Owning a Home

 

I purchased my first house in 1975 for a little over $50,000; it was a ranch style home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a carport, an acre and a half of land, nestled safely inside about ten oak trees.  I purchased 10 additional acres of land behind it.  I had an annual salary of $12,000 and my wife's salary was right around $8,000.

We sold that house for $40,000 profit that was split between my wife and I due to a divorce after twenty years of ownership.

In 1993, using that profit from my first house, I purchased another house in another state for a little over $100,000.  Collectively, my second wife and I put down $40,000 and borrowed the rest.

Since that time, I have owned five other houses, all of which were more expensive than the previous one, and all of which a nice little profit had been made.  When my last house was sold, I made more profit that the cost of my first house which took into consideration inflation and cost of improvements.  An increasing real estate market helped make that happen as well.

Twenty years ago, my second wife and I became debt free and that made a difference in profit realization as well.  Consequently, I have encouraged couples to become debt free.

I have owned homes in good times as well as in bad times; I have purchased homes when employed as well as when unemployed.

HOW DID I DO THAT?

In 1993, I created a small business that I incorporated with the help of a lawyer ($500 fee) and since then I have used that company to flow my revenue through (both salary and consulting fees).  I pay corporate income taxes as a sub chapter S Corp and file quarterly statements as well as an annual report as is required by law.  My CPA fees are about $1500 each year - but I have never had to pay taxes because there has always been a loss.

During times when I am unemployed, I use my company's tax records to buy a home.  All of this is perfectly legal.

In 2015, I dissolved my company and started paying taxes again but never have I gone over $1500...

So...  for twenty-two years, I legally avoided paying taxes to the IRS...

If I had of paid taxes, it would have been much more than the $1500 I paid my CPA.

HOW DID I LEARN THIS?

I discovered this possibility in 1979 when I attended the Babcock Graduate School at Wake Forest University to get my MBA.

MC Escher Drawing

 

What Color is the Circle?

 

Misinformation and Disinformation

 

At one point in time, conservatives had to worry about CENSORSHIP from the liberal controlled news media outlets, now these same outlets are passing along information that is not true, or they are making the claim that the conservatives are passing along information that is not true.

China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, as well as many other countries (Socialistic, Communistic, or Dictatorships) regularly use censorship, misinformation, and/or disinformation to control the behaviors of their own citizens...  fearing that the truth might cause a revolution and overthrow of the government.

It is totally unexpected from this type of activity to become prevalent in the USA...

Yes, the USA has its Constitution and Bill of Rights, but I am confident that our Founding Fathers never envisioned that the actual truth might one day be kept away from the public...

If you do not believe this could happen in the USA, has happened, or will happen, then think about our GOVERNMENT finally admitting that there are UFOs flying around and the possibility that extraterrestrials are more than likely flying those UFOs.

If they kept that information from the public then certainly censorship, misinformation, and disinformation is not beneath their level of credibility, honor, honesty, and integrity.

Pretty soon, the liberals who are pushing the false narrative, will not know what the REAL TRUTH is or is not because they too will be confused.

Are you smart and clever enough to take matters into your own hands and find out if the news you are hearing or reading about is false or true?

My guess is that you have no desire to mess with that kind of nonsense as long as your lifestyle is not infringed upon.  There is no good reason not for us to live with LIES.

• ALCOHOL
• CIGARETTES
• MARIJUANA
• SEX
• DANCING and FISHING and a little HUNTING is all any American really needs.

"F" the TRUTH!!!

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The 2024 Paris Paralympics competitions kick off, including cycling, swimming, table tennis, and Taekwondo (More) | See latest medal tracker (More)

> The Cure to release two new songs on "eco-vinyl" made from sustainable material, the first new music from the iconic English rock band in 16 years (More)

> Steph Curry signs one-year, $62.6M extension with the Golden State Warriors, on track to make him the third NBA player to pass $500M in career earnings (More) | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League groupings for "league phase" set; see full schedule for the new 36-team format (More)


Science & Technology
> Brain study finds the prefrontal cortex—the region responsible for decision-making and other executive functions—is also the first to show age-related deterioration (More) | Why is the prefrontal cortex special? (More)

> Shoebox-sized telescope goes online after being launched into orbit via a SpaceX satellite; device was made for under $1M and was designed and developed in under one year (More)

> Decadelong study shows vultures form fewer social bonds as they age; findings, expected to aid conservation efforts, support theory animals become more ingrained in habits and social circles over time (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.0%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq -0.2%); Dow notches record close (More) | US economy grew 3% year-over-year from April through June, faster than preliminary assessment of 2.8% (More)

> Dollar General shares close down 32%—its largest single-day drop on record—after retailer reports lower-than-expected Q2 results, slashes full-year guidance (More) | Affirm shares close up 32% in biggest rally in three years, a day after "buy now, pay later" fintech company beats Wall Street expectations (More)

> US pending home sales index falls 5.5% year-over-year in July to lowest level since records began in 2001 (More) | US average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage falls to lowest level since May 2023 at 6.35% (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) sit down for first joint interview on CNN; see takeaways (More) | Staffer of former President Donald Trump, Arlington National Cemetery employee reportedly clash in altercation after employee tries to stop Trump campaign from filming on the grounds (More)

> Israel says its forces killed local commander of Iran-backed Islamic Jihad group, four other militants in second day of West Bank raids (More) | Israel, Hamas agree to zoned three-day pauses in fighting in Gaza to allow for polio vaccines (More)

> Justice Department watchdog finds FBI mishandled child sexual abuse cases, including failing to comply with mandatory reporting requirements in roughly half of cases examined (More) | View findings (More, click "Read Report" for PDF)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

END OF AUGUST

 

Hard to believe that this is the last day of August 2024...

They say time flies by when you're having fun, and I suppose they are true...  even though I have no idea who they are or are not for that matter.

The end of August, means different things to different people but for me, it used to symbolize the end of the summer...

End of the summer 

• As a child that was traumatic because it meant returning to school and to what I considered to be boring education.
• Back in the 1950s and early 1960s, there was no such thing as gifted and talented programs for intellectually advanced students; consequently, they had to remained bored all day long because education did not challenge them.
• Nor did education and its teachers experiment with different learning styles.
• If teachers did not use the style that was conducive to your learning, then you were simply SOL.

As I got older, the end of August meant very little to me other than it was just another month that had passed me by that I would fortunately never see again.

The passing of time means AGING to most of us and for some of us that aging process is not that easy to tolerate.

END OF AUGUST - partial list

1. end of summer
2. end of family vacations
3. students back in school
4. workforce is 100%
5. less traffic
6. back to school expenses
7. volunteering at school
8. college football
9. fall leaves and weather
10. flu season
11. cold weather around the corner
12. close to thanksgiving
13. close to Christmas
14. New Year's Eve

It is true that August is a symbolic month for most of us while for many of us, it is still just another month.  If it is symbolic, those symbols may change with age.  If it is not symbolic, we are still going to age.

Whatever August 2024 may mean or not mean to you, tomorrow, it will never be seen again.

Somewhat Political

 

Nanoscale Imaging Capabilities

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has revolutionized the field of nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), making it possible to study a wider range of materials, biomolecules and complex dynamic processes such as how proteins fold and change shape inside a cell.

A team of researchers at the University of Waterloo are combining pulsed DNP with nanoscale magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) measurements to demonstrate that this process can be implemented on the nanoscale with high efficiency. The effort is overseen by Dr. Raffi Budakian, faculty member of the Institute for Quantum Computing and a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and his team consisting of Sahand Tabatabaei, Pritam Priyadarshi , Namanish Singh, Pardis Sahafi, and Dr. Daniel Tay.

"Large-Enhancement Nanoscale Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Near a Silicon Nanowire Surface" was published in Science Advances on Wednesday, August 21.          READ MORE...

miriam makeba, Zimbabwe concert (paul simon - graceland land

Today's Drivers

 

Have you ever noticed how most of today's drivers, regardless of age, are simply RUDE?

I'm not talking about driving fast... everyone drives fast these days - speed limit signs don't mean jack shit anymore.

But before I get into that, let me share something that has bothered me for a long time...

PICKUP TRUCKS

Small Toyota type trucks are ok, but most of these trucks are large, jacked up, and you cannot see around them.  The only way is to drive in another lane, if there is one.  Most of these trucks don't use their turn signals, so they immediately change lanes to get around an obstacle, leaving the driver behind forced to slam on the brakes.

And this brings me to my first point. Driving too close.  Most drivers today want to ride the bumper of the car in front of them.  Not sure why they do that unless they are trying to pretend, they are NASCAR drivers.

Sometimes when they do that to me, I slow down or apply the brakes just to get them to back off.

But the behavior that really gets me going is driving fast in the lane on your left, so that they can get in front of you to EXIT the highway.

The most sensible action is to slow down and pull in behind me when they need to exit to the right off the highway.  

It makes me wonder if they ever had a driving class.

The second issue that gets me going, is cars that pull out in front of you from a sideroad, knowing that they do not have enough space in front of you to do that, forcing you to slam on the brakes or change lanes if you can.

I am not the only one who complains of these driving behaviors which makes me feel a little better...

Mesmerizing

 

An MC Escher Drawing

Government Healthcare

 

On the surface, it sounds like government healthcare might the best thing since sliced bread...  mainly because EVERYONE and I mean literally EVERYONE would finally have access to healthcare.

That seems like a good thing...  at least from the POV of American citizens and possibly ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

However, it has been my experience that anything the government becomes involved in, turns into a disaster because of mismanagement, poorly trained and motivated workers.

Unlike private enterprise, the government will put a cap on wages and salaries and that will force many of the competent and skilled doctors and nurses to find alternate employment.

Consequently, we will be left with bottom of the barrel medical personnel.  Let me put it this way...  the student(s) that make the WORST GRADES in medical school are still caused DOCTORS when they graduate.  No doubt you have experienced some of the poorly educated doctors.

Not only will the quality of medical personnel decrease, the waiting time for medical services, procedures, and surgeries in increase in waiting time.

I am reminded of a story of a 84-year-old drywall worker from Marion, VA who went to the bigger city of Wytheville, VA for medical treatment for his bladder.  After waiting in the ER for over 12 hours in pain, the young doctor finally arrived and because of his inexperience and potential legal liability refused to do the necessary surgery, referring him to another specialist in Greensboro, NC about two hours away.

While this is a small-town example, it accurately reflects what will happen with government healthcare.

Other examples are the government-controlled healthcare systems of Great Britain and Canada.  While the UK's system seems to be the best of the two, many patients from both those countries are willing to pay the cost to come to the USA for their serious healthcare issues.

Why do you think that is happening?

More than likely, it is because the USA has better physicians, and surgeons.

We have better physicians and surgeons because we have private healthcare.

It has always been a difficult decision of whether or not to have government healthcare.

Obamacare was one attempt to make that happen and there have been all sorts of negative issues as that program was implemented.

I pay $6,000/year for my healthcare which includes both government and private services (Medicare and a private supplement).  The annual costs of all my medical treatment are about $400,000 to $500,000.  I am being treated by some of the best most skilled doctors in the country.

I would lose all of that if we instituted a pure government healthcare system.

Questions and Answers

 

Life always has me wondering over questions few people want to know the answers or even care about.

Why was the human race even created or was it simply an unintended consequence of the creation of the universe and natural evolution?

In pursuit of the answers to this question, I have discovered that some scientists believe our evolution happened too quickly; therefore, they believe someone, or something tampered with our DNA to expedite the evolutionary process.

Who could that have been?

Some believe it was an extraterrestrial better known as our RELIGIOUS GOD.

I understand that this does not coincide with our religious teachings but since JESUS himself admitted to Pilot that his kingdom was not of this world, that statement alone has gotten many of us wondering where the Kingdom of Jesus is?

Is this kingdom in:

• our solar system
• our galaxy
• a nearby galaxy
• a distant galaxy

As you are no doubt well aware, the Bible does not give us any indication of where this kingdom (possibly heaven) is located...

WHY NOT?

• Surely God realizes that one day MANKIND is going to evolve to the point that they will start asking questions like this.
• Surely God realizes that one day SCIENCE is going to evolve to the point where they will begin questioning God's existence.

I am fully aware that many people believe in RELIGION regardless of whether or not there is any credibility to that belief...  as if belief is the sole purpose of life...

IS THIS WHY our world has so many different kinds of religions and belief systems that we refer to as mythologies or philosophies?

Currently, there are literally hundreds of different philosophies/religions in the world with the MAJOR ONES, numbering twelve.

I also find that to be somewhat of a coincidence.

• 12 months
• 12 zodiac signs
• 12 disciples
• 12 stations of the sun/moon
• 12 Greek gods
• 12 is considered cosmic order
• 12 hours in a day
• 12 members of a jury
• 12 northern/southern stars

It is fine not to question.  I am not saying that everyone should question, only that I question and just wanted to share a couple of my questions.

Insecurities

 

FLAGS

 

Engineered

 

Botched

 

Kamala

 

SATAN Incarnate

Satan, also known as the Devil, is an entity in Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehood. In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the yetzer hara, or "evil inclination". In Christianity and Islam, he is usually seen as a fallen angel or jinn who has rebelled against God, who nevertheless allows him temporary power over the fallen world and a host of demons. In the Quran, Shaitan, also known as Iblis, is an entity made of fire who was cast out of Heaven because he refused to bow before the newly created Adam and incites humans to sin by infecting their minds with waswās ("evil suggestions").

A figure known as ha-satan ("the satan") first appears in the Hebrew Bible as a heavenly prosecutor, subordinate to Yahweh (God), who prosecutes the nation of Judah in the heavenly court and tests the loyalty of Yahweh's followers. During the intertestamental period, possibly due to influence from the Zoroastrian figure of Angra Mainyu, the satan developed into a malevolent entity with abhorrent qualities in dualistic opposition to God. In the apocryphal Book of Jubilees, Yahweh grants the satan (referred to as Mastema) authority over a group of fallen angels, or their offspring, to tempt humans to sin and punish them.

Although the Book of Genesis does not mention him, Christians often identify the serpent in the Garden of Eden as Satan. In the Synoptic Gospels, Satan tempts Jesus in the desert and is identified as the cause of illness and temptation. In the Book of Revelation, Satan appears as a Great Red Dragon, who is defeated by Michael the Archangel and cast down from Heaven. He is later bound for one thousand years, but is briefly set free before being ultimately defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire.

In the Middle Ages, Satan played a minimal role in Christian theology and was used as a comic relief figure in mystery plays. During the early modern period, Satan's significance greatly increased as beliefs such as demonic possession and witchcraft became more prevalent. During the Age of Enlightenment, belief in the existence of Satan was harshly criticized by thinkers such as Voltaire. Nonetheless, belief in Satan has persisted, particularly in the Americas.

Although Satan is generally viewed as evil, some groups have very different beliefs. In theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a deity who is either worshipped or revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, Satan is a symbol of virtuous characteristics and liberty. Satan's appearance is never described in the Bible, but, since the ninth century, he has often been shown in Christian art with horns, cloven hooves, unusually hairy legs, and a tail, often naked and holding a pitchfork. These are an amalgam of traits derived from various pagan deities, including Pan, Poseidon, and Bes. Satan appears frequently in Christian literature, most notably in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, all variants of the classic Faust story, John Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, and the poems of William Blake. He continues to appear in film, television, and music.     SOURCE:  Wikipedia

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The 2024 PGA Tour Championship begins today from East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta for the FedEx Cup title and $25M winner's bonus (More)

> Disney India and Mumbai-based conglomerate Reliance's $8.5B merger to go forward after India's antitrust commission approves deal (More)

> "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" kicks off the 81st Venice Film Festival; see full list of the competition's films (More) | Comedian Nikki Glaser tapped to host 2025 Golden Globe Awards (More)


Science & Technology
> Google to allow some users of its Gemini AI platform to resume generating images of people; move comes six months after the feature was pulled due to ahistorical and racially inaccurate depictions (More) | How generative AI works (More, w/video)

> Molecular mechanism behind multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases discovered; study identifies a specific protein that triggers regulatory T cells, which dampen the immune system (More)

> Male fruit flies become oblivious to threats during attempts to mate, new study suggests; research finds the chemical dopamine plays a key role in silencing risk-reward signals (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.6%, Dow -0.4%, Nasdaq -1.1%) (More) | Nvidia beats Wall Street estimates, reports 122% year-over-year Q2 revenue growth (More) | OpenAI reportedly in talks to raise funding, potentially valuing it at over $100B (More)

> Telegram founder Pavel Durov charged with crimes in France over illegal activity on app (More) | Two Sigma cofounders to step down as co-CEOs from the $60B hedge fund in bid to resolve long-running feud (More) | Read about their feud (More)

> Super Micro Computer shares close down 19% after company delays annual report filing; comes a day after short-seller Hindenburg Research accuses Super Micro of accounting manipulation (More) | See accusations (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> FBI report finds shooter at Trump rally had researched campaign schedules of both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, saw Pennsylvania rally as target of opportunity (More)

> Supreme Court maintains temporary injunction on President Biden's $400B student loan forgiveness plan; 8 million people currently enrolled in the plan, known as SAVE, announced last fall (More)

> Houthis agree to allow tugboats to reach Greek oil tanker carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil ablaze in the Red Sea; US Defense Department says the tanker—attacked by Houthi rebels over the weekend—is likely leaking oil (More)

SOURCE:  1440  NEWS

Looking BACK and Forwards

 

I have, for the most part enjoyed my 76 years of life.

Of course, I could not wait until I was out of high school and could finally be on my own and start making horrible decisions...  that I could only blame on myself...  but, looking back told myself that this was part of the learning process.

From dropping out of college, getting married, and enlisting in the military were some of my bad decisions, all made before I was 22 years old.

My work career was not much better and mainly I have again, only myself to blame.  I had the personality that worked against me in a couple of ways.  First, I would not kiss anyone's ass and Second, I, for the most part, had a better way of doing things than my supervisor...  who typically was someone's relative and did not know his ass from a hole in the ground.     

However, because of the military, the GI Bill paid for my BA and MBA degrees, so NO STUDENT DEBT.  And, because I listened to my parents about saving money, I was able to, over my 45-year working career, save enough money to supplement my social security income.

I never worked at one place long enough to create a pension program which is unfortunate and another bad decision.

In 2015, my wife and I retired, 67 and 62, and we have been living our lives retired, for the most part, just like we lived our lives while we were working.  We don't buy as many clothes as we used to buy but everything else is pretty much the same.

We are careful how we spend our money, and we are also diligent in doing our financial homework and are investing the money we saved which in essence replaces a pension program.  Last year, we downsized our house and yard, making sure that we now live only one level, so no steps to climb.

For the past 30 years that we have been together, my wife and I have exercised regularly, that is to say about 60-90 minutes 7 days week.  We have also eaten healthy, stopped smoking, and stopped drinking alcohol.  We very, very seldom eat any red meat other than a pizza four times a year and maybe a bar-b-que sandwich.

At our age, 76 and 71 (almost 77 and 72) we are not without our ailments.  My wife and I have cancer, arthritis, lower back issues, hip and shoulder problems.  She has hip issues while I have shoulder issues.  Needless to say, it has limited our mobility but has not stopped us.

We are disappointed with politics in this country, and are concerned about foreign countries that want to destroy us, but we feel relatively safe in our area of East TN...  unlike some areas of the country that are loaded down with daily crime and violence issues.

However, politics does not influence our lifestyle nor our quality of life.  We basically do the same that we always have done except travel overseas...  we are fortunate to have gotten our European, Caribbean, Hawaiian, and Alaskan trips out of the way before COVID hit.  All total we took about 10-12 cruises on Royal Caribbean which we just loved.

No doubt, we will both live at least another decade maybe longer, so retirement will span two decades which we consider ourselves to be fortunate.

We will never buy a HYBRID vehicle nor will be buy an ELECTRIC vehicle no matter how much the government pushes us to do so.  Regardless of our desire to GO GREEN, gasoline will always be around since it is such an integral part of our economy.

I trust you will experience the same type of retirement life that we have experienced so far. 

Somewhat Political

 

Existence of New Bosons

Professors Andreas Crivellin of the University of Zurich and Bruce Mellado of the University of the Witwatersrand and iThemba LABS in South Africa have documented deviations in the way particles interact. These deviations are inconsistent in comparison to the way they are expected to break up, and point to the existence of new bosons.

Among these deviations are the multi-lepton anomalies.

"From the multi-lepton anomalies one can predict the existence of a new Higgs-like boson, somewhat heavier than the one discovered in 2012. This one would be produced because of the decay of an even heavier boson," says Mellado. Their observations were published in Nature Reviews Physics.

Researchers in the field of particle physics study the make-up of fundamental particles such as protons and neutrons and leptons, to establish what matter the universe is made of, and how forces work in nature.        READ MORE...

Three Dog Night "Never Been To Spain" on The David Frost Show

Is Communism BAD???

 

Well...  that all depends...

If one looks at Russia or Chinese communism, one might easily conclude that communism is bad.

However...

The USA has the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights that Russia and China do not have.

Plus...

The USA is firmly entrenched in Capitalism, and it is highly unlikely that the government will ever OWN all US Business and Corporations.

THEREFORE...

it is entirely possible that the USA could de-evolve into communism as long as Capitalism is willing to FINANCE the transition.

AND...

it does appear, based upon recent events that Capitalism is willing to fund a USA version of Communism.

SO...

what would a USA version of Communism look like?

Actually, that is a good question because since there has never been a USA version of Communism, no one really knows for sure.

It might look something like this...

• FREE Universal Government controlled: HEALTHCARE
• EDUCATION
• TECHNOLOGY
• JUDICIAL SYSTEM
• FINANCIAL
• LAW ENFORCEMENT
• SOCIAL SECURITY
• TRANSPORTATION
• COMMUNICATIONS
• ELECTIONS
• WAGE AND SALARIES
• PARKS AND RECREATION

Now, on the surface, this does not look like such a bad deal for Americans.

There is one big problem.

Our government is neither EFFECTIVE or EFFICIENT which mean there will be a lot of wasted time, money, and people.

PERSONALLY...

communism would really benefit my wife and I since we are retired from a financial point of view but from a medical or healthcare point of view, our medical conditions need to be addressed in a timely manner like they are now...  if and when the government steps in, it will probably take us 3-4 times longer to get the treatment we need NOW.  That delay could kill us prematurely.

Communism is not concerned about the deaths of one or two people as long as the WHOLE is being looked after.

The other big issue with communism is who is going to pay for it.

If capitalism pays, then we are home free. but if taxes have to pay for it, then the government will need to print money which will devalue the dollar.  Once the dollar is devalued, then Americans goods and services are worth less around the world.

Communism has unintended consequences that may not manifest themselves for several years. 

Opinion Change - End Results the Same

 

Due to recent events and personal reflections, I NO LONGER THINK DONALD TRUMP WOULD MAKE A GOOD PRESIDENT...

HOWEVER...  and there is always a caveat...

Donald Trump is the ONLY CANDIDATE running that has what it takes to stand up to our ENEMIES.

Kamala Harris is an EXTREME LIBERAL and maybe that is exactly what our country needs right now, if it were not for our enemies.

We are a country of immigrants and whether more immigrants would make us stronger or weaker is not the point, the point is that immigration is who were are and have always been.

To say that illegals have broken the law to get into this country is no different that realizing that MOST AMERICANS break our laws on a daily basis.

We are a country of law breakers and LIARS.

• Politicians lie to us
• Parents lie to us
• Companys lies to us
• Military lies to us
• Siblings lie to us
• Neighbors lies to us
• Spouses lie to us
• Children lie to us
• law enforcement lies to us
• married couples keep secrets

Law Breakers

• Few people follow the traffic laws
• Few people tell the truth on their income taxes
• Most people steal from work
• Most people don't work as hard as they could

Consequently, illegal immigrants fit in perfectly with the rest of us AMERICANS.

The problem is not illegals, it is our ENEMIES.

Many middle eastern countries CHANT:

DEATH TO AMERICA

China wants to rule over us ECONOMICALLY and MILITARILY...  and they are moving into the future with that goal in mind.

We, as Americans, do not take that threat seriously.  We, as Americans, are more concerned with RUSSIA.

That's a JOKE...

Russia cannot defeat Ukraine.

Why are we worried about them?

Instead, we should be worried about:

• China
• Iran
• North Korea

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, I CANNOT IMAGINE KAMALA HARRIS IS UP TO THE TASK OF BACKING DOWN CHINA...

WE NEED A STRONGER PERSON IN COMMAND...

DONALD TRUMP IS STRONGER.

French Artist

JR is a French street artist and photographer, who is best known for his large black and white photographs flyposted in public places. His art comes from activism. While in his works he focuses on local and concrete issues, he always has a wider universal picture in mind, a strong (and idealistic) belief in the good of humanity. Among JR’s most important projects we find: Face 2 Face, in which he pasted on the West Bank barrier portraits of Palestine people next to Isreali people to fight against prejudices; Inside Out Project, which inspired people all around the world to use photographic portraits to narrate untold stories of their communities; and Women are Heroes, in which he highlighted the strength and resilience of women in the places with the highest rates of social distress.

JR, Inside Out NYC, May 2013

 

PROJECT 2025: Who Do You Believe?

Project 2025 is a historic movement, brought together by over 100 respected organizations from across the conservative movement, to take down the Deep State and return the government to the people. Its Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, published in April 2023, is a product of more than 400 scholars and policy experts from around the country. The book offers a menu of policy suggestions to meet our country’s deepest challenges and put America back on track, including:

1. Secure the border, finish building the wall, and deport illegal aliens
2. De-weaponize the Federal Government by increasing accountability and oversight of the FBI and DOJ
3. Unleash American energy production to reduce energy prices
4. Cut the growth of government spending to reduce inflation
5. Make federal bureaucrats more accountable to the democratically elected President and Congress
6. Improve education by moving control and funding of education from DC bureaucrats directly to parents and state and local governments
7. Ban biological males from competing in women's sports

My neighbor told me to look this up because he had been told that it was an Evangelica group that wanted to force a literal interpretation of the BIBLE into the government and that this same group wanted to eliminate Veterans Benefits and Social Security among several other things.

I don't know where he got his information unless it was from the DEMOCRATS trying to push disinformation or misinformation about the group.

Project 2025 is supported in part by THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION who has made contributions to some of these radical religious groups but just because they did that, does not mean that they are trying to push what the DEMOCRACTS are trying to claim that they are pushing.

GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT PEOPLE...

First of all, the CONGRESS WOULD NOT let any political group REMOVE social security or VA benefits.

And it is absolutely childish, immature, and stupid to think otherwise.

AND SECONDLY, the US Constitution strictly PROHIBITS the marriage of Church and State because of how the church influenced UK's King.

Third...  and perhaps the most important aspect of this whole LIE is the fact that RELIGIOUS BELIEFS are DYING in the USA, not getting stronger.  This is especially true with the government admitting the existence of UFOs and the possibilities of EXTRATERRESTRIALS.

Have All Americans, except for Democrats, suddenly become STUPID or what?

Bud LIGHT

 

Policies

 

Real

 

Chevy

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Travis and Jason Kelce sign three-year deal with Amazon's Wondery worth a reported $100M for exclusive distribution rights to their "New Heights" podcast (More)

> Leonard Riggio, who was chairman of Barnes & Noble bookstore for nearly 50 years, dies at age 83 of Alzheimer's disease (More) | Alzheimer's explained (More, watch)

> NASCAR to host Cup Series race in Mexico City in 2025, its first-ever points-paying event outside the US (More) | What is a points-paying race? (More) | NFL owners approve plan to allow up to 10% private equity ownership per franchise (More)


Science & Technology
> Security researchers say Chinese government-backed hackers targeted US internet service providers in recent months; analysts say goal was to use hack as an entry point to access corporate networks (More)

> New AI-powered model predicts whether a person's brain is aging at a faster rate than their chronological age; platform analyzes how well different brain regions communicate with each other (More)

> Event Horizon Telescope makes highest-ever resolution detection of black hole details made from Earth; advance offers a 50% increase in detail of the objects and their surrounding region (More) | Black holes explained (More, watch)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.2%, Dow +0.0%, Nasdaq +0.2%) (More) | Nvidia earnings report today expected to show triple-digit revenue growth for fourth straight quarter amid AI boom (More)

> Home prices reach record high in June, up 5.4% year-over-year per S&P Case-Shiller Index; New York, San Diego, and Las Vegas see highest jumps (More)

> Lyft tests rider verification program in nine US cities after announcing pet-friendly rides earlier in the week, following similar Uber initiatives (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Special counsel Jack Smith files revised indictment accusing former President Donald Trump of 2020 election subversion; indictment includes same four counts but limits scope of evidence per last month's Supreme Court decision (More) | See previous write-up (More) | Trump adds ex-Democrats Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to transition team (More)

> Israel rescues 52-year-old hostage from Gaza's underground tunnel, the eighth hostage to be rescued in a military operation since the 11-month war began; Israel says 108 hostages remain in Gaza, with 40 dead (More) | See war updates (More)

> Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg writes in letter to House Judiciary Committee the Biden administration pressured Meta to remove content related to COVID-19 in 2021; also said the company temporarily demoted content related to Hunter Biden's laptop in 2020 while fact-checkers investigated the story (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Legacies

 

What is a legacy?

It is something that we leave behind to our spouse and children when we die.

The typical legacy is a life insurance policy, a house, and some personal property.

Those who are wealthy want to leave behind much more.  They want a building, or a town named after them.  Some will settle for a bridge or a river.

Oddly enough, two generations after someone's death, the legacy they left behind is all but forgotten, which leaves me wondering why they wanted to leave that kind of legacy in the first place.

US Presidents like to leave behind ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

What will Biden be remembered for?

Illegal Immigration and Inflation

What will Trump be remembered for?

Impeachment & an outstanding economy

What will Obama be remembered for?

First black president...  (maybe)

What will Clinton be remembered for?

Oral sex in the oval office

What will Bush be remembered for?

The 9/11 attack

What will be your legacy?

As our economy worsens, it is doubtful that the common individual or couple will be able to leave behind too much of anything.

I know from reading history books, that our ancestors expected their children to be better off financially than they were.  That worked for several generations and then children found themselves in positions where they were living no better than their parents and some were worse off.

Not much of a legacy there...