Nobody Loves A Money Lender

My first job after finishing college was working at a small bank interviewing applicants for mortgage loans. My clients were referred to me by large banks that found their credit rating unacceptable. The job was easy and as long as the applicant had some means of making the payments they were accepted. All of my customers were trying to better themselves by having the financial security of becoming a homeowner. Many times I overlooked obvious false statements on the application in order to approve the loan. It made me happy to give somebody the opportunity to own a home. The high rate of interest I charged along with the small down payment was a smart business deal for my boss and was helping him get rich. My pay was good enough to buy a new Caddy Seville and the best of everything.. But After seeing so many of my clients having their homes foreclosed I began to feel guilty and could not sleep at night. I handed in my resignation and told my boss the reason why I was leaving. He said that I was wrong to feel guilty and explained to me why my job was ethical. I will repeat what he said:

“There must be lenders available that make loans to high-risk borrowers and therefore have to have high rates and fees. A mortgage seeker who is turned away from a bank because of poor credit history has to be given a chance to become a homeowner. There is nothing wrong with the lender that gives a borrower that opportunity by offering a higher interest rate. The transaction is of a voluntary nature and. the borrowers make the choice. If one has a poor credit history, then the choices are limited and there is no place to get a loan except with a high interest lender. Is that the fault of the lender? Did someone drag or drug the borrower and force them to accept the loan?”.

I did not agree with my boss and quit, soon I was hired at a national bank as a loan officer. But my guilt followed me to the new job because many of the applicants for a mortgage were low income people with a bad credit history, and were not acceptable for a loan. I felt bad when the manager turned them down. Some said the bank was guilty of redlining or racial discrimination, but the bank refused to change its policy. It was then time to look for new work because I decided that the job as a loan officer was not for me. The next job I took was as an accountant in the garment centre, five years later I applied for a low interest mortgage loan and became a homeowner. But I will always remember those that were not as fortunate.

melpol

Tarot Cards And The Devil

The Tarot Devil card depicts a horned monster that is half human with the face of a goat.  His legs are spread apart as he confidently sits on a dark coloured throne. Two women slaves with chains around their necks are at his feet. He is the Devil and his mind is full of the filthiest of thoughts and desires. The Devil is blamed for being the foundation of all that is wrong in this world. His ugliness runs deep and he proudly accepts the throne as the ultimate personification of evil. He never sleeps because the Lord in heaven as a punishment for his arrogance stitched up both eyelids so they will remain open for an eternity. This keeps the Devil working night and day without any sleep. What makes the Devil extremely dangerous is that he has the power to creep into every mind and fill it with the basest of desires.  If we meditate long enough on the card we can spiritually contact this evil spirit. The experience can be therapeutic and make a person change for the better. Others accept this disgusting and vulgar spirit and go on with their evil lives.

 

The Devil always gets the blame for all that is evil in the world, because it is easier for us to blame somebody or something other than ourselves. Common sense and experience tells us that we are responsible for our own behaviour good or bad. But many of us refuse to accept the guilt of having to own up to their own actions. We have often heard the excuse that “The devil made me do it”. Madmen who have committed horrible crimes have blamed the Devil before angry judges, but it only resulted in a quick ticket to a loony bin. The trick of the Devil is to make us explore the forbidden pleasures of the world without having to accept the guilt of our actions. But in his infinite wisdom the Lord has given us free will and with it responsibility. The  Devil Tarot card is magically designed to help us choose between the Lord and the Devil or heaven and hell.

 

 

We all must experience the material world and indulge in life’s physical pleasures before we can rise to a higher level. The Devil Tarot card helps enlighten us to the evil, corruption and limitations of our being. Upon well focused meditation it ultimately leads to a spiritual awakening and helps people take responsibility for their actions. This Tarot card is really a wonderful magical mirror that enlightens us to the fact that evil comes not from the Devil but from within ourselves..

melpol

 

 

 

Never Rush The Cook

When dinner is ready, hungry children never have to be rounded up to come to the dinner table, a simple sound of the bell is enough. If the dinner is still in the stove and uncooked, never tell the children that they should be eating right at this moment, because it will only increase their hunger and frustrate them.  Some job seekers are guilty of destroying a hungry childs patience, they know the child will soon be banging on the kitchen door demanding to eat at once. The cook will then be forced to turn up the stove and the food will get burned. Everybody will miss a good dinner and the cook will be fired.  Blame it all on the instigator who provoked the hungry children in order to become the new chef. Patience is a virtue and when the food is ready everybody will be served.

 

In 1948 almost every person I knew was almost broke. Only one guy in my neighbourhood had an automobile—people looked at him with awe and wished that some day they would also be able to own one. There were no rabble rousers that blamed it on Capitalism or the federal government. Nobody said that we would get a chance to better our lives if there were a socialistic system. We did the best we could to survive working at the low paying jobs that were available in the garment-centre of New York City. We waited patiently for the economy to improve in hopes of finding better paying work. Our prayers were soon answered. Because of the ingenuity and tax free investments of creative businessmen things began to change. Factories and offices opened and the economy boomed—there were soon great jobs available for every American across the nation. Hallelujah!!.

 

Career minded politicians that demand that the government put unearned money into the pockets of the poor by generous freebies are doing a great disservice to the country. Also politicians that promise to provide millions of unneeded federal jobs if elected will wreck our economy.  Those handouts will unfairly tax the only ones that in the long term can help American workers. Those saviours are the people that invest their money in American businesses. The unemployed and underpaid must pray like I once did that the ingenuity of the American businessman will come to their rescue. They have done it before and will do it again if only given the chance.

 

I know many of us children are hungry and have lost their patience with the cook. But we must not listen to those that tell us to bang on the kitchen door for faster service. Because if we do we will force the cook to turn up the flame and burn our food. Patience is a virtue and if practiced will give more people a chance to share the great American dream and a good dinner.

melpol

Tarot Cards And Presidential Elections

In today’s world where the future has become impossible to predict and control, tomorrow has lost its meaning. That is why no attention is being paid to promises and political issues in this years presidential election. Voters are now dependent on imagery alone. Appearance has become the only thing that is important to the voter. Campaign managers are now devoting all their energy into creating a perfect image that will appeal to the American voter. 

 

The image of the young handsome prince who has come from a faraway kingdom to save us is very appealing to those that are searching for a spiritual leader. His face and smile shows confidence and propels us to join him in a star trek to a better world. But he is accompanied by a partner that is too earthly, a man that is ingrained in over twenty five years of insider politics. That partner tarnishes the image of our young handsome prince. It leaves us confused.

 

There is a second image of an old warrior who has returned after many years of combat. He is scared from torture and is battle ready to save his country. But he looks tired and worn and hardly fit to fight again. Close at his side there is a woman huntress with a burst of energy who is ready to help the old warrior win his war. She is a reincarnation of Joan of Arc who led an army to victory in the battle against the invaders. The image of the two is so inspiring that millions are ready to follow their leadership.

 

Both images are as colorful as Tarot fortune cards and just as powerful because they both predict the future. If you pick the Prince of Swords card you will get a well-educated person who can be challenging, entertaining and stimulating but if surrounded by evil foces can be easily corrupted. You might pick the Old Man as a Tarot card. This card has an image of a wise old man with a lantern he is looking for a youthful partner to help him.  He knows that the wisdom of age combined with the energy of youth is the greatest force on earth. Take your pick and hope that the future will be kind.

melpol

Ass Whipping And Rehabilitation

I often wonder why the most effective and humane method of social control is no longer used in America. It would instantly stop victimization of the weak by the criminal and empty overcrowded prisons. This proven method of crime prevention and rehabilitation was a good ass-whipping. There is nothing people fear as much as physical pain. Wise parents have used it effectively for centuries against a child that was guilty of serious misbehavior. It has been proven to work and should be implemented by the courts against violators of civil rights.

 

The fear of imprisonment does not deter a violent person. The proof is that prisons are filled with  repeat violent offenders, they have returned to enjoy the luxury of prison life after being released many times. Prisons offer good food and shelter with a standard of living that exceeds the national norm. It is not punishment that most inmates receive but an education in the benefits of good living. This must come to an end. Violent offenders should be immediately released after a good ass whipping and told that they will get another one if they violate the civil rights of any person again. I am sure if this policy is put into effect violent crimes will become almost non-existent and the streets will be safe once again.

 

Politicians are talking about establishing new social controls and eliminating violence in America by federally funding a five hundred billion dollar youth education program. They hope that it would produce millions of young community organizers who would go into crime ridden cities and teach wayward young Americans the correct way to air their grievances. It may sound like a creative program to naive people,but the only thing it would produce is a bigger federal budget and even more violent crime.

 

 

The fear of a good ass-whipping was so great in the minds of students in my public school classes that seldom was there any bad behaviour. But times have changed and teachers have lost the best method of controlling a school bully or disruptive student. The proof is in the classroom disruptions that are now taking place in early education classes. I once thought that the old wisdom of: “Spare the rod and spoil the child” was cruel but it worked.

 

 

I advocate that we release all violent offenders to the watchful eyes of parole officers who will be responsible to whip their ass if they commit a violent crime. Past societies have proven that nobody will commit a crime if threatened with the certainty of a good ass-whipping. Prisons or prisoners were rare in those days. Lets be realistic and have a good spanking take the place of expensive and wasteful prisons.

melpol

Captains Need Experience

My live in girlfriend and I eat fish for dinner at least three times a week. Our favorite fish is Flounder because it does not take long to prepare and it tastes great. We buy our fish at the local market and trust the dates on the package to know if the fish is fresh. One day after shopping I opened up my package of Flounder and it smelled awful. There was something wrong so I returned to the market and asked for a refund. The manager offered me a replacement and explained that occasionaly a spoiled batch gets thrown in with the fresh fish and it is impossible for him to control. He said the only way to be sure that the fish was fresh is to catch it yourself. I thanked him for the advice but refused the exchange and had my money returned.

 

After both deciding that it was wise to catch our own fish,the next weekend we both were at the boat dock at six in the morning. There we saw two fishing boats that were going to spend the day searching for Flounder.One of the boats was brand new and had a sign up saying that this was going to be its maiden voyage. We marveled at its beauty and start going abroad. On the boarding plank stood the captain. He was dressed in whites and wore the most impressive cap. It had a gold eagle broadly displayed on the brim. He introduced himself and spoke about his ivy leauge education and his top grades but he admitted that he was never out to sea. My girlfriend was so impressed with him that she was ready to sign on. but I said before we do that lets check the older fishing boat and find out why it seems to be getting more fishermen going on board. We then spoke to the other captain who was an old man with over fifty years of fishing experience. He said that his boat may be old but it was sea worthy. I spoke to some of the fisherman on board and they told me that they never returned from a fishing trip with less than twenty five fish. I was sold and ready for a fishing trip on the old boat. But my girlfriend insisted on going on the maiden voyage with the handsome new captain. We compromised and decided she would have her choice, but I would stay with the experienced captain and we would meet on the dock at six on the return of the boats.

 

 

At six oclock I was waiting on the dock for the return of the fishing boat with my girlfriend on board. My fishing bag was packed with ice and there was over fifty large Flounder in it. At nine there was no sign of the boat she was on. I asked some of the workers on the dock what had happened to the boat that was on its maiden voyage. They replied that it had run aground and was being towed in. At midnight I saw a broken down boat coming into port towed by a coast guard cutter. My girlfriend was on the deck and weeping. I welcomed her as she came down the plank. We then went home and had a great Flounder dinner. She promised that she would never go on a boat again with a captain without sea experience. Even if the captain was handsome.

melpol

Two Ring Political Circus

I have never witnessed such an interesting presidential election. I am comparing it to a two ringed circus and the greatest show on earth. All the complex issues have finally been dropped. Imagery is all that is counts. Now we can just sit back and enjoy the show without over taxing our brains. Let us now enter the circus tent and watch the greatest entertainers on earth perform.

 

In one circus ring there is a handsome and captivating orator entertaining us with inspirational words. His poetry is soothing and hypnotizing. Cleverly It is directed at those of us that are weary of life’s upward struggle. He is speaking about a land of milk and honey and the faith to lead us across the river Jordan to that promised land. His magnetism is so powerful that those of us that hear his words will even follow him through the gates of hell. Thoughts of the Pied Piper of Hamelin comes to my mind but this speaker does not need a flute.

 

In the second ring there sits a woman on a snowmobile surrounded by her large family. In front of them stands an old man waving a pistol and shouting. His words were hard to understand but it was about something that happened to him fifty years ago. The display was so interesting to look at that I stopped listening to the inspirational orator and wanted to find out what was going on. The woman on the snowmobile got up to speak. She spoke about building an oil pipeline that would keep me warm in the winter. All she wanted was my vote to get the oil flowing. She also introduced the audience to her interesting family. I loved the whole show.

 

On my way home I thought about the great circus show and the two rings. They were both entertaining and it was hard to pick which one I enjoyed the most. I liked the lady on the snowmobile because of her offer to build a pipeline to keep me warm. But being a person who has an upward struggle in life the inspiration of the orator was also important and more enjoyable. I thought he was the most eloquent speaker in the circus.  The old guy waving the gun should not be left out, he deserves an honorable mention.

melpol

Stop The Oil Guzzler

It is often said that for every problem there is a solution. Our nation is now faced with the problem of having a limited supply of oil. World demand for oil is growing and oil supplies are dwindling.  There is not enough oil being produced nor is there any possibility of production rising for at least ten years. Most products are dependent on the cost of oil and that cost will continue rising.  Many of us will not have the money to buy goods produced from oil and will have no choice but to suffer.  But there is another solution.

 

The U.S. Navy can station itself at the head of the Persian Gulf and the Straits of Malacca and block all oil shipments to China and India. That will guarantee America all the oil it needs. Not only will our nation have plenty of oil but it will also be affordable. Some think it will start a war but that is impossible, no nation will challenge our military might. The Chinese and Indians will just have to do the best they can on the little oil they have. It is better that they suffer than we do.

 

There is an international solution to the shortage of oil. There are billions of people that contribute no useful service and just use up precious resources. They are called oil guzzlers. This non productive oil guzzler has to be given useful work. There is no reason why productive members of society should allow them to deplete the oil that is desperately needed.

 

It will be up to our new president to identify our oil guzzlers and find productive work for them. The oil guzzlers could be hiding in the most unsuspecting places. Some are government workers that contribute nothing and only suck out our remaining oil resources with their undeserved salaries. There are many oil guzzlers who are non-workers; they use up our oil resources in the form of welfare payments and free health benefits. They should all be made useful by earning their right to use the oil needed for more deserving people.

 

Something has to be done fast if we are going to survive as a first world nation. The cost of living is quickly climbing along with higher oil prices and they will continue to do so as long as we do nothing about it. Some of my solutions might seem radical but they will shortly be needed in a world full of growing problems.

melpol

 

 

 

Oil Is Earths Holy Blood

Oil owners have been desperately pumping out as much oil from their wells as possible. They have been doing it for the last twenty years. Their owners are greedy and want to make as much money as possible. But the best they are able to do is to pump out 85 million barrels a day to an oil hungry world. That is not nearly enough; worldwide consumption today is 87 million barrels daily and is growing. Something has to change, and it will be the price of available oil supplies.  The nations that need the oil will have to pay over 300 dollars a barrel.

 

China and India have over two billion people who are exposed to television views of the west. They see how well other nations live and the products they use. Billions of them want autos and air conditioners plus lots of other goodies. They demand to have them and their governments have no choice but to give them what they want. It cost over 200 barrels of oil to produce one auto and the Chinese and Indian people want to own the largest and the best.

 

The demand for oil is growing quickly and there is no power on earth that can stop this tidal wave of desire. Even if new oil fields are discovered they will not be able to come on line for another ten years. Alternative energy ideas can never feed such large demands for energy. There is nothing that can replace oil. The world is in an awful mess.

 

It is often said that for every problem there is a solution. We are now faced with the problem of having a limited supply of oil. This solution requires pain and some of us have to painfully sacrifice their hopes so others can realize theirs. Those that make that sacrifice will give up the right to use what is left of the world’s oil and will suffer in poverty. The fortunate will enjoy the luxuries of technological societies powered by abundant oil. There is no other solution.

 

The Mid-East is sitting on more than half of the world’s oil reserves, and that oil is as precious as water in a dry desert. No responsible government leader will deprive their nation of full access to that oil. Armies are building up strength because they know that there will be a military battle. War is thought by many to be the only solution to an otherwise unsolvable problem. Oil has now taken the place of God in a world where billions of people want the best for themselves.

melpol

Oil Shortages In A Hungry World

Most people have refused to accept the magnitude of the oil crisis that is coming on like a gigantic tidal wave. They think the hybrid auto, Ethanol, solar power or wind energy will save them. But they all add up to very little savings in the face of a surging energy demand. The hopeful claim there is enough oil to meet this expanding demand, and that we have nothing to fear. Others say the demands for more energy will self destruct as prices rise. But the nature of that demand is so powerful that even higher energy costs cannot stop its tremendous force.

 

Oil wells are working at full capacity pumping out as much oil as possible. Every attempt at increasing production has resulted in only a small gain. No new oil fields have been discovered that are large enough to meet this growing demand for more oil. Now is the time for the world to accept that there will not be enough oil available to meet the demands of every nation. And even if they accept that dark reality the demand for more oil will not go away. The problem requires a solution.

 

Nations will pay any price to obtain the oil necessary to fuel their economy. China and India will not stop meeting the oil demands of their expanding economies only because the United States needs that same oil. Common sense says that there will be fierce competition between nations for a share of what is available. The possibility of military confrontation exists unless oil demands decrease.

 

World wide demand for oil is not decreasing despite higher prices and conservation. The economies of China and India are booming and will continue to do so even if oil reaches 300 dollars a barrel. They have billions of people with dreams of obtaining the luxuries of the western world. Those dreams will never end as long as there is a drop of oil available for their nation.

 

This situation is similar to the one where there are ten survivors on a lifeboat and only enough water to last one more day. Rather than them all dying they draw lots and the losers are thrown overboard. Is it the right time for the nations of the world to draw lots? If it is, I hope our nation is one of the winners.

melpol