A Consumers View: 2017

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Forgiving Student Debt Is Just Stupid & Not Fair for the Rest of Us....

What is this I hear about forgiving student loans? I’m sorry college tuition and fees are so exorbitant, but students and their parents chose the University they decided to go to. No one forced them to go to a specific school. College tuition isn’t a surprise. The cost of a school’s tuition and fees are available on the school’s website. Further, every University will be glad to provide an estimate of fees to pay upon request. Everyone attending college knew the cost of tuition and fees before attending. Why should I or any other American foot the bill for others? We all are accountable and should all have to pay back our loans. Student loans are not gifts. That’s why they’re called loans.

However, not everyone feels like that. “Advocates of loan forgiveness claim that banks take advantage of student borrowers, who are “forced” to pay those high costs of debt repayment. But they are not forced; the loans are absolutely voluntary. Moreover, student borrowers are painfully well-informed. Students know how much they’re borrowing, how much they’ll pay back, and how much of that amount is pure interest. Some may argue that 18-year-old students can’t comprehend what they are agreeing to, but this argument, if consistently followed, would deny thousands of young Americans the opportunity to attend college.”(Insidesources)

Every few months or so I hear a story about someone suggesting the U.S. government forgive student loan debt. Former students tell stories of unemployment, worthless majors, low-paying jobs and resulting six-figure debt, insurmountable interest, forbearance and default. From a human standpoint, it’s easy to see why forgiving student debt holds some appeal to some. Usually, it’s the student or parent lamenting. However, many have questioned not only the “enormous and economically unfeasible cost, but the purported benefits and fairness of a one-time student loan bailout.”(A look at Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017)

“Americans owe over $1.4 trillion in student loan debt, spread out among about 44 million borrowers. That’s about $620 billion more than the total U.S. credit card debt. In fact, the average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from last year.”(StudentLoanHero) Yes, that’s a great deal of money, but no one forced any student to take on that much debt.

Forgiving these loans would cause a huge deficit for the country. There’s no argument there. In the end, the average taxpayer, you and me, those who didn’t rack up this debt would eventually be the one to pay it off. That is always what happens. Remember the huge auto and bank bailouts made in 2008 by the U.S. government. American taxpayers financed that. One former student even proposed a one-time bailout as a solution to stimulate the economy. “After all, college graduates are the type of people society needs to do things like start businesses, buy homes and cars, invent things and make babies — and people burdened with debt are less likely to make those kinds of decisions. Unburden them and the housing market might improve, along with the overall economy. With the stroke of the President’s pen, millions of Americans would suddenly have hundreds, or in some cases, thousands of extra dollars in their pockets each and every month with which to spend on ailing sectors of the economy,” - (Time.com)

It sounds like a very expensive idea, doesn’t it? Of course, it is. But so were the bank and auto bailouts, you might say, which I also objected to and with good reason. Why should American taxpayers bail out anyone for voluntarily taking out loans that they signed for? The answer is easy. We shouldn’t. Not now. Not later. I paid for all my years of University education. So have many others and they continue to do so through scholarships, grants, and working.

The argument presented by some students and those supporting student loan forgiveness that it will strengthen the economy by putting more money into their pockets to buy more things just doesn’t cut it. They didn’t pay for their student loans, do we actually want to give them more money than they already haven’t earned? Do we dare give them credit cards when they already proved they couldn’t handle debt? Could we really expect them to behave responsibly when they got a free ride through college? I think not.

Are there mortgage loan programs for forgiveness? No, though the government was quick to come in 2009 to forgive a great number of mortgage loans for those that willingly and knowingly purchased houses they couldn’t afford, and shouldn’t have been allowed to buy. The average American who purchased a house within their limits and continued paying for their homes through the crash received nothing from the government. Are there auto loan forgiveness programs available? No. How is it students deserve to be forgiven their student loans?

As if this forgiving student loans idea isn’t enough, we have the Republican Congress currently considering changes to the GI Bill which would force veterans to increase the amount they are paying to access their education benefits. WTF! Huh! What! Are you kidding me? This is also a total load of crap on top of forgiving student loans. Don’t believe me, here is the petition that is circulating. How can you consider forgiving student loans when you want to charge more to those actually serving in the military?

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/553/357/688/?z00m=29068143&redirectID=2388581402

You bet right that I signed it. First, I’m an American. Second, I’m a Veteran. Third, I’m a disabled veteran. Anything that inflicts veterans I stand up for loud and clear.

Attending University and college in America is expensive. There is no argument on that. Throw other fees on top of it and it is astronomical, but no one is telling any student to take on more than they can handle. That is a choice. I tell all my students that a college education is an investment. An expensive but necessary one. Fact is those who have a college degree earn more than those without one. Those without a trade earn less than those with one. Student loans allow people without resources to undertake this education. It’s not a hobby. You shouldn’t go to college or trade school if you really don’t want to just because everyone else is going, or your parents expect you to. Not everyone can afford to go to Princeton, Yale or others expensive Universities. Why go there if you can’t afford to? Why take on such debt just to keep up with others? There are community colleges that cost nearly nothing depending on where you live and where you go. Public Universities subsidized by the government are also cheaper. One can also apply to a military academy and get a free education. There is no need to amass a student debt for more than you can afford. Forgiving student loan debt is bad in so many ways.

Work hard, get the best grades and apply for scholarships. Get a grant. Incur fewer debts. Get a job and work after school, on weekends and during summers. Think about this, if the government was to allow student loans to be forgiven, without any repayment necessary, would banks continue to give loans they’d never get paid back. I don’t think so. Many people wouldn’t be able to go to college or trade school at all. Lower-income students would especially suffer as a result. Why save any money for college if loans will be forgiven?

Here’s an idea: If students really want student loans written off, they need to give something in return. Write off a student loan for those joining the military for a minimum of say, six years. Just like those students that attend the military academies, or those getting ROTC scholarships that cover all expenses. They already forgive student loans when you work for certain government jobs and in the military for a certain time, but to completely forgive student debt simply because it’s too costly is a bad idea. For you and for me. That is my opinion. How do you feel about forgiving student loans? Do you think the American people should just write off millions of dollars that would otherwise go back into the economy? As a result, you and I would have to foot that bill with higher taxes. How else would the government get their money back?

For More information:

A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017

https://studentloanhero.com/student-loan-debt-statistics/

Is Forgiving Student Loan Debt a Good Idea?

http://business.time.com/2012/04/20/is-forgiving-student-loan-debt-a-good-idea/

Forgive Student Loans? Worst Idea Ever.

http://freakonomics.com/2011/09/19/forgive-student-loans-worst-idea-ever/

Don’t Forgive Us Our Debts: The Case Against Student Loan Forgiveness

http://www.insidesources.com/dont-forgive-us-debts-case-student-loan-forgiveness/

That’s it for this time. Thank you all for visiting with us. Until next month, every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be nice to others. Put a little love into your heart. Please speak up for those without a voice, whether it be a dog, cat, elephant or monkey. One person, one voice can make a difference. Read a book. Review it. Share it. Pass it along.

Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad.

Together, you and I can make a difference. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.

Regards,

S.J. Francis Writing is my passion, but animals are my world.

In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family." Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers.

“Some secrets should remain that way.”

My web page: http://www.sjfranciswriter.com
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And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2017 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.

Remember: Animals don't have voices. We must be their voice. Always. Forever. Wherever. whenever. I'm one for the animals. Are you?

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Technology Will Be the Death of Us....

Power Outages. Ransonware. Hackers. Crashes. Electrical Shocks. Lightning Storms. Loss of Passwords. You name it and any and all of these can affect your electronic gadget whether it is a computer, smart phone or GPS. Everything in our lives that we use runs on electricity and is an electronic gadget. Electronic gadgets are a wonderful thing. They’re an asset to our modern life. They make things easier. They keep things moving smoothly. They help us keep track of things, events and more. When they’re new, they’re great. When they work, they’re terrific. Problem is, the human race relies on computers and electronic gadgets way too much, which can lead to problems.

Think about how much you use electronics in your life. What would happen if electricity no longer existed, or say an Electromagnetic Pulse struck and shut down all electronic gadgets? We’d be back in the stone-age. It could happen. Very few countries out there don’t have the capability to do that to another. Right now, North Korea remains a strong foe to the United States. Can you imagine your life without your cell phone or your computer or your tablet in your hand?

What would you do without your television? Cable? DVD’s? Your stereo or radio? You could read a book. That is if it is a real book and not on a gadget. You could read a book on a gadget because of the battery, but what happens when that battery loses power. I tried to read a book on my Kindle the other day but I couldn’t so without the internet being on. What if the internet is out, too? Then what? You could read a real book, but you need light to do that? Do you have a source of light? A Flashlight? Candles? What would you do without your electronic gadget?

Think about all the electronics in your life. All our appliances run on electricity, but more than that they have some sort of electronic part in them, too. There are very few things in our lives don’t compose of some kind of electronic part. Do you have a home alarm system? That is all electronic. Even the technicians rely on their computers when making repairs to it. Perhaps, just a bit too much, too because the computer might tell them all is okay, but it really isn’t. If the technician just took the time to look with his eyes instead of relying on the pc, he/she might have caught the problem. Same thing goes with automotive mechanics. Modern cars have little computers in them.

Remember the WannaCry cyber-attack in May of this year? The attack began on Friday, 12 May 2017, and within a day was reported to have infected more than 230,000 computers in over 150 countries. The United Kingdom's National Health Service were infected, causing it to run some services on an emergency-only basis during the attack, Spain's Telefonica, FedEx and Deutsche Bahn were hit, along with many other countries and companies worldwide. And that is just one attack. Think of all the attacks you don’t hear about.

I remember a few times over the years when I visited a bank or supermarket and their computers were down. They had no way to work without electronics, which meant they couldn’t do anything at all. One bank I know simply wrote everything down and then, processed everything later on the computer. That was if the bank employees knew you. If not, you were out of luck. Another supermarket basically did the same thing and you could only pay with check or cash. No credit cards. Do you rely solely on your credit card for all your purchases? What would you do now? How would you get by? Today, I went to the local pharmacy to pick up a medication, but they couldn’t process it. Their computers were down. Despite the fact, they know me and I had identification, they couldn’t verify insurance, etc. Hence, I had to go home to go back at a later time.

When I was growing up not too long ago in the dark ages, the day before electronic gadgets became the cornerstone of our lives, people functioned without the aid of gadgets. We had. As a result, people could think for themselves. I think they were also smarter. They could read and write legibly and intelligently. Now because of texting there’s an entirely new language out there that only they understand. Everything has become abbreviated. Children today can’t function without a computer. Ask them what a phone booth is and they stop and stare. When was the last time you read and understood a map? Or are you the type to rely solely on your GPS? Be careful not to make a turn where you shouldn’t. GPS systems aren’t human. They can’t think. They are not perfect. They do give out wrong directions. Remember that before you turn off into a lake on go wrong way on the freeway.

The electronic or digital age has caused a crimp in personal relationships. People have lost the skills of interpersonal relationships. People email or talk via cell phones instead of carrying on conversations face to face. Cell phones rings everywhere you go. Wearing headphones people talk loudly and get angry when you listen in. They talk and walk. People work on computers or answer phones in the middle of meals at restaurants and in movie theaters while they’re with others. I know. Some of these things happened to me while out with friends. I literally had to ask people to put their gadgets away or I’d just go home. How about the man that’s suing his girlfriend because he took her out to a movie and all she did was talk on her cellphone? He’s suing her for $17.59 for the cost of the film and snacks. Sounds fair to me. If all she wanted to do was talk on her cellphone why go out to see a film?

Electronics are an asset to everyday life, but you shouldn’t rely on them all the time. They certainly shouldn’t be the center of your life. Think of other ways to get the job done. Think outside the box. Don’t let your electronics run your life. Better yet, don’t let them ruin your life. What would you do without them? How would you get by? What could you do without them? A great deal, actually. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone and sent in via snail mail? Can you even write a legible letter, or is it all in textese? When was the last time you had a face to face chat with someone? Technology will be the death of us, but only if you let them. That’s my opinion. What’s yours? Are you smarter or dumber living in the digital age? What could happen if there was no electricity to power us? No phones. No appliances. Nothing. We’d be s—t out of luck, but that’s just one thing to know. Read the book One Second After by William R. Forstchen and find out one possibility.

For more information:

The WannaCry ransomware attack has spread to 150 countries:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/14/15637888/authorities-wannacry-ransomware-attack-spread-150-countries

CYBERSECURITY

The Wannacry Cyber Attack Puts NSA Hacking Back Into Focus

http://fortune.com/2017/05/15/wannacry-ransomware-attack-nsa/

Newly Discovered Vulnerability Raises Fears of Another WannaCry Cyber Attack

http://fortune.com/2017/05/25/cyber-attack-wannacry-vulnerability/

6 Things You Probably Didn't Know About WannaCry and NotPetya

https://youtu.be/RLwWHbIOf6A

Global ransomware attack: 5 things to know

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/13/world/ransomware-attack-things-to-know/index.html

Together, you and I can make a difference. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.

Regards,

S.J. Francis Writing is my passion, but animals are my world.

In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family." Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers.

“Some secrets should remain that way.”

My web page: http://www.sjfranciswriter.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419

Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Francis/480058115420325
My writing Blog: http://sjfranciswriter.blogspot.com

A Book Review 4 U: http://abookreview4u.blogspot.com

A Consumer's View: http://aconsumersview.blogspot.com

One for the Animals blog: http://onefortheanimals.blogspot.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/

Google Plus:https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about
Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

Remember: Animals don't have voices. We must be their voice. Always. Forever. Wherever. whenever. I'm one for the animals. Are you?

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Right or Wrong, You Can’t Rewrite History

Six flags amusement parks took down their Confederate flags. The city of Baltimore removed their Confederate statues during the night. New Orleans removed their final Confederate statue in May 2017. In a small Ohio town, a tiny monument to Robert E Lee, overnight without a parking space was removed overnight. In Los Angeles, a Confederate monument which stood for 125 years and memorialized more than 30 Confederate veterans and their families buried in the Hollywood cemetery was removed. This sudden need in recent years to remove Confederate monuments and flags from public places as symbols of national division and black oppression accelerate as if history can be rewritten. Statues that sat untouched for over 100 years as memorials to our fallen dead are suddenly pariahs of society and all those associated with them. Is that right? Is that how Americans suddenly honor their fallen? What happened to the American tradition of honoring our dead? Is this the road we’re headed on now? It appears so. Now, people are eying Stone Mountain in Georgia to remove next. Huh? What gives?

On the evening of June 17, 2015, during a prayer service, a young white man walked into the Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Caroline, United States. He sat down with the local prayer group and for forty five minutes remained. Suddenly, he pulled out a gun and began firing. Nine black people including the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney were killed. The gunman was Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist. at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States. The country hasn’t been the same since that night. Two years later and America remains unhealed. As things stand now, the country may never heal at all. Dylan Roof wanted to start a race war and by looking at things around us, he is succeeding.

Murderer Dylann Roof.

Because he was in photos holding a Confederate flag, this flag has become taboo. On June 23, 2015 a number of well-known retailers quickly stopped selling them. People began fighting about removing them or keeping them up. After much protest on both sides, Charleston, South Carolina took down the flag. Other cities soon followed. Some cities did not remove their statues. In some places, people decided to take things in their own hands and vandalize Confederate statues. This is just so sad and a very touchy subject for many. For some the Confederate flag is a symbol of Southern pride. Their ancestors fought and died in the Civil War. For them the flag doesn’t stand for hatred. Others don’t see it that way. Face it, the flag is just a flag and nothing more. Dylan Roof was also shown in photos wearing Gold’s gym shirts but we haven’t boycotted or destroyed Gold’s gyms, have we? A flag is nothing but a piece of material that has different meaning to different people. What it means to one person means totally something to someone else, but that doesn’t mean it’s a “bad” thing. People see what they want to see.

Ways in which the Swastika was used. Not for evil either.

How many of you know that the Swastika symbol has been around a great deal longer then Hitler and the Nazi regime? They chose it as their symbol and all of a sudden it symbolizes hatred. But the real meaning is just the opposite of what you think it means. “The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means "good fortune" or "well-being.". The motif (a hooked cross) appears to have first been used in Neolithic Eurasia, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky. To this day it is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism.” The World actually loved the swastika until Hitler and his cronies stole it. The same can be said of the Confederate Flag. For over one hundred years this flag bothered no one. Not one soul. It flew proudly all over the South or wherever a Southerner resided. No one cared about the Confederate Statues either. They just stood there in honor of the fallen. That all changed because of one person. Of course, Dylan Roof wasn’t the only one at fault with misusing this simple flag. For Jewish people, the swastika will always be a symbol of pure evil. For some black people anything that reminds them of the Civil War represents hatred.

New Orleans statues being removed in cover of night.

Sadly, racists on both sides are taking advantage of our ignorance and stupidity. Neo-Nazis and other white supremacists use the Confederate flag as their symbol just as they use the swastika. Others are referring to the flag as a symbol of hate. People are at a crossroads and taking sides. The violence in Charlottesville, Virginia demonstrated it best. White nationalists and counter-protesters clashed violently and a car plowed into a group described as "anti-racist" demonstrators, killing one person and injuring 19 others. The Governor had to declare a state of emergency. Both sides were to blame for the violence because as anyone knows, it takes two sides to start any fight. It take two parties to cause an argument. One side can’t do it without someone else to instigate it with. Online petitions abounded in demanding the expulsion of several students that attended the rally. Fact: had the rally gone on without anyone countering it; no one saying anything, we probably wouldn’t have heard about it. Because violence abounded and people were hurt and even killed, its front page news. Does anyone seriously believe that if two opposite factions are in the same place that all will be peaceful? Really? Get real. History shows different.

How about the news where businesses are asking themselves when they should cut ties with white supremacist groups? Are they also going to sever ties with black supremacist groups for they exist, too? While the KKK and Neo-Nazi’s are anti-black, there is the Nation of Islam and the Black Panthers that are anti-white. Many companies have already severed ties with and denounced white-supremacist groups, citing a need to uphold the values and policies of their brands, but how does that stand in a country that values Freedom of Speech? “in a nation whose guiding document enshrines free speech, one person’s hate group could be another’s political organization.” Does this new kind of “discrimination” hurt or help the American economy? What about gangs that run free throughout America? Are companies also going to sever ties with them? They haven’t yet. What’s the difference? Aren’t gangs all about hate, stealing and killing, too?

Southerners, long proud of their southern heritage are losing a part of their history because others, mostly black want all signs of the Confederacy gone. The former states that the Confederate flag is heritage not hate. The latter states the flag and the statues are a reminder of hatred. People are toppling and removing statues on their own and not being accountable. Others are being held accountable and that angers others in support of removing the statues. Here are the undisputable facts in history: More Americans died in the Civil War than in any other wars. The soldiers who died were on both sides and of both colors, black and white. The Civil War was never about slavery. It was all about economics. The South was getting richer than the North. The North was running the country and the South left felt out. These men that served were fighting for what they believed in was right and for that time, it was right. When you take down statues and remove flags, you dishonor the memory of those who died fighting for what they believed in was right. Don’t we owe them our respect? Black and white?

Black & white fought for the

Confederacy.

I’m a Yankee born and bred up North in NYC. I’m not from the south but I live there now. I don’t know or understand the deep attachment that Southerners feel for their heritage, but I accept it. That’s just what people do. Just because you hate something doesn’t mean you have the right to tell others that they must hate it, too. Or vice versa. Like it or not, good or bad, the Civil War is a part of American history.

The fallen of the Civil War. Are they to be forgotten?

Taking down the statues and removing flags will not make me or anyone else forget about it. Instead, all it does is build resentment because one part of the population tries to tell the other part what to do. Get over it. If you don’t like to look at something, turn away. If you don’t like what someone said, turn away. Being part of the majority doesn’t make it right. Telling someone what to do or say is a violation of our First Amendment. Like it or not, our country was built on the principle that people have a right to say whatever they want, even if it’s “hateful”. It’s called Freedom of Speech. Even the Bible says, to turn the other cheek. Since when does being offended become a right? For me, the Confederate flag is just that and nothing more. I respect those that served and died because it’s the right thing to do.

Alabama created a Law to protect Confederate Statues.

In closing, here’s something to think about. The Maine Governor said it best, “Tearing down Confederate statues equivalent to taking down 9/11 memorials.” And at that, I must ask, if Muslims start becoming offended at the Memorials for the victims of September 11, 2001, because it reminds them of hatred, are we going to begin removing those memorials as well? And what of our Memorials for WWI and WWII? And what of our founding fathers, all of whom were slave owners? Since when does those with the loudest voices overrule the silent majority? In a country that values Freedoms including Freedom of Speech, how does it allow those trying very hard to silence the past? It’s a very sad day when one demented racist, Dylann Roof in the end is succeeding in what he set out to do because we out of ignorance and stupidity are letting him do it. He’s dividing America. Racism will always exist no matter what you do. Dylann Roof didn’t begin racism. It was already there. He just brought it to light in a violent way.

Fact is, no one can make someone do something they don’t want to do. You can’t make someone like a person they don’t like. Ever hear the saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is hatred. Take down all the statues you want, and get rid of all the flags you can find and racism will always remain. It’s a fact of life. Racism is nothing new. Neither is hatred. Most importantly, no one owns the patent to either racism or hatred. They’re not particular to any race or ethnic group. A new hatred has arisen and that is the call to erase history. The Civil War happened. Americans on both sides of both races died. Interesting fact: Only six percent of white Southerners owned slaves prior to the Civil War. Being property like a house or car, most whites couldn’t afford slaves. That being the case, why do you think the other ninety four percent were fighting for? What about the blacks that fought in the Confederate army? Were they fighting to keep slavery, too? How many know that not all slave owners were white. Blacks, too owned slaves including those that were rich enough to buy their freedom. They did so only to enslave their own people.

That’s my opinion. What’s yours? Do you think that the Confederate flag, statues, and all reminders of the civil War should be removed because it offends a majority of people? Do you feel it’s right that those offended should tell other Americans what to do or how to feel? Isn’t American the land of Free, Free Speech and not oppression? Isn’t the USA a country where all allowed to speak their mind; honor their religion and more? If in the end, we try to rewrite history, how will we ever learn from it? Right or wrong, you can’t rewrite history no matter hard you try to do so. Without history, we would never learn from our mistakes and are failed to repeat them over and over again. But that doesn’t mean people won’t try to erase the past to suit them. Voltaire said, “History is the lie commonly agreed upon.” I guess people are hoping that if they say the Civil War didn’t happen, then perhaps, it didn’t. George Orwell said it best, “Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” Do you control your future or does someone else control it for you?