Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Will Bail Ins Be Next For Depositors Money?



Ellen Brown, founder of WebofDebt.com, thinks so-called 'bail-ins' are coming. Depositors' money will be legally taken. Brown says, "That's the big disaster that's coming.

Probably one of these big derivative banks will go bankrupt . . . the derivative players will get first dibs.

They'll grab all the deposits, and there won't be anything left."

Join Greg Hunter as he goes One-on-One with author and journalist Ellen Brown.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

What Dogs Think Of Federal Furlough

The Fuzzy — and Not So Fuzzy — Sides of the Federal Government Furloughs

Written by  ohmidog!

Dogwalker-unleash-magazine
Politicians aren’t happy about it. Americans aren’t happy about.

But there may be one group can see a bright side in the federal government shutdown.

Dogs. (Then again, they see the bright side in pretty much everything.)

With their owners spending more time at home, the pets of furloughed federal workers are likely getting more attention, more dog park time, more time to snuggle while watching daytime TV on the couch.
Let’s just hope no one gets too used to it.

The shutdown, while already hurting some pet-related business, is helping some others. The Huffington Post reports that business is booming, for example, at Muddy Mutt, a self-serve dog wash next to Shirlington Dog Park in Northern Virginia.

“I’m getting more business because people aren’t working,” said Andrew Low, owner of the Muddy Mutt, where dog owners commonly bring their dogs in after romping in the river. Low said the business is usually quiet during the week.

 But since the furlough?

“Twenty-five on Monday, 14 on Tuesday, 23 yesterday… We don’t even ever come close to that.”

The furlough might be bad news, though, for professional dog walkers in the DC area.
Christina Bell, owner of Doggy Daze DC, said that business is down by about half since the shutdown went into effect. JJ Scheele says her business, Dog Walking DC, has also taken a hit.

“All the walkers are down anywhere from one to three dogs,” Scheele said.

At Just Walk DC, a dog-walking cooperative, Meg Levine said the decrease of customers, three days into the shutdown, has been slight. But between government-employed pet owners having more time, and less income, a protracted shutdown could hurt dogwalkers badly — not to mention the rest of the country.

“There certainly is a sense of frustration from a lot of my clients, who feel that this is just needless roadblocking,”Levine said. “For the most part, we are continuing to chug along and feeling very hopeful this will end soon. I like D.C. when it functions. Oh, this town.”

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Why Does Portland Oregon Intimidate Homeless?


To; Michael Oswald
      Officer Charles Poetz
      Kim Peoples, Director  Community Services
To: Marissa Madrigal, Multnomah County Chair
      Multnomah County Commission
 
Policies and practices toward the public and in particular the homeless and their animals that must be immediately addressed/stopped.
 
I left a voice mail message for Officer Poetz last night about this matter. This is the reason.
 
MCAS enforcement abuse of power
 
Winning animal surrender by any means isn't winning; it is exploitation of poverty and limited circumstances; an abuse of power and authority against the public you are charged with serving.
 
This is one more example. I did seek out Charlie's owner because when a friend of his owner, ( one owner is listed as Daniel Thompson) called MCAS on his behalf within days of impoundment, he believed Charlie had been killed. MCAS refused to confirm or disconfirm. That was a power play and wrong. Why not tell him Charlie was alive and could be redeemed instead of intentionally allowing a misunderstanding?
 
I know Mr. Thompson has called the pound. And I know that you plan to issue him a ticket along with an unachievable condition but don't plan to tell him we are a resource for and can provide free legal help.  Please tell him where to contact us for pro bono help.or that is another power play.After all, you tell those in need of other resources where to find them. "Winning" against a homeless person without resources isn't winning at all. It is wrong. Most citizens need pro bono legal help because  the hearings process is deliberately stacked against them,
 
Finally, the release condition for Charlie is impossible to meet and that is another government power play: i.e.that Mr. Thompson must have a secure enclosure. Do you mean a Vari Kennel as a modification requirement  or a stand up concrete kennel, your usual requirement?  When you insist that homeless persons build a kennel on property they don't have ( by definition they have no home, and no fixed address) you are deliberately exploiting their homelessness and imposing a condition that can't be met to "win" surrender.
 
I have brought this to your attention over and over again and as usual " You can't hear me".

MCAS enforcement is entirely based upon a failed system of severe punishments, escalting fines, then a demand for owner surrender. Instead of prevention/education owner education diversion programs successful elsewhere and/or addressing the particular problems the homeless have on the streets "Street smarts for the street dog" you manipulate your preferred outcome. It is easy to plan constructive safety programs, but hard for the entitled and unmotivated. Fines teach absolutely nothing. Half the time you are charging them against citizens who have no money and  they go permanently to collections where they are never collected. Most citizens need help not the back of you hand. Help goes a long way.
 
I am asking for a response both about Charlie and the repeated listed concerns, not silence.
 
Thank you
 
Gail O'Connell-Babcock
Citizens for Humane Animal Legislation/Watchdog
telephone: 503.625.4563