Review of Guide to Investing in Gold and Silver - Michael Maloney

I recently finished reading Mike Maloney's "Guide to Investing In Gold and Silver". Since 2005 Michael Maloney has been Robert Kiyosaki's advisor on investing in precious metals. Mike is not only a very smart person; he is a smart person who understands what is shaping our economy and really cares about how it will affect the middle class. His passion and concern for the average American comes through loud and clear. Reading this book has been a life changing experience.

In this book Mike outlines the history of money, currency and the boom and bust cycles which all currencies go through. He starts with the first currency crash which occurred way back in ancient Greece in the year 680 B.C. From there he gives several historical examples which all prove the same thing, currencies are not real money and they are often used by governments to exploit the value of their citizens' hard labor. Throughout the ages many things have been used as currency including livestock, spices, grain and paper, but only two things have always been real money, gold and silver.

Mike Maloney gives the uninitiated a useful education in the history of economic cycles, how the U.S. government is diluting our money supply and devaluing our currency for it's own benefit and why precious metals are one of the most profitable, easy and safe investments you can make right now. To my surprise I found that although everything Mike says is supported with facts, figures, charts and graphs, the book reads like a mystery novel and I just wanted to keep turning the pages.

The impact of this book lies in its simple yet detailed explanations of how to understand the true value of the Dow when compared to commodities, real estate and precious metals, how to tell where we are in the boom and bust cycles of each and more importantly how you can easily profit from that knowledge.

In times of financial upheaval wealth does not disappear; it just transfers from one group to another. In previous cycles the big players, the banks and the ultra wealthy have benefited. In this economic cycle, wealth will be transferred from the uneducated to the well informed. Right now you can choose to inform yourself and move to the receiving side of the greatest wealth transfer in the history of mankind.

This book contains the kind of financial knowledge that is not taught in our schools. If you fail to educate yourself, what you don't know will hurt you. This book can make a real difference in your future.

I have been fortunate enough to associate myself with a group of well educated investors who have opened my eyes to the possibilities of making good profits during times of financial difficulty. It was my privilege to personally meet Michael Maloney, Peter Schiff, G. Edward Griffin and Marc Bruner at the last conference our investors group held.

I would encourage you to do everything within your power to also associate yourself with a group of knowledgeable investors who are willing to share their experience with you. It is a true statement that wealth rubs off. Spend your time with people who have what you want. Read books like this one that are written by the people who are doing what you want to do.

Tony Measles is a Wealth Creation Specialist He lives with his wife Lani in Durango, Colorado where he works from home.br> Tony teaches others how to create cash flow and true wealth. http://www.TonyMeasles.com http://www.DesignYourDestiny.biz Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Measles http://www.pippoproducts.com/familyfinance/index.html

Global Warming - Climate Change Has a Long Record of Distortions From the IPCC

Global warming has been seen more and more as a made up scam to promote climate change. Because of freezing temperatures and widespread cold winters global warming has been referred to as climate change more often. Whatever you want to call it, one of the main reasons for all the controversy is the inaccuracies of the IPCC. The Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change has published as scientific fact many questionable reports.

The problem is that the reports have contained false or incomplete data to sway those in powerful authoritative positions. And the false reports have been becoming a regularity, which is troubling. Consider this. The IPCC published the now infamous "Hockey Stick Graph" showing earth to be warming at an accelerated rate which was later shown to be inaccurate. Also, in January 2001 the IPCC released a report in Shanghai, China saying that the upper range temperature rise would be almost 11 degrees during the next 100 years.

Robert Watson, who was Chairman of the IPCC and a former Clinton science advisor, warned governments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in light of the report. In1992 Watson predicted there would be a hole in the ozone layer, caused partially by man, so he is trying to protect the environment. The huge problem with the 11 degree temperature increase prediction is that the computer model used for the report was a seriously flawed one. The scientist had some 245 models but instead of averaging the best ones they chose ONLY ONE.

Why Did They Only Chose One Computer Model?

The reason they only chose one model is because it was the one that showed the highest temperature reading therefore misleading others to believe in global warming. This model was so absurd that it was critically nicknamed the "Toy Model". And get this - it was called the toy model by many in the scientific community. Why? Because even some of them knew it was a joke to use this one model that distorted reality.

To add insult to injury, the "Toy Model" did not use three of the main components of what determines the earth's surface temperature.

1. Ocean Currents
2. Thunderstorms
3. Mountains

The reason these three very important components were not used is because they are most likely to show the earth's surface temperature to be cooler. With a more accurate reading using this data, global warming could not have as easily been used to mislead the public. Furthermore, global warming could not have as easily garnered hundreds of millions of dollars of grants for more research, scandals and corruption.

The IPCC has recently published more reports with more inaccuracies. A Himalayan Mountain report was released by the IPCC that showed a higher temperature reading than what was true. Where do the inaccuracies end? Some corrections to the data have been made after the fact. Wouldn't it be nice to have them be put out right in the first place? Global warming and climate change are cyclical just like global cooling and global freezing - so just let the facts rest by themselves.

http://www.globalfreezing.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_H_Campbell http://www.pippoproducts.com/gardening/index.html

Lies, Damn Lies and Government Statistics

Too often, we think the data is straightforward math and simply draws on the underlying data sources. The reality is that it is anything but. The following example will hopefully illustrate the point.

Recently in Washington a rather large number of economists from academia and government met to resolve an issue with data gathering. It has become more serious in the US and has distorted how we value the American economy itself. Central to this issue is how imports into the US are accounted.

For example, when a part for $100 is imported from China and is used in an American automobile... something that happens much more often these days... the stats show that the finished car is American-made because it was assembled in the US. As a result, the US GDP is raised by that same $100 when in fact it should have been deflated by that figure instead. In the process, American workers who might in the past have made the part are no longer doing so and hence a job is lost.

The unemployment data finds the unemployed worker and accounts for him or her, but the car that is assembled does not, and when it is produced and sold as its value makes its way through the system, it appears productivity has risen, when in fact it has not. {False conclusion of data: Fewer workers needed to make a car}

As one of the economists attending that meeting said,

We don't have the data collection structure to capture what is happening in a real-time way, or what is being traded and how it is affecting workers. We have no idea how to measure the occupations being 'offshored' or what is being 'inshore.'

Or as the Assistant Commissioner for International Prices at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (that's a socialist sounding title if I've ever heard one) Mr William Alterman, said regarding the problem:

What we are measuring as productivity gains may in fact be nothing more than changes in trade instead.

This is not an insignificant problem. The US has become much more international in its trading scope. Back in 1975, imports into the US were only 5% of our total economic activity, but in recent years that has swelled to 12%, excluding imports of energy. Thus, many imports into the US are being valued as though they were manufactured here in the US, when indeed they were manufactured abroad and merely assembled here in the US.

In autos, computers, appliances and similar manufacturing industries this is a large and growing problem, but the same is happening in areas of service as well. For example, when an accounting firm out-sources some of its number-crunching to a group in India and then bills the client in the US, the work is done abroad but being recorded as having been done in the US, adding to US GDP when clearly that is not the case. The same scenario plays out in medicine when patient files are sent to India and billed back to the US in US dollars. GDP rises here in the US when it really should have been accounted for in India; productivity goes up; GDP goes up, when in reality neither has happened.

It is important to look at the big picture when analyzing data, especially when assumptions of years past have changed considerably. Just as we adjust for inflation, we need an adjustment for outsourcing our productivity.

Mitch Biggs spent 14 years flying F-15s for the USAF. Then he transitioned to a Fortune 200 company. As a Director, he left and is now semi-retired mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs. Follow me on Twitter @BizWingman Please visit my Blog. There is a video that takes you inside the F-15 cockpit on a mission. Pretty Cool! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitch_Biggs http://www.pippoproducts.com/familyfinance/index.html

Gmail Bans in Iran

Iran's telecommunications agency has announced the suspension of access to Gmail, the Google email service, in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal website. In a move ahead of Thursday's 31st anniversary of the creation of Iran's Islamic Republic, the national telecoms agency in Tehran said that it will ban Gmail and will instead facilitate its own national email service.

The decision, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes just a month after Google threatened to leave China amid concerns that its systems had been attacked by Chinese hackers.

The Iranian announcement is understood to be part of a wider crackdown on opposition protests ahead of today's anniversary, which is likely to bring significant protests from both dissenters and supporters of the Islamic revolution.

The development came amid reports of significant disruptions to internet services across the country in the last week, as well as delays in text messages being sent. It remained unclear as to what impact the announcement had actually had on the Gmail service in the country. YouTube, which is owned by Google, was one of the main ways in which video footage of the protests was beamed around the world.

The web giant said that the decline had happened even though its networks were working properly. Opposition websites have urged major demonstrations on the most important day of the nation's political calendar. Google says its e-mail traffic in Iran has dropped sharply, amid reports access is being restricted for the Islamic Revolution's anniversary. The web giant said that the decline had happened even though its networks were working properly. Opposition websites have urged major demonstrations on the most important day of the nation's political calendar. Iran's police chief said that some activists had been arrested as they prepared for protests. Google said users of its Gmail had experienced difficulties following a newspaper report about official restrictions.

A Google spokesman said: "We have heard from users in Iran that they are having trouble accessing Gmail. We can confirm a sharp drop in traffic and we have looked at our own networks and found that they are working properly.

"Whenever we encounter blocks in our services we try to resolve them as quickly as possibly because we strongly believe that people everywhere should have the ability to communicate freely online. Sadly, sometimes it is not within our control Tehran rally Official events will be held across Iran but the main gathering will be at Tehran's Azadi square, where President Ahmadinejad is expected to speak.

Anti-government websites have urged their supporters to attend the rally too, raising the possibility of a confrontation. Ahead of the commemorations, police chief Esmail Ahmad Moghaddam said the Revolutionary Guards and Basij Islamic militia were ready for any trouble. "We are fully prepared for holding a safe and glorious rally," he told Fars news agency, according to agency. "We are closely watching the activities of the sedition movement and several people who were preparing to disrupt the 11 February rallies were arrested," he said. The anniversary comes a day after the US extended Iranian sanctions, aimed at the Revolutionary Guards. The US Treasury will freeze the assets of a senior Guard commander, as well as four subsidiaries of a construction company he runs. The move follows the announcement by Iran of its Permanent suspension Whenever we encounter blocks in our services we try to resolve them as quickly as possible, this is quoted by a California-based company said in a statement. "Sadly, sometimes it is not within our control.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran's telecommunications agency had announced a permanent suspension of Google Inca's e-mail services. Washington - which on Wednesday extended sanctions against Tehran - said any efforts to keep information from Iranians would fail. US state department spokesman PJ Crowley said: "Virtual walls won't work in the 21st century any better than physical walls worked in the 20th century. The 31st anniversary of the revolution could see protests from opposition supporters who say last June's re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was rigged. Opposition leaders Mir Hussein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi have called on their supporters to rally on Thursday. Anti-government websites have urged marchers to display green emblems or clothes - the colour adopted by the opposition movement after the disputed election. Fatal violence erupted after the poll, and sporadically since then. The micro-blogging site Twitter and other social networking sites were used extensively during the post-election protests.

Ejaz Alamone is an associated author with India next and provides more information about these issues. World News. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ejaz_Alamone http://www.pippoproducts.com/products2.html

The Party of Know - A New Republican Mantra For 2010

The GOP has taken on the persona of being the party of no. The majority party, currently the Democratic Party, sets the agenda, chooses committee leaders and controls the schedule. Consequently, the party out of power is subjugated to primarily obstructing bills with which they disagree. Conservative candidates should retake the GOP and become the party of "know." Know what works and know why it works. Know what fails and understand why it fails. Then apply that knowledge reasonably and respectfully.

Abraham Lincoln, our first Republican president, provided the impetus to push the agenda of "know" when he posed the following questions: "What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried against the new and untried?" The message of conservatism is to maximize personal responsibility and limit the role of government. Conservative Americans already have a political party; it simply needs direction and definition. Many of these concepts are described and explained in my book "7 Life Lessons You Should Know." Government programs should exist to catch you when you fall and praise when you win, not the other way around.

The U.S. economy does not need to be reinvented. It needs to be represented by new members of Congress who know how to enthusiastically reintroduce the concepts that raised this nation from an indentured servant status to a world superpower in just over one century. After the American Revolution, our form of government was called a great experiment by the rest of the world. Self-governance is no longer an experiment; it is now a conclusion, having been independently reproduced again and again. Americans are rejecting the hope of crisis management. We are eager for a renewal of freedom, prosperity and opportunity.

America deserves to be represented by knowledgeable business leaders, warriors, accountants and proven problem-solvers. These people must be judged on their ideas. Are they solution-based or power-based? We need solutions, not more problem-containment.

Not long ago the Republican Party was in the position of having control of Congress and the White House. They had a chance to improve health care and strengthen our economy and they blew it, spending their political capital expanding government services in an attempt to bribe future voters. Know that the wasted effort did not work then and it will not work now. Earn the respect and confidence of the American people and we will give you our votes. You will not have to bribe or beg for support.

Define the issue and solve the problem and watch as the professional politicians in both parties scramble to get out of the way. Know that they will be scrambling because the truth of their mishandling of government responsibilities will have been revealed.

Know that the dilemma is to draw a line below which no American will have to live and above which any citizen may compete and prosper. When that line is too low, the poorest among us suffer. If it is positioned too high it will discourage vigorous effort from too many.

I believe in our system of government. Unfortunately many of us have forgotten that the American voters are a vital part of that system. We are in essence the control panel and without direction, any system will eventually spin out of control. Our representative republic is the epitome of the acronym GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out. Take out the garbage and embrace the party of know.

Todd Lester's career has spanned across many years and numerous industries. He has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and licensed to sell investments and insurance, worked as a retail manager, turned wrenches as an automotive mechanic, served cubicle time as an office manager and even owned his own business for many years restoring car interiors. And that is just since graduating college with a Finance degree. During much of this time, he was also a citizen soldier, serving twenty one years in the Army National Guards of both Louisiana and Texas as an Army bandsman. He has even performed as a clown with the Shrine Circus. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Lester http://www.pippoproducts.com

Dumbocracy - Adventures With the Loony Left, The Rabid Right and Other American Idiots

Dumbocracy: Adventures with the Loony Left, the Rabid Right, and Other American Idiots
, Marty Beckerman, 2008, ISBN 9781934708064

The author spent four years visiting with political extremists on both sides of the spectrum. These are people who believe in nothing less than total victory for their side. Most Americans are moderates on the issues, but, for instance, pro-life and anti-war activists still see things as very black and white.

Beckerman discovered a lot of interesting things in his travels. Betty Friedan, founder of the National Organization for Women, compared American housewives to the millions who walked to their own death in the concentration camps. Those on the Right blame homosexuality for the destruction of American society, but just over half of Americans think of homosexuality as an acceptable life-style. Texas A&M University requires that all faculty members celebrate and promote homosexuality.

It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact.--Ann Coulter. The American Institute for Philanthropy has ranked MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) as one of the most corrupt and least effective charities in the country. In 2006, the California Supreme Court allowed authorities to break into citizens' homes anytime--without a warrant--to check their blood alcohol levels. A legislator in Missouri compared biology teachers to terrorists, for teaching evolution. Environmental activists have demanded control over citizens' home thermostats, threatened to spy on those who do not recycle and suggested that governments should intelligently reduce human populations to one-sixth their present number.

In 2006, the Bush Administration joined with Iran to ban a gay-rights group from addressing the United Nations. In 2004, Canada officially banned criticism of homosexuality, which is now punishable by up to five years in prison. Also in 2006, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that forcing drug suspects to consume laxatives, in order to find drugs in their digestive tracts, is not an unreasonable search. In the 1990's, a Republican member of Congress proposed mandating the death penalty for all drug dealers. When his son was convicted of growing thirty marijuana plants, he received community service, not a lethal injection. Neither side has a monopoly on hatred of free speech.

This is the sort of book that will be thrown across the room by True Believers on both sides (sometimes those are the best kind of books). For everyone else, it is an excellent, and eye opening, look at the state of politics in America. It is very much worth reading.

Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose website, http://www.deadtreesreview.com, has over 700 reviews on all subjects, with an emphasis on small press books. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Lappen http://www.pippoproducts.com/products4.html

Progressivism Equals Socialism Or Worse - Communism Or Fascism? What's Up With That?

Bewildered by what is happening to the United States of America? Are these the last days of America as we know it? Consider that since the autumn of 2008 the federal government has taken over or taken control of 30% of all private enterprise profits in the U.S. You say, come on, that really did not occur or could not occur in the U.S. Well did you know the feds effectively took over the banking system, the insurance companies and two major car companies (GM and Chrysler)? The (so far) attempted take over of the entire health care system (which is 1/6th of our economy just by itself) would add another 18% private business profits takeover. Moreover, the Cap and Trade bill that passed the House of Representative in 2009 and is pending in the U.S. Senate, would add an additional 8%. That would get it up to 56% of private business wealth controlled by the feds. The student loan program is on deck at the Senate as the House already passed it. All of this was unimaginable just 18 months ago.

Before this historic takeover started, the federal government already controlled about 20% of the entire economy. This via various programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Federal Housing Assistance-loan payment subsidies and rental subsidies, Home Energy Assistance and the list goes on and on. One can easily say we are already at least a quasi-socialist country. Progressives want the so called "progress" of more and more of the federal government controlling our economy. Will the U.S. survive such an overhaul? At this point it seems unlikely, especially given the already crushing, unsustainable U.S. debt. The current Administration and Congress seem to be employing the Cloward and Piven strategy. David Horowitz aptly explains the strategy as: "The strategy of forcing political change through orchestrated crisis. The "Cloward and Piven" strategy seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse." They said this would allow "for major economic reform at the national level." In other words, collapse the system in order to rebuild it the way they want. Me thinks into a dictatorship because after all under the progressives philosophy, the elitist know what is best for us. We, the people, are just too stupid to know what is in our best interest.

Fascism is essentially a heavy-handed, strong central government that extensively regulates private businesses and corporations. One could argue we are nearly there now or there is not much time left to avert it. With the almost impossible yearly deficits and mounting U.S. debt, the Cloward and Piven strategy appears to be alive and well. The natural "progression" after the collapse would be toward communism (can you say power grab?) with the necessary redistribution of property and wealth so there is more economic equality for everyone. Economic egalitarianism without much regard for individual efforts or reward for individual hard work. Demise from within the U.S as often predicted. We can see if before our very eyes.

Please, please wake up America - it is still not too late!

Jim Holiway is an online entrepreneur who writes about online businesses and other issues. Check out the Articles Index from the menu at his Social Network website athttp://www.Workathomespacebook.Com for numerous articles on many great topics. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Holiway http://www.pippoproducts.com/products3.html

Health Care Reform Looks to Create Tighter Age Bands - Do You Know What That Means?

The health reform debate in Washington has been confusing and contentious. There are many theories floating around about why that is, but it boils down to one central issue. There are no easy, everyone wins, answers in addressing the rising cost in health care. As a result, the American people have been fed a steady diet of concepts that are easy to understand, and half truths. Instead of debating the nuances of building a better health delivery and payment system, the choices are "government between you and your doctor", or "heartless, greedy insurance companies leaving people to die". Case in point, the concept of requiring all health plans to tighten the age bands on insurance premiums.

Insurance companies set premium rates based on risk. For instance, we all know how expensive auto insurance can be for a 16 year old boy. Put him into a brand new Ford Mustang, the premium climbs even higher. As that 16 year old gets older, holds a clean driving record, the price drops every year. Health insurance on the individual market often works the same way, only in reverse. Young, healthy adults have access to affordable health insurance, although they will see the cost go up as they get older.

Some States already have limits on how much premiums can increase, although most States do not. Even if there is never a significant claim against a health insurance policy, the premium could increase to five times the initial amount just based on increasing age. That really rubs a lot of policy holders the wrong way, and makes buying a policy for an individual in their 50's rather expensive. President Obama spoke to this point when talking about folks who are discouraged from starting a small business, or retiring early because of health care premiums.

How is it fair that an insurance company can push a premium up on a policy holder who has been faithfully paying for years at the very time of their life they may actually need to make a claim? The solution for this in health reform is to tighten the age bands. An insurance company can only charge it's oldest customers 3 times the amount it does for it's youngest customers. The House bill even had only 2 times the amount. Sounds reasonable, but there is a reason that this is not a major talking point in defending the health reform bill. The young and healthy will be paying more.

Is this the right thing to do? Tough to say, good arguments can be made for both sides. Why should we have our young adults paying more for health insurance that they most likely will not even need? They have enough financial pressures. Low paying, entry level positions, school loans, and maybe saving up to buy that first car or house. Access to health care is not the only factor in good health. A young person's limited budget may be better spent on fresh vegetables, fruit, or a gym membership. No question we all need health coverage for that "what if", but how much should we expect a young person to spend on insurance to cover that "what if", when it most likely will be a "never happened"? As it stands now, we have young people forgoing insurance. Could we actually exasperate this problem by driving the cost even higher?

Instead of having the debate though, many in Washington have decided to side step the discussion. Supporters of reform try to insinuate that the higher premium charged for those in their 50's is pure profit for insurance companies, and opponents of reform don't want to acknowledge the fact that many older Americans are simply getting priced out of coverage. Neither one of these approaches really acknowledges the whole truth.

The best way to view health reform is to look at the merits of the individual pieces. Just think of the progress that could have been made in the last year if lawmakers spent their time explaining how the different parts of the legislation actually worked. Instead of having a confused, uncertain electorate, Washington would have a clear idea of what the American people do, and do not support. Perhaps lawmakers already do know what Americans want, and it comes in a perfect silver bullet that does not exist. I suspect it will be back to the games.

David Kikta http://www.HealthCaresIllinois.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Kikta http://www.pippoproducts.com/healthfitness/index.html

The Principles of Liberty - Principle 5

"All Things Were Created by God, Therefore upon Him All Mankind are Equally Dependent, and to Him They are Equally Responsible."

The Founders vigorously affirm throughout their writings that the foundation of all reality is the existence of the Creator who is the designer of all things in nature and the promulgator of all the laws that govern nature.

The Founders were in harmony with John Locke who said that a person who calls himself an 'atheist' is merely confessing that he has never dealt with the issue of the Creator's existence. Therefore Locke would say that an Atheist is out of touch with the most important and fundamental reality.

John Locke insists that everyone can know that there is a divine Creator. With Descartes each person can say "Cogito ergo sum'. With God, each person can say, "I AM!" Further more, each person knows that he is something. And something cannot be produced by nothing. Therefore what brought man and everything else into existence had to be something. In order for all of this organizing and arranging to be as such that it is, the Organizer would have to be all-knowing. The something would therefore have to be superior to everything which had resulted from this effort.

Locke taught that the Creator must be a cogitative being since man is cogitative. And that a non-cogitative being like a rock could never have produced a cogitative being like a man. Locke also taught that the Creator would reflect a sense of right and wrong, and a sense of indignation for violation of the law.

The American Founding Fathers agreed with Locke. They considered this truth as the most fundamental premise underlying ALL self-evident truth.

The Founding Fathers also relied on the writings of William Blackstone when it came to their foundation on God's revealed law. He stated that the will of God which is expressed in the orderly nature of the universe is called "the law of nature' and there are laws for human nature just as surely as they exist for the rest of the universe.

The Founders looked at the Creator as both intelligent and benevolent, and anxious and able to respond to people's petitions when they are deserving of needed blessings and engaged in a good cause.

Charles Bracelen Flood discovered in his research that during the Revolutionary War that there were at least sixty-seven desperate moments that George Washington acknowledged that he would have suffered disaster had not the hand of God intervened in behalf of the struggle for Independence. James Madison also acknowledged the hand of God during the Constitutional Convention.

We can now see that the Founders were quite sincere when they adopted the motto "In God we trust." And it is also now clear why they required all witnesses who testify to take an oath and swear before God that they will tell the truth.

In closing, a note from Tocqueville "A presiding judge remarked that he had not before been aware that there was a man living who did not believe in the existence of God; that this belief constituted the sanction (in law, that which gives binding force) of all testimony in a court of justice; and that he knew of no case in a Christian country where a witness had been permitted to testify without such belief."

In order to protect liberty, we must elect those who have a belief in God, specifically, that our rights are given by the Creator, therefore, our rights must be protected and not trampled on by man. We should not delegate to government rights that we do not have. We cannot force everyone to believe exactly as we do, and we should not empower the government to rob others on our behalf in anyway.

Charity Angel is an author,singer, political activist, small business owner, and an online business coach. Find more of her thoughts Here. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charity_Angel http://www.pippoproducts.com/careers/index.html

Exploring America - History Curriculum For High School Homeschoolers

Finding a good history curriculum for high school was one of the greatest challenges I faced when I was being homeschooled. It seemed like most of the good history books stop at the Civil War or World War II. What about modern history? It's hard to find a history book from a Christian perspective about modern history. Have you run into this problem, too? This difficulty has been overcome with a high school history curriculum from Notgrass Company. Exploring America by Ray Notgrass is an amazing curriculum that is exciting as well as educational. It begins with Christopher Columbus and ends at the present time. Each day is broken up into short concise lessons.

Sometimes history books seem to make the exciting events sound like nothing more than boring facts, Mr. Notgrass has an engaging writing style that makes the events come to life. There are also daily assignments that encourage the students to dig deeper. Sometimes they will read a document, speech, or hymn from American Voices, which is a 400+ page companion book that comes with the curriculum. Other times they will look up relevant Bible verses and also memorize verses. Writing assignments (including writing a research paper) are also part of the assignments. Students who finish the course will have three credits, one in history, one in English, and one in Bible. How's that for hitting 3 birds with one stone?

This book is essential for every high school student and will give them the tools to take an in-depth look at American history from a Biblical perspective. If you are looking for a really good American history high school curriculum look no further. Exploring America has filled a big gap in the history curriculum for homeschoolers. Exploring America is the best high school curriculum for American history I have ever seen! I wish it had been around when I was in high school.

Exploring America by Ray Notgrass

Reviewed by Amy Puetz

Do you want really exciting history with accurate facts presented in an interesting way? Uncover Exciting History: Revealing America's Christian Heritage in Short, Easy-to-Read Nuggets by Amy Puetz offers a snapshot view of America's history from Columbus to World War II. Each chapter is short and easy to read. Find out more at http://www.AmyPuetz.com Amy Puetz is a homeschool graduate, a self-taught historian, and a servant of Jesus Christ. History has been a passion for her since childhood. Years of in-depth study (both in modern and old sources) have equipped her to write historical books. She especially loves to dig for little-known stories that show God's providential hand. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Puetz http://www.pippoproducts.com/education/index.html

Ronald Regan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine

This voice from the past speaks even more potently as the reality of what it warns against becomes more and more imminent.

http://www.pippoproducts.com/products.html

Gold and the New Standard

It's a beautiful thing to behold. It represents scarcity, value, glory and prestige but most of all it represents stability. As these months pass, more and more of my friends who thought I was nuts for suggesting we return to a commodity backed currency over our inflationary, prone to radical abuse monetary system are beginning to seriously consider what was once out of the question - gold.

We are at a precipice today; what was once considered the 'good as gold' greenback is now the least risky of all other currencies denominations, but least risky by no means implies secure and stable. The time has come when real alternatives have to be considered.

The benefit of having one is that it is fully transparent and as a consequence self-correcting since the marketplace controls its value, not a minority of 'masters of the universe' central bankers.

Under a gold standard, governments cannot increase the money supply without buying the equivalent value in gold.

A gold standard is not fool proof. There is the risk of deflation but that was a problem before the era of lightning speed electronic transactions and down to the decimal accounting and limited mining capabilities.

Whatever we do, we have to accept the fact that the Federal Reserve does not perform its function as was intended upon being signed into law under The Federal Reserve Act on December 23rd 1913. Here's a quote on what then President Woodrow Wilson wrote the day he signed it - keep in mind that many question its complete authenticity but having read the history so thoroughly, I believe it is authentic and is ironically verified in the congressional record as authentic.

"I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the civilized world no longer a Government by free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men." -Woodrow Wilson 1913

As ominous as that sounds, consider what President Thomas Jefferson warned about central banking back in 1791. The authenticity of this quote is complete:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Already they have raised up a money aristocracy that has set the government at defiance. This issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of the moneyed corporations which already dare to challenge our Government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country" Thomas Jefferson, 1791

All the nations of the world who have sold out their liberty for the false sense of security provided by fiat based currencies in the exclusive control of central bankers need to consider alternatives; gold is only one, if there are others, I'd love to hear them and discuss it openly.

Peter Manousakos Publisher & Editorial Director Horus Onoma Group inc. http://www.horusonoma.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Manousakos http://www.pippoproducts.com/products2.html

Book Review - The Flow of Time and Money

There are lots of books in the world about the economy, about the need to have more income as a protection against hard and lean times. There are books that toll bells of financial doom and others that try to educate. But very few tell you how to get from here to there.

Dr. Lloyd Watts, in his book*, "The Flow of Time and Money...how to create a full and prosperous life,"
tells you how to transition from Middle Class to Financially Independent.

What could be simpler than understanding that the transition from Middle Class to Financially Independent is to:

• "...Pay Yourself First, Accumulate Capital, Buy Assets that produce Passive Income, until that Passive Income equals your expenses...." and to do this you:
• "...find out that changing your flow of money requires effort, self-education, and consistent daily action toward long-term goals. All of these relate to how you manage your time...."

This is where Dr. Watts' book diverges from the others. He gives clear and concise diagrams and explanations for the flow of money - how the average middle class person's income comes in and goes out in expenses - and the flow of time - how the average middle class person's time is set but goes out in "expenses" related to income. It actually all makes sense, especially when you look at his simple leaky bucket diagrams.

Dr. Watts also shows how altering the flow of time and money can transition you from middle class to financially independent. Changing the flow of money to include passive income gradually eliminates the need for a job which has a direct impact on the flow of time - what you do with your time.

A theme I find in this book is the idea of leaving a legacy. He says in his section on The Flow of Life:

• "...It's no coincidence that Time and Money have the same structural form...Some people call it Life Energy, or Life...But, if they are really the same thing, how does one get converted into the other? The poor and middle class do it the easy way. They spend their time working for money, and their employer does the conversion for them...We get our 168 hours/week, which is spent sleeping, eating, bathing, watching TV, commuting and working. Our employer pays us for that work, and we spend money on taxes, food, shelter, entertainment and toys. At the end of a life, what do we have to show for it?...."

Dr. Watts is obviously a bit of a philosopher. Although his book is short and to the point, it invites thought and contemplation. He takes us from a discussion of the flow of money and time and how we can transition from middle class to financially independent - and how to get there - but also he concludes with what I call Life Questions:

• "...there is more to life than just financial success. Other important aspects of a person's life can include their relationships, health, spirituality, artistic endeavors, community service, contribution to the world, etc. Ultimately, we may ask what kind of a legacy have we left behind...."
• "...Try asking yourself this question: 'What is the biggest problem in people's daily lives that I can meaningfully address?'...Help even one person solve a problem, and you make a difference to that person. If you can generalize your solution method and share it with a lot of people, you will make a contribution to the world...."

I find that this book hits at a good time, given the current global economy and the fact that millions of Baby Boomers are beginning to ask those legacy-type of questions of themselves. Understanding where we are financially and understanding how that standing effects how we spend our time is valuable information. Add to that Dr. Watts' explanation of how to get from middle class to financially independent and what that would do to how we spend our time gives us some ammunition to change our situation.

A thought that just occurred to me - in my parents' day, their goal wasto be middle class. They wanted nothing more than the comfort of a house, at least the one car, a steady paycheck and food on the table. Now, we can't even be sure we can keep the house we have, cars are expensive to keep and maintain, our paychecks are no longer a sure thing and food prices are continually rising. Dr. Watts' book comes at a good time.

*To learn more about Dr. Watts and his book, "The Flow of Time and Money" go to http://www.lloydwatts.com/

Linda C Smith, author and owner of a home-based business. I write a business blog at http://intlnat.comwhere you can also find links to my business. My joy in business is sharing my passion for my products as well as showing others how they can enjoy the benefits of a home business. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_C_Smith http://www.pippoproducts.com/familyfinance/index.html

Famous Filibusters in Political History

The filibuster as a political delaying tactic has been a part of the American political process since the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Though it was not used in the early years of the nation, the filibuster has been used hundreds of times since the 1840's. Here are a few of the famous filibusters from our political history.

The U.S. Constitution does not limit the length or nature of debate on the floors of the Senate or the House of Representatives. The House has since adopted rules which limit the length of debate since the House has a very large number of Representatives. But the smaller Senate has always upheld the right of a recognized Senator to debate an issue for as long as he or she wishes to hold the floor. Senate Rule 19 and Rule 22, the cloture rule adopted in 1917, create some guidelines for conducting a debate and for closing the debate when it becomes lengthy.

Senator Henry Clay

In 1841 Senator Henry Clay proposed a bank bill that was opposed by Senator John C. Calhoun who began a lengthy, seemingly unending, rebuttal. Calhoun basically created the modern filibuster. Clay threatened to change the Senate rules in order to close debate on the issue. Clay's colleague, Thomas Hart Benton, rebuked Clay and accused him of trying to stifle the Senate's right to unlimited debate.

Through the next few turbulent decades and into the 1960's the filibuster was used often by Southern Democrats to block civil rights legislation. The filibuster had been seen by the minority party as a tool to combat the potential "tyranny of the majority," but the frequent usage of the filibuster by the Southern Democrats became characterized as the "tyranny of the minority."

Senate Rule 22

President Woodrow Wilson suggested that some limits be placed on the unlimited debate concept. In 1917 the Senate adopted Senate Rule 22, now known as the "cloture" rule. The new Rule 22 provided the mechanism to close out debate on a legislative bill and bring the bill up for a vote if cloture was approved by 67% of the Senate. The 67% requirement remained in effect until 1975 when Rule 22 was amended to allow a 60% agreement to invoke cloture.

Cloture Rule 22 was tested in 1919 when the Senate was asked to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I. The treaty was debated and filibustered, but a 67% majority voted to end the filibuster and to bring the treaty to a vote.

Senator Huey Long

Senator Huey Long, the fiery and colorful senator from Louisiana, made the filibuster famous between 1932 and 1935 when he utilized it several times to stall legislation that he considered unfair to the poor. Long frustrated his opponents and entertained the Senate gallery by reading Shakespeare, reciting shrimp and oyster recipes and talking about "pot-likkers." An amendment to Senate Rule 19 later required that debate on legislation be germane to the issue being debated.

On June 12, 1935, Senator Long engaged in his most famous filibuster. A bill was before the Senate to eliminate the provision for the Senate to confirm senior National Recovery Act employees. Senator Long opposed the bill because he didn't want his political adversaries in Louisiana to obtain lucrative N.R.A. jobs. Senator Long spoke for 15 hours and 30 minutes running well into the evening and early morning hours with senators dozing at their desks. Long read and analyzed each section of the Constitution, a document which he claimed had become "ancient and forgotten lore" under President Roosevelt's New Deal.

After the reading of the Constitution Senator Long offered to give advice to the remaining senators on any subject of their choosing. No senator took Long up on his offer but the gallery patrons began sending notes to the floor for Senator Long to extemporize on. That kept Long going into the early hours of the morning. At 4 a.m. Long yielded the floor in order to use the restroom and his proposal was defeated.

James Stewart brought more fame to the filibuster when he played the role of Senator Jefferson Smith in the 1939 film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Stewart's character launched into a filibuster in response to an attempt to ridicule him.

Senator Wayne Morse

Senator Wayne Morse from Oregon was called "The Tiger of the Senate" and served in the Senate under 5 Presidents. In 1952 Senator Morse left the Republican Party, claiming independent status, when he objected to sections of the party platform and Dwight Eisenhower's choice of Richard Nixon as his vice presidential running mate. Senator Morse claimed that the Republican Party had left him.

On April 24, 1953, Senator Morse began to filibuster against Tidelands Oil legislation. He kept the floor for 22 hours and 26 minutes, breaking the filibuster record of 18 hours held by his mentor, Wisconsin Senator Robert La Follette.

Senator Morse is remembered through numerous colorful stories. For example, Clare Booth Luce, former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to Italy had to resign her appointment when she made the insulting but funny remark that her problems with Senator Morse began when he was kicked in the head by a horse.

Senator Strom Thurmond

About 9 p.m. on August 28, 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond rose before the Senate and announced, "Mr. President, I rise to speak against the so-called voting rights bill, H.R. 6127." His own staff had not been informed about Senator Thurmond's intentions to filibuster the bill, but they knew something was up when they saw Thurmond gathering considerable reading material.

Senator Thurmond had prepared himself for a long filibuster on the Senate floor. Earlier in the day he had spent time in the Senate steam room, dehydrating himself so that he would absorb all the water he drank without having to visit the restroom. His wife packed a steak sandwich lunch for him and she stayed in the family gallery throughout the night. Thurmond brought a quantity of malted milk tablets and throat lozenges from his office.

Senator Thurmond began his filibuster by reading each state's election statutes. He later read and discussed an opinion by Chief Justice Taft. He also read and discussed the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and Washington's Farewell Address. His staff, concerned for Senator Thurmond's health, was finally successful in getting him to leave the floor.

After 24 hours and 18 minutes, a record that still stands, Senator Thurmond concluded his remarks with, "I expect to vote against the bill." The bill was defeated.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

On June 10, 1964, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia finished his address begun on the previous day, slightly more than 14 hours earlier. He filibustered against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an act which was debated by Byrd and others for 57 working days, including 6 Saturdays.

Senate President Hubert Humphrey from Minnesota needed 67 votes to be able to carry the motion for cloture. Minority Leader Senator Everett Dirksen, the always eloquent senator from Illinois procured the Republican votes necessary to pass the cloture motion. "Stronger than all the armies is an idea whose time has come," he said. "The time has come for equality of opportunity in sharing in government, in education, and in employment. It will not be stayed or denied. It is here!"

The final roll call vote on cloture resulted in 71 votes in favor and 29 votes opposed. It was the first time in history that cloture had been invoked on civil rights legislation. The 1964 Civil Rights Act was the most sweeping of its kind in our history.

Justice Abe Fortas

In June of 1968 Chief Justice Earl Warren notified President Lyndon Johnson that he would be retiring from the Supreme Court. This move gave President Johnson time to nominate a successor since he was not planning to seek re-election as President. Johnson nominated Associate Justice Abe Fortas to replace Warren. At the same time Johnson nominated Texas Appeals Court Justice Homer Thornberry to replace Fortas, a move that was designed to satisfy southern senators.

President Johnson counted on Senators Everett Dirksen and Richard Russell for their support of the nomination. When Abe Fortas testified at his own confirmation hearing, an unprecedented occurrence, it was revealed that Fortas worked uncomfortably closely with the White House staff and the President. Later it was learned that Fortas was being paid a large sum, privately, to teach an American University summer course. At this point Dirksen, Russell, and other senators withdrew their support.

Though the committee recommended confirmation of Justice Abe Fortas, a filibuster ensued on the Senate floor to block his confirmation, the first filibuster in Senate history on a Supreme Court nomination. On October 1, 1968, the Senate was unable to tally the 67 votes needed to invoke cloture and President Johnson withdrew the nomination.

The use of the filibuster has increased from 16 filibusters in the 19th century to 66 in the first half of the 20th century to 195 in the period from 1970 to 1995. It is likely that the filibuster will continue to play an important role in the American political process.

Garry Gamber is a public school teacher. He writes articles about politics, real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is a founding member of http://www.GoodPoliticsRadio.com and the owner ofhttp://www.TheDatingAdvisor.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Garry_Gamber http://www.pippoproducts.com/education/index.html

President Obama Admits He is a Muslim

Could his Muslim faith be the reason he is so soft on terrorism? Why the underwear bomber has been given his Miranda Rights? And why the Administration wants to have Khalid Sheikh Mohammad tried in a New York Federal Court?

Did President Obama lie to the people of America from the beginning with regard to his faith? There is great temptation to lie when you are running for president and your country is at war with Muslim extremists. Is he just paying the people of America lip service? Do you want a man who will lie to you to be your president?

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Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - Where Do We Find Them? Is President Obama on Track?

We anticipated, waited, and listened intently to President Obama's State of the Union address to Congress. There is no question the President inherited a recession and near economic disaster. But he has been in office for over a year now and we all expected some positive results on employment - especially when the administration promised a net increase of 3.5 million jobs for $787,000,000,000 - the cost of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The fact is, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we have 5.2 million fewer people working at the beginning of 2010 compared to the beginning of 2009.

The administration's own report towards the end of last year (before they stopped issuing monthly reports) stated that 640,000 jobs were added or saved last year because of ARRA. If that was correct, then it cost the taxpayers a little over $1.2 million per job. To be fair, many ARRA projects are just getting underway, so if the projected 3.5 million jobs are actually added or saved then those jobs would "only" cost $225,000 a piece. Still an outrageous amount (if they materialize)!

Yet even the smaller jobs created/saved number for last year is suspect. Here in Colorado, for an example, Teletech reported last year that they added 4,231 new jobs from an ARRA contract award. That number was subsequently reduced to 635 full-time jobs because the rest of the jobs were temporary - less than two month - jobs. It was further reduced to only 34, because 601 jobs were actually added in other states. This places all of the administration's jobs numbers in question.

The government is very good at creating jobs for one (industry) in particular - the government, both federal and local. But this is exactly where we do not want jobs added, since our national debt is sky-high and rising, and most states are running massive deficits. We need jobs added in private tax-paying enterprises - hiring tax paying citizens.

So how do we start the new (meaningful) jobs engine? Like most Americans, I want our President to succeed - because as noted in the State of the Union address, it's not an I win, you lose - you win, I lose game we want to play. If the administration gets it right we all benefit. The President is correct to focus on small businesses, which have accounted for two-thirds of our job growth over the past 15 years and contribute one-half of our gross domestic product. His plans for tax credits and a shift of $30 billion to community banks for small business financing seem to be on track, but this should not have taken a year of pain and citizen uproar to enact. His freeze on all budgets of the executive branch (excluding Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Defense, and Education) amounts to nothing more than a pinprick in the massive federal deficit.

What the President was spot on in his address, is the need for more and better education. We must bring back an emphasis on math and science to maintain our position vis-à-vis other economically powerful countries. Pell grants and other student loan guarantees are needed, but the "forgiveness" of student loans after 20 years seems more like a slight-of-hand. If the government wants to contribute to higher education, grant the money up front for successfully completing courses - not some complicated scheme of writing off loans down the road. What does that teach our students? And we as a country (politically correct or not) need to realize that not everyone wants, or has the aptitude for, a four year university education. That it should be perfectly acceptable for people to elect to be trained in a trade - and encouraged like they do in Europe and other parts of the world. These students need access to government guaranteed loans to develop these meaningful careers, as well.

Women are now getting 2 out of 3 college degrees and outnumber men on campuses. It is projected to further intensify in the next decade, with women getting 3 out of 4 degrees. Women are now one-half of the workforce and start two-thirds of all new small businesses. So naturally the President must include women's groups in his small business planning initiatives - and as he noted in his address, get women the equal pay they deserve.

The President, we hope, will keep pushing these promised (new) initiatives until they become law. And not lose sight of the focus the people have demanded - jobs, jobs, and jobs!

Richard S. Pearson is the Author of 5 Necessary Skills to Keep Your Career on Track. He has held vice-president positions with four multibillion dollar travel industry companies and three Internet early stage companies. He has a BA degree from Regis University in Organizational Development. His experience has given him a unique perspective on how to navigate the organizational structures of both large and small companies. He has hired and trained hundreds of employees from frontline salespeople to vice presidents, and coached many through their careers. He is currently working on facilitating the large increase of travel between the US and China, which is taking place.http://www.5necessaryskills.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_S_Pearson http://www.pippoproducts.com/linkexchange.html