It was a little more than 10 years ago when walking down the street from my home in Chicago, that I saw a woman was opening a small "Wash your Own Dog" business. While I wished her well, I was concerned that the business would not last 3 months. I never could have guessed that her micro business would out last General Motors.
For many decades GM stood for all that was right with the American economy. http://urbaninsuranceagency.com/insurance-articles/241/too-big-to-fail%3f.html It was a shining symbol of the power of America and our dominance in the world. The problem with being a symbol; is when times change; you quickly find yourself represented as all that is wrong, and how far we have slid.
We can not compete by having the lowest priced work force. America will not benefit from a "Race to the Bottom";but gone are the days when we can kid ourselves in to thinking that we in some way above the global economy, or that we can survive just selling to each other, the goods other countries have produced.We need to actuality make something. We also need to understand the world markets, and produce cars that global market wants to buy.
I do believe GM will come out of bankruptcy and has a real chance of returning to profitability (albeit, a smaller company)
Monday, June 1, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Iraq Torture Photos
A friend sent my an Email yesterday titled "Iraq Torture Photos." When I hoped the email, rather that find pictures of our troops engaged in the torture of suspected terrorists, it showed U.S. Troops involved in innocent play with Iraq's civilians and or helping rebuild the nation.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Unfortunately this is Bush's AMERICA
My response to him was- Yes, I agree / This IS AMERICA.
We are the most Moral, Charitable nation is the history of the world.
Every time there is news of a famine, or a deadly flood anywhere in the world, it is America that is first to offer aid and support. No nation has ever been a greater cause of good, a stronger voice for the oppressed, than America.
The U.S. Armed Forces have consistently been asked, and volunteered to come to the aid of those in need. 
A nation working to help find peace in the middle-East,Northern Ireland , came to the aid of Kuwait .
Time and time again we have proven ourselves to be the "Great Moral Compass" of the world.
Yes this America!
________________________________________________________________________________________
Unfortunately this is Bush's AMERICA
How many years will children in the Muslim world see these pictures and think this is America?
The damage caused by us loosing our "Moral Authority" is a greater threat than any information we might have gained by lowering our standards.
The damage caused by us loosing our "Moral Authority" is a greater threat than any information we might have gained by lowering our standards.
Let America return to what president Reagan called "The shining city on the hill". Let us return to the spirit of greatness, that moral center, that makes so many of us so proud to be Americans.
Larry Lubell
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Car insurance fraud on the rise
It is so secret that desperate people do desperate things.
Just as foreclosures on homes are are rising, an increasing number of Americans are also finding them self saddled with loan payments on luxury cars they can no longer afford. As a result of years of “Easy loans” and “Too good to pass up offers” many people bought expensive autos with little or no money down.
In a slow economy with a glut of new and used cars that dealers are having a difficult time selling, the value of these luxury cars have fallen off dramatically. The result of this decline in values means for many the amount they owe on the car is greater than the auto’s value. This leaves many people with cars they can not afford to own, but also can’t afford to sell . The real force that often pushes people over-the-edge is when their car experiences a break-down requiring an expensive repair. This can result in a person finding them selves witha car that has a resale value thousands of dollars less than the remaining finance balance, and now they need to lay-out $2,500 for a major repair.
The problem is particularly acute in Las Vegas, where sharp declines in tourism and construction have left thousands of workers unemployed, broke, and desperate. But cities like Chicago, and all over Illinois are also experiencing the same problems.
As I said before, Desperate situations often result in desperate acts. There are some that see no way out of their delima other than to report their auto as stolen hoping that their insurance company will pay the loss and in turn; releive them of the burden of the car. Authorities report a growing number of cars are being dumped in the Great Lakes, and being found burned along roadsides .
A word of warning if you’re considering carrying out any such plan……. Don’t.
Insurance companies are getting much better at discovering these kinds of scams. First your company is likely to check for evidence that could “Raise red flags”. Facts like, have you recently lost your job, is the value of the car low relative to the amount financed, are you behind on your payments. More often when they recover the car (Perhaps stripped and a total loss) they can determine if the car was last driven with a key, and if there was prior damage and or mechanical problems.
The chance that you’ll get away with such a SCAM is far less than it was in years past. Insurance companies “Cracking-down” on these kinds of crimes, have help bring down car insurance costs. More and more insurance companies are taking a very hard line; meaning ,if you get caught you will probably end up being prosecuted criminally, not just having your claim denied.
Larry Lubell
If you have a question, please contact us at 1-800-680-0707
http://www.ubraninsuranceagency.com/
Just as foreclosures on homes are are rising, an increasing number of Americans are also finding them self saddled with loan payments on luxury cars they can no longer afford. As a result of years of “Easy loans” and “Too good to pass up offers” many people bought expensive autos with little or no money down.
In a slow economy with a glut of new and used cars that dealers are having a difficult time selling, the value of these luxury cars have fallen off dramatically. The result of this decline in values means for many the amount they owe on the car is greater than the auto’s value. This leaves many people with cars they can not afford to own, but also can’t afford to sell . The real force that often pushes people over-the-edge is when their car experiences a break-down requiring an expensive repair. This can result in a person finding them selves witha car that has a resale value thousands of dollars less than the remaining finance balance, and now they need to lay-out $2,500 for a major repair.
The problem is particularly acute in Las Vegas, where sharp declines in tourism and construction have left thousands of workers unemployed, broke, and desperate. But cities like Chicago, and all over Illinois are also experiencing the same problems.
As I said before, Desperate situations often result in desperate acts. There are some that see no way out of their delima other than to report their auto as stolen hoping that their insurance company will pay the loss and in turn; releive them of the burden of the car. Authorities report a growing number of cars are being dumped in the Great Lakes, and being found burned along roadsides .
A word of warning if you’re considering carrying out any such plan……. Don’t.
Insurance companies are getting much better at discovering these kinds of scams. First your company is likely to check for evidence that could “Raise red flags”. Facts like, have you recently lost your job, is the value of the car low relative to the amount financed, are you behind on your payments. More often when they recover the car (Perhaps stripped and a total loss) they can determine if the car was last driven with a key, and if there was prior damage and or mechanical problems.
The chance that you’ll get away with such a SCAM is far less than it was in years past. Insurance companies “Cracking-down” on these kinds of crimes, have help bring down car insurance costs. More and more insurance companies are taking a very hard line; meaning ,if you get caught you will probably end up being prosecuted criminally, not just having your claim denied.
Larry Lubell
If you have a question, please contact us at 1-800-680-0707
http://www.ubraninsuranceagency.com/
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Can you see the bottom from here?
For the past year there has been an unending avalanche of ever increasingly bad economic news.
While at first, the disaster seemed to effect those living in, or those holding the paper on homes with "Sub-Prime" loans. Quickly, we found out that the problem was far larger than first thought, and as home prices fell, even those loans that should have had sufficient equity, became "Up-side-down" by falling prices.
We also had a rude awakening when we found that AIG and other institutions that should have been free of any exposure; had engaged in risky investments using "Sub-Prime" loans, hoping for double digit returns, rather than the safer, albeit lower return, products that insurance companies have traditionally used to build their portfolio. In some cases these "Higher returns" were allowing companies to cover up the fact that they were loosing money on the sale of their products.
So, with all of the "Bad News" that we have been inundated for the past year; it is wonderful to finally get some good news.The Dow which have plummeted to 6,469, has actually worked it's way back to 7,839 ( 22% gain). Sales of new homes posted an unexpected gain of 4.7 % in February,
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that orders for durable goods (manufactured products expected to last at least three years) increased 3.4 percent last month, Which was a surprise to economists that expected a 2 % fall .This was the first advance after a record six straight months of declines and the strongest single month gain in 14 months.
"The worst of the drop in (home) sales is over but a sustained recovery, still less price stability, is a way off still," Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note to clients.
Let's not kid our selves into thinking that the "Tough- Times" are over; or even that things in many sectors will not get worse before they begin to get better. But just maybe, this is a sign that at least the rate we are falling is beginning to slow. So let's hold out some hope that we are at least approaching the bottom, and that some positive economic news will be in our future.
While at first, the disaster seemed to effect those living in, or those holding the paper on homes with "Sub-Prime" loans. Quickly, we found out that the problem was far larger than first thought, and as home prices fell, even those loans that should have had sufficient equity, became "Up-side-down" by falling prices.
We also had a rude awakening when we found that AIG and other institutions that should have been free of any exposure; had engaged in risky investments using "Sub-Prime" loans, hoping for double digit returns, rather than the safer, albeit lower return, products that insurance companies have traditionally used to build their portfolio. In some cases these "Higher returns" were allowing companies to cover up the fact that they were loosing money on the sale of their products.
So, with all of the "Bad News" that we have been inundated for the past year; it is wonderful to finally get some good news.The Dow which have plummeted to 6,469, has actually worked it's way back to 7,839 ( 22% gain). Sales of new homes posted an unexpected gain of 4.7 % in February,
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that orders for durable goods (manufactured products expected to last at least three years) increased 3.4 percent last month, Which was a surprise to economists that expected a 2 % fall .This was the first advance after a record six straight months of declines and the strongest single month gain in 14 months.
"The worst of the drop in (home) sales is over but a sustained recovery, still less price stability, is a way off still," Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note to clients.
Let's not kid our selves into thinking that the "Tough- Times" are over; or even that things in many sectors will not get worse before they begin to get better. But just maybe, this is a sign that at least the rate we are falling is beginning to slow. So let's hold out some hope that we are at least approaching the bottom, and that some positive economic news will be in our future.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Banks in danger of closing
Name .................Last Price .....52 Week Low......... 52 Week High
Wells Fargo .....................12.81 ......................8.81 ..................................44.69
JPMorgan Chase ...............20.94 .....................17.70................................ 50.63
Citigroup ..........................2.57 .......................1.61 .................................27.35
BANK OF America .............4.75 .......................2.53.................................. 43.46
Wells Fargo .....................12.81 ......................8.81 ..................................44.69
JPMorgan Chase ...............20.94 .....................17.70................................ 50.63
Citigroup ..........................2.57 .......................1.61 .................................27.35
BANK OF America .............4.75 .......................2.53.................................. 43.46
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Gaza in Flames
After ten days of the latest bloodshed, Gaza seems to be a land where all Hope has vanished.
The unending cycle of violence stems from Hamas's refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist and commitment to destroy the Jewish state. Since Hamas won control of the Palestinian Authority parliament in elections in 2006, they have ratcheted up the level of attacks against Israel, in large part through the use of short range missiles. Hamas had fired 30 rockets at Israel by Tuesday afternoon, the Israeli military said. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida has warned Israel that the militants will continue rocket attacks "for many months" and vowed to strike deeper into Israeli territory. True to their threat, a Hamas rocket landed in the town of Gadera, Israel, about 23 miles north of the Gaza border. Yesterday, a rocket hit a kindergarten in the Israeli city of Ashdod, about 16 miles north of Gaza.
In response to being shelled from Gaza, Israel launched first an air offensive, then as a last resort, followed with sending troupes into the territories. Hamas understands they do not have the equipment to stand toe to toe against the high-tech weaponry of Israel: so instead they look for opportunities to inflict damage, wait for a response; then point to their dead and demand that the world stop Israel. While Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization, by Israel, the United States and the EU; they understand that the Palestinians are seen as the underdogs, and that pressure will be brought down on to Israel. Hamas recognizes that the more horrific the images, the greater the force placed on Israel to pull back. It is for that reason that Hamas intentionally places woman and children in the center of the armed conflict. Place rocket launchers inside a school and fire at the Israelis, if they don't fire back you win, if they do fire back you win. It's a great strategy, as long as you don't care about the deaths of your own children.
Yet again today we saw the same plan used , a spokesman for the Israeli military today said Hamas militants positioned in a school, had fired mortar shells at Israeli forces, prompting return fire.Palestinian sources said 44 were killed in the attack.
U.N. Relief and Works Agency Director John Ging said most of the casualties were outside the school in the Jabalya refugee camp.
"It's a very built-up area, so of course it was entirely inevitable that if artillery shells landed in that area there would be a high number of casualties," he said at a U.N. briefing from Gaza City. A short time later, another artillery shell struck inside a second U.N. school in Jabalya, but Ging said the boys' prep school was empty at the time
Israel continued airstrikes targeting the homes of people linked to Hamas, An overnight airstrike hit the Jabalya home of Imad Siam, one of the leaders of Hamas' military wing according to Hamas security sources. Israel claimed Tuesday to have killed 130 Hamas fighters since beginning a ground offensive at dusk Saturday. An Israeli soldier was killed Tuesday morning in northern Gaza City, the Israeli military said, bringing to six the number of Israeli forces who have died in Gaza since Israel launched its ground incursion.
.Arab foreign ministers met at the United Nations to work up a U.N. draft resolution calling for Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza and for Hamas, which rules the territory, to cease firing rockets at the Jewish state. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to present a resolution drafted by the Arab League to the U.N. Security Council. The resolution will call for Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza and for Hamas to cease firing rockets at the Jewish state.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday told French President Nicolas Sarkozy that Israel wanted a "full solution" to the conflict, not just a cease-fire that allowed Hamas to fortify itself, Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, stated that any cease-fire in the Gaza conflict will require "clear and definitive action" to halt the smuggling of weapons and money into the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory.
"If there is strong action on that front, so that Israel feels it has achieved something -- namely the end of the smuggling of weapons and finance to Hamas -- then I think it is possible to resolve this reasonably quickly," Blair told CNN.
"If that doesn't happen, if we're not in that position, then obviously it's going to go on."
The true tragedy is that it is the most innocent, that often pay the highest price. The threat of Hamas rockets in the south of Israel is taken so seriously that almost all the schools within rocket range of Gaza have locked their gates and told children not to come to school. According to the Israeli government, 300,000 students are affected.
Children accounted for one-third of the casualties at Gaza's main hospital, and now Hamas and their media are making them the face of the attacks.
"When the Jews bomb us when we are asleep, [Hassanin] says 'We get scared,' " a translator says.
Hassanin is one boy from Gaza being interviewed by an anchor on Hamas TV about the attacks.
When we will grow up, we will bomb them back," said Hassanin on Hamas TV
The children have seen terrible images of tragedy: their friends injured or killed and bloodied bodies in the streets.They are images Hassanin says he will never forget. He'll keep them stored away until he's old enough to do something about it.It's a sentiment psychiatrists in Gaza say could be responsible a frightening future -- that the violence children are witnessing will sow the seeds for future violence.
Gaby Schrieber, an Israeli psychiatrist at Barzilai Hospital, says Israeli children get excellent help and structured support -- something he fears children in Gaza won't be receiving.
And if they don't get the support they need or hope for a better future, Schrieber worries what will happen to them.
"Where is hope for them, and how can they structure their future in their minds?" Schrieber said. "They can become extremists."
After ten days of the latest bloodshed, .
So the unending cycle of violence continues to plunge Gaza deeper into a hell where all Hope has vanished
The unending cycle of violence stems from Hamas's refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist and commitment to destroy the Jewish state. Since Hamas won control of the Palestinian Authority parliament in elections in 2006, they have ratcheted up the level of attacks against Israel, in large part through the use of short range missiles. Hamas had fired 30 rockets at Israel by Tuesday afternoon, the Israeli military said. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida has warned Israel that the militants will continue rocket attacks "for many months" and vowed to strike deeper into Israeli territory. True to their threat, a Hamas rocket landed in the town of Gadera, Israel, about 23 miles north of the Gaza border. Yesterday, a rocket hit a kindergarten in the Israeli city of Ashdod, about 16 miles north of Gaza.
In response to being shelled from Gaza, Israel launched first an air offensive, then as a last resort, followed with sending troupes into the territories. Hamas understands they do not have the equipment to stand toe to toe against the high-tech weaponry of Israel: so instead they look for opportunities to inflict damage, wait for a response; then point to their dead and demand that the world stop Israel. While Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization, by Israel, the United States and the EU; they understand that the Palestinians are seen as the underdogs, and that pressure will be brought down on to Israel. Hamas recognizes that the more horrific the images, the greater the force placed on Israel to pull back. It is for that reason that Hamas intentionally places woman and children in the center of the armed conflict. Place rocket launchers inside a school and fire at the Israelis, if they don't fire back you win, if they do fire back you win. It's a great strategy, as long as you don't care about the deaths of your own children.
Yet again today we saw the same plan used , a spokesman for the Israeli military today said Hamas militants positioned in a school, had fired mortar shells at Israeli forces, prompting return fire.Palestinian sources said 44 were killed in the attack.
U.N. Relief and Works Agency Director John Ging said most of the casualties were outside the school in the Jabalya refugee camp.
"It's a very built-up area, so of course it was entirely inevitable that if artillery shells landed in that area there would be a high number of casualties," he said at a U.N. briefing from Gaza City. A short time later, another artillery shell struck inside a second U.N. school in Jabalya, but Ging said the boys' prep school was empty at the time
Israel continued airstrikes targeting the homes of people linked to Hamas, An overnight airstrike hit the Jabalya home of Imad Siam, one of the leaders of Hamas' military wing according to Hamas security sources. Israel claimed Tuesday to have killed 130 Hamas fighters since beginning a ground offensive at dusk Saturday. An Israeli soldier was killed Tuesday morning in northern Gaza City, the Israeli military said, bringing to six the number of Israeli forces who have died in Gaza since Israel launched its ground incursion.
.Arab foreign ministers met at the United Nations to work up a U.N. draft resolution calling for Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza and for Hamas, which rules the territory, to cease firing rockets at the Jewish state. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to present a resolution drafted by the Arab League to the U.N. Security Council. The resolution will call for Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza and for Hamas to cease firing rockets at the Jewish state.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday told French President Nicolas Sarkozy that Israel wanted a "full solution" to the conflict, not just a cease-fire that allowed Hamas to fortify itself, Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, stated that any cease-fire in the Gaza conflict will require "clear and definitive action" to halt the smuggling of weapons and money into the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory.
"If there is strong action on that front, so that Israel feels it has achieved something -- namely the end of the smuggling of weapons and finance to Hamas -- then I think it is possible to resolve this reasonably quickly," Blair told CNN.
"If that doesn't happen, if we're not in that position, then obviously it's going to go on."
The true tragedy is that it is the most innocent, that often pay the highest price. The threat of Hamas rockets in the south of Israel is taken so seriously that almost all the schools within rocket range of Gaza have locked their gates and told children not to come to school. According to the Israeli government, 300,000 students are affected.
Children accounted for one-third of the casualties at Gaza's main hospital, and now Hamas and their media are making them the face of the attacks.
"When the Jews bomb us when we are asleep, [Hassanin] says 'We get scared,' " a translator says.
Hassanin is one boy from Gaza being interviewed by an anchor on Hamas TV about the attacks.
When we will grow up, we will bomb them back," said Hassanin on Hamas TV
The children have seen terrible images of tragedy: their friends injured or killed and bloodied bodies in the streets.They are images Hassanin says he will never forget. He'll keep them stored away until he's old enough to do something about it.It's a sentiment psychiatrists in Gaza say could be responsible a frightening future -- that the violence children are witnessing will sow the seeds for future violence.
Gaby Schrieber, an Israeli psychiatrist at Barzilai Hospital, says Israeli children get excellent help and structured support -- something he fears children in Gaza won't be receiving.
And if they don't get the support they need or hope for a better future, Schrieber worries what will happen to them.
"Where is hope for them, and how can they structure their future in their minds?" Schrieber said. "They can become extremists."
After ten days of the latest bloodshed, .
So the unending cycle of violence continues to plunge Gaza deeper into a hell where all Hope has vanished
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