Archive for April, 2011

“Peak” Facebook Usage

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

Facebook, Twitter, and other social portals have taken the Under 40 group by storm.  These portals have their place in the current social interaction just as the telephone filled the gap back in the 50’s through the 90’s.  Some of you can remember the “party lines” where households had to share phone service with multiple homes in the area thus you had to wait your turn to use the phone.  Nobody worried about invasion of privacy back then.  The more affluent obtained private phone lines but at an additional cost.  In the 1980’s, mobile car phones were the rage among those with money to burn.  For about $350/month you could have a mobile phone in the car.  My boss had one in his company car and when we would trade out company cars for the weekend, I would drive his car and make phone calls “just because I could”.  My company car, a Chevy Blazer (4 wheel drive), was his preferred vehicle for his New Mexico hunting trips.  I was more than happy to drive his Lincoln Towncar with the phone while he was gone.  What ego’s!

My daughter was an early adapter of Facebook.  It seemed that the number of “friends” was more important to those new to Facebook.  She has finally discovered that only those who she really has a relationship with are the ones she is interested in sharing her family’s life.  Did she need to suffer Facebook “Depression”?  “What is that?” you ask.  You see that people you casually know seem to be doing all these great things that are posted on Facebook while you are at home in a sleep-deprived state from caring for your sick kids the last three days.  The thing that you don’t know is that those same people will not post anything that reflects the negative events in their lives.  Facebook has just become another illusion that people have used to escape the emptiness in their lives.  Don’t misunderstand me, this portal is great for keeping up with family and friends with pictures, videos, posts, etc.  However, having a thousand “friends” and having your newsfeed loaded with “noise” does not fulfill the need for socializing and sharing.

Facebook can become addictive to the point that you spend most of your day in cyberspace rather than doing something productive.  This world is full of addictions: cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, sex, social networking… the list goes on.  People are trying to fill an emptiness in their hearts.  Love is the only thing that can fill that void.  Love has an infinite supply to fill all those voids that addictions focus on.

Man’s systems and structures invest heavily in keeping man under subjection to addictions.  The ego will not be conquered without a fight.  Love wins but with only a heart change.  The ego will fight to the end to keep itself in control.  Once you make a decision to subdue the carnal man, you can be assured of many tests coming your way.  It is like the ego turns on a magnet to attract circumstance that would assure its position in your life.  How much longer will mankind be a slave to structures and systems?  One day people will wake up and wonder how they became so enslaved to their addictions.  As that happens, social portal use will move to moderation and no longer rule the day.

Energy Reality

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Total global energy consumption continues to rise.  Renewable energy is a very low percentage of the total energy supplied.  Liquid fuels (oil) provides 95% of the transportation energy requirements, 2% from natural gas, and 3% from renewable energy.  The reason for this is that oil has a very high energy content.  Ethanol, on the other hand, has about 1 unit of energy consumed to produce 1 unit of energy content and the fresh water consumed makes it a bad choice all together.  This energy content of ethanol explains the lower gas mileage we experience when using an ethanol blend.  Also, it gums up my scooter carburetor.  That cost me some money to find that fact out when it wouldn’t start.

Wind energy infrastructure requires a backup system such as natural gas.  Wind can stop at any moment and you must have a reliable backup, probably natural gas generators.  Solar output needs sunlight.  Watch out for those pesky clouds.

Most green energy jobs are currently lawyers and lobbyists.  Think about it.

Until Our Heavenly Father opens up a true alternative to petroleum, oil is king of the energy complex.  The American infrastructure is geared to oil and transforming to a “green” economy will be costly.  At a time when our economy is on unstable footing, where will the money come from?

At this writing, natural gas looks like it will be in strong demand for the foreseeable future.  Can it stay this cheap for long?

Decree on 111th day of the 11th year

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Our Heavenly Father  instructed us to issue a decree in Washington, D.C. on April 21st, 2011.  Two men named Joseph were to be the witnesses of the decree.  the following Scriptures were referenced:

Mark 12:32-37

32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul,  and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

But after that no one dared question Him.

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

‘​The LORD said to my Lord,

​“Sit at My right hand,

​​Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

37 Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

And the common people heard Him gladly.

Hebrews 11:32-36

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

The Decree declared at Union Station toward the Capitol Building:

Before the Throne of Grace, Divine Court, & Holy Sanhedrin, by the unconditional Love in my Heart for mankind as was in Our Lord Jesus Christ which brought the Kingdom of GOD as confirmed by Our Lord in Mark 12:32-37 and based on the truth that there is only one GOD, I therefore decree that the Kingdom of GOD has arrived in our nation’s capitol and that Love is now prevailing over all derivative authority that has been given in this land. By faith as confirmed by example in Hebrews Chapter 11:32-36, I act in this same Faith with all its power and authority to subdue the derivative kingdoms with the Kingdom of GOD through Love by the authority granted to me on April 10th, 2011.

Amen!

The Time is Short

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Today is the 111th day of the year, the 3rd day of Passover.  After Jesus, the Passover Lamb died on the cross, He arose after being in the grave 3 full days.  This year marks the 12 years since HIS 2000th Birthday in 1999 and the Sons of GOD have been commissioned to bring forth the Kingdom of GOD to all the earth.  How close is the Kingdom?  Jesus provided us a clue in Mark 12:

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul,  and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus explicitly related that your proximity to the Kingdom of GOD is based on Love.  You draw near to the Kingdom as you walk in Love.  Clearly, the Kingdom of GOD is far from those who do not walk in Love.

A scribe is a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope.  Jesus expounded on the Kingdom of GOD with an audience who knew The LAW and taught The LAW.  His response was not a casual generality but met all legal tests that a “lawyer” might challenge.

Paul understood the Law and understood what Jesus spoke of in the above passage thus he penned 1st Corinthians Chapter 13. the chapter on Love, by the Holy Spirit.  Earlier in the letter, he brings up the topic of the married and unmarried status:

7:29  But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;

Paul was not telling men to act like they were single thus giving them a license to pursue other relationships.  He was directing us to keep our focus on the things of the LORD and keep it simple.  An unmarried person has less worldly issues than that of a married person.  Couples deal with complexities that single people don’t.  As one translation puts it- I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple–in marriage.

Don’t be a slave to men, lenders, and “stuff”.  Travel light and be ready for what Our Heavenly Father has in store!

$100,000,000 per hour

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Yes, that is how much the U.S. deficit is growing.  How long can this continue?  Ronald Reagan wanted smaller government.  Since then, government  has grown to the point where the generated deficit cannot be sustained much longer.  We are at a crossroads now.  Taxing the entrepreneurs will only reduce economic expansion and increase unemployment.  John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan inspired Americans to dream big at a time when many were discouraged workers.  “The people perish without a vision”.

The potential cuts in the future currently being discussed is simply slowing the deficit growth, not resolving it.

Swiss financial journalist Myret Zaki: “The collapse of the American dollar… is inevitable. The world’s biggest economy is nothing but an illusion. To produce $14,000 billion of nation income, the United States has created over $50,000 billion of debt that costs it $4,000 billion in interest payments each year.”

“They (U.S.) can expect a very long period of austerity, which has already begun. Forty-five million Americans have already lost their homes, one third of the population is out of the economic system and is not spending, while a number of states are bankrupt. There is nowhere prosperous anymore. Everything is built on debt.”   See: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Home/Archive/Dollar_faces_extinction.html?cid=30012940

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. (ESV)

Slavery is a reality whether it be to a lender or “stuff” that has been accumulated over the years.  How many times do you move those things when looking for something important?  Being a slave to debt & stuff keeps you from focusing on serving others and being a blessing of Love.  This is true for a nation as it is true for an individual.

Today, it’s different

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

When I awoke this morning I perceived that something must have been cleared out in the spiritual realm.  There had been much interference in various areas with myself and others I know.  My CPA who is a longtime friend mentioned in a phone call this morning that “the brain fog lifted” when he woke up after months of struggling.  I had a vivid dream about a particular large corporation seeking out a resolution to issues that had arisen over several years.  They were intent on hearing my responses.  They truly wanted to change.

It seems as though clarity has increased but further confirmations will come if this is at a corporate level.

The 411 on Taxes

Monday, April 11th, 2011

The 411 (information) on 2010 tax realities is as follows”

You and I pay our “fair share” of taxes.

General Electric did not pay any: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html

You and I have no say in how our taxes are spent.  From a practical standpoint, Washington is shielded from the taxpayer.  There is so much data and information withheld from us for the “greater good” that we are unable to properly vote issues and political offices intelligently.  The Tax Code is so complex, only tax professionals can use the code to their benefit.  Large institutions lobby for special breaks that the general public is never aware of.  Last week’s negotiated spending cut was equivalent to a rounding error.

I believe that “fair share” means everyone pays a similar percentage of their gross income.  Currently lower income families pay nothing but use a greater portion of public assets and resources as a percentage.  There are many cases of welfare assistance where the recipient simply works the system.  Subsidizing laziness is not the solution to growth and prosperity.

The term “fair share” is really getting old.  Once Our Heavenly Father deals out righteous judgment based on “fair share”, I suspect that term will go by the wayside. 

A Subtle Reality

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Christina Romer is the former top economic advisor for President Obama.  I find it interesting in her interview that she mentions the “real” unemployment rate (15.7%) rather than just the popular number (8.8%) used by politicians.  She also suggests that a weaker dollar is good for America.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/bring-qe3-t-afford-not-more-romer-says-20110407-045249-959.html

A weaker dollar is good for those who have invested heavily in precious metals and energy.  It is bad for inflation-sensitive purchases.  Our debt-based economy is difficult to manage and someone is going to lose, most probably the average worker.  Wall Street was saved at the expense of us all.  How many Treasury Secretary’s and economic advisors have worked or consulted with the same Wall Street firms that were saved?  Nobody has gone to jail for those fraudulent securities that nearly brought down the global financial system. 

Until the average American wakes up and realizes that the politicians have no real solutions to the problems plaguing the economy, we are destined to repeat the mistakes currently being made.  When 1 out of 6 people are unemployed and we hear the popular version of 1 in 11 are unemployed, our response is different. Management by perception can last only so long.

The photo ops this week concerning the government shutdown seemed like a circus.  Clearly with a structurally unsound economy in the balance, do you think they would worsen the problem with a shutdown?  It would be interesting to have heard the conversations behind closed doors.

Love and Devotion

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Deuteronomy 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

We are called to Love Our Heavenly Father with our complete essence, not just lip service.  The above Scripture includes the entire package: the heart, the soul, and the body.  How do you Love with all thy might?  Might denotes action and strength, not just passively from a pew.  Devotion is defined as Love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.  How enthusiastic are we to do what Our Heavenly Father has chosen us to do.  Are you enthusiastic about your chores, job, or other emotionally challenging duties?

Romans 14:8 For whether we live , we live unto the Lord; and whether we die , we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die , we are the Lord’s.

When we are devoted to Our Heavenly  Father, we have the privilege of being His representative to the world.  Each of us has a unique calling that requires our specific gifts.  Rather than approaching life with disdain, we should be the ones who stand out in the crowd because we are on a “mission from GOD”.

Smile, you are on a mission from GOD!  (Who wrote this script, anyway?)

U.S. Debt: Day of Reckoning ahead

Thursday, April 7th, 2011

image

The above chart provides us a view of who buys our debt.  The top two creditors have been China and Japan and both have separate reasons for reducing their holdings.  First, Japan’s recent disaster will cause them to focus their economic power in rebuilding and restarting their economy.  Secondly, China has been reducing their holdings because of the U.S. spending like a drunken sailor who just entered port (my apologies to the drunken sailor).

Who then will buy our debt?  Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve.  Where will they get the money?  They will create it out of thin air.  Sweet!  What will it do to yours and my money?  It will instantly devalue it.  Not so sweet.  The additional problem is that all of those creditors in the above chart will also have their holdings reduced in value.  With interest rates in the basement, their U.S. Dollar holdings don’t keep up with core inflation.

What will be the result of all this?  Either bond interest rates must go up thus further devaluing the current bond values and causing the U.S. deficit to increase in order to pay the additional interest cost, or the Federal Reserve must buy more debt with “funny money”.  This situation is the tightrope those in power are walking.  There is no apparent scenario without pain.  Bill Gross of PEMCO, the largest bond fund in America, recently reduced his holdings of U.S. debt.  He may be the canary in the mineshaft.

The earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan may be the economic tipping point that shows up later this year.  Be vigilant.