The New Movement of Term Limits

July 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The corruption in politics is something that has been around as long as people have been allowed to run for office. It’s been hard to take a congressman or some elected official, put them in the middle of people who have money and want power and not expect them to be corrupted. Just the lure of the job and the money that most jobs of a political nature pay it’s easy to see why so many people are corrupted. So there have been smart minds talking and working on a solution to come up with that will ease some of the corruption. It’s a term limit.

To be more specific it’s a one term limit and it makes the most sense. Many politicians aren’t doing their job. Instead of being on kissinsights.com to make sure that they are doing what they can to get reelected. They are seeing their office as a chance to keep the people with the most money and influence happy. While that’s great for their bottom line it’s a problem for the men and women who have worked so hard in order to elect officials that will give them a better life.

So one term would allow elected officials to not have to focus on the campaigns and reelection. Instead they could focus on just doing things for the betterment of their own area and hopefully doing the things they are supposed to do, which is make a difference. That’s what politics should be about.

Filed Under: Business, General, Politics Tagged With: , ,

Learning to Advocate for Justice

July 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Our world has a lot of corruption in it. Some say that abuse of power should come as no surprise to anyone, since power is great at corrupting almost anyone. Fortunately, people who actually care can work as counteracting force against the corruption of the world.

The great thing about becoming an advocate for justice is that there are many ways to learn how to do this. One of the best is to attain a higher level of education, and to use this knowledge to change laws so that dictators can’t come to power and ignoble treatment won’t happen to anyone. When you’re educated, you often find that problems happen less often. This education will allow you to recognize the slow insurgency of negative influences, and cut off injustice before it can take root. With an online degree you can start the process of fighting back against tyranny and oppression in the worst cases, and against the small but persistent wrongs leaders commit during the best of times.

Many people think one has to go to a physical college to become educated. For some campus life is marked by civic-minded groups banding together to make positive changes happen. However, the online world is just as powerful for enacting change. When people learn on their own it teaches them individual responsibility and initiative which they can then take along as groups of individuals become unified and able to stand up for themselves. Standing up for yourself is the most powerful form of education

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

The Angry Christmas Party

December 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Several years ago, a good friend of mine, Erin, started hosting an angry Christmas party. You might know angry Christmas by another name. I’ve also heard it called angry Santa, but I know that it goes by other titles as well.

The rules of angry Christmas sound kind of complicated, but they are easy enough to follow once you get the game started. Before hosting your party, make sure that everyone knows to bring a gift under a certain price range. That way no one will bring something outlandishly expensive. Some of the gifts are going to be better than others (that’s part of the fun), but none of them should be too luxurious.

Have everyone put their gifts in a pile, then ask them to draw a number to determine an order. The person with the lowest number goes first. She gets to choose a present from the pile and open it in front of everyone. That person’s turn is then over for now.

The second person now gets to a make a choice. She can either pick a present from the pile or steal the first person’s gift. This continues with the third, fourth, and so on until you reach the final person. Now the first person gets to come back into the game. If she steals a gift, then it keeps going. Otherwise, the person the gift was stolen from would go home empty. If she takes the last present from the pile, then the game is over.

This can get quite intense. One year, someone brought this awesome Baby Phat swimsuit and the girls fought over it all night. It must have gotten stolen a dozen times. Some years are more fun than others, but there is always potential for a great time.

Filed Under: General Tagged With:

Preventing Identity Theft

December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
LA CANADA, CA - AUGUST 05: Customers shop at ...
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Don’t let yourself become a victim of one of the fastest growing crimes today — identity theft. So how do you protect yourself? First, understand what it is, as well as understanding the type of information you need to protect.

It is acknowledged that some information will be public such as name, address and perhaps your phone number. However, other information such as your birthplace, mother’s maiden name, social security number, credit card number and so on, needs to be protected.

How does your identity get stolen? Here are few ways, along with tips to help prevent identity theft.

• Your identity can be stolen through the mail. Make sure you don’t leave your mail in an unsecured mailbox — especially for long periods of time. If you go out of town, have your mail put on a vacation hold at the post office. Purchase a locking mailbox. Deposit mail only in postal service collection boxes.

• Your laptop or computer is a prime location for having your identity stolen. Many of us do not realize how dangerous an unsecured computer is for our personal information. Make sure you install anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, as well as firewalls and security software. You don’t want people looking at your tax calculator and tax returns. Be cautious when shopping online. Shop on secure sites only. If you are using a wireless connection, make sure it is encrypted. If you decide to sell your computer, erase or better yet, replace the hard drive.

• Believe it or not, your trash can be used to steal your identity. Don’t discard any type of personal document that includes bank account information, social security numbers, credit card information and so on. Shred these documents before discarding them, and don’t go cheap on the shredder — get one that crosscuts.

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Filed Under: Fraud Awarness, General Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

No Fraud, No Lawsuit

December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Cerebral Palsy
Image by mtsofan via Flickr

Mention the word “fraud” and “lawsuit” in the same sentence, and you’ll likely get the attention of almost anyone around you. That’s because it’s generally expected that wherever or whenever there’s a fraud committed, a lawsuit will likely follow.

Committing a fraudulent act carries with it some pretty severe consequences in most every state in the country. Many public officials and private organizations work tirelessly to ensure that in each situation, the punishment meets the crime and deters individuals from committing those acts again. The Maryland medical malpractice attorneys have tried many cases involving fraudulent behavior, and other attorneys in other states have taken note of their victories and have used them in compiling their own medical malpractice cases.

What kinds of actions constitute fraud? They can include:

  • Knowingly employing deceptive financial practices when dealing with a person to gain control of his or her money (saying one thing and then “forgetting” what was discussed).
  • Failure to disclose all parts of a contract to an individual, especially if that person lacks the capability to fully enter into a contract because of only having limited knowledge or education (i.e. children, mentally-impaired people or elderly adults).
  • Applying undue pressure to have a person sign a contract without full disclosure.

Very often, people know exactly what things warrant fraudulent behavior and don’t need to have it spelled out to them. However, in some cases, it is necessary to seek legal advice because fraud laws can vary widely from state to state. There are differences when it comes to what acts are legal and what acts are not. It’s not a good idea to leave to chance what things are legal. Instead, you should look closely at the law concerning business dealings, real estate matters, medical procedures and even most retail experiences to decide what is and what is not a fraudulent matter.

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Filed Under: Financial, General Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

On Being a Smart Mom

December 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Stay at home moms are smart. That’s right; stay at home moms are aware of current events and their implications, read great books, and are fully engaged in life and all of its complexities. It’s because they work at it. Like everyone else, it takes a concerted effort to keep the mind sharp and focused. So what can a stay at home mom do to stay smart? Read on and try some of these mental exercises for the agile brain.

Brain Games
Lest we fool ourselves, two hours of our favorite computer game doesn’t count as brain exercise — it’s best to move away from the monitor and try some real word activities. Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are great. Play chess or any other strategy/problem solving game. Don’t know how to play chess? Learn to; that’s even better. Speaking of learning, it’s something you should never stop doing. A website like elearners.com can help you find classes or even degree programs that will give your inquiring mind plenty to think about.

Eat Brain Food
Who would have thought your brain was such a picky eater? But it is and the brain is just stubborn enough not to work well if you don’t give it what it wants. Make sure you have a diet rich in essential fatty acids. Do not put your brain on a fat free diet. Omega 3 fatty acids are just what the brain craves, along with fruits and vegetables that are intensely colored.

Sweet Dreams
Don’t consider sleeping as exercise? Your brain does. You may not be able to move a muscle but your brain does some of its most important work during its sleep cycles. Set up a routine that gives you six hours of uninterrupted sleep. Try for eight at some point. Work at natural sleep, avoiding sleep aids that interfere with the necessary levels of sleep.

Filed Under: General

Tax Fraud can Land you in a Lot of Trouble

November 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Duke Cunningham, former Republican Member of t...
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When it comes to tax time, we start hearing about an increase in tax fraud.  Though these stories come out throughout the year, they are most prevalent on people’s minds as they are getting ready to do their own taxes. The most common form of tax fraud is tax evasion. Whether just not paying the taxes owed, not filing a tax return, or fudging a few numbers, it is illegal to deal in tax evasion.

So, why do so many people or businesses evade their taxes each year? There are many reasons for this. First, some people feel that it is unfair that they should be taxed the amount that they are. They do not feel comfortable giving the country the amount of money that is wanted by the IRS. Whether or not a person thinks that it is fair, it is still the law. Another reason that is commonly used for tax fraud is that it is just so easy to fudge a few numbers here and there. In this case, the person or company evading the correct amount may not realize how much trouble they can get into for just a few slipped numbers. No matter how much you change the numbers—whether it’s just a little here or there, or hundreds of thousands of dollars—you are effectively stealing from the country.

Making sure that you double check your taxes, and possibly even have someone else check them for you before you file, is crucial. You don’t want to end up being accused of tax evasion or tax fraud. This can ruin your reputation at the very least, and end in fines and jail time at worst. Keeping a careful eye on your taxes can save you a large amount of time and stress in the long run.

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Filed Under: Corruption, General Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Owning the Ball: Losing at Home Plate

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
MOSCOW - NOVEMBER 23: Russian President Dmitry...
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Baseball seems like a meaningless sport. That’s what makes it fun. However, seeing baseball as meaningless shows a lack of human understanding. Baseball naturally evolved to test the player. That’s where the genius in the sport lies.

The path baseball takes is circular: to win you have to end up where you started. That is the first piece of genius. Accidental though that plan may have been, the circular design represents everything in the universe. Stick-ball players inherently knew this.

The second piece of genius is the fact that it is the defense that controls the ball. This is highly unusual for a sport that depends on the ball for points. If you are the offense, touch the ball and you lose. Oddly enough this is a reflection of human society and how selfish corruption creates loss. Mind twist? Not at all.

From the moment you are born, you wake up to an external world that blinds the senses to your inner workings. People tend desire control of the ball so that they can control their lives. In the process they find that if they control the ball, they control others as well. It’s a breeding ground for selfishness and eventually leads to behaviors that create a narrow path toward corruption, bribes, and human manipulation created for self-gain. Uncontrolled self-gain creates complete collapse in the end

Understanding baseball can correct this view very quickly. Play the game once to find that home plate is not only the ending place but the beginning as well. Winning begins and ends at home. Winning is developed from internal strength and not from owning the ball. In baseball, if you own the ball, it means your team created three outs: you lost your turn up to bat. Own the ball and you lose. Give it away and you win. The circle completes itself when you find yourself at home plate where you began, owning nothing yet having won that moment by purposely giving the ball to the opposing team. Something to think about next time you want to grab at the expense of another.

Filed Under: General, Politics Tagged With: , ,

Corruption and Puberty

September 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Corruption may be created by missing integrity or acts deemed to be immoral. However, the deeper and mostly hidden understanding is the fact that corruption is a straight-line act bent on a single outcome. Knowing this will lead to a truer definition of the word and eventually link it almost humorously to puberty!

Corruption is generally black and white without vision of a global result. So blind, in fact, is the process of often multi-layered thinking, that the outcome is inevitably bad for the one instigating the act. The problem with the devised layers created by corruption is the fact that the aim points in only one direction, eliminating the opportunity for change, growth or the ability to see possible flaws in the design. Consequently, what is supposedly for the good of the one winning with no concern for cost to others often results in the destruction of the individual who devised the linear path. Corruption is then action taken without thought or regard for any available course other than that which meets an immediate and blind need. Corruption includes all acts pointed toward a singular goal that gives license to any action that helps the individual meet that goal and without concern for damage to self or others. Does this sound reminiscent a pubescent child?

Unlike the pubescent child, wisdom generally sits quietly, watching nothing and seeing everything. Wisdom only acts once all outcomes are perceived and almost always wisdom never acts alone but as a whole and for the whole. Thus, it is impossible for wisdom to be linear, single minded or without concern for larger picture. Corruption? It is the opposite of wisdom. When does this kind of thinking take full blossom? Usually around age thirteen, once the hormones take over control of the mind. Ask any junior high teacher. What does that tell you about the corporate giants whose focus in life is in a singular and often destructive direction? Hormone therapy may be needed.

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Filed Under: General, Politics Tagged With: , ,
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