Yes, let's talk about money for awhile.
Just what is money? It can be in the form of coins, paper, stock, bank transfers, but mainly it's just numbers. All money is just numbers denoting what it's value is in relation to what it can purchase. We equate rich with being a millionaire or billionaire, yet the ultra-wealthy don't have all their money in their hands, it's all tied up in banks or companies or stock. So again, it's nothing more than numbers, to be shifted from one account to another with the stroke of a computer key. In our modern banking system, money and it's value is based upon a promise, nothing more, that it is worth what they say it is. That it will buy anything that does not exceed it's value. But who determines that value? We used to be on the gold standard, whereby your money was tied to a tangible good that everyone desired, which made it valuable. Today it is tied to nothing but a promise from central banks, that our government or other governments will honor that promise. Do you realize how easy it would be to break that promise, by excessive spending or borrowing which we are now doing? The world debt, combined, I read was over 700 TRILLION DOLLARS. Our entire world economy is built on the accumulation of debt, from one to another. Only promises to repay that debt, nothing more. This country alone is borrowing more than 1 trillion dollars a year because the wealthy got a tax break. Did you see any of that tax break? HELL NO! The stock market used to be worth something to the average investor, to invest in a company to build our economy and make a buck doing it. No more. It's a casino for the rich, making fortunes off of trades of a quarter of a point. The world today is a rich mans game, seeing who can accumulate the most and to hell with the poor working stiff trying to support and raise a family. I don't know about you, but I'm getting very concerned that what I have accumulated over the years to finance my retirement will eventually be worth nothing. The banks may fail at any time, like in "29", because certain people are greedy and there is nothing of value to back up our money but promises. HOT AIR! I'm investing in my land and preserved food from my gardens, at least I can eat that. You can't eat money nor can you trade it for other things if it's worthless. Really think about that as you near retirement, after working for a company for many years and getting nothing in return because what used to be a company that cared for it's people is now owned by a worldwide conglomerate who's sole purpose is to make money for it's stockholders. There again, you are nothing but a number. May peace be with you. dennismoconnor.com When you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you really see? Do you see an image of who you really are or do you see an image of what you wish you were? Are you strong or do you wish you were strong?
The mind plays tricks on us constantly, sometimes making us believe something is true, other times, not so much. We as humans have always been tribal, from Cro-Magnon to Neanderthal to Homo Sapiens. We stick with our selected group that we are born into, because to do otherwise almost always has negative outcomes. Not that being tribal doesn't have it's negatives also. I guess the point I am trying to make is that I don't think we will ever change, and that lack of ability to mentally change from tribal to communal will be the downfall of us all. Pretty much all of us have tribal instincts, but many are able to have communal instincts as well. We watch out for our neighbors if we like them, but try to do them harm if we don't. I am in a conundrum, because many times I completely understand mankind yet am lost as to why they think the way they do. Man is so easily led by biases, thoughts that only mean something to you but are manipulated by others into making you think you are part of something much larger. The hardest part of being a person like myself is that we see beyond our biases. We don't allow ourselves to be overtaken by fear of the unknown, we relish it. We learn to appreciate others and what they bring to the table. My favorite mantra has always been " each person who comes into your life comes into it for a reason, good or bad, but is a piece of your life puzzle. If you exclude that person before you discover what part of your puzzle they are, you've lost a piece you will never regain". Think about that before you ridicule that homeless person, it could be you. Think about that when you ridicule anyone because of their situation in life. IT COULD BE YOU! You are not perfect, neither am I. But you can be communal instead of tribal. The world would be a much better place if you would try. May peace be upon you! dennismoconnor.com This will be an open letter to the Congress of the United States about medical costs and the damage they are doing to our citizens!
Ladies and gentlemen of the Congress. You are doing massive damage to our country and it's citizens because you are in the pockets of the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the hospitals and the investors in our medical system as it now stands. When I go to pick up a prescription for a simple steroid eye-drop and it costs $66 with insurance and $100 without for a 1 ounce bottle, we are being raped by the industry. When I go to an emergency room because of a motor vehicle accident and receive a printout of what their normal charges are and they amount to $17,000 for approximately 1 hour, that is robbery without a weapon, $10,000 of that being for a CT scan which took 5 minutes and which an insurance company will pay approximately 10%. How do you continue to justify your stance on this? If I were on my own paying for this, I would already be bankrupt. So, to sum it up, get off your asses, compromise with others, get out of the pockets of your donors and start working for the people who put you there in the first place. Just one more thing. My wife had 2 hip replacements and fortunately we have decent insurance, but the itemized bills for those 2 surgeries was over $450,000, of which they received approximately $24,000 from insurance company discounts. That's 5%! People are dying each and every day from lack of healthcare and all you can manage to do is placate the industries that determine that life or death decision-making by diminishing our healthcare system and kicking people off instead of helping. I for one am fed up with your lack of caring about anyone but yourselves. I know there are a few of you who believe in universal healthcare, as do many citizens, but as long as these industries control the Congress, people will continue to suffer needlessly and die needlessly. And they don't care! May peace be with you. dennismoconnor.com I had a great visit with my great grandson the past 2 weeks in Florida. Hot as hell, totaled a car, injured my shoulder and back, but still had a wonderful time with Gage. Glad to be home, though.
His swimming is much better, he finally lost his 6th tooth, and he is driving better. He likes for me to take him for his "driving test" where he sits on my lap and steers the car in a parking lot, even shifting gears from first to second and back. We played under the "tent" of sheets on the bed and told stories. As you can tell, he gives me great pleasure with his curiosity and intelligence. We already have his reservations, together with his grandparents, to come to Maine for Christmas and New Years. It will be his first time for snow and cold, hopefully snowmobile riding and tubing. I just want him to experience Maine in the winter. Every kid should. So with that said, I shall go about my day canning tomatoes. May peace be with you all. dennismoconnor.com . |
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