They say it's not important if you win or lose, but that you have fun in the process. To me that's a copout, because I always win, and I have more fun! Winning is fun, I am not sure why more people don't get it. But I have a sneaky suspicion as to why this is, you see, I just bet that most of the people that say stuff like that, are not very good at winning, rather they are really good at making excuses, and probably fairly good at the blame game.

In fact, I think we have a real problem, I think we've allowed too much of this attitude to permeate our society. Indeed, it seems we've collected leaders and representatives to govern our lives who spend a good amount of time reporting this socialist, loser attitude. It's quite unbecoming of an American to act like this and say these things. You see, there's nothing wrong with winning, there's nothing wrong with doing your best, and that is practically an American tradition.

Apparently, what we have is a group of new leaders who were tapping into the negative biofeedback, the low self-esteem, and this psychological depression of the electorate, and they are trying to make people feel weak, and then they come to their rescue, and tell them they will solve all their problems. Why would anyone stoop so low as to use such a manipulative strategy on their fellow citizens? Worse, what type of an American would allow themselves to be manipulated in that way.

For someone to say it doesn't matter if you win or lose, well, that's just not the truth, as it very much does matter. It matters that you accomplish things, that you are successful, that you are able to build a good life for your family, it is important that our country succeeds, and the company you work at succeeds, and it is important that you give 110% in everything you do. To just cruise through life, and have the government take care of everything for you, and while you put out little effort, that's just not American.

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.

It has long been a generally accepted philosophy that the youth of our nation is often associated with liberal thought. And thus, right or wrong, are associated with the Democratic Party by default. The basic question is - why?

It's quite simple really. The very lack of life experience synonymous with youthfulness is the key.

When we are young, many of us tend to be idealists rather than realists. Now, idealism in and of itself is by no means a bad thing. But, unless the fantasy is coated with reality, it can be very dangerous. The two major examples of this are the Communist theory of government and the concept of Marxism.

In theory, Communism is the perfect government and should result in a Utopian state. However, it has never succeeded and cannot succeed in the real world. Human nature simply won't allow it. Instead of a Utopian ideal, put into practice Communism and Marxist thought have resulted in little more than widespread poverty, an unbelievable gap between the rich and the poor, heavy oppression and utter chaos.

The other major reason why young people tend to align with liberal thought is that quite frankly, they make for an easy target. The reasons for this are two-fold.

The first reason is that our children are so very impressionable. They can easily be molded to believe things through the use of the education system, advertising and other means of communication and information. When I was in school, we where taught that Democrats are for the "little people" and Republicans are for the rich and wealthy. Sadly, I'm sure some of us just took that as gospel and never delved deeper in search of the truth.

The lack of delving deeper speaks to my second point. Many young people lack either the desire or the drive to do more than take the word of the so-called authorities that bombard them with one-sided information. Sources like "The Daily Show" and the 30 seconds of news snippets periodically shown on MTV at least influence, if not completely form their views.

But, there is hope.

New research suggests that 40% of young Americans now consider themselves conservatives. That is a staggering number considering the history of this demographic. This suggests that at least some of the youth are taking the initiative to find out more than simply what they are being fed by the mainstream media.

It also seems to be a generally accepted idea that as most of us mature, we tend to take more moderate (like myself) or conservative stances. Again, this goes back to the issue of real world experience.

Perhaps Winston Churchill put it best when he said, "Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains."

By: Jason Greiner
http://www.3riverscreative.com

Economics 101?

Much has been said about the burgeoning federal debt recently. Since being inaugurated, President Obama has spent more money than all previous United States Presidents combined, adjusting for inflation. That being said, President Obama has spent money that doesn't exist. Estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, the place that reviews money coming in and going out that the government proposes in legislation, has pegged our trillion dollar deficit as dangerously near the point of no return. If something isn't done to curtail, cut and stop spending soon, the United States will lose it's credit rating, and for the first time in history, default on it's debt.

So how did we get here. I'll see if I can explain simply. As we should learn about budgets and income and expense, every single dollar the Federal Government spends, has been collected through some tax placed on the individuals and businesses that fall under it's power, in this case, the United States citizens. We work to provide for ourselves and our families, enjoy vacations, save money for retirement and live our lives. The government taxes us and levies fees against us for the work and products we provide and produce. If the government spends more money than they take in, the difference is called the deficit and must be made up by borrowing money. More often than not, the government will sell bonds to another government, like China, and pay interest on those bonds so they can continue to spend when they don't bring in enough from taxes.

President Obama and Democrats in power have decided that spending money that hasn't even been earned yet, by ourselves and our unborn progeny is the way to remove us from the recession. This line of thinking comes from Keynes, an English economist during the early 20th century who wrote extensively on the spending power of the government and what it should be able to accomplish during periods of negative or no economic growth; i.e. during a recession with high unemployment, few jobs, and little goods and services being rendered or produced.

With almost 100 years of time between Keynes economic theories and the present day, we do have quite a bit of real world data to use in examining how accurate Keynesian economics really are and if they work on planet earth. The short answer is they don't. They fail miserably and prolong the recessionary periods during which they are implemented.

FD Roosevelt, who is championed as the President who brought the country out of the Great Depression during the 1930's followed these principles to the letter through his burgeoning deficit spending and "job creation" at the government level with all of his projects across the country like the WPA, NRA and a host of other alphabet soup government agencies. He did this using borrowed money and by raising taxes. His principal belief was that the government could make people work to bring the economy back around, using their own money, or lack thereof to do it.

In order to understand this theory of economics, it would be like you being out of work with no income or reduced income. You take a cash advance or special offer from your credit card company to borrow against your credit line to have some money back in your pocket. If you think that by borrowing money from your credit line, putting it in your pocket and then saying, you've got income again is preposterous and doesn't make any sense, you'd be right. You haven't improved your ability to care for yourself at all, you've only made yourself a slave to the issuer of the credit card company that loaned you the money and now wants you to pay interest on the loan. You still have no income and now have debt you have to pay for because you borrowed money you didn't have. This is insane.

Rational people understand that eventually you'll reach your credit limit and not be able to borrow anymore. You still have no income and are now in danger of defaulting on your payments of borrowed money to the bank and are in fact worse off than you were before.

This describes exactly the problem the we face now. Only, when you and I reach our credit limit, we can't just raise our limit and borrow more money to spend away that which we haven't earned. This is exactly what the Democratic Congress has done this year on more than two occasions, rather than stop spending. We only have so much time left, before our debt literally renders our country bankrupt and finished.

To conclude, Keynesian economic theory does not work. Never has; never will. In fact, those countries that didn't spend, specifically in Western Europe, during the 1930's Depression, on average saw their economic activity and countries improve a full 7 years before the United States did, and only the onset of World War II allowed us to ramp up our production and start putting people back to work and not living on borrowed money as we are doing once again, right now.

As history repeats itself, we sure aren't electing anybody to lead us who knows anything about history and basic economics.

By: Dan Orr
I'm Dan Orr, an entrepreneur with businesses in real estate and e-commerce. I work with rent generating property and recently entered the online affiliate and money-making web based products world.
http://www.topfloorview.com/affiliatemarketing.html

Barack Obama

Trusted?

To Be or Not To Be

By depiction, Barack Obama is a person to be trusted without question, WHY?

Everyone else who has led this country has had to go through a process of building trust with the American people. From the days of George Washington down through today the position of President of the United States of America has been one of implicit trust, yes their have been individuals who have usurped that trust and gone overboard in their efforts to get as much from politics as they could, we have had some people in this position that did not belong there due to character defects that far outweighed any benefit they could have been to this country. We have had some individuals that have done more to destroy "Due Process" than most criminals that have gone to trial and been adjudged guilty. We have been saddled with individuals that have the morals of an alley cat, individuals who consider it nothing to lie in the face of the American public, and presiding courts, individuals that considered themselves untouchable by the laws that govern this land.

Be that as it may, the inherit quality that is looked for in the man who would be President has got to be ethical trustworthiness. I feel without that, no other qualification matters. For me having to trust what the President says is more important than anything in the area of leadership. This quality and this one alone predicate any action that would take place concerning the well being of the United States.

There are no other concerns in the picking of the President if you cannot count on the integrity of the individual running. The president can even be wrong in his assessment of any given situation, though we pray he is not, as he has the final choice in the recommendation of the results of any decisions made, and at times, he possesses the only voice in that process. This President has so far not only backed off the issue of trust, he has failed miserably in maintaining any semblance of knowing what he is doing.

For example: on the issue of Health Care, he had stated that he knew the present bill was flawed, but that could be taken care of with another bill, on Immigration, he had been quoted as saying, "this administration does not have the stomach to deal with the issue of immigration"( Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.) which did not pass. Then faults Arizona for passing a law designed to protect it's boarders, and says of the law, "I think it may be unconstitutional" Yet this law does nothing different other than re-enforce the Federal Law that's on the books?

Is there something I am missing here?

It seem to me that our President (the one everyone expected so much from) is not only talking out of both sides of his mouth, but also out of the part of his anatomy that he sits on!

On perhaps the greatest ecological disaster to hit the United States, he has said" Washington has been in charge of this situation since day one" The question that that statement brings up is "Oh really, OK exactly what have you done?" He is now faced with another conundrum, The Gaza blockade. He has previously been recorded as saying the safety of Israel is "Sacrosanct" and attacks will not be tolerated. Let's see if he keeps his word, or again turn away from what he has said. Travel forward in time

Not long ago an incident that occurred the IDF [Israel Defense Force] in responding to a ship that tried to run it's blockade of the Gaza seaport got boarded, below were Arabic and Turkish individuals with nothing else on their minds than to do harm to the IDF, which was evidenced in video that were confiscated during the raid, due to no previous incidents with the actions taken by the Israeli forces the weapons carried by the IDF were the equivalent of paint-ball guns, when attacked by the individuals on-board the ship to protect themselves from being beaten by metal pipes, chains and chairs (graphically shown on the videos) they resorted to side arms, killing 9 of their attackers. For this Israel was the dumping ground of all the vehemence the rest of the world including the most revered Secretary of State her royal nobleness Hillary Clinton who stated that she denounced the actions taken by Israel in attacking the peaceful demonstration aboard that ship, WELL AIN'T THAT SPECIAL!!!

I for one think it's about time the DUMMIES, excuse me Democrats in Washington wake up to what's going on in the world and take off those "Rose Colored Glasses" they are forever wearing. This adds to the overall mystique of the pseudo-government we are now subject to, the government that exhibits the grandiose perception that we can do nothing wrong, you only have to follow our instructions and your life will be peachy keen, UNTIL THE BILL ARRIVES, so far it is in the trillions of dollars.

YOU ASK WHERE WILL IT STOP?

YOU ASK WHEN WILL IT STOP?

The answer is: AT THE POLLS

AND WHEN YOU DECIDE TO PUT A STOP TO IT!!!!

It is us, we are the ones responsible, there is no-one else to point the finger at. Harry Truman had a sign on his desk at the White House when he was President, that sign said. The Buck Stops Here, Barack Obama has decided to usurp that phrase, too bad he can't or won't live up to it, it could change the way people see him, but as for now, he, to me remains inconsistent with the overall purpose of America, that being the thing which has set us apart from every other nation on the face of the earth, our freedoms, as they are granted to American citizens, thanks to the forefathers of this nation.

By: Conrad Trudelle
I would be very interested to receive any comments about the above article, there are more to follow, and they shall be posted shortly.

I have been to more places than most people, I have done more things than most people, I have survived more things than most others have encountered. I have continually learned throughout this process and arrived at the conclusion that the differences we see keep us curious, and that keeps us alive. Never ever stop learning, and school and college is not the only place to learn, in fact it is limiting the amount and quality of knowledge we have. Communication is what makes this planet better, we have to learn to communicate better. Communication is not only content, but also delivery.

The flame from a single candle lights up ones own little corner, but the flames of many candles light up the world. What we believe can have an illuminating affect on our immediate surroundings such as family and friends. However, what we do in our communities and beyond shines a spotlight on ways to make a difference and cause positive change while attracting others to join us in these efforts.

Most of us 65+ have led an active and involved life, both on the job and at home. Now, in retirement or getting prepared for it, we are faced with the possibility of having idle time on our hands. Something the pre-boomer generation is not used to. At first, this seems like a happy dilemma, but too much leisure time does little to stimulate the mind and can lead to a feeling of low self-esteem. Besides, who wants to do nothing when you can get great satisfaction from being of service?

"What can I do?" you ask. Anything you want! After all, you did this throughout your life, why stop now? Think about the dreams we New Seniors had when we were young. Being the best we could be in the areas where we had interest received encouragement from our elders - parents, teachers, coaches, scout masters and other leaders. And we carried this with us upon entering the workforce and, to some degree, throughout our careers. It's time to dust off those memories and apply them once again, because America needs our knowledge, experience and guidance more than ever.

The nation is in a state of fear-based, self-centered apathy. If it doesn't affect us directly, we tend not to care; so don't make waves. Gone is the spirit that helped people survive the Great Depression. The spirit that united us against common enemies in WWII. The spirit that built a post-war economy second to none. The spirit that fought social injustices and prevailed. The spirit that placed men on the moon. The spirit that outlasted the threat of the Soviet Union. The spirit that created the Internet and the technology boom. The spirit that re-united Americans after the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

Has the life gone out of this great country, or are we just taking a breath before rising up and redirecting our efforts to ignite the spark once more? Are you ready to carry the torch the spreads the light of freedom and the opportunities that will bring America back from the lonely darkness that separates us and help bring people back together again?

This action can begin to take place immediately, but the road back is long and up hill. Don't let that deter you. New Seniors can make a difference in the way government works and let those in elected positions know who they work for by being active during the period leading up to the November election. Without regard to party affiliation, those 65+ are expected to account t for nearly 30% of the votes cast this fall. So get involved.

While this is going on, look for ways to be of service in your community. Recruit other New Seniors to join you in making a difference. Tell your friends that you intend to make a difference. And, demonstrate to your family what it means to make a difference.

By: Don Potter

Don Potter, a Philadelphia native, was born in 1936 and is a 50 year veteran of the advertising agency business. Now living in Los Angeles, he has written two novels in retirement, frequently writes on marketing issues, and has a blog dedicated to pre-boomers (those born between 1930 and 1945).

Read more articles for and about pre-boomers with thoughts, comments and opinions designed to spark thinking, foster discussion, and stimulate debate by logging on to http://www.pre-boomermusings.com

When did our society become so twisted? It is apparent these days that if you are a law abiding American citizen you might not get a fair shake. For many years now I have had to ask myself, "what is going on?"

The criminals in prison have work out areas, a chance for a free education, and we have a difficult time affording these luxuries as regular civilians.

It has evolved into a matter of respectable, American, hard working citizens, can't catch a brake. Our jobs are being shipped overseas and if you are close to retirement you find yourself being let go from your job. For a made up reason, that legally is binding in the company's small print.

I know many people who have to work two or three jobs just to make the ends meet and feed their families. If wages were higher, this would not be a problem. Then you might only have to work two jobs and be able to see the family you are working so hard for.

It does not matter the color of your skin, or what country you are from originally, nor if you are a man or a woman. We are living in a day of difficulty and prejudice against the regular, hard working, American citizen.

There are too many people breaking laws in our country and getting by with it. Suddenly, if you are just a person who is minding your own business, and standing up for your rights, jobs, beliefs, political views, you are coined as bad by media and others. It is so stupid and redundant. Grandma's and grandpa's, clergy, women and children, farmers, businessmen and women, rich, poor, and in between, being made feel that they have no rights in their own country.

We are living in the 21st century, and certain folks are acting as if they want to take us into the dark ages in this country. Where only certain folk have rights, and jobs are for a certain chosen few. It is biblical to work, and most everyone that I know want to have a decent job and raise their families in that good old American way.

When laws are set in motion to help a small stream of Americans, and jobs are created for the ones who have a certain skill, and industry is ignored as a whole, it is discrimination.

When criminals are given breaks because it is politically correct, and we all stand around with our mouths wide open, we have been discriminated against.

We have a whole new kind of discrimination in our country today. It is politically correct versus not being politically correct. This is new territory and I do not think many are coming to grips with it. I think that is why we have all of the hoop-la, and ranting going on.

I am a woman and an American citizen, and I wrote this as I see things in our country. You can agree or disagree with my ideas, it is still a free country to do so on this day.

By: Pamela Bunta
Wife, mother, grandmother, hair stylist. New author. Twitter, Facebook, You tube. Singer and musician, (bass fiddle player). My email:padewan7@yahoo.com