James L. Paris's Blog, page 200

Middle Eastern Men Harassing U.S. Military Families

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

It appears that the only question now about the ���lone wolf��� style attacks and efforts at intimidation we���re seeing in America is if they are a temporary phenomenon, or if they are now a part of the national fabric for some time to come. We have borne witness to deadly attacks of varying types that have plagued the American countryside for years now at the hands of those sympathetic to the radical Islamist agenda, and it appears that these efforts are only growing. U.S. service personnel have proven to be special ���targets��� of interest in the last year or so of groups like ISIS, and not just those military operators who are actually engaged in direct combat overseas; you may recall that ISIS posted a ���hit list��� online back in March containing the names of 100 American military personnel, complete with addresses, encouraging U.S.-based ���lone wolves��� to find them and kill them���and few of those named had any direct relevance to overseas combat operations.

Now comes word that men of Middle Eastern extraction are informally, but abruptly, approaching family members of U.S. service members at their homes in the states of Colorado and Wyoming. In one case, the wife of a service member was approached by two Middle Eastern men who declared that she was the wife of an interrogator, and when she denied this, the men laughed at her and departed in a vehicle occupied by other Middle Eastern males. Reportedly, numerous, similar incidents have occurred in these states recently, and although the FBI is tightlipped about the events, it is understood that the Bureau is quite aware of what is going on.

The threat of ���lone wolf��� attacks against service personnel is real, and all who are in the military, or who have loved ones serving, should remain on high alert. Although serving in the military is, and should be, a particular source of pride, I would encourage everyone to remain ���understated��� about their service until the threat at hand is better contained, which, sadly, may take years.  

Drunk Flight Crew Delays Flight

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

As if flying isn���t unsettling enough; an airBaltic scheduled to fly from Norway to Crete on Saturday was delayed for almost five hours when four out of the five crewmembers for the flight were taken into custody by police just before the scheduled departure on ���suspicion of alcohol abuse.��� The crewmembers detained included two flight attendants, the co-pilot and the pilot. Breathalyzer tests administered by the police revealed that all four crewmembers were above the legal limit.

Great.

This may not have occurred on a Delta or American Airlines flight, but the human condition being what it is, it���s another reminder about how vulnerable air passengers are to the stability of the crew charged with transporting them safely through the air. You will recall the crash of Germanwings (parent company Lufthansa) Flight 9525 back in March, wherein it has been theorized that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, previously treated for depression, including suicidal tendencies, deliberately flew the plane into the French Alps after having locked the pilot out of the cockpit.

There���s little one can do once that flight is in the air, but I do my best to get a look at the pilot and co-pilot before takeoff, just to see if I can notice anything concerning. I never have so far, nor am I always able to interact with them the way I want, but I will always do what I can to be sure the odds are, as much as possible, in my favor when that bird takes off.

How To Get The MAXIMUM Social Security Benefit

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Who knows for how long Social Security will be with us, but for however long that is, it is incumbent upon you to make the best decisions you can on behalf of your SS benefits, so that you may be in the most secure financial position possible.

The reality is that Social Security is not a one-size-fits-all program, characterized by a simple process into which one need not put much thought. It���s not as though there���s a bunch of different options, but there is an important handful, and not intimately familiarizing yourself with what���s available, and the right way, for you, to go about claiming benefits, can prove very costly.

Moreover, the way the system is set up, it is important that you make the right decisions the first time when completing the application, because it can be practically impossible to make changes once you���ve formally filed. There is a provision to re-file your application within 12 months of your first benefit payout, but that is the only time you may apply again for benefits in your lifetime, and, even then, the appeals process can be very daunting���so you want to do everything you can to get it right the first time. 

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Comparison of Medicare Plans and Costs to Choose Your Best Option.


How to Avoid ���Questionable Retirement��� If You Own a Business.


Tips for the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset.


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The Truth About Who Should File for Early Benefits.


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According to Jim Blair, a former Social Security Administrator and consultant in Social Security Benefits, over 90 percent of all Social Security recipients do not receive the most for which they are eligible in benefits. To help more folks make the best decisions they can on behalf of their all-important SS benefits, Blair has put together a terrific ebook, The Social Security Retirement Guide, and it is an excellent handbook for those seeking to safely and effectively navigate the oft-times treacherous Social Security application waters. Very well-written, the book provides you with all of the key information you need to know as you prepare to make those lasting decisions associated with claiming SS benefits.

For starters, I���m always sensitive about ebooks that are offered on the back of a compelling sales page, but then prove to be loaded with ���filler��� type information that is meant to increase the page count without adding any real value; there���s none of that here - from the first page, the information presented is both compelling and useful. Blair has wasted no space in his manuscript���he begins with an excellent overview of the basics of Social Security, and quickly moves into a terrific, highly-detailed section that shows you how to calculate your own benefits; yes, the Social Security Administration will ���officially��� do that for you, but having the ability to do it yourself not only lets you check the Administration���s computation, but opens the door to you weighing different benefit options/scenarios for yourself. The book goes on to break down���again, in great detail���the options available to individuals and couples, and goes on to take more specialized looks at options available to widows/widowers, as well as divorced retirees.

Blair also takes an in-depth look at the matter of enrolling in Medicare, something that has, unfortunately, tripped up a LOT of seniors over the years, and also covers the all-important triggers that can reduce your benefit when you have a spouse that is also eligible for a pension from work (the government pension offset, or GPO), or if you work at a place where nothing is withheld from your pay for Social Security, but where you do still contribute to a work-sponsored pension (the windfall elimination provision, or WEP). Order Your Copy Of The Social Security Benefits Guide Today - Click Here.

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Netflix Adds a Year of Paid Maternity/Paternity Leave to Its Employee Benefits

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Netflix has announced that it will grant new parents up to a full year of paid leave as part of the standard benefits package available to all employees. The perk is regarded as generous even by the lavish standards of technology-centric Silicon Valley, where companies remain in constant, vigorous competition for top talent.

I have seen policies like this unveiled before, and while I���m not intimately familiar with how they fair over the long term, I���ve yet to hear of a company changing course and eliminating such compelling benefits, at least not yet. My suspicion is that those implementing these policies believe that they will be applied judiciously by the designated beneficiaries; that is, while the benefit sounds fantastic when described out loud, and is certainly an eye-catcher for the talent for which a company like Netflix might be vying���the reality is that no one will actually use it to its limits for fear of being seen as ���that gal��� or ���that guy��� within the company.

What differentiates a potentially financially magnanimous policy like this from that which was implemented by the CEO of Gravity Payments in Seattle, who established a minimum wage at his firm of $70,000, and is now experiencing some tough times because of it���is the word potentially. In the case of Gravity, the contrived setting of an exorbitant wage scale represented a definite, immediate hard cost to the business, whereas in the case of a benefit like this, it is something that may or may not be indulged to any of a variety of degrees. For example, it is widely theorized that although the benefit is real and may certainly be used, that, in practice, few, if any, staff will actually sit out from work���with pay���for a significant length of time; as a result, while the perceived benefit will accrue to Netflix, it will not actually be utilized by employees to such a degree that any deleterious effects will ensue at the company.

Trump-Rosie O'Donnell Feud Comes Up In Debate

By ChristianMoney.com Staff

While people are quick to defend Rosie and criticize Trump this morning, O' Donnell does not have clean hands in the whole back and forth. She has been equally as undignified herself in the matter (including poking fun at Trump's physical appearance). Trump clearly had the crowd on his side when ambushed with arguably questions of little substance by moderator Megyn Kelly. While opinions may vary about Trump's style, his unwillingness to back down when attacked is one trait that people simply love. 

 

  

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It may be one of life's scariest moments. You realize that there are significantly more bills than you have money to pay them with. It might be the result of overspending for months or even years, on the other hand it could simply be the loss of a job and no emergency savings to fall back on. 

We don't seem to have much to offer people in such predicaments within the Christian community. Consider it tantamount to offering an exercise program or a cholesterol pill to someone having a heart attack. The standard Christian financial budgeting workshop will have little to offer to those in need of emergency assistance. Who do you call? What do you do? What happens when your creditors start calling? What if you end up being sued? Even worse, what if find yourself in foreclosure or facing the B word - BANKRUPTCY? Read More  

 

 

 

Budgeting is truly the foundation of our personal finances. It used to be a simple matter of employing a yellow pad or even a small ledger book, but today there are a dizzying number of methods of budgeting. The truth is, however, that it does not have to be as complicated as we make it. My mother is a 71 year old widow, and is by no means wealthy. She gets by just fine, and I asked her the other day if she had a budget. My mom simply explained that on the first of the month she pays all of her bills. Whatever money she has left over has to last for the month. Oh, if it could be that simple for everyone! Read More

 

 

Some people host an Internet talk show simply to build a following. This becomes their base for marketing their latest eBook, driving traffic to their blog or website, or generating speaking engagements. Some hosts get sponsors, while others promote affiliate products during their show. One interesting business model is that of Adam Corolla. He offers his current episodes for free, but charges for access to older shows. Corolla recently settled a multi-million dollar lawsuit over the profits from his podcast. Corolla's 20 million monthly downloads landed his podcast in the Guinness Book Of World Records.  Read More

 

 

  

This is the time of the year when people start to scramble for extra money. The first idea many people come up with is to sell unwanted items. I love the idea of having a big garage sale, or simply selling things you don't need on eBay or Craigslist. Most of us could easily pick up a few hundred dollars (and as a side benefit end up with a clean garage). I want to share with you in this article is how to tap into an asset you already have that could be worth thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars). Read More 

 

 

  

 

They are officially known as affiliate programs, and most people simply don't know about them. In fact, on occasion when I have mentioned the idea I usually get very skeptical reactions. Why would Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, or any of these companies want to give me a nickel of their Christmas money? It's simple - YOU have an advertising value. You may not realize it, you may have never cashed in on it, but just like ads purchased on radio or TV, or in a newspaper,these retailers want to advertise on the YOU Channel (insert your own name).  Read More

   

 

 

 

One of the most common misunderstandings about credit repair is the amount of importance given to negative accounts. When most people begin to review their credit report, the first thing they are drawn to are the so called 'bad accounts.' They mistakenly believe that if they could just clear up these items they would end up with a good score. Oddly enough, tinkering with these accounts will usually do nothing to raise your score, and will many times do just the opposite. Read More

   

 

 

 

 

I am very excited about our new two hour video, 'The Shortcut Publishing Method.' I embarked on this topic a bit backwards. I filmed a two hour video first, and am now in the process of writing the ebook version. Of course, it is always smart to make available content in different formats. In this case, however, I have a feeling that the video will be especially popular. One of the distinct advantages of the video is screen sharing. This allows me to really 'show' students while we are explaining these new concepts. Just one example; I took a few minutes to demonstrate Amazon's new eBook pricing tool. Being able to take viewers into the dashboard of my Kindle Publishing account and show them how to use this was invaluable. Read More

 

 

 

We are very excited to offer this 2 hour and 30 minute video sharing our decades of experience in real estate investing and counseling. This video starts with answering the question, Who Should Buy A House? We also cover in detail some aspects of the process that most never discuss. How much house can you really afford? Also, the stunning differences in housing prices in different parts of the United States, and even within a given metro area. Should you use a real estate agent, or go it alone buying a for sale by owner? How much should you offer? What is a house really worth and how do you determine a fair value? Why getting advice from friends and family on your home purchase can be dangerous. Why building a home is not usually a good deal, and much more! Order Download Now  Or DVD From Amazon.com Click Here

 

 

Some Democrats Break Ranks over Planned Parenthood Depravity

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Kirsten Powers has been a high-profile Democrat mouthpiece for some time, and assumes a lot of positions with which I disagree. That said, I have always appreciated her pro-life position, something she re-declares with great passion in a recent op-ed piece entitled, ���I���ve got news for Democrats. It���s a baby!���

Throughout the piece, Powers exhibits a tenor of incredulity at the inability of Democrats, as a group, to see the baby body part-selling videos as being the barbaric things they truly are. While a staunch Democrat herself, Powers displays a palpable discomfort regarding not only the defense by her ideological brethren of what���s seen on the videos, but their stunning adoption of a persecution complex in the face of what is revealed.

The fact is that anyone who defends the PP position on really any basis is going to be left behind in the dust of public opinion. Curiously, but thankfully, against the tide of a broader national acceptance of increasingly ���progressive��� positions, abortion has been viewed with increasing disfavor among Americans. There are varying theories as to why this might be, but it could be as simple as the fact that if one truly cares about all living things���and particularly those that have been, historically, more disenfranchised���perhaps even the unborn are finally finding themselves the beneficiaries of such a renewed national empathy. Could it be that, as a people, we are coming to realize that there is nothing progressive about abortion, and that, in fact, it is one of the better examples of de-evolution within the species?

Whatever the reason, I���ll take victories where I can find them, and, like Kirsten Powers, as more of the dreadful video evidence of PP depravity continues to emerge, I will look with growing revulsion at anyone who can defend the organization after watching the wretched interactions playing out on these videos.   

Work Requirement Going Away For Food Stamps

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

The other day, I wrote a piece that highlighted the difficulties a $15-per-hour increase in the minimum wage in Seattle was exerting on the recipients of that increase; it seems that the pay raise, substantial though it is, is still not enough for some people, and some are actually asking their employers to schedule them for fewer hours at the higher rate so that they may remain eligible for government assistance.

Now, we���re learning that the vast majority of states continues to waive work requirements that are a part of the government���s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known informally as food stamps. Normally, under the program, able-bodied adults who have no children may receive food stamps for only three months, unless they are working or participating in job training for at least 20 hours per week. However, since 2009, in the midst of the worst of the recession, states have been very generous in waiving these requirements in different forms and fashions, and these waivers continue today, even as the ability to find work has improved significantly since that time.

While it is fair to debate precisely how much the economy has actually re-charged over the last few years, the willingness of so many American states to operate the food stamp program without demanding any real accountability with respect to the ability of recipients to participate in their own subsistence���is a trend that will ultimately prove very damaging to the long-term economic health of the nation.   

Planned Parenthood Live Birth Abortions?

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

As horrible as ���regular��� abortion really is, the lingering���and darker���concern that many of us have, stemming from what we���ve seen recently in these revealing ���sting��� videos created by the Center for Medical Progress, is that the overarching priority for Planned Parenthood is simply access, by any means necessary, to the valuable body parts they wish to sell.

Let���s be candid, shall we? What is the best way to ensure that the valuable body parts PP wishes to access for sale���remain intact through the abortion procedure, which is a very kinetic and violent procedure for the fetus? By allowing for an abortion procedure that sees what is, essentially, a delivery of a baby outside of the womb, where it can then be terminated in a manner that allows for the prioritization of the safety of the sought-after body parts.

According to anti-abortion activist Jill Stanek, the fifth of the CMP���s videos to be released offers what she sees as evidence that the abortion procedure may be, in some cases purposely ���manipulated��� by PP so that what is taking place is a live-birth abortion outside of the womb. In the video, Melissa Farrell, a director of research at Planned Parenthood, cryptically states, in part, that, ���If we alter our process, and we are able to obtain intact fetal cadavers, we can make it part of the budget that any dissections are this, and splitting the specimens into different shipments is this. It���s all just a matter of line items.���

It���s all just a matter of line items.

As Stanek says, ���[They are] even potentially committing live-birth abortions because they don't kill these babies ahead of time because that would poison the organs and not make them fit for sale."

This is a vile, wretched discussion, so much so that I am stunned we are having it, as part of public discourse, here in 2015 America. It���s surreal, in one sense, to think that abortion actually has a gruesome ���underbelly,��� because the procedure itself is barbaric enough���but if there is such a thing, then live-birth abortions, for the purpose of harvesting body parts, has to be it.  

Milwaukee Sexual Abuse Victims To Receive Average Of Just $44,000 From Catholic Church

The public may not fully realize what the Catholic church has done, and we believe that they deserve to know. More than 12 dioceses have filed for bankruptcy in the past 10 years to deal with sexual abuse claims. In this most recent bankruptcy case, the Milwaukee Archdiocese spent more than $19 million dollars in legal fees. The sexual abuse victims will receive on average just $44,000 (according to Peter Isely, Midwest director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests). ChristianMoney.com condemns in the strongest terms what was done to these people and asks just one question, "What would Jesus Do?"

Attorney Thomas Paris (my cousin) in nearby Chicago had this comment about the case, "General Motors and many other companies have done the same thing to those who have brought claims against them.  They use extremely well paid lawyers ($1,000.00 hour would not be unusual)  to package a deal to save an institution which perhaps should be allowed to fail. Many Biblical principals are breached by allowing the church to get into this position and then act in a less than repentant manor."

Archdiocese Of Milwaukee To Pay $21 Million In Abuse Settlement

Archdiocese Of Milwaukee To Pay $21 Million In Abuse Settlement Is this justice? Posted: 08/05/2015 09:26 AM EDT | Edited: 2 hours ago  MADISON, Wis. (AP) ��� The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee said Tuesday that it will pay $21 million to more than 300 victims of clergy abuse in a settlement that would end a four-year bankruptcy proceeding. The proposed deal, which will be part of a reorganization plan submitted to a bankruptcy court later this month, was to be reviewed by a judge overseeing the case at a Nov. 9 hearing. Archbishop Jerome Listecki called the settlement a "new Pentecost," but an attorney for the victims, along with advocates for those abused by clergy, decried the settlement as a paltry amount.

The deal was also criticized by David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, an advocacy group for survivors of clergy abuse. He called it "the largest mass betrayal of child sex abuse victims we've ever seen by one diocese. And it's the most cunning exploitation of the advantages of bankruptcy rules by Catholic officials we've ever seen."

Helping you make the most of God���s money!  

James L. Paris 
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
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