Feb
9
Status King Facebook Obama Bailout Ads - Costly
Filed Under Business Ideas, Resources, Principles, etc., Freedom, Government, Politics, etc. | 2 Comments
I’ve spent a lot of time on Facebook recently because my family and I launched an app that helps you find a funny Facebook status for your friend feed and then print the most clever Facebook statuses onto a T-Shirt.
Although some think social media is worthless for business, we opted to create a business that lives inside the culture of Facebook rather than try to capitalize on poor-performing ads I’m viewing constantly on the right side of Facebook. The visitor loyalty rates are astounding and the T-Shirt sales growing, and so it seems that you can make money with social media.
While spending this time on Facebook, I’ve noticed changes in the right ads that have made me sick about the state of our nation. Our debt, our “future money” disquised as government bailout money “from Obama” has crowded out all real innovation and commerce on the ads. This screenshot only captures two of the three ads on the page that were ALL take-advantage-of-the-bailout ads. It also sports a status about the bailout. Oh, Amerika…what has happened? Where is your honor, self-respect and personal responsibility for living beyond your means? (the “k” is intentional, think immigrant)
If we only understood how costly those Facebook ads will be to our country.
Dec
1
Atlas Shrugged
Filed Under Free Book Summary - Online, Freedom, Government, Politics, etc. | 2 Comments
John recommended Atlas Shrugged to me last week and I bought the Audible version to listen to while I work. While I found the writing superb and the story-line thought-provoking, I quit listening to it 6 hours into the 50+ hours program. I felt like I knew where the book was headed and, as a novel, was more about entertainment than communicating me the ideas succinctly. I don’t have time for it right now. I am focusing on content that is helping me as an entrepreneur right now and decided against this one. Maybe down the road.
Oct
4
Opportunity Knocks and it’s not Paulson’s $700 Billion
Filed Under Business Ideas, Resources, Principles, etc., Entrepreneurship, Freedom, Government, Politics, etc., Ideas and Thoughts | 1 Comment
Last week, as my blood boiled when I thought of the freedoms we might loose as a result of the $700 billion transfer of power to the secretary of the treasury, I found myself reading articles, trying to understand what was happening, learning whether I could make a difference. It felt like a worthwhile thing to do, after all, the future of our country was on the line.
Then I read Seth Godin’s post on looking for an opportunity to do less, which hit home for me. I decided to write and call my senators and representatives and then forget about the housing crisis. Stop reading the articles. Stop wasting my time on something I had no power over.
Instead, I spend my time on our company and my family.
In a conversation with a good friend, he spoke of how wonderful a time this is to start a company. As the job market softens it will be easier to attract good talent to your team. He recently spoke with a technical leader in a large organization. Their research suggests that their ability to hire new programmers is going to surge in two months, not because they will have more resources, but because people will be looking for the work. He also commented that competition is so worried about their our cashflow problems and margin pressure that you have a chance to really grow if you dig in and work.
It’s a marvelous time to build a business, attract talent, stay lean and provide value to society.
So, the only reading I will be doing is studying the previous financial crashes historically to understand where is the best direction to steer our business. Did you know that the movie business thrived during the Great Depression? People needed an escape during difficult times…so they went to the movies. There are silver linings on the darkest of clouds. I thank Seth for reminding me to look at mine.
Hope.
That’s what President Uchtdorf called it today. Just saying that word makes me feel better.
Oct
3
Thank you Bill Sali who voted against the bailout.
I’m very disappointed in Mike Simpson who voted to hand over that kind of power to the executive branch just because we’re so worried about the future of the economy.
Please contact your representative to oppose this legislation…here’s a great form letter to start from.
Sep
23
Paulson Gets a 700 Billion Dollar Blank Check?
Filed Under Freedom, Government, Politics, etc. | 3 Comments
This is the most insightful article into the current financial crisis that I’ve read so far. Over-correction means loss of freedoms just as it did after 9/11
What can an average American like me do to stop this? It doesn’t seem like this is stabilizing the markets, the so-called reason for the last minute action. I only take comfort in the fact that natural laws and principles can only be ignored for so long and then consequences correct us. I wish we’d choose to correct ourselves, not make it worse.
Sep
20
We the people of the United States
Filed Under Freedom, Government, Politics, etc. | Leave a Comment
in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and ensure the blessings of liberty, to ourselves and our posterity, do establish and maintain this constitution for the United States of America.
That is probably not perfect because it’s from memory, but I hope everyone is aware that 55 delegates met and signed the US Constitution on September 17, 1787. Now, every 17th of September is called Constitution Day. I realize I’m late this year, but I hope all of us do something to educate ourselves during this week every year. I got my chance on the Saturday after.
Those of my faith may be familiar with the prophecy that our constitution would hang by a thread.
Most of my faith are not aware that a Rally for the Republic occurred this month in Minnesota (my brother Daniel was there).
During the keynote, Ron Paul echoed the prophecy. Hear it for yourself at the beginning of part three of his speech on YouTube.
Then choose one of 10 things to do to celebrate Constitution Day.
“We the people” are the thread that this document hangs on. Let us educate ourselves and act.
Apr
10
I admit I hadn’t studied the constitution in a half a decade when Ron Paul made it popular to study and promote true principles of freedom again. When I heard the presidential candidate promises, I asked myself, “can a president really do all that?”
“Do they even have the power to make such promises? Can they save our homes from the housing financial crisis?”
I was shocked to reread the 13 short paragraphs about the office of President again in the Constitution. Try reading it for yourself and ask yourself what we’ve created of our president. Sometimes the rhetoric seems like we want a Saviour to solve all of our problems. It kind of reminds me of a time when people wanted a king really badly, but it turned out not to be in their best interest.
We know that what Ron Paul started, he didn’t actually start, and the momentum he created will live on. I was excited to learn about BJ Lawson running for congress in North Carolina (good people live their, including my friends at LuLu). His platform demonstrates the principles of true freedom (and responsibility) to me and I encourage you to participate in Bucks for BJ whether or not you live in North Carolina.
And if you’re in a position where you can’t afford even $5 in support of Constitutional principles, take time to reread the article on the President and keep it in mind as you vote this fall.
Jan
30
I’m Not A Popular Guy Right Now
Filed Under Business Ideas, Resources, Principles, etc., Freedom, Government, Politics, etc. | 3 Comments
After a Personal Management class at the University of Scouting that I took my 11 year old scouts to last Saturday, I asked the instructor (who works for a local bank) how he advises the people in his bank when the dollar is loosing so much value and Bernanke dropped the interest rate again to help the stock market.
He said, “when I have little old grandmother’s who were getting 5 percent interest on their life savings coming into the bank and finding out that they get 2 percent, I’m not a very popular guy right now. These folks were barely making it as it was.”
Imagine that. Hard-working Americans who aren’t free-riding on the government, who’ve saved, who are now in their later years…and they’re savings are vanishing through their fingers. All so that we can shore up against the consequences of bad decisions by the Federal Reserve Board in the past. I couldn’t have painted a better picture how irresponsible policies to “stimulate the economy” hurt the poor.
This banker friend of mine, said, “2008 may be one of the most difficult years we’ve seen in a long time.” I fear he is correct and now wouldn’t be surprised if Bernanke does it again.
Jan
21
My good friend from high school, Aaron Anderson, started blogging recently and asked me why I supported Ron Paul. I never got around to writing any more than why I had cooled on Mitt Romney (I’d choose Romney over McCain or Hillary any day).
Our country faces some serious problems right now, lots of them. Given the circles where I interact and what I read, the problems I hear most about are:
- The weakening of the U.S. dollar and an imminent recession/depression.
- A failure in Iraq and poor reputation globally.
- A failing educational system.
- A heightened anxiety about immigration.
- Concerns about outsourcing and China.
- Healthcare crisis (I hear this more in the media than from conversations)
This list by no means purports to be all-encompassing, it’s just the issues I’ve heard a lot about and have stood out to me. Which candidate hasn’t talked about change? Obama, Hillary, Romney, et. al. say they’re going to bring change to Washington. They will be different that it’s been in the past.
Yet, the only one the media really points out as different, to the point of trying to marginalize him, is Ron Paul.
First, Aaron, to put the principle problem into perspective…
View a piece from the Comptroller of the United States, David Walker and Glen Beck on the bankrupt United States of America. This is for real, Aaron. That you and I owe, right now, $400k each for just Medicare and Social Security, is slightly disconcerting, isn’t it? How did this happen?
Ron Paul’s view, which I share, is that we created the problems abroad, in health-care, in education, and in many other facets of our government by departing from the famous contract that we, the people, have with our government. I’m going to share Paul’s take on each of these issues (with my thoughts) in a separate posts.
Here’s an 8 minute introduction to Ron Paul (ignore the bit about polygamy and Mitt Romney…these videos are created by his supporters, not his campaign). Take a few moments to watch it, including the credits.
The most common argument against Paul I hear is that he can’t win. That’s not true. Whether or not he takes the nomination, the principles he stands for are the only ones that can win. Natural consequences of going against correct principles will correct us whether or not we decide to change, the question is how painful will those consequences be? How long do we wait to change? I have hope, because of Ron Paul’s campaign, that there are a substantial group of Americans who understand the Constitution enough that they want to live by that document again. These people give me hope. I feel nothing but hope for America’s future and for our Constitution (this is link to a wonderful song about the constitution).
Dec
16
My wife has asked me what I want for Christmas. I responded with only two requests:
- A pair of jeans (mine have no left knee and even my corduroy pants are only held together by threads).
- A few of our very limited dollars to donate to Ron Paul tomorrow.
When I see the support for this principle-based man grow, I’m confident that these campaign supporters are people who represent true hope for America and for the future of the U.S. Constitution. Our voice still matters.
keep looking »