Are Food Stamps the Soup Lines of this Great Recession?

Interesting Post. "As the New York Times notes, "one in eight Americans and one in four children" receive food stamps."

Now, if we include the overlapping numbers that are underwater on their mortgage, and the unemployed....

Give Thanks

Well, today is Thanksgiving. Things have been going well, so maybe it is time to give thanks. I know some around me probably wonder how depressed I am because of my negative posts and rants. However, that's just not the case. I'm actually very satisfied with my life. It's just very disappointing to see people short-changed by the stupidity and greed others. I could go on and on about why (see my previous posts), but it's going to take more than that.

So today, I want to quickly focus on the positive. Life is good. I'm picking up more tutoring clients, and web clients. The biz is going well. School is difficult, but fun. I'm on track to transfer to UCSD next fall. I have great friends, an amazing woman by my side, my health, a bike, and southern California as my playground. What else could I want? It would be easy to say "nothing." However, it would be selfish to not acknowledge those around me. So, I guess I'm just going to have to keep writing "negative" posts.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Give up, start shooting, or become republican?

It's easy to see why people would want to say fuck it and do one of the former. I'm not sure if this is going to turn into a rant, but it's been a while since I've really posted anything of meaning, or sent out a mass email though.

Long ago, in a land called high school, I was one of the most abrasive, cynical, jaded individuals I knew. I had my reasons, but one day I woke up and realized I needed to let that all go. Now, I walk through life now trying to be kind, do my best, and be happy, and I am happy. However, I'm still one of the most cynical, jaded individuals I know. So what gives?

Logic I guess. From a young age I realized how and why things worked. After I had a few teachers that weren't qualified to teach me, it was officially on. Which is why I can understand how people would want to break down, give up, start shooting, or become a republican. At this point you may be thinking - Hey, I don't want to do any of those things...I'm normal, I have a dog, or a wife, or a kid, or a meaningful job...what gives? Well, one of two things. One, you've found a cause, something to rally behind. Two, you've become content, and most likely self-absorbed with irrelevance. I know, that's pretty harsh, but hey, it's your life. Hell, I've become content too, but I'm still pissed off.

So let's get down to it. How and why do things work? MONEY. Sure, you can say there money doesn't motivate all men, or that it can't buy you happiness, and I agree. However, if you can dare say money isn't the motivator behind most decisions (including yours), I'll show you a fucking liar. (As a side note, this is why I'm majoring in economics. Not my feelings about money, YOURS!) Simply, the price of an item is the number one factor in your decision to take part in it. Let me give you a few examples. Who do you know that can afford Starbucks, but brews at home? Who do you know that can afford to eat out at lunch, but packs theirs? Who do you know that can afford a Lexus, but keeps their toyota? Mere luxuries right? Who do you know that can afford healthcare, but opts out? Who do you know that can afford a home, but sleeps on the street? Who do you know that can afford groceries, but goes hungry? NO ONE! NO ONE! Yet, why are there so many in this country who go without healthcare? Who go without food? Who live below the poverty line?

I am cycnical and jaded because the American dream as we know it is dead. Granted, this is still the land of opportunities, and I will never turn my back on my country. However, the days of a modest single-income family are over. The middle class is dying. We are becoming the world's working poor - the surfs of a new era. Is this some grand conspiracy of the illuminatti? Hell no. It is every man for himself in a world of flailing morality. Gone are the days when he who pays his dues is rewarded appropriately. Living wage - Gone. Healthcare - Gone. Mutual respect for fellow humans - Gone. Respect for knowledge and truth - gone. Give the average citizen an Escalade, an iphone, the Tyra show, and fuck off.

We as humans are neck deep in the corporate era. In this new paradigm, corporations have the same rights as humans, but none of the responsibilities. Things are now different because corporations have exited over a few generations. We are now able to see the long term effects of our decisions to grant corporations human rights.

As a human, if I turn to unscrupulous behavior in the name of profit, I will most likely be ostracized and shamed by my peers. Perhaps I will even be prosecuted and incarcerated. However, the same is not true for a corporation. They lack morality, and have but one goal, profit. If they can generate profit, they will be rewarded. If their members can generate profit, through any legal means, moral or not, they will also be rewarded. Subsequently, what if a corporation behaves illegally to gain a profit? Can the corporation be incarcerated? Or course not. Operations will continue on, and even if the parties responsible are removed, the profit is booked, and the company is rewarded. Thus, corporations have all the rights of humans, and none of the responsibilities. What I'm really saying is, you're fucked. Short of a revolution, your only hope is to start a corporation, and accumulate generational wealth. Let's face it, how smart are you really? Sure, maybe you know a lot about science, or music, or math, or chemistry. If you teach your child everything you know, will that be enough to for him or her to face off against a room full of well heeled geniuses that has boiled down human behavior to mathematical models? NO. No, and you know it. Simply, you're probably fucked. Your kids are probably fucked.

Let's look at some quick facts. You've been taught to believe you can work hard, save your money, and you'll retire rich and happy. Yet, pensions schemes have proven to be insolvent. Hard work isn't as rewarding as financial trickery. The stock market is just now breaking even from 10 years ago. The dollar is fighting to fend off a one year low. Gold is near an all time high. The failed banks that were "too big to fail" are now bigger than ever (thanks to your tax dollars), and are paying more than ever. Furthermore, they were actually able to engineer a system in which they would lend you easy money to compete against your neighbor in bidding up homes...and when the system collapsed, your home was worth less, yet your debt remained. Half the deal at twice the price. Neat trick huh?

The corporations, so ubiquitous in our everyday life, have continued to get larger and larger. The successful ones have continued to consume their competitors, and peers. They have used our money to buy our leaders and turn them against us. Self preservation among the elite has fostered an environment of competition, not for the benefit of the masses, but for the benefit of the beneficiaries. After all, how fun is the game when your competitor has a head start? What if you have a head start? Is there a hidden elitist agenda? Hardly. Just the smartest guys in the room using logic against you. Can everyone really be on top? No. So, how can the huddled masses be forced to stay huddled? Oppression in the guise of fairness.

1. Keep them breeding - The more people there are on the bottom of the pyramid scheme, the higher those on the top. The sanctity of life should be preserved by shunning birth control and abortion - unless discussing the death penalty or war.
2. Keep them stupid - Be sure the public educational system fails it's students so that they may fall victim to well laid plans.
3. Keep them hopeful - Let them believe they too can succeed if they only try hard enough. When they fail, they will have no one to blame buy themselves.
4. Keep them content - Give them enough so that they do not question why they should not have more.
5. Keep them buying - Give them irrelevant items to fill the void created by their lack of success.
6. Let them die - Providing healthcare to the masses only serves to let them question their other needs at the expense of their benefactors.

P.S. I'm over FB for a while. I'l make sure my contact info is up to date. I love you all, but this lowest-common-denominator shit has got me down. I need to focus on school, tutoring, and of course - my corporation Reef Holdings LLC.

Swoopo is a Scam

There is a saying about playing cards - If you can't spot the sucker at the table, you are the sucker. This rule also applies to Swoopo.com.

The only reason this blog post exists is to warm people to STAY AWAY from Swoopo. If you're familiar with the site and do not believe it is a scam, you are either too daft to recognize the scam, or are part of it.

If you're not familiar with Swoopo, it is a reverse auction site that works like this. Swoopo will post a listing for something like a mac or an iPod. The listing will start at$0.00, and will usually end in 24 hours. The catch is that every bid placed on this item will cost the bidder $0.60, and will only raise the bid a few cents. This bidding system tricks another bidder sucker into thinking they can still get a good deal. So, they bid, it costs $0.60 and the cycle continues till every sucker is out of money or simply pays a higher than retail price for the item. In the end a mac may go for $200. Great deal huh?...and it might be to the person who clawed their way to the top of the pyramid last. To make matters worse though, Swoopo will tell you how great a deal the item was for the buyer who pulled it off. What they don't tell you is how many suckers paid $$$$ to LOSE that auction. In the case above that $200 mac garnered 10,000 bids at $0.60 each. That equates to bidders collectively paying $6,000 for a $2,000 laptop. Hmmmm, wonder why they don't advertise that deal. Get it?

Basically, it's like eBay, no limit poker, and a slot machine all rolled into one.

Don't just take my word for it. There have also been numerous articles written about Swoopo that describe the site as:

"a gimmic" - http://technologizer.com/
"controversial" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swoopo
"Pure evil genius" and "Too good to be true" - http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=14122
"Profitable till deemed illegal" - http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001196.html
"Shopping's steep spiral into Addiction" - http://www.washingtonpost.com/
"eBay's More Evil Twin" - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/02/swoopo_startrup/

In fact it seems that the only sites that seem to say good things about Swoopo are the ones advertising "guides" on how to "beat Swoopo." There are a few who say it is not a scam, that it's just a good business model. Perhaps, but it is gambling, and because they do not call it gambling, it is a scam. Simply, it MUST be gambling because you are paying for a chance to win. This is very similar to a raffle, or poker, which are both regulated commercial activities.

The secondary reason for writing this post is because I actually tested out the site to see the entire process. After handing over a few dollars for bids, and taking down a cheap auction. I knew I had seen enough. It's simply gambling. If I can't play poker online, I sure as hell shouldn't be allowed to take part in this scam. So, I have sent a request to Swoopo to refund my remaining bids (before I call the credit card company to do if for them). I am also sending Swoopo a link to this blog post. Lastly, I will be reporting Swoopo to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, the California Gambling Control Commission, and the FTC.

Again, if you're reading this, I highly encourage you to stay away. As another article pointed out, the only way to win, is not to play.

Socialism at it's finest

The house approved a $3,500 credit to new car buyers if new car gets at least 4 mpg more than your old one. But, Honda released a 51 mpg civic in 1986!?!? This isn't about gas, this is about keeping you spending and supporting government motors. SPEND SPEND SPEND!

‘Cash for Clunkers’ Car-Sale Plan Approved by House

Yelling at the TV

I know my girlfriend is tired of me yelling at the TV, so I'm writing. The idea of the U.S. becoming part owner of two auto companies is a brave new idea with which I am not comfortable. This comes in response to the news that is being fed to me. Not fed to me because of an agenda, but ignorance. Ignorance of specifics, history, logic? All three? I'm not sure.

Here is a quick example though. When the economy was "booming" and gas prices rose, it was viewed and reported as a detriment, a hindrance. Now that the economy has slowed, rising gas prices are reported as a sign of improvement (read: increasing demand). How could paying MORE for energy, at a time of historic unemployment, be a good thing?

We've also been told through the media that lending to GM and Chrysler is to help people keep jobs, save an industry, and more. Well, what if we invented a button tomorrow that could produce anything, just like a magic lamp? Would we then still save the auto companies to preserve jobs? Are we working to work, or working to improve our lives? If the government would have us simply work to work while they own auto companies, then I want no part of it.

In regards to GM, consider this, our country is investing $50B of our money into an auto company that can currently be BOUGHT for $800M. Now if you're bad with zeros, that's 6,250% more. Your share? Every man, woman and child? $164. How long will it take you to bring home $164?...and your children? Congratulations, you're an owner!

But, think about our magic lamp example. If there is a company in India who can build a car and sell it for $2K (the cost the added to U.S. cars by auto worker pensions), why would we make cars? Get it? We have magic lamps all around the world, why not use them? Their productivity can be our productivity. Especially if we are owners, if we invest in them, like China is doing with us and to us. If the Indians can build a decent car for $10K, what could we as a country do with the $20K we're no longer blowing on each car? Hmmmm.

The recent talk of economic improvements; "green shoots," "housing-bottoms," and so forth are also merely contrived foregone conclusions.

As I write this, I'm forwarded an email from by girlfriend from her employer's 401K manager..."Economy showing significant signs of Recovery" Shills. This one comes from Merrill Lynch. You remember Merrill, they went bankrupt in 2008 and were purchased by BoA for pennies on the dollar. You remember BoA, they were singled out last week by the fed for still needing $34B. Again, shills. Thankfully, we've been moving her money into foreign funds, and emerging markets.

On the other hand, talk of present day realities can lead to one being labeled as a doomsayer. Nevertheless. I believe our country's future obligations are bleak. Not our future, but our future obligations. Especially so, if we continue on this road of government spending and involvement.

We've borrowed from ourselves, we've borrowed internationally, and we've mortgaged a great deal of our assets and natural resources. Nearly every previous government forecast on social security, future spending, etc. took into account a growing economy. Unfortunately, now, it's not. Furthermore, it is very difficult to grow an economy at the same pace with which it shrinks. Especially with silly moves like GM, Chrysler, and Bear Stearns that preserve the broken status quo.

Hopefully the U.S. will inovate as we have in the past to right our current situation. Regardless, our country will need to find a way to continue servicing our debt, growing, and meeting her social entitlements. My guess is that we will print our way out. I believe the U.S. will print money like you've never imagined. In the future I hope to examine reasons to justify my case, arguments against it, updates in data, and possible ramifications of our policies.

In case you're wondering, the photo is one billion in hundreds. Imagine if they delivered 50 truckloads of hundreds to GM! I bet you'd be waiting at the gates too.

"It's Crazy Dog"

In my opinion, every day that I wake up breathing is a good day...

With that being said, I wake up nearly every morning (breathing) and say to myself, WHAT THE FUCK? The problem is; I'm retardedly confused by the issues that are put before me. It would be too easy for me to rant about the MSM (Main Stream Media), but I'm talking Ads, Facebook, pop culture. It's like watching Idiocracy. WHAT THE FUCK?

I watch the same Brian Williams-Katie-Couric bullshit as everyone else to know what it feels to be "infotained" and have my heart warmed with a "Eye on America" moment. I watch Jon Stewart to see everyone get satirically pelted equally. I watch the NFL, and like stories about pirates as much as the next guy, but WTF?

We as a culture, must have ADD and poor math skills or something. Suddenly conversations are 140 characters chunks floating down my screen in real time. The shorter the dismal U.S. has-been news stories, the more time to focus on "The Tot Mom Killer." We can get on with forgetting more quickly, we can forget about yesterdays news, a terrorist, a war, an economy, our future. The quicker we can forget.

The other day, a buddy said "I hope people start waking up." You can't imagine the contrast in our ideological views, but looking past those views, we often share the same feelings underneath. However, self-serving echo chambers on every side of an issue seem to work together from the top to divide and conquer. My friend mentioned the "tea parties" taking place around the country. This is primarily seen as a conservative movement, but I felt for the cause. I'm pissed about how my tax dollars are being spent. Spent under Bush, and Obama. Suddenly conservatives are pissed though? Where were the conservatives over the last eight years? Nevertheless, now that everyone is on the same page, maybe get something done?

What did we forget?

We forgot how much we should pay for a home compared to what we earn. We forgot about the conflict of interest in home appraisers being hired by bank salesmen. We forgot to call B.S. We forgot how much debt we - as a country - should take on, compared to what we take in (hint 1:1 isn't good). We forgot the cost of our entitlement obligations compared to what we take in (hint 5:1 is scary). If we operated the U.S. like a company...with a decent margin...It would take about 50 years to pay that off with no interest, and no new debts. Nah, forget that.

So look, I'm going to lay this out... You can call B.S. if you like and say I'm being extreme (people did a year or so ago), but hey.

The U.S. owes a lot of money. Like...get your legs broken kind of money. The Chinese are even slowing their lending to us. They're worried me might not be able to pay up. The issue is, they're probably right. If they bail now, they lose a lot. If they bail later, they might lose more than what they've put down so far. So we have two choices. As a country, we'll either collectively decide to stiff them, or print what we need to pay them and everything else we owe. Again, WE OWE 5 TIMES OUR YEARLY REVENUE. So far, we've just printed it as we need it, so i don't see why we wouldn't stay the course. But, you see, China and India, don't need us. China can make all that cool crap that we buy, remember? So...If they stop lending us money to piss away, and start spending it within China...think what might be possible. What the fuck does the U.S. have to offer at this point? Our sterling beacons of hope - failed financial service departments, failed automakers, and over-priced real estate? Yeah. So, unless something like technology can pull us out of the hole, we'll spend our way out, and into the world's working poor. Think about it... Right now, you're being lied to about everything is getting better. You think "the worst crisis since..." is going to be over in a few months? How will record breaking unemployment affect foreclosures and failing retailers? If you said positively, you're an idiot. Perhaps someone will lull the world and the U.S. into thinking it's OK again. Just shout from behind the curtain to go away... I doubt it. The cracks are starting to show, now wait till the ice freezes. Unemployment is about to start hitting prime mortgages, credit cards, retailers. More banks will fail, more retailers will fail. Our 70% service economy will spiral in on itself as our spending slows.

My tip to you? Your kids are cute, but quit taking pictures of them and think about their future. Tell me, and others what you're doing to preserve it. No, really? What have you done today to make their lives better tomorrow? Soccer practice doesn't count, but that's still your obligation too. You might not believe it now, but it's a brave new world. Did you know China graduates more HONORS ENGINEERS that we do engineers period. Think about how that affects little Johnny! Hell, the stock market may even go up because a rising tide raises all ships. However, it'll only be an illusion caused by inflation. If you leave your 401Ks and little Johnny's 529s in American companies, and American cash while you jerk off to American Idol, you're fucked! Stop taking quizzes and adding bullshit apps that no one is reading. Let's talk about something than one of the pre-defined quiz answers you were segregated into, or your five top whatever-the-fucks, and post some fucking news, some real links....and tell me why you're right when you do damn it.

Here, I'll get you started. Mint.com - This site is awesome, it automatically tells you exactly how you piss away (or save), your money. Next, google this and get some free cash when you open your new Roth IRA, Johnny's 529, or savings, account. Lastly, invest in something like this so you don't end up poor.

Don't say I didn't tell you, but remember me when I need to borrow some. :)
Josh