In the aftermath of General McChrystal’s legendary, possibly heroic, interview with Rolling Stone magazine, President Barack Obama has accepted the General’s resignation and has selected General David Petraeus to take control as top commander in Afghanistan. Beautiful! That’s excellent representation of this nation and the future of the war. The second a high commander is publicly honest about the state of affairs overseas, he’s out.

It is no secret that there is relentless division of opinion for everything that involves the strategy overseas. However the split opinion is never addressed and they continue to sweep the differences under a rug. So for the first time, a high commander tells it how it is, and he is eliminated all together. McChrystal may have said some offensive, off the cuff remarks, but at least he was honest. Something had to change. And after all, isn’t ‘Change’ President Obama’s motto?

This was an opportunity for Obamaland to walk the walk, but instead he steps up to the podium at the White House and continues to talk the talk. It’s obvious McChrystal’s remarks were impulsive and clearly he had had enough and subsequently offered his own resignation. Now that Petraeus is in the driver’s seat, what is going to change? Obama said in his speech, “It is the right thing for our mission in Afghanistan, for our military and our country.”

How’s this for Obama propaganda? The President believes McChrystal’s explosive remarks demoralize the civilian control of the military “at the core of our democratic system.” Additionally, Obama said, “I believe this mission demands unity of effort across our alliance and across my national security team… I don’t think that we can sustain that unity of effort and achieve our objectives in Afghanistan without making this change.”

Did that really happen today? The president is delusional. The fact of the matter is, the lack of unity is detrimental to the progress and success overseas, which was one point McChrystal made in his interview, and the entire world is aware of it. However, Obama wants to “sustain that unity” that they already have? What unity? That’s what is failing! For a man empowered by change, he certainly is sitting on his hands. It doesn’t matter now, the truth is out thanks to General McChrystal, and Obama already has the broom out.

Doris Haddock, also known as Granny D, died on Tuesday night, March 9, at her son’s home in Dublin, New Hampshire. The wise political activist had been suffering from chronic respiratory illness, and she had recently celebrated her milestone, 100th birthday, on January 24.

Granny D became famously known for her political interest when she hiked 3,200 miles across the United States to raise awareness of monetary function in political campaigns. Haddock made the trek from Los Angeles, California all the way to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. during her political exhibition.

In July 2000, during her avocation, Granny D said, “There are so many problems in this country that need to be solved, but they need money in order to solve them. And when campaign finance reform has been enacted, that will release a great deal of money.” Did you hear that Rielle Hunter John Edwards?

Haddock actively supported Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold for authoring campaign finance legislation passed back in 2002. McCain made a statement after hearing the news of Granny D’s death saying, “I was saddened to learn of the passing of Granny D. Her inspirational efforts and hard work will never be forgotten.” Sen. Feingold added, “Her walk across America in support of campaign finance reform and returning democracy to the people inspired people of all ages and all backgrounds.”

Family spokeswoman and a dear friend of Haddock’s said, “She was active until two days before her death. She lived a very full life. Even though everyone is sad, we’re also full of joy over what she was able to accomplish.” Doris Haddock not only fulfilled political accomplishments, but she is survived by her son, 8 grandkids, and 16 great-grandkids. A century of life, wisdom, and family is an amazing accomplishment for anyone.

Although Tiger Woods may be back in the fairway from the law, his personal life is still in the rough. He received a careless driving citation and four points on his driving record for his single car crash into a fire hydrant and tree. The Florida Highway Patrol has completed their investigation and Tiger is home free. Unfortunately for Tiger, that is not where trouble ends.

The same day his driving citation was issued, Mr. Woods released a statement regarding the recent events regretting his “transgressions”… err adulterous behaviors which have sparked a media whirlwind. John Daly is stoked because he may have just found himself a new Hooters wing man. Nike and Gatorade have both stated they are too heavily invested in Woods to cut his endorsements, and they are absolutely okay with Woods using their endorsements to pay some home wreckers off to keep their promiscuous mouths shut.

Even though his estimated worth is about a billion dollars, his current situation is reasonably undesirable. But who says money can’t buy love? For Tiger Woods anything has its price. He has reportedly offered his wife a seven digit Christmas present to withstand the union as well as renegotiated their prenuptial agreement. Americans and particularly sports fans are very forgiving to personal short comings and unless the big “D” is in Tiger’s near future the media will soon disperse. Especially when he attains his next victory on the Tour.

It is extremely disappointing for Tiger to be chalked up aside Kobe and the likes. However, with this notch on his belt, Tiger is now eligible to follow a career in politics if desired to do so. So if the intentions of his transgressions were political resume building, this media blitz has been a remarkable success.

A year has passed since President Barack Obama stood before a crowd in Grant Park as the president-elect. After a long campaign for “hope” and “change” he made dozens of promises to the American people and mainly his supporters. In one year, of those promises, how many promises has Obama kept and how many has be broken? He announced to the emotional crowd, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term.” In a year since this declaration, it seems President Obama’s progress is off to a slow start.

The mostly “unchecked” list of promises include immigration reform, health care, and new financial regulations. Many of Obama’s campaign promises are marked as “in the works”, however time is slipping faster than the progress of “change”.

As Obama campaigned his presidency he promised to return the troops in Iraq home in 16 months, and “finish the fight against al Qaeda in Afghanistan.” Those 16 months have turned into 19, and as the troops remain on Iraqi grounds, Obama has deployed an additional 20,000 with consideration of sending thousands more. Obama also promised to oppose mandatory insurance and fining people who do not have insurance. The health care bill is “in the works,” however, both oppositions will likely appear in his health care bill and chalk up broken promises. President Obama also promised that lobbyists “will not work in my White House,” yet they are still present.

Of all Obama’s promises, kept, broken, or in the works, there are also dozens of promises receiving “no action.” Nearly a quarter of his term is complete, and there barely seems to be a dent in the list of promises Obama has made. His presidential clock is ticking and he has about 3 years to start taking action on his list of “no action” and “in the works.” How many promises of “change” will be kept, and how many will be broken? Or how many will receive any action at all at this progressive rate?

Bernard Madoff was sentenced Monday to 150 years in prison for stealing billions of dollars from hundreds of investors over decades in one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history.

U.S. District Judge Denny Chin called the scope of the fraud “staggering” and gave the 71-year-old financier the maximum sentence allowed, ensuring Madoff would live out his days behind bars. The probation department had recommended a 50-year term, while the defense lawyer had sought 12 years behind bars for his client.

With the verdict, Chin said he was sending a message “that Mr. Madoff’s crimes were extraordinarily evil, and that this kind of manipulation of the system is not just a bloodless crime that takes place on paper, but one instead that takes a staggering toll.”

Cheers and applause erupted from the gallery as Chin announced the verdict.

Before the sentence was handed down, Madoff faced the wrath of nine of the hundreds of people he cheated in the fraud that wiped out fortunes large and small. Although he showed no emotion during their testimony, he did offer an apology to family and victims.

“I dug myself deeper into a hole” as the scheme progressed, Madoff said, adding that he would “live with this pain, this torment, for the rest of my life.”

The victims who came forward testified that they had suffered financial ruin because of Madoff’s fraud.

“How could somebody do this to us? How could this be real? We did nothing wrong,” said Dominic Ambrosino, a retired New York City corrections officer. “We will have to sell our home and hope to survive on Social Security alone.”

“Life has been a living hell. It feels like the nightmare we can’t wake from,” said Carla Hirshhorn.

Tom Fitzmaurice accused Madoff of cheating his victims “so he and his wife, Ruth, could live a life of luxury beyond belief.”

Another victim, Michael Schwartz, told Madoff he wished a jail cell would be the disgraced financier’s coffin.

Madoff has already been ordered to forfeit assets worth more than $170 billion — the amount prosecutors say “flowed into the principal account to perpetrate the Ponzi scheme.” The amount includes all his personal property, real estate, investments and $80 million in assets that his wife — who has not been charged — had claimed were hers. The order left her with $2.5 million.

After the sentencing, Ruth Madoff said in a statement that she felt “betrayed and confused” by the actions of her husband. “The man who committed this horrible fraud is not the man whom I have known for all these years.”

She added: “Not a day goes by when I don’t ache over the stories that I have heard and read.”

The exact amount of the fraud has yet to be calculated, largely because it was so vast and went on for so long. Weeks before Bernard Madoff’s December arrest, statements showed that his firm had $56 billion in accounts.

Madoff’s case has become symbolic of Wall Street greed and a laissez-faire attitude toward federal oversight. Madoff, a former Nasdaq chairman, had earned a reputation as a trusted money manager with a track record of delivering stellar returns in good markets and bad. His clients — ranging from Florida retirees to celebrities such as Steven Spielberg, actor Kevin Bacon and Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax — consistently enjoyed steady double-digit returns.

On March 12, Madoff pleaded guilty to securities fraud and other charges, saying he was “deeply sorry and ashamed.” He insisted that he acted alone, describing a separate wholesale stock-trading firm run by his sons and brother as legitimate.

The terms require the Madoffs to sell a $7 million Manhattan apartment where Ruth Madoff still lives. An $11 million estate in Palm Beach, Fla., a $4 million home in Montauk and a $2.2 million boat will be put on the market as well.

Aside from an accountant accused of helping Madoff hide the scheme, no one else has been criminally charged. But family members as well as brokerages that recruited investors have come under intense scrutiny by the FBI, regulators and a court-appointed trustee overseeing the liquidation of Madoff’s assets.

In bankruptcy filings, trustee Irving Picard said family members “used customers’ accounts as though they were their own,” putting Madoff’s maid, boat captain and house sitter in Florida on the company payroll and paying nearly $1 million in fees at high-end golf clubs in Florida and on Long Island, N.Y.

Picard has sought to reclaim ill-gotten gains by freezing Madoff’s business bank accounts and selling off legitimate portions of his firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC. (Its season tickets for the New York Mets went for $38,100.) He also is suing big money managers and investors for billions of dollars, claiming they were Madoff cronies who also cashed in on the fraud.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Our new President signed the $787 BILLION dollar stimulus plan into law today.  I guess that is a good thing but I just don’t see it yet. I am someone who still has a job but is SLOWLY DROWNING. To make matters worse I can actually SEE the hypothetical water slowly rising above my head. With each passing day, week, and month I fall further and further into debt and operate at a quickly growing loss.

With less and less funds available I regularly short one bill this week to pay another, and then do the same thing again the following week. And I see no end in site. Where is my stimulus plan? $800 for couples in tax breaks is not going to cut it to be honest.

There are about 150 million tax paying adults in the USA. If you divide the 787 billion dollars up among them that is around $5,200 each or $10,400 per tax paying couple. Right now I could use $10,000+ a whole lot more then what is currently being proposed. Maybe that is selfish but I HAVE TO look out for what is best for me and my family. And right now I need to figure out how to pay for day care next week, purchase some milk for my son, and put gas in my car to get to the job I hope will still be there next week.

I guess I just don’t get it right now. Billions are going to the car industry. Billions more to the banks and even more to the housing industry. Billions of dollars here  and billions more there.

But where exactly is the money FOR ME? (more…)

Saying it was crazy is an understatement. Last year it was a 6am start time. This year it was 5am. Next year it will probably be even earlier. And in a few years I am pretty sure that all stores will just be open for 48 straight hours starting ON Thanksgiving day and continuing till midnight Friday.

As in past years my wife and I got up super early to try to get some of our holiday shopping out of the way. And just like EVERY YEAR in the past BY 7AM we swore that this would be the absolute last year we are part of this madness.

There were over 500 freezing people lined up Friday morning before 6am at the Walmart by our house. We saw that many or more outside the Tiger Direct computer store where they were letting one person in at a time and only after one person had left. At the two malls we went to there were so many people that just walking around was almost impossible. I could not take it. By 9am I literally ran (more…)

In about 17 years my son will be getting ready to go to college. How much will college cost then???? $75,000 a year? $100,000 a year?? Reading stories like the one below is really disheartening.  Who benefits from these rising costs? Not the student or the family that has to go into decades of debt to pay for an education.

How did the system get so out of wack? How many students in the next 10-15 years will have to completely skip going to college because there is just no way they can afford it? And getting loans will be unrealistic because it will take over 50 years to repay them. Like I said - it sucks.

From campusgrotto.com - As expected, college tuition seems to go up just about every year now. Sure, part of the reason may be inflation, but still the increases in tuition seem to outpace inflation by two to three times its rate.

You would think the weak economy would have an effect on tuition prices, and maybe it does. Perhaps alumni donors are unable to give as much as they have in the past. (more…)

This great story that was sent to me. In these times this is both funny and pretty cool. Enjoy!

Tightwad Bank:
A Lesson in Branding One community bank is leveraging the levity of a name to send a message to consumers: This is an FDIC-insured bank with a sense of humor and it’s a safe place for your money. By Elizabeth Wilson

Sometimes it’s all in a name. Six-month-old Tightwad Bank in Tightwad, Mo., uses the double-take factor to drum up business without even trying. It hasn’t spent a cent on advertising, yet it can rattle off personal and business accounts from California, New (more…)

We just got home from a weekend at the beach where we went to see my parents. Because of a rain storm what was supposed to be a fun weekend of grandchildren playing in the sand, turned into two and a half days of endless discussions about the financial disaster our country is currently in.

For his entire working life my stepfather was involved in the stock market, banks, and stock portfolios. And even he had a hard time completely explaining how we got in the current mess, and more importantly how we will get out of it with so many different industries involved and directly effected.

After 24 hours my head was spinning. I was worried about my own situation. Would I be able to make my monthly mortgage payments, the minimum payments for all my credit cards, and cover all the other bills?  On the drive home I started thinking seriously about debt consolidation and if I would EVER be free of the stack of bills that monthly stresses me out. Having one payment or just having less to pay in general would make things so much easier.

Things seem to be getting scarier for everyone the country. But what also is becoming more and more apparent to me is that most of the public has no idea at all how the financial crisis really effects then at all. WE have no comprehension how the Fannie, Freddy and Countrywide failing or AIG going under will trickle down to our lower levels.