Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition-2/1/15-FUTURE

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wall street

 

This week I tried to focus on the news items that could effect our future with my own comments as to why I believe this could occur.

(1) U.S. Economy had a lower GDP (Gross Domestic Product) then predicted at 2.6 % as lower exports and lower capital spending couldn’t be offset by the positive news of lower gas prices and the increase of consumer spending.  G-D  willing I’m wrong, but I believe this showcases how weak our recovery truly is and how  negative spark such an increase in gas prices could put us back into a recession that will be difficult to recover from quickly.

(2) ISIS has made it’s biggest offensive into Kirkuk a Kurdish controlled area in Iraq.  I believe this is a military blunder that will devastate ISIS because the Kurds will fight like any group for their homeland and G-D willing this bring about their demise.

(3) President Obama outlined efforts to hold genetic information for over 1 million people “to try to find cures for many diseases”.  There might be good intentions for the holding of such information but if in the government hands and without a  strong watchdog I worry how they could use this information against their opponents. 

(4) Republican led Congress is seeking a faster process for approval of new drug and medical device treatments.  This should open the door to quicker cures or at least better ways to deal with illnesses.

(5) The Senate is seeking to pass a bill that would expand mental health treatment to our veterans.  This piece of legislation is long past due because we must due more to help those with mental and physical who have risked everything to secure our freedom.

(6) Golden Crust appears to big the next big food chain coming out of NYC.  The future is a bit more spicier and Jamaican Yo Man.

(7) Gas still will run the combustible engines in the near future.  The future lies with America and the world becoming energy independent which means all the above strategy.

Stop the pain

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father helping daughter

 

I wish I could give my children a hug today and all the problems they have would slip away but as they get older the hug becomes weaker yet the pain remains. It wasn’t just the hug that worked as time went on but the hugs of helping them get through grammar school through high school (figuratively in high school, it’s embarrassing then). It only becomes apparent when your children become adults and move away to a college and/or position in their lives that you are helpless for  you’re hugs of emotional support can only be felt through a phone miles away.  Faith and prayer can help bring those miles down but the heart still lingers.

History?

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son's of liberty 2

Last night I skipped my viewing of “Shark Tank” to watch “Son’s Of Liberty” a historic adaption of the time before and during the revolutionary war and as I watched I wondered was this truly historic?  I’m sure the language was modernized for the television viewer and I was happy to hear that rather then “thee and thou” but how about the content? How do we truly know in such precise detail what occurred and how it was said? We can assume from the historic record through diaries of historic figures, papers of the time etc, but then we must assume the writer had no bias.  We can put together a few lines and even scenes that fill in the space between the actual event but then are we creating fiction itself?  These thoughts came to my mind as I started reading “American Sniper” after seeing the film.  I realized that just like “Unbroken” key pieces are still missing and this is from fairly modern history how can we therefore dwell deeper in history. “American Sniper” was a great film and I’m sure if it included all the bits and pieces I might think were key in the book it would not have been as entertaining or even great as a film.  So if you are in search of the truth then enjoy the television or film adaption of it but read the historical record to be educated on it.

 

A tear for Mitt

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one tear

 

Mitt Romney wasn’t my top choice for 2016 but his leaving the race brings a glum feeling to my heart.  It is partially the sadness in knowing how much better our country would have been today if he was elected in 2012 but it’s more then that.  I believe in  my heart that Mitt Romney is a good man who not only is generous with his monies but was willing to taking the arrows and punches because he truly wants to help this country.  Here is a man who could have easily lived the good life with the wealth he earned but instead decided to put his foot in the door and let get it slammed more then once because he truly wanted to help.  Tonight I raise a toast to Mitt Romney with a  tear running down my eye for a man who truly exemplified what it means to be a winner because winning isn’t always coming in 1st but the way you act during the race of life.

mitt romney

 

Last Penny

Posted by Bruce - in Blog, Business - No Comments

last penny

 

It’s obvious businesses and non-profits shouldn’t wait till the last penny before they find ways to try to survive but must act when their revenue’s don’t cover their expenses.  There might be money set aside for “rainy days” but that doesn’t mean they should wait till it becomes a typhoon.  Here are some immediate actions that should occur

INCREASE REVENUE

NON-PROFITS- Offer VIP membership  (Gold, Silver, Bronze etc) to already existing members with various new benefits that go with each package at an additional cost to members. Are you reaching all the potential members or must you consider the package, look, or path to get a greater share of potential members?

BUSINESSES- Can offer similar packages to customers when advantages to membership can be achieved.  Have special sales days to increase intake of funds coming in as well. Are you reaching all the potential customers or must you consider the look and feel of your operation?

DECREASE COSTS

NON-PROFITS/BUSINESSES- First cut costs a certain % across the board and if that doesn’t reduce cost enough trim the most unproductive parts of your business.

SELL ASSETS

NON PROFITS/BUSINESSES- Are there items that might not be needed in daily operations and can they be sold now verses a time (G-D forbid) when they must be sold quick and at a huge discount?

WORK WITH

NON PROFITS/BUSINESSES- Is there a business or non-profit that you can work with to buy items/services on volume and reduce costs?   Can they perform some of your tasks so you won’t incur some of these expenses and if so would they be willing to share in the revenue?

START NOW

NON PROFITS/BUSINESSES- Have you planned revenue generating plans that will occur in the future if so can they be moved up in the calender to produce revenue now? Have meetings with the key people who will grow your enterprise and ask how they might get others with similar demographics to join.

RENT

NON PROFITS/BUSINESSES- Rent out space that isn’t be used to other groups at an equal or lower cost then the competition.

GOVERNMENT

NON PROFITS- See if the local government can help with low cost loans or allowing you to provide services for the indigent  in return for some compensation.

MERGE

NON PROFITS/BUSINESS- It might be best to merge with a similar organization to lower costs and increase total revenue.

When All Fails

Posted by Bruce - in Blog, Faith, Philosophy - No Comments

splitting of sea

When it appears that all is lost and you’re ready to pack it all up it’s time for faith and action. Finding a new direction when it appears your enemies are right at the door might appear hopeless but that is exactly what Moses and the Jewish people did when faced against an Egyptian Army that was ready to pounce on them and they were rewarded with the greatest miracle  witnessed by man, the splitting of the sea.  In our times if we truly opened our own eyes and souls we can see similar miracles that have occurred whether it be “a new country the United States defeating a major superpower the British” or Israel not only surviving but thriving as it is surrounded by strong adversaries.   We can see similar miracles occur in our personal life as well but faith must be followed with action for the victory to truly be ours.

45 +

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I have some regret that I never served my country in the military but believe there still should be some time. Those that serve at a younger age risk everything at the prime of their lives while us who are gaining in years have had the chance to experience much more, so why can’t we serve as well? I understand the physical limitations that can occur as we get older but aren’t many of those limitations based more on the individual  more then their actual age? Eighty years old might be a bit too old to join but come to think of it even they can play a behind the scenes role as well. Therefore positions in the armed forces would be determined by individual strength, stamina and character and not by the amount of years on this earth.  Not only would those over 45 volunteer to serve as weekend warriors but many would work for a token of the amount that the military pays their younger recruits and with a world of experience that the youth have not absorbed. It’s time the age door was lifted in the military and all it’s citizen’s could serve.

Which came first busy or cell phone?

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Were we actually busy before the cell phone or did the cell phone make us busy, that is the question?  This debate doesn’t go back as far as the chicken and egg debate but it’s getting close. The people in favor of busy before the cell phone will claim that people worked very hard before it’s invention and their is no arguing there but was every second busy? Did they check their hands for an update on their social media page? Did they wait by snail mail to receive the latest contact from the outside world? I guess my bias is seeping through but then again can you claim to busy with reading someone’s tweet while another is hunting for tonight’s dinner or working on a paper declaring independence? This debate will not end here especially since I just received a new Facebook friend. Who could it be I guess I can leave a little later for work.

Modern Snow Shovel

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SHOVELING

THE MODERN SNOW SHOVEL MAKES SHOVELING A BREEZE

It’s time to take the snow shovel and move it toward the 21st Century.  First of all it could use a little warmth on the ends.  Just charge the shovel over night and when in use heat would come to your hands holding this tool and the snow about to be lifted. Making clearing the path a bit easier for both sides.  There would also be an adapter by the hands to allow salt or calcium to be spread along the way. Therefore the use of salt spreader wouldn’t be necessary where ice became a problem. Finally a heated ice chopper could easily be attached to the unit so breaking the ice becomes an easier task. Let’s make the winter a bit warmer with the “MODERN SNOW SHOVEL”.

Another Oscar Nominated Film-The Grand Budapest Hotel-

Posted by Bruce - in arts and entertainment, Blog, film - 2 Comments

The “Grand Budapest Hotel” is a fine film with some funny moments but I beg to differ on it’s nomination to the Oscar’s as best film of the year. The Cinematography is wonderful with some exquisite shots using unusual color schemes, that truly capture the moment. The screenplay has some very interesting characters that allow the film to move at  a rapid pace.  To conclude,  “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a fine film but other then the cinematography there is nothing grand enough for it to be nominated as film of the year.

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