As the weeks turned into months, I noticed that the ratio of new clients to repeat clients had begun to narrow slightly. I felt at the time that this might have been due to the heavy influx of illegal aliens into locksmithing and all the other trades. Little did I know at the time that my hypothesis barely scratched the surface of reality. While unlicensed competition is definitely a serious problem for anyone trying to do business legally, I remained confident that the quality of my work and hard -won reputation of my company would sustain me, and eventually correct any trade imbalances. I WAS WRONG!!

A year later, having redesigned my Yellow Pages ads, I was ready to get back into the swing of things–I was ready to leave the past in the past, and to get back down to business. Once the new Yellow Pages were distributed I was amazed to see several ‘locksmiths’ listed within spitting distance of my own business address. Normally, I try to avoid becoming overly-concerned with the competition, mainly because I consider myself to be the competition for everyone else. But this new development had an unfamiliar stink to it that bothered me. I started calling some of these new and unfamiliar numbers, learning in the process that dozens of these phony numbers all belonged to the same phony company, which by the way, was located somewhere in the Bronx– way up in New York City, of all places!

At first, I was able to track just 10 or 15 fake locations to a company named PricelineLocksmith, Inc., which appeared to be a company within a company within a company–a bottomless pit of fraud and deceit. Disgusted, I again contacted my Yellow Pages rep to tell her what had found. She suggested that perhaps it was the economy, or my new ad (Again? How could my talent for communication have let me down two years in a row?) She then suggested that maybe it was the size of my ad, implying that a larger ad might convince potential clients of the stability of my company (which had already been pretty darn stable for years). After wrapping my head in duct tape to prevent it from exploding, I suggested that the Yellow Pages again begin checking the licenses of their advertisers (like they had done when I had first started advertising with them,).  I was then told that it was not the responsibility of the Yellow Pages to check the licensing of their advertisers. Little by little, it became more and more difficult to do business, and it was eventually discovered that these fraudulent ads have been extended into the thousands throughout the country!

Today it appears that the practice of the illegal address listing, bait- and- switch practices, physical intimidation, online and 411 monopolization have become the norm. Indeed, a great portion of America’s major metropolitan areas have been dramatically affected. I have even heard rumors of a malpractice lawsuit involving a major telephone provider (I shudder to think of the size of such a lawsuit once the lawyers have factored in the monetary losses of the legal advertisers , as well as the losses of those poor souls unfortunate enough to have responded to all of those phony ads). It also appears that the more the investigators dig, the greater the problem appears. Literally thousands of fraudulent address listings have been discovered blanketing several major metropolitan areas by dominating the top tier of locksmith service listings in SMART pages.com, and in the Verizon Super pages.com., which makes it nearly impossible for a legitimate single- listed locksmith business to get any referral whatsoever from these venues. After much investigation, it has also been recently discovered a second company was also involved in these deceptive practices (USA Locksmith from New Jersey). Then another in Las Vegas, Nevada. And then another (are you beginning to see a pattern?).

411 monopolization comes into play at this point: as fewer and fewer people use the printed Yellow Pages for information, and, as more and more people begin to use the online Yellow Pages and 411 for information, it’s practically guaranteed that they will get either a phony ‘ USA locksmith’ or a phony ‘Priceline locksmith’, after responding to the hundreds of phony locksmith numbers they may find there.

This scam activity that these companies have generated has become so big and so twisted out of shape that it may never completely unravel. It has also been recently learned that these same companies have begun to use these same methods to infiltrate and dominate other businesses, such as carpet cleaning and possibly others. These activities will continue to have a profound impact on my life and, once these scammers have robbed society of its legitimate tradespeople, your nightmare will be just beginning.

I’ll be writing more on this topic as things unfold.

Valerie

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
because it means you’ve made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

Be glad, and be grateful in the knowledge that there is unimaginable splendor on the other side of the veil.

One of the nicest things about having a single-owner-operated business is that I can respond more quickly to situations which arise in the workplace, and within society in general. And so I’m announcing my intention to float a trial balloon, DISCOUNTING THE FEE FOR MY SERVICES UNTIL MAY 30th,  providing you with top-shelf work at mid-level prices.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to either read about or listen to the news these days would surely have to admit that times are pretty tough for Americans today.  Twice, this very week, I found myself faced with a client who found himself wrestling with the idea of whether to change all the locks on his new house, or to take a chance on merely changing the front door lock (which, in my opinion, would be a huge mistake). And it surely wasn’t because my prices are outrageous because, as my clientele can attest, you get a lot of bang for your buck when I come out to your house or business !

SO THIS IS WHAT I INTEND TO DO ABOUT IT ….

Beginning today (22 NOVEMBER until 5 p.m. (30 DECEMBER), I will deduct 20% from the service call fee for any and all work ordered within that time frame). There is, however, one small catch…

YOU MUST MENTION THIS OFFER WHEN MAKING YOUR APPOINTMENT (WITHOUT EXCEPTION, SO I CAN GAUGE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REGULARLY ACCESSING THE INFO ON THIS WEBSITE). YOU DON’T NEED TO SIGN-IN, OR JUMP THROUGH ANY HOOPS WHATSOEVER!

So if you need an excellent locksmith, and if you’re looking to save money (and who isn’t?)

I’M ASKING FOR YOUR BUSINESS …

If you need a locksmith for WESTON, call me.                  (954) 382-2200
If you need a locksmith for DAVIE, call me.
If you need a locksmith for PLANTATION, call me.         (954) 382-2200
If you need a locksmith for COOPER CITY, call me.
If you need a locksmith for SUNRISE, call me.                  (954) 382-2200
If you need a locksmith for OAKLAND PARK, call me.
If you need a locksmith for CORAL SPRINGS, call me.   (954) 382-2200
If you need a locksmith for WILTON MANORS, call me.
If you need a locksmith for VICTORIA PARK, call me.     (954)382-2200
If you need a locksmith for PEMBROKE PINES, call me.
If you need a locksmith for HOLLYWOOD, call me.
If you need a locksmith for HALLANDALE, call me.         (954)382-2200

And if you need a locksmith for anyplace in Broward County that I’ve forgotten to mention,

CALL ME, and you will NEVER be disappointed…

Now get out there and have a great day!

Val

Wednesday, February 16th at 1:06AM EST

24 CommentsRecommenders: civil_truth, JadedByPolitics, katesmith, Vassar Bushmills, texasgalt, Mike gamecock DeVine, pilgrim, nessa, Newton E. Mchuckney, Erick Brockway, Kenny Solomon, Ron Robinson, Repair_Man_Jack, jwebb, penguin2, Black River Wolf, Beaglescout, redneck_hippie, deevee, lineholder , LisaDe, Mike Ferguson

H/t to Kenny Solomon who assisted with finding some of this info.

OK guys. This is tough love time. I can’t put it any other way, things are getting really serious. While we have been distracted with goings-on in the Middle East those in the present administration are wrecking havoc on our domestic fossil fuels and will stop at nothing to cripple our whole energy system. And we know this has been the plan all along.

Make no mistake. It’s all. About. Control.

I am talking about Sunstein, Obama, EPA, Steven Chu (Dept of Energy), Ken Salazar, Soros, Brasil, BOEMRE, Working Families Party, the whole nine yards. Did I leave anyone out?

There is so much going on here, so as not to take up too much space I am going to bullet the more urgent and important items and the others will be in the scribd. document below.

People are going to have to start paying attention and this has to get to the right people who can legislate, go to court, enforce contempt of court rulings, etc. or we’ll be living in caves with no wood, no matches. Only solar panels where there is no sun and windmills where there is no wind.

And to Doc Hastings Chair of House Natural Resources: let me be perfectly CLEAR, I’m sure you are competent and a very nice man, but writing letters to Obama’s minions, doing op-eds in The Hill and issuing press releases is NOT going to get this fixed. Even if Obama does read these letters, which I highly doubt, I am sure he immediately tosses them in the huge trash can next to his desk which also contains wadded up copies of the Constitution. We are losing thousands of jobs. We are losing coal mines, natural gas and oil wells and exploration. Millions upon millions of dollars in revenue and taxes which should be keeping us energy independent from the Middle East especially now when things are so uncertain are going down the tubes.

I am not normally an alarmist, but what I am seeing is truly alarming. A four-alarm fire with no fire hydrant in sight. Gonna lay it all out:

•EPA pulls permit for Arch Coal mine in WVA citing “Clean Water Act” abuse. Aleady in use. WVA is second in coal production in the country.

•Troubled Massey Energy is bought by Alpha Natural Resources. George Soros had 59,800 shares in Massey. No wonder Arch Coal lost the bid. Soros is now the proud owner of MOST of WVA coal mines.

•Chevron, who has been embroiled in a lawsuit in Ecuador for 18 years, and was a couple days ago ordered by an Ecuadoran court to fork over $8.6 billion announced it is exiting the coal business. Chevron on twit says “no connection.” But I ain’t so sure.

•Shell, who was the sole grantee of a permit for oil exploration in the Beaufort Sea after Dept. of Interior announced it’s moratorium was slapped down by the EPA who pulled their air permits. Shell has apparently decided it ain’t worth the hassle to fight the EPA and is pulling the plug on offshore drilling in Alaska.

•Interior Dept. in civil contempt of court for failure to lift Gulf drill moratorium.

•Obama in PA a couple weeks ago touting solar panels and wind while standing on 750 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale.

•Hey, Mr. Obama. Bet ya already knew this, but I’m gonna tell these folks here: where does the metallurgy come from to build those solar panels? You guessed it: China, which has a monopoly.

•With the assistance of ACORN/Bertha Lewis-spawned Working Families Party and actor Mark Ruffalo, NY Gov. Paterson bans natural gas horizontal hydrofracking.

•PA puts Ruffalo on terror watch list for promoting ultra-lib/inflammatory/anti-natural gas hydrofracking film “Gasland.” The film shows a young kid from PA tooling around PA and the country attempting to set tap water on fire, and blaming it on natural gas. FYI this film is up for an Academy Award. Unfortunately NOT in the fiction category, so let’s keep this one quiet and hope it doesn’t win otherwise the libs will be out buying it like hotcakes and causing more troubles.

•At least 50 Texas coal and NG plants go down in cold weather and they have to buy electricity from Mexico. Did EPA orchestrate this with their new regs? Pat Dollard says “yea” but I can’t confirm this as yet. But mighty suspicious…

•Obama loans Brasilian mega-oil company Petrobras $2 billion when they have tons of revenue and we have plenty of areas here for drilling. Coincidentally, Soros a couple days before dumps 22 million shares of common stock and buys 5.8 million preferred. FYI Common stock has voting rights but the preferred is paying in excess of a 10% dividend.

I am going to stop here and continue with the scribd. doc below. For those who have read the above, the below document begins on page 3, No. 12.

And for all those who think that wood and timber are not on the table, think again. I met a colleague at CPAC from California who told me they have “rolling blackouts” on wood burning fireplaces and 65 “chimney police” who patrol looking for smoke out of chimneys.

Everything is on the table except for coal, wood, oil, and natural gas.

I hope I have overwhelmed and filled your brains which is what the Obama administration wishes: to deflect, to disorient and to distract.

FYI you can find the members of the House Natural Resources Committee here which I suggest everyone contact pronto.

Share on: Facebook | 0diggsdigg| Reddit Category: ACORN, Arch Coal, Chevron, David Paterson, Doc Hastings, EPA, fossil fuels, Fred Upton, House Natural Resources Committee, Interior Dept., Mark Ruffalo, Massey Energy, Obama, Petrobras, Shell, Soros, Texas, Working Families Party

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24 Comments Leave a comment
The long-term strategy I perceive is even more ominous
civil_truth Wednesday, February 16th at 1:37AM EST (link)
It will make the GM and Chrysler take-overs actions look like chicken feed. And it only gets worse from there.

But if you want a model, just look at Chavez and Venezuela. And don’t forget that Brazil has a self-avowed Communist as its new President.

Lots of dots to connect, but the emerging picture is frightening.

And Rightly So!
Now posting also at GM’s Place

Yes, Roussef is an avowed Marxist..
ladyimpactohio Wednesday, February 16th at 1:48AM EST (link)
Correa in Ecuador is a Chavez-wannabe and is not far from it. Sad thing is most of the people in Brasil like her. They don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into. It will be like the ’60s down there again.

We the people tell government what to do, it does not tell us.–Ronald Reagan in his farewell speech

GC highly recos this comprehesive report on Obama’s assault on the poor and middle class and
Mike gamecock DeVine Wednesday, February 16th at 10:16AM EST (link)
well, the whole of America. Energy is prosperity. It is what makes the modern world possible. Obama would rather be king over a medieval existence for his subjects.

I can’t beleive that We the People have allowed the ObamaDems to steal our right to use our own resources for so long, ie since 1978.

The USSR and al Qaeda would have paid Dems to do this.

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

Mike…… Re your last sentence.
Kenny Solomon Wednesday, February 16th at 1:41PM EST (link)
What makes you think they didn’t ?

But it wouldn’t be Al Qaeda, it would be The Muslim Brotherhood.

I’d also add China into the mix, especially when it comes to the rare-earth stuff.

Kenny Solomon
South Florida

Patriot Guard Riders
Standing for those who stood for us.

http://www.PatriotGuard.org

yes, the Dems do raise money from Hamas supporters! – nt
Mike gamecock DeVine Wednesday, February 16th at 1:45PM EST (link)

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen seems to have a backbone
katesmith Wednesday, February 16th at 3:02AM EST (link)
Under a “pioneering agreement with the UN,” “Ecuador pledges no oil drilling in Amazon reserve,” 8/3/10. As you suggest, this is a big topic. The UN and the Hungarian are usually around in these situations. One lady, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), ranking member on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, is my hope for addressing the problem with the UN. I believe most of our problems would be over if we got out of the UN.

This is very important, LIO
pilgrim Wednesday, February 16th at 10:39AM EST (link)
The assault upon energy producing in the US is breath taking in terms of the number of lawsuits filed to impede and the variety of different types of products threatened. One additional area being attacked is the Bakke shale region of North Dakota and Montana. The envirowackos are protesting that the fracking processes are contaminating drinking water. We need to stay informed on the efforts to kill energy production in the US. We need to rein in an out of control EPA.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/193066/

——————————————————————————–

Lady I.O. – have no idea if this means anything.
bobmontgomery Wednesday, February 16th at 1:58PM EST (link)
..but I read a report from FT on Drudge the other day that GE was buying heavily into oil well equipment, frankly paying premium prices to buy up submersible pump business. Frankly, I didn’t even know GE had anything to do with oil, but, that report just struck me, what with the Obama -Immelt connection.

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington

Bob, that’s one of those ‘nothing to see here’ deals.
Kenny Solomon Wednesday, February 16th at 2:02PM EST (link)
Fershtay ?

Icksnay on the illing-dray.

And excuse the pun, but it goes ‘deeper’ than just submersible pumps.

It’s who’s using ‘em, which union they belong to (if any) and much much more.

Kenny Solomon
South Florida

Patriot Guard Riders
Standing for those who stood for us.

http://www.PatriotGuard.org

whoever’s texting Obama is making Darth Cheney…
bobmontgomery Wednesday, February 16th at 3:05PM EST (link)
look like a rank amateur.

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington

Bob: I read a blog on this GE stuff. Article in Washington Examiner claimed..
ladyimpactohio Wednesday, February 16th at 3:26PM EST (link)
GE got an exemption for a power plant in CA which was to be using turbines manufactured by GE.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/02/obama-issues-global-warming-rules-january-gives-ge-exemption-febr

GE had a hissy fit and denies.

“In fact, GE received no exemption and had nothing to do with the waiver being issued. The EPA provided the waiver to the project developer. GE is not building the plant and did not advocate for the waiver.

GE’s connection to the project is that it submitted a bid for turbines. While GE would welcome the opportunity to provide our high-efficiency, advanced turbine technology for the proposed project, we have not been asked to provide any equipment to date.”

http://www.gereports.com/setting-the-record-straight-epa-waiver/

As far as the submersible pumps, you are correct. GE is buying the well support division of John Wood PLC for $2.8B.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_17379486

Wood’s HQ is in Scotland. What do ya know. Bet none of those pumps end up being used in the US. GE said it is going to buy UK company Wellstream, “which has a strong presence in Brasil” namely Petrobras and Soros in the mix.

We the people tell government what to do, it does not tell us.–Ronald Reagan in his farewell speech

Barrasso (R-Wy) has just sponsored S 228..
ladyimpactohio Wednesday, February 16th at 3:55PM EST (link)
“Defending America’s Affordable Energy and Jobs Act.”

Looks like the intention is to dump the EPA. I thought all bills had to start in the House?

FYI WY is the number 1 coal producer in the country.

We the people tell government what to do, it does not tell us.–Ronald Reagan in his farewell speech

Just got off the phone w/Dan Simmons of the Institute for Energy Research..
ladyimpactohio Wednesday, February 16th at 4:44PM EST (link)
He says we have 1 trillion barrels of shale oil in CO, UT & WY but Obama won’t issue any permits til, you guessed it, after the 2012 election.

He read this diary, and told me what I already knew: “Carol, your diary doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what is going on.”

We the people tell government what to do, it does not tell us.–Ronald Reagan in his farewell speech

LIO, checked in on the Federal Register lately?
lineholder Wednesday, February 16th at 10:21PM EST (link)
Lots and lots of EPA notices going down. Oh, and NOAA is ramping up on the fishing industry too.

I know about the fishing stuff somewhat..
ladyimpactohio Wednesday, February 16th at 11:30PM EST (link)
That’s Obama’s plan: to overload and distract. “Watch what this hand is doing, not the other one.”

And I’m afraid to look at the register.

We the people tell government what to do, it does not tell us.–Ronald Reagan in his farewell speech

L.I.O., almost none of this is Obama himself.
Kenny Solomon Thursday, February 17th at 12:16AM EST (link)
It’s Sunstein. The Nudge Czar.

Administrator For The Office Of Information And Regulatory Affairs.

His title still sends chills down my spine, because it’s right out of Nazi Germany.

Want to stop a large majority of what’s going on ?

Get your contacts to start de-funding procedures against Sunstein’s office……and then move on to criminal and Constitutional violation investigations and trials. Take each and every single person in his damnable agency, plus the rest of The Czars and throw them out on the street.

Kenny Solomon
South Florida

Patriot Guard Riders
Standing for those who stood for us.

http://www.PatriotGuard.org

I suspect anyone Obama chooses would suck though – nt
Mike gamecock DeVine Thursday, February 17th at 12:45AM EST (link)

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

Sunstein was hand-picked for what he’s doing.
Kenny Solomon Thursday, February 17th at 12:57AM EST (link)
It took decades for him to master the ‘nudge’.

But real soon, the ‘nudges’ will make way for shoves.

It’s fitting the pattern for a Totalitarian takeover.

Kenny Solomon
South Florida

Patriot Guard Riders
Standing for those who stood for us.

http://www.PatriotGuard.org

Yes, I am very familiar with Cass, as Hugh Hewitt used
Mike gamecock DeVine Thursday, February 17th at 9:14AM EST (link)
to have him on his radio show all the time as a liberal foil.

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

LIO, I have to check it for
lineholder Thursday, February 17th at 12:50AM EST (link)
health information updates. Part of the territory.

But I’ve picked up on other things, such as those mentioned above…oh, and the homeless grants coming up in March.

kowalski, don’t see how 800+ acres in backwoods TN
lineholder Thursday, February 17th at 12:53AM EST (link)
is going to be of much help to the homeless, but it is on the list as potential property to be used. Same as the 230,000+ square ft building in SC. Lot of property on those lists.

Something about it doesn’t sit right, but I can’t pinpoint why.

Detention camps? -nt-
ladyimpactohio Thursday, February 17th at 1:17AM EST (link)

We the people tell government what to do, it does not tell us.–Ronald Reagan in his farewell speech

Not sure, several ideas, nothing solid to go on…yet [nt]
lineholder Thursday, February 17th at 1:22AM EST (link)

Is Obama a communist?
mitomke Thursday, February 17th at 8:21AM EST (link)
Obama has turned NASA into a global warming institute and shut down future space flights. He has enabled the EPA to regulate the emission of CO2 as a pollutant. He has appointed Biotech reps to key positions in the USDA and FDA. He has made loans to foreign nations that compete with our corporations. Coal mines are now being sold to China and India. We will no longer own our resources they are being sold off to foreign countries. Obama is Freemason and a member of the Council of Foreign relations. He has pledged allegiance to a foreign power, the UN. Obama has betrayed the American people and he is the commander of the Armed forces. We are in deep deep trouble.

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COMMENTS About Hewitt’s plan– by Flagstaff
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Please take the time to read and understand what is written here, please send it to every free person that you know – it is so very important.

January 27, 2010

President Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing you ahead of your State of the Union address to caution you against drawing premature conclusions about the national security implications of climate change and cap-and-trade legislation.

Media reports indicate that you may frame climate change as a national security issue to prod Congress into passing cap-and-trade legislation, like the Waxman-Markey bill that passed the House last June.

But recent developments underscore the danger of such action.

During 2009, much testimony was heard in the Senate about how Himalayan glaciers would disappear by 2035 leading to regional freshwater shortages that could destabilize the relationship between India and Pakistan. This concern was originally given credence by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 2007 assessment of the science. Sen. John Kerry, in his comments and speeches last year, noted how this region is home to Al Qaeda.

But just last week, the IPCC issued what has been called an unprecedented apology for including the Himalayan glacier claim in its report. The IPCC said that the Himalayan glacier claim was “poorly substantiated” and the claim was made in violation of “the clear and well-established standards of evidence, required by the IPCC procedures.”

In addition to the Himalayan glacier controversy, investigations by the IPCC, University of East Anglia and Penn State University are still ongoing into the so-called Climategate scandal, in which thousands of e-mails between senior IPCC scientists have given rise to concerns about inappropriate data manipulation and censoring of opposing scientific views with respect to climate change.

In addition to these significant controversies related to the science underpinning concerns about climate change, it is also important to consider how climate change policies will impact the military. To the extent, for example, that the national response to climate change makes energy more expensive and less available, and distracts the military and national security agencies from their core mission of keeping America safe, it could very well be that the true threat to national security is not climate change, but our response to it. According to studies by the Congressional Budget Office and others, Cap and Trade legislation could force U.S. energy producers to close facilities and cut production to comply with its mandates. Foreign energy producers would not believe their good fortune as they would only stand to benefit from such action.

Mr. President, I recommend that you consider establishing an independent commission of military and national security experts to examine the implications of climate change and related policies to national security. It is too important an issue to be driven by unsubstantiated claims, tainted by scandal and to result in counterproductive policies.

Sincerely,

Admiral James A. Lyons, Jr., USN (Ret.)
Chairman, 
Former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet

I wish I could say it’s good to be back, but far from it. Having spent the last five months mourning the death of my life partner, I now find myself preparing to mourn the death of my country.  And had I not prepared myself emotionally to get back to work and once again into the swing of things, I would have found myself completely unable to deal with the disaster which is about to befall us.

Those of you who have come to know me over the years have hopefully come to realize that I am just a simple person (not simple-minded, but merely uncomplicated). I was born and raised in this country, and I love it deeply, and I openly admit to an enormous well of resentment of the cavalier attitude of our so-called leadership toward the citizenry of this nation.  In my lifetime I have seen United States government ignore our constitutional protections, moving away from respect for individualism and toward collectivism. I have watched as our schools have been dumbed- down to the point that American students are now being taught what to think, and not how to think. I have watched as the admirable goal of ending poverty (Lyndon Baines Johnson’s ‘Great Society’) has become a $6 trillion boondoggle which has not created less, but even more poverty than had previously existed. I have watched as government at all levels has both attempted and succeeded in exerting ever- increasing control over every citizen in this country. I have watched in disbelief as the federal government authorized the murder of over 50 million innocent children who have paid the ultimate price for the moral turpitude of their mothers (or are they really mothers?). And I, like many of you, have been forced into involuntary servitude, slavery, if you will, to support the 40% of us who pay zero taxes. Some of us say that enough is enough. Some of us say it’s already too much. But I pose this question: Where do we go once we realize that  even too much will never be enough to satisfy the gluttony of the federal government? How many of you even have the desire to understand or care about it? Only time will tell.

Anyone who’s been paying even the slightest bit of attention for the past few decades can attest that common sense has flown the coop in this country. Back in the 90s,when this great land was ruled by Emperor Bill Clinton, it was decided to order Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve mortgages for people who obviously couldn’t afford them. Deregulation of the mortgage application process resulted in temptation on the part of mortgage grantors to pave the way for practically anyone who had a pulse and a heartbeat to buy a house. Are we now to understand that no one foresaw the possibility that these people might be unable to continue making the payments once the house had been purchased?

I can understand the sentiment that set these wheels in motion (caring about the welfare of the poor,helping those less fortunate,etc.) ,but what I cannot understand is how, over the years, practically anything that you can think of has somehow come to be considered as a basic human right. Turn on your television for couple of hours and you will see exactly what I mean–people are told that they have a basic right to medication, a basic right to health care, a basic right to motorized scooters,to diabetic testing kits, to diabetic shoes, free immunizations, free housing, free dental, free childcare, pre-kindergarten, a grade-school education, a high -school education, a college education, FREE CELL PHONES (?) ! And now we’re being told by presidential- hopeful Senator Barack Obama that these rights not only apply to American citizens (and any illegals who wish to take advantage [ not that they would] , but that they also apply to every adult and child on the planet Earth ! Has he completely lost his mind? Or have we lost OURS?

More on this soon.

Val

After visiting this morning with my husband at the hospital (he’s battling a very aggressive form of cancer), I found myself in a very pensive mood (which should be no surprise to anyone), and overheard a discussion on economics coming from the TV in the next room. The financial pundits were in disagreement as to whether the government’s stimulus package would kickstart the economy into recovery and, keeping in mind that each of these ‘experts’ was convinced that he was the smartest guy in the room, their discussion ended with an agreement to disagree. The optimists on one end of the spectrum took a wait- and- see- what develops posture, while those on the opposite end of the spectrum insisted that we are in for dark times ahead. I tend to agree with the latter.

As I halfheartedly listened to this outpouring of economic wisdom, I scribbled down the numbers that they were throwing around, and I gradually came to the realization that, given our current status as a massive debtor nation, we Americans would be unable to meet our financial obligations to foreign interests even if we were taxed at a rate of 100% ! And now it’s got me to thinking about who we are as Americans, where we are as Americans, and where we seem to be headed in the (very near) future.

I wish to God that I could continue to believe that everything will work out, that everything is going to be okay in the end– but I can’t bring myself to drink the Kool-Aid anymore. And I never have and never will find it in myself to just bend over and grab my ankles. Believe me when I say that I’ve had it up to my eyebrows with being lied to, with being manipulated, and with being forced into INVOLUNTARY servitude by an out-of-control  government and the virulent, malignant egophrenia of its ‘leadership’. Like almost everybody else, I would love to turn my thoughts to the upcoming summer, to the beach, to Disney World, to the wonderful ordinary things of life to which we have become accustomed as Americans. But I can’t do it, and here’s the reason why: our ‘leadership’ (both Democrats and Republicans) has distorted the real cost of living for decades, deceiving and confusing the American public with talk of inflation, deflation, stagflation and other gobbledygook. And I believe that they have done so, and will continue to do so, in order to delude the American public into believing that inflationary problems will soon be at an end, and that everything will once again be rosy.  But those of us who lack the capacity for self-delusion and wishful thinking have begun to smell a rat.

The Community Reinvestment Act, which, under the presidency of Bill Clinton, began to be used as a bludgeon in order to blackmail banks and other lending institutions into making  loans to people who would never be able to pay the money back ( this ruse, as always, was done in name of fairness for the less fortunate). And, as usual, it is turning out to be unfortunate for those of us who will have to pay for it, and less so for those who have received the benefit of those loans. Once the news got out, mortgage brokers started popping up out of the ground like mushrooms, and it became easier than ever for anybody to buy a house. Ridiculously easy credit made it possible for someone making $18,000 a year to buy a half million dollar house–and what’s the big deal if we fudged the numbers a little bit? I mean, isn’t it the right of everyone to have a home of his own? NO, IT IS NOT EVERYONE’S RIGHT !!! And especially not if I am the poor idiot who will  eventually have to pay for it. The whole concept is as ludicrous as the idea that every child has a right to go to college (even if the little dope barely had the brains to get through higschool. It is as ridiculous as is the notion that anyone who wants one should have access to a free diabetes testing kit (I know someone who has 10 of them), or diabetic shoes (whatever they are), or free motorized scooters (my mom has two, which have replaced her four walkers). What’s next? Free cell phones? Governmental tinkering and manipulation will be the death of this country. But not without the assistance of greedy moneylenders who will make money from illegally applied- for mortgages up front. And not without the assistance of the legions of financial “specialists” who stuff their pockets with the proceeds of questionable financial arrangements at the expense of their clientele, and of the nation at large.

The day will soon come when banks will begin calling upon the Federal Reserve to print up an endless flurry of brand-new fiat currency to help them cover their deposits, which then will snowball into God- only- knows- what, with credit card companies screaming for someone (anyone), to help them cover their losses. And then brokerage houses (why not?), and mortgage lenders, and anyone else who had the good sense to bribe a politician or two on the way up. And you and I will get to pay for it all !  And those of you, who ( like me), have lived within your means, who have saved your money rather than spending it stupidly, will once again be forced to bail out those of us seduced by grandiose dreams , and even more grandiose lifestyles. And, oh yeah, your savings will likely be wiped out in the process …

The US government and the Federal Reserve are taking the American people down the left hand path to disaster via political expediency, and I only wish that it was merely a matter of gross mismanagement, rather than the servicing of big- money special interest groups through a let’s- play- pretend bottomless pocketbook. The solution to not having enough money to meet our financial obligations IS NOT to print more money, and definitely not TO BORROW more money! Our economic system is based upon the dollar’s being backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (and not by gold or silver). The only other alternative would be for us to renege on all of our existing debt and financial obligations (another possible unhappy ending). And so we find ourselves with a ‘leadership’ which spends borrowed money like a drunken sailor, and which then prints more money to cover the debt (which will more than likely bring about the eventual absolute collapse of the value of the US dollar and all related dollar- backed paper assets. Armageddon? Definitely maybe.

When the Weimar Republic of Germany collapsed no one saw it coming. Their currency was so quickly devalued that no one could prepare for it. Grocery store shelves were empty. Paper money was worthless.  And now the Federal Reserve Bank (which is in no way related to the US government) is calling upon our leaders to give the Fed permission to borrow money on it’s own authority, and not on the authority of the US treasury, which would give the Fed the authority to borrow much more money than is needed to run the government, while at the same time driving all Americans further into unfathomable debt. I imagine  the Fed would then have the power to force America and all Americans to dance to its tune at that point. Does the term ‘human collateral’ resonate with you at all?

I’m just a simple American– not a simpleton, just uncomplicated. I’m not a mover or a shaker. I’m not grandiose, nor do I want to rule the world or anything else. I’m not a member of a secret society, nor am I privy to a secret handshake or agenda. I’m just a humble locksmith who seeks nothing more in life than to live in peace and harmony with my family, in my community alongside my neighbors, and in the nation in which I have lived for all of my life. It’s not in my nature to be an alarmist, but there is a sliminess, an intangible something or other in the air that’s beginning to make my skin crawl .

If this economy collapses, it will be nothing like the Great Depression. I believe it’ll be something which has never seen before in this country. Our manufacturing base is practically nonexistent. We depend on other nations for everything from apple juice to underpants. This is no longer an agrarian society. Oh sure, we still grow plenty of food in this country– it’s just that agribusiness owns the food. How many Americans know how to plant a garden anymore? How many Americans have a place to plant a garden anymore? If there’s no food on the shelves, and if no one knows how to grow food, and if no one has thought to store food, then what could possibly come next? If Americans can’t drill for oil, and if Americans can’t refine oil in sufficient quantities, and if Americans can afford oil or gas, then what could possibly come next? Civil unrest? Rioting? Total anarchy followed by martial law? You do the math.

The general price of everything is due to the increase in the overall amount of cash in circulation. As I am just thinking out loud at the moment, and as I am not an economist, but rather a simple tradesperson, I am only capable of applying my theory to goods and services. I doubt that I could even begin to evaluate the pricing of financial assets. But I do know that the German people in the 1920s (when their currency inflated by 20,000 percent) saw the same phenomenon we are seeing today in our society. The people of Hungary after World War II saw the same thing, as did the people of the now- dismantled Yugoslavia in the 1990s. And all because their governments, just like ours, found themselves unable to resist the urge to print worthless money in lieu of raising money for its perceived needs through taxation or other means.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic, and I look forward to hearing your comments. Now go out there and try to have a great day, ’cause I know I’m gonna (try)…

Val