Helping People

Hello all, I know it has been a long time since I have written on my blog, and for that I apologize to all of you.  Today's blog is personal and is intended only for me to vent.  Those of you who wish to comment may, I would love to see how you all feel on this topic.

A good friend of mine came to me over the summer when his son wrecked his car and asked me to help him build a new one, as the son just turned 18 and wanted a muscle car.  I accepted this job on one condition.  That his son be present to help with the car and they cover all of the parts.  Now, doesn't seem to hard since it is summer and all right?  Wrong. 

The car in question is a 1984 Monte Carlo with T-Tops that someone dropped a 300 hp chevy 350 from a 73 Camaro Z-28 into and really had no idea what they were doing, and I had no idea what I was getting into.  In the end the son hardly ever showed up, and in my spare time I rebuilt the top half of the engine, (new heads, distributor, intake and exhaust manifolds, new carb, new fuel lines), new alternator, starter, fuel pump, serviced transmission, new universal joints for the drive shaft, pulled the real axle, new backing plates and brakes, new brake lines, new wiring harness (yes, I had to rewire the whole stupid car it was so butchered up), new timing chain and gears, and so on.  I think you get the point.  Finally at the end of October the car was almost done, all they had to do was put the power steering pump on, plug in the engine wiring and vacuum hoses and set the front nose back on the car and they wouldn't show up so I kicked the car out of here back to their house. 

Well, now it is March and the car sits at their garage still waiting for them to do the work, nothing has been completed since it left my place.  Only a lot of bitching that it's not done.  Tonight I received a call telling me I need to get the car done in the next 7 days for them.  Now hold on, wait one fucking minute here.  Since when do I have to do anything for them.  Keep in mind that this started as a favor to a friend and nothing more.  A favor conditioned upon them helping with it and they never wanted to show up.  In addition to this favor I also put brake lines on another car, fabricated a radiator support for a third, did multiple repairs to a fourth and helped the other son with his car, which was a fifth and also put a gas tank in his wife's car (are you counting, that makes six), all of which was free.  Oh yeah, the third one also got new wheel bearings put in it for free.  In addition, when the Monte Carlo left I gave them all the old socket and wrench sets I no longer use so they would have tools to work on it. 

Now keep in mind also that if they went to a shop to get all of these repairs done that they would have spent several thousands of dollars in labor, we all know that, which they got for free.  I bought specialized tools to do this car, I ran up my electric bill running an air compressor and 1000 watt halogen lights to work on this car.  I bought an engine lift for this car.  Torque wrenches and line wrenches and computer scanners (engine scanner) and many other unique and specialized tools to help them.  Now what do I get for my trouble.  Cussed out because my schedule of trying to open a small car lot and continuing to do my mortgage business is taking up to much of my time to help them. 

Well, what I say to this is quite simple.  Fuck off.  I know that seems harsh, but I am tired of people coming to me for help and then expecting it at their convenience regardless of my personal obligations.  I am tired of everyone else's crap coming down on me and expecting me to drop everything for them.  What I want to know is when did their problems become my responsibility?  When?

I have friends that I help at a moments notice, that is because they go out of their way to help me, they I am glad to help.  Those who take without giving can go to hell

7:17 PM - 4 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Think about it!!!

I read the papers and watch the news as I am sure many of you do... I also am forced to sit and wonder after hearing so many news clips of how our country has changed so much... There was a time when this country was truly god fearing with a level of morality and ethics that the world envied...  Now, we are a country that many others feel is simply full of self-severing pompously arrogantly asses...  How did this happen???  When did we change???  Why did the world's perspective on us become so greatly altered???

Many decades ago we put forth a simple document that enabled us to live our lives with little or no interference from others, a document that stated our goals and desires and made it known that while we demanded respect we also gave it... I know, you all are thinking of the Declaration of Independence or the US Constitution.... Well those documents demand respect for us, they do not necessarily give it to others...  I am actually speaking of another...

The Monroe Doctrine... A simple yet articulate statement we made to the world as a country advising them to butte out of our business...  This document advised the world that we had no interest in their little quarrels and tribulations and that we would rather deal with those issues close to home, advising the world that we would not drag them over here and that they should not drag us over there...

While we would pay attention to things that happened from Canada to the lower tip of South America, we had no interest past our borders along the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans... Unfortunately World Wars I & II proved that the world could not and would not grant us the respect we so rightly deserved and demanded... As these two wars raged in our planet's eastern hemisphere our merchant ships and patrolling war ships were repeatedly attacked and sunk, forcing us into wars we wanted nothing to do with... And then the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II forced us to fight a war on two different fronts...  These wars were ineviteable for us, as the actions of others oceans away made decisions for us...

Twenty years later we found ourselves drawn into war again, this time against Vietnam, a war that was the beginning of how we would all view these wars in the future.  Vietnam was the first was in which the citizens publicly took a stand against our government and refused to support our troops.  It was the first war in which the press sought out and tried to move a battlefield from the military into the political arena.  And they suceeded.  The soldiers returning from Vietnam were often called baby killers and ostracized by the general public for fulfilling their duties as soldiers.  Many of these soldiers and sailors had only 1 other choice to fighting in this war, and that was prison for failing to obey the draft law. 

Now, moving forward to today, the press has taken the position immediately to not support our government and troops.  They play this game by consistently speaking out against the current administration while continuously listing the number of casualties since this war began.  They play this game by continuously noting the lack of Weapons of Mass Destruction that we were all lead to believe.  They consistently lay all of this on the lap of our leader, George W. Bush. 

What they neglect to remind you of is the people who died at the hands of Iraq's government and the groups that that government chose to support.  What they neglect to inform you about is that the sites that satellite pictures showed holding large stocks of WMD's turned out to be mass graves.  Not graves holding 5 or 6 bodies, but graves holding hundreds of bodies each.  The bodies of people who were mowed down by their own government.  People who were murdered simply because of the ethnic ancestry or political and religous beliefs.  You must remember that these people are no different than the Jewish population we fought to protect from The Nazi Politcal Party and Adolf Hitler.

Many people automatically start out saying that George W. Bush and our government are just in this to line their pockets with oil money from the middle east.  They say that if it wasn't for oil then we wouldn't even bother with this giant piece of sand in the middle of nowhere.  Well, let's look at that perspective for a moment.  Yes, we have large amounts of oil deposits right here within our own borders that can be tapped and will provide us with oil for many decades to come.  No one is arguing that fact.  So, the question then remains, if the current administration is all gung ho on making billions from oil, then why aren't they pumping it in the US? 

The answer to this question is very simple, it's for the same reason that many other industrial countries are not pumping all of their oil like crazy either.  It's called basic economics 101.  If we were to start pumping every oil deposit we have within our border, we will run out.  At that point we will become 100% dependent upon foreign oil and the low prices that we enjoy temporarily will skyrocket far higher than anything we have seen so far.  At that point we will become hostages to the rest of the world for energy.  However, if we continue along the path we are currently on, using up the oil from foreign countries while conserving our own fields, then the table will eventually turn.  Turning directly into our favor.  This concept allows us to buy oil fairly inexpensively right now, conserve our own fields and continue to work on obtaining an alternative energy source which will require minimal changes for the average citizen.

Now, these alternative fuels are already in the process of being created through multiple means.  One is the hybrid vehicle which uses electric motors directly with gasoline engines.  Another source that is close is biofuel.  Currently, we are using ethanol an ethanol blend in several markets around the US and the world, which directly reduces the amount of crude oil necessary to power a car.  In addition this source is also being used right now to power tractor trailers running up and down our highways.  Through a refining process companies are converting the waste from animal slaughter houses into diesel fuel that requires no changes whatsoever to the trucks.  One company (which I won't name, even though I won their stock) is currently building and preparing to open enough refineries right here in the United States to cover 40% of our diesel consumption each and every year for decades to come.  Obviously, since diesel is a less refined fuel and easier to create than gasoline, you can see that a biogasoline is not far behind. 

So, for all of you that want to bitch about the war in Iraq, keep these thoughts in mind.  Number one, everytime you public assault this war and speak out against it, you are saying that you do not support our soldiers.  I don't care what your argument is, if you support them then you will not speak against them.  Remember, they are people and everytime you insult what they are doing they take it personal, lowering their morale, putting heavy thoughts on their minds and eventually putting them in harms way.  Number 2, we are working day and night to end our dependence upon foreign oil, however, until that day comes we need to maintain an open trade route and ensure that it will not be interrupted in order for each and everyone of us to maintain that standard of living we have come to enjoy for so long.  Number 3, unless you are willing to say that you supported Adolf Hitler and the bombings of 9/11 then you can not insult the administration for mistaking satelite images of WMD sites with mass grave sites, either way, we had to make a change over their. 

Think about it!!!!

8:00 AM - 9 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Senators who Bankrupted Ohio with One Small Sentence

In response to request I have received in regards to my blog titled "One Small Sentence" I am posting this list of Senators for the State of Ohio.  Please take a moment, if you already haven't, to read One Small Sentence and then try to contact as many of these Senators as possible. 

Republican	22nd District
Address: Senate Building Room #140, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-7505 Email: SD22@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Wooster                          Ron Amstutz

Republican	13th District
Address: Senate Building Room #142, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/644-7613 Email: SD13@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: North Ridgeville                                         Jeffrey Armbruster

Republican	10th District
Address: Senate Building Room #132, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-3780 Email: sd10@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Beavercreek                                       Steve Austria

Republican	17th District
Address: Senate Building Room #127, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8156 Email: sd17@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Wellston                                             John Carey

Republican	4th District
Address: Senate Building Room #042, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8072 Email: SD04@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: West Chester                                                Gary Cates

Republican	8th District
Address: Senate Building Room #143, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8068 Email: sd08@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Cincinnati                                          Patricia Clancy

Republican	27th District
Address: Senate Building Room #137, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-4823 Email: kcoughli@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls               Kevin Coughlin

Democrat	32nd District
Address: Senate Building Room #050, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-7182 Email: dann32@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Liberty Township                                             Marc Dann

Democrat	11th District
Address: Senate Building Room #223, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-5204 Email: fedoroffice@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Toledo                          Teresa Fedor

Democrat	25th District
Address: Senate Building Room #049, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-4583 Email: senatorfingerhut@hotmail.com Hometown: Cleveland                                           Eric D. Fingerhut

Republican	2nd District
Address: Senate Building Room #220, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8060 Email: ra_gard@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Bowling Green               Randy Gardner

Republican	3rd District
Address: Senate Building Room #125, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8064 Email: dgoodman@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Columbus                       David Goodman

Republican	18th District
Address: Senate Building Room #034, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/644-7718 Email: SD18@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Chesterland                                     Timothy J. Grendell

Democrat	33rd District
Address: Senate Building Room #051, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8285 Email: haganoffice@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Youngstown                  Robert F. Hagan

Republican	19th District
Address: Statehouse Room #201, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8086 Email: SD19@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Ashland                                             Bill Harris

Republican	31st District
Address: Senate Building Room #039, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-5838 Email: SD31@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Newark                                             Jay Hottinger

Republican	6th District
Address: Senate Building Room #138, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-4538 Email: jjacobso@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Butler Township           Jeff Jacobson

Democrat	9th District
Address: Senate Building Room #057, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-5980 Email: Senatorkearney@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Cincinnati                        Eric H. Kearney

Democrat	23rd District
Address: Senate Building Room #056, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-5123 Email: SD23@maild.sen.state.oh.us         Dale Miller

Democrat	15th District
Address: Senate Building Room #052, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-5131 Email: rmiller@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Columbus                                             Ray Miller

 

Republican	26th District
Address: Senate Building Room #222, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8049 Email: SD26@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Marion                          Larry A. Mumper

Republican	14th District
Address: Senate Building Room #038, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8082 Email: sd14@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: New Richmond                                           Tim Niehaus

Republican	20th District
Address:                                                        Senate Building Room #035, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8076 Email: sd20@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Coshocton                     Joy Padgett

Democrat	21st District
Address: Statehouse Room #303, Third Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-4857 Email: sd21@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Cleveland                                             C. J. Prentiss

Republican	7th District
Address: Statehouse Room #221, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-9737 Email: SD07@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Sycamore Township                                           Robert Schuler

Republican	29th District
Address: Senate Building Room #041, Ground Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-0626 Email: SD29@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Canton                                                J. Kirk Schuring

Republican	24th District
Address: Senate Building Room #129, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-8056 Email: rspada@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: North Royalton                                            Robert F. Spada

Republican	16th District
Address: Senate Building Room #134, First Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-5981 Fax: 614/466-7662 Email: sd16@mailr.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Columbus                       Steve Stivers

<FONT color=#ffffff size=2>Democrat	30th District
Address: Senate Building Room #226, Second Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: 614/466-6508 Email: cwilson@maild.sen.state.oh.us Hometown: Bridgeport                                          Charlie Wilson

5:11 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

One small sentence.

I just spent the last few hours of December 30th 2006 fixing my computer because for some strange reason Internet Explorer 6.0 would not work, nor would 7.0.  I did this so that I might be able to do my job.  Maybe continue to support my family and be a decent person.  Now, I see that my life is about to change incredibly, all with a simple e-mail from a lender.

You see, I have spent the past fourteen years of my life working to help people own homes.  Helping people to buy investment properties and achieve the American Dream.  In the process of this I meet all types of different people, from the family struggling to make it looking for a modest $50,000 home that really only meets the basic needs to the person looking to buy the multi-million dollar home with far more bells and whistles than even I could imagine.  People who work in factories and hospitals, restuarants and garages, bars and coal mines, strip clubs and churches.  People from all walks of life.  Some of these people have been in a position where I've just told them to go down to their local bank, they don't need to pay me.  Others, well I have had to work extremely hard to find lenders that would accept them because they have poor credit or are self-employed or just changed jobs.  But each and everyone of them has had one thing in common, the desire to have a better life and part of the American Dream.  Tonight I have to tell many of them that dream is gone. 

But here is the strange part, it is gone not for the people with bad credit, but rather those with good credit.  Those who have worked incredibly hard to build up businesses that they own and operate, doing the things that they love.  These people are all about to lose their homes.  They are all about to lose the things that they have worked their entire lives for simply because they can not prove how much they make.  For this, I must give you a short lesson in the mortgage industry.

There are really two types of borrowers in my business, those that we call full doc and those we call stated/reduced/no doc.  The difference between these borrower's is dramatic yet small. 

A full doc borrower is one who works for a company, collects a regular paycheck with taxes withheld and so on.  They give us their last 2 years worth of w-2's and last 30 days worth of paystubs, from their we calculate their income and qualify them based upon their bills on the credit bureau and how much they make each month. 

The stated/reduced/no doc borrower is different.  These borrower's usually have excellent credit ratings and are either self-employed or own multiple investment properties.  They work extremely hard at everything they do and one day hope that it will all pay off.  These people unfortunately due to the way taxes are done and a lack of paystubs or w-2's from any company find it impossible to prove their income through conventional means.  Therefore they are given other options to complete this, such as providing up to 24 months worth of bank statements, a letter from a CPA stating they are self-employed and that CPA does their taxes, or a business license showing they have been self-employed over 2 years.  These borrower's are heavily scrutinized and forced to jump through many hoops to finally achieve the things they want.  In turn, because their income is more difficult to prove they also pay a slightly higher interest rate than the conventional borrower might pay.  This rate is usually 1 percent higher. 

Well, the problem is, these people can no longer do this.  Thanks to the state of Ohio Senate Bill 185, they must now provide a consumer financial statement showing all income and expenses for the past two years.  Now, you might say what is the big deal, seems simple enough, right.  Wrong, because you see the financial statement that is acceptable is pretty much a federal tax return.  Now, it's not like using a normal workers tax return showing the top line as income, no, these borrower's have to use the bottom line to show their income.  That is the line after all the deductions and write-offs have been made.  A good example of this is also a very good friend of mine. 

She works 5 jobs starting her day at 4:30 everyday, 7 days a week.  She delivers a couple of hundred newspapers.  She then returns to her house to care for approximately 20 animals that compile her cat and dog breedery business.  From their she drives approximately 25 miles each way as a home health aide to care for a handicapped women.  She also has to field issues with tenants because she has five buildings.  Now, you are thinking that is great, she must be making a killing with all of that.  No, she's not.  On her tax returns she makes less than a 15 year old kid working at McDonald's part-time.  She covers the mortgages on all five properties, makes all the repairs herself and does a ton of horseswapping to keep her head above water.  In addition, she takes care of foster children with major problems.  She finally gets to bed around 11:00 each night. 

She does this without complaining or causing any issues for anyone.  She sees it as her responsibilities and that maybe 20 years from now she just might be able to retire and begin to relax.  In a few hours here I have to sit down with her and explain to her that somehow her life has to change.  That she no longer qualifies for a mortgage based upon her situation.  That unless we can come up with a plan that will work, a completely new plan that we have never even considered before, she is going to lose everything she has worked so hard for. 

You see, like so many people in her situation, she has mortgages that are fixed for a few years and then they go variable.  One goes variable on Monday, two more will go variable in April of this year.  The other two will go variable in Janary and October of 2008.  When this happens more than likely the interest rate on each of her properties will jump by 2%.  With this will come the issue that she will not be able to refinance them unless we find another solution right now and the rents on her buildings will not cover her payments.  The small amount of profit she is making, less than $1,000 per month, from these buildings will be gone.  From there it won't take long for the rest to collapse on her.  You see, she really doesn't make alot. 

The animals are already losing money, but she does it because she loves them and enjoys it.  Her job as a home health aide doesn't even cover her own bills, let alone help out with mortgages on other properties.  So now, one of the most beautiful and wonderful people I have ever had the opportunity of knowing is screwed.  The woman who has helped others have Christmas and made sure noone ever went hungry or cold is about to do just that.  She is now being fucked by the very banks that loaned her money and the very government that she pays taxes to.

She is about to become like thousands of others like her, who took out mortgages to achieve that dream we all truly want and have it ripped away from them.  I now sit here at 3:42am and am trying to think of a solution that will help her.  A solution that will not cost her everything she has fucking worked her whole life for. 

I wish that I had the answer at this hour, but I don't.  I have been searching my list of lenders online looking for that one piece of information that will allow me to say it's not true, but I can't find it.  Not yet at least.  I have read all of Ohio Senate Bill 185 and found the part that applies to her.  In a law covering mortgage brokers, natural gas suppliers, title companies, appraisal companies and many other things, their is just one sentence.  One small sentence that is changing her life along with thousands of others.  One small sentence is about to send thousands of good hardworking honest people into bankruptcy and foreclosure.  One small sentence is about to destroy thousands of retirements and children's college educations.  One small sentence is about to put not only thousands of homeowners on the street, but their tenants and employees as well.

To the politicians of Ohio I ask you this.  Have you not fucked the good people of this state enough yet.  Have you not caused enough damage and heartache upon those you are meant to serve.  I have no problem with you playing with rules governing how I treat customers and how I charge them, but how can you take away their abilitiy to own a home and enter into a business contract based upon your own ignorance to this industry?  An industry that with all of your fancy degrees you really don't know a god damn thing about?  How could you intentionally fuck so many people who have supported you and write your paychecks?  You say that you did this to stop the high rate of foreclosures, well you just multiplied it by a hundred.  Now, when homeowners and tenants alike are on the streets, good homes are boarded up and owned by banks but not selling, renters not being able to afford the rent on the few homes remaining, what the fuck are you going to do?  By then it will be to late.  You see, all the people who provide this low cost housing will not be able to buy anything.  Rents will skyrocket and housing values will plummet.  Congratulations. 

With all that you are doing, as these homes move into foreclosure and inundate the market, the trickle down theory will come into play.  The huge surplus of homes on the market is going to force the values of all properties in the state down, which in turn will almost immediately affect even the normal full doc homeowner.  You see, if banks have to sell these houses dirt cheap to get them off the market, then average Joe may not be able to even sell his for enough to cover his mortgage.  This in turn will lead to even more foreclosures as people get pissed and just quit paying.  With plummeting values will also come the inability of people to borrow against their homes for things like new roofs, siding, furnaces, credit cards,  vacations, college educations for children.  Congratulations, because you have now fucked an entire state with one small sentence.  You have sentenced all of your constituents to a life of poverty and ineviteable foreclosures and bankruptcies.  I hope all of you are proud.

12:03 AM - 4 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment

My sin, now a felony?

It's obviously apparent to all of those reading my blog and viewing my site that I have at least one horribly undesireable sin.  A sin that at first seemed to be harmless, and yes even legal.  A sin that was mine, and my price to pay for it was slightly higher taxes.  A sin that I had the choice to commit or not commit.  But, oh how things have suddenly changed. 

You see, I am only one of millions who attempt to be decent human beings.  We work hard every day, we pay our taxes and raise our families.  We buy homes and cars and help to support the economy.  We offer helping hands to others and do our best to not infringe upon the rights of others.  But, you see, with no change whatsoever in my behavior or actions, by just doing exactly what I do everyday, the same as millions of others, I can be charged and convicted as a felon.  For doing what my father and grandfather and great grandfather did. 

For you see, a group that swears they are the majority have found a way to make what was once legal and acceptable throughout the entire world, illegal.  But, only parts of it are illegal.  They have chosen to make a substance which builds them stadiums and railsystems, highways and hospitals,  swimming pools and playgrounds illegal.  Or wait, that's wrong I have to admit.  For the substance is not illegal, only the consumption of that substance through specific means is illegal.  Do I have you confused yet?

The product I am discussing is tobacco, that small plant that companies have been using for centuries to make money, that consumers have used as a form of recreation.  Now, how did tobacco become illegal?  You can still buy it in grocery stores and gas stations, bars and even vending machines.  Why, even the majority of the consumer's price is caused by taxes at the federal, state and local levels.  Why, since it became illegal some governments and groups are even moving to increase the amount of taxes on it so that they may have other play things in their communities.

The alleged majority says that we are infringing upon their individual constitution rights when we consume this product via cigarettes, cigars and pipes.  They say that we shorten their lifespan and cause them severe illnesses.  They say that we violate them with just the scent we carry when we smoke. 

With all of this in mind, I ask you this.  Doesn't a woman's perfume violate the scences of those who merely walk past her?  Doesn't the smell of alcohol at a restuarant violate the scenses of a non-drinker at the next table?  Doesn't the sound of a motorcycle violate the peace of those trying to enjoy their property?  Doesn't country music violate a rap listeners sense of artistic taste?  Doesn't a heterosexual couple holding hands violate the rights of what a homosexual couple might consider acceptable?  Doesn't an unmown lawn violate a neighbors enjoyment of their neighborhoold?  Doesn't cooking a steak violate the views of a vegetarian?  Doesn't a manger scene violate the rights of the Jewish?  Doesn't an SUV violate the rights of those who fight for energy conservation?  Doesn't abortion violate the rights of those who practice the Roman Catholic Religion?  (Sorry to use you like that God).  Doesn't building a mall violate the rights of those trying to conserve greenspace? 

Now, you say that you have a right to clean air, a right to go and do as you please without being offended.  You say that this is a constitutional right and that no one has the right to infringe upon your rights.  Okay, let's try that one on for size.  Let's see if the rights of the majority should and always do prevail over the rights of the minority.

First up, the rights of blacks to vote.  I know, this one is going to hit home and piss alot of you off, but we have to look at it.  Initially the US Constitution only gave the right to white male landowners who had achieved the age of majority.  Now, even today, blacks are in the minority.  Yet, Dr. Martin Luther King and many others felt that this must be changed and did marches and demonstrations and sit-ins and many other things to change this.  However, if this right of theirs seemed to offend the majority, then should they have the right to vote?

Moving on now, let's discuss handicapped bathrooms.  I believe that it is fair to say that the handicapped make up a very small portion of the public.  If this is so, then why must the majority work and pay taxes to ensure handicap accessible bathrooms.  Don't get me wrong, the high toilet with the grab rails is cool.  Hell, I am even thinking of installing them into my own house.  But, why should I pay to make sure that some guy in a wheelchair can take a shit in public.    After all, I can get in the stall perfectly fine if the door was only 24 inches wide.

Next up is just something I love to bitch about.  Let's discuss welfare.  Where is it said that the majority will work and pay taxes to support a minority that is to damn lazy to get off it's ass and make a contribution to society.  Explain this to me please.  People getting free rent, free utilities, free food and even spending money each month to sit their asses on the couch and watch TV.  They get to sleep past noon everyday and then party until 5 am each morning.  They have children and get free daycare and complain that they just can't seem to get ahead.  Now, I definitely know they are in a minority only dwarfed by the handicapped. 

So, you are wondering what does this have to do with smoking tobacco.  Actually it has everything.  You see, it's okay to sit at home on your ass and collect a check for doing nothing.  As long as the money passes through the government's hands first.  It's okay to be a minority and cry about how you can't use a toilet or climb on a bus, and suddenly the majority has to step in and help you. Everytime somebody doesn't like something they scream they are an oppressed minority and that it violates their rights. 

You see, I am not saying that smoking is a right.  I would never stoop to the level that others try to use.  Rather, I feel that if you are going to force us to pay extremely higher taxes on an item that is legal, but yet illegal, then we should be able to consume that product any place that we choose.  If the cigarettes are taxed to pay for a new stadium, then smoking should be required in order for anyone to enter.  After all, cigarette consumers paid for it.  If tobacco taxes are needed buy new police cars, then smokers should be excused from traffic tickets.  If we pay for a new park, then put an ashtray next to every swing and slide.

I know, that just seems outrageous.  We would then be condoning underage smoking and forcing tobacco on those who have chosen to not consume it.  So then what should we do?  How do we level the playing field so that smokers and non-smokers are not forced to suffer.  Or, maybe forced to suffer equally.

How about if we repeal all tobacco taxes.  Remove the possibility of the majority to enact any law that requires any minority to pay for something.  What this means is simple, no more sin taxes for stadiums, parks, transportation, health-care or any other thing that they believe we should be forced to pay for.  This would in turn reduce the costs of a pack of cigarettes to less than $1.50 per pack and greatly reduce the amount of money available for the government to waste.  Thereby fiscal responsibility would become even more important to those who are elected to our government offices.

I am just curious about one thing, how many of you have ever had someone walk up to you, grab and throw you on the ground, then force you into an open mouthed lip lock and blow smoke into your lungs?  Please, answer honestly and maybe we can change a law in Ohio which makes smoking anywhere except your home a felony.   

7:56 PM - 6 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

What you think

I have been accused by some of being extremely harsh on others, that maybe they don't deserve the kind of damage I choose to inflict to their reputations.  That which I spew forth when I become angered by some is over the limits of social etiquette...  That not only do I attempt to force my opinions on others, but rather that I literally cut peoples skulls open and pour forth directly into their gray matter...  Though I have been blogging for a short time and few choose to comment directly on my pages, I have somehow become a topic for their own blogs, a site to visit and obtain whatever type of recreation it is that they should thirst for... I have been told by some who have the opportunity to read only partial stories that I owe apologies, that I should make some effort to recompense those I have victimized.  What I have most often found is that the majority of those who demand apologies go through a period of grave reconsideration upon learning the rest of the story. 

To the rest of you, please note a few things about me.  Number one and foremost is that I am a simple man leading a simple life.  I strongly believe I am on this planet to raise my daughters to be honest, kind, caring and considerate adults with a strong sense of being, morality and character.  I will teach them to take a stand for whatever they feel is important to them and that backing down is never an option regardless of the odds.  I must teach them the importance of supporting those who are intimate in their lives and that the only thing not replaceable is people. 

I once worked with a gentleman who told me that he didn't care how fast people come and go, they are replaceable.  But, you see that is a problem.  For I work in finance, and these people that he refers to are the ones bringing in new deals.  Though you can put another body in a desk, you can never replace the person who left.  For with him leaves his knowledge and wisdom, his experience and abilities, and most importantly his customers.  These are people that can not by any means be replaced. 

Now, if you are a person that I suddenly feel the need to target, then believe that on that level I have found that you are not any way a useful person to me.  You are not a useful person to society in my mind and I will do what I can to resolve whatever transgression you have committed.  Should you choose to not agree with this, then you are free to debate that issue in a public forum.  Should you choose to send me e-mails they will be reposted.  Should you choose to threaten my daughters (yes, one idiot did that, like he knows where my house is or something) then I will find you.  Don't doubt that for one single moment.  After 14 years in finance if I can find Al Gore's direct number at apple,0 I can find anybody. 

Now, for those who make up the rest of society, I am here, ready and willing  to help upon request.  My business covers 34 states, so if you are a citizen of the US then I can probably help you.  If you need a shoulder to cry on or just someone to vent you, regardless of where you are I can help you.  If you have someone disrepecting those important to you, who are not capable of defending themselves then I will help you.  That is important to me.

I am fortunate that I may do this, not because of a silver spoon in my mouth at birth, not because of some huge inheritance or lawsuit settlement.  But rather because 1 day someone helped me,  the help may seem small and insignificant to most.  But to me, it was the greatest gift they could have ever given me.  It was my boss, he advanced me enough money on my paycheck to buy my first home (mind you payday was 2 weeks away and the commission was already mine).  He helped me by loaning my that first $1000.00 earnest money for 2 weeks so that I could make my offer sooner and guarantee myself the purchase of that home. 

Now, to some that is huge, to others that is small.  It all depends upon your view.  For this, I now owe the world a hand whenever I can.  However, that hand comes with the terms that you must help yourself from thereafter.   

In closing, since this jumps everywhere, I am here to help, but don't fuck with me or my family and friends.  If you don't like my opinion or something I post, feel free to post what you like, I will never retaliate as long as it is intelligent and honest.  But do not ever insult or threaten my family.

1:55 PM - 5 Comments - 5 Kudos - Add Comment

Hi, I'm Shanda Renee Sharer

Hello all,

I am Shanda Renee Sharer, though I should be 26, today I am still only 12, just as I will be in 100 years...

I used to spend my days talking on the phone and running around with my friends.  I am starting to have sleepovers and just finished opening my christmas presents a couple of weeks ago.  I can't wait for school to be over and talk my parents into letting me go to Europe.  Someday I think I would like to fall in love, maybe get married.  Who knows.  That's to far away right now.  For now, maybe I could sneak some brownies from the kitchen, God, I hope mom doesn't catch me.  Sometimes I don't think she understands me, but I guess she loves me.  I mean, she makes me stay home at night and all, I wish she'd let me go out and run around with the older girls.  I wonder if she ever was 12.  I guess she has her reasons.

But now, I can't even get her to hug me.  I mean, I see her crying in her room and I try to hug her, but she doesn't see me.  She keeps going in my room, like she's looking for me, but she can't seem to see that I'm standing right here, or sitting on my bed.  God, why can't I pick up this brownie?  Why does my whole body hurt so bad?

I can't seem to find Daddy, I keep looking, but he's not here.  He was here, crying with Mommy, but now he's gone to.  Maybe he's at work.  He taught me how to ride a bike and he used to push me on the swings at the park.    He never wanted me to wear make-up though.  Dad's are weird.  They always want to hug us, but don't let him catch us even saying hi to a boy.  I mean, come on Daddy, it's just a hi! I know he loves me, he calls me his Little Princess. 

I have lots of friends, their older than me.  Kid's my own age don't get it.  They're so immature.  The older kids though, they have cars and we can go alot more places.  We can hang at Witch's Castle, or go have a bonfire.  Even drive all night.  Mommy and Daddy are always telling me I can't run around with them.  Why not, their my friends, they'll protect me.  Where is all my hair?

Oh yeah, a new friend came by last night, I think she said her name was Hope.  She seemed pretty cool.  We went to Witch's Castle.  She had Melinda and Laurie and Toni with her.  Where did I get these cuts on my legs?  You know, this hurts, no, it burns.

Well, I gotta go know, some people I don't know keep calling me.  I don't want them to find me.  I'm not supposed to talkto strangers so I'll write more later.

Bye,

Luv ya,

Shanda

6:59 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

SHANDA RENEE SHARERS KILLERS

Hope Rippey         Toni Lawrence    Laurie Tackett     Melinda Loveless

  Killer/Rapist          Killer/Rapist        Killer/Rapist         Killer/Rapist

I promised all of you names and pictures of those who beat, stabbed, raped and murdered Shanda Renee Sharer.  These are the scum sucking pieces of shit that did all of this.  Please note that all except for Laurie Tackett are now free to walk the streets and live as they please.  If I find photos of them current I will definitely post them.

6:46 PM - 4 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Shandra Renee Sharer, you taught us all how to fight
Category: Life

asfunction:OpenWin,http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=45535311

BE ADVISED, THIS BLOG IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART OR THOSE WITH A WEAK STOMACH.  BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE PUT OUT THERE FOR ALL OF YOU TO BE AWARE OF.

On the evening of January 10, 1992, Shanda Renee Sharer, 12 years old, answered a knock on her door.  On the other side was 15 year old Hope Rippey, a girl Shandra had never met before, but said she was their because Shanda's friend had sent her.  She then took young, innocent Shanda in a car with three other teenage girls to meet this friend.  Only the friend was not waiting for her.  Instead something much worse. 

A short way into the drive a girl in the backseat held a knife to Shanda's throat and threatened to slice it.  After driving to a popular place known as Witch's Castle, the older girls built a fire and then began to beat little Shanda.  After a short while they became concerned someone might see them in the castle and forced Shanda back into the car.  They then drove out into the country to one of the girl's homes where they often had bonfires and resumed the beatings against her.  This time though things esculated well beyond just a beating.  They tried to slit Shanda's throat with the knife only to find out it was to dull.  This only angered Hope Rippey and her accomplices even more, to the point where they stabbed this helpless child repeatedly in the chest and legs with the knife.  

 All the while Shanda Renee Sharer was screaming for mercy, begging these savage teen-age girls to stop, to let her go home.  Instead they continued with the beatings and stabbings.  Unfortunately for Shanda, known of these wounds inflicted so far was enough to kill her.  Only enough to force her to endure even more of the pain she never wanted or asked for.After a few hours these girls grew restless and stuffed Shanda Renee Sharer back into the car again, only this time it was the trunk, figuring she would die.  Besides they were thirsty, and had decided to go to a local gas station for refreshments and gas.  After leaving the gas station they stopped off at another of the girl's homes.  Once there, Shanda began to make noises in the trunk, so they opened the trunk and took turns hitting her, only this time they used a tire iron, not their fists.  She was struck several times by all of the girls so hard that a piece of her skull was later found in the trunk. 

Positive that this latest beating would kill Shanda Renee Sharer, these girls then set out for a place to dump her.  By now the sun was coming up and it had been almost six hours since the beating had started against this little girl.  Once they found a field they opened the trunk and were startled when tiny, innocent, blood soaked Shanda sat up and asked for her mommy.  Instead of showing her mercy though, these pieces of bile took the tire iron out again and began to rape Shanda, repeatedly ramming the tire iron into her anus, inflicting even more pain and agony on a child that had really done nothing to any of them.

They then drug Shanda, still alive and conscious, across that muddy field, well into the distance and threw her on the ground.  They stripped all of her clothes off of her and began dumping gasoline all over her body.  Hope Rippey looked right into poor Shanda's eyes as she did this and laughed.  As Shanda screamed even more for someone, anyone or anything to come and help her, Hope Rippey looked down, dumped gasoline and laughed.  As Shanda begged for her mommy and daddy to save her, Hope Rippey laughed.  As Shanda Renee Sharer's blood soaked body seared at it's wounds from the gasoline she laughed. 

You see, even after beating, stabbing and dumping gasoline over Shanda's blood soaked, mutilated and defenseless body they could have stopped.  Hope Rippey and her friends could have left and called help for Shanda.  They could have done many things that they chose not to do.  Instead, they chose to try and protect themselves and finish what they had started.  They lit a match and watched an innocent child, Shanda Renee Sharer, burn.  They stood around and watched in those hours as the sun rose, Shanda Renee Sharer scream, they watched her teeth clench so hard that her teeth bit through her tongue.  They watched as the skin began to bubble, they watched as her beautiful brown hair turned to a greasy black scorched and bubbling skull.  They watched and laughed as Shanda Renee Sharer fought to be free against the restraints they had tied her to the ground with.  Just when the fire started to die down, and Shanda thought they were gone and she could finally die in peace, Hope Rippey returned, realizing the fire was dieing and seeing Shanda still moving, she picked up that bottle of gasoline and began to dump more, dumping over Shanda until the bottle was empty and then throwing the empty bottle on her. 

Hope Rippey then left Shanda and returned to the car.  She then left Shanda to die alone in that cold Souther Indiana field, with noone to help her, noone love her and noone to say they were sorry.  Instead, being hungry these girls drove to McDonald's for breakfast.  While eating they joked and laughed at how their breakfast sausages reminded them of Shanda's burnt limbs.  They laughed that they would never have to deal with her again.

You see, Shanda Renee Sharer was destined to be a great person, a person you could not beat down, a person who would have made a difference in life.  Shanda Renee Sharer died a death well beyond any death that any of us could imagine.  She endured multiple stabbings, she endured being raped, she endured what seemed to her to be an endless beating, she endured having gasoline dumped over her tiny body.  Shanda Renee Sharer endured far more in those hours of late January 10th, 1992 and early January 11th, 1992 than most of us will endure in a lifetime.  She knew the true definition of a hate crime, she knew the true definition of jealousy, she knew the true definition of begging for mercy, and she most definitely learned that morning the true definition of human animals. 

Even after she died Shanda Renee Sharer had a chance to make a difference, to protect others from such brutal crimes.  But, that chance like her life would be taken away from her before she ever had a chance to use it.  That chance, like her life, would be taken without warning, without a thought of her, by others.  Only this time it was the prosecutor in that small Indiana town, who chose to allow Hope Rippey and the others to plead out their cases.  The prosecutor who made it possible, along with the judge, for these girls to walk our streets today, not even 15 years after that horrible event. 

You see, Hope Rippey and 2 of her accomplices are free today.  Free to live their lives in society, free to do as they please.  Free to work, play, marry and even have children if they choose.  Hope Rippey was sentenced to 50 years, but she is out of prison today.  For every day that Hope Rippey behaved in prison, her sentence was reduced by one day for good behavior.  And as Hope Rippey was acting nice she took our tax dollars and earned a degree, which got her a few more years off her sentence.  Today, the courts say that Hope Rippey is a "productive" member of our society.

Now, I ask all of you, how this can be.  You see, Shanda Renee Sharer had a life that was taken long before it's time was up.  Shanda Renee Sharer then had a chance to protect others from these animals by simply having her day in court in front of a jury that would have surely sentenced all of these girls to death.  Instead, like her life, she was never given this chance because a prosecutor was to lazy to do his job.  To lazy to take such an easy and clear cut capital murder case to trial.  To lazy to stand up and fight to rid our streets of this scum the way Shanda Renee Sharer fought for her life.

I never had the chance to meet Shanda Renee Sharer or Hope Rippey or any of the others involved in this stomach churning example of how cruel people can be to one another.  I have only had the chance to read the story and records concerning this act.  But, I can tell you that I am crying for Shanda Renee Sharer and I vow that even though these things are free today that I will now help Shanda Renee Sharer stand up and fight one more time to protect others from suffering the same types of torture she so bravely endured. 

We love you Shanda Renee Sharer and for you we will now pick up the fight.

I urge all who read this to ask the state of Indiana to reconsider it's position on capital punishment for minors who commit capital murder.  I also ask that as I gather the names of the other girls who participated in this act and specifically the one that is still in prison, that we all work to help little Shanda and all the other little ones out there by writing to the Indiana Parole Board to keep her in prison as long as physically possible, and then maybe even a little longer.

7:43 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Love never did exist

The clock on the stand

Ticks away the time

With Blood in my hand

Death on my mind....

The girl wants the boy

Carnal needs and visions

She wants to be my toy

For me to make her incision....

She lies down for the moment

Knowing things will change

And with an instant

Life can never be the same...

Her lips put forth a scream

Blood silences her heart

Her fingertips hold my dreams

As I force her body apart....

Suddenly there is a rupture

Deep within her body

And as the cold frost begins to warm her

The sun suddenly causes her to no longer be...

Her breath floats through the darkening sky

Her soul finds no angels

Suddenly she can no longer realize

What it was like in hell

The water sears her flesh

And the soil continues to burn

As she searches for a place to confess

To tell them all that she has learned...

But preacher closed the booth

And the nuns aren't taking requests

Mother  Mary seems so obtuse

And they said God will not accept less....

Now she lies on the corner

Searching through the sky

Looking for me to hold her

Where her bleeding body lies

6:22 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment