Will The Real Kellene Bishop Please Stand Up...

Swine Flu and Universal Health Care Agenda

2009-04-29T12:40:00.001-07:00

It’s an enormous blessing that Obama’s health care plan has not been put into play here as of yet. In Mexico, where the majority of the Swine flu cases in the world have been located, (over 2,400 at last count) the woman who may have been one of the key first cases to contract the deadly virus was unable to obtain appropriate health care. She saw several doctors, prior to getting any treatment and being properly diagnosed.

If you aren’t aware, Mexico has what they call a “universal healthcare” program for those who are employed full time. Mexico has a shortage of doctors for their plan, and yet it was put into play in 2003 with full knowledge of such a shortage and no plans to resolve the shortage. Hmmm. The U.S. does not have a sufficient number of doctors to handle a “universal” plan either, yet Obama and his puppeteers push for it nonetheless. In fact, Obama has gone so far as to use this potential epidemic as a propelling force to move his universal health plan through Congress at lightening speed. Of course! That fits this administrations motto of “never let a good crisis go to waste.” Good grief!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/world/americas/29mexico.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th

Aliens Attack the U.S.

2009-04-28T14:16:00.003-07:00

By Kellene Bishop

In view of Obama’s pick for U.S. Regulatory Czar, I have truly been converted today to the reality of aliens from outer space. I say this because I have no earthly idea where a person would come up with such alien statements and beliefs as this person does. Because the Sunstein Doctrine is so completely foreign to the substance and culture of this nation, it clearly demonstrates proof that Obama is pursuing his own agenda and not that of the American people. I am 100% certain that this guy’s beliefs are indeed foreign.

Introducing Cass Sunstein, the nominee to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. This name accompanied by his bloodcurdling doctrine should cause you to shudder. The fact that he would rape and pillage the first five Constitutional Amendments is only the tip of the iceberg. Read on to see this freak of nature at his best.

In 2007, during a speech given at Harvard, Sunstein proposed that hunting be banned throughout the United States. Ok, I can try to give him credit for wanting to save the lives of the hunting partners of Dick Cheney, but unfortunately his mutant beliefs only get more far fetched from here.

He believes that the internet is “anti-Democratic” because users can filter out any objectionable material. As such he believes that the required use of technology by all citizens is necessary to ensure that a site contains “fair and balanced” information and that such a requirement should be put into play as soon as possible. Does this mean that every site that communicates sound Christian values should also be required to communicate the thoughts and opinions of Satanic cults? Does this mean if a site displays a picture of a virtuous woman that that same site must give the viewer access to porn as well? And yes, Sunstein has gone so far as to declare that non-profit groups should be required to publish counter positions to theirs on their own websites. That’s right. If Mother Teresa had a web site, she would be required to provide information on Hitler as well.

He also believes that we should be required to use software which would prevent anyone from sending an e-mail in which the SOFTWARE determines holds “uncivil” comments. Awww. Ain’t that cute? These poor little defenseless politicians must have had their feelings hurt by all that was said during the Tea Parties. They need a software program to protect them from hearing any dissenting opinions. He proposes that this software double-ask the sender if they really want to send an “uncivil” e-mail message. And if they do, then the e-mail must be filed away for 24 hours for a mandatory cooling off period. Oh I get it. The First Amendment gives free speech, but only if it’s not offensive to anyone. Right.

In his book “Radical to Robes” Sunstein writes that he believes that all gun control legislation is constitutionally congruent. He believes that the U.S. Supreme court “got it wrong” in determining that the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms applies to individuals.

Ok, here’s a real loony one. In his 2004 book entitled “Animal Rights” he wrote that he believed that “Animals should be permitted to bring suit, with human beings as their representatives …" Holy cow! (pun intended) I’m all about protecting animals, but providing them with a public defender at the expense of tax dollars is laughable! If you hurt my dogs, I will indeed defend them, but where will it stop? We already have an over burgeoning court system. Criminals get off for murder of a human being? What additional justice are we to expect when a person sends an uncivil e-mail to Mickey Mouse? Are the lawyers not making enough money? Do they need to start chasing Fido rather than ambulances? Where does the U.S. Constitution stand on giving animals the same rights as humans? Oh yeah. It doesn’t. And besides, how can we expect to preserve and protect the Constitutional rights of animals when we are proving ourselves incapable or unwilling to preserve and protect the rights of legal, law-abiding American citizens? If you give animals constitutional rights, then you must give them consequences as well. Will we expect law enforcement to release Shack, the vicious Pit Bull because he wasn’t read his Miranda Rights?

To me, here is the most horrific aspect of all of this. Read what Obama thinks of this individual, specifically in relation to his ability to uphold the Constitutional rights and freedoms of our citizens: “As one of America's leading constitutional scholars, Cass Sunstein has distinguished himself in a range of fields, including administrative law and policy, environmental law, and behavioral economics," said Obama at his nomination of his regulatory czar. "He is uniquely qualified to lead my administration's regulatory reform agenda at this crucial stage in our history. Cass is not only a valued adviser, he is a dear friend and I am proud to have him on my team." I have no doubt that he is a dear friend of Obama’s based on this information. However, it’s clear that Sunstein knows about as much about the constitution as Anderson Cooper and Janeane Garofalo know about civility.

To completely prove my case of this alien-born, anti-Christ, Sunstein states “limitless individual choices, with respect to communications, is not necessarily in the interest of citizenship and self-government.” Yup. We’re just dumb human beings incapable of making the “right” choice if we are presented with so many choices. You’re right Sunstein. Americans simply have too many choices, and as such we’re certainly making the wrong decisions. But I ask you, why stop at the internet, Sunstein? Why not reel in those villainous makers of feminine products as well? Slim, mini, super, extra super, pink, blue, white, mega, etc. How is a sane person to choose? I find the vast amount of tampons for women completely overwhelming and sending my poor husband out to retrieve the proper box could result in a 3rd World War. I’m sure limiting our choices between good, bad, evil, and truly in our best interests was exactly what the Founding Father feared in declaring ultimate freedom from an oppressed government. Too bad they didn’t declare freedom from beings from Mars as well. I’d feel a lot safer now.

I think the best science fiction writers of our time will find merit in the Sunstein Doctrine. After all, it will provide great fodder for their story lines. What’s the saying? “Truth is stranger than fiction.” We might as well prepare ourselves for the same kind of alien invasion represented in the Will Smith movie, “Independence Day”, if we are to tolerate a man in such a controlling a position as this.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Baptist Pastor vs. Border Patrol

2009-04-24T13:20:00.002-07:00

By Kellene Bishop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUzd7G875Hc

This video of Steve Anderson is just over 8 minutes long. The contents of it are disturbing to me from a standpoint of freedom, but even more disturbing to me are the comments of ignorant fools in response to this video. Lest any more of you should grossly err in your judgment of this situation, allow me to enlighten you.

The time to stand up for your rights is ANY and EVERY time they are being violated.

One person on YouTube commented that this person should not have “taken the law into his own hands.” Sorry folks. The law is FOR the people, not issued in hopes that power-drunken agents such as these will honor it. It is for ALL of the people. It is your DUTY to know what the laws are and push back. For too long the overwhelming majority has been apathetic to their rights under the laws, and this is exactly why such atrocities of law have occurred in this situation. Do you naively believe that only the military is empowered to support and sustain our Constitutional rights? How is that fair that our soldiers have to lose their lives to defend our freedoms, but every citizen in this country doesn’t have to do their part as well? As insignificant as this act may seem to others in the nation, in my opinion there is virtue and righteousness in affirming our rights under all circumstances.

Another ignoramus commented that “from what he was able to find out, this guy isn’t a very good person.” Others accused him of being a “know-it-all” and a pompous @$$, etc. Guess what, folks? The rights of the U.S. Constitution are ensured for all people, including someone who may come across to some as a jerk. That’s why some personalities are permitted to grace your television sets and radio stations. There is no U.S. law which states you must comply nicely when your rights are or are not being violated. There is no requirement that you speak softly, etc. So whether you support the personality traits of this person is completely unimportant. As an American, his rights are his rights regardless.

As the result of his FIRST Amendment right (which is not a coincidence that such a right is in the first position of all outlined rights in our Constitution) this individual has the right to free speech. Thus anything he may have said which would make a person angry is unacceptable grounds for the actions of these so-called agents.

Several foolish posters commented that “all this guy had to do was answer the questions.” Again. They are wrong. If a police officer comes to your door and begins asking you questions, you are under NO obligation to answer such questions. Answering questions by law enforcement is not a requirement. In fact, in accordance to the Fifth Amendment, we have the right to not say ANYTHING which may incriminate us. Even the Miranda Rights reaffirm such. Not answering questions does not negate any of your other rights under the U.S. Constitution.

Another fool posted a supposition that Congress has granted the Border Patrol broad authority of search and seizures. Guess what. I don’t care if the President himself gave the Border Patrol agents permission to behave this way, it’s illegal! Pure and simple. No law can be passed in this country which is at odds with the U.S. Constitution. The only way that this act could be made “legal” is if there was a Constitutional Amendment fully ratified. Congress also recently passed an enormous bill without even reading it. Does that make it right or legal? No. It’s malpractice. And such a foolish comment flies in the face of all of those who have died so that we may now possess those rights. Until I see a Congressman who will pay the “uttermost farthing” to protect my rights as did our Founding Fathers, then such a Congressman does not receive any honorable attentions from me. Too many of our Americans today are sheep. They feel that simply because the President declares something, or the Congressmen say it and then sign it, that it’s law. Sorry folks. All laws MUST be in alignment with the U.S. Constitution. New laws can specify, clarify, and even give consequences for violating the laws and rights of the U.S. Constitution, but they cannot circumvent or violate them.

Then there are the masses of individuals who would judge this person because he’s a Baptist Pastor. He’s accused of being difficult by being non-compliant. Boy howdy am I ever GRATEFUL for my non-compliant Founding Fathers, as well as my non-compliant Savior who did NOT “save” the Jews based on their short-sighted expectations and demands. Too many individuals wrongly presume that as a Baptist pastor, he should be a mouse and comply. Sorry, you’d be wrong again to presume such. This guy did not spew foul language at these agents. He did not “get in the way” of their tazers and metal batons. These “agents” made a choice to act in the manner in which they did. As such, Jesus would condemn them, not the person upon whom they acted. It’s alarming to me just how many folks believe that standing up for your Constitutional rights is an act of deviance in the Christian world—especially in light of the fact that God inspired the men who served as our Founding Fathers of this nation. God is fully invested in our rights being upheld in this nation.

The fact that the dog was brought into this as grounds for the search is laughable as well, since the Fourth Amendment requires that probable cause be established by “oath or affirmation.” Clearly Fido didn’t say anything. He was merely used as a pawn for their designs. Isn’t it ironic that law ENFORCEMENT officials don’t care much for a person who actually helps them understand the laws of which they are to enforce? Case in point, if a 31-year-old man has sex with a 14-year-old girl, even if it’s consensual, it’s illegal. Coinciding with that, even if the American people are willing to have their rights raped and pillaged “consensually” it’s still illegal and in direct violation of our Bill of Rights. Even honest citizens with nothing to hide are violated whenever we consent to the erosion of our rights and liberty.

Another aspect of this incident is the excessive force. Hmmm… how many drug traffickers have made it across the border without their windows bashed in, or having been cut, tazed, and battered? Even if this guy WAS a drug dealer, they are NOT permitted to treat him as such. That’s right. Even if he was verbally belligerent, had a couple of kids and some drugs in the back of the car, the Border Patrol are not permitted to handle the situation the way they did. This constitutes “unreasonable search.” But hey, it’s not unreasonable seizure because they found NOTHING. (Although, due to the damage they inflicted on the vehicle, they did in fact illegally “seize” this man’s car.)

This person is rumored to have had a “run-in” with Border Patrol previously in which he also refused to answer their questions. However, posting a video on YouTube complaining about your previous treatment with Border Patrol does not give an “agent” free reign to violate your Constitutional rights. Plain and simple, Folks.

While it may take a while to get this all sorted out, anytime a person legally defends their rights of this nation, they have my wholehearted support. I may not agree with their personality traits, their religion, or their other beliefs, but they are indeed correct in asserting those rights.

Bottom line, if you will not stand up for the Constitution, who will?

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

NY Times Reports More Consequences of Illegal Immigrants

2009-04-23T09:13:00.002-07:00

If the threat of being deported or incarcerated does not stem the tide of illegal immigration, perhaps the threat of completely losing one’s children will do the trick. While this may sound harsh, it is the consequences of illegal acts perpetrated by the illegal immigrant parents. The enormous problem I have with this article is that it is titled “After Losing Freedom Some Immigrants Face Loss of Custody of Their Children” These parents never had freedom. Freedom is only given to the just and the law-abiding citizens in this country. It is not, and should never, be granted to individuals who were merely able to prolong the consequences of their illegal acts long enough to give birth to children in this nation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/us/23children.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The Heartstrings That Will Bankrupt “U.S.”

2009-04-15T13:15:00.010-07:00

Women. Suppose you’re single and met a man who just pulled at your heart strings. He was tall, dark, handsome, well off and said everything you had ever hoped to hear. Remember, he’s pulling on your heart strings big time. If after you start dating, he informs you that he has every intention of never being faithful to you. Would you continue dating him? Come on. The guy actually told you upfront what he was apt to do. He was honest with you, right?

Ok, let’s try another angle.

“If I can just successfully commit this crime, then my kids will have a better life.” Do you think that such an illogical statement has ever come to the mind of a bank robber, or an extortionist, or a blackmailer? What about another kind of criminal: One that doesn’t have children yet, but knows that if they can bear children within the border of the United States of America, they not only have a better chance of getting away with their crime by preying on the hearts of American citizens, and also survive on the welfare programs of our nation. Meet this nation’s most expensive criminal—the illegal immigrant. In fact, bearing children in the U.S. is such a better life for “profitable” illegal immigrants than where they came from, that the majority of illegal immigrant parents live in circumstances of poverty and thus reap extensive benefits of our welfare programs.

Heartstrings will bankrupt us all, folks.

Let’s be perfectly blunt here. Do you really think it’s fair for law-abiding citizens to wait, dot their “I’s”, cross their “T’s” and pay the proper price to become citizens of the U.S. while others simply circumvent “the system,” sneaking in like a thief in the night, only to be rewarded? Yes, REWARDED. And we reward them in a big way here in the U.S. due to the faulty interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

The Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1 reads: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside (bold and italics added). Our government officials have interpreted this Amendment to mean that if a child is born in the U.S. then he/she is automatically adopted as a citizen of the U.S. But are they truly subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. under such circumstances? Now, let’s look at this for a moment. The consequences of this politically motivated interpretation are dire for our nation.

More bluntness here. Please don’t feel sorry for the illegal immigrants who live in poverty. They do so because their illegal status makes it difficult to obtain jobs in which they can be gainfully employed. Statistically speaking, many are very gainfully employed--with a house that’s fully paid for, a car that’s paid for, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash on hand at any given moment. It’s called drug trafficking work, and apparently it pays very well. Unfortunately, such “workers” regularly show that they have no income. (Come on, really. Would you report your illegal income when you see political leaders who don’t even have to report their legal income?) As such, these individuals still qualify for much federal and state assistance including medical benefits.

I spoke at length with a senior DEA agent this past weekend. He gave me a very interesting view on the consequences of this situation.

As a DEA agent he is repeatedly arresting illegal immigrants for drug trafficking (and who are usually guilty of many other crimes as a part of this trafficking). Unfortunately, he stated that the majority of these traffickers have their wives and their U.S. citizen children as a part of the game. When the parents get arrested, the children inevitably get placed in our foster care system. Note that since the income of these drug traffickers is illegal, although quite abundant, many of them make use of our welfare programs such as W.I.C, food stamps and other programs in addition to their ill-gotten gains. Needless to say, the I.R.S. has no record of a drug trafficker paying taxes on their income either.

When a U.S. child is disabled in our nation, they are given disability and social security benefits, but such benefits are paid to their legal guardians, legal or not.

In addition, a study released Tuesday, April 14, 2009 by Pew Hispanic Center reported that children of immigrants are twice as likely to live in poverty, which means that they are also living off of our nation’s welfare programs, education and healthcare. While many illegal immigrants were not permitted to receive welfare previously, many states have passed laws allowing them to receive benefits which were originally intended for our nation’s citizens. Nearly one-third of their children live in poverty which is double the rate of legal U.S. citizen children.

Seven percent of the children enrolling in your child’s school are children of an illegal immigrant according to this same study. And yet illegal immigrants are typically not property owners (due to lending regulations), thus they do not pay taxes to support their children in school.

There are approximately 5.5 million children of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. presently who are recognized as legal citizens. As such, the parents of such children are able to literally live on your dime without contributing to society in the form of taxes, community activism, or contributing to the law-abiding culture of our society.

In America, education is the largest public cost of caring for these children due in part to the language barriers necessitating special teachers, paid lunch programs, and larger class sizes. This price tag is estimated today to be above 13 billion dollars, not counting any special education programs according to Donald Huddle of Rice University. An additional $2 billion goes towards special care programs in our schools. This number is expected to actually be quite conservative given that the cost for education of these children in California alone was posted at $3 billion in 1993. The illegal immigration population has nearly doubled since then. Health care is at least triple that cost for the nation both public and private costs combined. (For more information, click here)

Think of the impression that such parents may have on their children. They begin their relationship with our nation by defying our laws and are financially rewarded for it. Hmmmm. I wonder what message this sends to their children? Go ahead. You take a guess. Are they naturally inclined to obey the laws of our nation or defy them?

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security reported that over 100,000 parents of “legal” U.S. children were deported in 2007, thus prompting them to make alternative considerations prior to deportments. In other words, the fact that they got away with a crime, but were able to procreate may be reason enough to reward them with amnesty in our nation. I truly believe that by our government even entertaining the proposal to allow such parents to stay here, they are simply reinforcing criminal acts. Once you get away with one crime, why not another, and another?

How do these children grow up and vote? Do they vote for the best candidate who promotes honor and virtue? Or do they vote for the person who’s most likely to keep their parents in the country?

Did you know you’ll now have to work until May 29 of each year JUST to pay your taxes? You presently pay more in taxes than you spend in housing, food and clothing for your family! While I’m not one to believe in scarcity, the fact of the matter is our nation is in serious peril. Contrary to what the Federal Reserve and Congress believe, there is a FINITE amount of money that this nation has at present and that finite amount is in the largest negative balance than ever before. Millions of legitimate Americans are suffering financially with no “bail out” in the form of food stamps, health benefits, W.I.C. in-state tuition prices, preferential and even mandatory admittance into colleges or FREE education. Heart strings or not, the crimes of these parents must not be rewarded socially, emotionally, or financially.

Even if we accept the current interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, let’s ask ourselves this question. Was such a law intended to affect the U.S.-born children of a few thousand, or even tens or hundreds of thousands of immigrants who made the difficult journey and entered our country through Ellis Island or other authorized ports of entry? If our forefathers had known that 1 million to 3 million illegal immigrants (solely from one country) would attempt to illegally enter our country every year, would they have desired to generously grant birthright citizenship to the children of these same immigrants who flagrantly violate our laws? Will you be as generous at the cost of the well being of your own family? It becomes even more painful when we realize that countless illegal immigrants intentionally give birth to “anchor babies” for the specific intent of later legalizing their immigration status.

Not that I give merit to the legal actions of other countries as a basis for our behavior, but it’s interesting to note that in November 2004, Denmark rescinded automatic citizenship due to the unforeseen financial crisis it placed upon their country. Ireland did so a year prior to that. Most of Europe was being overrun with immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East and thus are considering the same measures at present.

Bottom line, we literally cannot afford to grant legality in the midst of illegality. It makes for a horrible relationship.

Delta Insults Humanity Again

2009-04-08T16:31:00.003-07:00

Common Courtesy is No Longer Common

I’ll admit it. When I fly, I usually fly first-class due to the fact that I’m a bit claustrophobic. Sitting in the small seats towards the back gives me a great deal of anxiety, to the point that when I fly, I’m willing to choke up the first class fare. First class round trip with Delta Airlines is usually around $1500. I have come to enjoy the perks of actually getting smiles from the flight attendants, complimentary entertainment, padding in the roomy seat from top to bottom, a little beverage prior to leaving, a hot towel to clean my hands with, and access to a restroom close by. Having endometriosis and problems arising from such a case, sometimes makes that restroom a lifesaver.

By contrast, regular fare is about $500 nowadays. The seats are crowded both side to side and front to back which is even further emphasized when you are 20 to 30 pounds overweight. I can feel the metal through the seat “cushions” grating on my back and buttocks for the entire flight. The flight attendants are noticeably less attentive—sorry, but I’ve found that to be the case on countless occasions. There are almost always loud and rowdy children in the regular fare seats (Yes, I DO love children, just not ornery ones who are seemingly ignored by their parents throughout an entire 4 hour flight). And there are 2 bathrooms being shared by hundreds rather than a small handful in first class.

So today when I read on the news that a man on a Delta flight was arrested, put into handcuffs and spent 2 days in jail for his anxious response to a bathroom emergency on an international flight, I was absolutely disgusted.

Apparently, Mr. Correa of Concord, OH really had to go. But when his pathway was blocked by a beverage cart, he requested to use the business class restroom. He was refused. I find this completely ridiculous on so many counts.

1) I have seen regular fare customers frequently use the first-class restrooms without so much as a cross look from a flight attendant. Delta does not practice any semblance of consistency in enforcing this ludicrous FAA regulation.

2) It seems apparent that the flight attendant would rather the man degrade himself and put passengers at risk by having a urination accident in his pants, than move the blasted beverage cart or allow him to use the business class restroom. I mean really, just how clean and safe would YOU feel knowing that a man just peed uncontrollably (or worse) on the floor near you on the airplane? Talk about a bio-hazard! The man was clearly desperate to use the bathroom for Pete’s sake! Do they teach these flight attendants to be inhumane before allowing them to work an international flight?

3) With so many individuals out of work at present, you would think that any company would have the pick of the litter in selecting conscientious and courteous individuals. This flight attendant represents Delta and the business culture perpetuated by Delta.

4) Apparently the man’s request to use the business class restroom on an international flight was against FAA regulations. For one, I firmly believe that most flight attendants are just as ignorant of real FAA regulations as most of the local police departments are of U.S. Constitution law. So having a flight attendant taking a stand based on a supposed FAA regulation is hard to swallow. (See http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94191 and http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56544 for more evidence that police just don’t know the law.) And besides, are you kidding me? The government now gets to tell people where they can pee??? And hey, we even get to pay for such ridiculous rules! I suppose they’re going to try and tell us it’s for our safety. That’s right. Keeping bad guys from the business class section of the plane will certainly save lives. Or perhaps they were trying to provide some in-flight entertainment for the rest of the passengers as they watched a 43 year-old man be degraded by having to ask to use the potty like a 1st grader.

Personally, when I spend so much money to ride in a more expensive class, I’d like to presume that such a premium price gives me access to a bathroom when I need one. Then again, I’d like to think that the toilet seat would actually be bigger than a Frisbee as well (One can dream, can’t they?). However, I would NEVER deny someone else from using that same bathroom in an emergency simply because I spent more for my ticket than he did. After all, while I may be a “first class passenger” that doesn’t negate me from being a human being.

To see the complete article go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30108454/

The Truth About Guns in Mexico

2009-04-06T10:17:00.004-07:00

After hearing enough of the inflated and downright false statistics of the guns in Mexico being provided by the U.S., I’ve decided to get right down to the facts. First of all, when you hear these statistics, consider the source. I personally believe that anything that comes out of the mouth of Hilary Clinton or Dianne Fienstein—especially when it has to do with guns or self-defense--to be dramatically skewed.

Of all the guns in Mexico, simply because there are some U.S. guns, does not mean they have all come from legal channels in the U.S. Gun smuggling goes both ways. In the event that the U.S. government issues guns to the Mexican Military in an effort to fight whatever wars rage in their land, it’s important to note that such guns would come with a caveat to be used for such purpose. The fact that they are still ending up in the hands of drug-runners and immigrant criminals is not a reflection on the U.S. government, rather an expose on the corruption of government officials in the U.S. In addition, according to Mexican Congressman, Robert Badilla, over 150,000 Mexican military members have abandoned their military duty and have taken their guns with them.

The saying has been spread about by truly ignorant politicians and their loyal subjects (a.k.a. the mainstream media) that 90% of the guns in Mexico came from the U.S. This is yet one more example of a lazy, knee-jerk media we have reporting our news to us today. In fact, 83% of the guns in Mexico do not even have serial numbers or can even be traced via U.S. technology as they come from Asia, Israel, South Korea, China, Spain and Columbia. However, of the guns that have been found WITH serial numbers, 90% OF THOSE GUNS have come from the U.S. This fact means that only 17% of the guns found at crime scenes in Mexico have come from the U.S.! And that my friends, is how such a ridiculous rumor has been perpetuated.

For more information on this topic go to http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-guns-mexico-fraction-number-claimed/

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The Name Game

2009-04-01T12:37:00.002-07:00

by Kellene Bishop

“A rose by any other name is still a rose.” Isn’t it interesting how our government has camouflaged its selected names of programs and legislation in order to falsely influence the American people as to what these issues really are? You’ve heard of oxy-morons such as “military intelligence” in jest, I’m sure. But when it comes to many of the name games our government plays, there’s nothing funny about it.

1) National Security Letters: The name implies that these are letters which provide or promote security to our nation, when in fact they are used abusively by the FBI, CIA, DOD, and NSA to as a weapon against law-abiding citizens. Additionally there is no limit to the amount or type of information which can be seized via an NSL. And they are now to be complied with without exception. Today, in order for any federal agent (FBI, DOD, or CIA) to write an NSL, they must only comply with the requirement that they claim—not provide any evidence thereof—that the desired records may be related to an ongoing terrorism investigation or intelligence activities. These warrants require the production of “any tangible things” such as books, records, documents, lists, etc, without any consideration given to any reasonable time frames or costs to produce such information. Oh, and by the way, there is NO judicial oversight on the use of these, not even from Congress. As if that’s not enough, whoever receives such a “letter” is legally gagged from telling anyone about them, even if it’s your own attorney who receives it. The attorney can’t even tell YOU that he’s about to turn over all of your files to the FBI. Now how’s that for national security?

2) Federal Reserve: Contrary to what their own website states, as well as that of other government agencies, there is nothing “federal” about the Federal Reserve. They are not a part of the US Government. In fact, in an interview with Alan Greenspan, when asked, “What should be the proper relationship between the chairman of the Federal and the President of the United States?” Greenspan responded, “Well, first of all the Federal Reserve is an independent agency. And that means basically there is no other agency of government which can overrule actions that we take, so long as that is in place and there is no evidence that the administration or congress or anybody else is requesting that we do things other than what we think is the appropriate thing, then what the relationships are don’t frankly matter.” While the Federal Reserve behaves as a 4th branch of our government, there is no governing authority over them other than for Congress to rule that we will no longer do business with them. Good luck with that, right? In addition, there is no longer any “reserves” backing the currency issued by the Federal Reserve. We don’t even require them to issue a report that tells us how much currency is in circulation so that we can be sure our money still holds its value. Ultimately, the Federal Reserve name is just as contrived to deceive as was a local computer company in my neck of the woods called “Totally Awesome Computers” (It went bankrupt).

3) Carbon Credits: Wow. This name sounds like the U.S. taxpayers might actually get a credit for something, right? Wrong. These two words combine to become the most threatening level of taxation that our nation has ever seen. As a result of the passage of a “Carbon Credits” program, countless energy companies will be required to pay for the air they use. As a result, they will of course pass these fees on to their consumers. Electricity, gasoline, natural gas, kerosene, coal, and even solar energy just became significantly more expensive. As the result of this “credit” every American household can expect an average of a $3,000 INCREASE to their electric bill every year. That’s just ONE source of energy you use. If I continue to tell you about all of the other ramifications, I’m afraid that there will be a run on the pharmacies for anti-depressants nationwide.

4) The G.I.V.E. Act: Once again, a very deceptive name. The only thing this act gives is unconstitutional orders. While admittedly it’s been scaled down a bit from its first version as HR 1388, (and changed HR and Senate numbers multiple times) it’s still ridiculously named. The original proposal under HR 1388 would REQUIRE citizens of America in a wide range of ages to provide a mandatory period of “service” to their communities in whatever fashion the government deemed necessary. In addition to that, the House of Representatives even added an amendment that stated that while individuals were in the process of providing this “voluntary” service, they were prohibited from engaging in numerous acts of free speech. Yup. That’s a GIVE act, alright. Giving American citizens the ole heave ho, at least.

5) The Patriot Act: This is the mother of all misnamed issues. I’m convinced that our Founding Fathers and all those who sided with them during the Revolutionary War feel that their true title of “Patriot” has been mercilessly molested. There is nothing Patriot or patriotic about this act. It consistently tramples on countless constitutional amendments in the name of protecting our nation from terrorism. Now we are instructed to not even use the word “terrorist” or “enemy combatants” but we’re still stuck with this offensive violation of our rights to free speech. The not-so-Patriot Act has Congress giving his agents permission to listen to our phone calls, read our e-mails, and obtain unlimited amount of personal information about us. The “war on terror,” which gave birth to this heinous beast, has quickly disguised itself as an enemy intrusion on American’s privacy, freedom of movement and thought, individuality and civil liberties. Does that mean that the terrorists have essentially won now?

Ultimately the lesson we all need to learn here is that we cannot afford to be mindless sheep armed with good hearts. We must be more proactive in discovering and educating ourselves with the abundance of truthful information that is available to us. Getting our misinformation from the mass media will be no excuse when we appear before our Creator and attempt to explain to Him how we let something so valuable as freedom disintegrate from our nation. Each and every one of us is endowed with the freedom to choose, thus God’s perfect law will require that each and every one of us be held responsible for what we did with those choices. I believe that an understanding of this responsibility is why our Founding Fathers sacrificed all that they had to give us the rights to freely choose freedom. Indeed, when we’re before the Creator of Truth, we surely won’t be able to play the politicking finger pointing game. The blame will be ours regardless of how the program was masqueraded.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The Shell Game: AIG and the USA

2009-03-26T08:51:00.010-07:00

I understand that when I write this it will be evident that I’m clearly not an ordinary American. And I’m completely OK with that. Here goes… I don’t believe that the AIG CEO should have been drawn in front of the cameras and skewered by Congressmen. I don’t believe that AIG honoring contracts to pay $165 million in bonuses is a heinous act. In fact, I feel that this whole parade of finger pointing at AIG is simply an effort to take the focus off of who is truly at fault in the first place. This whole debacle is merely the result of a government gone bad—publicly—making even more horrible mistakes as they try to fix their egregious errors, and getting caught with the consequences.

AIG is completely responsible for the debacle they created in the first place. Clearly they got carried away with their own sense of power and influence and wrote too many checks they could not cover. And they talked a good talk to many other key financial institutions worldwide to get them to play in their power game as well. So what did that get us? Financial ruin. Now let’s look at this for a moment… These people are supposedly uber-giants of expertise in financial management and yet they could not manage their own house! They got completely drunk with their power and just like an inebriated lug of a giant they lost their reasoning and functionality abilities and stumbled—hard! OK. So we’ve got a giant who’s in a drunken stupor about to self-destruct and take down questionably innocent bystanders in his wake. What do we do? Well, yeah, we give the alcoholic lush MORE power. No, we don’t take his license or privilege away. No, we don’t put him into any kind of treatment. Instead, we find him an even better “dealer” to work with (a.k.a. the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury) who can simply bail them out. We give him an even more audacious privilege of using the tax payer dollars and that of several generations to come to “get him back on his feet.” And then when he functions the same way he did previously, and even has the audacity to honor contracts, we react to publicly condemn him? Condemn the giant so that nobody is wise to the “dealer” who feeds and encourages his misbehavior. Now that’s quite the deception isn’t it? (Side bar: It’s interesting to note that Congress doesn’t really care about the legality of contracts. They don’t even enforce the most significant contract we Americans have to protect us, that of the U.S. Constitution.)

Here’s the perfect part of this deception, folks. If (and I’m SOOO inclined to say “when”) AIG can’t pay us all back, what happens to them? If they go bankrupt, what recourse do we, the tax payers who’ve been yoked with indentured servitude in order to lift this giant’s sorry caboose back up, get back? What’s our collateral on this loan we’ve been forced to issue at the risk of death, jail time, or social and emotional ruin? Not one blasted thing! Nothing. We probably won’t even get a sincere apology from a public official when it does go belly up. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the primary people making these decisions are themselves so completely disconnected from the real picture due to their own wanton consumption habits. They are endowed with their salary for the rest of their life, benefit from a royal health plan, and yet some even fail to pay their own taxes.

AIG clearly has their own problems. But just as I shake my head in disbelief when women refuse to leave their abusive husbands, I just can’t figure out what kind of maniacal plan the Secretary of Treasury and the Federal Reserve had in mind on this one. Who gave them the authority to determine that one business gets bailed out above another? That one business is any more important to our social fabric than another? That the consequences called Real Life don’t apply to these companies? Even worse, IF you’re going to perform such an unprecedented act, aren’t you at least willing to go through the homework of everything that act entails, i.e. reading all of the contracts that are presently in place, properly appraising just how much their other assets really are worth, etc?! Gentlemen, don’t approve the act of an AIG bailout 100% and then get mad when something happens that you didn’t know about – i.e.: the AIG bonuses. You had every opportunity to know everything there was to know. It’s called a test. A real life test. You know, the kind of real life testing that all of your schooling and life experiences are supposed to prepare you for so that you’re actually competent enough to take the job that the American people pay you to do! And clearly you screwed up! It’s your own freaking fault that you didn’t know about it! Just as it’s your own freaking fault that you overpaid for assets in the tens of billions of dollars! So let’s be perfectly clear about this… whoever closed the bail out deal with AIG in the first place is 100% responsible and should be FIRED and perhaps even have charges filed for willful negligence at best, or treasonous acts at worst.

How dare our government condemn Madoff when they are doing the EXACT same thing with all of our money? And lest anyone forget, yes – it’s OUR money, not the government’s. We earn it while we work on the frontlines while we simultaneously are shown how little responsibility and accountability means to those who are in power. And yet we still provide our tax dollars for the purposes of paying for a government to protect our freedoms.

The U.S. Government is mismanaging funds.

They are playing a shell game.

The Federal Reserve just keeps printing money and yet REFUSES to provide our country with an accounting of just how much money (via the M3 report) they are printing, thus we are unable to define for ourselves what our currency is really worth. How in the world is that any different than Madoff having his CPA send out false solubility reports to his investors?!

Oh, and one last point I’d like to make here. So, you have a government who has totally screwed up publicly enough that even the mainstream media can’t ignore it, and so what do the do to truly fix the problem? They paint every recipient of that $165 million bonus share as some kind of a criminal—even a terrorist if you will—against the sovereignty of this American people. And to show you just how big and powerful they are, they actually draft a bill which would directly tax all of these financial terrorists with a 90% tax! Using taxes as a weapon, you say? How can they do that? They can’t. It’s called a direct unapportioned tax, and it’s 100% illegal and completely unconstitutional, for the very same reasons why your present federal income tax is illegal. You don’t believe that our wonderful U.S. government would commit such an illegal act? Really? You just watched them try to do it right in front of your eyes against the AIG bonus recipients!

Of course the government did nothing to preemptively thwart the payment of the bonuses to AIG executives. That’s because, very much like the ridiculous stimulus bill, they didn’t even bother to comprehend the entire picture of their actions. This is the same government who overpaid by over $70 billion dollars for the assets it purchased from the companies it bailed out! Whether or not there was a senator who acknowledged and attempted to keep the bonuses in the contract is beside the point.

I say kudos to the AIG Executive who resigned in the New York Times today! And I don’t care whether or not he does donate any of his money to charity. Legally, contractually, it’s his money. The U.S. Government simply bought into a Lion’s Zoo and is now whining when they got bit! And now they are claiming foul because many of the vital AIG personnel refuse to work under such circumstances. Can you blame them? Sure you can’t relate to such a huge bonus in your own life. I get that. But it’s what the guy signed on for. It was part of the reason why he left his previous job to take a position with AIG 11 years ago. And now he’s being asked to work for free for an undetermined period of time while AIG fixes all of their screw ups and be persecuted by nearly an entire country in the meantime. Does that sound like a job you’d want to keep? Heck, when I heard during the live Congressional questioning that the CEO was working for $1 and taking all of the crap from Congress, I would have quit on the spot and told Congress that they can fix their own mess and not use me as a whipping boy.

Here’s some wisdom my mother taught me. “Be very aware of what people say about other people, because they are likely to be saying the same thing about you when you’re not around.” You’ve seen what the U.S. Government is willing to do when we are looking. Now, get a clue as to what they are doing when we’re not watching!

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The Profit of Not Curing Cancer

2009-03-18T09:05:00.007-07:00

This is an article which I wrote that was published in Monetary Intelligence Magazine in March 2009. It’s clear that the hype we receive on a great many “studies and statistics” from our government agencies is misleading at best. As someone who has gone through her own cancer scare, this information makes me feel so abandoned by a country I love.

History of Errors
In the December 1959 issue of American Medical Association Journal, an editorial was published that boldly stated there was insufficient evidence “to warrant the assumption” that cigarette smoking was the principal factor in the increase of lung cancer. Who were the medical experts who authored such blatant falsehoods? Dr. Ian MacDonald, a prominent cancer surgeon, and Dr. Henry Garland, an internationally recognized specialist in radiology. These two individuals made national headlines with their claims. In fact, Dr. Garland specifically stated that cigarette smoking was actually beneficial as a tranquilizer. MacDonald even went on to note that smoking was a “harmless pastime”— even up to 24 cigarettes per day without consequence. He even went so far as to suggest “a pack a day keeps the cancer away.”

Fast forward to the mid 1960s and 1970s. Doctors Garland and MacDonald were used by government and health agencies to again submit an “expert” opinion regarding the use of laetrile, aka Vitamin B-17, aka nitrilocides on cancer patients. In spite of countless studies by renowned doctors, clinics, universities and specialists worldwide that showed the contrary, Garland and MacDonald claimed that no direct benefits were viable. Neither Garland nor MacDonald ever tested or used laetrile themselves. They merely compiled a mountain of other fraudulent or derelict research data and presented it as factual. What’s interesting is how these two doctors, and countless other trusted professionals in the medical and research industry, have been used to sacrifice medical integrity and cover up information for the sole purpose of the monetary well-being and profit of the medical industry. Unfortunately, that criminal practice continues today . . . particularly with cancer.

Who’s Hiding What?
Evidence is mounting that the FDA, the American Medical Association and the American Cancer Society are deliberately hindering American citizens from having access to laetrile, a natural substance which has a proven record to prevent, cure and minimize the effects of cancer. Given that there are hundreds of thousands of cancer fatalities each year, it’s no wonder that expert author G. Edward Griffin calls this “an act of genocide” by the FDA and its other cohorts.
Which begs the question: If there was an easily accessible nutrient that could aid the cure and prevention of cancer, why would such entities fight against its release to the general public? Who would want to hide a cure for cancer and what motivation would they have for perpetrating such an act of horror? My answer to such questions usually starts with “Follow the money.” It always comes down to money.

A study conducted by USA Today shows that over 50 percent of all of the cowardly experts which have been hired to advise the government on the merits of laetrile and any other proposed medicines have heavily-involved financial relationships with the pharmaceutical industry. In other words, their paychecks are affected by their research. If their research were to uncover a non-patentable substance to cure a widespread disease, they would have to pound the pavement for a new job.

In 1971, the FDA reported to an Ad Hoc Committee of Consultants for Review and Evaluation of Laetrile that laetrile could no longer be promoted, sold or even tested in the United States. Why would the FDA treat a natural occurring substance of everyday fruits and vegetables with more alarm and restrictions than it would illegal drugs, poisons and unconventional medicines? Simple: there is no financial or political benefit to endorsing it.

A patent for laetrile is unobtainable since it is a naturally occurring substance. Real money can only be made if you’ve got a medical patent. So, instead of losing millions of dollars in lobbying monies, hundreds of thousands of jobs in research and medicine, our nation would rather force its citizens to flee to foreign shores to access the freedom of choice in treating their cancer without poisons, cutting or burning, and more importantly, by accessing a method that has a higher rate of success than any medical practice put forth now in the U.S. for the treatment of cancer.

In some studies, cancer patients have had an 82 percent improvement rate. There aren’t any other current “anti-cancer” methods that can boast such results, especially without doing harm elsewhere to the body of a cancer victim. 1972, Dr. Dean Burk, director of cytochemistry section of the federal governments National Cancer Institute, reported, “When we add Laetrile to a cancer culture under the microscope providing the enzyme glucosidase also is present, we can see the cancer cells dying off like flies.” The combination of glucosidase and laetrile would occur in human beings 100 percent of the time, as glucosidase is found prevalently in the small intestines. During his participation in the Seventh International Congress of Chemotherapy held in Prague in 1971, Dr. Burk also stated “Laetrile appears to work against many forms of cancer including lung cancer. And it is absolutely non-toxic.”

Laetrile is widely used in Mexico, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Philippines, Costa Rica, England, Germany, Greece, Japan, Spain and Switzerland in treating cancer, just to name a few. Are all of the medical and research teams of all of these countries wrong on their views of laetrile? Each year, Mexico and Germany receive thousands of U.S. visitors for laetrile treatment. Some patients are not only able to lead longer lives but are able to fully recover and lead healthy lives.

Apricots are considered sacred and a show of wealth by the famous Hunza tribe in the Himalayan mountains. The more apricot trees they own, the wealthier they are considered to be. The most prized food in this tribe is the apricot seed. This tribe has never had any known instance of cancer among them. Their traditional diet contains over 200% more nitriloside than the American diet.

The Abkhazians which reside deep in the Caucasus Mountains also experience the same health profile as the Hunza. Additionally the Hopi, Modoc and Navajo Indians have had a very low rate of cancer among them. In fact, it’s believed by many medical experts who support the use of a diet rich in nitrilosides that such incidences of cancer are brought about as a result of the “civilization” of these tribes as they replace their diet with that more like the rest of America. The Hopi and Navajo tribes were found to regularly ingest as much as 800 milligrams of nitriloside a day. This phenomenon has continued to be observed in both tropic and arctic regions of the world.

Follow the Money
The average patient will spend between $5,000 and $25,000 for laetrile treatment and rarely need recurring treatment. Compare this to the average cost for U.S. cancer treatment at $55,000 a year—without complications. This does not include the costs for making the patient more comfortable at home. These costs can run as much as an additional 35 percent with complications. For some, cancer treatment costs are so high they can actually prevent any treatment. Last year alone, over $219 billion was spent by patients just on medical costs of cancer treatment. This does not include the nearly $300 billion that was raised and contributed for cancer research. Yes, not curing cancer is a very profitable business for those involved in research and supposed preventative pharmaceuticals.

The money is so attractive that many researchers and doctors actually counterfeit studies and research in order to get some of the money. Between 1977 and 1980 it was determined that 62 doctors had manipulated the research data which they had provided and pocketed the fees. In 1973, a study created by the FDA itself showed that 1 out of 5 doctors would invent research data on the effect of new drugs and submit it for publication.

American drug companies pay doctors as much as $1,000 per patient to test and use their drugs on patients. This compromises the medical integrity of a doctor treating a patient if they know there’s a big check waiting in their bank account when a certain drug is used. This is in addition to the surgery and office fees charged by the doctors to treat patients. What monetary incentives do doctors, scientists, cancer organizations and politicians have to promote the effective use of a naturally occurring substance such as laetrile? None. Not one penny.

Cause and Effect
Even without big cash rewards on the line for not promoting a natural substance for the cure of cancer, is it any wonder there are misperceptions on laetrile among the medical and lay professionals? With so much misinformation being invented by so-called experts, it’s no wonder that the majority of doctors think laetrile is downright quackery. How could anyone relying strictly on hearsay and politically motivated grapevines think differently?

Research shows that none of the experts who oppose the use of laetrile ever actually used it, researched it, or did more than read information which was dispensed by others who were also inexperienced in developing their professional conclusions. Now there are generations of medical professionals misinformed on the use of laetrile—professionals viewing fiction as fact because the proper research was never performed by the FDA in the first place.

In the 1970’s, when a highly regarded scientist was actually used by the FDA to test laetrile, he came to the same conclusion as so many experts worldwide that laetrile was effective in the treatment of cancer. However, this did not bode well with the financial motive of the FDA. Instead they elected to make use of the high percentage of errors which can occur in the study and research of a medical treatment and chose to repeat laetrile testing again and again until their desired results could be founded. Evidence of research error abounds as noted by Dr. Trelford of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Ohio State University Hospital notes. Dr. Trelford states that “chemotherapy of gynecological tumors does not appear to have increased life expectancy except in sporadic cases.”

Additionally, a report by the Southern Research Institute based on research conducted for the National Cancer Institute stated that “most of the accepted drugs in the American Cancer Society’s ‘proven cure’ category produced cancer in laboratory animals that previously had been healthy!” Ultimately the scientist’s whose studies supported the use of laetrile was labeled as a quack, and the tests were ordered to be repeated again and again while making unscientific changes in the doses administered, and convoluting the tracking of the subjects. Additionally the FDA chose to use exercise an unprecedented high and unrealistic standards of success on the laetrile studies in order that it may be deemed ineffective. Ultimately, the FDA got their studies to “show” that laetrile was “quackery”.

So, the question remains. What are we to do? Frankly, until the Laetrilegate Scandal is fully exposed, the FDA will continue to perpetuate their politically and economically charged agenda—an agenda that now comes with legal results for anyone trying to sell or promote laetrile. National arm wrestling champion Jason Vale, who claimed that his kidney and pancreas were cured by eating apricot seeds—an organic of laetrile—was convicted in 2003 for, among other things, marketing laetrile. The US Food and Drug Administration continues to seek jail sentences for vendors selling laetrile for cancer treatment, calling it a “highly toxic product that has not shown any effect on treating cancer.” Yet laetrile can be found in common foods like almonds, apple seeds and black cherries.

Hundreds of thousands of cancer patients who undergo surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy die every year, yet these treatments continue to be touted as “safe and effective” by the FDA and the medical and pharmaceutical industry at large. Not a single death of a cancer patient has ever been attributed to the supervised use of laetrile. In fact, there are numerous studies which have shown even the most advance forms of cancer have been able to enjoy more time even though they did not begin a laetrile treatment until they were on death’s door.

Ultimately, the answer to the question “What are we to do” is up to you.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Obama Lacks Class and Dignity—There I’ve finally said it!

2009-03-09T12:27:00.008-07:00

By Kellene Bishop

I have been biting my tongue on this topic for a long time now, not wanting to appear like I’m not giving him a chance. But today was the last straw.

Barack Obama has absolutely no Presidential class or dignity.

I was shocked when he was making his “presidential” speech, after he’d already won the election, and saw fit to take pot shots at President Bush. I know I was raised by good parents, but I would think that any parent who’s raising a future president of the United States would raise them with an awareness of dignity and civility. I expect to hear that kind of anti-Bush rhetoric during the politicking leading up to the election, but not afterwards, and frankly I don’t think it’s been done in recent history either. Why? Because it lacks class! It’s petty. This was supposed to be his first day of presidential regality and he sees fit to use it to promote his “nanny nanny noo noo” nonsense against President Bush.

Adding insult to injury, he crippled Washington D.C. financially by bankrupting them with the most lavish inaugural address in history, outspending Bush by over 4 to 1!

Our country is in MOURNING. Millions have lost their retirement, their jobs, their hope for a future, and he decides that elaborate excess is in the country’s best interest? During such an economic crisis, there are several U.S. Presidents that certainly would have firmly believed this to be undignified (Wilson, Roosevelt, Washington, Adams, etc.)

Since Obama has taken the reins of the Presidency, he continues to shift blame to what is going on in our nation to the previous President and the Republican party. Mr. President, be a man, not a martyr! Own up and fix it if you think it’s so bad! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not happy with how Bush performed his duties. And I feel that my convictions and beliefs have been betrayed in many aspects by the Republicans. However, Obama cannot continue to be believable in any way shape or form if he intends to put the blame of our country’s woes on the backs of any particular party or president. After all, Obama has stains on his hands for the mortgage mess we’re in as he was a part of insisting that government made economically questionable home loans. Obama screws up while taking the Oath of Office and sees fit to blame it on a Supreme Court justice? This is not behavior fitting of the president of our nation. Surely his mother raised him better than that! (How about the simple rule of “respect your elders?”)

How in the world does Obama think he’s promoting bi-partisanship when every time he speaks he sees fit to remind the American people that either a) They made a mistake in electing Bush in the first place (ouch…salt in the wound) or b) Our votes didn’t matter over the last 8 years because Obama is going to undo everything Bush ever did, or c) those who still do promote and believe in the Republican way of life are conquered human beings.

He continues to forget that the voters of this nation, to whom he is addressing, put Bush in office for two consecutive terms! And yet he sees fit to degrade that administration at every turn and to nullify ANYTHING that that administration did previously that Obama and the Democratic Party disagrees with. What good is the right to vote if your votes can merely be negated the next time someone comes along who doesn’t agree with them? To me that’s not a republic, that’s a monarchy. That kind of behavior is not indicative of a president of a free country, it’s indicative of a tyrant. And how does this behavior reinforce in any way his so-called goals of bipartisan cooperation. I’m starting to wonder seriously if we haven’t just been taken over by a King and his “King’s men.” In light of Obama’s complete disregard for the will of this nation’s people, he’s allowed for federal monies to be spent on stem cell research. Many people supported President Bush’s actions on stem-cell research. I, for one, certainly did, out of my devotion to the freedoms of the Constitution and my firmly held religious beliefs. It is immoral to take of the wealth from one people to give to another. And that’s exactly what he’s doing with this allocation. It is in violation of the religious beliefs of millions of Americans in our country as well. This isn’t even HIS money to allocate to such a cause. It is for the function of the government whose primary purpose is to protect the rights and freedoms of the people of this nation! Perhaps if we weren’t taxed so high, then private enterprise would still have money to fund such research themselves and not burden the American taxpayer with a process so repugnant to the senses of many.

I wonder how many other presidential policies he will attempt to reverse? Perhaps he’d like to teach George Washington a thing or two and decide to reverse his policy on the right to keep and bear arms… oh wait, Obama’s already trying to do that.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government"
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

"The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good"
-- George Washington

"The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed."
-- Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers at 184-188

Or perhaps he’d like to reinstitute the Sedition Act which Thomas Jefferson specifically abolished. Perhaps he’d like to reinstate the errors of other presidents while he’s at it such as the internment camps which violated the rights of hundreds of thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Perhaps he’d like to get rid of the Declaration of Independence altogether so as not to be inconvenience with any conflict of conscience.

I don’t believe that the majority of our government-elected officials are serving the people any longer. They are serving themselves to get power and gain, and we apathetic sheep are allowing it. While Obama’s not even able to keep his campaign promises for an entire week, he’s sabotaging more of our country’s freedoms. Why doesn’t he show some dignity and put to rest the accusations of his heritage, to prove once and for all that he is legally able to be elected President of our nation instead of sending his dogs to the courthouse to use every convoluted and perverted law of privacy to protect that information from ever being released? If he has nothing to hide then why won’t he show this information instead of bullying his citizens in court, now at the cost to American taxpayers?

Here’s a warning “Mr. President.” If you are not able to even create a façade of class and decorum when you are in front of the cameras for all the world to see, then I suspect you are doing much worse behind our backs. Remember, the Declaration of Independence reads “…Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” I, for one, will not consent or stand idly by while you insult this great nation with your representation of us, nor will I allow you to strip us of any more of our liberties. You are truly the last straw—of the indignity of liberties lost. I will use all of my influence to right the real wrongs of our past leaders.

I suppose that if nothing else, I appreciate you for waking me up from my nap of stupor. Had it not been for your blatant and bold uncivilized behavior, I might still be sleeping.

Is Swiss Banking in Cahoots with the IRS?

2009-03-06T13:13:00.006-07:00

Here’s food for thought for you. Is the Swiss Banking system actually cahoots in with the IRS and our government? I believe there is sufficient evidence to indicate that their recent buckling to legal maneuvering on the part of the U.S. and their supposed outrage at having to do so, is merely a ruse. I believe that there is reason to believe that there’s more to these actions of divulging names of their U.S. depositors than simply complying with the premise of a lawsuit. You decide.

So here’s the problem with the U.S. suing the Swiss Banking system to reveal the names of its account holders who may be guilty of tax fraud or tax evasion. You’ve got at least 2 wrongs that definitely aren’t making up any rights.

First of all, it’s a fishing expedition. None of these individuals have been proven in the U.S. to have committed tax fraud or tax evasion. And yet without formal indictments the U.S. feels that it has cause to subpoena every American-held account in Switzerland? No, instead the U.S. is making suppositions that if someone has an overseas account in the Swiss Banking system then they must be committing a crime. That kind of supposition is AGAINST our legal system and our due process of law.

Additionally, IF the government’s idea of tax fraud or evasion has ANYTHING to do with paying federal income taxes, then that too is illegal on our country’s part as federal income taxes are indeed illegal. We merely pay them out of fear, submission, and ignorance. No wonder we see IRS agents training with guns! I’m sorry. Someone tell me again why IRS tax collectors need to train with guns? Hey if it’s for their own self-defense, I’m all for it. But it’s the IRS who sanctions and REQUIRES such training. (Man, I’m sure many of you would love to work for a company that requires you to use a firearm instead of penalizing you from even storing one in your car on company property!) A repo man is not allowed to use a gun to get property back. Are we supposed to believe that the IRS is a government entity? Um…it is NOT. These are U.S. citizens who have been deceived into believing they work for an official government entity and are enforcing some kind of federal law by collecting taxes on our labor—at gun point if necessary! So why do the IRS have so much authority to spread fear into American citizens? Oh, yeah…now I get it – because the IRS cannot commit their actions with the strength of truth and the law behind them. They can only get away with what they do via force, fear, and brutal compulsion. If you don’t believe a word I’ve said in this regard, check on the testimony of countless former IRS Agents who have been fired and socially skewered for questioning the IRS tax system, unable to find any justification for the federal income tax, who they themselves do NOT pay a federal income tax as a result of their belief that the law is on their side — and join a million of other Americans who do not pay their federal income tax, and who have boldly attempted to get their findings out to the rest of the citizens in the U.S. One last note on the IRS — after decades of protestors taking this matter to courts of every level, to their IRS supervisors, and to legal mediation, there has yet to be ONE person who can show the LAW which enables the IRS to collect personal income tax. Even the Supreme Court found that the 16th Amendment did NOT provide any new power or authority to tax than the government had prior to the 16th Amendment.

Second fly in the ointment. Tax evasion is not illegal in Switzerland. And tax fraud has to be proven. The fact that the Swiss Banking system has collapsed to a law suit by the U.S. government has suspicion written all over it. The Swiss Banking system generated 36 percent of their income in the U.S. last year. They contribute to about 20 percent of their economic growth in their own nation every year. The fact that they would crumble like a sick dog due to a suit filed in a U.S. federal court is very suspicious to me. Either their nation is crumbling, or ours made a sweet deal with them. After acquiescing to providing 300 names to the U.S. (not evidence of any wrong-doing, mind you, just names, hence the “fishing expedition theory”) the U.S. turned around and sued for over 52,000 more names!! Now how much do you want to bet that the U.S. doesn’t even have cases filed for over 52,000 wealthy individuals they suspect of tax fraud or evasion? Switzerland has no legal justification to accommodate such a request other than bullying and fear or other reprisals. Peter V. Kunz, head of the business law department at the University of Bern stated, “Switzerland is afraid of fishing expeditions from abroad,” Kunz said. “It cannot be that just out of curiosity, without any hint of illegality, foreign authorities come to Switzerland and ask for information.” The ridiculous nature of what is happening is that Switzerland IS allowing individuals to get information simply out of curiosity!
Bank secrecy is literally a cash cow in the Swiss Banking systems. They could lose at least 50 percent of their depositors if they do not recover from this scandal immediately.

Michigan Senator Carl Levin who oversees the U.S. Senate subcommittee which is investigating United Bank of Switzerland proposed new laws this week to STOP Americans from acting freely with their own money and to prevent them from using offshore financial centers altogether. (This legislation was previously sponsored by Barack Obama!) That’s right. Our own currency and economy is going to hell in a hand basket, and this uppity senator wants to ensure that we all go down with it! At the very least they want to be able to put stiffer taxes on those with offshore accounts and give the Treasury Department the authority to take action against foreign jurisdictions that impede their efforts.

Our government claims that “conduct that actively facilitates tax evasion amounts to a declaration of war by offshore secrecy jurisdictions against honest, hardworking taxpayers. We’re determined to fight back and end the abuses inflicted on us by those tax havens.” In my opinion those who have placed some of their assets overseas are merely fighting the war that already exists within our own borders of illegal tax burdens and an economy that is unstable and out of control BECAUSE OF CHOICES WHICH OUR GOVERNMENT HAS MADE…not some act of God. To me, our government bullying one of our allies in this manner and attempting to eliminate this venue for the income earners of our nation is no different than them attempting to take our firearms away. I truly believe that they are indeed attempting to give us nothing to fight back with, including our own money.

Now how is this kind of reach of power even possible across country borders? Because of the Federal Reserve and its relationship with the World Bank, that’s how. And here we thought we lived in a republic, when in fact we are being governed by an international banking entity.

This problem will not fix itself folks. We don’t get to live in a republic if we do not act like free citizens and use our freedom to right wrongs. Take action. Start writing and start calling your government “leaders.”

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Apathy to Bondage

2009-03-05T13:25:00.005-07:00

As I shared earlier, bailing out the auto manufacturers of GM and Chrysler is a very bad idea. These companies have already shown that they are incapable of running a tight ship. And they could easily declare bankruptcy and never pay back the American taxpayers the money we’ve given them. Well, guess what? That’s exactly what GMs auditors are saying is going to happen with GM. In spite of the bailout monies given to them, there is still talk of filing for bankruptcy “protection.” I love how they call it that in corporate America. “Protection”…like the taxpayers are the bad guys for wanting their bailout money paid back.

As you know AIG has been granted MORE money. This is what really irks me. GM and Chrysler are auto manufacturers. I suppose you can expect that they will “miscalculate” money. But AIG is a money manager! Not only were they criminal in their handling of money previously, but we gave them a bailout and they’ve shown that they are consistent with their mismanagement of money yet again! What part of us giving them MORE money doesn’t seem incredibly ludicrous to anyone else out there?

And yet we Americans have allowed this insanity to rage on. Who reading this has actually taken time to write their government “leaders” and let them know that this is unacceptable? Very, very few. And since the rationale can be applied that the “very few” don’t reflect the sentiments of the majority, the insanity rages on because our government “leaders” have forgotten their responsibility is to solely defend and protect our freedoms. If such a crystal clear ruler was used when they made such insane financial decisions, then the bail out would never have happened in the first place, let alone the stimulus package. In what way do these monies defend and protect the freedoms of American citizens life, liberty, and possession of property? NONE. It only creates a heavier burden of bondage on us due to the horrific taxation that will follow.

I pray that it is not too late for Americans to take action and responsibility for the insurance of their own freedoms instead of continuing to delegate incompetents to do so.

In Freedom,

Kellene

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The Economy - Real Life, Real Time

2009-03-02T07:18:00.007-07:00

*There's a brand spanking new house on my street that has lost over $10,000 in equity every single month for the last 10 months!

*The Dow is just barely above 7,000 points which is a critical support level of our economy. Once it goes down below that, then we will lose a significant number of investors who have reliably played a part in our economy.

*Banks STILL are not lending freely with the tax dollars we've provided them--whether it be home mortgages, business loans or auto loans. Previously banks would issue about 130% of the book value of a brand new car so long as you had a credit score above 680. Now you have to have a 750 credit score to get 105% of the book value for a brand new car! Wait a minute. I give you the money so that you can lend, and then you don't lend to those who gave you the money? Something is VERY wrong here.

*Cheese, produce, and grains have increased in price by as much as 400%. I used be able to buy an artichoke for less than a dollar each. Now it's nearly $4 each. A bag of wheat used to cost $8.99 for a 50 pound bag. Now it's as much as $45 for the same 50 pounds! The same goes for rice, cheese, milk, etc.

I don't know how "rich" Obama thinks the wealthy are, but he's ridiculous to think that the rich are going to be able to pull us out of the recession. Thinking that the government is the answer to this crisis is WORSE than "The Emperor's New Clothes" because the emperor is strutting around naked, trying to tell everyone that he's wearing new clothes, but he actually KNOWS that he's strutting around in his birthday suit!

There is discussion going on in Capital Hill right now that in order to "save" the elderly, they are going to take over the administration of retirement accounts. WHAT? You mean the same government who can't properly oversee the bankrupt Social Security accounts of our nation now want us to believe that they can handle our other retirement accounts? This is the same government which doesn't know the difference between a Promise and a Lie.

The government can't even count votes, can't pay their own taxes, overpays by BILLIONS of dollars for assets which they buy, can't "make" banks give loans even when they provide them with the money to do so, can't protect the freedom of our citizens — which is their number one responsibility — and can't even take the time to read what they are voting on, and yet we're supposed to believe that they are the sole solution for this economic meltdown? PUH-LEEZE!

If this keeps up we'll WISH we were living in a socialistic nation, only because it's the lesser evil to a monarchy!

I believe that there are still REAL Americans out there that are starting to recognize that they've been hoodwinked, who are not cowards as the Attorney General likes to call them. I think a Boston Tea Party is the least of our governments concerns.

The Government has forgotten their purpose – to SERVE the American people. Instead they are helping themselves to the fruits of the labors of the American people. They have forgotten that a FREE people are responsible for giving them any power in the first place, and that a FREE people have the rights to reclaim and reorganize that power.

People of America, exercise your rights and make those cell phones and e-mails, fax machines and overpriced stamps actually mean something. WRITE your legislatures, senators, congressmen, governors. Reclaim your freedoms! Our hard earned liberties which have cost the lives of thousands are being depleted more stringently and in more atrocious manners than any cause ever before!

Our lives, liberty and property depend on these freedoms. Our peace and happiness depend on these freedoms.

This crisis of our nation isn't just about "overcoming the economy". Warren Buffet was quoted today as saying that the American people “have overcome worse." No, they have NOT — to be completely forthright. They have NEVER been confronted with such a financial crisis COMBINED with a crisis of freedoms and rights! Their money AND their freedoms are being stripped away. This is a crisis that we have NEVER had to overcome previously. I PRAY that we have the strength to overcome it now.

To find out who your local legislatures, senators, congressmen, governors are to contact, please visit http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

War On America Is Here!

2009-02-19T16:23:00.008-07:00

Perhaps our citizens are waiting for the news to flash a headline that we’ve been invaded by a terrorist group and their location is X and their numbers are X and they are armed with X and their intent is X. Unfortunately, as a result of many only willing to recognize such an act as a genuine threat on our freedoms, many will not act in spite of a very real, more subtle, strategic and deadly war brought within our borders.

There are over eight thousand Americans being killed every year by this infiltration.

I believe that some serious education is necessary for American citizens so that they can rationally and logically see this situation for what it is.

For the record, I wholeheartedly embrace any foreign immigrants who come to our nation—legally. I love their input and talents which are so different from the norm. However, tolerance for illegal acts by illegal immigrants is costing our nation everything we hold dear. Consequently, I have no tolerance for the initial and subsequent illegal acts that stem from the vast amount of illegal aliens. Why? Because when they come here illegally, an enormous domino effect occurs which drastically compromises the freedoms and liberties which so many have paid for financially and with their lives.

Here are the facts:
- Illegal aliens have already proven themselves to be unprofitable citizens to our nation as they begin the relationship with the U.S. on a note deception ie: breaking the law to enter our country. Based on conservative studies, over 60% of all violent crimes are committed by illegal immigrants. SIXTY PERCENT! Imagine 60% less rape, murder, assault crimes happening if illegal immigrants were unable to enter this country. Does that chip away at your freedom?

- Many illegal aliens, including terrorists, use the fairness of our justice system to abuse U.S. citizens. Case in point, illegal aliens have successfully sued a rancher in Arizona for “abuse” because he caught them and held them at gun point for illegally crossing the border onto his land.
In addition to that, the property of Casey Nethercott now belongs to illegal aliens. It was SEIZED by the U.S. Government and given to two illegal immigrants from El Salvador and Mr. Nethercott is in JAIL! See this site for additional information: http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2009/02/illegal_alien_l.html
The freedom of American citizens is now being compromised as a result of the dollar signs that legal activists groups seek to gain is using our court system to assist illegal immigrants.

- Illegal aliens are now costing the state of California over $9 billion a year to care for. They continue to cost other key states billions of dollars per year as well. Do you think that your tax costs go up and up simply because of inflation? Think again. They go up because of our non-existence borders and unenforced laws. Do you have a say about how your tax dollars are spent and when they increase and by how much? No. How’s that for freedom and liberty from tyrants?

- Over 90% of all illegal drugs are brought into this nation by illegal immigrants! 90%!!!

- Legal immigrants are screened for contagious diseases. Illegal immigrants obviously are not. In spite of many plagues having been eradicated since the 1940’s and 1950’s malaria, dengue, leprosy, hepatitis A-E, chagas disease, and a deadly multi-drug resistance form of tuberculosis cases have been discovered in record numbers in CA, AZ, TX, FL, and NJ and NY! In fact, the majority of these diseases are being found present in illegal aliens. (see more information at http://www.usillegalaliens.com/impacts_of_illegal_immigration_diseases.html)
Not only do these diseases cost lives, but they also increase our health spending in the U.S. to treat those who come in contact with the disease, the cost of uninsured, and the cost to properly staff health practitioners in order to properly take on this infiltration pandemic. It is an absolute MYTH to say that the illegal immigrants take on jobs that American Citizens do not. The jobs are not the problem. The pay is the problem. And why is the pay so low? Because there are so many willing illegal immigrants willing to work for it. It’s a manifestation of supply and demand. So don’t blame this on the American work ethic. Assign appropriate blame and encouragement of terrorism to the companies that willingly engage in such activities. Does this affect the freedom of American Citizens and their right to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Absolutely.

- Over $155 billion a year is spent on the care, (there are well over 11 million uninsured illegal aliens in our nation) education, safety, public services, such as libraries, etc.) and welfare of illegal immigrants or their family members here in the U.S. Over $45 billion a year is NOT in circulation in the U.S. because it is sent to the homelands of the illegal immigrants. And finally, it is estimated that over $2 billion in tax dollars are not collected due to cash paid day laborers and other tax avoidance issues practiced by illegal immigrants and their aids.

- The fact that illegal migrant families may be split up due to deportation is not a reason NOT to enforce the law. If my father had robbed a bank and then used that money to support and sustain me, is that reason enough not to deport him? NO. Just because he’s my father? NO. And yet we hear this excuse repeatedly as reasons why less deportation is utilized against illegals.

- California is just one example, but it recently announced that it was going to release as many as 57,000 prisoners over the next 3 years. How many of the CA inmates do you think are illegal immigrants? Overcrowding in prisons is a problem in every single one of our states. Your tax dollars pay for the incarcerations of prisoners. And now California is setting the precedence that your neighborhoods will now be less safe because illegal immigrants are overcrowding the prisons! Let’s be mindful as well that some of those who will be released are indeed illegal immigrants. So now we have them scorning our laws in the first place, being found guilty of scorning them yet again, and now we’re not going to deport them. We’re going to let them go freely.

- Our schools are overcrowded, not only with illegal immigrants themselves, but also with children of illegal immigrants. As a result the education of your children is being compromised. States are not able to pay teachers what they are worth because they instead struggle with the overcrowding problems, costs of free school lunches, having to accommodate the language pediment which may be a impediment, etc.

- We are not being “un-Christian” in deporting these citizens. The scriptures are replete with examples of consequences which will always follow actions of error. And the scriptures likewise promise dire consequences to us if we fritter away this wonderful land we’ve been given as a result of ignoring the value of the freedoms we have. How can we show we value our freedoms if we’re willing to let others trample on them so abundantly?

- Finally, we are losing too many lives to the lawlessness of illegal aliens. We went to war because 2,998 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. As a result we’ve lost over 4,000 soldiers in our war on Iraq. And yet there are 12 U.S. Citizens dying every day at the hands of an illegal alien! That’s over 4,300 murders EVERY YEAR (no other violent crimes) and fruitful lives of our citizens are lost every day as a result of the blind eye we have towards enforcing illegal immigration! 13 people are killed every day at the hand of illegal alien drivers. That’s over 4,700 American killed EVERY YEAR. Yet no war has been declared against this terrorist act! 8 American children are victims of sexual crimes committed by illegal immigrants EVERY DAY! That’s over 2,900 annually! Of the illegal aliens that have been the subject of incarceration studies it was discovered that illegal immigrants who were in jail had been arrested an average of EIGHT TIMES with an average of THIRTEEN offenses each!

It’s one thing to look at this problem in on small portion at a time. But when you see the big picture, perhaps you can better realize just how serious of a problem it is. Let’s open our borders widely to legal, contributing citizens. The cost otherwise is just too great!

Please, please, please take this seriously. Please have your voice heard by your public officials at all levels. We don’t need to resort to a Boston Tea Party kind of act or violence of any kind. We simply need to pummel the lawmakers with what’s on our minds in this regard. They truly think we are apathetic, that we aren’t paying attention or that we won’t ever notice or organize ourselves to make a difference.

No, I’m not going to give you some kind of a electronic petition to sign and to forward on. You’ve got to take this country back with your own heart and mind. Blood has been spilt for the freedoms we still enjoy. Taking some time to communicate sincere thoughts is the least we can do in their honor and in honor of our generations to come. This is too great of a country for us to just give away in this manner.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Why the Stimulus Package Works!

2009-02-19T09:10:00.004-07:00

I think that the stimulus package is a GREAT idea. I think it just may stimulate a wealth of what this nation needs the most of right now…ACTION.

If you had been caught up in a natural disaster and went to the gas pump to purchase fuel only to find that the prices had been jacked up to $10 a gallon, surely you would take action right? You would call the authorities. You would demand that things be made right, right?

Then why are so many of our American citizens allowing for the same price gauging behavior now in the midst of this economic crisis?!

1100 pages of a bill that no one has read and yet our so-called leaders have voted for on our behalf. Really? On our behalf? Was it in our behalf that the gas station jacked up its price to $10 a gallon? No. It was opportunistic politicking. And it’s very much like price guaging.

So many citizens are in a panic mode. They are understandably demanding action. And as a result of our vulnerable pain and concern our political leaders who were voted into office to serve our needs are using such a dire situation to orchestrate their continued role of power and the charade of serving their fellowmen.

And since no one read the 1100 pages of a spending bill, we’re now hearing that there may need to be yet another spending bill to fill in the gaps!

The American people did not cry out for a bill to fix roads, IRS administrative costs, or STD prevention. I’m sorry. This may sound crass here. But why in the world should my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have to be indebted with a tax burden just because someone can’t take time to use a condom or to manage their hormones?!

They NEED jobs and tax relief! And yet only 12 cents of every dollar we are burdened with in the form of taxes will even go to that end.

If these facts don’t bring you to take action to reclaim your freedom and dignity, then I’m not sure what will. You wouldn’t suffer yourself to endure such indignity of a price gauging at a gas station. Surely you will not stand for something so much worse!

I hope that this stimulus bill creates action on the part of our American citizens, as we’ve had a dearth of such action since the Regan era of capitalism. This bill is a prison sentence to generations upon generations. This bill certainly won’t create jobs. It will make some cronies wealthy, I’m sure. But no government can create jobs for a free people and have them continue to be free. Only we can truly be responsible for our living, our debts, and our future and still have freedom.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Bail Out Means…

2009-02-18T11:19:00.005-07:00

When we used to hear the words “bail out” we would usually associate it with a sentence like, “I just had to bail out my crack addict cousin from jail.” I find myself wondering if it isn’t a coincidence that such a pairing of words is considered appropriate for what we find being implemented by our government today.

Based on the information that we’ve been fed by the media, yes, I believe it was a crime what Bernie Madoff did to his investors. Clearly he was derelict in his duties. However, I’m wondering why Madoff is a criminal and yet the heads of Goldman Sachs, AIG, Countrywide, and so many others aren’t considered a member of the criminal league? While Madoff is accused of abusing $50 billion, Goldman Sachs, AIG and others are truly guilty of abusing significantly more! And yet there are no criminal charges brought against these leaders. Were these professionals derelict in their duties? Yes. Were they apathetic towards their handling of others money? Yes. In such a world that we live in, there’s simply no excuse NOT to make money with so much money. Madoff was an idiot not to have succeeded in making a return on investments of over $50 billion as are the heads of so many of these Wall Street companies and banks. Yes, indeed these criminals are being bailed out at the expense of the honest tax paying citizens of this nation. And all for naught. Think about it. Does the bailout for these banks and investment companies do any good financially? I mean really! Does anyone think that once the nation has seen how such companies mismanage funds that any sane person is really going to trust these same companies with their retirement money? This bail out is as insane as throwing money at the Diamond Pet Food company who poisoned so many pets due to dereliction and apathy just so that they could recover from the financial hardship such an error created! Hey, while were at it, let’s go back in time and bailout all of the dot com companies that caused such a financial hardship for so many investors!

Of course we have politicians in favor of such payouts. Apparently many of them have a problem even acknowledging that such monies are coming from their tax dollars as many of them have not even paid their taxes!

General Motors and Chrysler just received a portion of this criminal action reward in the form of billions of dollars. Even more ridiculous is that these companies are already anticipating failure in spite of such a bail out, as they are already projecting a need for another $14 billion! I’m sorry. Would that kind of strategy work for any homeowner in the U.S. today? “Hey. I know you just gave me a loan of $1 million for a home I can’t currently afford. So in order to make up for the shortfall I need to borrow another $2 million.”

Here’s the even more insane aspect of this bailout. General Motors and Chrysler can STILL declare bankruptcy somewhere down the road and the American taxpayers will never be paid back. And yet the American people do not have the luxury of declaring bankruptcy as a result of our tax burden. Nope. You can file bankruptcy and be relieved of debt for everyone else in the world except the U.S. Government. You don’t pay them. You go to jail.

Perhaps if these automakers didn’t promote aggressive price haggling and foreign outsourcing of some of their production process they could have enjoyed more long-term customer loyalty. While I did not get the opportunity to vote against my tax dollars being used in such a criminally insane manner, I can vote now. And so should you. I intend to “vote” by solely rewarding automakers who are fiscally responsible with their companies. If money can be handled so haphazardly by these automakers, then I can’t help but wonder how conscientious these same automakers are in making my vehicle safe enough to transport my family in. I vote no more GM or Chrysler. If GM and Chrysler are willing to sell their soul to the devil (ie: government control in exchange for the money they received) then what are they willing to sell my safety for?

Does failure really deserve a reward such as those given on the backs of the taxpayers? In that case, perhaps the British should still rule our nation. NOT!

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Stated Income Loans…I told you so

2009-02-17T12:02:00.005-07:00

I’ve read several stories today in the news of “victims” of foreclosure as a result of taking on mortgage loans that could not be paid for. As a longtime expert in this residential industry, I’d like to pull back the curtain on part of the problem so that you can better understand what goes on behind the scenes. How do these loans get originated in the first place? Who’s to blame?

First of all, allow me to say that there are at least 3 guilty parties in the origination of such loans. The ones that are the most common are known as “stated income loans.” Mind you that such loans are very, very difficult to come by now, but prior to the meltdown an individual who had a high enough score was able to merely “state” their income instead of providing tax returns, bank statements etc, and be approved for financing.

The initial problem was with the lenders themselves though. For example, the stated income program was originally created to be less burdensome to self-employed income earners. However, in their greed, lenders began to make such programs available to wage earners who could easily manifest pay stubs instead of stating their income, as well as fixed income earners, who could easily manifest their awards letters. Should either of these income groups also be self-employed, I see this stated program as an asset. However, if the borrower was merely a wage earner or living on fixed income, the approval of such borrowers on a stated income program was ripe for fraud.

As a wholesale account representative and as the owner of a retail loan origination business, I took a lot of flack from my clients (other residential mortgage brokers) and my own employees (licensed mortgage brokers) when I took the hard line stance that I would not approve or accept any stated income loans in which I knew the income stated was to be fraudulent, unreasonable, or just plain wrong. Too many times I heard the so-called professionals in my business call these “liar loans.” I would always retort that stated income loans were for one purpose and one purpose only—to eliminate the hassle of manifesting all of the documentation that would support the claimed income. Too often I had submissions from residential loan officers without any income stated whatsoever. Their plan being that as the wholesale account rep, I would join them in their fraudulent actions and tell them what the stated income amount needed to be in order to get their loan approved. Instead I would turn down the loan or approve it as a “No Documentation” loan which would carry with it a higher interest rate due to the higher risk. I would often tell the brokers “it’s called a stated income loan because the income is supposed to be STATED…not made up, not fabricated, not estimated." It’s to be a statement of fact.

In most cases I either lost the deals in my wholesale days because of this stance, or the broker would get wise and never send me a blank loan application again, ensuring that the income was “properly stated.” On one deal in particular with a broker...we'll call him Brian, who now owns a commercial loan origination company out of TX, swore up and down to me that his client really made the income she stated on the loan application. Unfortunately, not only did this woman not make the money stated on the application, but she missed her very first mortgage payment to our company and claimed that she had never stated any such income on her loan application. (Ironically, this same "Brian" spent time in jail shortly after this incidence for manslaughter (in MO) as he killed someone while driving drunk—in spite of the fact that his license was suspended due to other DUI violations. Guess when you break one law without the consideration of consequences, it’s easy to break others).

I lost many residential loan officers at my retail operation as well because of this. When the loan officer couldn’t get a “stated” loan approved in my shop because I turned it down from being submitted due to overinflated income, inevitably some wholesale account reps would tell my loan officers where they could work elsewhere for a less “unreasonable” person and get the deal through with no problem. Individuals who worked for me saw no problem finding the right people to work for who would look the other way and provide such perilous funding in spite of the facts. The deception was they were such nice and enjoyable people to work with otherwise. They simply saw no problem in falsifying the income in order to obtain the largest amount of financing their borrower would ever be responsible for.

While this blog may sound unintentionally bitter, it is as a result of the headlines and news stories I read today. The domino effect of so many of these “liar loans” being put into market is so huge today that there’s no longer any refuge for these individuals who would commit the crime in the first place of lying about income. Plus, there’s no respite for those homeowners who would take on a loan for a mortgage that they could not pay. Fortunately for the homeowners, it looks as if there is enough dirt on the hands of the lenders that many may end up getting out of foreclosure proceedings in spite of their illegal applications. Unfortunately, the big picture is as a result of the nefarious actions of many an entire nation now suffers an economic collapse of historical proportions.

The little acts of deception do add up folks. And in this instance it’s crumbling our entire nation financially. I believe in “opposition in all things.” If the little bits of deception add up, then certainly can’t the minor acts of honesty, heroism, and proactive efforts for good? I certainly hope so. In fact, I’m banking on it.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

New Number One Killer in America

2009-02-17T10:46:00.007-07:00

I’ve recently read several studies which claim that heart disease and cancer are the number 2 causes of death in the United States. Unfortunately both of these numbers have not earned their respective positions as the number one and number two killer in the U.S.

The Institute of Medicine brought the travesty of the killings of American citizens to light. In the 1999 report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System put the annual death toll due to hospital care 44,000 to 98,000. However, other reports including on study published by Jama put the deaths at 225,000! Dr. Milt Hammerly MD assesses the annual body count at 204,000-301,000 killed by medical treatment each year. In other words, medical malpractice kills more American citizens each year than does heart disease or cancer.

Based on the fact that most institutions under-report their errors, Hammerly believes his estimate may be conservative. The high end estimate, developed in a 2003 report led by long-time nutrition-activist Gary Null, PhD, concludes that the annual mortalities due to medical intervention are between 783,000 and 999,000. The report, based on compilations of published studies of others (in addition to those in the JAMA article), concludes that medical intervention is the Nation's #1 killer.

Only half of NHS trusts fully comply with all the safety standards that they are expected to meet, and they do not always have effective systems in place to understand risk, properly report incidents or learn from them, the commission said.

Do you wonder why these deadly incidences aren’t improved? It comes down to good old fashioned ego.

Undoubtedly the healthcare industry hasn't been able to respond as swiftly to this problem as the airline industry did when it was confronted with serious problems two decades ago. The reason is a common scenario in which a pharmacist, or a nurse, notices something problematic in a patient's chart or prescription history. When one suggests a change, "the doctor gets huffy, indignant that the nurse or pharmacist is moving into his authority area."

In 2003, approximately $40 billion was spent on homeland security to prevent another terrorist attack like 9/11. If even a fraction of this effort had been spent on reducing preventable medical errors in hospitals the outcome would be monumental. The reality is that there has been no national collective will to change the deadly statistics. According to the follow-up 2005 IOM report, there has been little change in reducing preventable hospital tragedies since the 1999 IOM report. Why isn’t more done by oversight organizations to alter this deadly path? Money and denial.

Given the state of the economy at present, no doubt if hospitals were required to implement certain safety and management procedures additional costs would be involved. This would undoubtedly lead to the healthcare industry requesting their own bail out money. Yes, once again we have a situation of “we’ve screwed up, so can you pay us to undo our mess?” On the other hand there is a sizeable force of experts who continually claim that such a problem is not significant enough to require sweeping changes to the industry. Apparently they deem the number of deaths in ratio to the number of patients treated as a tolerable status.

Funny. You hear of one single solitary death as the result of someone misusing a gun and all of the 2nd Amendment Haters start opening their mouths and their pocket books to fight against Americans using firearms to protect themselves. (There are a total of 1500 accidental gun related deaths each year) And yet these same haters would leave us helpless and subject to the evident lack of expertise and integrity in the medical industry. In the meantime, malpractice insurance rates go up, so medical care costs go up in an effort offset the costs, and our insurance costs go up to prohibitively large premiums. And yet so much could be avoided if more professionals focused on mastering their chosen craft.

You have the right to protect yourself from all harm. If any medical advice to you doesn’t sound right, clear, or logical then ask for clarification or second opinions. Just because the doctor only planned on spending two minutes with you doesn’t mean that’s all you’re entitled to.

Where’s Jack Bauer When You Need Him?

2009-01-15T10:55:00.006-07:00

This morning’s headline reads that our future Attorney General, Eric Holder, submits his opinion that waterboarding is considered torture. As I read this questionably newsworthy headline, I wondered what the military and other justice officials are allowed to use to coerce their prisoners into providing information necessary for the defense and expedition of justice in our country.

I firmly believe that the majority of the viewers of the popular “24” series are in part wrapped up in the show because of the common sense justice that seems to be dispatched regularly by “the good guys.” Today that kind of justice is an enviable fantasy for many military and law enforcement professionals. Many of us have a longing for what seems to be common sense justice because so many of us seemed to be robbed of it lately.

On “24” you can forget the gratuitous fighting in hand to hand combat style. If the bad guys pull a gun on Jack Bauer, he merely finishes things with an appropriate shot to the head. (Reminds me of a classic scene in one of the Raiders of the Lost Ark Series in which Indiana Jones is confronted by a display of a long fancy sword display, only to have Indi appropriately just pull out his gun and shoot the bad guy. I recall a loud roar of approval in the theatre during that scene.)

I have a really good friend who is a high level agent for the DEA. He has periodically bemoaned the way that their hands are tied in appropriately defending themselves against strung out, maniacal drug traffickers in the name of justice.

While I’m not saying I’m an advocate of waterboarding — I’d have to research it more — I wonder where the line will be drawn when it comes to worthwhile interrogation? Frankly, the mere act of an interrogator making vicious threats to a prisoner in order to get information could be considered “torture” if the case was made that the suspect/terrorist truly believed the threats to be true. I can just hear some attorney now claiming emotional duress. Putting a perpetrator in a four-walled concrete cell having to do “his business” in plain sight could be considered torture because it’s not “humane.” Making Paris Hilton wear prison garb could be considered a form of torture. When my mother was first married and still learning the domestic ropes, my father claims that having to eat her cooking was a form of torture. Recently in the news, a prison inmate claimed the chicken he had to eat from the prison cafeteria was a form of torture. Where do torture claims end and the ability to do a critical job for our nation’s security begin? It’s really beginning to appear today that the criminals have more rights and privileges than law abiding U.S. citizens. We certainly are proving that theory in other aspects of our nation’s operations.

There are actions and there are consequences of those who elect to compromise the democracy, virtue and freedoms of another. There’s torture and there’s effective coercion. There’s inhuman treatment and there’s protecting our freedom. I hope that we don’t lose sight of effective operations at the cost of our souls or our freedoms.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Our Nations Unemployment Rate: The Manifestation of a Sleeping Giant

2009-01-13T11:17:00.004-07:00

Statistically, small business owners provide the largest percentage of jobs in the U.S. — yes an even larger percentage of jobs than all of those bail-out “worthy” industries. In spite of all of the bail out monies that were supposed to loosen up the purse strings of banks in order to strengthen small businesses in extremely tough times, small businesses have become ignored and have nothing to show for any of the so-called efforts on their behalf. In fact, even without the economic crisis that is truly upon us, historically small businesses get very, very little considerations, tax breaks, or other incentives to operate their businesses. As a result, the economic drain our nation is experiencing is merely a manifestation of a long time attitude apathy towards what really makes this country healthy. Is it any wonder that the job loss in the last 12 months has been the worst it’s been since the World War II era? Over 250,000,000 jobs were lost in 2008 and that doesn’t take into account the millions of individuals who were forced from full-time employment to part-time, nor does it take into account the self-employed individuals who have had to hang up their dreams and stand in the unemployment line with millions of others. In my opinion, the economic crisis could have been averted long ago, and even the Wall Street and mortgage disaster impact lessened had national and state leaders paid more attention to the needs of small business owners.

When a CEO runs a company into the ground, it’s an innocuous entity. The CEO is merely losing his regular pay check and other corporate perks. But when a true small business is run into the ground, chances are high that the life savings of the business owner, customers they’ve become friends with, and long-time employees they’ve connected with personally suffer through the carnage of such an event. By the time the doors are finally shut on a small business, great sacrifices have already been for its survival. Great personal financial risks such as mortgaging personal homes to the hilt, stripping it of all available equity only to find the value dropping far below the lien amount months later, and cashing in retirement and savings accounts just to last as long as possible in hopes that a life preserver will come their way. And yet for all of this sweat, tears and sacrifice, small business owners can’t lay claim to appropriate health insurance tax deductions, can’t get access to the same affordable health care packages that large corporations enjoy, and are inundated with paper work requirements while their larger counterparts have enormous legal and accounting teams to deceive their shareholders.

When a small business owner sees fit to terminate an employee who steals from them or conducts themselves inappropriately, the state still requires them to pay unemployment benefits unless such an infraction is specifically outlined in some kind of written form that the employee has manifested the receipt of.

Large corporations have money and staff to handle these items. Many such monies derived by secret government contract negotiations, unfair labor practices, political connections, and international outsource savings. In contract, small business owners are beat up every which way they turn. They pay sales taxes when they purchase items to make their businesses run better, or make their jobs easier, and then they are assessed additional taxes by their cities on those same items merely because they possess them.

Long ignored is the fact that small businesses historically pay better average wages than big corporations, and discounted is the fact that employees are typically more satisfied working for a smaller business. There is absolutely nothing done to throw a rope for small businesses in spite of their obvious strength to the economy which has been historically present for over a century!

We’ve heard the saying “money talks.” The current economic crisis is not as a result of Wall Street collapsing, a residential mortgage scandal, or the ineptness of the Federal Reserve. It’s an inevitable manifestation of ignoring the goose the lays the golden eggs. I wonder how much worse things have to get before the REAL talking money gets listened to.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Wake up Wal-Mart

2009-01-12T17:18:00.004-07:00

The recent drop of Wal-Mart stock proves that you just can’t entice people enough to put up with your shenanigans, even if you’re big box Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart couldn’t win out over the Christmas holiday with everyone’s pocketbooks strapped, then you have to see that there’s a problem far worse than pricing at this big boxed embarrassment.

The worst thing the big box chain, or any business for that matter, can do is to be oblivious for the reasons behind the drop. Wal-Mart blames their 8% drop in stock value on “inclement weather, poor international numbers, and higher expenses.” Have they not read the astronomical customer complaints that their stores are receiving in record numbers nowadays?

“100% Disabled War Veteran was required to unload his disability cart and reload his purchases into a regular cart in order to take the items out of the store.”

“Customer slipped on water. Customer was scolded by the store manager for not being more careful.”

“Customer returned item due to its malfunction. Item was a replacement for previous malfunctioning item. Wal-Mart employee questioned the customer out loud, in front of large group of customers, as to the proper use of the item. The item? Bed sheets which were missing the elastic around the edges so that they could be put on the bed.

“Customer was called a “liar” by a Wal-Mart employee upon returning 30 minutes later with a bottle of Biotin due to the seal under the lid being broken. Customer had to drive over 20 minutes just to exchange a $7 item and be called a liar in front of other customer service guests.”
“Customer Service” at Wal-Mart has now been deemed broadly on the internet as Customer Torture. In my opinion, sales at Wal-Mart should have dropped more dramatically, but you had so many Wal-Mart customers who didn’t want to fight with the CS reps with a return or exchange so they just ate the money lost and went to Target to buy it instead.

There is a very good reason why Wal-Mart is now a verb, intended to mean a step down from quality ie: “We didn’t have the money to replace it, so we just “wallied” it for now.”

The ineptness runs uphill as well. Tens of thousands of customer complaints can be found on numerous websites including government business sites, and regularly include the accomplice of an incompetent manager or assistant manager. It’s bad enough that these stores bring such strife to the communities, leave behind big empty boxes, and train the consumer to accept the minimum in quality and customer abuse. But there seems to be absolutely NO respite when these valid problems arise either. It just adds insult to injury. Guess it’s high time for the stock prices to wake them up as well. May they continue to fall in accordance to their level of service… after the everyday customers get their money out of the stock, of course.

May Target and other big box stores take their cues from the Wallie Catastrophe and ensure that they do not end up on the same path. If you do, I assure you that you will be dealing with many more smiling customers instead of snarling ones—which by the way makes your employment to your community much more attractive as well.

Seeds of Preparedness

2009-01-09T15:18:00.004-07:00

Many individuals I speak with about emergency preparedness are concerned of the cost of getting prepared and the amount of space they have to store everything. Today’s blog is just one way you can be successful at improving your state of preparedness without being paralyzed by cost or space.

In the fall, garden seeds are typically marked down dramatically. Are these safe to buy and store without immediately planting them in the ground? Well, usually, the answer is yes. I’ll clarify in a moment. Obviously, paying 70% off the original price of seeds is a bargain most can’t walk away from, and the space necessary to store seeds isn’t cumbersome even in a New York City apartment.

So how do you know when the seeds you buy off-season are going to do you any good in years to come, you ask? Ask the store supervisors how the seeds were stored. If they were displayed all summer out in the hot sun, then you’ll need to move on to another bargain. However, if they were stored in the store, or in the store greenhouse area the majority of the time, then you can be safe to purchase and store them for at least another 5 to 10 years. Even better is if you can store them individually packaged but in a larger container to prolong freshness. The key is for you to store them in a cool, dark and dry place. It was a way of life for our ancestors – they stored and traveled with seeds regularly. “Hey honey, be sure to grab the kids and the seeds. The mammoth is leaving soon.” Don’t let the modernization of a greenhouse throw you off your instincts.

Seeds are full of great nutrition as sprouts. An added bonus with this practice is if your seeds do sprout, then you know they are good and nutritious. In fact, in some cases, the sprouted seeds are MORE nutritious sprouted than as full grown plants, though perhaps not as enjoyable to eat. So, if you’re in doubt, prior to planting seeds in the typical manner, take a few and sprout them in doors. Sprouting typically involves water, some cheesecloth, and a small mason jar. Think about it – in an emergency, you’re not exactly going to have time to plant your seeds and then wait for the harvest if you’re starving and other food supplies are cut off. Some seeds take only 24 to 48 hours to sprout. As long as you have water (see my last blog) you’ll be able to survive that long without food while you’re waiting for the sprouts to develop.

And while I’m on the topic of sprouts, even though it’s a bit off topic of saving space, dried legumes and wheat grains are EXCELLENT sprouting resources. They are also quite easy to sprout and their nutritional value is dramatically compounded in this state. Additionally, wheat grains and dried legumes store for extremely long periods of time in a cool, dry, dark space, and the sprouting is virtually effortless. (In fact, my husband and I accidentally sprouted some lentils in our basement when we didn’t completely clean up a spill. Some the seeds had fallen down a drain pipe next to the water heater and sprouted soon after with nothing but moisture — no light.)

So I say take advantage of the seed sales you get at the end of the summer and in early fall. They are typically every bit as good and will store quite well. Whether you want edible vegetables and flowers, or showy foliage, go ahead and save a bundle of money! The space you save on “food storage” is great as well.

“For Mature Adults Only”

2009-01-09T14:40:00.004-07:00

I recently received a marketing book which had a blurb on the cover that warned me that the subject matter was not exactly something that one would share at church. While it certainly was not pornographic at all, several of the marketing highlights had to do with sales tactics used by a former “Madame” in New York City. While I appreciate a warning that something may be offensive to some persons, I take stronger offense to the term “Mature adult content” instead. Who in the world ever decided that one’s ability to tolerate raunch, foul language, and inappropriate conversations was an act of maturity??

I looked up the definition of “mature” with my good friend, Webster, and there is nothing noted in the official definition that would denote the word “mature” as meaning “less sensitive to offensive vocabulary,” “tolerant of a broad range of views,” “apathetic to societal indecencies,” etc. In fact, the word mature relates to “coming to a condition of full development” or “having attained a final or desired state.”

I’m sorry, but when I hear someone ridiculously use the “F” bomb I don’t automatically think, “Oh, this person has attained their desired state.” Instead I feel sorry for the person who clearly has no broader repertoire of vocabulary to choose from and wonder what school district they attended, etc.

When I overhear a vulgar conversation about things which I feel should be kept private or even sacred, I don’t envy the “mature” conversation that is taking place without me and I don’t find myself thinking “Wow, these adults have ‘come to a full development’.” Instead, I cringe at the obvious lack of tact and social graces these individuals are displaying at their present state of lowness and silently pray that they wake up some day to a more worthwhile part of themselves.

I don’t see vulgar, offensive, raunchy, or questionable actions or words as a sign of maturity or intelligence--in fact quite the opposite. I see it as an indicator of one’s lack of ability to think for themselves instead of joining the dumbed-down, apathetic masses. I see a lack of intelligence. I see a lack of beauty. I see an erosion of society and the worth of our human race. Ironically, one of the definitions of “mature” as noted by Webster is “belonging to the middle portion of erosion.” Now that, I believe, is a more fitting definition that I hope to remember the next time I’m “Warned” of “mature content.”

True Meaning of The 12 Days of Christmas

2008-12-17T12:01:00.006-07:00

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah *or* Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles'' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.

Power Brokering

2008-12-16T09:37:00.004-07:00

The more I hear of businesses demanding a bail out, the more fearful I am of a socialist government taking over our nation. A bail out mentality is the benchmark of a socialistic, or even a communistic government. We give up our freedoms every time we accept “assistance” from the government, banks, or even a rich Uncle. What ever happened to the attitude of “Independence” in our great country? Perhaps that got thrown out as everyone started celebrating the “4th of July” instead of intended “Independence Day.” The value of our independence is worth more than all $700 billion- even for one person! I’m sure the hundreds of thousands who have spilt their blood so that we could truly be independent would be horrified at the thought of how weakly we value such freedom today. Much of that blood was spilt in order to abolish slavery, and yet we willingly enslave ourselves when we stand by and watch a sizeable portion of our lives, our futures, and that of our progenitors be sold out for $715 billion in total. (And that’s just what we know about.) I see a bail out as one trying to cheat consequences. And yet we all know that doing merely compounds the consequences as they were originally determined.

Bail outs have long- term consequences that you ultimately do not want. And you certainly do not want them for your children or grandchildren. And yet your government leaders are shackling us with these burdens without representing your interests and with every attempt to keep you in the dark as to their true consequences. These decisions are being made in a myopic and duplicitous manner by those with power with the intention that those who are working 2 and 3 jobs just to make ends meet will be too busy, too drained to give put up any resistance. You can say that it won’t come from our tax dollars…at least not in such a manner that it’s so obvious. Do you really think that our government printing up an extra $715 billion in our economy will have no affect on the value of our currency?

The value of our currency determines the value of your work. As the value of the dollar goes down, the need for you to work more hours increases just to obtain the necessities in life. In truth, we would gasp in outrage and plot an all out revolution if we clearly saw just how many of our hours we’re forced to work just to pay the debts which our out of control government has thrust upon us. And of course, the government has brokered the maximum amount of power when it comes to collecting their share. After all, who among us does not have a moment of fear when we hear the words IRS tax audit?

It’s apparent that we no longer broker money and monetized assets folks. We now broker power, and I’m not talking about electricity either. The attitude of the majority of our leaders is “money is nothing if it doesn’t come with power.” Why else would someone spend millions to win a position that only pays $165,000 a year? It’s the power that it buys, not their commitment to serving the people they represent.

Whatever happened to the police officers that children looked up to as heroes? Today we only see them use their power to violate the very laws they are supposed to enforce with the belief that they do so beyond reproach.

What ever happened to the professional basketball and football players that we used to look up to as superstars? Instead we see arrests for atrocious crimes knowing full well that the arrests only represent a small fraction of what’s actually being committed due to successful power brokering.

Thank goodness there’s still the Lance Armstrong, the Michael Phelps, and a few others like them to show us that there is still power and strength in goodness.

In closing I just wanted to share this little write-up by an anonymous author as they attempt toe explain the orchestrations of the bail outs to us.

Bail Out explained (Author Unknown)

Young Henry in Montana bought a horse from a farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day he drove up and said, "Sorry son but I have some bad news, the horse died." Henry replied, "Well, then just give me my money back." The farmer said, "Can't do that as I went and spent the money already" Henry said, "Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse."

The farmer asked, "What are you going to do with him?" Henry said, "I'm going to raffle him off." The farmer said, "You can't raffle off a dead horse!" Henry said, "Sure I can, just watch me and I just won't tell anybody he's dead."

A month later, the farmer met up with Henry and asked, "What happened with that dead horse?" Henry said, "I raffled him off, sold 500 tickets at two dollars each, and made a $998 profit. The farmer said, "Didn't anyone complain?"

Henry said, "Just the guy who won so I gave him his two dollars back." Henry grew up and works now for the government and he was the one who figured out how to "bail us out".

Feds Deliver Tough Love to Credit Card Consumers

2008-12-15T14:51:00.007-07:00

You’ve no doubt heard that the Feds will rule this week on new sweeping changes to the credit card industry. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/12/credit_cards_fed.html

Part of their proposal is that credit card companies will not be permitted to raise the interest rate on existing balances. While many seem to be thrilled with this prospect and feel that justice will be served, some are oblivious to the backlash that will inevitably occur, namely the elimination of several credit card companies due to their inability of maintaining profitability without the use of such monstrous tactics, and the elimination of credit cards being issued to anyone with less-than-perfect credit profiles.

Over 65,000 consumers have sent in feedback to the Feds on this topic along with stories of the aggressive tactics that credit card companies have taken to maintain profits, and to collect on delinquent debt. Many submitted lengthy stories as well, stories which showed that even a perfect payment history did not protect someone from “unfair” treatment at the hands of the credit card companies. There are an abundance of consumers in all aspects of society who feel they have been mistreated by the credit card companies. So it’s no wonder that this is the most involved consumers have been on any issue with the Feds.

While I agree with the premise of most of the proposals on this matter, there are obviously going to be some privileges that will be revoked with such regulations. One of which being the elimination of small credit card balance issuers who typically issue credit to high credit risk consumers. Many economists are attempting to sway the Feds due to this “downside” but personally, I think it’s GREAT.

This is the first time in a long time that I would find myself able to say this, but I think that both the proactive steps as well as the reactive scenarios are excellent for our economy. While the pill will be hard to swallow on both sides, we have become a society dangerously dependent on credit cards. At what point did we as consumers think that we needed so much more than we could actually pay for? In my opinion, those who are in tough financial times, thus possessing low credit scores, do not truly need the temptation of a credit card—at any rate or any available balance. Whether one is wealthy, middle-class, or poor, one does not truly need a credit card. As a society we have given away too much of our freedom and helped build these credit card companies to the flesh-eating monsters that they are. WE have created this monster. We only have ourselves to blame. I firmly believe that a dose of “tough love” will aid in eliminating some credit card companies and their high credit risk junkies, and that is a very good start.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

REAL Christmas Gift Ideas

2008-12-12T07:29:00.007-07:00

Christmas is supposed to be a heightened time of giving. Yet for many of us it ends up being a stressful time for spending money, going into debt, family quarrels, and all of the other less than intended results.

Let’s face it. When you get an e-mail from a business or a “holiday card” it’s usually an attempt to solicit more business from you. It may come in the form of “an unbelievable, time-sensitive discount” or an “end of the year blowout” etc. Makes you think that the only person who’s talking about a gift, is the business owner who’s trying to contrive one for themselves.

When we give gifts to friends and family, often the human part of us is plagued by giving in order to positively affect the way someone will think about us, or appreciate us. Even the best of hearts try not to give in order to get thanks, but it happens whether we intend for it or not.

It’s rare that we’re able to give in an unadulterated fashion, getting no thanks and no recognition. So I thought I’d share a couple of ideas with you to really have some fun giving and doing it in the right way.

1) Infiltrate a Salvation Army Store (or other such store). Load up on a stack of cash, whether it’s ones, fives, etc, and go where the needy go. Just start handing one out to each person, even the employees (Keep in mind if the person works there, they are likely struggling too). If you can do it in a traditional Christmas suit for better anonymity, the better. The key is to give, and to give anonymously. You’ll have a better feeling about the whole thing if you do not tell a SOUL that you did it.

2) Drive-Thru Dizzy: When you go through a drive thru for your next meal, tell the cashier that you’re also paying for the person behind you. It’s hilarious to think of that person pulling in behind you only to hear the cashier tell them that the stranger in front of them paid for their meal that day. This also works great at a manual toll booth.

3) Drop and Dash: You probably know what that is. You get a gift; leave it on the doorstep; knock; and RUN. Not the most original thought in the world, I agree, but I just LOVE doing this…especially this time of year (It’s even better if you have a night set of binoculars so you can see the expression on your face when they open their doors…of course you’ll be panting hard and perhaps fogging up the lenses). If it’s a gift card to a grocery store, or a grocery/superstore all in one, it’s an even better gift because it may actually help people to meet their perceived needs of affording gifts for their children/family. So be sure to do it BEFORE Christmas.

4) Investing in a Santa suit is great for being able to do a lot of acts of giving anonymously. And it seems to incorporate a special Christmas magic in yourself too. Santa seems to be magical to everyone, even those who are too old to still believe. As Santa (or Mrs. Clause, or a Christmas Elf, or a Christmas Fairy) you can make people’s lives brighter merely by going into a store and greeting everyone. Tiny candy canes are great to have on hand as well.

All of these ideas are about really giving of yourself while making it virtually impossible to do so with any alternative motives in mind and heart. These actions will ultimately give you one of the best Christmas’s ever!

Water Blogged

2008-12-05T07:34:00.006-07:00

Recently I’ve been inundated with requests from readers to know how I’ve personally prepared for the future. These requests have come about as a result of my blog post of Gerald Celente’s economic forecasts (see link here). In fact, I’ve even create an entirely new blog called Preparedness Pro, devoted exclusively to emergency preparedness in the categories of food (including cooking), water, first aid, self-defense, finances, and emotional preparedness. Be sure to add this one to your blogroll (http://preparednesspro.blogspot.com/) and check back often!

What makes me a pro? I’ve been practicing personal preparedness doggedly for over 9 years. Our house has 3 full rooms of necessary emergency supplies. Usually, instead of going to the store, I just go downstairs to our food storage room, grab what I need, and replenish about every 6 months or so. It will be up to you to decide whether or not what I share with you has merit.

First Things First—WATER!

If you have not started preparing for an emergency, do not start with food. Start with WATER! If you’ve already started a sufficient emergency supply food storage, you are probably like the majority of individuals and have put off storing water. “Where am I going to store those ugly barrels?” you ask? Believe me, that’s the last thing you’re going to care about when you need water.

How much water should I store?
You can go without food a heck of a lot longer than you can water. I know this may sound a bit overwhelming, but you really need to store enough water to provide you and your family with 1 gallon per day—minimum—for at least 3 months. Allow me to restate this. 1 gallon per person is MINIMUM. That’s a lot. But you don’t need to go back too far in history to realize that such a need could exist. Think of the hurricanes our nation has had in recent history. Is your area ripe for an earthquake? What if some moron crashes their chemical truck into your water supply?

Keep in mind that that one gallon of water is not just for drinking. It’s for hygiene, (and don’t even think that you’ll avoid bathing all together…this will foster serious illnesses, among other things) cooking, toilet use, laundry, and cleaning.

How do I store my water?
Store your water in NEW barrels. Please don’t store water you intend to use for drinking and cooking in barrels that have been used for something else. You will suffer, indeed. (It’s fine to use those kinds of barrels for water you will use exclusively for cleaning, etc.)

Please, please, please do not store your water in empty milk or soda pop bottles. They deteriorate. (Although is you have to choose one of them, pick the soda pop bottles instead. They last a bit longer)

Should I store purified water?
Don’t treat your water before storing it. Chance are very good that it’s already been sufficiently treated by your municipality. Besides, I would recommend treating your water prior to using it for drinking or cooking anyway. To do this you want to use 8 drops of pure chlorine per gallon of water.

You can fill your water barrels through the garden hose. As long as you let the water run through the hose a bit and there aren’t any bugs sitting in it, you’re fine. Surely you drank out of a hose when you were little and you’re no worse for wear, right? If you’re a purist, you can purchase a marine hose that is lined with an anti-bacterial coating. Those are readily available at your local hardware store.

Keep in mind that the water in your water heater, water bed, and toilet tanks is usable as well.

Iodine tablets, colloidal silver, and quality camping water filters are also a good preparedness step in the event you’re required to use water from sources you’re not familiar with.

One of the things that I stock up on as well are the little Xooma water sachets. These small, tea bag like sachets contain minerals and such that can bring your water to a good non-alkaline levels and infuse minerals in them. I personally believe that doing so helps for better hydration to the body. So I keep stocked up on these for an emergency as well. You can check them out at http://www.xoomaworldwide.com/WaterDiva/

How often do I replace the water?
We empty and refill our water barrels every two years. You don’t need to do it that often, but we’re a bit fanatical about things. You’re fine to go out 5 years prior to refilling them as long as it’s good water to begin with. You will want to aerate your water though prior to drinking it. Doing this is as simple as pouring it a few times from one container to another, such as a couple of pitchers.

Where am I supposed to store all this water?
If you’re in a small apartment, you will be pleasantly surprised how easily you can disguise a water barrel as an end table with a small round piece of plywood and a classy decorative tablecloth. We are fortunate enough to have enough space in our basement and have several of them lined up and then have plywood stacked on top of them to begin shelving for our food storage.

Note to wives: If your overzealous husband convinces you to store “an extra” eight 50-gallon barrels under one of the guest beds, you may want to think twice. It’s a family joke now when folks come to stay with us and sleep in the “water bed.”

Don’t buy into the myth that you can’t store your water barrels on cement. Clarification is that you should not store your water on cement that gets heated by the sun. So if you’re storing it outside, the sun will heat the cement, which will then heat your water. This makes water taste nasty. If you’re storing them outside, place the barrels on top of 2 x 4s.

You can store your water barrels outside in freezing weather, but you run the risk of them freezing and cracking. At the very least, you should not fill them up to maximum capacity to allow for the freezing expansion.

Conserving Water
Consider ways to conserve water in an emergency as well. Storing paper goods such as paper plates and cups will eliminate cleaning, and learning to cook with a pressure cooker which uses a minimum amount of water for cooking is also a good idea. (more on pressure cooking in a future blog.)

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The beginning of a business…ain’t it grand?

2008-12-04T13:14:00.006-07:00

Hot off the press…I just got an abbreviated copy of the transcript from the 3M Mastermind call today which Eliza Vaile hosted. I just wanted to post this part about perceiving a beginning in the proper perspective (with their permission of course). I thought it was GREAT!!
********************

Most of us, when we started our business, the very thought of even starting a business seemed like a Herculean task. Frankly, that’s only because it hadn’t been done before for most of us. Many of you have served as literal pioneers in what you’re bringing to the market.

I’m sure that when Ben Franklin discovered the electrical effects of lightening, he thought it was a pretty big deal at the time as well. However, the availability of electricity is a very common assumption for most of us all over the world nowadays. In fact, I’m so accustomed to it, that on those rare occasions when it does go off during a storm or something, I find myself thinking, oh well, I’ll just watch some TV while I wait for the power to come back on. (Do any of you do that too?)

Anyway, while we’re not disputing the value of electricity in our lives, we do have to recognize that it wasn’t the top of the mountain, or the ultimate accomplishment, so to speak. So much more has been done to generate power, and ease and convenience in our lives since then, right? And we all realize that we have to learn to walk prior to running. However, most of us mistakenly give ourselves way too long of a trial period for walking before we attempt to run. And in doing so, we limit the amazing ripple effect that could have been realized, had we pushed sooner or harder. We hesitate to participate in a bigger league or broader scope of possibilities. What I’m teaching you here is that we need to be acceptant of larger and more successful beginnings. There’s always a beginning- But the beginning is perfectly capable of BEING GREAT! Beginnings need not be feeble, sub-standard, or insignificant. I worked in a print shop when I was 13, and I always came across interesting printed matter. One customer had a bumper sticker printed up just for her, and I have NEVER forgotten it, because I found it to be so profound. “Just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t after me.” Just because someone is new doesn’t mean they can’t do a good job. Just because we do make mistakes, doesn’t mean we’re not competent.

Michelangelo is well known for his work on the Sistine chapel… what you may not know, is it wasn’t because of his experience in painting that made this wonder of the world so magnificent!

He was from Florence, Italy. In those days the Pope could basically just demand that you do such and such. If you did not perform, you would be imprisoned without a second thought and for the rest of your life!

What most people do not know is that he was NOT a painter. He was a sculpturer! He was still required to do this task though. So he took a mere 3 months of painting training, and he then went to work and painted the Sistine Chapel! Isn’t it interesting that reality would suggest that those who TRAINED Michelangelo would be better suited for this task. But no. The burden was laid on Michelangelo to perform superbly. I suppose he could have done an “OK” job. I suppose he could have excused the absence of a perfect painting to the fact that this was after all, his first attempt. But he was armed with this TRUTH. There’s always a beginning. But a beginning is not an excuse, reason, or cause for a sub-standard performance. Even though many of us are “beginning” a new path, a new career, perhaps even a new workout regime or other discipline, it need not be feeble. It can be splendid!

Those of you who have the privilege of being parents- When you first held your brand new baby in your arms, didn’t you find yourself saying “Oh, he or she is so “Perfect”?! This little bundle of joy is merely at the beginning of their life. And yet most of us look at them and hold them and see just how perfectly beautiful they are. Is not this indicative of the truth that beginnings can be fabulous?

Walt Disney first created Disneyland. It was a massive undertaking. He was scoffed at and scorned for dreaming so big! Millions of individuals have attended that theme park over the last 50 years? with a critical, even cynical perspective, and yet millions have been converted to it’s magic… to his belief that a beginning effort can be wonderful! He then went on to prove that it wasn’t a fluke! He did it again, even better with Disney World! Guess what. Euro Disney was not so successful when it first opened. Even as great as the other two Disney park ventures were, it didn’t mean that they all were going to be great and wildly successful. But that doesn’t lessen the success of their beginning, right?

George Washington was the first ever General of the United States as well as the very first U.S. president! And what a fabulous job he did in both of those capacities.

Don’t get me wrong…Michelangelo, Child Birth, Walt Disney, George Washington- all of these involve a great deal of labor and challenges. But they are STILL worth it, right?. And they can still be amazing. There’s no rule that says a beginning has to be mediocre.

There will be all of these same challenges inherent in a project that doesn’t start out so wonderful as well.

We are all plagued with some type of malfunctions- but does that mean that we are in any way programmed for failure simply because we are new at something or “just” a small business owner? Believing in beginnings is actually critical to your happiness and success. Because if you allow yourself to perceive otherwise then you can and WILL always blame someone or something or some circumstances in your life for you mistakes, shortcomings, etc, and then you will ALWAYS perform less than you are truly capable of. Remember, “there are no victims, only volunteers.”

We can’t bar ourselves from doing something new because it’s imperative to our success as business owners. We’ve got to be willing to forge ahead in order to stay relevant to our customers. We can’t afford to tell ourselves that we’re not even going to try because of fright, intimidation or some other reason, because in a lot of cases in today’s economy, we may be ignoring our only shot at playing in the game. As Robert Ringer says, “If life’s a game, we might as well play hard to win.” Why NOT have fun and try to win?

*********** That’s all of it that I got permission to share for now. I strongly recommend that if you’re an entrepreneur, you register as a primary member of 3M Mastermind. It’s free! And their monthly training webinars are excellent! Just go to http://www.3mmastermind.com/

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Doctors…do you know what your receptionists are doing?

2008-12-03T17:58:00.003-07:00

Doctors…do you know what your receptionists are doing?

You’re sick enough that your oversized work ethic is requiring you to finally succumb to the mercy of a doctors office. After 3 miserable days in bed you finally manage to get showered and feel quite wiped out having done so. You half consciously make it to the doctors office…the place where you hope that you’ll finally get some advice or help in overcoming your misery…and what’s the FIRST thing you hear from the receptionist when you announce your on time arrival?

“Do you have insurance?”

No “Hi. How are you today? Sorry to see that you’re ill. We’ll be with you as soon as we can. Heaven forbid someone should actually acknowledge your human-ness and address you by name.

A little human consideration goes a long way towards improved health when you make us sit half naked with nothing but an oversized paper towel over us, or when we have to wait for hours in a waiting room with other sick, wheezing, vomiting people.

Sure insurance pays your bills. But PEOPLE pay for the insurance. And PEOPLE are who make the decision which doctor they will use. I realize that you may be oblivious that your receptionists are greeting your patients this way. But the majority of them are nowadays. Does it really rack up your overtime costs if your receptionist takes a millisecond to say “hello” before she asks about insurance information?

Here’s a perfect example…a true story…no exaggeration…

Patient calling into a doctors office: Hi. I’m ___________, the husband of ___________ who is a patient of doctor ______________. My wife just passed out after throwing up right after she took the prescription you gave her. What should I do?

Receptionist: “What insurance do you have?”

NO KIDDING! Holy cow, the least she could have done is said “Mr. _______, what insurance do you have?” or “I’m sorry to hear that. What insurance do you have?”

Doctors, if you’re unhappy with the grumpiness or the lack of social tact of your patients, a little bit of education of your greeting staff could make a huge difference in the daily fulfillment of your career.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Celente Predicts Revolution, Food Riots, Tax Rebellions By 2012

2008-11-26T10:49:00.005-07:00

Paul Joseph WatsonPrison Planet.comThursday, November 13, 2008
Gerald Celente

The man who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the fall of the Soviet Union is now forecasting revolution in America, food riots and tax rebellions - all within four years, while cautioning that putting food on the table will be a more pressing concern than buying Christmas gifts by 2012.

Gerald Celente, the CEO of Trends Research Institute, is renowned for his accuracy in predicting future world and economic events, which will send a chill down your spine considering what he told Fox News this week.

Celente says that by 2012 America will become an undeveloped nation, that there will be a revolution marked by food riots, squatter rebellions, tax revolts and job marches, and that holidays will be more about obtaining food, not gifts.

“We’re going to see the end of the retail Christmas….we’re going to see a fundamental shift take place….putting food on the table is going to be more important that putting gifts under the Christmas tree,” said Celente, adding that the situation would be “worse than the great depression”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46MEqEgdLTg

“America’s going to go through a transition the likes of which no one is prepared for,” said Celente, noting that people’s refusal to acknowledge that America was even in a recession highlights how big a problem denial is in being ready for the true scale of the crisis.

Celente, who successfully predicted the 1997 Asian Currency Crisis, the subprime mortgage collapse and the massive devaluation of the U.S. dollar, told UPI in November last year that the following year would be known as “The Panic of 2008,” adding that “giants (would) tumble to their deaths,” which is exactly what we have witnessed with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns and others. He also said that the dollar would eventually be devalued by as much as 90 per cent.

The consequence of what we have seen unfold this year would lead to a lowering in living standards, Celente predicted a year ago, which is also being borne out by plummeting retail sales figures.

The prospect of revolution was a concept echoed by a British Ministry of Defence report last year, which predicted that within 30 years, the growing gap between the super rich and the middle class, along with an urban underclass threatening social order would mean, “The world’s middle classes might unite, using access to knowledge, resources and skills to shape transnational processes in their own class interest,” and that, “The middle classes could become a revolutionary class.”

In a separate recent interview, Celente went further on the subject of revolution in America.
“There will be a revolution in this country,” he said. “It’s not going to come yet, but it’s going to come down the line and we’re going to see a third party and this was the catalyst for it: the takeover of Washington, D. C., in broad daylight by Wall Street in this bloodless coup. And it will happen as conditions continue to worsen.”

“The first thing to do is organize with tax revolts. That’s going to be the big one because people can’t afford to pay more school tax, property tax, any kind of tax. You’re going to start seeing those kinds of protests start to develop.”

“It’s going to be very bleak. Very sad. And there is going to be a lot of homeless, the likes of which we have never seen before. Tent cities are already sprouting up around the country and we’re going to see many more.”

“We’re going to start seeing huge areas of vacant real estate and squatters living in them as well. It’s going to be a picture the likes of which Americans are not going to be used to. It’s going to come as a shock and with it, there’s going to be a lot of crime. And the crime is going to be a lot worse than it was before because in the last 1929 Depression, people’s minds weren’t wrecked on all these modern drugs – over-the-counter drugs, or crystal meth or whatever it might be. So, you have a huge underclass of very desperate people with their minds chemically blown beyond anybody’s comprehension.”

The George Washington blog has compiled a list of quotes attesting to Celente’s accuracy as a trend forecaster.

“When CNN wants to know about the Top Trends, we ask Gerald Celente.”— CNN Headline News

“A network of 25 experts whose range of specialties would rival many university faculties.”— The Economist

“Gerald Celente has a knack for getting the zeitgeist right.”— USA Today

“There’s not a better trend forecaster than Gerald Celente. The man knows what he’s talking about.”- CNBC

“Those who take their predictions seriously … consider the Trends Research Institute.”— The Wall Street Journal

“Gerald Celente is always ahead of the curve on trends and uncannily on the mark … he’s one of the most accurate forecasters around.”— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Mr. Celente tracks the world’s social, economic and business trends for corporate clients.”— The New York Times

“Mr. Celente is a very intelligent guy. We are able to learn about trends from an authority.”— 48 Hours, CBS News

“Gerald Celente has a solid track record. He has predicted everything from the 1987 stock market crash and the demise of the Soviet Union to green marketing and corporate downsizing.”— The Detroit News

“Gerald Celente forecast the 1987 stock market crash, ‘green marketing,’ and the boom in gourmet coffees.”— Chicago Tribune

“The Trends Research Institute is the Standard and Poors of Popular Culture.”— The Los Angeles Times

“If Nostradamus were alive today, he’d have a hard time keeping up with Gerald Celente.”— New York Post

So there you have it - hardly a nutjob conspiracy theorist blowhard now is he? The price of not heeding his warnings will be far greater than the cost of preparing for the future now. Storable food and gold are two good places to make a start.

Grateful for Him—Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T14:54:00.004-07:00

I’d like to think that I’m mindful of what I have to be grateful for on a regular basis, but I’m sure I take way too much for granted.

I am truly blessed with an amazing husband and some incredibly supportive family members and friends. But I’m also blessed with a phenomenal team of support in our office who possess amazing talents and depth of character.

Additionally, we are ALL greatly blessed with the ability to achieve, regardless of how painful the trials and challenges feel at times. The question is will we dare to believe in suitably high achievements?

I pray that I never get fearful of the heights of challenge and achievement for I know I will then cease growing. I believe that wishing away the challenges I encounter, however painful they may be, is discounting and dismissing His wisdom in the application of His involvement in my life. Personal realization for me…I am grateful for Him in my life and thus will never minimize His involvement by referring to him as some code name such as “the universe” or “nature” etc. He is indeed the Savior of the world and has clearly earned the right for me to be grateful to Him and to acknowledge Him by name, unashamedly…Jesus Christ.

May each of you have a joyful reunion of family and friends held together by gratitude this time of year.

Sincerely,
Kellene

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

What really happened to the U.S. Post Office?

2008-11-13T14:08:00.005-07:00

Today’s headlines blame the economy on the fact that USPS is in the red over $2.8 billion. For the purposes of this blog, I’m going to lump the woes of DHL and Circuit City’s bankruptcy news in this today as well. After all, their challenges all have one thing in common…and it’s not the “bad economy.” It’s the inability for these entities to accept responsibility at an opportune time in which the economy can be blamed.

Now let’s get to the truth of the matter.

How about the fact that the USPS has lost a significant amount of trust with its consumers nowadays? High-count direct-mail marketers are strongly cautioned against sending out all of their mail on the same day due to historical instances in which the postal employee recipient will merely throw them away. As a result, not only do large-scale mail marketers have to separate their outgoing mail among several different post offices (which costs them more in the bulk mailing costs they pay) but they also have to be sure to plant “seed” addresses in their lists. In other words, have the items be mailed to individuals who they can trust and confirm that a mail piece was received.

What ever happened to “through rain, sleet, or snow?” Many business owners are reporting that the post office is refusing to deliver mail to any floor above the first level regardless of the presence of an elevator. Instead, regardless of what kind of sensitive documentation your business may receive, the USPS will hand over your mail to a business on the 1st floor and expect it to get to you. And thus wash their hands of any responsibility to do what they actually get paid to do…deliver mail to the addressee.

In this same situation, business owners are complaining that certified mail isn’t even being delivered to and signed for the intended recipient. It’s merely signed for by some mindless individual at the office that the post office determines will accept the mail for the entire building.

Have you ever noticed that smiling customer service is rare at a US Post office? Long lines all year round. Minimal supplies when they are available. Waiting in line only to be told that you didn’t need to wait in line or you have to do such and such and then get in line again. How does a post office run out of stamps on a regular business day? Isn’t that a big part of what they are supposed to do?

I don’t know about you, but over the last two years I’ve been receiving a significant increase in mail that’s not addressed to me. Not even close. And yet when I put it back in the mail box to be delivered to its appropriate addressee, my postal worker informs me that it will merely be returned to sender as undeliverable. Holy cow! The address is right on there only a couple blocks away!

And yet for all of these stellar benefits, we give frequent “raises” to the post office in the form of regularly increased postage costs.

Our office used DHL exclusively for some time, until we just got too fed up with packages not being delivered on time, being nickled and dimed with additional fees, and DHL not accepting any responsibility when a package was delivered incorrectly.

On the opposite side of this business, our Fed Ex delivery person once attempted to deliver a package to our office at Christmas time only to discover my husband and I had already left. So he drove over to our home and delivered it there! Fed Ex doesn’t deliver perfectly either. But when Fed Ex messes up on a delivery, an immediate credit is issued without having to wait on hold for 20 minutes to share the unpleasant tale.

Circuit City has been getting too big for it’s britches over the last two years as well. Winter shopping at this retailer proved to be confusing, frustrating, and altogether unpleasant—clearly reflective of their employee training program and management standards they have in place.

But hey. Let’s blame the demise of USPS, DHL, and Circuit City on the economy, shall we? That takes the blame and focus off of the real problems. That way no one has to accept accountability and learn from these horrendous mistakes. Too bad Enron didn’t close down in the midst of an economic crisis. No one would have gone to jail.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Joe the Plumber

2008-11-12T17:29:00.007-07:00

Joe the Plumber vs. Rick Sanchez—the talking head of CNN. And the winner is…Joe Wurzelbacher. On the other hand, at the risk of sounding like the amateur mass media, Rick Sanchez is this year’s entrepreneurial putz.

In his November 4th interview with the newly famous Joe the Plumber, Rick Sanchez appeared to be as knowledgeable of the abilities of entrepreneurs as the Mr. Clean knows hair care.

Mr. Sanchez’s mindless questions of Joe the Plumber demonstrated that he had clearly NOT done his research of this nation’s entrepreneurs. He joined the mass of misperception when he underestimated entrepreneurs all over the world as indicated by empty-headed questions to Joe Wurzelbacher. Sanchez’s ignorance was manifested on at least 3 separate lines of questioning.

1) “Why would you be so upset about people who clear more than $250,000 a year—having to pay taxes, when you’re nowhere near that category?”

One does not need to live in a leper colony to have sympathy for their plight. Wurzelbacher made it clear repeatedly that he objected to the principle of the wealthier paying more taxes simply because they had more of it. Like most entrepreneurs,

2) “…you are not in a situation where you’re going to be able to make that money any time soon.”

Who is this talking bobble head to dish out the socially acceptable level and speed of any person’s achievement or fulfillment in this life? (business owner or not)

The fact of the matter is, every entrepreneur is very near making $250,000. Many have succeeded in making multiple times that in one day. Some are content to choose to earn less, and some push themselves to earn more. There’s no mandate that it must take decades, years or months to earn this kind of income. No initials after your name are required. No special gene pool. It’s not a secret and it’s accessible to any literate human being in our nation. It requires applied knowledge, a restlessness with the status quo, and a combination of passion and commitment.

3) “You’re nowhere near being able to buy a business that clears more than $250,000 a year because that would take millions and millions of dollars, right?”

Another mistaken assumption. It does not take millions of dollars to clear $250,000. In fact, there are many well known business owners who have brought in significantly more than that for significantly less. Entrepreneurs of all kinds know how to create huge profit margins. Paul Hartunian, for example, paid $500 for the discarded wood of the Brooklyn Bridge walkway to be delivered to his home. He then cut the wood up in tiny little square pieces, wrote a killer press release, and made millions of dollars actually selling the Brooklyn Bridge to people all over the world. To this day he is STILL getting free press about this and subsequent feats of similar style.

Credible information marketers such as Dan Kennedy, Lee Milteer, Michael Cheney, Rich Shefren, Matt Bacak, Shawn Casey, Tellman Knudsen, Jeff Walker, Bill Glazer, Andrew Fox, and countless others regularly clear 7 figures within a matter of days in exchange for a weeks worth of writing and sharing their expertise—and do so repeatedly! Write, launch, reap, repeat.

Here’s the ultimate problem with Sanchez’s skewed vision of the world of capitalism. He’s forgotten about freedom combined with human potential. For every story of failure, there’s an enduring story of success in even greater proportions. In my opinion, there are equal amounts of ways to succeed as there are to stumble.

One of my clients recently earned over $500,000 on one transaction. Granted, he had to make his way through whole lot of “suspect clients” in the last 9 months to get access to the real deal, but he did so. And now that he’s accomplished this, no Rick Sanchez of the world can ever convince him that his ideas of success are impossible.

One significant success will breed a confident, unshakable entrepreneur.

My hope is that one day entrepreneurs will be viewed as the standard of success, genuine security, and credibility. In my opinion, they certainly deserve the respect, sincere assistance and accolades more than Wall Street, Big Corporate America, or the sacrosanct banking institutions do.

Here’s my challenge to all entrepreneurs—and a special invitation to Joe. Register as a Primary Member of 3M Mastermind—FREE. No strings attached. No charging your credit card later when you’ve forgotten all about it. Get real information so that you too can prove the mindless naysayers wrong about the strength and necessity of business owners. Simply go to www.3MMastermind.com

Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of every economy in the world.
They are the fire behind invention.
They are the seeds of security.

Because of this unconquerable belief, Monetary Intelligence has paid enormous sums of money, put in countless hours with an army of researchers—and most of all their heart and commitment—to give today’s entrepreneurs the helping hand up they need. We’ve investigated a mountain of the “success systems” of gurus, experts, doctors, etc from all over the world. We’ve spent the last year implementing their theories and creating some of our own as a result.

Whether you’re in business or hoping to be, MI has created a training division, 3M Mastermind, to deliver substance to today’s frazzled business owners in the form of monthly live webinars and so much more.

We’ll prove to you your abilities now, for your market today.

Come off of the observation deck and take the wheel! Get access to your original content, exclusive training system for FREE right now! Go to http://www.3mmastermind/ to begin your journey with a partner who truly cares, and is willing to prove it. We’ve already invested in you. Your future success awaits.

Confessions of a “Normal Woman”

2008-10-28T15:55:00.002-07:00

I admit that I’m not the most objective person to determine whether or not I truly am “normal.” In fact, I’m not sure that “normal” really exists out there anymore. Regardless, I’ve decided to share some of my closet hang-ups and let you decide. Will the feedback convey an accurate assessment? Probably not. I’m sure that my writings don’t necessarily attract “normal” individuals either.

Confession #1- I’m a judgmental driver. Everyone who passes me is an “idiot” and everyone who goes too slow is a “moron.” I caught myself mumbling these exact two accusations within 30 minutes of each other on my way home the other day. No wonder the confidence of mankind has dwindled lately. They’ve got unrealistic expectations thrust upon them by drivers like me.

Confession #2- I think people are attractive until I see them chomping gum Seriously. I watched an absolutely beautiful woman in line at the grocery store the other day transform herself from a Perfect 10 to a Negative 2 because she was chomping her gum like a cow munching on his cud. I don’t care how beautiful you are. Even if I was a dentist I would have no desire to see what you’re chewing in there!

I also loathe the snapping sound that folks make with their gum…especially when I can hear it all the way across the store- or worse, church. I’ve turned people away from a job interview simply because of the gum chewing (and I confess that I strongly encouraged an assistant to quit once I discovered that they constantly chewed with their mouth open. Do I really want to lose a business relationship that affects my entire staff all because someone can’t keep their lips together while enjoying a business lunch with one of my clients? You really don’t want to turn someone’s stomach when you’re attempting to wheel and deal, right?

Confession #3- I firmly believe that the civility of our society has plunged dramatically because of the common courtesies/decencies that many parents have failed to teach their children. And our entire nation is suffering as a result. People spend more money when you’re being nice to them. People pass on smiles when they get them. Instead we spend our Saturday errands going from place to place attempting to get over the last painful business encounter we just had at the last place.

Did this training get left up to Dear Abby somewhere?

A couple of Christmas’s ago a much younger sibling of mine was having a really hard time financially. Being plagued with a boundless Christmas Spirit I decided to play Santa that year. Even though I was raised by strict parents who firmly required us to be polite, be mindful of others around us, and to exert impeccable table manners at the risk of death, this particular sibling must have worn them down by the time she came along. Because after all of the gifts were handed out, there was not a single “thank you” from the sibling or any of her 5 children, and in fact, my husband and I were greeted with an annoying wail that that’s all there was!

Oh, and if you really want me at your bridal shower or your wedding, you’ll give me more than 48 hours notice. And when I do give you a gift, you’ll darn well send a thank you note! (I bet getting in the business of selling thank you cards is about as profitable as Lehman is right about now.)

Ok. I’m done with my rantings and ravings. I’ve finally let down my professional demeanor and expose to all of you the inner seethings. Either you’ll admit you share some similar feelings, or you may inform me that your confession is that you loathe reading confessions.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

You Can’t Fix Stupid

2008-10-07T15:52:00.013-07:00

Yup. You may not be able to fix stupid, but in this case, I think it’s perfectly legal to kill it.

Wow! I thought the majority of discrimination had been eliminated nowadays. Clearly I’m wrong and somewhat naïve though. Can you believe it? American Express is now openly admitting that they are lowering their credit exposure to individuals based on whether or not they have a loan with a mortgage lender that ALSO lends to sub-prime candidates and if the client has the audacity to shop at stores where low income individuals also shop. And apparently they aren’t the only ones to enact such insulting practices in the credit card industry.

Wells Fargo used to be one of the most aggressive sub-prime lenders in the nation. They are soon to be poised as one of the largest banks with their takeover of Wachovia, even if only receiving a portion of the assets of that bank. And yet someone who qualifies for an “A Paper, Roll Out the Red Carpet loan” from Wells Fargo could be targeted with less favorable terms because of Wells Fargo’s subprime division.

Countrywide was very aggressive in the subprime market as well. And as you know, Countrywide has bit the dust. Regardless of the fact that A paper, reputable, and financially strong banks have purchased Countrywide’s mortgage assets, you could still be financially penalized because you have a loan with them. Ironic isn’t it? You can pay perfectly on your loan with absolutely no hiccups, but because the company you make your check out to every month has made questionable decisions in their lending practice, your access to credit is compromised?

Is it just me, or is this absolutely ridiculous? (Warning: Sarcastic tirade up ahead) Let’s compound the suffering of the American people by penalizing them for the actions of others yet one more way. And when they try to react to the economic crisis by shopping at Target or Wal-Mart to make their dollars stretch that much more, let’s assume that they should be treated as a trailer trash drug addict and credit derelicts and minimize their accessibility to credit. After all, drug addicts have to shop somewhere, right? And if you’re dumb enough to shop where the financially struggling do, then your access to credit should be minimized, if not taken away all together! And while were at it, we should also be take preemptive measures and round up and put to death anyone who has the name of Charles or Manson or Oswald- just to be safe, you know.

Yup. The dumb keep getting dumber folks. This outlandish decision has three Code Red ailments.

It holds the potential to increase the gap of distance between the wealthy and the other classes. Such a gap can foster a surge in pride and snobbery.
If affects the spending ability of the wealthy. And I'm telling you… the wealthy do not like to be told what to do with their money. The wealthy now have reason to literally FEAR shopping at Target or Wal-Mart. Even if they pronounce either store with a French accent, they could lose their access to credit as a result. Just in case you didn’t know, the wealthy have experienced an inflation ratio of 12% over the last few years which is as much as double or triple what the other classes have been subjected to for the goods and services they buy. Thus the wealthy are now bound to experience an even bigger inflation ratio as they will now be required to buy their everyday goods from more upscale stores, or risk the fate of lowered credit access. With this asinine decision, the wealthy are less likely to change their inflation rate any time soon.

And folks, like it or not, the wealthy provide jobs. That’s the 3rd ailment. So not only does this Nazi-styled discrimination practice harm the middle class in their ability to grow their businesses, it has the ability to affect the lower class as well, in their dependence on the wealthy for employment.

My vote? I choose to stop rewarding stupidity right now by eliminating all of my credit card access. Will it be challenging at first? You betcha! It’s ingrained in me to perform my business transactions this way. But I’ll be darned if I let the Plastic Prince tell where I can or can’t shop. I look at it this way. Benjamin Franklin was one of the wealthiest and most successful business people in history. He did so without the Melamine Methodology, and dog gone it, so will I.

Credit Cards. May they melt in peace.

Do the Math

2008-09-26T12:20:00.007-07:00

Do the Math:

A very popular e-mail is making the circuit in the last several days espousing a new theory for what to do regarding the bail outs. The e-mail is as follows—however, there are some very grave errors in the proposed theory.

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG. Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend. To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bona fide adults in the U.S.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00. What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved

Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college – it'll be there

Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car – create jobs
Invest in the market – capital drives growth

Pay for your parent's medical insurance – health care improve
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( 'vote buy' ) economic incentive.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG –
Liquidate it. Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ok. So here’s the problem. Many are forwarding this e-mail on to others (including me…*she says sheepishly* without doing the MATH. The math is not $425,000. It’s $425 dollars. And after taxes that won’t even pay for mortgage payment in most homes in this nation. The sorry thing is, and this includes me, is that so many times we as Americans do not demand the appropriate checks and balances necessary to truly be free. We are constantly subjected to numbers and so-called solutions which are not properly vetted, or disclosed to the American people. The lawmakers are constantly hiding this financial provision here and there. Frankly I firmly believe that if we had cause to pass a piece of legislation that laid out a woman’s right to life in the U.S. even after she was subjected to a rape, that some moronic lawmaker would refuse to pass it without sneaking some financial boon to himself or his cronies.

I fully realize that not bailing out AIG, for example would create an enormous loss of wealth to many individuals who invested in AIG. Seeing that all over the news would pain be almost as much as witnessing the remains of a terrorist attack. The fact is, this mismanagement of funds is a terrorist attack on our nation’s backbone, but it’s perpetrated by big-wheeling deal makers who do not have appropriate accountability and oversight. While the retirement funds would be obliterated, you must understand that we’re already in an “Emporer’s New Clothes” scenario, folks. The retirements of the middle class have already dwindled down to virtually nil thanks to the devaluation of the dollar, inflation--which is orchestrated, and criminal mismanagement of funds. With us bailing out AIG we are in essence saying, yes, Mr/Ms. American citizen, you made a poor choice in your investment but the rest of the American people are going to atone for that error and pay for the mistake for you—even those who can’t even fathom ever owning a home, let alone an investment account of hundreds of thousands—AND we’re going to let the real perpetrators of the debacle walk or even salvage their big profits in doing so.

Additionally, even if the numbers were real on this, it would only compound the problem of watering down the value of our currency which the Federal Reserve has already mastered quite well. Inflation IS a tax manipulated by those in power. And it’s a hefty one at that.

Our currency is mismanaged, our taxes are mismanaged, and now when we discover just how badly our so-called backbone of the economy—Wall Street—has mismanaged their jobs, we’re compounding the problem.

Mark my words. This debacle enslaves all middle and lower class tax payers even more harshly than if the true consequences were allowed to play out. At least then, those responsible would be forced to suffer the results of their actions. As a nation I believe we can suffer through the natural fall-out while being given the opportunity of a wake-up call. You can’t “repent” of your actions by forcing someone else to “atone” for you. (I believe there’s only one person who’s authorized to do that.) And yet that’s exactly what is being forced upon the American people.

Why SHOULD Wall Street tumble today?

2008-09-17T13:08:00.003-07:00

Wall Street SHOULD tumble despite the AIG bailout

Anything other than a “Wall Street tumble” would be a deception on the public. Why? Because there is no financial benefit for the investors of our nation when the “Fed” bails out another business gone amuck. It’s a generic band-aid, initiated to continue the perpetration of a century long façade. Let me say this again loud and clear… the Federal Reserve is NOT a government entity. Our government leaders have no say in how it operates, and no jurisdiction over it. So how does it have any authority over the use of YOUR tax dollars?? And yet it was the tax dollars of U.S. citizens pledged for use of the Federal Reserve for this AIG bailout and the so-called $70 billion cash infusion that occurred yesterday.

I’m having a hard time understanding how so little financial intellect can be present in the minds of our media reporters? They can get heavily involved in what celebrity was caught kissing whom, what crime rate is on the rise, whether or not a woman or a mother is fit to run a big business or serve in a major government position, but they can’t see the asinine proposal of our tax dollars being given to a foreign entity to bail out another big business gone amuck?

Since when did business failure deserve a reward? Let the consequences happen as they may to these big businesses. Give the American investors pause for more prudence in their investment decision making.

Why is it that our nation’s leaders are allocating our tax dollars to a non-governmental entity to bailout a company most of us could care less about? Since when does failure to operate a business properly merit the pity and hard-earned dollars of American citizens? I know of hundreds of business owners who have made mistakes in running their business; and not only does no one come to their aid one iota, but because they are self-employed business owners, even in a crisis they are unable to get access to simple financial benefits such as food stamps or Medicaid (that even illegal immigrants can get) when necessary! The irony is that small and medium sized businesses contribute the largest portion of tax dollars to these programs than even large corporations- yes more than Merrill Lynch and AIG put together! Do we simply discount or forget that these struggling businesses may have had a wonderful 5 year run previously in which they contributed to the economy by providing honest jobs to dozens of employees, tax dollars, vendor service dollars, etc?

Stop the insanity. Get educated about what’s really going on and then voice your opinion in these matters to the government leaders just as fervently as you would cry for help to save your family, your home, and your freedom.

Legal Slavery in Our Borders

2008-09-16T13:01:00.003-07:00

Opinions abound concerning the conspiracies that may have been present during the run-up to the Great Depression. Regardless of your beliefs concerning these conspiracy theories, you must acknowledge that several privately-held companies benefited greatly from the results of the Great Depression upon the people of the United States, in general.

How often does history repeat itself?

Current headlines read:
“Fed’s Regulatory Powers May Expand After Crisis”
“Fed Expands Lender of Last Resort Role Even As It Draws Line on Bailouts”
“WaMu’s Decline Values Lender Close to JPMorgan’s Takeover Offer in March”

If you are aware you will see these headlines as ominous indications of the future.

How much more power can be consolidated in the overgrown giant we know as the “Fed” before it owns us lock, stock, and barrel? Or, is it already too late to even consider that?

As the Fed grabs for more control at each and every turn (notice that, in the long-run, the results do not generally help the public but specific, private shareholders of entities shrouded in mystery), and as super-giants such as JPMorgan and others grow in leaps and bounds by buying smaller entities for a steal at the expense of the public, the question must be asked: Was our current situation engineered from the beginning?

How much imagination must one have to believe that the Fed and its “coordinators” intentionally made credit far too easy to obtain in our society in an effort to run-up prices (which empties the pockets of the public) and then intentionally began a series of credit-tightening (which inevitably results in defaults) in a concerted effort to relieve the American public of its hard-earned wealth (while leaving the public holding with a rather enslaving bag of debt)?

History may well tell the true story (albeit re-written to please its authors), but today one can only guess at the intentions of those in true power. Today’s best advice could be stated “Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing”, in an effort to put all individuals on notice that the actions of the Fed and its consorts may not be in your best interests.

But how can you possibly avoid this uninvited impact in your life? GET OUT OF DEBT, even if it represents a small interest rate on your home, eliminate it. As long as you are paying on debts you are playing in their game. You can’t get out of the game until you get out of the debt. Debt requires you to pay interest on air. This is in addition to the heavy interest you pay on the “air” of our governments spending in the form of taxes and the so-called social security income (which is also a tax, folks, not an entitlement). You might as well be paying a fee for every time you exhale rather than be in debt. At least that provides you with a necessary freedom.

This may sound trite, but my emphasis here is to get you to realize just how enslaving this national debt and reliance on the Fed is. And I do mean SLAVERY. You are required to work through May just to pay your portion of taxes to the government. While it may not be the same as the 20 year requirement for indentured servants in the South, it’s still is a heavy toll. I hope that my sharing with you these alternative views may help you realize that you may be participating in game that you never wanted to play.

Would I Pay This Person?

2008-09-15T12:01:00.003-07:00

“Would I pay this person’s paycheck before my own mortgage?”

As an employer, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to make awful hiring mistakes. I can’t really blame the individuals and their weaknesses, because I feel like it’s my responsibility to properly vet those issues during the interview process. But I’ve recently had an epiphany that I actually chose to act on and it’s made all of the difference in the world. This recommendation applies to both the employer AND the employee.

To Employers, if you are not in love with them, don’t hire them. This is your business, your livelihood we’re talking about here. As a small or even a medium sized business you’re susceptible to financial volatility. Clearly things do not always go rosy and there may be a time when you get paid last, or even not at all while you keep your staff on so that you can get to the next paycheck. So there are two issues that you need to consider here. One of them you need to consider before you hire them and the other you need to consider after you hire them.

1) Before you hire them, you’ve got to look at their attributes and literally ask yourself the question, “Would I pay this person’s salary before my own mortgage?” Why? Because frankly such a decision may need to be made at some point in the future. Even if you never have to make such a decision (and let’s hope that you never do) you still should only reward your unique risks and responsibilities as a business owner with quality individuals who enhance your work path, not detract from it. And if you aren’t able to see how they would be an attribute to the financial strength of your business and the tasks that you need accomplished, then don’t hire them.

Don’t run your business like a popularity contest. You are the president/CEO/Owner of a business, not the President of Please Like Me, Inc. You owe it to the rest of your team members to ensure that you do not bring on anyone who compromises the strength of your company’s financial standing, because if your company isn’t profitable everybody suffers. If you aren’t in love with them when they are supposed to be putting on their best behavior and only have to “fake it” for a few interviews, then for crying out loud, what makes you think it’s going to get better when they are in the midst of the daily business stresses and handling critical responsibilities?

Remember, the enemy of best is good. Don’t go with the “good” prospective employee just because you need to fill a position. That will cost you a lot of money and headaches in the long run. Be patient. Wait for the “best” person to manifest your wish list requirements to you. In today’s economy, being able to offer someone a job is an asset that should be appreciated by any prospective clients.

2) After you’ve hired them, you have every right to expect them to proactively contribute to your bottom line. In other words, each employee you have on board should be a revenue generator in some way or another for your business. If not, you cannot afford to have them.

So how does this apply to employees? Well for starters it gives you great insight into the thought process of successful business owners. And after all, isn’t that the kind of company you want to work for? Keep in mind that you’re obligated to work and then get paid. Your employment should only be contingent on your value to the company for which you work. This does not mean you have to be perfect. Plenty of businesses aren’t and they still manage quite well. But you do need to realize that for every task you slough off or perform incorrectly you are costing your employer money. And if they didn’t have to pay for your errors or inefficiencies, they just may be able to pass some of the wealth on to your salary. The question is does your work ethic and capabilities merit you being paid prior to your owner’s own mortgage? The answer is only a “yes” if they can’t afford to do without you.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

American Taxation

2008-09-09T10:46:00.002-07:00

A Double Whammy!

As an American, I feel that it is absolutely irresponsible to not understand how money really works in this nation. A full comprehension of this topic will actually instill a more prudent behavior in our own financial habits - at least that’s my belief. Such a behavior will lead to less anxiety, stress, and chaos in our lives.

For starters, those of you who would mistakenly pipe up that the Canadian dollar is now worth the same as a U.S. dollar as a result of our deficit; you are missing a large chunk of the rest of the story. The fact is our dollar is devalued because there is an abundance of U.S. currency in circulation. The value of the dollar is directly related to supply and demand. For instance, remember when cell phones were first sold in our nation, the prices were prohibitive for many. However, now that they are more abundant and commonplace, the prices have lowered to as little as “free” in many instances.

It used to be that the Federal Reserve published a report which contained an M3 number. This figure would convey to the public just how much money was actually in circulation. Mysteriously, the Federal Reserve has elected to no longer provide the public with that figure. Thus their printing presses can continue to roll out currency as they see fit, watering down the value of our dollar. Our foreign nations who trade heavily with us are not imbecilic economists. Clearly the only reason to NOT provide such a number is to hide the true value of our currency. And as such, international trading with us has been subdued.

This is Economics 101…(although not likely to be taught as such.) Suppose I was investing in fine art. Wouldn’t it be reasonable for me to know just how many pieces an artist created? Of course. As it would determine the value of any art I purchased by this artist. So why would anyone invest in a commodity who’s true value cannot be rightly determined?

Be aware that the Federal Reserve is a nation unto itself. It is NOT part of the U.S. Government. Sure the Federal Reserve Chairman is appointed by the U.S. president, but are you certain that whom he appoints is of his own choosing? You keep spouting how we need to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil; how about eliminating our dependence on the foreign nation that rules our currency? All of the U.S. Presidents who have attempted to stand up to and eliminate this cartel dependence have met with serious demise. (Kennedy, Reagan for example.)

If our nation’s currency can simply be printed up in accordance to the Feds whims, with no checks and balances, then the value of the dollar is questionable. Thus in my mind it behooves us to incur as little debt as possible so that we remove ourselves from this shell game as much as possible.

Why is our budget deficit $407 billion dollars? Because those that play with the money only see it as Monopoly money. They figure they can simply print more. “Let’s just call the Federal Reserve and ask them to loan us more money.” Where does this money come from? A check? Where is the money that backs up the check? It’s not money, it’s a printing press. Unfortunately, it’s REAL hours we work for every year through the month of May to pay for our nation’s REAL debt. That debt is paid for by the sweat of our brows. Our federal income taxes do not go for road improvements, social security, or Medicaid. It all goes to pay the INTEREST on the debt that our nation’s “leaders” have imposed upon us. I have no offense in paying for the services that I require. But unfortunately I’m not receiving the benefit of those services. I cannot count on Social Security when I need to retire, neither can 80+% of all retirement-aged Americans. I could go on and on here with the façade of services we’ve been led to believe our tax dollars pay for, but the bottom line is we’ve had very little say in what our tax dollars pay buy, or how they enslave us. Now that’s what I call “taxation without representation.” And not only are we being arduously taxed, but those dollars with which we pay our taxes are being destabilized dramatically. A Double Whammy!

So here’s my solution, as a patriotic American I say let’s be proud to be American and let’s take advantage of the freedoms that we still have in this country. This doesn’t mean we have to like what they do with our financial matters, but fortunately they don’t have ultimate control. This nation was built on the backs of visionary entrepreneurs and it’s future lies in the hands of those same visionary, determined hearts. I feel like so many of us get so tired keeping up with our business and keeping our heads above water that we forget that we are very powerful in determining our outcome. So learn what game you’re really playing in, and learn how to leverage your entrepreneurial inclinations to maximize your prosperity so you don’t need their credit.

If you would like to increase your prosperity, join the Money, Mind, Marketing consulting program today. This is the only complete consulting program which shows you how to leverage your knowledge to create unprecedented business results, and to live a life of true prosperity, not just one on paper. Sure marketing knowledge is important, but what good is it if it’s unaccompanied by a sound understanding of fiscal matters as well. By learning from a true expert and my innovative money strategies, you can expect to increase your business revenue at little as 20% to as much as 600% in the next 12 months! Simply go to http://www.moneymindmarketing.com/ to begin.

You may also desire to subscribe to the nation’s only non-politically or fiscally motivated publication, Monetary Intelligence Magazine. Go to http://www.monetaryintel.com/ to register for your marketing, money and mind mastery without the fluff.

Scares the Crud Out of Me

2008-09-08T13:25:00.002-07:00

The most recent news of the government taking over Freddie and Fannie may come as welcome relief to some, it scares the crud out of me. Here’s yet one more way that our government can have a hand in our business, our finances, and it is certain to be an unpleasant one. Every time the government is in control over a financial issue, they consistently demonstrate that they have no decorum in conducting themselves with any sense of prudence. Social Security. Medicaid. FEMA assistance. Pork spending. And let’s not forget the true 800 pound gorilla that’s been around since the early 1900’s, the suspiciously formed Federal Reserve. So now we have the Federal Reserve pulling all of the strings of our currency circulation (whilst arbitrarily eliminating any reporting of just how much currency is in circulation at one time), the FDIC taking over control of various banks that have mishandled their funds, and we’ve now got the U.S. government acting as the nation’s primary mortgage lender. Geesh. If that’s not a recipe for disaster, I don’t know what is. The more of our financial freedoms we give control to our government, AND to non-elected officials such as those that run the FDIC and the Federal Reserve, the less free we are indeed.

To read that Freddie or Fannie did not see the mortgage bubble coming is ludicrous. These are learned and highly educated individuals entrusted with this responsibility all these years. Of course they saw the writing on the wall. They either had a back up plan that didn’t pan out very well, or they chose to ignore the responsibility that this problem they created would require. You simply cannot believe they acted in ignorance. I’ve got entry-level administrative personnel that can forecast better than that! I’ve got nothing more than a high school education and yet over 3 years ago I bailed out of the residential industry to get into commercial because the writing was on the wall way back then. In other words, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon—or at least a college educated economist—to see that there was trouble brewing long ago with the credit given freely to so many with such unrestrained finance terms.

Here is yet one more reason for us to heed ongoing counsel of the wise to get out of debt, including our homes. We’ve got to start looking at our homes as our places of refuge, not a credit line.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Modern Day Warriors

2008-09-04T06:02:00.002-07:00

Over the last year, I’ve had the immense privilege to work with many women who are presently in challenging circumstances. I’ve consulted them primarily in matters of self-esteem and their entrepreneurial path. These women come from various points of wealth, family life, nationalities, marital status and religions. Some have struggled with domestic violence from a spouse, parent, or even a child. Some have been overwhelmed battling destructive eating disorders or even fighting a terminal diagnosis’ which they’ve emerged from with a clean bill of health. Still some have struggled to raise their children single-handedly, manage intense depression, anxieties, or even struggling just to find their place in the professional world. While their backgrounds or present circumstances vary dramatically from each other, I’ve noticed a common theme among these modern day warriors. With little exception, they all have chosen to continue to press on. But after spending so much time with them, I still feel a sense of sadness for them as I realize they feel like their life is intended to merely survive, when I am absolutely certain that their lives are intended to be one of thriving. For some, they even have a hard time to acknowledge their problems to be what they actually are. Here’s an example: One woman whose son was physically abusing her, even threatening to kill her in her sleep, had the most difficult time even calling it what it really was. She just kept blaming herself for not raising him properly and trying to come up with the perfect parenting skill to make everything all better. It didn’t help that her husband refused to acknowledge that it was as serious issue as well. So here you have a wonderful woman who’s living a less than fulfilling life because her perspective of things is so skewed.

Now, to be clear, I’m certainly no therapist and I don’t have the proper education to clinically assist these women in any of the aforementioned matters. My exposure to them has come solely as a result of my business and marketing consulting. However, because of my belief that fixing the “head” is critical to one’s true success in the professional world, I attempt to address this aspect as well with all of my consulting clients. I believe that one of the keys to fixing your head is to remove yourself from the situation for a “moment in time” so that you can see your surrounding, your current circumstances with a fresh, more accurate pair of eyes. After all, it’s hard for us to really see things as they are when we’re so close to it and embroiled in the climax of the emotions. So, last fall I elected to take a few women to Walt Disney World. I did so in order that the women could experience a vastly different world from their own perceived reality, and thus, perhaps, view their situations in a different light. I’m happy to say that after 4 days with these wonderful travel companions, each of them expressed some alternative views of their situation, which I believe was much more accurate. Obviously, in order to overcome a challenge, we’ve got to know what the challenge is, right?

So my point in this message today is to encourage you to remove yourself in order to maintain better clarity. This is a wise practice implemented regularly by some of the most successful entrepreneurs.

The Real Scam

2008-08-29T12:43:00.002-07:00

You’ve heard the line “Your money or your life.” Lately I have come to regularly witness the scams that would rob many of both. This all too real deceit is perpetrated by anonymous individuals living in dark caves of cowardice, well-intentioned loved ones and friends, and the media. The intended scam occurs when misinformation is dispensed to individuals truly seeking to better their lives, become more, and to succeed at higher levels, but who fall prey to lies of bitter, pessimistic, or truly ignorantly charged motives.

The media would have us believe the proverbial sky is falling and thus we should halt our normal lifestyle and take no risks of progression. Anonymous posters to websites would have us take their cowardly, unsubstantiated posts and obliterate years of respected relationships, education, and sound evidence. Loved-ones and friends, in the name of saving us from hurt, would have us avoid any part of life that might be challenging or trailblazing. Ironically, research has shown that in most cases, the loved one is actually lacking in the fortitude themselves which may be necessary in watching us struggle.

Here’s a perfect example of an attempted scam that could have had devastating effects if it were attempted on a person with less resolve. One of my clients, who I consult for regularly regarding the utilization of advanced finance strategies for his clients, came to me with a somewhat “prickly” transaction. In spite of the deal’s obvious glitches, this fine expert was able to structure a solution for his client which offered 100% financing for his project (unheard of nowadays—especially in commercial transactions), NO interest rate, NO payments for the duration of the 24 months of capital infusion, and no personal guarantee. Clearly this was a phenomenal solution for his client and obviously indicative of the expertise that this professional brings to the table when he takes on a client. However, when he initially took on the project he was overwhelmed and even shocked by the number of “caring or concerned” individuals who let him know that he should pass on the deal and not proceed because it was impossible, a waste of time, a dubious project, or a pipe dream, etc. Had this client of mine heeded their advice, he would not be several million dollars wealthier for a job well done, nor would have be presently overwhelmed with other business professionals standing in line for a similar proposal on behalf of their projects.

Oh, here’s another interesting twist. Since this client of mine is an experienced advisor in matters such as these, his prospective clients pay him $5,000 an hour just to be able to consult with him about their deal! Kudos to him for having his sense of worth to the market for taking such a position. And kudos to the savvy professionals who likewise find value in his services as well.

Ultimately, if the “scam bullets” had hit their mark, over 148 individuals would not have well paying jobs right now, a community would be missing out on a phenomenal economic boon to their growth, and there would be at least one more person in the world who would have been discouraged with his/her lack of success. In this case, the scam didn’t have any efficacy, thank God.

Do we really need more discouragement? Doesn’t the devil have enough advocates? Then why do so many of our associates give us “advice” in the name of “just playing the devils advocate”? Why don’t we hear more individuals saying, “Just playing the angels advocate”?! Should we allow anonymous posts by cowards have any legitimate influence on our pursuit of something better? Fortunately in this case, my client knew what he was worth and knew of his competence. But most people are subject to the winds of rumor in the moment. My position is this is a costly mistake. Our progress doesn’t just affect our own lives. We have a continual ripple effect on the lives of countless others.

At this time of political and economic rife, the real solutions and growth can only come through individuals who possess their own thoughts, rather than subscribing to those of others. We’re all blessed with the ability to choose for ourselves, to act for ourselves. Why let inexperienced individuals in the world of success dictate our actions? Surely we can verify any real concerns we may have in making a decision if it truly has merit.

I subscribe to the camp of “Free to act. Free to choose. Free to succeed.”

May you not only choose wisely, but may you proactively choose.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Ultimate Success Gala

2008-08-29T06:42:00.003-07:00

Monetary Intelligence Magazine presents the Ultimate Success Gala - three incredibly full days of non-stop headline experts and celebrity entertainment catering specifically to the genuine needs for today's successful business professionals and entrepreneurs with 100% of all profits going towards one of the most reputable charitable organizations in the U.S., the Children's Miracle Networ k.

The incomparable Grand America Hotel, dining masterpieces, private concerts, and a gathering of a 12 star-studded cast of experts whose sole goal it is to ensure your greater success regardless of the economic climate!

As part of this Gala, we have acquired a ballroom to host a silent auction over the three day educational event. With tickets ranging from $5000 to $6500 for the event, over 300 high income professionals will be in attendance. Headlining the event are reuptable individuals such as Steve Forbes of Forbes Magazine, Nido Qubein of High Point University and Carolyn Kepcher from the Apprentice, to name a few.

We are looking for businesses to sponsor the event and make donations for the Gala's silent auction. Would your organization be willing to make a contribution to an honorable cause? 100% of the profits will benefit the Children's Miracle Network directly. For more information, visit us online at http://www.ultimatesuccessgala.com/ or contact us by phone at 801-788-4133.

Power Women- Working from Home

2008-08-26T15:47:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, there are many of you reading this who can completely relate to this content. I say “unfortunately”, not because of a predisposed judgment on single moms, but only because I would certainly wish for a complete, whole, and happy life for all of our readers. But the fact is, single motherhood abounds in our nation. My mother raised the 5 of us single-handedly for much of our lives—sometimes even when she was married to one of her 5 husbands. And thus it is one of my goals to make a significant impact in the lives of single mothers nationwide with the knowledge and technology that is now available for women working from home. Let’s face it. It’s hard enough raising your children alone. But attempting to make a positive influence in their lives with only a couple hours of exposure each day is clearly not for the feint of heart. Add financial strains of all kinds, contentious interactions with a family, and a lack of time to rejuvenate your own sanity, this working Mom stuff is the job of a saint! (Ok, I admit that it doesn’t look very saintly right now, but don’t worry, history has a way of clearing away some of the bad moments and teaching your children in their later years that you were right on so many levels. *wink* ) Ok. You already know how tough your job is, right? Well, allow me to share with you how it can get much easier; thanks to the availability of real marketing knowledge and modern technology, women no longer have to choose between expensive day care, leaving their children for the majority of the day in the hands of teachers and strangers, deciding between health insurance or positive extracurricular activities, and so many other choices that are painful for any mother to make who truly cares for her children. Surely you never dreamed of growing up someday and ending up handling all that life dishes out on your own. With the right knowledge, you no longer have to make that choice.

My favorite sister in the whole wide world had two little girls to care for, all by herself. Meanwhile, she was also battling an abusive husband in the court system as well to retain custody of one of them. The last thing she wanted to do was to relinquish her girls to anything other than her nurturing, love, and values. At this time, I was earning a very good income working in the wholesale portion of the residential industry. My sister was a sharp cookie, and I was convinced that if I could train her properly, she could do what I did, which did not require me to leave the house for hours on end. Essentially, I did a lot of work from my home, my computer, and my phone. Bless my sister’s heart. She faithfully and patiently studied with me for several hours a day for a week—long distance via telephone and computer— to learn the mortgage business inside and out. And as a result she landed a job as a wholesale account executive where she could still be at the crossroads of her daughter’s lives. Sure she had to work hard learning the information. Sure she had to venture where she never had before. But she made it and her girls have grown up amazingly well-balanced and wonderful!

My point is, you have a wealth of knowledge right now. Yes, WEALTH. You simply need to connect with individuals who can assist you in leveraging that knowledge.
There’s a popular story known as Acres of Diamonds. I find especially when I consult with single mom’s that they have this belief that they have very little to offer the world from home that anyone would pay for, let alone enough to support their family. And yet you do not have to look far to see evidence that that simply is not the case. What about the famous stay-at-home blogger who now makes more money blogging from home than she did at a high-paying IT job? Or what about Stephanie Meyer who writes national best-selling books from the comfort of her home? What about successful home sales specialists who provide fellowship in addition to quality products from companies such as Reliv, Pampered Chef, or Mary Kay? I personally have dozens of friends who are SUCCESSFUL women working in this aspect of business. We’re not talking about stuffing envelopes or making cold calls, here. You have numerous examples of fulfilling roles and prestigious women leaders. (In fact, you can hear from 4 of them at the upcoming Ultimate Success Gala on November 13-15 in Salt Lake City! Carolyn Kepcher, Susan Adams, Chin-Ning Chu, and Sydney Biddle Barrows will rock your world with their examples of a realistic and achievable strength and power!)

This advice isn’t simply for working moms. It’s applicable for individuals who are working hard at numerous jobs and still not making ends meet, or for the married mom who feels compelled to leave home to help bring in income for the family. You no longer have to make that painful choice. YOU CAN LEARN TO LEVERAGE YOUR EXISTING KNOWLEDGE and earn a living which actually sustains you—while you work from home. All you need to do is learn how to leverage the information you’ve been given through your education, life’s experiences, or your hobbies. Whether you want to work in the mortgage industry, scrapbooking, network marketing, cooking, or belly dancing, it doesn’t matter. The tools are available for you NOW. I know this because I live by this rule and am able to support the livelihood of all of my employees as well by implementing these real and applicable strategies. I just wish my mother could have seen it in her lifetime. It’s available in yours. So take advantage of it!

I will do my part. I will gladly provide you with access to my knowledge and expertise with the same fervor that I did my sister so many years ago, so that I can repay my wonderful single mother for all that she did for us kids and also for all of the other single moms out there who struggle so hard to make ends meet.

Single Moms, I salute you!

If you would like access to your exclusive, expert training in the three most important components of success— Money, Mind Marketing, register today for a free trial membership at http://www.moneymindmarketing.com/ You and your family have everything to gain!

Sleeping With the Enemy

2008-08-15T07:38:00.002-07:00

Riding on the coattails of a movie from the 80’s, Sleeping with the Enemy, I thought I would address a prevalent message I’ve been hearing in my conversations with clients, associates, and friends. It seems that many are indeed sleeping with the enemy. Who is the enemy?

“The enemy of Best is Good.”

This past week I watched a friend accept a job that paid her $10 less per hour than she was previously making simply because she convinced herself that she didn’t merit any better. Recently, I also witnessed a client of mine “settle” in taking on a client that clearly did not fit his criteria. He knew early on in the relationship that this client was a “problem child” and indeed he was. To make a long story short, the client was nothing that he portrayed himself to be, he had a reputation of being a serious challenge, and my client is now looking at having to proceed with legal means in order to get paid monies due him.

Here’s one more example that I feel is fitting. I was recently shopping in a “warehouse” kind of store. I was passing one of those irresistible “sample tables” in which two older women were making scrumptious looking mini sandwiches as well as a fancy deli-style cracker. It appeared much more significant that most “sample” booths I had seen previously. So I cheerfully commented to the women, “Wow. It looks like you’re having a party here ladies.” One of the women promptly replied in a lack luster tone, “It’s anything but a party.” As I walked away I heard one woman say, in a voice similar to my 4-year-old nephew when he needs a nap, “When I run out of these crackers, can we just do the sandwiches?” I immediately wondered what it was that these women conveyed in their job interviews to make the hiring manager feel that they were the best for the positions they currently filled?

Perhaps all of these decisions which were made at some point seemed “good” at the time, however, I suspect that if one thought that they personally or their own business merited the Best scenario, client, job, employee, etc—then the detracting decision would not have been made.

It’s a simple Law of Physics. No two objects can occupy the same space at the same time. If you’ve only made room for good, then there is no room for best. And thus you may find your life so filled with mediocrity that you’ve left no room for anything better.

The Law of Gravity tends to pull things downward. It’s a much shorter distance between Good and Awful than it is between Best and such lower levels of life. I’d much rather start at Best and then, when the inevitable gravitational pull affects my life, I’m more likely to arrive at the level of Challenging rather than feeling overwhelmed.

When compared side by side, Good appears drastically different and inferior to Best. I perceive that many individuals simply fail to make such a comparison either as a result of a lack of awareness of the consequences, or due to a belief that their world deserves the influence of Best. I assure you that we all merit and were intended for the Best. And as we continue to require such circumstances in our lives, the Best keeps getting better.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Is your business thinking archaic?

2008-08-05T13:34:00.003-07:00

Perhaps you’ve at least heard the term “Market Share.” Perhaps you’re even guilty of using the term—Yes, I said GUILTY. This is an archaic term for any business today because it assumes that there is a finite amount of business for which you can possess. In actuality, markets are created everyday. Think about it. Do you really think that someone woke up one day and asked, “Hmmm. I wonder what the market share for Pet Rocks is?” Of course not. That market was simply created. As long as you have a creative bone in your body, you will never be beholden to needing to obtain a particular market share to be successful. Even without creating a new market to own and control, the fact is, by tweaking your existing market with an enhanced feature or service, you are essentially creating an incomparable product, and thus a new market. Think abundance, not scarcity. It’s what will not only pull you through challenging times, but take you eons ahead in the future as well.

Success is a Choice

2008-08-04T08:21:00.002-07:00

Many who “have arrived” have wisely said, “If it was easy to do, everyone would be doing it.” This applies to many aspects of our life, but particularly to success. I frankly wonder why more people don’t choose to live their life with the ultimate of success and just do what it takes to accomplish that? Why is the majority of the wealth in the world held by a mere 1%, and in our nation by 3%? Surely these numbers are not indicative of the self-esteem or intelligence level of our nation and our globe, are they?

As my husband channel surfs, I catch a glimpse, of those so-called reality shows and see how some folks ostensibly behave, even when the cameras are on them. Or I read the newspaper headlines or TV News sites and see how others sadly choose to live out their life. Then there’s the countless court dockets filled with evidence of the poor choices of many. And lastly, where individuals seem to perform their darkest is on the websites which encourage anonymous cowards to post whatever comments they see fit in the moment, without accountability for truth or identity. Ahh…with all of this, I finally get it. It’s all about choice. While it’s a sad commentary, it seems to indicate that only a small percentage of humankind actually chooses to be great, significant, or to lead meaningful lives. Perhaps they don’t realize the power of the choices they hold.

Some time ago, I had a student in one of my 4 day courses. He was clearly an intelligent person, but anything except appropriately social. In fact, it was the first time I ever had individuals in my class ask me NOT to make them sit by someone—him. When I asked why they felt this way, the individuals complained about how negative he was. Apparently he had spent well over the last year of his life with no job, living at home with his parents, doing nothing but “getting back at a large mortgage company” in a law suit. I believe that ultimately he was victorious in the suit, but he was clearly left unfulfilled with no substance in his life. To this day he is chasing after yet another “legal rabbit” and spends time posting his view of others on the web, spreading filth and ire to all who will listen and still has done nothing to make choices of how best to use his intelligence that will benefit others.

There are many sad examples of such wasted lives marked by a path of poor choices. I have come to realize that being successful is mostly about choice and the belief that your life merits such fulfillment. Why do so few achieve this lofty path? Perhaps it’s because they feel that it is removed from them by some imaginary cultural divide, when in fact, it’s only out of reach until they make the choices to journey there.

2008-07-28T14:47:00.001-07:00

Holy Cow! It’s only Monday, and already I feel like I’ve led a Revolutionary War into its last battle. I’m sure you’ve had those kinds of days as well, especially Mondays; however, I wanted to share with you a saying that drives me even on days like this, which a friend of mine, Lee Milteer, enunciates so well for. “There are no victims, only volunteers.” I realize that every day I don’t press forward— Monday or not— I’m simply volunteering to get run over by whatever bull, train, or maniacal 4 year old is heading my way. It’s kind of like the steering in your car; if you simply let the car steer by itself, inevitably you’ll end up in a collision of some sort- that’s an apathetic volunteering. But if you are determined in your course and proactively steer, you’ll get to make the choice of where you arrive.

If your business is struggling, the very best thing you can do is to stop volunteering to surrender it. Revive it with new information and new strategy. Contrary to popular opinion, revitalizing your business and your client base does not require cash infusion. It merely requires emotional, intelligent and enthusiastic infusion. That’s not easy to muster on your own sometimes. When that’s the case, you simply need to consult with the right friends; business professionals and associates who can help you get there.Here’s to your success! I hope you volunteer for it!

For a complimentary 3 month subscription of Kellene’s High-Rise Entrepreneurs E-zine, subscribe at www.HighRiseEntrepreneurs.com.

If you would like to know how you can dramatically improve the state of your entrepreneurial efforts through Kellene’s coaching, check out www.moneymindmarketing.com.

If your organization would like to host Kellene as a speaker in exchange for a donation to The Children’s Miracle Network, e-mail Kristen@3MMastermind.com

What I learned from Justin Timberlake...

2008-07-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

Sorry to disappoint you, but no, I haven’t had the privilege to hang out with Justin Timberlake personally. But recently I had some failing health and indulged myself in an Oprah Winfrey episode. To be frank, it’s hard to notice any substance in an individual when you only “get to know them” through the rag mags, entertainment shows, movies, performance videos, or 3 minute interviews on TV. Fortunately, Oprah has a tendency to cut through to important matters more often than most hosts. And she managed to perform true to form on this episode as well.

When she asked Justin what the best advice was that he learned from his years of fame he responded “What you do is not who you are.” I’m sure that somewhere, someone else famous has uttered these same words in my presence; however for some reason this time it hit me. The reason is that I firmly believe that there is opposition in all things. And I do mean all things.

While Justin was attempting to help us see that he doesn’t take the raving fans, the adulation, and fame as a defining mechanism into who he truly is, I looked at it from the opposite view. Surely Justin gets his share of criticisms, dissemination of half truths, and plenty of “haters.” Heck, even Oprah has her share of “haters”. (Remember the beef farmers?? And I’m sure she’s ticked off a few Republicans with her visible support of Obama.) Perhaps the lauds of wonderment or the yelling of hatred is not as magnified to the level that Justin and Oprah experience it. However, it still has influence on all of us. And I agree with Justin that we cannot take the applause NOR the sneers with any degree of seriousness. They do not define who we are. They merely define the position and paradigm of the person who’s launching the praise or destruction. The definition of who we are will never come from this world. It was not intended to be that way. While we are blessed with the occasional friends and confidants who will aid us in tuning in better to the direction we are created to walk and who we are created to be, these resources are not eternal. Only one voice, one still small voice, is assured for us to be true, to be forever, and to have no other agenda other than our happiness. I’m going to try and remember this reminder lesson I’ve learned from Justin. Good or bad. Ecstatic or depressed. I’m the only one who can define me through my actions. And hopefully these actions will always be led by the one true voice.

Success Is Only a Few Degrees Away

2008-07-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here’s a secret, even the most successful business owners get help with their business. Who mentors you on your business? Me? I go to the very best. Sometimes I do it live and in person, sometimes I only have the time to access to their books. Sometimes I have the luxury of speaking to them directly. But I believe this blog today will help you see the just how close success really is, even to your world and your heap of challenges.

Lee Milteer is the world renowned Millionaire Smarts® Coach. She’s also a personal friend. She’s literally helped shape my business. (photo on this site) While Lee may appear to be smart, drop-dead gorgeous, and that success come simply to her, she has suffered numerous bona fide tragedies in her life that some would cower to even think about. You’ll still hear her Southern “Caint” come out of her mouth frequently, and if she elects to share with you any of her personal life, you’ll hear that she is targeted perhaps that much more because of her fame. And yet she has had her books published worldwide in multiple languages, coached some of the biggest corporations in the world, and continues on…and still continues having struggles just like everyone else. (http://www.leemilteer.com/ )

Dan Kennedy has assisted in creating more millionaires than any research has revealed. He is THE marketing guru, but in such high demand, he’s completely booked at over $12,000 for a few hours of consulting at a great deal of inconvenience to his prospective clients until he retires. Dan was earning 6 figures through his marketing expertise in the seventies. The 70’s folks! That is a lot of money now and it sure was a lot of money then. He was charging $35,000 a year for his coaching services way back then and yet many folks balk at that now. In spite of his grand successes he’s had some extremely tough times as well, including financial set-backs. He’s still managed to conquer alcoholism, diabetes, and in my opinion, the ultimate victory, he’s re-married his second wife, Carla. (http://www.dankennedy.com/) He’s also a vital mentor to my business. (photo on this site as well) While I would go so far as to consider him a friend, Dan has a strict “no friend” policy amongst his clients. *grin* -It’s a positioning thing and it makes for better business in his world. I will say that he is a key advisor in my business success on a regular basis.

George Ross of The Apprentice fame is obviously a keen business man. He’s had some ugly negotiations which is inevitable in the world he plays in. He’s no stranger to struggle. Did you know that more fortunes have been lost in real estate than have ever been made? He says that his biggest mistakes was trusting friends. (Ouch. That has to be a painful one to learn from on so many levels.) And he’s clearly no stranger to success. In my opinion his biggest one is that he’s been married for over 50 years to the same woman. Clearly, he’s also one of my valued mentors. (photo also on this site.) You may be surprised to hear that out of all of the favorite sayings this chief negotiator could have, it’s this, “Failure + Perseverance = Success.” Trivia note: The most common question George is asked is, “Is Omarosa as bad as she appears on T.V.?” His response, “No. She’s much worse.”

The legendary Gene Simmons is anything but a rock star to me. He’s a business man and an ultimate marketer who I watch and learn from intently. The KISS brand is worth more money than ANY other music name in history- yup, even Elvis. Did you know that Gene came to the U.S. at the age of 8. He was born in Israel. He was a straight A student. He speaks Japanese, German, Hebrew, Hungarian and believes fervently in embracing the culture he’s in, in order to ingratiate himself better to them. He doesn’t drink or smoke and he never did drugs?? He used to deliver newspapers when he started his band and was going to school. He practically worships his mother who was in a Nazi concentration camp in Germany. He’s had the same “girlfriend” for over two decades- significantly longer than many Hollywood types “marry.” His father left he and his mother while he was still very young. While I still may not agree with some of his personal choices, I do wholeheartedly agree with his business sense and learn from it zealously. (yup- got a photo of that one too.) (Of course, I have to sensor some of it to get to the business aspect, but that’s my life in the business world in general unfortunately.)

And to balance out the Gene Simmons influence, my world would not be complete without the wonderful Nido Qubein. If you don’t know, Nido is the Chairman of the Board of The Great Harvest Bread Co. AND he is also the Dean of High Point University. HPU has gone from financial ruin and horrible student statistics to being one of the most expensive, illustrious, and most competitive universities to get into nowadays. The majority of their students graduate, which means that the majority of their students continue re-enrolling as well! This man came to this country with very little English, virtually no money in his pocket and nothing but a dream. He’s a genuine story of the American Dream. He made his first million by age 30. He has a vocabulary of 3,120 words and yet most people have use of a vocabulary of 5,000 and yet he’s more successful using 70% less vocabulary than most Americans are. Look at what he’s accomplished??! And yet he even spends an average of $30,000 a year to improve his mind. What an amazing influence he has had on tens of thousands individuals both in and out of business. I just finished being mentored by him personally over the last 4 months, and I also get the benefit of countless of his CDs and several of his books. (of course I have a pic of him on this site too.)

My point is if you want to be the best, you need to learn from others who have paved the way before you. You’re not going to learn business success from animals or by watching T.V. You’ll learn from getting our hands dirty, activating your mind and genuine interaction with humans. And even though some humans that you would love to learn from seem to be untouchable because of where you think you are now, you are mistaken.

There’s a difference of only a few degrees in an airplane’s coordinates between a safe landing and a horrific crash landing, right? The opposite is true as well. There’s a difference of only a few degrees between floundering and flourishing. The difference is what we do with the trials, what knowledge we seek out and implement. Contrary to your belief, even famous people are not untouchable, perfect people. They are real people with real life stories you can relate to and learn from. They will not have done exactly what you will do, because you are unique and you have your very own path to walk. But you do not have to walk our path alone. In fact, you get to walk it with other great and courageous individuals like some that I have mentioned.

For a complimentary 3 month subscription of Kellene’s High-Rise Entrepreneurs E-zine, subscribe at www.HighRiseEntrepreneurs.com.

If you would like to know how you can dramatically improve the state of your entrepreneurial efforts through Kellene’s coaching, check out www.moneymindmarketing.com.

If your organization would like to host Kellene as a speaker in exchange for a donation to The Children’s Miracle Network, e-mail Kirsten@3MMastermind.com

Moving at the Speed of Sound

2008-07-22T10:50:00.002-07:00

I get asked frequently how I could be a residential wholesale account executive only 5 or 6 years ago, and now be known (among other things) as an expert in the world of ultra-high commercial transactions. I have two answers for that.

1) Marketing: Marketing can launch anyone from point A to point Z if it’s done properly. Marketing can put any career into hyper speed. If I wanted to become a world renowned expert in ice sculpting, I could do so with the right marketing in a fraction of the time that most individuals do. Think about it. The effects of marketing are exactly how individuals can have 15 minutes of fame and then turn it into a lifetime career change. If I am a true expert at anything it’s marketing. Everything you do, you’ve got to make it about the marketing. It doesn’t matter how well you perform brain surgery, or have the best singing voice known to man, or be the best dog trainer if you don’t know how to market yourself. You can have an average product, an average staff, an average personality, and so-so prices. But if you market yourself properly, you can still be successful- and even increase your prices! Go ahead, get your business license, your professional training, and whatever else you need to legally pursue your business dreams. But if you want to be profitable, you’ve got to learn to market.

2) Self-Promotion: Self-promotion isn’t about vanity or selfishness. It’s about being comfortable in your own skin and being willing to own and claim that comfort. Think about it. There’s no one that didn’t raise you that feels compelled to compliment you and praise you, and cheer you on consistently. And at some point life takes those individuals on to their next phase. So then what do you do? Who’s waiting in the wings to dub you as a fine human being, or a successful expert, or the best of the best? Sorry. There’s no such thing as a Tooth Fairy and there’s no such thing as a “Great Maharaja” who’s waiting to crown you as an expert! Life was not intended that way. (See my future blog titled “What I learned from Justin Timberlake.” Coming soon!) You are NOT the sum of your fans or your enemies. You are the only one who can stop you from being all that you were designed to be. And I assure you that there is no one who is not designed for indescribable greatness. Walt Disney was once heard to say, “The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.” Did you know that Muhammad Ali became known as "The Greatest" because Ali himself said it? Yep -- he just kept saying it, and then eventually so did the media!

ENTITLEMENT

2008-07-21T09:14:00.002-07:00

ENTITLMENT. It’s an awful disease. Recently I read of a police officer in Daytona Beach who was reportedly fired for tormenting the folks at a local Starbucks by demanding free coffee and tea and making less-than-veiled threats against the coffee house team that if his demands weren’t met, their urgent or emergency calls would not be responded to in an appropriate fashion. Geesh. Does anyone but me remember the days when moms would use a police officer or a fireman as an example of a hero for their children? Where in the world did those days go?? This sounds like something right out of The Godfather, if you ask me. (Again, this is only reportedly—and has not been verified as factual. Unfortunately, even if this person has been persecuted unjustly, I’m willing to bet good money that such a false sense of entitlement and abuse of power does exist in our tired nation, which is the whole reason for this blog—not to press additional and unfounded blame on this police officer.)

In the world of my business, I regularly see a great deal of individuals who truly believe that they are entitled to all that the world has, simply because. But this is where the “half truth” comes into play. (Our lives are consistently pummeled by those crafty little buggers—“half truths”). Because, in actuality, we ARE all entitled to all the good that the world has to offer. However, we are entitled only to that which we truly earn and work for on this earth. It’s called the Law of the Harvest. (Dr. Steven Covey talks about this at length in a couple of his books, actually.) The good news is when we work hard, we usually end up with much more than we deserve now, and definitely later.

Some people foolishly believe that because they write out a check for $95 and sit down in a throng of thousands of individuals and listen to some superstar on how to get rich in the real estate world that they are then instantly entitled to the same level of wealth that the expert speaker now enjoys. Some people believe that simply because the cashier made the mistake of giving them back $10 too much in change that they are somehow entitled to that by a twist of fate or karma. And then there are some who believe that because they passed the physical, written, and shooting testing criteria, and now receive a paycheck of $35,000 a year as a police officer, they are entitled to break any rules of common courtesy, common law, and decency. Well, the truth is, they are entitled to behave this way. This entitlement comes to them through a gift called AGENCY. And that’s one thing that will never be taken from any individual. But more importantly is that with that same agency, we are truly empowered, beyond our present comprehension usually, to make a heck of a lot more of our lives than we thought possible—much more than even a year’s worth of free cups of coffee would ever be worth.
Hmmm… I wonder if I ever squander my Agency in the name of a misplaced or worthless sense of entitlement?

For a complimentary 3 month subscription of Kellene’s High-Rise Entrepreneurs E-zine, subscribe at http://www.highriseentrepreneurs.com/.

If you would like to know how you can dramatically improve the state of your entrepreneurial efforts through Kellene’s coaching, check out http://www.moneymindmarketing.com/.

If your organization would like to host Kellene as a speaker in exchange for a donation to The Children’s Miracle Network, e-mail Kirsten@monetaryintel.com.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

T.G.I.F.

2008-07-18T14:03:00.002-07:00

When the Cat’s Away…

Happy Friday- So the Hubby is away on an 11-year old overnight Scout trip today and tomorrow. Combine that with my love for musicals and the fact that I’ve waited with baited breath for the release of the movie, “Mama Mia” today, and you’ll understand why I’ve decided to shut the office down a little early and take all of the team members and their spouses to a late matinee of the show today. Yup. I guess I won’t get the prize of “Scrooge of the Year” now. But it’s a ghost town on Friday afternoons on the phones anyways, and they’ve done an amazing job this week with the direct mailings and the Monetary Intelligence Magazine- so it’s only fair that I should torture them with a musical. :)

Happy Wednesday!

2008-07-16T09:00:00.002-07:00

Good Morning! Today is going to be an eventful day, I can already feel it...and it's only 9 o'clock in the morning. I'll keep you posted on all upcoming events and fun-filled activities that are in the near future. After all, that's what Blogs are for!

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.