Revellian

Thoughts and Fiction of Bobby Revell

Archive for May, 2008

What Makes a Great Blog Article

May 31

Posted by Bobby Revell in blogging, blogging ethics, blogging tips, writing

Hello folks, I know I’ve been taking quite a long blogging break, but it’s not because I haven’t been writing. I actually wrote 17 new articles, but after reading them, I’ve decided to wait for the right moment to publish as most of them were created out of emotion and cynical anger. It got me thinking about what really makes a great blog article – not to you, but what makes a great article to me; after all, anything any of us write is just a matter pf personal taste and opinion.

If a post gets tons of comments, does that mean it’s good? Absolutely not. If a blog has 35,000+ subscribers, it must be really good…right? Hell no. Some of the best articles I’ve ever read have few if any comments at all. Some of the best posts written often go unread. If a person becomes president, they must be really smart as well as a truly great reader…right? Haha…of course not, just look at George W. Bush (I couldn’t resist a jab at George). I’d go as far to say many famous people are undeserving of fame, but that’s another story. Am I saying the highest rated blogs aren’t really that good? In many cases…yes. And here’s my favorite: If a blogger makes a million dollars per month blogging, does that mean they’re good or can help you do the same? Don’t be silly…the answer is almost always no. Then again, I don’t read money blogs very often – they are boring and unoriginal for the most part.

If there is one thing I can say in all honesty, is that my blog is very original and I write from a very opinionated stance; however, it is usually to incite good commentary and to make people think. Many bloggers do what I call re-reporting the news, where they report general stories most of us have already read. If you are doing that, I recommend adding your own personal opinion, particularly if you are emotionally invested. Using news sources like the Associated press, Reuters or many others to get stories is a good idea, but only if you have something to add to it. I approach blogging like this sometimes.

Here are some general points to add zest, fire and passion to your articles:

  • Get mad about something. It’s ok to to passionately express anger, but don’t do it to personally hurt someone.
  • Take a position on an issue and defend it. I’ve often taken a position I disagreed with and argued for it. Why would I do that? To learn. I often find myself changing my entire outlook on a given subject.
  • Don’t be afraid of insulting or offending others (or even yourself)…be brave. I love it even more if someone proves me wrong – that’s when I truly learn something.
  • If a subject seems taboo, tackle it head on. I have a love/hate relationship with religion and politics, so they are my hot button topics. Don’t be afraid to learn about any opposing viewpoints, especially if they really offend you!
  • Reevaluate yourself everyday. Reevaluate your most proudly held opinions…you may learn something new. I do this every day. Change and adaptation are the cornerstones of this technological society.
  • Don’t be afraid to learn and succeed even if it means you change as a person. Take yourself out of your own comfort zone. A meaningful and great article is more likely to happen this way.
  • Above all, try to do something beneficial for humanity and society, not for yourself. This defines true greatness in all areas of life.

The Democratizing Effect of Blogging

Those of you who know me well, know I’ve written much on the effect blogging has on humanity. It is the most powerful form of communication…period. The reason why, is because it is written, rather than seen or heard. It’s amazing how well you get to know people through blogging. When you meet people in everyday life, you usually don’t get to understand a person as well as when you read what they have written. Blogging is a pure expression of freedom. If you are blogging, you are free to write – so take advantage of it. One day, every human being on Earth will be represented on line by a blog or website.

Try Something New

This has to be my number one good idea. Write about something you’ve never tried before. When I started blogging, I really didn’t have any solid political opinions. I wrote about it anyway, and in the process have learned much as well as developed new opinions that seem to change like the wind. I’ve read over fifty political books from differing sides because of my new found interest! I believe if you have an opinion about something and stagnantly stick to it, you don’t learn anything. Right now…go write a post about something you have never attempted or tackle something serious. It will be great…I promise.

I want to thank everyone who has been visiting during my break, it’s amazing how great people can be. I must return the energy to you. Now…excuse me while I go read a ton of blogs and leave a ton of comments.

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25 Comments

Help Fight Modern Day Slave Labor

May 24

Posted by Bobby Revell in issue awareness, politics, racism

Like most people, I thought slavery ended in 1862 with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The 13th amendment of the constitution was implemented a few years later in 1865, supposedly ending slavery once and for all.

The 13th amendment states:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

I am certainly no expert on modern politics and learn more everyday about how little I truly know. I do know what happened to me and my firsthand experience with modern day slave labor. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of homes needed new roofs, among many other repairs.

I hired a local contractor to replace my roof and surprisingly, got a really good price. At the time, I thought the good price was the result of stiff competition between contractors. I remember being woken up by what sounded like a herd of stampeding water buffalo on the roof. I walked outside and saw 24 Mexican men feverishly working as if they were going for a world record. The entire roof was replaced in three hours – I was astonished. None of the men spoke English, so I was unable to ask them any questions. They piled up in a few work trucks and went to the next job.

At the time, I suspected they were illegal immigrants, but the contractor assured me they were not. The telephone services, including cell phones were still out of order and I couldn’t call anyone. When you have massive holes in your roof with animals and hordes of mosquitoes coming into your house, the last thing you’re thinking about is illegal slave labor. It was several weeks later when the horror stories started, mostly by word of mouth. Stories of how these Mexican workers were promised paychecks week after week spread like wildfire. The contractors promised them money, dangling false dreams of a new life before their eyes. In most of the cases I heard, the contractors waited until the workers became so suspicious of being ripped off, they finally refused to work. At that point, the contractors disappeared with all the money, leaving these battered, hungry men alone without pay. These illegal workers spoke no English and were not American citizens. They had no rights, no one to complain to and no where to go – a disgraceful and horrific crime against humanity.

There are numerous types of modern day slavery from many third world nations, including sex slaves. Last week, I happened to catch an interview with John Bowe on C-Span Book TV talking about his fantastic new book, “Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy” read the full transcript here.

Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy

In the interview, he said he believed the census statistics are incorrect and the percentage of illegal workers in America are as high as 20% of the entire workforce. I tend to agree with him because I have seen it in action – right here on my own property. I strongly urge you to read his book (I’m only half way through it), and check out his websites. One thing he talks about is how it’s very likely all of us may become slave laborers ourselves. Here’s a quote from his website, “Globalization means that soon, we, too, might be working for pennies an hour. It’s like Adam Smith in reverse: trade with people less free than you, and your own freedom is threatened,” a frightening prospect indeed. Go read John Bowe’s wordpress site.

I applaud him for doing the right thing and bringing this issue to the forefront. One thing is for sure, this information is not popular and John Bowe is not getting the attention he deserves. When people do things of monumental importance, they are often buried in the rubble of mainstream political fluff and irrelevant information – like which pastor our presidential candidates use. Situations needing the most attention are almost always considered irrelevant as tiny blips on the media radar.

Why isn’t this subject being covered in the media or under heavy fire by politicians? The answer is simple: money. They are not being paid to cover it. It is up to all of us, as citizens, to get the ball rolling.

Now to the most important part of this article: Please sign the petition to end slave labor – it only takes a minute. It is in our own complacency and laziness that nothing is ever accomplished. The next time you eat a tomato or buy a pair of shoes, think about who actually grew it or manufactured those shoes – they are likely the products of modern day slavery. I proudly offer the popularity of my web site to help with this extremely important cause – it’s the least I can do.

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27 Comments

Interview With a Blind Homeless Man

May 19

Posted by Bobby Revell in critical thinking, issue awareness, life personal, philosophy

A few months ago, I was invited by a coworker to come to an outdoor picnic. I had an uneasy feeling about going, but accepted because he was so insistent. He is a married guy with six kids – being single, I feel weird hanging out with a bunch of married people.

To my surprise, the event was sponsored by a local Christian church. I felt really uncomfortable because I thought they would try to convert me to Christianity, something I really wasn’t prepared to deal with. I live in an area of the US known as the bible belt, so I guess I’m used to it. The main reason I went was because my friend Jason wanted me to meet his sister, who hadn’t arrived at that point as she was running late.

I noticed an old homeless man standing nearby. He was struggling just to walk and was blind. He asked a few people if he could have something to eat because he was weak and very hungry. One of the church members said, “Leave you filthy old man, you stink. Leave or we will call the police.”

The old man replied, “I’m so sorry sir,” and began walking away, using a mop stick to feel the ground.

I felt really bad about it. The guy who rudely told him to leave said, “Can you believe that? Every time we have a cook out, a goddamn trashy low life comes crawling out of the woodwork trying to leech a free meal off of us.”

I was shocked and thought everyone else would’ve been too, but they weren’t. My friend Jason and his wife agreed, telling their children to stay away from the old man so they wouldn’t catch a disease from him. I was so offended! I became angry and tried to avoid saying anything but couldn’t help it. I said, “I thought you people were supposed to be Christians. Aren’t you supposed to help people? I’m looking around and everyone here drives expensive cars, wears designer clothes and act really superficial.”

Jason said, “That old man isn’t a person, he’s trash. We can’t feed every vagrant that walks up.”

I replied, “I cannot believe how callous you people are. Real Christians don’t worry about material things and are supposed to love every human being…unconditionally.”

Disgusted, I walked away from the discussion, preparing myself a plate full of food and a cup of apple juice. I brought it to the homeless man and we sat down on the ground while he ate. The crowd stared at me in disbelief, offended at what I had done. I talked to the old man for quite a while, and wanted to share what I remember of the conversation. I decided to present it in an interview format for ease of understanding:

Me: How long have you been blind?

Old man: I was born blind. My parents pretty much rejected me at a young age. I’m really sorry about begging for food, but I haven’t eaten in three days. I suffer from dementia, and being blind makes things so much more difficult.

Me: So you’ve never been able to see your entire life? You’ve heard of words like ugly, pretty, fat, stupid? What do those words mean to you?

Old Man: Yes, I’ve heard those words, but I don’t understand what they mean. People don’t understand…I have never seen anything so I don’t have a concept of what things look like. It’s so strange to have someone ask me about that. No one has ever asked me about that. I don’t know much, but I do know I’ve been called many of those words. I don’t get upset when someone calls me old, stupid or whatever because I don’t know what it really means when describing a person.

Me: You go by smell or sound mostly huh? When you hear someone speak, do you feel a certain way about them because of the sound of their voice?

Old Man: No. People all sound different. I go by what they say and how they say it. Some people are mean or rude. Some people speak kindly. Some women smell pretty like flowers, and some don’t. I wish I could see, but I got over it years ago. You are so lucky to have eyes that work.

Me: No my friend, you are the lucky one. If you could see, you’d know why people are cruel and treat others based solely on what they look like. People who see, live their lives based on it. They like nice clothes, cars, houses, pretty things and so forth. Every one of those things are unimportant and irrelevant. People live their lives based on what they see on TV or in magazines.

Old man: I’ve never watched TV of course. I can read braille, but really don’t understand much of it because many stories are about what things look like. I don’t know what anything looks like. Thank you very much for helping me today, you are a very kind person. Just from talking to you, I feel like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. Thank you.

Me: No…thank you sir, you are the luckiest man alive and I will never forget you.

He smiled and we shook hands. I offered to drive him somewhere but he immediately cut me off. He wanted no more help from me and slowly walked off into the woods. It may seem strange that I got into a philosophical conversation with him, but it does happen to me quite often. I couldn’t help but wonder what the world would be like if we were all blind. There would be no ugly, fat, short, black, white, pretty or any other superficial judgments. It was a powerful experience and I am truly thankful for having met him. All those people missed out on something truly meaningful because they were filled with so much hatred and bigotry. I do realize these people are not representative of all Christians, but only one small group. I know in my heart that not all of them were like that; someone had to appreciate my actions.

My friend Jason hasn’t since spoken to me for embarrassing him in front of his church group. It doesn’t bother me at all. I would be embarrassed to be like him. Just so you know, I never did meet his sister and don’t even know if she is aware of me giving my food to that old man. I read in the newspaper a few days ago that the old blind man was found dead on the side of the road. He died from dehydration and had been there for a few days before they found his body.

All my life, things like this have happened to me. This is why I am not materialistic. While watching TV earlier, all I saw was perfect, beautiful people; living perfect, beautiful lives. Everyone has perfect hair, expensive clothes and perfectly straight white teeth, capped with expensive porcelain veneers. All I could think is how ugly it all is, how shallow people are and how this world is filled with superficial ideals. My friend J.C. in his post, On-Line Television, put his TV in the closet. I’m not quite ready to do that yet, but there’s not much on it I want to see anymore.

It’s so funny how animals, like cats and dogs, don’t care about what things look like. They love you unconditionally. In many respects, people just aren’t as smart as animals.

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Identity Theft: Corruption is Everywhere

May 8

Posted by Bobby Revell in hacking

In part one (social engineering), I discussed a few ways your private information can be stolen, leading to full blown identity theft. Though I discussed popular methods, they are not the number one way to have your identification information ripped off. Criminals that want this information, don’t want to spend agonizing hours, ending up with crumbs – they want fully detailed lists, comprised of thousands of identities.

The places where are highly personal information exist are staggering. Your fingerprints, bank information, family history, drivers license number, social security number and endless other data are stored on hard drives all over the world. Any person with access, from store clerks to computer technicians can easily steal or copy anything they want.

When you hand your credit card to a waiter in a restaurant and they walk away for 5 minutes, they could easily swipe your card in a pocket sized magnetic strip copier, and have all your information. The fact is, there are so many people with access to this information, but nobody pays attention to them.

One of the most lucrative illegal businesses is selling black market copies of DVD movies. Any fourteen year old kid with clandestine Blu-Ray decryption software (which you can get for free) can start a highly profitable business right out of their cars – simply by getting a job at a DVD rental store. This allows them to attain a massive inventory, the cornerstone of any successful business. Sure, the job pays $6.00/hour, but the extra $1000.00/week selling illegal DVD’s makes that job one to keep for many young people.

A Frightening Example

A few days ago, 96 students from a San Diego State fraternity were arrested for running a highly organized, illegal drug ring – selling to anyone on campus with money. One of the students was only a month away from graduating with a masters degree in homeland security. One was a criminal justice major; another is suspected of having ties to the Mexican mafia. This is only one campus. Think about all the people who got away with similar crimes and actually do have jobs in the CIA, FBI or homeland security. It is frightening to contemplate, but happens every day.

Corrupted Law Enforcement

People believe that highly classified computer systems are secure, and surely your information is safe with them…right? Think again Sherlock. Most, if not all of the FBI’s mainframe has already been copied and sold thousands of times. You could probably buy a copy of it yourself, if you knew where to look. For crying out loud, an IRS employee could leave work everyday with hard drive back ups to sell on the black market. Some experts believe that that homeland security’s entire system was copied and replaced with an exact replica of itself. Sounds impossible? Read Joanna Rutkowska’s article Introducing Blue Pill – a fascinating post. It is possible to steal information through hacking, but the old fashioned method of just taking it is even more effective. The Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang has judges, politicians, FBI agents and many others infiltrated into the system, just to show a common example.

And then you have corrupted law enforcement, the king of all illegal information. The great thing is, when they get your information, they get everything. Sometimes they even have your DNA profile and a fresh copy of your fingerprints. This information is sold every second of every day on the black market. We live in a new world, where criminal elements – completely above the law – run and control everything you see. If you don’t believe it, you are living under a rock.

Fingerprints

The days of fingerprints being a reliable resource for identifying criminals is becoming an outdated joke. It is extremely easy to copy a person’s fingerprints. It is even possible to produce a pair of gloves with fingerprints embedded in them. Want to be someone else? Just put on a pair of special gloves. A criminal can now become anyone they want and leave someone else’s fingerprints all over the crime scene. To see just how easy it is, check out How To Fake Fingerprints. This is a basic method, but very effective. Imagine if someone made thousands of copies of anyone’s prints and sold them to criminals all over the world. It is happening as we speak.

The Art of Intrusion

I mentioned Kevin Mitnick’s book, The Art of Deception in part one of this two part series. The Art of Intrusion, his second book, takes a different approach. This offers actual case studies of unbelievable crimes committed by hackers – breaking them down into detail. Written like a crime thriller, it offers much insight into how actual hacks were achieved. You can download the free e-book version in PDF format from The Art of Intrusion.pdf. In today’s world of information super thieves, everyone of us needs to be educated in these important matters. If you are reading this article, then you need to read this book. Chances are, you probably work with information thieves, or have them in your family. They are everywhere. Like I said before, the best way to protect yourself, is by understanding how they do it. Take a stand and get informed.

Check out part 1: Identity Theft: Social Engineering

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Identity Theft: Social Engineering

May 7

Posted by Bobby Revell in hacking

How easy is it to steal someone’s identity? How exactly do the thieves get your private information? It’s much different than most people believe. One of the biggest problems is that law enforcement is doing literally nothing to contain this worldwide problem. The answer is not in governmental Internet control, regardless of what they think.

I know many bloggers and site owners who are afraid to use their real names and pictures on the Internet, fearful their information may help out the criminals. I totally disagree with that. If you wish to protect your anonymity, do it for other reasons, not because you’re afraid of being violated. To understand how they steal your information, we must understand the criminal mindset.

LAN networks and phishing

Signing in to your e-mail account or buying something on line with a credit card is actually an unlikely place for crooks to get your information, unless it’s on a LAN network. If you use cable Internet or broadband, make sure you use a router. I personally wouldn’t plug an Ethernet cable into my computer without a router for protection. Never send private information over a LAN (local area network). For those of you who don’t understand, it’s a public network access point, like a coffee shop, hotel, college campus or at work. Never buy something on line while connected through a LAN. Your information can be stolen by any hacker using an easy to use Linux program like an Ettercap filter or many others. Using this method, the hacker’s digital footprints are virtually impossible to trace and you will never know who stole your information. Any non-technical person can learn how to steal information on a LAN in around thirty minutes – yes, it’s that easy.

Never sign into any financial account from an e-mail

If Pay Pal, or the IRS sends you an e-mail, DO NOT sign in using that link! It’s known a phishing – you may have heard of it (it’s shocking how many people don’t know really understand this). Neither one of these ever send those types of e-mails. If you get an email from pay pal saying you need to update your account information, do not answer it. If you’re concerned, Just go to Pay Pal directly and sign in. The most likely way for the criminals to get you on line is through a phishing attack.

Social Engineering

The methods listed above are not the most effective way for criminals to steal your information. The real way is through social engineering. For people like me and others interested in hacking, this is completely redundant information; however, I realize most of you have probably never even heard of it.

What exactly is social engineering? a collection of techniques used to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. While similar to a confidence trick or simple fraud, the term typically applies to trickery for information gathering or computer system access and in most cases the attacker never comes face-to-face with the victim.

Examples of Social Engineering:

  • If you have a private, unlisted phone number, it is child’s play to get it. I could call the electricity company where you pay your bill, for example, and tell them I’m doing a reference check for homeland security. I would say, “Thank you for your help. The current phone number for Mr. Doe is 555-7125-5479, is that correct?”
    They answer, “No, the correct number is…”
    Boom…I have your private, unlisted number. This is a simplified method, but you get the idea.
  • Kevin Rose, co-founder of DIGG, had a fantastic example of social engineering on his web based video show “The Broken” about how to get free pizza for life. He walked into a pizza delivery behind a customer and stood in line so he could overhear their order. After getting their name and what they ordered, he walked out. Thirty minutes later, he called the pizza place, told them he had come in earlier and received a bad pizza but couldn’t eat it. He talked to the manager, got a free pizza comp and reordered. He went down and picked up his free pizza. He chose a place that did mostly deliveries, but used the identity of a walk in customer – very smart indeed. Just don’t be dumb enough to actually try it, you may go to jail.

The Art of Deception

Hacking is not a bad thing and hackers are not bad people. There are hackers and there are crackers (script kiddies, punks or chumps), it is the crackers who do evil things. A hacker builds things and makes them better, a cracker breaks and steals things. Hackers built the Internet, so they are beneficial people. My favorite hacker of all time is Kevin Mitnick. I highly recommend reading his book, The Art of Deception, the bible of social engineering.

I read this book a few years ago and just reread it again. The best way to protect yourself is to understand how your information is actually stolen. This book is of monumental importance – a must read for everyone. You do not even have to use the Internet to have your information stolen. This book shows you in a series of real world examples, how information thieves operate. This book will open your eyes to the true reality of how it’s done. I have the utmost respect for Kevin Mitnick for turning his life around and doing something great for society.

Check out part 2: Identity Theft: Corruption is Everywhere

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How Society Rewards Liars

May 3

Posted by Bobby Revell in critical thinking, issue awareness, politics, thought

What bothers me more than just about anything is how people in the political arena, the news and on TV act like they love everyone, only say good things about others and blatantly lie about nearly everything. Anytime you hear an actor being interviewed, they say everyone they work with is wonderful, the director is so nice and so on. We all know these people are just saying that and hiding the truth. I’d like to see just one person tell the truth and recklessly risk their career because they refuse to lie. What if some famous actor said this in an interview:

Q: What was it like being directed by Steven Spielberg?

A: He’s a freaking jerk, and I will hate his guts until the day I die. I did make 18 million dollars, and I know I’m supposed to act like I like him just because everybody else does. No matter how you slice it, he is an asshole who thinks he’s God. It truly sucked working with him.

Why do they lie? The main reason is because they would never get another job. It’s all about superficial image and fake reputations. Society reinforces and rewards these behaviors, producing highly deceptive individuals. There is a fine line between being polite and being a fraudulent liar. I’m not saying Steven Spielberg is really like that, but if he was, we would never know. When a famous person is exposed for a crime or something nefarious, we love it even more. We love to watch people fall and have their lives ruined.

I was the only person that ever stood up to an out of line boss at any job I’ve ever had! When something was wrong, I would stand up for what is right while everyone else turned a blind eye. Every time I’ve ever done that, my coworkers turned their backs on me in order to keep their jobs. I would love to work as a professional journalist, but would be fired for telling the truth the first time I opened my mouth. The people in the media, especially the corporate media, are told what to say and write. They can’t just say whatever they want. They are controlled.

We all try to save face and protect our reputations even if it has a powerfully negative effect on society. I can forgive someone who tells the truth, but it’s much more difficult when they lie. Why not admit you’re wrong, apologize and change your ways (that would be far too truthful). This is a tough subject to discuss because it is so sensitive. We are taught to be two different people: the one in the public eye, and the real one at home behind the scenes. We bloggers are like that too in many ways.

Telling the truth will make you unpopular and kill your career

A few months ago, TV talk show host Montel Williams, was working part time for Fox news. He was being being interviewed and was asked about the death of actor Heath Ledger. Montel said though he felt bad that Heath Ledger died, it was unimportant compared to the many soldiers who had died that day in Iraq. He said nobody mentioned who these soldiers were, and would appreciate it if they would talk about the soldiers instead.

He upset the producers of Fox news, and was fired for telling the truth. Maybe what he said wasn’t the popular thing to say, but I personally appreciate him saying it. I don’t want to see anyone die, but when an actor gets more attention than soldiers getting blown in half, something is terribly wrong. I believe that most of us appreciate the few people out there who bravely tell the truth regardless of repercussion and backlash.

Polygraph Test

Politics is infested with liars and the public demands it. Recently, presidential candidate Barack Obama said that when small town Americans fall into hard times, they cling to religion and guns. People were extremely offended by this statement. What he said is true, but telling the truth can destroy a political career! Now, to avoid losing the election, he has to hide his real feelings so people don’t get upset. The public doesn’t want the truth, they want to be coddled and lied to. Why are we so sensitive? He didn’t wear an American flag pin on his shirt, so people think he is unpatriotic. By that rationale, a person can wear a flag pin, proclaim their Christianity and kiss America’s ass – they will then fit the superficial mold of what is acceptable, even if they are lying.

I want the truth and nothing but the truth

We need a leader who will tell the truth, no matter how brutal or offensive it maybe. We need journalists who tell the truth, even if it gets them fired from their jobs – fearless warriors of the written and spoken word. More than anything, we need a public who can handle the truth. I’d like to have a president who looks into the camera eye and says. “You people suck. You don’t care about anything except yourselves. This country is all screwed up because of you! It’s your fault!”

That would be refreshing because it is absolutely true. I don’t want lies, nor to be coddled by anyone – I want the truth in all it’s glory. We all tell little white lies, and we don’t want to purposefully hurt people’s feelings; however, when it comes to important things like the leader of a nation or war, the truth must be told no matter how whose feelings get hurt. It’s time for people to toughen up and get over their delicate sensibilities.

I would like to see every person running for public office undergo a polygraph test on television. Wouldn’t that be fantastic? We the public should demand it.

I know a young guy who had his arms blown off and lost his left eye in the Iraq war. He told me he was so hurt to see the media hardly ever talking about the war. Everyone is busy watching American Idol and Survivor. People are so far removed from reality, it is truly bewildering. It’s not really their own faults because the media never talks about who died in any detail. At the end of every news cast, they mention how many people were killed that day and never even mention their names. The media only shows what is popular to keep ratings high. It’s all about money.

I know many people who don’t watch the news or pay attention to what’s going on in the world, mostly because they’re not interested and are disturbed by it. The truth is, our entire society is based on lies, not just in America, but all over the world.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t enjoy our favorite shows and movies, but we should learn about what is going on in the world – no matter how much we don’t want to.

* The polygraph picture is from Tennessee Lawman

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30 Comments

Capping Credit Card Interest and Economic Revolution

May 1

Posted by Bobby Revell in critical thinking, issue awareness, politics

I’m dedicating this post to my friend Euroyank’s Battle of the Blogs Debates. I didn’t follow the rules exactly, but as an oppressed American, I have an aversion to rules. Check out his post, it is brilliant!

By using credit cards, you are personally destroying your own life. Most of the economic problems in the world are your fault, not the fault of the world banks and our leaders. I read a fantastic article from a blogger I happened upon today, Steve Karmazenuk, who wrote The Perverse Society: The Illusion of Freedom in the Market Economy. This guy has the right idea! He basically says to cut up your credit cards and not pay the bills at all. Good credit is irrelevant. Find three people to do the same and so on…haha! Too bad we don’t all have the guts to do that. Be sure to read his post.

These things are on my mind a lot these days because it’s getting so difficult to afford necessities, and be able to drive to work. I personally don’t use credit cards and only buy in cash – if I can’t buy it outright, I do without. In America, if you buy a house, chances are you will lose it and your credit will be destroyed. The banks and governments are enslaving us, keeping us all in eternal debt. Most people never pay their credit card bills on time, and end up never actually owning anything. They are basically renting their entire lives, making banks richer. Who’s fault is it? It’s our own fault.

Putting a cap on credit card and loan interest

This is a great idea! I don’t know if I’m the only one who has ever thought about it, but I haven’t read about it in the media – not once. This should be one subject on the front page of every newspaper, but it’s something completely ignored. Have you wondered why their is no cap on the amount of profit credit card companies can make off of you? Theoretically, you could end up paying $100,000.00 for a $5,000.00 car! Why aren’t our politicians talking about that? Instead of capping profits, they incur more fees and lower your credit rating every time you get behind, making life harder and harder. It’s called slavery.

People are worried about identity theft, and are paying for protection from high cost services like LifeLock. This sounds exactly like a mafia protection racket! The federal reserve is the world’s greatest loan shark and our leaders are a bunch of greed infested scumbags who deserve a prison cell (or a rat infested dungeon).

The greatest protection against identity theft is to have bad credit – no one would want to steal your identity then! I guess I am pretty safe

Then we have the big oil companies making record profits while we can barely afford to drive to work so we can make more money, so we can buy more gas at higher prices, so we can get to work to make more money, so we can by more gas…until we eventually die – what a great life. If you don’t have these problems, then you are in a very small minority. Oil companies should not even exist. There should be only one oil company and it should be owned by who? Us!!!!! It should be a corporation evenly owned by everyone – by law.

We need radical solutions not band-aids. It’s time for a worldwide revolution – an economic evolution. I wish Americans had been smarter and voted for Ron Paul, but they didn’t. Instead, they picked 3 yes-men (yes I do consider Hillary to be a male) who will not solve a single problem. I’ve been listening to political pundits on the news all week talking about how oil companies have the right to make a profit…hahaha! What? They only make around 7% profit, and most of that is invested in the stock market to make them even more profit. They make it sound like these billionaires are suffering.

Terrorism

Terrorism has been blown way out of proportion. I am completely unconcerned about it. I’m concerned about the corrupted filth behind the world banks. One or two more terror attacks, and America will be a totalitarian police state. As soon as it happens, I’ll know who did it: our own government.

People actually believe that 9-11 was not an inside job. The media will not even consider the idea! Wake up and smell the bullshit, our government is responsible. When we get hit by another attack, I will still be unafraid of terrorism. If you don’t believe it was an inside job, then you just don’t know the facts.

Socialism

Socialism is considered a bad word. As soon as it’s mentioned, it’s followed by the phrase “socialistic utopia” that will destroy our country. I don’t want a socialist government, but some aspects of socialism would be good for America and nearly every country. Right now, if I get cancer…I will die without treatment. I cannot afford health care. I am scared to live here. To think that people are actually behind John McCain for president frightens me even more. The entire country should stop working right this minute and go sit on the white house lawn. Imagine 300 million people demanding a new government, right this second. What would happen? I think they would drop bombs on us and roast marshmallows on our burning bodies – with evil smiles on their faces.

To sum up here’s what needs to be done:

  1. Abolish the federal reserve
  2. Abolish federal income tax
  3. Cap all credit card and loan interest
  4. Give everyone a clean slate, removing all bad credit ratings
  5. Give everyone healthcare

Which presidential candidate will do this? Not one. I hope Ron Paul lives long enough to get elected. I know these are radical ideas but they must be accomplished. I have nothing else to say about this subject. I am over politics. My next post will be about something much different. I really appreciate the people who have commented on my past few serious posts because I didn’t think I would get any comments at all. Thank you very much. I know many of my readers don’t comment on these types of posts, but I do understand. This information is important to me and it really should be important to everyone. Maybe I’ll write an extremely twisted horror story or do a meme…hahaha! :mrgreen:

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