The other day, I got bored, so, I decided to have a political chat with some protestors. You see, in our town were some Occupy Protestors which had been featured in the newspaper, there were about 50 of them by day and 20 by night hanging out on the street corner holding signs and later camped out in the park. The police told them to leave, 5-times, but they didn't. One night at 1:45 AM after shift-change with nothing to do, the police came in and arrested anyone who didn't leave.

It is illegal to camp out in the parks around here, and there is good reason for that, this is an up-scale neighborhood and these protestors are not from this local community, oh I suppose a few may have been but most of them came in from neighboring cities. Mainly, they are angry at the one-percent, which is indeed where I live. What bugs me is that when I talked to these folks they really didn't have any clue as to how the world works, what drives the economy, or how wealth is created.

They were angry about all sorts of things, and yet, their stories were all too similar, they made choices and are where they are, through no fault of their own. Now they want more, and all of them admitted to voting for Obama, every one of them. This is his crowd, this is what he created by pitting poor against rich, dividing the classes, promoting socialism, and all this class warfare.

Now then, I think everyone is a little miffed at the crony capitalism and the cheaters in various financial circles, but let's not throw out the baby with the dirty bath water. You see, if we are going to fix these challenges then we must differentiate between all us hard working free-market capitalists and all the cheaters, I am okay with that. One thing good about cheaters and cheating is it seems to be addictive, and addictions generally bring people down, thus, in the end they pay for it, unfortunately in the process they screw everyone else too.

To those protests, yes, I hear you, I don't like it either, but this blanket attacks on the rich or wealthy is just wrong, that's not what America is about, and I for one have a lot of animosity towards some of the things going on out there, for instance; High frequency trading pisses me off the worst, and now we have our nation's largest banks doing it. So is that the answer, let them scrape the cream off the top of the stock market, commodity market, currency markets, etc, between their derivative trading of everything from the Chuck E. Cheese stock price to cotton futures and to weather and carbon emissions?

It's all BS, a giant gambling casino which was suppose to capitalize American Businesses and industry, it's really sad. Of course, with the George Soros' of the world pumping $180 million into the election of a US President, doubt much is going to change, and the investment banks were all over the manure like flies during the Franks Dodds financial bill, so, you know, the Occupy Protestors might have had a point, but as it stands now, most of those I talked to were just angry and ignorant unsure of much of anything they were talking about. So, please consider all this.

By: Lance Winslow
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Many good Christians have joined the mass mobs in condemnation of capitalism, they somehow believe that capitalism is evil, wrong for America, and demand the changes they'd hoped for. My question is how are we going to wake up the ignorant masses to the reality that just because someone gets up at a podium or teleprompter making a statement - doesn't mean it's true, reality based, or the gentleman or lady knows what on Earth they are talking about. If you think I am concerned about this, well you are right, so let's listen up and let me explain it all to you.

If Christians wish to join with the socialists and good-for-nothing communists and trash free-market capitalism then they have indeed, dismissed the very values we hold dear in the United States of America - namely liberty, freedom, and pursuits of happiness. How could any good-decent-law-abiding Christian be against such noble ideals? Secondly, apparently, folks are confused about capitalism, specifically the differences between:

Crony Capitalism
State Run Capitalism
Free Market Capitalism

They are not the same, not even close, so let's talk. If you don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about you are indeed to be at least partially forgiven as 75% of all Americans don't get it, unfortunately they also vote. Now then, I'm going to give you a little reading assignment because obviously most folks never learned about capitalism in school or why it is so great or how it helped us build this awesome nation so quickly into the a 17 Trillion Dollar powerhouse. That didn't happen by accident folks.

Now then let me ask the question; "How Can Any Good Christian Be Against Free Market Capitalism?"

The answer is they can't be against it, because free market capitalism is pure, it is truth, and it is abundantly obvious why. Secondly, "Free Market Capitalism without Freedom, Isn't" and you can quote me on that. Crony Capitalism and State Run Capitalism create barriers to entry, shortages, and artificially high-prices to funny money to friends of those in power, or to the state, and in doing so prevent choices of purchases and competition which is an automatic safety leveler to keep the free and fair flow of goods, services, money, capital, and labor.

If any good Christian is against Free Market Capitalism, they live in hypocrisy, and if they aren't against crony capitalism they are part of the problem. If a Christian is for State Run Capitalism, then they are Chinese, where Christianity isn't really permitted anyway. See that point? So, all Christians ought to learn the definitions, understand what's going on, or stop all the sound and fury, as it makes them look ignorant. Free-market capitalism is a concept so powerful it can transcend religious thought, if practiced in its nearest and purest form. Please consider all this.

By: Lance Winslow
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

The Occupy Wall Street crowd seems to be really confused. Rather than condemning crony capitalism, and those who are engaged in the various schemes which are destroying trust in the system which supports our economic base, and funds American Businesses, these folks are busy condemning Millionaires regardless of how they'd achieved that wealth. I say to them, let's not throw out the baby with the bath water, and let's stop condemning banks, regular banks that is.

You see, in Seattle and Oakland the "Occupy Wall Street" Crowd marched on Wells Fargo Bank, which is absolutely comical because Wells Fargo Bank is a "real bank" and a consumer bank, and they were not involved in the shenanigans of Wall Street. But of course the malicious malcontents who threw rocks and broke windows while supposedly participating in the Occupy Protests obviously probably didn't think that through did they?

Worse, what if the Wells Fargo consumer type banks of the world up and left the area, and closed everyone's account out, closed those offices there, and didn't return? Would the local folks be better off? No, they'd be worse off, less competition, and they'd pay higher rates, fees, and prices for banking services, thus, they'd be even angrier, while smaller banks with less economy of scale tried to pick up the difference with high pricing, they too might be seen as "evil bankers" and therefore, they too would leave.

Then those poor neighborhoods perhaps would have no banking services, and without that, it would affect local businesses, merchants, and entrepreneurs and therefore fewer jobs too. These protests are nonsensical and seem to point to a real problem with human mobs tearing down civilization and society. Personally, and this is of course my opinion, I see the real problem with the Obama White House in promoting class-warfare, after all, Obama big claim to fame has been his work in Chicago as a Community Protest Organizer" and so I ask is this the hope and change you'd hoped for?

People are marching in the streets because they are angry, but at what, they don't even know, as they run around and find people, socio-economic classes, and businesses to blame, and hate. Beware the mass mobs of humanity, as they operate as a brainless organism, stimulated by negative energy, like rabid dogs hunting in packs. Is that the America you want, is that the change you wish to see, I ask you; is this what you had always hoped the United States could be?

By: Lance Winslow
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

There sure are a lot of people criticizing the United State's Federal Government. They say things such as; the Federal Government is wasteful, corrupt, incompetent, and inefficient. And whereas, one could say with such a huge blob of bureaucracy one is bound to find some inefficiencies, waste, corruption, and incompetence right? Sure that makes sense, nothing is perfect, not you, your family, not your company, and not your closest friends either.

Not long ago, I was debating this with an acquaintance who stated; "There are holes in the system." Well, indeed, there always will be, it is the nature of complex systems and Murphy will always exploit the weaknesses. My acquaintance also noted; "There are both right and wrong policies. Good and bad policies." Yes, and it would be hard to argue with that either. And when it comes to incompetence, yes, there are "Competent officials and incompetent officials."

Surely, I think we all accept that, or should at least be honest with ourselves on those points. Likewise there are corrupted and less-than-corrupt officials, at all levels of the bureaucracy. Now, my acquaintance asks a most dubious question, one not often asked; "The question is; are the scales tipped in the wrong direction?"

Okay so, that is one way consider it, however, I'd like to form a different question, as I am not so comfortable with where the answers to this question takes us. You see, since historically political decisions lead to unintended consequences, shouldn't government be smaller, making fewer decisions, therefore they'd have fewer messes to clean-up. Further, if government makes a mess, why would we put our faith in their ability to fix it?

Let's discuss one more inquiry in this thought of the day, shall we? "Is there more wrong, bad and incompetence than right, good and competence?"

Once again, I'd like to state that maybe that is the wrong question to ask as well, because, maybe the system is not working because it's gotten off track;

1.) Revolving Door of Politicians, Bureaucrats, regulators, government lawyers going to work for those who work to abuse the system, using those insider connections.

2.) Abuses of privileges of all three branches of government, over stepping their checks and balances. Legislating from the bench, obscure executive orders, DOJ witch hunts of other branches, legislators interfering in regulatory investigations, etc. etc.

3.) A pay-to-play government, for lobbyists, corporations, unions - without the ability for a citizen or small businesses to express their concerns.

If the system of checks-and-balances has been corrupted, then in reality it does not exist, without it, the natural human tendencies will rear their ugly heads early and often. Some might say that it's because "democracy is messy" as Obama said in his State of the Union Address. No, I'd say that Chicago Mafia style dirty politics is messy, and it's no way to run the greatest nation in the history of mankind.

"This is not a perfect world we live in!"

No, it's not, but that doesn't mean it can't be, or that we can't do better with our Federal Government than we have in past periods. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

By: Lance Winslow
Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

March 3, 2011. Muammar al Qaddafi, said recently, "The People are the master" To some degree this must be the truth as he has many supporters and still the support of the Army. In fact he seems to have more supporters then there are Rebels'. The Government forces moved east and word is that the oil fields in Garza are in Government hands again.

Either way, Qaddafi could last a long time if the UN does not send in forces to aid the rebellion, a prospect that is not likely to take place soon. Some NATO, countries are talking about setting up a no fly zone over Libya, This is a very fine idea. However, a no fly zone is not as easy as it looks, and would involve several difficult issues, not the least of which is, who will pay for it?

Russia, for one has asked the UN Security Council to do exactly that, the problem is that the UN will need Air forces in the area and a lot of them. Who? Therefore, will the UN send to supply the airpower needed to do the job? You know it, the United States. The United States does not have sufficient forces in the area to complete such a task. To make things more complex Libya still has all its anti aircraft elements still intact.

More than that, to set up a no fly zone would be an act of war against a Middle Eastern country. If such an attack is undertaken by the UN who will most likely send American forces to do the job, then the Arab world may see this from a different point of view. Why, because in order to set up a no fly zone somebody has to destroy the Libyan Air force, and still again we have Americans killing Arabs. The very idea of having one more place where Americans kill Arabs will not be a good for Obama's foreign affairs.

Besides: US. Forces are heavily engaged in Afghanistan, and still mopping up in Iraq. To make things really complex, we are still watching the unstable Persian Gulf area. Starting a new military salient in Libya will give rise to the possibility of a new Afghanistan kind of war in Libya. To stack that along side of existing military commitments in the area may be unthinkable.

Mr. Robert Michael Gates, who is the 22nd and current United States Secretary of Defense, told a congressional panel on Wednesday "A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya" to destroy its air defenses." Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State; Clinton said, she feared the prospect of Libya becoming infested with al-Qaida or affiliated terrorist groups on the scale of Somalia. Clinton further stated, "We are taking no option off the table so long as the Libyan government continues to turn its guns on its own people,"

Earlier this week Mr. Gates ordered to us warships into the region namely: the amphibious assault ships USS Kearsarge and the USS Ponce. These hold about 45 Helicopters of various types each, and a cadre of marines. These ships are said to be in place to help with the evacuation of Americans from the fighting region.

The outcome of the conflict is unclear at this point. If the world really wants Qaddafi out of power then it could be some time before a military intervention will be possible and Qaddafi seems to have the support and the equipment needed to stay for some time.

By: Robert Tafolla
Thank You, Robert Tafolla. http://emotionalintelligencebooks.com
Email-: tafolla1944@Yahoo.com

Just because something is allowed by law in our free society - just because you can constitutionally do something, doesn't mean it is wise to do so. You see, we really need to consider that in order to maintain civility, we really need to look inward at our own behavior. Lately, I've noticed the main-stream media blowing issues out of proportion - yes, it must be an election year! It seems that the media likes all that chaos and controversy, but using that to amplify animosity, distrust, anger, revenge, or bad behavior really serves no free man.

Yes, we have unbelievable freedoms in this country - freedom of the press, freedom of speech, etc., etc. but we shouldn't go around abusing it or manipulating it to cause problems. We have enough jealous enemies around the world who already do that, they use our freedoms against us, we need not do it to ourselves, we really ought to stick together here. What do I mean by constitutionally legal, yet highly inappropriate? Well, how about things such as;

- Burning an American Flag
- Disrupting a Soldiers Funeral with a, Anti-War Protest Across the Street
- Building a Mosque at Ground Zero
- Race-Baiting Speech
- Causing Controversy onto Your Fellow Man Without Regard
- Flaming Someone on a Social Network
- Spreading False Rumors at Work

Yes, I know that sound and fury is practically an American Tradition, but still, it seems the behavior of far too many folks is really pushing the threshold of civility. No, I am not, and will not call for more laws, or impeding of free speech, rather, I'd ask all Americans to please, think twice before stirring the pot for your own amusement. I say here today to my fellow Americans, think twice. Stick together, celebrate diversity, celebrate us, and yourself as an individual. Celebrate all of it.

Why you ask? Because we live in the greatest nation ever created in the history of the human species. We are great, that means all of us. But with this great gift of such a great country, well, it requires a little bit of personal responsibility. So, don't let the mob, or some social network bend your mind into thinking it is okay to trash on your fellow man, or our nation. It's really not okay, it's not right - and whereas, you may have the right to carry on that way. I ask you to apply these to simple tests:

1.-What would your mom think of what you are doing?

2.-Is what you are doing fair for all concerned?

Then ask yourself, is this really the right thing to do today? Please consider all this.

By: Lance Winslow
Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.