Unexplainable, Inexcusable No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay. While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, and receive full pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense. On Fox news they learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. When you add this to the below, just where will all of it stop? 35 States file lawsuit against the Federal Government Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention. This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on. This is an idea that we should address. For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. If each person that receives this will post it on their wall, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message.. This is one proposal that really should be passed around. Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States .." Now, what are you going to do about it? Read and delete, or work for reform? Share on the wall of EVERY congressman, representative, governor, the white house!!!!! Pass it around!!! Make calls, send fax's and email's............... — with Veterans Freedom, Desertstorm Veterans, Steven Sonich, Bob Veteran and Veterans

Cinthia Wilkinson

Closed Mouth Don’t Get Fed

I’m the king of this line.  How many face book updates have you seen of mine asking you to view this blog.  I don’t do it to be obnoxious.  I do it to remind people that I’m out there.  Hopefully something from my blog will help them in their day, month, or even life.  I get a lot of submissions from people that I learn a lot from.  That’s my goal here.  Not only to say what is on my brain at the second, but to learn from others whom are 10X more educated than I. 

90% of things, good or bad, that I received in life I’ve asked for.  Kids are the best at this.  I swear if I could be allowed to put 5 youngsters in my offices under the age of 5, and it was perfectly legal and ethical, I would.  They are the best at getting adults to do something.  What’s their key.  Persistence!  It’s the ol mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, until you crack and cave to their desires.  I love it.  Fellas your girlfriends/partners are the best at this also.  I swear my Miss Brittany could be as successful as Warren Buffet if she would sell everyone like she sells me.  I fold like origami to that girls wants/needs. 

Im not saying being obnoxious.  That can be a bit of a turn off.  Just put it out there every once and a while to let people know your hungry and you want to be fed.  About once a month I remind my boss that I want his job.  Not to threaten him, but when the opportunity knocks I would appreciate a shot at the title. 

So next time you see someone get what you wanted ask yourself; did I go ask for it or just assume that they knew I wanted it?  I know you would love to hate that guy that took your promotion, but all he/she did was asked to get fed.

Don’t Go Hungry! 

Hope everyone has a blessed day and please share my blog on your facebook/twitter!

See that little plug in italics at the end J

If your hungry click here//

http://www.mylikes.com/v/1qVLS

Perception is Reality

Whether you like it or not, perception is reality.  Example:  Put some racist line on face book and see how those 400 friends that you haven’t seen in ten years will perceive you.  It’s a social experiment!  Try it…..  No not really.  Don’t do it. 

It’s unfortunate now days that everyone likes to judge and honestly be judged.  I like to push the envelope when it comes to walking on eggshells.  Ask my mother and my sister.  Sometimes they think I might have Asperger Syndrome or tourettes.

  I’m in the business industry where every step you make is judged.  The step they’re  looking for the most is the one where you trip and fall. Lets say you run a successful business that employees over 500 fine citizens.  That’s 500 families you are helping exist in this world the way they want to live.  Your numbers increase year over year for 10 years.  The stockholders look at you like you’re the best thing since the Smartphone/ sliced bread for you ol timers.  Now let’s say one night you go out, get intoxicated, and send risqué photos to your twitter account.  Oh snap!! 10 years down the tube.  All that hard work you put in is for nada.  Just over one moment of stupidity.  Is this the reality of who this person really is for those that know them closely.  Nope, but it is now.  Your stockholders are mad; your executivess look at you like you’re the plague in order to protect their own career.  I’ve seen it happen.  Take Bernie Madoff.  The devil of the finance world right?  People worshiped him for decades over the returns he made for them.  He wasn’t hated until he got caught.  Then every person that knew exactly what he was doing the whole time treated him as if he were a leper.  50 billion dollars folks.  Your naive to think that he was the only one that knew about this scheme.   

As far as yourself.  Keep that nose clean, but also know that people make mistakes that can be forgiven.  Before you put them up there on that cross, bear in mind someday you’ll sin too.  Perception is not always reality.  How many times have you hired a person off their resume only to find out they have 15 people buried in their basement.  I’ve seen it a hundred times. 

Have a great day everyone.  Help others, help yourself, and don’t forget even the most perfect employees’ make mistakes!

Exception to the rule where you reputation can be ruined and you make millions!!!!

Paris Hilton

Kim Kardashian and now her sisters!

Five Red Wines Under A Dime!

Personal favorite in college!

Didn't drink a wine other than this for a year!

Pino,Cab, Merlot, You can't go wrong with this brand!

Please submit your wine under a dime in the comments.  Please share the blog on facebook/twitter

Thanks for reading!!

Picture This

Wanted to do a short blog for who I consider to be, well a kick ass friend of mine.  The lady has more talent in her fingernail than I do in my whole body.  I’m speaking of no other than world recognized, international wedding photographer, Dawn Shields.

This type of photography can’t be taught.  You either have it or you don’t.  Kinda like my ego J  This family women not only runs her own photography empire, manages a blog, and now to add to her achievements, a successful bridal magazine.  It’s nice to know, in the business of weddings, there’s someone out there that’s going to shoot you straight.  Your not going to feel like a Carney at the fair sold ya on a photography package.  She’s not the one that’s going to cram in 300 weddings a year.  Seems like the ones that do, quality seems to take a backseat to profits.  Don’t get me wrong she’s a great business woman, but she does it via customer service. 

You go to her. You’re going to get that personal touch that your wedding deserves.  I could write for days about her on this blog, but her work speaks for itself.  Check it out for yourself @

http://www.dawnshields.com/

Riding Filthy……Rich

Did a little research.  Realizing perception is everything, I was kind of interested to see what these CEO’s drive around there employees.  Seems like the more successful they are the cheaper the car the drive.  Here’s a short list

Reference:

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/19/what-do-billionaires-drive-same-cars-as-the-rest-of-us/

• Bill Gates drives a '99 Porsche 911 Cabrio. He's also got a rare Porsche 959, for which he got President Clinton to sign a law legalizing it for road use. Now that's some serious clout, but with $50 billion at his disposal and a taste for Stuttgart's finest, wouldn't a Carrera GT or a new 911 Turbo have found a way into his garage?
• Billionaire investor Warren Buffett drives a Lincoln Town Car Signature Series, complete with landau roof.
• IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad has a '93 Volvo 240 GL, but prefers taking the bus. Seriously. And he uses his senior-citizen's card, too.
• Like his pal Bill, Mircosoft co-founder Paul Allen has a Porsche 959 (how original), but drives around Washington State mostly in an '88 Mazda B-Series pickup.
• Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, meanwhile, has got the Infiniti FX45, Hummer H1, Volvo XC90, Rolls Royce Phantom and Daewoo Matiz in his garage. Two of each, so that his entourage can follow in identical wheels. (If the Daewoo seems out of place, it's because the prince is part owner of the company.)
• Michael Dell (whose name is probably emblazoned on the computer you're using to read this) alternates between a 2004 Porsche Boxster and a 2005 Hummer H2.
• Larry "the Oracle" Ellison has got wheels with some style: a pair of new Bentley Continentals, a GT coupe and a Flying Spur sedan. (They go well with his fighter jet and America's Cup racing yacht.)
• Jim Walton, owner of Wal-Mart, has for a garage what you'll probably find at the local used car lot: a 2002 Dodge Dakota, '99 Chevy Silverado, '98 Mitsubishi Montero Sport and 2000 Acura Integra, all available at everyday low prices. (His '59 Cadillac is probably a sweet ride, though.)
• Jim's sister Alice Walton walked after killing a woman in '89 behind the wheel of a Porsche. Now she drives an F-150 King Ranch pickup. (More carefully, we hope.)
• Like his colleagues Bill and Paul, Steven Ballmer made his billions at Microsoft, but he stays true to his Motown roots at the wheel of a '98 Lincoln Continental.

Working at Wal-Mart in my younger years prompted me to write this.  I used to work at the very first Wal-Mart ever.  Store #1 In Rogers, Arkansas. Mr. Sam Walton himself would drop by, in a beat to hell pickup, just to see how the employees treated him.  Taka a look at an Ol’Roy dogfood bag. That was Sam and the way he was all the time.  So next time you want to pull out that black card American express, drive up in a lambo, etc.  Throttle back and try to be on the same playing field as your customers and employees.  Save your flashiness for your out of town trips.

For the top ten most expensive rides check out this site:

Http://www.mylikes.com/v/1qTPD

Risk+Risk+Risk / Failures x Rewards = Success

This might come as a surprise to you, but I’ve had a million little business ventures I’ve dabbled with in my goals towards success. Am I successful yet?  Not even close.  I have all these ideas and I live by a philosophy of not being afraid of failure.  A lot of people look as failing as the end of the world.  Seriously?  I’ve failed more times than the Buffalo Bills in a Super Bowl game.  It’s what growing experiences I’ve taken from the situations to add to my formula toward success.  The trick to failing is minimizing your losses and taking something good from it.  In any new venture your going to need to ease into it.  Make small mistakes early to avoid big mistakes down the road. 

For instance you want to dabble in this new ice cream by the ounce trend, but don’t know if it’s going to sell in your town.  Well, you don’t go out there and open 20 stores right away.  Maybe just open one or two in prime areas and see if there is interest.  If it’s not successful in the prime retail spots, it’s probably not going to survive in less traveled areas.  Ease into it.

Sure, you’re going to have doubters out there that will watch from the sidelines and knock you down about your failures.  These people can’t even spell risk.  Let em hate.  These are the people that will be paying your bills down the road. Going damn! I wish I would have believed in that crazy entrepreneur.  This being their failure with no risk.  I guess the risk was not believing.

In summary have fun with business.  You have an idea.  Go with it.  Just minimize your risk and maximize the rewards.  When the haters come along and try to attach themselves to your coattails now that they see your succeeding; humbly hand them an application and say don’t call us we’ll call you.

Konichiwa Travelers

Only one word comes to my mind when it comes to describing the Japanese people. That’s pride.  If you love to travel and want to see one of the most excepting cultures in the world, visit Japan.

Give you a little background about myself.  I came out of high school clueless on what I was going to do with my life.  Knowing that I wanted to get a college education and I needed the funds to do so, I joined the United States Navy.  My first and only tour took me to the beautiful country of Japan.

Talk about shell shocked.  I had just turned 18 when I was dropped off in the most clueless situation I had ever encountered.  Narita, Japans airport.  Not speaking a lick of Japanese and feeling like Chris Farley on the Japanese game show skit on snl,  I started to ask people in the area if they could help me.  Luckily for me the Japanese learn English at a young age.  Every one of them noticed I was in distress and was more than willing to help me. 

Now I’m not here to tell you about my Navy experience in Japan.  I’ll do that in another blog.  I just wanted to show you that we have a lot to learn from this culture.  Sure we’ve had our differences in the past, but this is definitely a country you have to visit before god decides he want you in his army. 

Places to visit in Japan

Kamakura:  For temples, large Buddha’s, and deep history of the Japanese culture.

Akiabara:  One word….. Electronics

Roppongi:  Party like a rock star until the break of dawn and  If you choose to continue it on into the day.

Shinjuku:  People watching, big city, tons of people, and Google the busiest crosswalk in the world and you’ll get an idea.

Harajuku:  Tokyo’s fashion district.

Nagano: Winter sports and where the 1998 Olympics was held

Sapparo:  Ice festival

These are just a few to touch on.  Do your research.  These people will welcome you with open arms.  They would love to learn just as much about our culture as we do there’s.  While you’re over there turn on one of there Japanese TV stations.  You talk about a lot of enjoyment.  You don’t even have to know the language to get hours of entertainment. Also step into one of the small pubs that are sure to be near your hotel.  Sometimes they only have one or two seats in them.  Usually a husband and wife will be serving you drinks.  If they know enough English, you’ll laugh and enjoy your whole evening.  In the meantime also making friends for life.

Any questions about travel to Japan please ask in the comments and Ill be glad to help you.  Thanks for reading and please share with your friends.  

Rope a Dope?

He’s no dope!

Being a big sports fan I would like to take some time out this morning to talk about the fight this weekend.  Even if you’re not a big sports/boxing fan I’m sure you’ll take something out of this from a business stand-point.

I know you probably think that everything I look at in life is from a business stand-point.  Not true.  This blog is though.  If you need personal advice I’m not your man.  That’s a psychiatrist job. Plus I have more issues than sports illustrated to be giving life advice. 

Now down to business.  Floyd “Money Man” Mayweather.  If you’re a boxing fan you either love him or hate him.  From a business stand-point, this man is worth his weight in plutonium.  The guy makes, for himself, 70 million dollars for stepping foot into that ring.  70 million!!! Snap!  You think he does that being the nice guy, by being humble, and peaceful.  Like he says “I’m in the hurt business.”  Personally the only guy I’ve seen bring that much money in a fight and be a nice guy is Oscar De Le Hoya.  Now you’ll argue that Sugar Ray Leonard made it as a nice guy.  Yes he did.  Not 70million dollars nice though. 

You ask, How’s Floyd make so much money and so many people hate him?  Folks… There has to be a villain in entertainment/sports.  It works for the Oakland Raiders and it’s what works for him.  He knows people will tune in to hopefully watch him receive his first loss.  He’s cocky, arrogant, and his personal life is more jacked up than the US government’s checkbook.  All this in mind, you’re going to watch his next fight.  He’s created that. 

As far as the controversial fight over the weekend vs. Ortiz., It is what it is.  Honestly, yes it was an unsportsmanlike like shot. It wasn’t technically a rule breaker though. I don’t want to ruin the outcome of the fight.  So, go to YouTube to see what the “Sucker Punch” looks like.   Ortiz better thank his lucky stars Mayweather did what he did.  Ortiz Is pretty much guaranteed another rematch with Mayweather and will bring him personally a load of money.  Ortiz was losing the fight and if he would have lost in a normal fashion, there would be no second fight.  Mayweather did the smart thing by creating a second fight with a weaker opponent.  If you had the chance to create a situation where you step into the ring, with a guaranteed win for 70million, you know you would do the same thing.  So, next time you judge someone by their business practices, step back.  Take a look and see if they are just creating hype, drama, or just planting a seed to create a great business opportunity.  As long as it’s ethical I see no problem with it. 

In summary this loud mouthed, arrogant, smart, conditioned, entertaining fighter is one of the few things keeping boxing relevant.  MMA is on its back doorstep about to take over its house.  If it hasn’t done it already.

Good Day everyone.  Please leave your thoughts and comments in the comment section.  Please share this on your Facebook/ twitter and get some really good discussion started. 

Thanks again!