Posts by jelly

This war is not the kind of war that is going to help our economy. When we fight Iraq there will be a flurry of ordinance used that will have to be replaced through production. However because the war with Iraq is probably going to be short (1 to 3 weeks) this is going to lead to very little job growth. The industry with the biggest boom will be the missile companies but they are not going to hire new employees for a short term production job, they will just pay overtime. A small group of Americans will benefit here but we are talking of only a few thousand. The next industry that will benefit is the artillery manufactures. Pretty much the same scenario, a flurry of production to get stock piles to where there were before the war than that is it. As far as all other forms of military hardware, planes, ships, tanks, etc. Most probably these industries will not be affected at all since American will probably loose very few.
To compare this war to WWII as far as creating an economic boom is like comparing apples and oranges. If anything the war on terror is a type of war that will hurt the American economy; a lot of money spent on hiring guards and very little money spent on making things.

Terry

15

Truth about new tax plan....

by Xander in

jw
friends

highlight:.

what the president said: "92 million americans will keep an average of $1,083 more of their own money when this tax plan goes through " .

what we found:.

jelly

BUSH TAX PLAN:

Problems:
Where the bush tax plan falls short is that it accomplishes nearly nothing. It will put more money back into the economy, which will provide a temporary boost to the economy but is defiantly not a permanent fix. Really, this solution is hardly better than the tax rebate everyone got back last year. It addresses none of the underlying issues that are slowing down the American economy and does nothing as far as permanent solutions. Also, a large portion of Americans own stock in the market via 401ks which are already tax exempt so no there will be no direct benefit; although there will be indirect ones through an increased portfolio value.

Largest Benefit:
The one benefit to the bush plan is that it will probably push the stock market 10% higher, which will in turn enable companies that sell new stock to gain 10% more income for capitol purchases. In essence making more money available to industry to buy more capitol, leading, theoretically, to industry that is more efficient and thus leading to a strengthened economy. But, with interest as low as it is companies have no difficulty now obtaining money for capitol purchases, in effect there is no shortage of money, so this solution will solve a non-existent problem. What there is a shortage of at the moment is demand. This has more to do with a nervous population than any real economic factors.

What needs to happen:
I am a firm believer in targeted tax cuts. For example, pass a tax cut for students tuition and more people will go to school leading to a more educated and productive workforce. Tax cuts are a way the government can point an economy in the direction that best benefits society as a whole. Note, I dont believe a government can control an economy they can just encourage certain behavior that is beneficial for a nation. I think the government needs to push two big tax cuts, one for small business (under 50 emps) that provide health care to their employees, the government should give business a large percentage of what they pay back. In reality, this is only fair as larger companies can bargain with insurance companies for better prices, small companies have no power and are at the whims of the insurance company. Two, a huge cut in payroll taxes for small business, this will allow smaller business to pay more (hopefully) and would also juice the economy with more money.

To be fair:
At least bush has a plan. The democrats have come up with nothing, the last rumor I heard was they were going to offer a tax rebate along the lines of what bush did last year. It really is inexcusable for them not to have at least some plan in the works after a 2 year economic down turn. Also, and this might not set well with some of you, the economy is not as bad as some people are making it out to be. Low interest and unemployment, this is not that bad of a recession at all. What has happened is that certain segments of the economy (telecom, tech) is completely screwed, and certain large companies are going belly up (kmart) so it makes the problem seem much worse than it is.

2

What will they do.

by jelly in

how do you think the society will respond?.

many people in america think the un is useless.

it is more than just the recent iraq stuff.

jelly

HOW DO YOU THINK THE SOCIETY WILL RESPOND?

Many people in America think the UN is useless. It is more than just the recent Iraq stuff. It has to do with things like Libya having a seat on the human rights commission; and Americans feeling that the UN has a general inability to solve any problem anywhere at any time. It is possible, now more than anytime before, that America could one day pull out of the UN. If the UN collapses completely, like the League of Nations, how do you think the society will respond? If I remember, correctly when the Soviet Union collapsed the society just played a shell game with the king of the north. Their spin was the king of the north often changes identities. The United Nations however is a corner stone to their prophetic vision. I dont want the UN to collapse but it would be almost worth it to see how the Society would play it. I personally think the UN collapsing would rank somewhere between 1975 and the new light about the generation in scale of people making an exodus.

Terry

21

Bush to Divert Funds to Church Groups

by pettygrudger in

jw
friends

don't care how you are slanted "politically" - this should be of great concern to all americans:bush plans to let religious groups get building aid.

by eric lichtblau.

ashington, jan. 22 the bush administration plans to allow religious groups for the first time to use federal housing money to help build centers where religious worship is held, as long as part of the building is also used for social services.

jelly

I am a bush supporter but I am not a schrill. I dont agree with this. Let the churches build their own buildings.

Terry

16

Rain of Fire

by Defender in

jw
friends

watch how us forces aboard ac130 gunship night raid in afghanistan targeted fleeing unarmed "personnel".

watch the rain of fire as little bright running objects were targeted and killed one by one.

watch how they were finished off, if after being hit, they were still "moving".

jelly

About three months ago there was an interesting article in the Gaurdian. A reporter went around Afghanistan and asked people if they are glad the Americans kicked out the Taliban. Interestingly enough, to a person they all said yes. Most sane people can see that we Americans bent over backwards to ensure that accidental deaths were kept to the barest possible minimum. Moral equivilancy is a very flawed form of logic, at best.

Terry

13

How Did You Feel Witnessing For The Last Time?

by SpannerintheWorks in

jw
friends

.

whenever i have conversed with one of jehovah's witnesses, i feel that they are 100% convinced that the wbts is "right".. on this forum, we have many people who were once one of jehovah's witnesses, but now totally reject it.. how did you feel witnessing to people whilst you no longer believed in it, or knew you were about to leave?.

spanner.

jelly

The progression for me was as follows

1. Something felt wrong
2. Stopped meetings, field service (pioneering to 0 in one day)
3. Still thought it was the truth and everything was my fault
4. Tried to get active again but would quickly go in active
5. Repeat steps 3,4,5 for a few years
6. Found internet
7. Found some knowledge from outside sources
8. Became completely free

So there was nothing terrible significant about my last door, or public talk. I knew something was wrong but simply felt it was me. It wasnt until latter I realized it was them. I guess looking back in the months before my inactivity I stopped keeping very accurate records and made very few RVs, nothing on the conscious level but I just no longer had the energy for it.

65

Strangest thing you were called on the carpet for.

by Icansaylucky in

i would like to hear some of the strangest or most ridiculous thing you got in trouble with the elders for.

here is mine.. back in the early 70's i was married at the age of 18, typical witness thing to do.

my husband who was 6 years older than i ruled me like a overly strict father.

jelly

This is going back to the early 1990s and I have to give a little back ground information first. Being completely deceived I thought it was mandatory to aux-pioneer at the very least. Being completely without a marketable skill set, I felt it was necessary to get some form of education. I was working near full time to support myself, going to school and aux-pioneering. My schedule for Thurs sun was the worst see below.

Thursday 10 pm 6 am job number 1
Friday 10 am-2 pm School
Friday 4 pm 7 pm job number 2
Friday 10 pm 6 am job number 1 (again)
Saturday 9 am 1 pm job 2
Saturday 5 pm 7 pm afternoon service (I looked like a corpse)
Saturday 10 pm 6 am job 1
Sunday 12 noon meeting

I had little 2 hour naps to sustain me from Thursday to Sunday evening. When I would go to the hall the brothers would ask me to run the mikes. I was fine with this but then they complained because I was not fast enough. Not just a small comment in passing but they made a big deal of this like it was some kind of sin, i guess my slowness was impeding Jahs organization. This actually sounds very petty but they knew my schedule and what I was trying to do, instead of being any kind of support at all they just found fault. Scabs.

The Saturday afternoon service was the best. I was exhausted, my other pioneer friends would go out to help support me, and the whole time would ask me repeatedly why I dont quit school. I still remember, it was a non-stop barrage.

Terry

33

Black reparations

by LoneWolf in

jw
friends

hi, everyone.. a week or so ago someone posted on the subject of black reparations and asked what our opinion was - pro or con - and why.

now, i'm not going to claim that i'm an expert on the subject, plus, i'm white, plus, i'm a back country red-neck (of the jeff foxworthy stripe .

well, the truth is that country red-necks are as badly misrepresented in public opinion as most other groups in the country.

jelly

Athanasius,

My family has been in America for about 270 years my ancestors owned numerous slaves. Another side of my family were some of the first white settlers in indiana and married Indian women. So I have both Indian blood and slave owner blood. So do I pay or do I get paid?

Terry

33

Black reparations

by LoneWolf in

jw
friends

hi, everyone.. a week or so ago someone posted on the subject of black reparations and asked what our opinion was - pro or con - and why.

now, i'm not going to claim that i'm an expert on the subject, plus, i'm white, plus, i'm a back country red-neck (of the jeff foxworthy stripe .

well, the truth is that country red-necks are as badly misrepresented in public opinion as most other groups in the country.

jelly

[PASTED FROM A PREVIOUS DEAD POST OF MINE BUT RELEVANT]
Hmmm, interesting subject.

MY VIEW:
To be honest, I have no problem with black only events or cable channels. If people want to do that and there is a market for it so be it, sometimes I even watch a little BET when the music videos are on. As far as reparations however I have to say no way, when the IRS shows up at my door looking for money for a crime I didnt commit is the day I stop paying taxes. That being said, things in America are still not equal and I think that we must realistically address the issue.

THE PROBLEM:
The inequality currently, in my opinion, is not institutional like it was 40 years ago. If you are a black man in America with the right skills, you will go far. What does exist in the black community is a type of economic disparity that must be addressed. The problem in the black community comes from two sources. The first is the poorly funded school systems that a large number of minorities attend. Schools in California get their funding based on the property taxes of the area, basically the more expensive the houses the more money per student. So rich neighborhoods have very well financed schools where poor ones are broke. The bad school leads to children that cannot compete educationally with kids form the suburbs, who tend to be white, so they end up stuck in the same neighborhood they grew up in and send their own kids to poor under-funded schools. A type of cyclical poverty. The second source of the economic disparity, that might offend some people, is the black subculture. Asians faced many of the same issues that the black community did, now the have economic parity with whites. I think the African American community does need to look at itself and make some changes. Things like education need to be stressed more, and developing a fixation on the mythical white privilege really probably doesnt help the African American community either; it just gives some people an excuse for failure.

THE SOLUTION:
The solution is a two-step solution. First, fix the schools, all schools should receive equal funding based on the number on students not their fathers income. Also, alternative solutions like vouchers for private schools should be pursued. Second, and more difficult, is the African American community would benefit from stressing education, and looking up to successful black men who are not sports stars. The second solution is going to have to come from within the Black community itself.

SOME EXTRA POINTS:
Blacks are better off in America (by a wide margin then they are in Afica) to say a few Africans live better lives than a few African Americans, while true, doesn't prove that Africans are better off than African Americans.

I think one of the huge problems in the Black community is they tend to have too many 'ready made' excuses for failure. Focusing on the 'slavery issue' and other things that have never influenced any living black american in any way is just another example of these.

Things are beter than they were, if you cant see that you are dishonest, but things are still not equal, see my post above.

Much of the inequality today is based on economic class and less on race, although both still exist.

I have worked for large and small companies and know many people that do hiring; i have never seen or even heard of anyone not hiring someone based on color. Of course that might be because of the location I am from where race relations are good.

Terry