General Music Chat

My sentiments exactly, Captain.

Here's an interesting documentary about the banking industry done in Great Britian.

Financial Terrorism (4:51) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... DuMvz-2UzQ

97% Owned (Long, 2 hours) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... ojQ3eBaN7w

Chaeya

I watched the short video and started on the long one last night. Fantastic stuff. There's TONS of documentaries out there right now that not only summarize the horrors we face, but they cite references.. most of it is absolutely factual, and yet, as I pointed out, most people choose to put their heads in the sand.

The sad part is, that by design, "most people" are the only ones who can effectively change the system.

I don't know man. Everyone is a consumer but we all have choices. We choose to use corporations for our ends or to be used by them. We choose to use banking services or be used by them. With freedom comes personal responsibility. Where we get in trouble is when we think we NEED that new car, that big house, that Satch signature Ibanez, that new 32 ch mixing board, that high end mic, that soft drink, that brand of beer. We don't need em, not one. Let's not make the mistake of blaming others for our own weaknesses. Choose wisely.

I don't know man. Everyone is a consumer but we all have choices. We choose to use corporations for our ends or to be used by them. We choose to use banking services or be used by them. With freedom comes personal responsibility. Where we get in trouble is when we think we NEED that new car, that big house, that Satch signature Ibanez, that new 32 ch mixing board, that high end mic, that soft drink, that brand of beer. We don't need em, not one. Let's not make the mistake of blaming others for our own weaknesses. Choose wisely.

But we seem powerless to stop them from tanking our economy.. in reference to banks

And mortgages.. try to buy a house.. you need one unless you are already wealthy, which this conversation wouldn't be relevant.

We do need cars to get around. I personally would take transit if it were available and worked like a lot of other countries. You should check out bolivia's transit system, it's pretty amazing on some levels, especially considering it's in such a craphole of a country. Friend of mine from there says there are no bus schedules, just routes.. they come every 5-10 minutes.

I don't know man. Everyone is a consumer but we all have choices. We choose to use corporations for our ends or to be used by them. We choose to use banking services or be used by them. With freedom comes personal responsibility. Where we get in trouble is when we think we NEED that new car, that big house, that Satch signature Ibanez, that new 32 ch mixing board, that high end mic, that soft drink, that brand of beer. We don't need em, not one. Let's not make the mistake of blaming others for our own weaknesses. Choose wisely.

But we seem powerless to stop them from tanking our economy.. in reference to banks

And mortgages.. try to buy a house.. you need one unless you are already wealthy, which this conversation wouldn't be relevant.

We do need cars to get around. I personally would take transit if it were available and worked like a lot of other countries. You should check out bolivia's transit system, it's pretty amazing on some levels, especially considering it's in such a craphole of a country. Friend of mine from there says there are no bus schedules, just routes.. they come every 5-10 minutes.

No, we only choose to be powerless. Ignore banks. You can get along just fine with cash only. We choose banking because it is "convenient". We also don't need cars, cel phones, or to own a home. We choose it because it is "convenient".

Today you could sell your car and buy a house in Michigan for $5k cash, get a used $50 ipod touch with skype, ride a bike bus or train to get around. We choose banks, cel service plans, cars and mortgages because they are "convenient".

I have been fortunate to see success in a small business over a very long time. I own a nice home and 12 vehicles but I don't NEED any of them. I could get along fine in a 600sq ft flat and a good used bike. I choose them and most were bought used with cash. I also choose to do business with banks on my terms, not their's. I hold many accounts but only pay small fees on one business account. I have a significant line of credit but use it sparingly and pay little or no interest. I am not a rich man but my family did teach me how to manage money, how to control my financial destiny, how to save, invest, and to give generously to those less fortunate. Simply choose wisely.

Banks and corporations only have power over us because we give them permission to do so with the choices we make every day.

I don't know man. Everyone is a consumer but we all have choices. We choose to use corporations for our ends or to be used by them. We choose to use banking services or be used by them. With freedom comes personal responsibility. Where we get in trouble is when we think we NEED that new car, that big house, that Satch signature Ibanez, that new 32 ch mixing board, that high end mic, that soft drink, that brand of beer. We don't need em, not one. Let's not make the mistake of blaming others for our own weaknesses. Choose wisely.

Oh how I NEED that Satch signature Ibanez! Like the old saying goes "sh*t in one hand & need in the other and see which one fills up quicker"!

No, we only choose to be powerless. Ignore banks. You can get along just fine with cash only. We choose banking because it is "convenient". We also don't need cars, cel phones, or to own a home. We choose it because it is "convenient".

Not true though. The last 4 jobs I've had required direct deposit, they no longer issued paper payroll. Even then, the last time I cashed a check, I was forced by way of refusal to provide my DL, SS#, and a damn fingerprint. To cash a check. At a bank. Soon enough, like health insurance, we will be lawfully required to go through banks. Mark my words.

Today you could sell your car and buy a house in Michigan for $5k cash, get a used $50 ipod touch with skype, ride a bike bus or train to get around. We choose banks, cel service plans, cars and mortgages because they are "convenient".

Not just convenience, but you are correct to a point. I doubt I could find a house for $5k, and I waaaay doubt anyone would pay more than $500 for my car.. but that's semantics really. It's a hardship to attempt to live outside the system, but certainly dooable, especially if you have any wealth or assets to begin with. Much harder to ride a bike when your kid is handicapped and needs to go to the doctor 15 miles away, especially when you live in the country. School is even further away, about 35 miles.. when they call me to come get her cause she's sick.. oh wait, they don't have skype.. Well, you get the point- we live in a world that expects you to use current tech to live- and without it, I would actually in some cases be either negligent as a parent or outright violating some laws.

I have been fortunate to see success in a small business over a very long time. I own a nice home and 12 vehicles but I don't NEED any of them. I could get along fine in a 600sq ft flat and a good used bike. I choose them and most were bought used with cash. I also choose to do business with banks on my terms, not their's. I hold many accounts but only pay small fees on one business account. I have a significant line of credit but use it sparingly and pay little or no interest. I am not a rich man but my family did teach me how to manage money, how to control my financial destiny, how to save, invest, and to give generously to those less fortunate. Simply choose wisely.

Glad things work out for you. For most, they don't.

Banks and corporations only have power over us because we give them permission to do so with the choices we make every day.

No argument from me on that point, but again, consider that they are legislating much of it into our daily lives, and judging from past and current events- it's going to get worse.

So sorry you are facing difficult times right now Kramerguy. If we live long enough we all find ourselves in some pretty deep holes. Hang in there man. Blaming banks and corporations won't make it better though. They didn't do it and focusing on them only robs your power.

As I understand it, it is not legal to for an employer to require employees to receive only direct deposit paychecks in PA. Credit unions are usually free.
http://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/Wa ... vania.html

$5000 house
http://www.trulia.com/property/30420870 ... t-MI-48206
We always have choices


Peace

$5000 house
http://www.trulia.com/property/30420870 ... t-MI-48206

Great, a property that was probably a crackhouse. Pictures (from real estate folks) can deceive, says right in the description something about 'rehab'. High crime neighborhood of Detroit, assessed value of $29K.

You're lucky to have what you have. 99% of the folks in this country scramble day-to-day to keep up.
As for an employer who requires direct deposit - these days, if you don't like an employer's policies, they tell you take a hike - 'employee at will' means they can get rid of you whenever they want, for no apparent reason.

I would have liked to bury the person who printed the first U.S. dollar bill and put us in dept for the rest of our lives.

and

the guy who took it!

$5000 house
http://www.trulia.com/property/30420870 ... t-MI-48206

Great, a property that was probably a crackhouse. Pictures (from real estate folks) can deceive, says right in the description something about 'rehab'. High crime neighborhood of Detroit, assessed value of $29K.

You're lucky to have what you have. 99% of the folks in this country scramble day-to-day to keep up.

Funny you say that. The pastor of my church lives in a restored/refurbished crackhouse. He got it for pennies and it is now a very nice place. I think Detroit is a fantastic RE opportunity right now for someone with a little cash and determination.

Yes, I am very thankful for what I have. It is a long way from when I lived in a 25' trailer on a construction site. I served as their night watchman in exchange for rent so tools and materials wouldn't disappear over night. It wasn't pretty but it got me through my last year of school without loans. We all do what we have to do and we all have choices.

$5000 house
http://www.trulia.com/property/30420870 ... t-MI-48206

Great, a property that was probably a crackhouse. Pictures (from real estate folks) can deceive, says right in the description something about 'rehab'. High crime neighborhood of Detroit, assessed value of $29K.

You're lucky to have what you have. 99% of the folks in this country scramble day-to-day to keep up.
As for an employer who requires direct deposit - these days, if you don't like an employer's policies, they tell you take a hike - 'employee at will' means they can get rid of you whenever they want, for no apparent reason.

boss always told me, "my way or the highway" way it's always been, gotta appease the shareholders at employee's expense while management goes off on a golf holiday... they tried to get me into management, and I did not consider myself cutthroat enough to be a manager..

It's not that I'm whining about my own misfortune. I'm thinking along the lines that there are very powerful corporate forces that seek to make us and keep us financially indentured, and they are succeeding.

It's past blaming them at this point. As a matter of relevance, I'm in a better place than I've been in years, financially, emotionally, and even physically. With those things, I've also been seeing things quite clearly. I see with withering clarity at how bad some people have it. I have neighbors, friends, and even family that did everything right in life.. everything they were supposed to.. yet they've been robbed of opportunity, nickel and dimed to death, beaten up and spit out for doing nothing more than trying to work hard and live a decent life (as I have).

No.. at this point, I'm well past blame. I'm looking for solutions to what I see are very real problems. Looking outside the box. Some of the suggestions are quite good, I didn't mean to discount them. I do have a bike, and I ride it a LOT. I work a little too far away for it to be feasable, but I get the point.

As far as direct deposit.. well .. I don't know about where you live, but here in the voter suppression capital of the world (PA), we have contradicting laws.. yes, you have the legal right to be paid by check, but if you truly want to avoid banks, you would have to be paid in cash; but that's another story.. Back to checks vs. direct deposit. If a company tells you that they are DD only, and you start citing laws.. you will be canned. In PA, they can terminate you at will. I've looked into the law extensively, in an attempt to bring a lawsuit against a former employer, and they ONLY reason any lawyer in this state would even take an employment case is if it's outright discrimination, and there has to be an over-abundance of proof at that.

I actually HAD proof of discrimination, and the lawyer told me I had the best case ever in 48 of 50 states. This wasn't one of them.

Anyways.. yes, I have a bad disposition towards mega-corporations, but when you really get down to it, they have one against the common man.. I didn't start it. I intend to be involved in finishing it though.

If my role in their demise is nothing more than sowing dissension, then it's better than just sitting around accepting it. I refuse to accept the corruption and fascism our corporations and government are imposing on us. Things USED to be so much better in this country, but that was before we changed all the laws and killed all the regulations. Can anyone really argue that the old laws (say 50's thru early 80's) were worse than today?

We (all americans) should do what each of us can to ween ourselves off corporate dependence, as mentioned in some replies. I'll start- next week I will be singing up in a credit union and closing my bank account. Not much, but it's a start.

Bravo! Separating ourselves from people and companies that we don't trust is empowering.

Life has taken on the face of "busyness Administration" When you think about it, how many jobs are actually that important?