From Academy Award® nominated filmmaker, Charles Ferguson (”No End In Sight”), comes INSIDE JOB, the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, INSIDE JOB traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia. Narrated by Academy Award® winner Matt Damon, INSIDE JOB was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.

Imagine a retirement where you could have an extra $1million to $3 million in the bank with basically no effort. Now imagine telling your kids that you aren’t going to send them to college. And, you go on, you want them to immediately start a business or get to work as soon as they finish high school.

These are difficult things to imagine because we’ve been so scammed by the “career industry” that tells us we need college degrees in order to succeed in life, regardless of how much money we spend for those degrees or what we actually do with our lives during the four to eight years it takes us to get those degrees.

But in my view, the entire college degree industry is a scam, a self-perpetuating Ponzi scheme that needs to stop right now.

1. More than 60% of people entering college take more than four years to graduate. So whatever you think your kids are going to cost you to go to college, add 20% to 100%.

2. The cost of the average college tuition has gone up nine-fold since 1976 versus seven-fold for health care and three-fold for inflation.

3. The differential in lifetime income between a college graduate and a non-college graduate over a 45 year career is approximately $800,000 (read on).

4. If I put that $200,000 that I would’ve spent per child to cover tuition costs, living expenses, books, etc. into bonds yielding just 3% (any muni bonds) and let it compound for 49 years (adding back in the 4 years of college), I get $851,000. So my kids can avoid college and still end up with the same amount in the worst case.

5. If smart, motivated, ambitious kids (the type of kids who get the most out of college) avoided college I’m sure the differential would be a lot less than $800,000 and may even be negative (i.e. they would make more if they avoided college and started going into the business world earlier).

6. The average debt burden of a college graduate is $23,000. Up from $13,000 10 years ago. Students with professional degrees can see their debt burden go higher than $200,000. Total student borrowing has topped $75,000,000,000. It’s too much for young adults just starting their careers.
7. Alternatives to spending $200,000 per kid so they can waste four years of their lives:

• Give them $20,000 to start one to five businesses. Most businesses fail but that’s ok. The education from the process lasts a lifetime and the network you build when you start a business will lead to many future jobs and possibilities.
• Travel the world. That would be an education that pays many dividends and is much cheaper. Your kids can then go to college with a much more mature view of the world.
• Work. They won’t get the best jobs but they can make money, network, get a “hands-on” education, learn the value of money and go to college in their 20s when they can afford it — and make every dollar worth it. Plus your kids will have a more clear idea of what they want to do in the world.
• Volunteer. Let them see a side of life that is harder and where they can add value. An education like that is invaluable.
• Do nothing but read. Get the benefits of a college education without paying the $200,000. I’d be happy to support a child that wants to home school a college education.

This is a vision about transforming the Temple Mount from a place of contention to a place that is truly God’s Holy Mountain, a house of prayer for all people (Isaiah 56:7). It is a vision of fulfilling the ultimate mission of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and the original purpose of the Temple, for the entire world to worship the One God together in peace. This vision is proposed by observant Jews, supported by background papers researched over five years and presented here. Of particular importance is one, published in Tehumin, the leading periodical of halachah (Jewish law) in Israel, about the Role of the Prophet in specifying a precise location on Mount Moriah for a rebuilt Temple.

In Torah, prophets, Talmud, and Jewish history, the first and second temples were not just for the Jewish people, but for the entire world (see The Universal Temple). References in sacred Jewish texts to the role of non-Jews in the Temple are explicit, repeated, and striking. The Temple was to be constructed by Jews to fulfill their God-given mission, as commanded through Abraham and later prophets, to bring knowledge of the One God to the whole world, so that the world would worship the One God together in peace.

When the Romans conquered Israel and destroyed the Temple, they changed the Temple Mount from what was a place of common worship of the One God by Jews and non-Jews of the time to a place of violence and conflict. Using the scheme of divide and conquer, Caesar and his descendents throughout history set one people against another, fomenting conflict as a diversion from their extortionate schemes. They did so despite the central teaching of all to serve the same One God, as stated by the Jewish prophets, Jesus, and Mohammed. Regrettably, the world continues this destructive legacy for the Temple Mount today through dark assumptions about inevitable conflict between people of different faiths. By viewing the Temple Mount as a place to contest every square inch of space, we are perpetuating the ways of Caesar, not of God.

The image shown depicts a rebuilt Temple in peaceful proximity to the Islamic and Christian shrines in Jerusalem, in fulfillment of the purpose of the Temple to manifest the One God to the entire world. This vision is absolutely not about compromise for Jews, Muslims, or Christians. Rather it is about radical fulfillment of a basic tenet of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, and other religions of the world, to manifest the One God on earth by worshipping the One God together in peace. It is about a transformation of the Temple Mount to reflect the ultimate prophetic character of God’s Holy Mountain.

After initial consultation with rabbis of stature in Israel, this vision is being presented for thoughtful contemplation to Jews, Muslims, Christians, and those of other religions, including scholars, rabbis, imams, ministers, and the general public. We are observant Jews (see about us), and therefore bound by the principle of Jewish law (halachah), which means basically that an idea, even if it seems right in our hearts and minds, may not be God’s will, and thus should follow these guidelines. Within Judaism, it is the purview of rabbis to weigh such issues based upon the vast body of Jewish scripture, teachings, and law. We believe, however, that this vision is possible according to halachah based upon the Role of the Prophet in determining the location of a rebuilt, Third Temple on Mount Moriah. It is thus possible that a prophet could rule according to the vision proposed and therefore acceptable according to Jewish law to contemplate and discuss this vision.

We propose this vision with the fervent hope that it can remind Jews, Muslims, Christians and others of the core teachings of our common prophets and of the mission that God calls us now to fulfill. The world is at a crossroads today between following the way of Caesar toward destruction or following the way of God toward redemption. Let us be very clear that it is not the place of any group of Jews to know the will of God or to present a plan for rebuilding the Temple. We present this vision in humility for contemplation and discussion. Should it be the will of God, we hope that one day it will be realized (See The Jewish Temple and God’s Holy Mountain).

Full Story

I’d ask you to also consider the following passage from a day long gone by. I discovered it in a speech by my favorite central banker, Richard W. Fisher:

Every now and then the world is visited by one of these delusive seasons, when ‘the credit system’ … expands to full luxuriance: everybody trusts everybody; a bad debt is a thing unheard of; the broad way to certain and sudden wealth lies plain and open; and men are tempted to dash forward boldly from the facility of borrowing.

Now is the time for speculative and dreaming or designing men. They relate their dreams and projects to the ignorant and credulous, dazzle them with golden visions, and set them maddening after shadows. The example of one stimulates another; speculation rises on speculation; bubble rises on bubble; every one helps … to swell the windy superstructure….

It renders the [financier] a magician, and the Exchange a region of enchantment…. No ‘operation’ is thought worthy of attention that does not double or treble the investment. No business is worth following that does not promise an immediate fortune…. The subterranean garden of Aladdin is nothing to the realms of wealth that break upon [the] imagination.

“Could this delusion always last, …life …would indeed be a golden dream; but it is as short as it is brilliant.”

Now those last words weren’t written by Fisher or Roosevelt — but by Washington Irving. He was talking about the “Mississippi Bubble” fiasco of 1719. And even though it was penned almost 300 years ago, it reads like it could have been written at the height of the bubble a few years back. Chalk it up to the human condition.

***Solar Roadways is currently a top contender for the $200M GE Ecomagination contest. Please vote for them at http://www.solarroadways.com/vote.shtml , and help turn this prototype into reality!***

The Solar Roadways project is working to pave roads with solar panels that you can drive on. Co-founder Scott Brusaw has made some major steps forward since our first visit back in 2007, so we visited him again earlier this year for an exclusive update on the project, including the first ever video recorded of the Solar Roadways prototype! For more information visit http://www.solarroadways.com . This Solar Roadway project will be featured in the upcoming feature film by YERT – Your Environmental Road Trip. To learn more about YERT, visit http://yert.com .

By Lauren King

CHECKLIST

Here’s what you need in a good hurricane/disaster kit.

- water – at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days

- food – at least enough for 3 to 7 days

- non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices

- foods for infants or the elderly

- non-electric can opener

- cooking tools and fuel

- paper plates and plastic utensils

- blankets and pillows

- clothing: include rain gear and sturdy shoes

- first aid kit (see list below), medicines and prescription drugs, and a list of your doctors, medications and allergies

- prescription eyewear

- special items for babies and the elderly

- toiletries, hygiene items

- whistle to signal for help

- dust mask, to help filter contaminated air

- flashlight and batteries

- radio (battery-operated)

- household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper (when diluted in water, bleach can be used to kill germs)

- fire extinguisher

- matches in a waterproof container

- phones: fully charged cell phone with an extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set

- cash (with some small bills) and credit cards (banks and ATMs might not be available)

- keys

- toys, books, games

- paper and pen/pencil

- important documents in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag: insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card(s)

- toolbox

- sunscreen

- pet care items: ID, immunization records, medication, food and water, a carrier or cage, a muzzle and leash

Also, make sure your vehicle’s fuel tank is filled.

FIRST-AID KIT

Must-haves:

- two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves

- sterile dressings

- soap and antibiotic towelettes

- antibiotic ointment

- burn ointment

- adhesive bandages (variety of sizes)

- eye wash solution

- thermometer

Additional items you might want:

- scissors

- tweezers

- petroleum jelly or other lubricant

- aspirin or other pain reliever

- anti-diarrhea medication

- antacid

- laxative

Source: ReadyVirginia.gov

SHOPPING LIST

To make creating a hurricane kit economical, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management has broken down a suggested supply list to purchase the basics in steps over four weeks. After this, you can add to the kit as needed.

Week One – Hardware store:

- containers to hold supplies (large plastic tub with lid, backpack, etc.)

- flashlights

- portable tool kit

- roll of duct tape

- utility knife

- tarp (to cover a leaky roof)

- battery-operated radio

- batteries for flashlights and radio

Purchase or gather from existing household supply:

- blanket or sleeping bag and pillow for each member of the household

- towels

- books or games for entertainment

- local road map

- set of extra clothing and shoes for each member of the household

Week Two – Grocery store:

- cans of meat, ready-to-eat soup, vegetables and fruit

- box of heavy-duty garbage bags with ties

- box of resealable food storage bags for important papers and small items

- hand-operated can opener

Week Three – Drugstore:

- toothbrushes and toothpaste

- over-the-counter and prescription medications

- sanitary wipes or liquid hand sanitizer

- feminine hygiene supplies

- bottle of shampoo

- family-size first aid kit

Week Four – Grocery store:

- gallons of water for each member of the household, including pets (at least one gallon per person per day)

- quick energy snacks (granola bars, nuts, raisins, trail mix)

- peanut butter

- cans of juice (not concentrate)

- rolls of paper towels

- six-roll pack of toilet paper

If needed, purchase extra items for:

- pets (food, leashes, toys, etc.)

- children (baby food, formula, diapers, coloring books, etc.)

- elderly or special needs family members (hearing aid batteries, special food, etc.)

Sources: National Hurricane Center, Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Full Story

http://viewer.zoho.com/docs/uabXdT