ransomthink

One Big Thing Wrong With The Economy

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:01:00 +0000

One huge thing wrong with the U.S. economy right now is that the tax rate charged by the U.S. government is too low, and has been since George W. Bush lowered taxes right after he was elected. Back in 2000 when Bush lowered taxes, my income was about $50,000 for the previous year. After Bush enacted those tax cuts, I got roughly $200 in a tax refund due to the cuts. Rich people, those making millions, got back much more, because the cuts were larger for them.

for my money, the government could have just kept that money. Ihe government had a surplus when Bill Clinton left office, and I didn't need that money. President Bush back then encouraged people to go out and spend that money, in an effort to stimulate the economy.

The following year, America declared war on Iraq. Instead of selling war bonds or raising taxes back to what they were under Clinton, taxes stayed low. The government was underfunded. This has continued up to now, because Obama did not allow the Bush tax cuts to expire when he had the chance.

I believe that Some areas where money is bleeding from the U.S. government need to be cut. Unemployment benefits need to be cut back.

Medicare payouts need to be much more closely restricted. I think that any and all payments to anyone through Medicare need to be made only after the Medicare recipients complete a notarized form which is sent to them directly from Medicare where they approve of the charges and certify that the benefits are legitimate and approved by them. These statements need to be audited randomly my the Medicare administration. No payments should ever be made through Medicare without this form. The form could be signed by the Medicare beneficiary or by that person's court-approved Conservator of the Person or similar person with medical Power of Attorney.

That is what I think. There are many areas of government that need reeling in. I believe that more crooks are making money from government abuses than people in genuine need. We need to stop it.

The Best Gift For Christmas? A iPad!

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:11:00 +0000

I have discovered that the best gift that you can get anyone over 18 for Christmas is an iPad! if you have elderly parents, I believe that it is the best gift. Why? Well, you can load it with pictures that you know your parents will enjoy. You can also load it with the music that you parents like. You can show them how easy it is to use. They can read books(many are free) and they can entertain themselves with YouTube. they can also take pictures!

So I highly recommend the iPad by Apple as the number one choice for a Christmas gift.

My Favorite New Show: "Revenge" on ABC

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:16:00 +0000

My favorite new television show this season is "Revenge" on the ABC Television Network. This show was created by Mike Kelley. Why do I like this show? Because: the writing is excellent. The villains are crafty, nasty and mostly beautiful. It takes place in the Hamptons- a lush setting. The story is simple- a woman is getting revenge against all the people in town who helped to destroy her father (and therefore helped to ruin her life).

The acting in this show is really great, too. One of the most beautiful women that I ever have seen, Madeline Stowe, also stars on the show as the main woman to whom the revenge is being directed.

This show is a must-see! Visit abc.com to instantly watch episodes of this show!

An Inspirational Dinner With The President

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 07:39:00 +0000

These 4 people donated to President Barack Obama's current campaign for President, and won a chance to have an intimate dinner with him! This seems like the chance of a lifetime. From the video, you can tell that Mr. Obama is always down-to-earth. I am glad that he is doing these dinners with contributors. He's the real deal- I believe that he really cares about people!

Progressive Insurance's New Mobile App- With Flo

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:35:00 +0000

This video shows Flo from Progressive Insurance, telling us about Progressive's new app that you can use for getting insurance for your auto. You can acutally scan the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and get a quote- how cool is that?

Justin Bieber Says That The U.S. Healthcare System Is "Evil"

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:39:00 +0000

In an article in Rolling Stone Magazine earlier this year, Justin Bieber said that the U.S. Healthcare System is evil, because it is so expensive, and leaves people poor if they get sick or need medical care. Please click here to read the article from Huffington Post.

Post Office Secretly Gutted by Bush and Republicans

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:47:00 +0000

Yesterday I saw a commercial on CNN where it said that the United States Postal Service is making enough money, but due to a law passed in 2006, the USPS has to fund 75 years worth of pensions, even though they pensions at the post office were already fully-funded. The crazy thing is that the law makes them fund 75 years worth of pensions in 10 years- pensions for people who aren't even born yet! It makes no sense, but it is this money that is going to fund the pensions in this law that are making the Postal Service look like it is not making enough money. This law needs to be repealed. The Republicans know that the Democrats have introduced legislation to repeal the law, so they have proposed their own law to overhaul the USPS, even though it really does not need it. The Republicans ultimately want to break the Postal Union, pay lower wages, and force the USPS to sell real estate, and ultimately privatize it and not have it operate as the system we know today. Think about it- if Fed Ex or UPS buys it, less competition, right? It is amazing that the rich have convinced people to give up on pensions.

Look at this You Tube video from DemocracyNow.org, which shows a debate between debate between Chuck Zlatkin, the Legislative and Political Director of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, and Gene Del Polito, President of the Association for Postal Commerce (a lobbying organization) in Washington, D.C.

I Hoped That It Would Never Come To This, But....Now Accepting Donations. Please Pay It Forward- If You Can...

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:06:00 +0000

Hey folks. I have not written in this blog for a while, but now I'm in Mississippi visiting my relatives, and I am scared. Why, you may ask? Well, for one, I finished doing my taxes a few days ago and discovered that I owe the Federal Government about $2,900, and I owe the State of California about $540. What am I going to do? Right now that I am in Mississippi with my Mom and my uncle, I cannot do much. I have received a few Notary calls today, but there was nothing that I could do while I'm here. I am also scheduled to go to Houston, Texas next week to visit my other uncle. I am so low on cash that it is ridiculous. I don't know what I am going to do. One thing that I just did was to install the "Donate" button on the right, and hope that people will "Pay it Forward" and give me some kind of small donation that I can use to help get me out of this tight spot. I don't expect to get enough to pay the taxes, but some spending change for while I am here in Mississippi would be nice.

It is cold tonight in Jackson, Mississippi. The news says that it is about 36 degrees outside. I am having fun visiting my great aunt and my cousins, and I am trying not to worry about my money. Today I complained to nobody about my money- that was a decision that I made last night. I am considering ending my trip and coming home early, although that might upset my Mom (although she and my uncle won't come home early), and I am considering canceling the trip to Houston. I don't want to do it, but I really don't want to have the Feds on my back, and the State on me, and have crumbling credit. Business has been kind of bad lately....

Well, I Called Chase Credit Cards, And...

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:47:00 +0000

I called the Chase credit card customer service, and asked them why my APR is so high. They told me that last year in June I was late for a payment. I remember, I was late- about 2 days late- I forgot. They told me that my interest rate went from 20.04% for purchases to 29.99% for purchases. I asked them why I had the worst rate, and the guy told me that it was not the worst rate- it could have been something like 31%. What's the difference? I told him that I was getting screwed at the current rate. He said that it was almost time for my account to be reviewed automatically, and that I would automatically get a lower rate or it would stay the same. That really wasn't what I want to hear. I'm gonna call them again and ask for a supervisor next time....

Thoughts For July

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:58:00 +0000

One big thing that I need to do this month is to call Chase credit card company. They are charging me crazy interest rates on a portion of my debt, and it makes no sense to me, since I'm such a good customer and as far as I know I haven't been late on a payment. If they don't cooperate with me, I might have ta diss them on the internet.

OK, enough for tonight. I bees tired.

Big Changes Coming

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Wed, 25 May 2011 09:09:00 +0000

I plan to make some big changes soon. No, I'm not moving. I could be changing jobs. I'm going to start auditioning for Acting jobs. I don't care if it's stage, television, workshop or a video that I write and shoot- I'm going to start being involved in produced art, and I'm going to do it now! Look out, because I'm serious. I've already started working on my body- I've gone to Gold's Gym in Hollywood for 3 nights in a row now, and climbed on that treadmill and worked off 200 calories. It might not seem a lot to some people (and it's not a lot compared to what some people there do in the gym), but for me, a middle-aged person who's about 30 pounds overweight, it's a major accomplishment compared to what I've done over the past 10 years in the area of fitness.

The truth is, I realize, when you are in Hollywood, you should do your damn best to look good- your personal best. I'm not going to worry about it, but I figure that I will perform better artistically if I'm in better shape. Makes sense, right?

Anyway, first thing for me is to start perusing craigslist. Gotta enroll in Backstage West, Actors Access, and one more place that my friends told me about but I can't remember now. I also know that I've got to get reconnected to my Acting buddies. I'm jumping in, starting NOW!

James Franco and Anne Hathaway Give Great Performances as Oscars Hosts

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:32:00 +0000

In my opinion, James Franco and Anne Hathaway were outstanding Oscars hosts. They were nice to look at, entertaining, funny at times, and gave it their best, in my opinion. I hate it when people say negative things about folks who are positive and give it their best. Anne Hathaway was SO funny, and she looked stunning, and she was full of energy. James Franco, while looking a little sleepy (maybe from all that studying he does), looked hot as Marilyn Monroe in his red dress- wowza- it took some balls to come out dressed like that, so I give respect to the man!

I would like to proclaim here and now that James Franco is one of my favorite Actors and people in general. Anne Hathaway is also one of my favorite Actresses and also people in general, and I realize this because they gave it their best at the Oscars, and I hope one day to meet them and tell them this personally.

More sleep will make you more healthy

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:21:00 +0000

Researchers says that getting more sleep each night will make you healthier and happier. This seems logical, since I know that when I don't get enough sleep I tend to be slower and wish that I could go back to bed and get more sleep.

People who get more sleep are said to heal faster, think more clearly and have less stress. People who exercise regularly find it more easy to fall asleep, and tend to sleep longer.

I'm getting sleepy now, so it's time for bed.

Watching "Oprah" Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 07:45:00 +0000

I wasn't going to watch TV tonight- Saturday night, but at the last minute I decided to turn on the TV and watch "Saturday Night Live". When I turned on the TV it was on KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles, and I was going to turn to channel 4, but when I turned on the TV I saw Oprah, and realized shortly after that it was the show where Oprah is discussing discovering her long-lost sister that she never knew that she had, Patricia.

This particular Oprah show is so powerful- probably the most powerful Oprah show that I've ever seen- because you can really feel the desire of this woman Patricia to discover her real Mom and her real family- without realizing until later that Oprah was part of her family.

Patricia tries to contact her birth mother, but her birth mother refuses to see her or talk to her. Patricia reaches out to her deceased sister's daughter, and they take a DNA test and discover that there's an 85% match- so they are related.

What's great about this show is that Oprah's family's reaction to realizing that Patricia was the family member that they never knew they had- and that she resembled Oprah's deceased sister, Pat, so much.

Also heartening is the fact that Oprah is fighting back tears during this whole show. It's an amazing show, and if they give Emmys for great television, then Oprah should get one for this show, because I'll never forget this episode. Talk about family secrets- it's got every bit of the drama that I've seen in movies like "The Color Purple" or "Beloved". It's one of those shows that'll make you go, "Wow!" Amazing.

I hope that Oprah will do more specials and other shows featuring herself on her new network (OWN) once "The Oprah Winfrey Show" comes to an end.

Going Through The Mail

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:59:00 +0000

Mail is so interesting. I got a letter from a Natural History Museum in New York that says that they miss me and want me back. I have never been a member!

RCI is asking me to deposit my vacation weeks. Not right now, thank you.

MDA wants money. Sorry, my money is at an all-time low.

Chase wants me to open a checking and saving account, and they will give me $125. No thank you, I like my credit union.

Disney Movie Club has movies. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. I will go online and decline.

I got something from the Claims Administrator regarding Apple Inc. Securities Litigation. I know that I don't have much Apple Inc. stock- maybe one share. A valuable share, though. I'll read this litigation stuff later.

Food and Wine gift from American Express- no thank you.

Democratic National Committee: no, I'm not in the mood. No money either. Ok, well I read it. Maybe I'll renew with $5 or so soon.

The Economist Magazine. Good deal. I need money.

VISA card application. NO!

Forbes Magazine offer for $10. Can't afford it. Don't need it.

My timeshare fees are due. Too bad for them. No money right now.

I owe Disney movie club $171. Oh, my! No money. I'll work on that one.

Larry Hagman coming to "Desperate Housewives"

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:04:00 +0000

I just saw "Desperate Housewives" tonight, and on the preview for next week, we see that Lynette's mother is engaged to a character played by Larry Hagman, of "Dallas" fame. In the preview, Lynette's mother says that she is marrying him because "he's loaded".

I'm excited about this, because Larry Hagman is a great actor, and played my favorite TV character of all-time, JR Ewing on "Dallas". He could be really interesting on this show!

My New Year's Goals 2011

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 08:17:00 +0000

I have one goal this year: to accomplish more good things this year than in any other year of my life. To accomplish big goals and several smaller goals.

1. To write a screenplay and register it with WGA.

2. To read 24 books.

3. To see 100 films.

4. To open a new business that I love.

5. To pay off my Discover Card (because it's the Credit Card that I hate most. Macy's is a close second).

6. To expand my income phenomenally.

Las Vegas For New Year's

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:54:00 +0000

I would love to go to Las Vegas for New Year's. I don't think that I can make it this year for New Year's, but if I could go, I would love to stay at Caesar's Palace for 2 nights, and then round it out with 2 nights at Bellagio. I would go with a few friends- maybe 3 or so, and we'd rent a limousine one night and travel the Boulevard in style. We'd probably explore the strip by foot for a while- and maybe take in a show- the Cirque du Soleil show "Love" featuring the music of The Beatles would be fun! Maybe we could do a little gambling at Caesars and at The Wynn, and then we could go dine at Eva Longoria's restaurant, "Beso" over at City Center.

All of this would be great, and hopefully I might do this in 2012 for New Years. For now, it's just wishful thinking. Ransomthinking...

Make Your Own Job

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:17:00 +0000

In these times of many unemployed people in America, I say this: don't despair, be creative. Don't fret- think outside of the box! Go to the library, learn something new, and above all, try to think of a business that you can do yourself! You live in America, a land where you are free to create a new business, right? Well, why not do it?

Many people immigrate to this country, and when they get here, many of them start their own businesses immediately. Most Americans born here don't do this, though. Why? It's because most haven't experienced this line of thinking. It's not something that was taught in school when I was growing up. With the advent of so much powerful technology, those who don't embrace it and embrace CREATING INNOVATION will find themselves either in a boring job or at home doing nothing.

So they key to the future for anyone is to CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE. Got something you're interested in? Explore it! Immerse yourself. Then, think of how you can contribute to that. Find a way! Don't be afraid to try something new, or to do your own thing!

So, what will you do first?

The Text of President Obama's Great Speech at USC on Saturday Oct. 23, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:33:00 +0000

In case you didn't see President Obama's speech at the University of Southern California on Saturday, here it is, in all its glory. I really like the modified version of the Republicans driving the car into the ditch:

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, L.A.! (Applause.) Oh, this is a Trojan kind of welcome right here. (Applause.) Fight on! (Applause.) I am fired up! (Applause.)
You know, Jamie Foxx is pretty good at this. We might have to recruit him. We'd have to make him shave his goatee, though. (Laughter.)
It is wonderful to see all of you. Let me just say how proud I am to be here with some of the finest elected officials that I know: The next governor of the great state of California, Jerry Brown. (Applause.) Your outstanding mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. (Applause.) Speaker of the California Assembly, John Perez. (Applause.) L.A. City Council president, Eric Garcetti. (Applause.) A dear, dear friend of mine, so I want everybody to do right by her -- San Francisco district attorney, Kamala Harris. (Applause.) An outstanding congressional delegation, Diane Watson, Judy Chu, Adam Schiff, Grace Napolitano, Xavier Becerra. (Applause.) An unbelievable Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis. (Applause.) And somebody who has been fighting on your behalf for many, many years, and needs to be -- keep on fighting for us for the next six years -- Senator Barbara Boxer. (Applause.)
It is great to be with all of you on this beautiful day. You know, we are going to need --
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you!
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Applause.)
We need all of you to fight on. We need all of you fired up -- (applause.) We need all of you ready to go -- because in just 11 days, in just 11 days, you have the chance to set the direction of this state and of this country not just for the next two years, but for the next five years, the next 10 years, the next 20 years. (Applause.) And just like you did in 2008, you can defy the conventional wisdom –- the conventional wisdom that says young people are apathetic; the conventional wisdom that says you can't beat the cynicism in politics; that you can't overcome the special interests; that all that matters is all the big money and the negative TV ads. You have the chance to say, "Yes, we can." (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Si, se puede. (Applause.)
Look, now, I don't want to fool anybody. Even though this is an incredible crowd, a magnificent crowd -- but let me be clear. This is going to be a difficult election -- because we've been through an incredibly difficult time as a nation.
For most of the last decade, the middle class has been hurting. Families saw their incomes, between 2001 and 2009 -- by about 5 percent. That's not my statistics. That's the Wall Street Journal talking. Job growth was more sluggish during that period than any time since World War II. Jobs were being shipped overseas. Parents couldn't afford to send their kids to college. Families couldn't afford to send somebody in their family to a doctor. Americans were working two, three jobs just to try to make ends meet. And all this culminated in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Understand we lost 4 million jobs in the six months before I took office; 750,000 the month that I was sworn in; 600,000 the month after that; 600,000 the month after that. We haven't seen anything like this since the 1930s. We lost 8 million jobs before any of my economic policies had a chance to be put into place.
Now, my hope was that in this moment of crisis, we could come together and both parties would put politics aside; that we would come together to meet this once-in-a-generation challenge -- because although we are proud Democrats, we are prouder to be Americans. (Applause.) And you know, there are plenty of Republicans who feel the same way out there.
But the Republican leaders in Washington, they made a different calculation. They looked around at the mess that they had made, at the mess that they had left me, and they said, boy, this is a really big mess. And they said it's going to take a long time to fix. Unemployment is probably going to be high for a while, and in the meantime, people are going to get angry and frustrated. So maybe if we just sit on the sidelines, say no to everything, and then point our fingers at Obama and say he's to blame, they figured that maybe you all would forget that they caused the mess in the first place, and they'd be able to ride anger all the way to election time.
AUDIENCE: Noooo --
THE PRESIDENT: But, Los Angeles, as I look out on this crowd, this tells me you haven't forgotten. (Applause.)
Their whole campaign strategy is amnesia. And so you need to remember that this election is a choice between the policies that got us into this mess and the policies that are leading out of this mess; a choice between the past and the future; a choice between hope and fear; a choice between moving forward or going backwards. And I don't know about you, but I want to move forward, Trojans. I want to go forward. (Applause.)
Now, look, understand it would be one thing if the Republicans, having made this mess, they went off into the desert or into some retreat somewhere and they meditated on, boy, we really screwed up, and now let's come up with some new ideas because we recognize the error of our ways. But that's not what's going on. The Republican Campaign Committee chairman promised the "exact same agenda" if they win back the House and if they win back the Senate -- the same agenda of cutting taxes for millionaires and billionaires --
AUDIENCE: Booo --
THE PRESIDENT: -- of cutting rules for the special interests, from cutting middle-class families loose to fend for themselves. Their basic philosophy is, you're on your own. If you're sick, you don't have health care, too bad, you're on your own. You don't have a job, them's the breaks, you're on your own. You're a young person wants to go to USC, wants to get his education but can't afford it, tough luck, you're on your own.
It's the same agenda that turned a record surplus into a record deficit; the same agenda that allowed Wall Street to run wild; the same agenda that nearly destroyed our economy.
And I bring all this up not because I want to re-argue the past. I bring it up because I don't want to relive the past. We can't afford it. (Applause.) I bring it up because it's not as if we haven't tried what they're selling. We tried it. We didn't like it and we're not going back to it. (Applause.)
I want you to think about it this way. Imagine that these folks drove a car into the ditch. And it was a really deep ditch. And somehow they were able to walk away from the accident, but they did nothing to get the car out of the ditch. And so, me and Barbara and Jerry and Antonio, we all put on our boots and we climbed down into the ditch.
And it's hot down there. Flies are down there -- (laughter) -- and we're sweating. But we're pushing, we're pushing to get the car out of the ditch. And even though Barbara Boxer is small, she is pushing, too. And we're all pushing. (Applause.) And as we're pushing, we look up and the Republicans are all standing there at the top of the ditch. They're all looking down. And we say, why don't you come down and help? And they say, no, that's all right. And then they kick some dirt down into the ditch. (Laughter.) They're sipping on a Slurpee. They're fanning themselves. You're not pushing hard enough, they say. You're not pushing the right way.
And, yet, despite all that, we still get the car out of the ditch. And it's finally on level ground. (Applause.) And I admit, the car is a little banged up. I mean, the fender is bent and it's going to have to go to the body shop, and it needs a tune up. But it's on level ground and it's pointing in the right direction. We're ready to move forward.
And, suddenly, suddenly, we get this tap on our shoulder and we look back, and who is it? It's the Republicans. And they say, we want the keys back.
AUDIENCE: Nooo --
THE PRESIDENT: And we've got to tell them, you can't have the keys back. You don't know how to drive. (Applause.) You can ride with us, but you got to be in the backseat -- because we got middle-class America in the front seat. We're looking out for them. (Applause.)
You ever notice when you want to go forward, what do you do? You put your car in "D." You want to go backwards, what do you do? You put it in "R." (Applause.) That's not a coincidence. We want to go forward. We don't want to go backwards. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we can.
Look, because of the steps that we've taken, we no longer face the possibility of a second depression. The economy is growing again. The private sector has seen job growth nine months in a row. But we've still got a long way to go. We've still got a lot of work to do. There are a lot of people out there still hurting. I know there are a lot of families still hanging on by a thread. That's what keeps me up at night. That's what keeps me fighting. That's why all of you are here, because you know we've got more work to do.
But understand, we've got a different idea about what the future holds. It's an idea rooted in our belief about how this country was built. We know that the government doesn't have the answers to all our problems. We believe government should be lean and efficient. But in the words of the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln -- who, by the way, couldn't get a nomination in today's Republican Party -- (laughter) -- we also believe that government should do for the people what they cannot do better for themselves. (Applause.)
We believe in an America that rewards hard work and responsibility and individual initiative, but that also puts a hand up to help people live out their dreams. (Applause.) We believe in an America that invests in its people, in its future, the education of our children, the skills of our workers. We believe in a country where we look after one another, where I am my brother's keeper, where I am my sister's keeper. (Applause.) That's the America that I know. And that is the choice in this election. (Applause.)
This election is a choice. And if we give them the keys -- which will happen if you don't vote -- they'll keep giving tax breaks to companies that ship our jobs overseas. We want to give tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States -- (applause) -- to small businesses and American manufacturers and clean energy companies. (Applause.) Because I don't want wind panels and -- wind turbines and solar panels and electric cars made in Europe or Asia. I want them built right here in the United States -- (applause) -- by American workers here in the United States of America. That's the choice in this election.
If we give them the keys back -- and we will if you don't vote -- the other side has said they are going to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires, costing us $700 billion, and to help pay for it, they're going to cut education spending by 20 percent.
AUDIENCE: Booo --
THE PRESIDENT: Now, think about this. This is at a time when the question of whether a country competes almost entirely depends on how well we educate our children. Do you think that China wants to cut education by 20 percent?
AUDIENCE: Nooo --
THE PRESIDENT: Is South Korea cutting education by 20 percent?
AUDIENCE: Nooo --
THE PRESIDENT: Those countries aren't playing for second place. America doesn't play for second place. We play for first place. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA! USA!
THE PRESIDENT: We play for first. And that's why, instead of giving unwarranted subsidies to the banks, we've taken tens of billions of dollars and we're now putting them where they should go -- to students like you -- (applause) -- to make sure that you can afford a college education, and a $10,000 tuition tax credit for every young person in America so you can get the education you deserve. That's the choice in this election. (Applause.)
We want tax cuts to middle-class families. We don't want special interests back in shotgun. You know, the other side has already promised to roll back Wall Street reform, roll back health insurance reform. We refuse to make that happen. We want to make sure that insurance companies can't deny you coverage when you get sick. We want to make sure that the law we passed to make sure that you can stay on your parents' health insurance till you're 26 years old, that that remains the law of the land. (Applause.)
We want to make sure that credit card companies can't hit you with hidden fees or jack up your rates without notice. We want to make sure that taxpayers aren't stuck with a Wall Street bailout because somebody else took unwarranted risks.
We're going to fight the effort to privatize Social Security, because as long as I'm President, nobody is going to take a generation's worth of retirement savings and hand them over to Wall Street. Not on my watch. (Applause.)
We are going to make sure we continue to invest in clean energy and we enforce our clean air and clean water laws. You've seen what they're trying to do here in California, trying to roll back laws that will keep California at the cutting-edge. And now that we've got special interests spending millions of dollars out there to gut these clean air standards and clean energy standards, and they're doing the same thing all across the country -- millions of dollars in special interest money, using phony front groups. You don't know their names. They call themselves "Americans for Prosperity," or "Mothers for Motherhood." I made that last one up, but -- (laughter) -- but it might as well be.
And you don't know who's behind it. You don't know, is it an insurance company? Is it a bank? Who is financing all these negative ads against Jerry Brown? Who's financing all these negative ads against Barbara Boxer?
And you know how they're able to do this without disclosing their donors is because of a Supreme Court ruling called Citizens United --
AUDIENCE: Boooo --
THE PRESIDENT: -- which shows you how important it is who's making appointments on the Supreme Court. I'm proud I appointed Sonia Sotomayor. (Applause.) I appointed Elena Kagan. (Applause.)
All this money pouring into these elections by these phony front groups -- this isn't just a threat to Democrats; it's a threat to our democracy. And the only way to fight it is all of you -- all these voices matching those millions of dollars, all of you being committed to finish what we started in 2008. That's why it's so important all of you get out -- all of you have got to vote, because if everybody who fought for change in 2008 turns out this time, we will win this election. (Applause.)
And so I want to remind you why you got involved. You didn't just get involved to elect a President. You got involved because you believed we were at a defining moment. You believed that this was a time when the decisions we make, the challenges we face, are going to shape the lives of our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren for decades to come.
That's why you knocked on doors. That's why you made phone calls. That's why some of you cast your vote for the very first time. (Applause.)
And, look, I understand the last two years haven't been easy. I know that a lot of you -- you're thinking back to Election Night or Inauguration Day, and how much fun that was -- and Beyoncé was singing, and Bono. (Laughter.) And Jamie was there. And it felt like a big party. But I want everybody to understand, I told you this was going to be hard. I told you power concedes nothing without a fight.
Inch by inch, day by day, week by week, we've been grinding it out, because that's the nature of change in a big, complex democracy. And I recognize some of you may feel now that, gosh, it seems so distance from those wonderful memories and change is harder than I expected, we haven't gotten everything done that we hoped for yet. And maybe you know somebody in your family who's out of a job, or maybe somebody in your neighborhood has put up a foreclosure sign, and you think, boy, we're not moving as quick as we want.
I understand that. But don't let anybody tell you that our fight hasn't been worth it. Don't let them tell you that we're not making a difference. Because of you, there are people right here in California who don't have to choose between getting treatment for their cancer or going bankrupt. (Applause.) Because of you, there are parents who are able to look their children in the eye and say, yes, you will go to college. We can afford it, we're getting some help. (Applause.) Because of you, there are small businesses who are able to keep their doors open, even in the midst of recession. Because of you, we have brought home nearly 100,000 brave men and women from Iraq. (Applause.)
Because of you, we are going to continue to fight to end "don't ask, don't tell." Because of you, we are going to make sure that we've got an energy policy for the future of America. (Applause.)
Because of you. So don't tell -- don't let them tell you that change isn't possible. Because here's what I know. Change is always hard. And if our parents, if our grandparents, if our great-grandparents, if they have listened to the cynics 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 200 years ago, we wouldn't be here today.
Think about it. This country was founded on 13 colonies coming together to do what had never been done before -- declaring a revolution, throwing off the yoke of tyranny, battling the biggest, baddest empire on Earth. And then, they decided, you know, we're going to try to form a new type of government. And they wrote on paper, they said in their declaration, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal" -- (applause) -- "that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." (Applause.)
The cynics didn't believe it. And then, when we had to perfect that union and fight a civil war, the cynics didn't believe it. They didn't think we could free the slaves. If our ancestors had given up, if they had given up to the cynics, we couldn't have gotten through war; we couldn't have gotten through depression; we would not have been able to battle and finally achieve civil rights and women's rights and workers' rights. (Applause.)
That is the spirit we have to summon today. The journey we began together was not just about putting a President in the White House. It was about building a movement for change. (Applause.) It was about realizing the promise of the United States of America, and understanding that if we're willing to work for it, there's nothing we cannot achieve. (Applause.)
So I need you to keep on believing. I need you to keep hoping. And if you knock on some doors and make some phone calls, and keep marching and keep organizing, we won't just win this election; we are going to restore the American Dream for not just some, but for every -- every -- everybody in this great land. (Applause.)
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

Read more: http://thepage.time.com/2010/10/22/bam-boosts-boxer/?artId=?contType=?chn=#ixzz13S5X1Tyf

A Message From Barack Obama

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:36:00 +0000

Here's an important message from Barack and Michelle Obama. It's encouraging people to vote! The best thing that can happen is if people will look at what Barack Obama has accomplished since he's been in office, and look at all the roadblocks that the Republicans are throwing his way. Let's increase the number of Democrats in Congress! Vote, and vote Democrat!

Halle Berry, Jeff Goldblum, Robin Wright, Peter Facinelli, Patrick Dempsey, Sherri Shepherd, and Mariska Hargitay.

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 05:29:00 +0000

What do these stars have in common?
They trained or coached with the
Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio,
Los Angeles' Premier Acting School.

Discover training that creates careers through craft.

Joanne Baron, Artistic Director of the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio, will host a
Free Meisner Technique Workshop this
Saturday, October 23rd at 1pm.
Call 310-451-3311 to reserve your seat.

www.baronbrown.com.

By the way, I also trained at this school for 2 years, and graduated 2 months ago. Time to get to work!

Carly Fiorina...Outsourcing Jobs, Out For Herself, and More

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 06:31:00 +0000

I believe that ad on TV that points out that Carly Fiorina shipped jobs overseas, and layed off $30,000 American workers. Unfortunately, that's a trend that has continued beyond Carly, and will continue. The richest people who own and invest in manufacturing companies will always take money overseas and open factories there- it's just facts. I believe that people have to do what others are not- start your own damn business!

In order to start you own business, you have to think outside the box. You have to come up with a service that people need. You have to take that first step. Once in business, you have to evaluate how you're doing, and come up with game plans. Execute!

Then you have to innovate. Make slight changes to what you're doing. Try to get that business going now! A job will lessen the time you have to devote to your business, so if you're unemployed and still have a computer connection, start an online business of some sort, or at least one where people will find you online.

I do believe, though, that American companies should show some loyalty to the people who live here in America. Costco gives their employees excellent benefits. American Apparel manufactures in downtown Los Angeles, and pays decent wages to American workers!

How do they do it? By thinking outside the box.

OK, I'm tired and going to bed.

Do You Take Naps? Are Naps Good For You?

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:43:00 +0000

I want to take a nap, right now! Some people don't take naps- the think that it'll interfere with their sleep later.

That may be so, but I find that taking a nap is really beneficial to me. Sometimes I feel very queasy when I wake up, but overall I think that the benefits outweigh the detriments.

Before I take that nap, I'm going to get a glass of water! I also think that I will go for a walk later this evening.

Stocks To Watch

noreply@blogger.com (David Ransom) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 07:05:00 +0000

I'll talk about some of my favorite stocks and why I think that they'll do well.

Google (GOOG) should do really well in the next few months, because they've got so many smart people working for them that they must be working on something so spectacular that it'll shock and awe everybody. Even more than they already have done!

Apple Computer (AAPL) is always coming out with great software for its computers- it will always just go up in value, in my opinion, just from the great software alone. They also have some pretty impressive computers and gadgets, too.

Fossil Inc. (FOSL) makes the best watches- so nice and classy. So much so, they quietly make top name-brand watches for other top fashion companies (that I cannot name now, it's been so long since I've looked at any propaganda from them). Their stock has been appreciating very nicely lately, and it's always done that since I first bought a share of this company years ago.

Netflix (NFLX) is so great- what can I say? I love me some Netflix. Being able to watch movies on your computer or on your TV is such a great thing, and being able to have a huge number of streamed movies at your disposal is awesome! It doesn't cost a lot, either, so for the budget-minded, it's great! And they're making money, too. Netflix is a major player, and they're poised to GROW!!!

Well, this is all for this edition of Stocks To Watch. I hope that you have a good day!