IrishBeat.com

I read a good article about banking and the ways their sales material tries to fool the consumer into believing the bank is working for them. It’s an interesting read. Here’s the link.

10 Things Your Bank Won’t Tell You
by Jim Rendon
Monday, August 18, 2008provided bySmartMoney.com

Great article pointing out the reality of the banking industry. One thing he missed is the technical aspect that banks have lobbied Congress into allowing them to decrease the time for clearing collection transactions, yet left the hold time for deposits as it’s been for over 60 years. This means banks can hold your money for up to 10 days on a deposit, yet ensure they take it from you immediately. There are huge profits made on this float, and it’s a legal loophole that they want to ensure does not close. The fact is that the transactions clear in the same time frame with little difference as to the timing. Banking for the consumer is a farce and another example of corporations focusing on profit and not the consumer…

I recently starting receiving the email below. It’s amusing the first couple times so I thought I’d share. Interestingly, it’s hit my inbox from multiple sources which makes me think it’s the latest in a viral campaign. It also made me wonder what the original source was. First, here’s the email text:

Email

“Leave it to the Irish to cut through the crap and make the whole issue crystal clear…Â Thoughts from across the pond…… An email from Ireland to the brethren in the States…a point to ponder despite your political affiliation: ‘We, in Ireland, can’t figure out why people are even bothering to hold an election in the United States! On one side, you have a pants wearing woman lawyer, married to a lawyer who can’t keep his pants on, Who just lost a long and heated primary against: A lawyer who goes to the wrong church who is married to yet another lawyer who doesn’t even like the country her husband wants to run. Now…On the other side, you have a nice old war hero whose name starts with the appropriate “Mc” terminology married to a good looking younger woman who owns a beer distributorship. What in Lord’s name are ye lads thinking over there in the colonies??”

Now, I’m a big fan of the no nonsense approach of McCain, although I disagree on some of his approaches on the environment. But I also like the excitement that Obama can bring to a crowd. His pulpit-like speaking tones make people feel like he really wants change. So the questions are: Do you think the email is part of a viral email campaign? and With both these candidates technically having Irish heritage, does it play any part in your decision for whom to vote?

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what I can get out of the country and get away with it! In today’s Democratic race what are the options? A known liar, cheater and manipulator or a pompous ass that does not have enough common sense to know that he his preacher is a racist. How does one decide between the two?

My personal choice is that I will not. This will be the one election I choose to vote Republican. Although there are aspects of the Republican Party I do not like, I cannot stand to think of Clinton or Obama in the White House.

The one major issue I think the democrats have misjudged again is the War in Iraq. Once again, they will loose the White House because of this issue. It is a tragedy that we have lost one life during a mis-shapen war over oil (and potentially terrorism). However just to piss away those lives and stop what we are doing; those dead soldiers are turning over in their graves just hearing it being considered. The fight needs to remain in the terrorists’ back yard, not America’s. It is ridiculous to assume that we were going to fix this in 5 years, 10 years even 20 years. However, it is not ridiculous to think that we can continue to influence the direction Iraq and other countries are going as long as we have a presence. We got into the war for all the wrong reasons but now that we are there, we need to make the commitment to stay. What do we do if we stay? Get the politicians the hell out of the decision-making and turn it back over to the Soldiers. They are the best. They will get the job done IF we give them the chance and do not tie their hands.

Maybe in 2012 the democrats will get it together and gives us options for a real world candidate; one that is a strong leader and believes in defending this country! God Bless America!