay employees to do nothing?

Seems to me, that maybe those administrators should lose their jobs, and the state should hire some of those unfortunate to not have one, who are looking for work, and are more than willing to serve the people of New York, and the state’s employees.

Of course, what do I know?

State Employee: “I get paid $ 93,803 for no work”

Disgusted – Kevin

Education in America

 

My daughter attends public school.  I have no problems with her attending, but I do worry, as any parent does.  Fights, weapons, drugs, sex, bomb threats, and shootings are just some of the things I worry about on a day to day basis.  I know we live in an age where schools must be diligent and watchful.  I know there must be rules in place to assist them in protecting our children.  I’m all for that.

However, over the past few years, I’ve noticed a trend in both private and public school systems.  The very rules they wright are so vague that some of the most ridiculous notions come about.

Do you remember the 6th grade school child who, when she opened her lunch a teacher discovered a butter knife in it?  She was promptly suspended from school.

Or how about the recent incident I read about today?  A young 5 year old boy of American Indian descent had to have the ACLU on his side to win the right to wear his hair long, as is the Apache way (males only cut their hair at living changing events, such as deaths of close family members).  The private school he was attending actually wanted to force the parents of this young boy to cut his hair.  For the Apache and other tribes, their hair is a religious and sacred issue.

I won’t go into the particular details, as  you can read it yourself at: Needville kindergartner wins battle to keep hair long 

Also, I’ll let you have a pic of the young man in question.

Maybe it’s just me.  But I think this had to be a little ridiculous.  After all, I think there are far more important matters to worry about than length of hair.  Oh sure, I can understand dress codes.  This school had one, but again, my thoughts are that it is a bit extreme to demand such a thing, and to actually spend tax payers money trying to force the issue.  That was money that could have been kept in the school itself as I’m sure, like most schools, there is a serious lack of funds.

I’m all for rules, but since when did our school system go from teaching our kids to be smart and leading by example, to showing a lack of common sense?

Take the young girl who was suspended for the plastic knife.  Doesn’t anyone else besides me find that ridiculous?  She wasn’t waving it around and acting like a thug, shouting she was going to cut someone.  She simply found it in her lunch and reported it.  Way to teach our children there.  Teach them that when you discover a problem, bringing it to the attention of the proper people will only get you in heaping big trouble.  Especially when you aren’t causing any problems yourself.  I didn’t mention this, but can you actually believe the police were called and she was taken away by them?  A 6th school child, arrested for having a plastic knife.

I also remember a news story about a teen who had Midol in her pocket book or book bag and it was seen by a teacher and promptly got suspended for drugs.  Hello?  How stupid is that?  It was Midol for gosh sakes!  A simple look at the pills would have confirmed it, since the Midol name is on the pill itself.  Midol isn’t a “drug” as the rules tend to describe “drugs”.

Again, I understand and agree with the need for rules.  But there has to be a balance of common sense here people.  There just has to be.

Now, the defenders of this craziness will stand there and shout “ZERO POLICY!”  Sure, I can understand Zero Policy, where it makes sense.  Ok, so you catch someone with a pocketknife?  Yeah, Zero Policy.  Catch someone with a plastic knife?  Get real.

Defenders of school dress codes will also zealously defend.  I understand that dress codes show good results in the numbers.  Kids are less likely to feel bad because someone with more money is wearing designer clothes.  Everyone dresses the same so it’s less of a distraction.  I get that.  But dress codes should be about DRESS.  Not about hair, or makeup, or jewelry.

Here is a list of “Zero Police” issues gone wrong.  Just a few.

An 8-year-old boy in Ark., was suspended for three days after pointing a breaded chicken finger at a teacher and saying, “Pow, pow, pow.”

The Colorado Springs school district suspended a 6 year old boy 1/2 day for giving another child a lemon drop candy. The child was disciplined under the school’s “zero-tolerance” drug policy for “distributing” the candy to another person. Answering public criticism, a school official pointed out that bringing candy to school was as disruptive as bringing a gun.

Two second-grade students in New York, who were suspended and criminally charged with making terrorist threats for pointing paper guns and saying, “I’m going to kill you.” The criminal charges were dropped.

Four kindergartners in New Jersey, who were suspended for three days after they pretended their fingers were guns and said they wanted to shoot one another.

Cape Central High School today suspended 253 students who drove their cars to school. “We have a strict policy against any student who brings a weapon that can cause harm, injury, or disruption,” explained Assistant Principal Herman Stasi. “An automobile is the most dangerous weapon a person can legally own. It’s time we put a stop to this deadly menace.”

A five-year-old found a razor blade at the bus stop and turned it in to his teacher. He was suspended for having a weapon at school.

A six-year-old kissed a classmate and was suspended for sexual harassment.

A nine year old found a manicure set on his way to school. He was suspended for having a weapon.

A sixth grader came to school with a small knife in her lunch box for cutting chicken. She went straight to the teacher and asked if that was OK. She was arrested and taken from school in a Police car, then suspended.

You can find that list here: The Potentially Dangerous Student

How about this story? Boy Suspended for Water Gun Drawing

In my own opinion, I think it’s time that we, as parents, start making a little noise about “Zero” policies.  It’s ok to have them, but I also think there must be a balance, without resulting in legal action.  It’s very disturbing to me that our school officials are showing such a lack of common sense.  It’s a good thing to protect our children at school but it’s time we put away such foolishness and teach our children about real life also: “Nothing is black and white”.  I think that will serve them a whole lot better than kicking them out of school over water gun drawings and butter knives.

~ Kevin Riley

RE: A New Beginning for the US?

So, yesterday, I wrote on  my feeling about how Obama’s inauguration was going to cost so much money.  I talked about why I felt it was a bad move and the message that I thought it pushed.

Apparently, others are beginning to catch on to the same in the mainstream media.  I read this article today and thought I would share it with you.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090117/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_spending

A new beginning for the US?

A New Beginning for the US?

 

With a little over 48 hours before Mr. Obama is sworn in as our next president, things are in full swing in Washington DC.   Bleachers have been set up on the parade route and celebrities are flying into Washington even as I type.  There are a lot of plans in the works for the inauguration of Obama.  I’m certain it’s going to be quite a sight to behold.  They are expecting something like 2 million people to be crunced in and around the area.  Since I’m a frequent visitor of DC, I have seen the area and some of the prep work.  Reports I have read, from various sources, but the cost of this big shindig, from anywhere between 55 million and 160 million US dollars.  From everything I have seen and read, they are going all out for America’s first black president.

 

Regardless of how you voted, I hope you can see, like myself, how the country is looking forward to change with the new president.  Times are, as they say, hard.  The economy is in shambles, people are losing their homes at an astonishing rate, companies are closing their doors and the number of people out of a job is rising dramatically.  So people are ready for some change, hoping that things will get better quickly.

 

But I’m a little put out to be honest.  I can understand the country wanting to celebrate, but the lavishness of the inauguration is way over the top in my opinion, even if this is our first black president.  The inauguration committee is saying this inauguration is on par to be the same cost as Bush’s.  Well, guess what?  The country is a lot worse off right now so I think it’s all a bit much.

 

If Obama really wanted to start off on the right foot (and that is without getting into who he has picked for various cabinet positions), then he really should have made sure things were scaled back.  I just don’t think now is the time for dramatic largess. 

 

I guess what I am saying is this:  If Obama really wanted to impress me, he would have said that the county is in to bad a shape for us to be spending great gobs of money on my inauguration.  I know that the inauguration committee has done a wonderful job in raising money for the event, but we need to show true leadership and be frugal.

 

Zechariah 7:6 says: “And when you were eating and drinking, were you not feasting for yoursevles?”

 

I think we may have a little of that going on and it saddens me.  With things the way they are, how could a man hoping to show a new leadership and encourage hope do that while allowing so much money to be spent on himself?

 

Well let me tell you, I don’t believe this is the best way to start off on the right foot and prove the message of new things to come.  This seems to me like more business as usual from the crowd in DC.  Once more, our government is showing us how out of touch they are with the common people in this great country.  To the 7 plus percent of the unemployed, how will this look to them?  I am very thankful I have a job and also that my wife has one, but I am amazed at the overwhelming show of pride and disregard for the country this grand event presents.

 

So much for great beginnings.