Why Do Billionaires Need All Their Money?

How many people are living near the poverty line? The Census Bureau estimated that in 2021, 11.6% of Americans — roughly 38 million people — lived at or below the poverty level. That year, the poverty threshold was $27,740 for a family of four and $13,788 for an individual.  Source:  USAFacts.org

I am only somewhat impressed when I hear that people like Gates, Bezos, Waltons, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey and others are BILLIONAIRES...

WHY?

Because,

the only reason why they are that wealthy is because other people purchased their product or purchased tickets.

How wealthy would Michael Jordan really be if he had not been blessed with incredible basketball skills?  He would be no better than the rest of us.

Let me ask you this...

What's the point of living in a home that has 15,000 square feet?

How many of those rooms do you use daily?

THIRTY-EIGHT MILLION people in the USA live at or below the POVERTY LINE...

1. And we call this country GREAT?
2. And we call this country the land of opportunity?
3. And, we abide by a constitution that says all people have a right to happiness?

How can we expect to be the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD when we have 38 million people in the USA living below the poverty line?

I realize these wealthy people NEED large homes, NEED multiple large homes, NEED expensive cars, NEED multiple expensive cars, NEED private jets and NEED to see how much money they can actually make before they DIE...  but, where is their humanity?

How much of their money do they contribute to help those below the POVERTY LINE?

My guess is NONE...

• They give their money to charities that don't help those living below the poverty line.
• They give their money to the colleges and universities they attended that don't help those living below the poverty line.
• They give their money to political campaigns that don't help those living below the poverty line.

How do I know this?

If they GAVE MONEY THERE, we would not have anyone living below the poverty line in the USA...  now, would we?

Quit Disturbing Me

 

Women of the Silk Road

The raiders came from the north. They came on horseback, the skilled bowmen shooting powerful arrows with expert precision. They ruined and burned the crops, which the Han Chinese villagers living on China's northern frontiers in about 200 BCE tended to with great attention. The Han Chinese called the invaders "Xiongnu", which meant "fierce slave", a pejorative term aimed to emphasize the barbarians' "inferiority".     READ MORE...

Green Grass of Home

 

Personal Update

 For those of you who keep up with my daily postings, you will know or remember that while I am healthy, I am not in the best of shape...  sounds like a contradiction...

I am just finishing up my 15th year of fighting Lymphoma with infusions and pills and my 10th year of fighting Melanoma with chemo infusions.  I had a heart attack 15 years ago, had stints put in but I still have to watch what I eat.  And, in 2022, I had 5 lumbar disks fused because of spinal stenosis.  I can walk fine, but not as fast and not with the same ease as before...

A few months ago, we downsized to a smaller yard and a house without stairs or a basement.  It has really made a difference for both of us, and our cats seem to like it better as well.  Our three cats are 13 years old and are showing only minor signs of aging.

While my wife and I are not planning any cruises or taking any flights to Europe as we have done in the past, we are planning on spending some time at Daytona Beach in Florida and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina next year.

We will probably be looking to upgrade our vehicle in the next year or two, but it will not be an EV...

Reasons:

• EVs are really expensive
• Not enough charging stations
• Too long to charge when on vacation
• Cost of replacement batteries
• Low resale value

We might look at a HYBRID, one that does not need to be charged, but more than likely we will buy a gasoline vehicle.  Many of us old folks don't think gasoline is going to stop anytime soon.

My wife and I and those we talk to are really disappointed with Congress and their lack of action as well as the number of illegal immigrants that are coming across our borders.  We have the feeling that these illegal immigrants will not be welcomed here in East TN, but they can come here if they want if they need to be somewhere that they are not accepted.

Old folks like us, expect a new generation to take over, but right now, any new generation of people that we see are going to let China and Russia have control of our country...  and we cannot imagine free Americans wanting to live under communistic control.

Tennessee Valley Weather Forecast

The weather for the Tennessee Valley during the week of November 12-18, 2023, is mid to high 60s.

I hate to brag, but this fall weather is damn near perfect and without high humidities...

Granted, if you go farther south, the weather is even warmer but in many of those warmer areas, the cost of living is much higher; of course, I am sure that in parts of Mississippi and Alabama I can find lower costs of living but who wants to live in those states?

Right up the road from us is the Bristol Motor Speedway, home to NASCAR.

Right below us is Chattanooga and to the west of us is Nashville if you are into country music.

Our little community is full of retired folks like us who park their cars inside a garage and keep the outside of their house looking well-manicured. Our little community is excellent for walking as it provides flat areas as well as little hills and valleys to give one's body a well-rounded approach.

Most houses decorate outside for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas but do not go overboard.  Many of the residents will help you out if you need a favor.

But, the most important aspect of where we live is the weather...  and right now, we are mildly warm and will stay that way for several days. 

The World Wants Israel to STOP

Everybody or most everybody in the world wants Israel to stop this war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip...

It is hard to believe that the world wants Israel to stop while at the same time the world has yet to CONDEMN the actions of Hamas when they invaded Israel and took over 200 hostages.

If the world wants Israel to stop then the world to put pressure on Hamas to return the hostages...  the world cannot have it both ways...

It is not that I am pro Israel or anti Israels, it is what's FAIR...

I remember 9/11 and the attack on American Soil and if the world had asked us not to retaliate, I believe most Americans would have told the world to go screw yourself.

Israel is no different.

You must remember that the UNITED NATIONS gave Israel its land...  right or wrong, it was the UN that did this.  If you want to eliminate Israel then you must return to the UN and get them to approve that decision...

Otherwise, if you attack Israel, they WILL FIGHT BACK and will pay no attention to the rest of the world...

Why isn't the rest of the world wanting Ukraine to stop defending itself against Russia??? 

It's Only Our World

 Do we have what it takes to be a Global Leader?

The USA that is to say...

• The Character
• The Vision
• The Desire
• The Determination
• The Motivation
• The Finances
• The Military
• The Education

The are Democracies, Republics, Communists, Socialists, Arabs, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and Christians...

There are the educated, the uneducated, the spiritual, those who are superstitious, and those who are scared of their own shadows...

There are those who believe in magic, those who believe in God, those who believe in themselves, and those who believe in nothing...

There are those who don't believe in abortion, those who don't value life at all, those who would sacrifice everything for their families, and those who will take advantage of anything they can...

We have as many different languages as we have different skin tones, and those who think the world should speak English...

Mostly, we have people who have no desire to give peace a chance, believing it is their manifest destiny to acquire as much land as they can before they die...

Similarly, we those same people feel that same way about money...

We are a species that has been designed by someone to DESTROY ITSELF...  otherwise, we would not be the way we are...

Is there any country in this world that has what it takes to control this BAND OF MISFITS???

We are so concerned about ourselves that we have lost the fundamental purpose of our existence...  No one country can lead the world without understanding this purpose and seeing how it is necessary to our survival...   and, until that happens, we will never become any better than we already are...   The world, our world, is no better than its weakest link...

A Beginner's Guide to the Universe

 

TO SEE IMAGES FROM THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE, CLICK HERE...

Let Me Get Something Straight

Former President Trump is a jerk, an asshole, a liar, a thief, and a bully...  and those points only reflect his good side.

Should a former President GO TO JAIL?  I am not sure if the Democrats want to set that precedent, given the shit hole that Joe Biden is standing in...

Trump created a great economy with full employment...  can he do it again?  Times have changed.

Trump is facing 91 felony charges and four trials, I believe, but his is leading all GOP candidates so far in the 2024 election which is one year away.

• How far along with the trials be in a year?
• Will Trump appeal his convictions?  YES...
• Will the Supreme Court become involved?  Possibly...
• Will the focus on Trump continue to divide the country?  YES...
• Will Trump seek REVENGE if he becomes President again?  Your guess is as good as mine...

Personally,

I think Trump would be a better WAR PRESIDENT than Joe Biden.

I think the leaders of the world FEAR TRUMP'S UNPREDICTABILITY.

If Joe Biden does not run, who will the Dems replace him with?

1. Gavin Newsome - Governor of CA
2. Michele Obama - wife and lawyer

...What we need to do...

1. stop inflation
2. rebuild our economy
3. stop illegal immigration
4. stop the war on fossil fuel
5. build an infrastructure for EVs
6. balance the budget
7. reduce the national debt
8. strengthen our military
9. improve our education
10. upgrade our roads and bridges
11. plan for robots replacing jobs
12. use AI for medical research
13. stand strong against communism
14. convince congress to set term limits
15. make way for a new generation
16. teach high school students the Rule of 72
17. force citizens to save and do away with Social Security and Unemployment Insurance
18. create a national initiative to eliminate obesity
19. NO AMERICAN should be put into a situation where they do not have the basics of food, clothing, and shelter
20. Why do BILLIONAIRES need all their money?

Neither Biden nor Trump nor any other Presidential candidate has the wherewithal to accomplish everything that is own my list.

Somewhat Political

 

China's Vision to Reshape the WORLD

Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world.

Xi Jinping has a plan for how the world should work, and one year into his norm-shattering third term as Chinese leader, he’s escalating his push to challenge America’s global leadership — and put his vision front and center.

That bid was in the spotlight like never before last month in Beijing, when Xi, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and some two dozen top dignitaries from around the world, hailed China as the only country capable of navigating the challenges of the 21st century.  READ MORE...

The Animals

 

Protest Songs

 

This current generation is not familiar with protest songs like my generation of the 1960s was immersed in...  but you can find these songs on YOUTUBE if you want to listen to them and get an idea of what might have been going through our minds.

The above video is Country Joe and the Fish singing "I feel like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag...

Here are some others:

Bob Dylan - Hurricane

Credence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son

Bob Dylan - Blowing in the Wind

Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name

Barry McGuire - Eve of Destruction

Bob Dylan - The Times They are A-Changin'

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young - Ohio

Bob Dylan - Masters of War

I don't think anyone protested the Afghanistan War, or the war in retaliation for 9/11 or the Ukraine war; but, the USA is highly divided on the war between Israel and Hamas.

One of the big differences between now and BACK THEN was the fact that the US had a MANDATORY DRAFT.  At 18, you were eligible to be drafted into the military regardless of whether or not you wanted to go into the military.  College was the only exemption.

The US has no mandatory draft now, so males who turn 18 years of age, have NO IDEA what we felt like back then.

In The News

1. Israel is closing in on Hamas in the Gaza Strip
2. China lays out plan for global domination
3. Inflation pushes Americans into higher tax brackets for 2023
4. Russian military cannot defeat Ukrainian military
5. China to start mass producing humanoid robots
6. Elon Musk to start mass producing humanoid robots
7. Republican files ethic complaint against Judge Engoron
8. NY Attorney General ran on a campaign to get Trump
9. Anti-Jewish behavior erupts on America's college campuses
10. Congresswoman Tlaib censored for anti-Jewish comments
11. Americans are in more credit card than has been the case for the last 20 years
12. US National Debt is getting alarmingly high
13. Iran proxies attack US bases 46 times as Biden orders minimal retaliation
14. Industrial Robot confuses man for box and crushes him to death
15. Crime and violence in our big cities escalates
16. Residents leaving CA and NYC because of crime

IN THE NEWS...  is intended to be a wake up call for Americans who don't pay attention to FOX News to learn what is really going on in the world...

Gordon Lightfoot

 

Thirteen-Metre Waves

Australian surfer Laura Enever has set a world record for riding the largest wave ever paddled into by a woman.

The 31-year-old tamed the 43.6ft (13.3m) beast in January at a break nicknamed the Himalayas in Oahu, Hawaii.

It beat the previous record - which stood for seven years - by only a foot.

Paddling-in involves entering waves unassisted. It is distinct from a tow-in, in which surfers are pulled by jet-ski so they can access bigger waves.  READ MORE...

Somewhat Political

 

Manufacturing Robots with AI

China wants to start mass producing robots by 2025.

Elon Musk wants to start selling robots by 2027.

Moore's Law wants to double the capacity in half the time within TWO YEARS.

In a little over 7 weeks, it will be 2024.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER forecasts 80% of all global jobs will be replaced by robots.

Dictador, a Polish Rum Company has appointed MIKA to be the company's CEO.

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR HEAD IN A PLACE WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE???

Humanoid Robots with Artificial Intelligence have skills and abilities that HUMANS DON'T POSSESS and never will.

Do you want to go to College and have gigantic student loans to pay, only not to be able to find employment because of robots or lose employment because of robots???

THE TIME OF HUMANS IS RAPIDLY COMING TO AN END...

Believe it or not...  that's your choice...  BUT, make sure you don't make the wrong decision about your life because our federal government will not be able to help you since they are focused on GREEN ENERGY and EV cars.

Talk about being played for FOOLS...

Fast Fish