Norwich State Hospital

           The following Pictures are of the Abandon State Hospital In Norwich and Preston Connecticut. A classic example of the over spending and the wasteful and corrupt politician's in this country. Keep in mind that somewhere on that property there is a Cemetery filled with the patients that died there between 1904 and when they closed it in 1996..If memory serves me there was a Jewish Synagogue there and next to it is and still is a rather large Jewish Cemetery. For some reason the Church was torn down but the Graves are still there.. Most of the buildings are gone now. The Redskin Casino owners want to make a walking trail out of it.. If they get their hands on the property forget it..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_State_Hospital,_Connecticut

“Impeach Obama Now” Protest Video

Benghazi: Judge Pirro Calls for Impeachment of Barack Obama

I have never seen anybody rip this guy apart like this lady...

"My Economy"

A lot of what I wrote here is nonexistent in America today. Now in America its instant gratification and debt. That is the only way to go. More and more people are programed to spend anyway possible without thinking of the consequences. I had a wonderful patient father that taught me me the value of a dollar and how to save for a rainy day........ Read on.....

Today’s topic is about finances. The dictionary describes this as, "control of money, the business or art of managing the monetary resources of an organization, country or person." Wow, I could do something with that. I mean I could really be angry and show someone how save or spend but this is about my economy… Lately with me, its mostly using what I have been taught all my life. Lets start with credit. In these times of economic disaster and believe me, it is economic disaster. Its the worse I have ever seen...Never buy gas in Connecticut and never ever charge anything. I buy very few luxury’s if any. Because I saved in the past I’m fortunate enough to be able to buy what I want. I just don’t like to overpay for anything. I won’t give them an extra nickel if I don’t have to. I only buy things on sale with a coupon. Especially food but I never buy two to get one. The rule for me is if I want something and don’t have the money I’ll wait till I have the money to buy it, even if its inconvenient…I save (a word seldom used these days) money for things…I put a few dollars away for emergencies. Like a new Computer just in case I need one. I save for car maintenance. Oil changes every 3000 miles or if something breaks. My Mustang, paid for by the way, is a high maintenance car so its important to have it checked out at least once a year whether it needs it or not. Like to rotate the tires or front end work. You don’t want know what I paid for a break job for that car. At the speeds on the highways these days you had better do something. The insurance for that car is not cheap either so I have to save for that. I always pay bills as soon as I get them, never waiting till their due. My rent is paid a few days before the first of the month, I don't remember when I have paid interest in any form …When I have moved in the past I always use the landlord or the building manager as a reference. You can do that if you pay your rent on time. I could travel anywhere in the world if I want but I don’t want to deal with all this terrorist nonsense. I'm an American and worked hard for my country. I worked for the State, the Federal Government and the Army National Guard. I have top secret clearance for the Subase in Groton Connecticut...My history will not be ignored. I don't deserved to be searched and if I ever walked through security at an airport they should salute me.....When I worked at Bradley International Airport I used to fly for free and everybody knew my name. I save my change for the laundry and never wash unless I have a full load. When I get gas for the Mustang I never put more than $20 dollars in the tank…I will not carry around all that gas. Its heavy. Leave it in the ground at the gas station, it will be there if I need it. I do a lot of things to economize and cut back. I just absolutely refuse to give them anything if I don’t have to. Most of this for me is common sense and the end result is I have money in my pocket at payday and I don't owe anybody anything...

"There's not a lot you can do about the national economy, but there is a lot you can do about your personal economy." - Zig Ziglar

Charities

These days when money is so tight it seems there is always someone looking for and asking for money. From the person at the register saying do you wish to donate, to the person standing on the side with a sign asking for money. Here are some tips and cautions you can use before you give..

1. Is it a registered charity?


Some charities operate without any paid employees, and so they do not have to be registered as a charity. The limit they declare is usually below $50,000 annually. But all the other charities who claim to be registered should be checked out by consulting the list at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is important because of the tax deductions available. It will also ensure that you will not give to those charities who are flying under the government’s radar. In the UK, the Charity Commission is the government’s regulator on charities.

2. How much is spent on overhead

Each charity will have enormous overhead costs regarding staffing, running costs, and fundraising. Inevitably, a part of your donation will go towards these costs. A good rule of thumb is that 60-75% of donations should go to the actual cause and 25-40% towards administrative expenses. But some charities cut back on expenses, which leads to more waste. Check to see if this information is available on the charity’s website before making a donation.

3. Beware of phone calls

Some charities use companies who are for-profit fundraisers and they use telemarketing extensively. Because of the costs involved, it is unlikely that the charity will receive more than 10% of the amount you pledge.

4. Some charities pay enormous salaries to their CEOs

Major charities have to be run as businesses. But disturbing news often comes to light about how much they are spending on salaries and bonuses. Sometimes, funds raised actually go to the charity’s pension funds, rather than to the poor, sick and needy. This information is rarely revealed. Charities defend paying high salaries to executives because they are in demanding roles, and clever fundraising policies have to be thought out and implemented. The site Charity Navigator believes that salaries around the $1 million mark are unacceptable.

5. Think carefully about donating to short mission trips

These short mission trips to help build houses, schools and orphanages in third world countries seem to do more good for the volunteers, than the poor people. Think about these facts, before donating:

    Many trips cost as much as $30,000 to sponsor.
    Such large sums could actually be used locally to give employment to builders and workers in the country who desperately need money to buy food. Unemployment in these countries can be as high as 30%.
    Volunteers can send the wrong messages in that they know better, can do the work faster and they do not train the people there to deal with their problems in the long term.

Organizers of short term mission trips should focus more on the permanent impact, and how locals can be more actively involved after the volunteers have left. Ask if they are approaching the mission in this way before deciding whether to donate or not.
6. The good, the bad and the ugly about celebrity charities

When you think about Bob Geldof and Bono, who have supported enormously successful charities to fight world hunger and poverty, you can have nothing about admiration for them.

But some of these celebrity charities have made zero impact when auditors revealed that considerable funds were missing or unaccounted for. This was the case with Madonna. She was going to build a girls’ school in Malawi. Auditors revealed that almost $4 million went missing from the charity’s funds. Madonna is now contributing $11 million she has raised into Malawi-based organizations to help them build the schools that are needed.

Wyclef Jean, the hip hop icon, founded the Yéle Haiti Foundation after the disastrous earthquake in Haiti, which killed up to 300,000 people in 2010. He is now facing lawsuits about tax fraud and whether he gained financially from the charity he set up.
7. Beware of fundraisers in the mall

How many times have you been approached in the mall or on the street by a fast-talking and convincing fundraiser for a very worthy charity? This is a bit more sophisticated than the telephone calls you might receive at home. Here is what to look out for:

    They do not want a one-off donation.
    They want a monthly commitment which could work out to be $500 annually.
    They offer to fill out a form and all you have to do is sign.
    They are trained in using persuasion techniques by the companies who are raking it in.
    As some of the fundraisers (or “chuggers” as they are called in the UK) earn $13 an hour, you can imagine how much money actually gets into the charity’s coffers.
The whole concept of giving to charity should be based on a desire to help and not from being pressured in any way by a fast-talking fundraiser!

8. Do some detective work

Before deciding on donating to any charity, check out the following information. All of this should be easily available on the charity’s website. Failing that, there should be information leaflets available. This is what you should check:

    The annual report
    Names of directors and patrons
    Audited financial reports
    Specific projects and how the funds are used
    Statistics on completed projects

Charities are doing magnificent work. You just need to do some homework to make sure that they are managing their funds in the best possible way and that they are not using doubtful tactics. If you are unhappy about this, you can always volunteer to help local charities in your area.

Andy Warhol Art

Pictures found recently on a old computer...

The Cell Phone Fad

Written on Oct. 23rd, 2012

 How many people remember the CB radio? Trucks on the highway still use them today to report the location of police although these days you don't really need to because it seems there is no speed limit. Today 65 really means 85. That's all you need to know...Remember when everyone just had to have one in their car or truck with the antenna on the back of the car they called a "Fire Stick"? Remember the 21 channel CB? Then they came out with the 40 channel and everybody had to have that. Remember, "breaker one nine, breaker one nine, how do you read me or in some cases, what's your twenty?" That meant where are you? There was absolutely no privacy, everyone could hear what you were saying. Its was a time when a sexy female voice really meant something. Especially late at night on your way home from work. Its was a time when everyone  had a job and didn't know what welfare or food stamps were. I remember those days fondly. I even sent a form to the Government for a FREE radio license. I still use that number today as a pass code to get on the internet. Its a long complicated number that I memorized years ago. Almost like my Army serial number. The CB Fad lasted for a while. Even today I know where they sell them. How long will the "Cell Phone Fad" last? What's odd is, a few years ago they encouraged you to buy a large screen TV. Today, "They lie to you" telling you to watch TV on your phone on that tiny screen saying everybody does it. Are they "grasping at straws" or is the "Cell phone fad" ending? Will you actually watch TV on that tiny screen? Its almost like the Fast-food restaurants saying "Fat is the new beautiful"...P.T. Barnum once said, "There is a sucker born everyday." and I humbly agree......