Paying Mercedes rates on a Mercury budget? Look into auto loan refinancing. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Some people might be led to believe that loan modification is just for mortgages, but that really isn’t the case. You can refinance your auto loans, too. In fact, right now could be a better time than ever to refinance car loans, as rates for car loans are lower than they have been in a while. You can turn your car loans into low interest loans if you refinance at the right time.

Refinancing not only for mortgages

You can refinance a car loan just like you can get mortgage loan modification. In fact, the rates available for car loan refinancing are low enough right now that you may not be able to afford not to refinance your car. According to the Washington Post, auto loan rates are trending lower. Lenders are looking to lend, and dealerships are looking to sell. However, bear in mind that there’s a difference between a loan you get from a bank and one from a dealership. Loans from a dealership often carry higher rates because they’re trying to make more money as the middle man between you and the bank.

What’s the catch?

There is, as there always is, a small catch. Auto loans are tied to your credit score; the higher your score, the lower the rate. So auto loans for bad credit may not be able to be refinanced or even modified. The same article in the Washington Post puts high credit score auto loans at 5.7 percent, but those for low credit score borrowers are as high as 18.5 percent. There are also fees and conditions imposed by each individual lender, so make sure you do your homework.

To refi or not refi?

Well, this is available more for people with great credit, rather than for those who aren’t. Also, you want to be careful of who advertises loan modification. The fastest growing type of scam around is the loan modification scheme, so make sure you know who you’re doing business with before you commit or hand over any cash.

Further Reading

The Washington Post

The VIP loans Countrywide made in 2002 and 2003 are sparking ethics investigations. Image The Truth About/Flickr.

Several Washington D.C. lawmakers have been caught up in an ethics investigation over VIP cash loans given to their staffs. These “VIP” or “sweetheart” loans were all made by Countrywide, which was recently purchased by Bank of America. These VIP cash advances may end up causing ethical or legal problems for a few senators.

Countrywide’s VIP loans

In documents recently released by Bank of America, it was revealed that Countrywide wrote a huge number of “sweetheart” loans. These low interest rate, no credit check loan products appear to have been targeted to senators’ staffs. Republican Senator Issa, who filed an ethics complaint stemming from these loans, points out a “high concentration” of loans to D.C. staffers. The theory is that Countrywide wrote these fast cash loans in hopes of influencing Senator’s staff members and the Senators. The loans were made mostly in 2002 and 2003.

Ethics complaints over loans

Senator Issa filed the ethics complaints against several senators. Last year, Senator Dodd and Senator Conrad were both “scolded” by the Ethics Committee. These two senators were told to “be more careful to avoid the appearance of favoritism from Countrywide.” Despite the scolding, both senators were cleared of actual rules violations. Senator Robert Bennett has been named in the most recent ethics complaint. Twelve of the 30 named “VIP loans” went to members of his staff.

Naming the loan recipients

The Senate Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is doing the latest investigation on Countrywide VIP cheap loans. A subpoena has been issued to Bank of America to provide all loan documents where the VIP loan department issued loans to borrowers who listed “U.S. Senate” as their employer. Thus far, Bank of America has provided 37,000 documents related to Countrywide and their lending practices. If the loan recipients are actually named, it could be a serious issue in upcoming elections.

Senator Burnett responds

Republican Senator Burnett, who is not running for re-election, has responded in detail to the ethics complaint filed against him. In short, Senator Burnett said that he does not make it a point to find out where his staffers do their banking. Mortgages and unsecured loans, he said, are personal matters that he did not specifically ask his employees about.

Don't forget, even cheap furniture is expensive to ship. Image from Flikr.

It never fails. Any time a business is mentioned on the “Today” show, it suddenly becomes infinitely more popular as people seek to find the company’s web site, study it and book mark it so they will be able to find it any time they are trying to do the thing that “Today” suggested they use it for.

Today the lucky business is Boyle’s Furniture, a discount furniture store in North Carolina. The “Today” show ran a short segment this morning about saving money on furniture and other housewares such as wallpaper and fabric. Boyle’s Furniture was mentioned by name, and now everyone wants to know about this magical place where the “Today” show says you can get a $5,000 piece of furniture for $500.

The Boyle’s Furniture web site

I visited the Boyle’s Furniture web site, and it reminds me a lot of retail stores that sell brand name merchandise at discount prices. That is, the clothing isn’t super cheap like you’d find at a thrift store, but you can get expensive brands at regular prices. I would still have to take out cheap loans to get a new wardrobe at those places, but I could get fancier stuff than I’d be able to afford otherwise.

Most of the stuff I saw at Boyle’s Furniture cost about half of the retail price.  That means a $2,000 piece of furniture costs closer to $1,000. While that is a significant discount, the piece of furniture featured on “Today” was a $5,000 piece that was on sale for $500. This is very rare, so don’t get your hopes up too much.

Spoiled by online shopping?

There are two main sections of the Boyle’s Furniture web site. One is Discount Furniture Shopping and the other is Online Furniture Outlet. As far as I understand it, you can buy the discount furniture, not the outlet furniture, on the web site. The outlet furniture section shows things that are available in the Boyle’s Furniture show room.

I think the crazy, 90 percent off deals are only available in the showroom. I can’t exactly verify that right now because the Boyle’s Furniture web site is crashing. So here’s some information to prepare you for what you can expect when you are able to visit Boyle’s Furniture web site:

• Pieces are mostly 50 percent off
• Shipping costs extra
• A lot of items are not available for shipping

Plan ahead, see the big picture

One of the people on the “Today” show commented that even if you did have to buy a plane ticket to go to a furniture warehouse where the merchandise was 80 to 90 percent off, you’d still save money. That is true. However, before  you go hopping on any planes to buy furniture, just remember you’re not going to be able to check an armoire with your other bags or stow an armchair in the overhead compartment.

You are still going to have to pay for shipping if you go to a furniture sale outside your area. The best way to save money on furniture if you live in North Carolina is to go to the Boyle’s Furniture show room and pick up the cheap stuff. Likewise, if you live somewhere else, search for a local furniture outlet so you don’t have to pay to have your furniture shipped.

Access a university education from home with Academic Earth (Photo: flickr.com)

The more you know, the more socially, intellectually and (in some cases) physically able you become. Being a well-rounded citizen, friend and self-sustaining individual are all ends that can be achieved in large part through education. Unfortunately, many give up on the idea that they have to continue to learn throughout their lives if they want to challenge themselves, grow and live vibrant lives. Too many accept the black and white the world gives, topping it off on rare occasion with a splotch of gray. This is a tragedy, in that the world is filled with veins of colorful experience. Knowledge of how to live – rather than merely subsist – is essential for people of all ages. If the brain isn’t stimulated, the chance of senior onset dementia in later life is increased.

Use your mind while you’ve got it

Some people make good in college and truly expand their mental horizons. Others turn away from that kind of life and choose a trade, an average job or simply to drop out. Still more would love to be exposed to a university education, but lack the funds or the time to actually attend college. Sure, cheap loans or cheap payday loans can help with a little money once in a while, but not enough to bankroll a college education.

Yet there is hope. The popularity of distance learning has exploded across the World Wide Web, resulting in the availability of high-level university lectures covering a wide variety of topics. Two of the best aggregators of this video content are Academic Earth and OpenCulture.com. At no cost to you and on your own time via online video, you can view complete lectures from MIT, Harvard, Yale, Berkley and Princeton, among other esteemed universities. It’s all organized by topic and is easy to search, too.

“Hulu for nerds”

Farhad Manjoo writes for Slate that for anyone who has free time, there’s no excuse to stop learning. He recounts how he was able to hop from one lecture to the next, learning about everything from the origins of the current recession to long-term investing and more. Most of the lectures were very engaging, and for those that weren’t, leaving was as easy as a mouse click. Hop from the lecture halls of one university to the next without the travel costs… in no time at all! Academic Earth, while not an organization that can provide you with college credit, can give you nearly all the same material you’d receive in a traditional college classroom. They give you education when you want it. You can even subscribe in podcast fashion. As Manjoo describes it, “it’s like Hulu, but for nerds.”

And being a nerd is a good thing

Lead a busy life? Academic Earth is available when you need it! (Photo: flickr.com)

Academic Earth picks and chooses the best of the best, and its organization scheme couldn’t be easier to navigate. Google tried to achieve something similar with Knol, but the results were less user-friendly. In both cases, however, you are learning from acknowledged experts in their fields, as opposed to anonymous commentators that tend to color what appears on Wikipedia. Academic Earth, in Majoo’s estimation, bests Knol in that it presents material in the complete context of a course, whereas Knol is comprised solely of articles experts want to contribute at the time.

Academic Earth’s videos are generally of high quality, and make both the professor’s notes and spoken words quite clear. Discussion with students is sometimes included as well, but as the students aren’t speaking directly into microphones, the sound quality of their questions varies. Lecture notes, transcripts, handouts and homework are even available, but as this is all made available at the online student’s leisure, there is no grading pressure. How you use the material is up to you.

No grades?

Well, that isn’t entirely true. Viewers can grade the lectures to help clue the Academic Earth student community at large in to which lecturers pack that extra something that makes learning more fun. The base grade on a given lecture is “B,” but that can change based upon user reviews.

Where’s the profit?

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Richard Ludlow, Academic Earth’s founder, ultimately envisions his site as an agent for change. He told BusinessWeek that he hopes it will help lower the cost of education worldwide. But that can’t be done for free, or with just a few cheap loans or with cheap payday loans. While users can view videos for free, Academic Earth is a for-profit company. Thus, Ludlow’s initial plan is to add supplementary content that falls outside the Creative Commons. He will sell advertising on these.

Your college experience may vary

Studies have shown that distance learning can be highly effective, so the future of sites like Academic Earth is bright. Currently they do not replace a college diploma (as they are not an accredited academic institution), but who knows what the future will hold? I don’t believe online only education can ever fully replace the traditional college experience (some would argue the social element alone is worth the price of admission), but a more intense integration of online and on-site learning seems possible.

However, there are plenty of people out there who simply want to learn and are not worried about whether they’ll receive college credit or grab the reins of that “college experience.” No essays, finals, or boring discussions are to be found on Academic Earth. The bad ones generally don’t make it onto the site, and the lukewarm tend to be voted into oblivion by the user base. Plug in and spend an afternoon expanding your mind. Tune into one of Academic Earth’s playlists, even. But this isn’t merely an iTunes list of rock anthems or slow jams… it’s the tune a happy brain plays when it’s filled with interesting food for thought.

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While the old “fight fire with fire” saying doesn’t really make any sense, it does make sense to fight the internet with the internet. In response to all of the outlandish rumors and lies surrounding health care legislation, the Obama administration has launched Reality Check, a web site that addresses health care legislation concerns — fabricated or not.

Not surprisingly, at the top of the Reality Check site is a video addressing “the malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors.”

Why such a hot topic?

I often get frustrated when reading about the arguments against the Obama administration’s health care reform program. So far, all I have seen are arguments against fabricated claims, not the actual legislation. Sure, people take exception to the cost, which isn’t going to be covered with cheap loans or out of thin air, but the only individuals who will be paying for health care reform are those who make more than $350,000 a year.

These are the six videos that appear on Reality Check, addressing the main concerns that have popped up in various media:

• Reform will stop “rationing” — not increase it
• The “euthanasia” distortion on help for families
• Vets’ health care is safe and sound
• Reform will benefit small business — not burden it
• Your medicare is safe, and stronger with reform
• You can keep your own insurance

Paying for priorities

The Republican Party is falling back on two of the main blocks in the party foundation: freedom and money. Although the party is bound and determined to prove that health care reform will infringe on people’s freedom, that simply isn’t true. For people who want to keep the insurance they currently have, nothing will change. For people who want to use the national health care option, there are rules and regulations very similar to a private health insurance plan.

People opposed to health care reform also argue about the cost, but what could possibly be more important than the health and well-being of our country’s citizens? The same people who jump at the chance to spend billions fighting wars in other countries won’t even listen to arguments for why we should take care of our own people at home, and they’re willing to lie and cheat to stop it. Mind-blowing.

More resources on Reality Check

Besides the videos debunking the major myths, the Reality Check web site also has a section on consumer protections and a Frequently Asked Questions section.

Before you jump on the bandwagon, one way or the other, I highly recommend you head to Reality Check to watch short, simple, clear, accurate videos that address questions about health care reform. If you keep an open mind and focus on the well-being of individuals rather than politics, talking points or party affiliation, you just might learn something. You still might not agree with health care reform, but at least you’ll have your facts straight.

You can also sign up for newsletters and share Reality Check on your Facebook page with the click of a button.

With the cost of virtually everything going up, with no end in sight, it has become that much harder to make every dollar stretch. From higher grocery bills to the increasing cost of filling up your gas tank, more and more people have found themselves in need of such essentials, but falling short on others such as the rent, electricity, water or the phone bills.

We’ve all been there

It seems as if so many people have found themselves in such situations. Then, should a more pressing emergency expense rear its ugly head, such as a broken down car, it can make everything spin out of control, especially as more Americans find themselves in less-than-perfect credit situations. Should this happen to you, you have a friend indeed with you apply with us for cheap loans.

Ease the pain of prices on the rise!

Cheap loans can get your there when you’re in a pinch. We are able to help almost everyone in obtaining low fee payday loans, instant payday loans, same day payday loans, installment payday loans, payday cash loans and fast payday loans that can be deposited as soon as the end of the day or shortly thereafter. This online-based payday loan “match maker” also has great working relationships with reputable lenders who might be able to wire you payday advance loans, easy payday loans, online payday loans or even cheap payday loans and payday loans for bad credit to those whose credit ratings have also taken a beating.

Do you qualify?

Seeing if you qualify for no fax payday loans, quick payday loans and easy online payday loans is so simple and painless that virtually anyone can complete the application process. The completely secure web-based application takes only a few minutes, inquiring for your social security number, employment and total income information and a few other things that will verify your ability to repay, should you be approved for easy online payday loans.
You can be assured, however, that when you submit your application in hopes of obtaining faxless payday loans, payday loans online, bad credit payday loans, or any other kinds of easy online payday loans, state-of-the-art encryption and other security measures are always utilized to keep your sensitive information safe and out of the reach of identity thieves or other cyber criminals.

Don’t wait!

However, the best thing about seeking assistance obtaining any sorts of cheap loans is that waiting around for your funds to be deposited is kept to a minimum. In fact, with some lenders who may be able to help you, they can have money wired into your active checking account as soon as the end of the business day. So, if you can’t pay the bills and buy the milk eggs and bread, don’t pay late. Use cheap loans instead!

Justice. (Photo: Infidelsparadise.com)

Anyone who commits a crime should be held responsible for their actions. This includes celebrities and superstar athletes who frequently find themselves in a position where they are held above the law. No special plea bargains, no special privileges,  no skating where normal people would be put away for hard time. The time in which high-powered attorneys and PR teams can confuse juries by obfuscating the truth and wage war on those who sue their clients – beating them back via pure attrition – must end. The dog fighting crimes for which Michael Vick was arrested and served time were heinous, resulting in the careless death of many animals.

Now we see news of Michael Vick reinstated by the NFL. This is a colossal mistake and I hope that fans boycott whatever team signs him (there will be one, as he is an athletic talent, if not a great quarterback). That would include all of said team’s sponsors. Hit them where it hurts, where a team will notice. Put them in a place where they need cheap loans for quick cash. However, if you attend their games, watch them on television or purchase the merchandise of Vick’s new team, you are labeling yourself a barbarian. You are saying that it’s ok to maim and kill animals for your amusement. You, sir or ma’am, would label yourself a disgusting excuse for a human being.

Commissioner Goodell has lost his mind

Mark Maske reports for the Washington Post that on behalf of the National Football League, Commissioner Roger Goodell has agreed to a condition-laden reinstatement of Michael Vick. Currently, Vick is allowed to attempt to sign with a team and participate in their training camp activities.

I’ve been waiting for football to show a chink in its armor like this for a while. Since baseball is America’s true sport, I’m hopeful that this Michael Vick business will hurt the game of football enough that baseball will regain ground. That’s what you get with crazy labor problems and traditionally poor marketing – you lose your spot as the national game. Now, pick up the baton and try to run again, baseball.

Tony Dungy, too? He’s also making a huge mistake for associating with Michael Vick

Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy has agreed to be Vick’s advisor. Sure Vick needs help, but will that help mean anything? PETA (yes, a hypocritical “animal rights” group, but they make good points in this case) had this to say about Vick and rehabilitation earlier this year:

PETA sent a letter to the National Football League asking that convicted dog fighter Michael Vick be subjected to a psychological test as well as an MRI brain scan like the one now in use at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in order to look for evidence of clinical psychopathy or anti-social personality disorder. Based on the fact that Vick funded and participated in a massive dog fighting operation (playing a direct role in hanging, drowning, or shooting countless dogs-and even slamming dogs to the ground to break their backs), it might seem obvious that there’s something wrong with the guy. But whether or not Vick is indeed a clinical psychopath is an important piece of a bigger puzzle.

PETA believes that Michael Vick should have to pass such tests in order to prove he is not longer a danger to living things. I support this idea, specifically because the nature of his crimes are beyond disgusting.

I doubt he can be reformed

It doesn’t matter how many anti-dog fighting PSAs he does online and on TV. If this is as pathological as it seems, Vick has much in common with pedophiles, serial killers and others who exhibit sociopathic behavior. You don’t have to love animals to understand how wrong what Vick did was in his dog fighting ring. He raised them for slaughter, neglected them and made them desperate, violent beasts. All for his amusement. He should still be in prison, and ideally his organs should be harvested so that people in dire medical need could make better use of them.

It’s called “indefinite suspension” for a reason, Goodell

And that reason is not so that he can be definitely reinstated. Sure, Vick may be out of federal custody now (another titanic mistake, but who needs justice anyway?). Sure, he’s missed the last two NFL seasons while serving his sentence. But an average person who did what he did with animals wouldn’t see the light of day for a LONG time.

But here’s what it comes down to. Money! Vick is a proven moneymaker, despite numerous weapons and drug-related arrests previous, which ALSO would have put an average person away for a LONG time. The 29-year-old sociopath Michael Vick was released by the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, perhaps the only sensible thing that has occurred in this chain of unbelievably poor decision-making.

Who wants to sign this chump?

It isn’t clear. Nobody has the courage to fess up, although I imagine Oakland and Dallas will be first in line. Average people look to cheap loans for quick cash when they’re in trouble. If you’re in that boat, you can apply right here.

Athletes depend upon the senility of Al Davis and Jerry Jones

“This step-by-step approach is not meant to be a further punishment and should not be viewed as such,” said Goodell in a letter to the convicted dog fighter.

Really, Roger? Wouldn’t want to yield a firm hand here, now would we? The legal system has cleared failed taxpayers once more here, so perhaps you could be a voice of reason and police your own league? No? OK, I’m done with football if anybody signs this cancer. I will not watch a game or buy an NFL-themed product. I’ll also steer away from NFL sponsors. I encourage everyone else to do the same, even if you’re a die-hard football fan. Show that you’ve got a pair and teach evildoers a lesson.

But the Amazing Goodell goes on

“Instead, it is intended to maximize the prospect that you can successfully resume your career and your life. I believe that a transitional approach with a strong network of support will give you the best opportunity to manage effectively the various issues and pressures that you will inevitably face in the coming weeks and months and earn your full reinstatement.”

Michael Vick reinstated? Shouldn’t have happened. He should remain in jail, then eventually be released as an employee of the State of Virginia. Community service for a couple of decades with a reasonable stipend of compensation would be a positive step. He cannot be allowed endorsements of any kind. He cannot return to a position of public adoration, a position that children hold up as a role model. “Do as I say, not as I do” isn’t enough. Michael Vick needs to be held to the same standard a non-celebrity would be. He needs to repay his debt to society.

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Mayor Peter Cammarano (Photo: thehobokenjournal.blogspot.com)

A mayor and some rabbis walk into a bar. They launder lots of money on an international scale while they’re there, so they are arrested. That’s exactly what happened to Peter Cammarano and the rabbis arrested in a huge money laundering scheme that the New York Daily News calls a “sweeping” probe. If they needed money, there are plenty of honest quick cash to be had from cheap loans. But they chose the path that isn’t kosher with the laws of the land.

Here’s the skinny

Dozens of individuals, including Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, at least five rabbis and numerous other “top-ranking New Jersey politicians and dozens of others in the Garden State and Brooklyn” were taken in by the busload by law enforcement. They are alleged to be involved in a money laundering network of international proportions. In total 44 people were charged during raids against the operation, which is believe to operate between Deal, New Jersey, Brooklyn, New York and somewhere in Israel.

The money went through charities controlled by the rabbis

According to AP reports, “Peter Cammarano, Secaucus, New Jersey Mayor Denis Elwell, Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Baldini, Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega and two state assemblymen” were rounded up by the FBI and are headed for U.S. District Court.

What makes this all the more stunning is that Peter Cammarano had only been in office for three weeks. He is being charged with accepting $25,000 in bribes from an undercover operative. More big money that is documented as having changed hands is $15,000 in bribes for building approvals to Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith and $10,000 to Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt.

Mmmmm… organ meat

You don't need to see my identification. These aren't the rabbis you're looking for. (Photo: bangitout.com)

Numerous area rabbis have been charged with washing the gains of criminal activities through the guise of donation to their own charities. That may be shocking, but there’s someone else who stands out. The AP points to Levy Rosenbaum, a Brooklynite who has apparently been trafficking in human organs for 10 years. Rosenbaum reportedly convinced the sick to donate their kidneys for $10,000. After obtaining them, he’d quickly sell them for $160,000 each to those in need, say prosecutors.

Oh, there’s a gubernatorial race going on there, too

Incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine is battling against Republican Chris Christie. How happy are they that this scandal has nothing to do with them (so far as we know)? I still want to know why the rabbis were so short of cash that they felt they had to resort to such illegal means of filling the temple. What would dear old Solomon say? Likely, he’d say that they should take the quick cash from cheap loans and cut it right in half. The one who protests the loudest would be forced to be the whipping boy for the members of the charity who believed their operation was honest.

Hey, I wonder if this can be traced back to Madoff? He’s an easy target. Your budget, however, doesn’t have to be. If you need quick cash, apply now below. Solomon is watching you…

Related Video:

Huh! I'm gonna be a disciple. Huh! (Photo: earthhopenetwork.net)

(Aka, we should have listened to Jefferson. CLICK HERE if you missed part one of this article)

Morality? No time. The Family says I’m going to Argentina on taxpayer bucks. Ta ta!

Yes, they reject the kind of morality that is the basis of a citizen’s trust in their elected officials. Instead of my attempt to explain it, enjoy this priceless stuff, courtesy of Sharlet’s observations. He went undercover inside The Family…

In the core of The Family, they actually reject the idea of morality for their members. They believe that morality is a secular construct, that morality is something made by man for little people like us, and that if you are part of God’s chosen, as we’ve been talking about – what The Family believes that they are the sort of New Chosen by God – morality, ethics, these things don’t apply to you. That doesn’t mean that they endorse adultery, it just means that they’re not paying attention as much to it. And then you combine that to a, frankly, fairly misogynist viewpoint. They subscribe to an idea of male headship. In some of their documents, Doug Coe, the leader of the group, was actually advising another member on what to do with his wife, who the member felt was demonically possessed, and Doug Coe said that’s quite possible. The symptoms, were, and there’s just no way to make this sound respectable, the symptoms were that the woman was complaining that she wasn’t sexually satisfied by her husband. That was, to them, a symptom of demonic possession. I mean, it sounds crazy and it would be silly, if it weren’t happening right in the middle of Washington with these men who are so powerful – who are congressmen and then lobbyists in this revolving door that seems to be facilitated by The Family.

Was Jenny Sanford demonically possessed? Was Maria Chapur Mark’s chance to avoid possession?

Oh, this is deliciously disgusting. Disgusting because these people were voted into office by thinking, mouth-breathing folks. Delicious because the folly of mixing church and state is being exposed on a larger scale than ever before in this country. If one of the greatest forefathers of America (Thomas Jefferson) understood that there needed to be a “wall of separation” between church and state, perhaps more people who bomb abortion clinics in the name of a nation they claim was “founded” by Christianity will do their research.

Tiahrt: “Abort Obama, too many Moslem children, Hitler’s a nice guy”

Speaking of abortions… Sharlet says The Family is grooming Todd Tiahrt as “a disciple?” Wow.

Following up on the their previous interview, Rachel Maddow talked to Sharlet again, this time in greater detail about Tiahrt. See the interview below. Pay particular attention to the discussion of “Christ Plus None” and the idea of “the totalitarianism of Christ.” Then see how you feel about the following, in Sharlet’s words:

(Doug Coe) said to Tiahrt what you need to do is form a covenant with your brothers in Christ, like Ensign and Coburn and Sanford. He says when you do this, when you commit total loyalty to each other, and you vow to keep up each others secrets, you can accomplish much more. And he gave to Congressman Tiahrt examples of guys who had done this very well, he thought. Hitler, Pol Pot, Osama bin Laden, and Lenin, and it just makes your jaw drop that Congressman Tiahrt thought this was very wise advice.

Take back your country from religious fundamentalism before it’s too late.

If you need money to make signs, I hear personal loans and cheap loans are available. They aren’t something The Family can “moralize” away.

Related Video:

Wait, Coburn's really a deacon, not a senator! C Street confessions are protected, you sorry chumps (Photo: crooksandliars.com)

Do you feel comfortable with your elected officials belonging to a secret society that “rejects morality as a secular construct of man?” Do you find it troubling that the same officials then take it upon themselves to “moralize” on the topic of why cheap loans and personal loans are bad for their constituents, all the while seeing no problem with abandoning their publicly appointed duties and committing marital infidelity? It should bother you, because your elected officials are openly stating that they serve a power that is more important than citizens like yourself that they have pledged to serve.

Very worried

Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina. Senator John Ensign of Nevada. Congressman Chip Pickering (See: http://blog.au.org/2009/07/21/family-values-secretive-c-street-band-is-wild-and-not-so-innocent/) of Mississippi. Congressman Todd Tiahrt of Kansas. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. These politicians and others are a part of a fellowship at C Street House, where they follow the teachings of “The Family.” Their secret society apparently supersedes their obligation to the public. If they were told to aid the family in a way that would violate their commitment to The Family, these men would do it. And they are completely unapologetic of that fact. How can voters make sure a mistake about such an overall lack of character and substance? Ah, I know. They don’t pay attention when they vote, or they vote the way religious figures advise them to and give it no further thought. Baaaaaaa! Baaaaaaa! Trade your brains in for shovels, because you should bury yourselves during important times like elections. Or at least turn in your citizenship for magic Moses beans. Then the beanstalk will trip you on the way to the polls… or the mailbox… or whatever. What I’m saying is, please don’t vote without a brain… again.

They do not answer to you

Democratic Underground draws our attention to a July 16 interview on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” Jeff Sharlet, journalist and author of the book “The Family: Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power,” speaks of how the extramarital affairs committed recently by high-profile politicians were known about for months before the knowledge became public. The fellowship and The Family as a whole supposedly knew, and in some cases, a lot of money began to change hands in order to keep things quiet. And that appears to be just the tip of the iceberg at C Street House. As Sharlet puts it, “There’s a level when you are at the C Street house, It’s almost like a fundamentalist frat house. The Family sees their oath to one another as more important than their accountability to the public.”

CLICK HERE and see how Todd Tiahrt of Kansas steers this into even more dangerous waters…

(Photo: BrewedDaily.com)

Is a trip to Starbucks a part of your morning ritual? It is for so many people, even though the difficult economy has made a venti cappuccino habit less financially viable than it would have been in better days. However, Starbucks realizes two things:

1. If you’re going to get a good start in the morning, whether it be at work or at school, you need more than coffee to stay balanced.
2. People need freebies more than ever these days; there are enough reasons why we need quick cash from cheap loans. A balanced breakfast shouldn’t be one of them.

How do you get your free pastry?

Make sure you bring in the coupon at starbucks.com/retail/free_pastry.html!

Publications everywhere are publicizing this free Starbucks event. The Dayton Business Journal reports that the coffee megalith will provide every beverage-purchasing customer who wants one a free pastry. The giveaway will occur on Tuesday, July 21 only, from the time a store opens until 10:30 a.m. (or until the pastry supply is gone). Only dedicated Starbucks stores are participating, which means Barnes and Noble cafes will not be participating in this offer. Furthermore, Hawaii and airports are also not in on this deal.

If morning coffee is your mantra, add a pastry to your focus on Tuesday, July 21!

In case you missed it

What pastries are included in this offer by Starbucks? I’m glad you asked, freebie lover! You’ll have your choice of a muffin, scone, bagel, croissant, roll, bread, pound cake, morning bun, coffeecake, cheese Danish, apple fritter, tart, piece of pie or other pastry. That’s pretty inclusive, so if you’re planning a Starbucks run Tuesday morning, you’d be a fool to pass this up. Unless you’re gluten intolerant – then I’d say you’re being safe. However, Starbucks does offer some gluten-free pastries, so even you would have no excuse. Eat! Eat! Eat! It’s free! Free! Free! No quick cash for cheap loans required!

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(Photo: pregnancy-bliss.co.uk)

Once a woman approaches 40 years of age, conventional medical wisdom states that if she wants to conceive children, the risk of said children having birth defects increases dramatically. Thus, conventional family planning strategy would dictate getting an earlier start on giving birth. Cash advance and cheap loans can help with only a tiny portion of the hospital bills an extended stay in ICU for malformed infants can rack up.

It’s a potential tragedy most would avoid

But Maria del Carmen Bousada was not like most women. At 66 years and change, the Spaniard became the oldest verified mother in documented history. I say documented history because Omkari Panwar of India claimed to be 70 years old when she had twin boys and a girl just this month; she had no birth certificate to verify her claim.

She vowed that she would see her two infant sons live into adulthood, yet she already knew that she had a tumor that could be like threatening, according to the Spanish newspaper Diario de Cadiz.

Her twin sons are orphaned

Cancer has taken the life of Maria del Carmen Bousada at 69 years of age. According to the London Times, she died in a hospital near Cadiz. Think of it; her children are so young that they are unlikely to have many lasting memories of their birth mother. Bousada’s family, who will now take care of the twins, will have to provide the children with a strong emotional base if they are to avoid any future identity crisis.

And she had the kids in vitro!

Let me remind you, this is after she discovered she had a tumor. Bousada went to the U.S. and paid over $49,000 in order to have the children. She even had to lie to the doctors in order to avoid their age limit policy. She claimed she was only 55.

I will not pretend to know exactly what was running through Maria del Carmen Bousada’s mind when she decided to have children. Was there a feeling of emptiness, fear that life would soon be over and she wanted to check this off her bucket list? Or was her motivation less selfish and more loving? Considering her health condition, hindsight is an absolutely clear 20/20: her decision was ill-conceived.

Spanish media and Bousada’s family agree with me

“My mother would turn in her grave if she knew what my sister has done,” said Manuel Bousada de Lara, 73. He is Maria’s brother. “Mother would ask: ‘How are you going to bring up two boys at your age?”

The family was definitely taken by surprise with this Cesarean birth. Maria had told them she went to California, but not because she was going to undergo in vitro fertilization therapy. Which generation will raise the babies? Not Maria del Carmen Bousada’s brother Manuel, who is four years older. Thankfully there are cousins that range in age from their 30s to 40s.

But she already knew!

Maria del Carmen Bousada told News of the World of her desire, but only after a period in which she refused to speak with the media: “I have always wanted to be a mother all my life, but I have never had the opportunity or met the right man. My mother lived to 101 years-old and I have every reason to believe longevity runs in my family.”

Unfortunately, Maria herself suspected that the drugs she used during her fertility treatments caused her cancer to spread.

Yet she claims she has “no regrets”

Here's the world's oldest father: Nanu Ram Jogi, 90. He is NOT involved with Maria Carmen del Bousada in any way. (Photo: dailymail.co.uk)

No regrets? NO REGRETS! Reproductive rights are one thing, but what was this woman’s main problem? The welfare of these two children supersedes any respect Maria del Carmen Bousada may deserve upon her death. She comes across as a selfish, brainless fool.

Here are some reactions from readers in the Spanish press. In El Mundo:

This woman for her own ego and lack of common sense did not think that these two children would have to defend themselves very soon. I hope they do not suffer the consequences of such an irresponsible decision.

And another:

Most women live to 80. It wasn’t likely she was going to live to see her sons over the age of about 13. It is barbarous what she has done.

The children of Maria del Carmen Bousada deserved a mature mother, not an impulsive 66-year-old adolescent. The children deserved better. Here’s hoping the family will provide them with a happy, healthy life. And who knows: a cash advance here, some cheap loans there, and emergency child expenses can be taken care of if there’s a budget emergency.

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