Sunday, July 27, 2008

Gas Prices Are Dropping

Yes, prices are dropping, fairly rapidly.

Like I'm surprised?

As soon as Bush gave his speech and dropped the Presidential ban on offshore drilling, prices started coming down.

I'm not a bit surprised. This whole gas thing is killing my budget. And I've known all along that it IS all about the money.

Yes, we have been used and abused again. Just like Enron. Just like New Century. Just like IndyMac. Just like a whole lot of other big business that sees a way to gouge more money out of the American public.

Nothing new here.

There is NO reason why gas is so high, except for speculation on the oil market and the oil companies making the maximum amount of money off the backs of the American consumers. Yes, record profits. Just like Enron.

Now, don't get me wrong.

I still think that the speed limits should be lowered to 60 and that those limits should be enforced. Or at least enforce the 65mph speed limits we already have in place.

We should still continue to explore and promote solar, wind and nuclear power. Every little bit counts.

I still want a Mercedes 240D converted to veggie oil. (A diesel Rabbit or Volvo will also do nicely. Or an old diesel Datsun/Nissan. I'm not into looks, I'm into economy!!)

Just because prices are dropping, doesn't mean that we shouldn't anticipate the next big jump in prices. They will come.

Gas prices are dropping. But for how long, and how low will they go?

And will the US government look into the monopoly of the oil companies?

No, no they won't.

So the American consumer, like always, will carry the load.

Bush may give us the incentive rebates, but we will continue to pay so many hidden taxes in the goods, oil, food that we buy, it really won't make a bit of difference in the long run.

Honesty is the best policy?

Not in politics.

Trust me, gas prices are dropping, but we will continue to pay. And pay. And pay.

After all, this is America. Land of the free. Home of the brave. The land of "tax them until they drop" and then baffle them with BS. Repeat as needed.

Yes, gas prices are dropping.

And we're still going to get screwed...

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Banks, Banks and More Banks

Two more banks, 1st National Bank of Nevada and First Heritage Bank, in Nevada, Arizona and California, were taken over by the FDIC on Friday. Luckily for their customers, the banks will reopen on Monday as Mutual of Omaha Bank branches. Customers can still write checks and access funds with their ATM cards.

And IndyMac is defunct.

My best friend's mortgage is with IndyMac. I told her not to worry, the Feds will sell it off to some other bank. Despite all the dire news about mortgages and real estate, historically, as long as she can hang in there and make her payments, she'll be OK in the long run. She's struggling though.

I'm struggling too. I am having a really hard time right now. I had some unexpected expenses and am struggling to get my bills all paid on time. (I don't feel bad about my Internet bill though, I have dial up and pay $15 a month. It pays for itself with the stuff I sell online.) Between the mortgage and high gas costs, it's just hard right now.

I am not alone.

In my case, I was sort of duped into the loan I have right now. I HAD to refi, my mortgage had reset. I was doing OK except my [insert bad words here] contractor didn't finish the remodel in a timely way. So instead of being able to refi around the end of October as planned, I wasn't able to refi until MAY!!

Anyway, to add injury to insult, the mortgage company sent out an appraiser that vastly undervalued my property, so I wasn't able to get the loan I needed. (How do I know? I was trying to get a loan with my credit union and the appraiser valued the property $20,000 higher. I was ONE POINT too low on my FICO, so I didn't qualify for that good loan I wanted. Plus, I have a copy of my next door neighbor's appraisal, a smaller house, not as updated, that was $50,000 higher!! HELLO???)

So, I had to start the whole process again with another company. Then, I was dicked around until the last minute. I had no more money for a third appraisal or to start the process again. I was forced to take the loan I was offered, a much less desirable product. And then, to top it off, I was told that this loan would include the escrow account. NOT!

Again, at the very last minute, when I had no more choices, I was told that no, the payment did not include the escrow.

I was screwed and thus, back against the wall, I signed the paperwork.

I can hardly wait to refi again and as soon as I'm able, prepayment penalty or not, I am so out of this loan. I will NEVER do business with this company again. Never, ever, ever.

I am not alone.

I have talked to a number of people who've been pushed into the corner like I was, and then had a choice of refi or the mortgage payment would jump out of their reach. So they did what they had to do for the moment.

I am praying that this big bailout that Bush is supposed to sign this weekend will be the salvation, not for the companies, who deserve nothing but contempt for the way they've treated their customers, but for the consumers.

All I want is to refi one last time, get into a fixed rate loan, set up an automatic payment plan and get my finances back on track.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I was told I could set up an automatic payment plan. NOT! It's not an option with the loan I have. I discovered that lie when I went online to check it out. Dang it all!!

Lies, lies and more lies.

No wonder banks and mortgage companies are going under. The weight of those lies is sucking them under.

My loan isn't with the banks that just went under, thank the good Lord. My mortgage company has managed to stay afloat -- so far.

And I will pull through this financial mess. The market will recover, there are already signs that houses ARE selling in my area. The market will stay flat for a while, but my house is actually still valued at close to what I owe, so I'm better off than many consumers.

My friend still has equity, so she is also better off than most.

But we'll still struggle for a while longer. As Jesus told us, through storms we shall pass.

The operative word is "PASS".

Links:
SFGate.com: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/25/financial/f214032D65.DTL
FDIC: www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2008/pr08063.html
1st National Bank of Nevada: http://www.fnbaonlinehb.com/
First Heritage Bank: http://www.firstheritage.net/
Bush signs housing rescue bill: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/23/financial/f143741D94.DTL
Details of the bill: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/23/national/w123421D90.DTL

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Jesse, Shut Up!!

Attn: Jesse Jackson

Dude, you must be getting old. To actually think that a mike is turned off? OMG, dude, what were you thinking? Haven't you walked this road before?

And to talk mess about Obama on top of it?

OK, Jesse, what is up?

I find it hard to believe that you did this "by accident". What was your goal? Why are you trying to undercut Obama? What are you trying to distract the American public from?

Jesse, since MLK's death, you've been working to stay in front of America's cameras. Yes, I do want to believe that your intentions were and are good. You have done many good things in the past. You've brought attention to many important issues that may well have been swept aside without your efforts to expose the truth.

But dude, a whole lot of people remember what happened that sad day when MLK was murdered. You were NOT with him, next to him, on that balcony. But you sure ran to get in front of the cameras. You tried to jump up into MLK's place with a story that was blatantly untrue. People still hold that against you.

Jesse, if you want Obama to win, you need to shut up!

Yes, you heard me. Shut up and sit down and let the man work the crowds. He doesn't need your help. Hard as it may be for you to accept, he knows EXACTLY what he's doing and he doesn't need you trying to pump up the volume.

Obama is the new wave, the wave of the future. Whether he wins or loses, America is talking. America is taking note of the new Black man.

Obama is the face of Black America right now.

Jesse, shut up and let the man work!!