$2.00 Gas and 50 Cents Stamps

WE have to pay for the stimulus package anyway, so why not start now?

If we raise the tax on each gallon of gasoline so the price of gas is $2.00 per gallon, we could generate 18 billion dollars annually (at 2007 usage levels), according to some sources.
Four dollars seemed to be the tipping point to lower gas usage, so two dollars won't seem so bad.
If the actual price (before the raise) reaches two dollars, we would need a new bill to continue the tax.

Keeping the price falsely inflated would keep alternative fuels as a viable option.
In the long run, it could help US.

If we raise the price of a stamp to fifty cents, it's a nice round number, who will notice?
It's just easier to remember the price of a stamp. What is it now, 42... 43 cents?
Seven extra cents won't break anybody, but it would raise billions for our government.

I know it sounds counter intuitive -
If we raise the prices, we benefit.

I'm Hatin' On The Haters

Okay, Etta. You are THE Etta James. Beyonce' just played you in the movie.
But is it really that serious?


Okay, Faye Dunnaway. You were the old school actress playing Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde.
But you were not really Bonnie Parker.
Hilary Duff is just as deserving as you in pretending to be someone else.

Now we get Dick.
Mr. Cheney feels that it's in our country's best interest to pick apart every move made by our current President.
He seemingly has opened his own Psychic Friends Network and feels confident enough to tell our country's future.
Move over Ms Warwick.

When will the old school willingly move out of the way of the new?

Now Fox News is trumpeting every tid-bit it can find that might be news - in an effort to discredit the current rulers of the free world.
What? Some members of the new cabinet have connections to existing businesses?
Maybe they've forgotten about the whole; Big Oil/Bush connection or the even more egregious Cheney/Haliburton connection.

Of these haters, the only one I may side with is Etta James.
(I'm not a big Beyonce' fan. Yeah, she looks good - but I'll take Mariah Carey's voice any day.)
Not that Ms James was using the best judgement in her unfortunate remarks regarding Ms Knowles.
It's just that she lives in my old home town (Riverside, California).

I gotta' rep the hood.

Which is also why I have to defend Barry Bonds' alleged steroid usage.
Every kid in the hood (from Riverside) has played one sport or another at the local park named for his father Bobby Bonds.
But if a Roger Clemons on steroids was throwing to a Barry Bonds on steroids - what's the difference?

We live in a performance enhancing culture.
Kids can't focus in school?
Give them Ritalin.
Mr. Johnson lost his ability to stand up straight?
There's a blue pill for that.
Started smoking to relax, but now you can't quit?
There is a pill or gum or patch for that too.
The airwaves are filled with newer and better drugs that are designed to help us perform at our optimum levels (and with only (sometimes) minimal side effects).

Nah... I'm not mad.
Today, I'm just hating on the haters.

Obama's Health Plan Won't Work

But nobody else's will either.
Heart disease, Celiac disease, Cancer, Alzheimer's and HIV/AIDS are diseases.
Obesity, drug addiction, alcoholism and erectile dysfunction are not.

How do pharmaceutical companies increase profits when their drugs have outlived their exclusivity?
By getting many ailments of choice or circumstance categorized a diseases.
Since these life style choices can now be categorized as diseases, the Health Maintenance Organizations and Preferred Provider Organizations are often obligated to cover the cost for treatment.

Add to the PPO's and HMO's their inherent bureaucracies - and we get to little coverage for too large a cost.
What ever happened to the days of plain old-fashioned insurance?
Or the even older idea of personal responsibility?

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/

Black History Month

The mendacious story of George Washington Carver inventing peanut butter did more harm than good.
But what did the first men killed in the Civil and Revolutionary wars have in common? *

Here is a good source for events that actually happened.
http://about.com/library/blblackinventors.htm
Black History is more than GWC, MLK and Jackie Robinson.

*(They were both Free Black Men)

Save Dough

Menace To Society made Boys In The Hood seem like an After School Special.

But what movies like Scarface and Menace are to one generation and culture - Baby is to another.

I picked it up at the local Hollywood Video store on the used rack at three movies for $25. If you're not one who has to see every movie the second it comes out, this is a great way to beef up your collection at minimal cost. And if the movie sucks? So what...it only cost about eight bucks. And besides, since moving to this hillbilly town, it's kind of hard to run down to the local laemmle movie theater chain to catch a movie that failed to go wide.

Best "Street" Movies?

White - American History X

Black - Menace To Society

Asian - Baby

Hispanic/Latino - American Me

Of All Time - Scarface

Pelosi's Partisan Political Pandering

Okay... it's an old photo. But the major players couldn't be any further apart.
As it stands so far, the package is roughly 2 to 1 spending to tax cuts.

I'm a Democrat, but I have to applaud the Republicans who seem intent upon holding the Democrat controlled Hill in check.
Yeah, yeah... they gave Bush free reign in his measures to stimulate the economy. But they seem to have learned from that mistake.
Or they may just wanting to be able to say "I told you so" after the plan fails to bring about it's intended results.

The proposals put forth by the Democrat led Congress are quickly swelling to ONE TRILLION dollars and reads at 1588 pages.
(http://www.readthestimulus.org/)
What are your "leaders" asking for?
Will it help your economy?

The proposals ask for everything from a $886,000 36 hole Frisbee golf course in Austin, Texas - to as $500,000 dog park in Chula Vista, California - to the restoration of the Jefferson Memorial.
The Package has more fat than Rush Limbaugh the day after Thanksgiving.

So, Pelosi's Power Push aside, I have to side with the Republicans so far.

Another TRILLION ?

For what?

Where is that $350 billion, that has seemed to just disappear?

The problem is, there are just too many layers. And each wants a cut.

Maybe congress should give the money to credit unions instead.

Since most credit unions are locally owned and operated - they tend to have a better idea about what is going on in the real economy.

What a city like Riverside, California needs is different than what a city like Scranton, Pennsylvania might need.

The big banks have proven their inability to determine the worth of their assets and liabilities.

How can a two year old 5,000 sq. ft. house be "worth" $0.00?

Since a credit union is usually based in the area it serves, a credit union could value an asset based on it's own local economy.

That same house might currently be "worth" $600,000 in Riverside but only $450,000 in Scranton.

But it would have a real value, or worth.

Since credit unions don't have to have a Super Bowl ad (an ad featuring "Jake" from the local body shop will do), they can spend your money on your community.

Since credit union board members live in the community in which they serve - it's easier to see whether "Joe" bought a boat that he shouldn't have.

Since credit unions use the same services as the national banks, there will be minimal job loses in the banking service sector.

Routing companies, printing companies and other industries who service the banks would still be required.

Since most of our money would be local - the Armani clad bespoke suit wearing snake oil salesmen in NYC would have to feel the same pain as their (former) customers.

Maybe it's time we cut out the middle men in NYC and started banking locally.

Maybe it's time to make another run on the banks in favor of credit unions.

Maybe Washington is trying to water a flower pot (well... really a lot of flower pots) with a fire hose instead of a pitcher.

In their rush to solve the economic crisis, maybe they need to reassess their belief that the cause... can solve the problem.

(http://wwwncua.gov/)

Fill Your Tanks

Gas is cheap... for now.
But as I'm typing this, many in the Gulf petroleum industry are in day-to-day talks regarding a strike.
And you know unions, one has to back the other.
In this case, it's mainly a United Steel Worker's beef.
But other unions will probably support any strike called by the USW.
If a hurricane can cause prices to rise - what will a strike in an area that produces 20% of the country's fuel do?

Just a quick heads-up.
Keep your gas tanks full.

Don't Beg

Times are tough - but so are we.
I was checking out ed at D&H. And he gave me an idea.
Since many of us have been through hard times (or are in the middle of hard times) - why not create a source of information that helps people deal with their troubles.

FreeMan of FreeMan Press is starting a series about The Hustle.
Many people view "Hustlers" (no, not the Midnight Cowboy type) as one not able to hold a steady job.
But view celebrities as gods.
Besides the rate of pay, what's the difference?

What do celebrities do to market their brand (themselves) and diversify?
Even cable network celebrities create a brand from their knowledge or skill.
And then they licence trinkets with their name on it to sell at WalMart.

Since the experts failed so miserably on Wall Street by inventing instruments to make money based on usury (and then selling the idea that their economic model was sustainable) -
How can you use your knowledge of the true economy to help someone else (and at a price)?

What I'm asking is; What do you know (or can you do) , that you can sell?
You know, simple stuff like; How to make $1200-$1500 a week in tips bartending, but still being able to qualify for housing, medicare and other government benefits based on your minuscule paycheck. (Okay, that's illegal, but you get the idea.)
What's the Hustle that you've "heard of"?
Since experts made (and lost) trillions based on a false economy -
Maybe it's time for experts of the Real Economy to cash in.