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Freedom File w/e January 14, 2011

Judge Napolitano’s daily “Freedom File” this week: MD poloticians take resort trip on taxpayers dime; American kidnapped, tortured & stranded in Kuwait by the US; AK steals the homeless’ property; government pays researchers to play ‘World of Warcraft’; Texas police chief gives siezed property away as door prizes; cold medicine electronically tracked; Ill raises income tax 66%; Philly to ban outdoor smoking; WI police fine citizen for swear in public; Feds raid PA dairy farm looking for raw milk; government waste; NYC police beat woman over dog poo; defense spending; WA issues fine for baby that lived 1 hour & a NJ legislator tries to register bikes.

There is no law on income tax, it is only voluntarily.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Aaron Russo Freedom to Fascism P5

There is no law on income tax, it is only voluntarily.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

www.house.gov CampaignForLiberty.com Congressman Ron Paul talks about his continued fight to lower our taxes in this Texas Straight Talk from April 13, 2009 (which is now “Tax Freedom Day”). “Taxes are the issue this week as Americans struggle to make the April 15th deadline to file their returns. It is a good time to contemplate the effects of big government and what it does to our country. The income tax is one of the most egregious encroachments on our liberties today. It is a form of involuntary servitude, which was supposed to have been outlawed by the 13th Amendment. “Tax Freedom Day is defined as the day when the nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to fund its annual federal tax burden. For all of the days of the year before this day, you are a slave to government. For 2009, Tax Freedom Day will come on April 13th. Almost a century ago in 1910, before the mistakes of 1913-namely the inception of the Federal Reserve and our current income tax, Tax Freedom Day was January 19th, signifying a mere 5 percent tax burden. Somehow, our country functioned just fine. “If calculated to include government spending and the deficit, rather than just collections, Tax Freedom Day would actually fall on May 29. The annual deficit adds to the growing debt of future generations and adds insult to injury to those that struggle to make this economy work. It is a slap in the face that this is not enough to prevent this crushing governmental burden from falling on
Video Rating: 5 / 5

How You Can Legally Avoid Paying US Income Tax (Aaron Russo)

How You Can Legally Avoid Paying US Income Tax (Aaron Russo). These video excerpts were taken from the movie by Aaron Russo, which is called America: Freedom to Fascism
Video Rating: 5 / 5

America Freedom to Fascism Part 5 of 8

The Film Determined to find the law that requires American citizens to pay income tax, producer Aaron Russo (“The Rose,” “Trading Places”) set out on a journey to find the evidence. This film which is neither left, nor right-wing is a startling examination of government. It exposes the systematic erosion of civil liberties in America since 1913 when the Federal Reserve system was fraudulently created. Through interviews with US Congressmen, a former IRS Commissioner, former IRS and FBI agents and tax attorneys and authors, Russo connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, and the national identity card which becomes law in May 2008. This ID card will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips which are essentially homing devices used to track people. This film shows in great detail and undeniable facts that America is moving headlong into a fascist police state. Wake up! —— Dear Lovers of Liberty, the struggle is just beginning! Get ready… Are you aware by May of 2008 the law will require you to carry a national identification card? Are you aware that there are plans being developed to have all Americans embedded with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) computer chip under their skin so they can be tracked wherever they go? Are you aware the Supreme Court has ruled that the government has no authority to impose a direct unapportioned tax on the labor of the American people, and the 16th Amendment does not give the government that power?

Obama’s Baby Steps Into White House

Like a potential good stock that could yield profit and dividend, Americans trusted Barack Obama and elected him as President on his promise of “Change”. In stock market, the investors usually buy on rumor and sell on fact. That rule still applies to the President elect. Barack Obama is beginning to recede on his promise to change.

He is no longer a dashing flawless speaker. He is intermittent, evasive, confused and disenchanted. Instead of adopting change that he had promised, he is following the same beaten path as his predecessors, courting on old guards in Clinton Administration for his new cabinet. It looks like that Bill Clinton is having paramount influence on Barack Obama. Will he be the proxy of Bill Clinton the way George W. Bush was for his mentor father, former President George Henry Bush?

Change? What Change? Obama is beginning to ask himself while facing hard reality. Mr Obama, you had a safe journey in the space so far. Now face the hostile home for a change. Welcome back to this planet.

From whatever we hear and see from his utterances in print and media, he seems to be making startling beginning. It seems that he was during campaign guided on economic front by Rupert Rubin, former Treasury Secretary, now with Citygroup, who is the most dangerous man around in the United States.

Rubin was wholesale destructive. He destabilized and eventually destroyed the Glass Steagall Act , 1933 during Clinton Administration. The 1930 era bill separated the business of Banking, Insurance and Securities for common good. When Citigroup took over Travelers Group, he legalized it by removing the old act.

Had that act survived, you would not have seen today’s crisis in banking, investment banking and insurance world. Almost all these troubled banks are engaged in concurrent banking, insurance and securities business. No one knows who should control whom. SEC would consider banking as FED job, FED will consider derivatives as SEC job and SEC will consider banking default as FDIC job. It finally turns out to be no one’s job.

Rubin created the web of non accountability, a specialization of his parent firm – Goldman Sachs. Paulson, also from same firm, recently followed it up while seeking 0 billions from the Senate on one condition – he would not be accountable nor obliged to make any disclosure. Non-accountability has gained momentum – from a few billions to $ 700 billions and Bernanke perfected it with massive $ 2000 billions or 2 trillions. When Bloomberg asked for the details, the Fed did not bother even to reply. Now Bloomberg is filing a suit under Freedom of Information Act.

Even the husky voiced Senator Barney Frank expressed dis-satisfaction at the use (or misuse or abuse) of $ 350 billions that evaporated in just under 30 days. California fire, Barney, California wild fire!

President Bush was non-plussed. In 8 years, he knew only three things – Iraq (Saddam Hussein), 911 (Twin Towers) and Afghanistan (Osama Bin Laden). In his quest for Middle East and Afghanistan, he forgot the map of United States. While he terrorized Middle East with Patriot missiles, his financial team or gang, Paulson and Bernanke, terrorized the nation, Senators, Senate, the President and American people.

LTCM (that lost trillions in derivatives, officially $ 4 billions as its own capital) was covertly promoted by Rubin with remote control. He organized its rescue when so many inevitable were to come out in open. In same fashion, he created Enron to manipulate the oil prices in the world market through paper trading. When he saw the oil bets going against him, he quietly resigned without attracting any notice. No one asked him why did he resign. Not even ardent admirer, Bill Clinton, then President, who chastised it as greatest Treasury Secretary since Alexander Hamilton.

Salomon Brothers collapsed during LTCM debacle. John Meriwether destroyed the firm in a flash. Rubin therefore hated the Russians who brought about LTCM debacle. Warren Buffet took over Salomon Brothers as great financial bargain and finally got rid of it as soon as possible when the heat became unbearable.

Citibank (now Citigroup) and JP Morgan Chase (JPMC), who financed Enron, sold everywhere its spurious bonds ,similar to sub prime bonds and CDO/CDS derivatives today and got into hot trouble losing billions. Rubin then eased himself into 0 Millions a year job at Citigroup to cover his tracts relating to Enron.

In less than 5 years of Rubin’s non Executive Chairmanship, Citigroup lost $ 70 billions in cash ( billions before + billions in the from of taking over liabilities of its subsidiaries in the form Structured Investment Vehicles). He also forced the Fed to guarantee its lousy and worthless portfolio of $ 360 billions. In short, he spent in cash and kind of about $ 430 billions of known figures. How much of $ 2 trillions was given away by bearded Bernanke is not counted.

And what did the Citigroup do with 0 Billions? It fired 75,000 employees. In short, the Fed and Treasury gave .74 million to Citigroup to fire each employee.

Rubin followed the strong dollar policy to manipulate the world market, and in fact was instrumental for causing Asian Crisis when Euro was about to be borne. He did not want Asian nations to shift the reserve to Euro, so he destroyed Asian currencies with the help of two renowned Hedge Fund managers – George Soros and Julian Robertson (now dead). What you see today of strong dollar in spite of all troubles are the “ditto” measures adopted by him during Clinton Administration. This time, his other colleague from Goldman Sachs, Hank Paulson is doing that dirty job.

Rubin was clever enough to remain always in the background, allowing pawn players to do the dirty jobs on the foreground. In the event of troubles breaking out, he was always there on crime scene like a forensic expert searching for clues with intent to search and destroying whatever remaining hints floating around that might point fingers at him.

Obama was looking at the same old Rubin during campaign for economic guidance which was the first disastrous mistake he was making in the dressing room before going to play his first game at the White House on January 20, 2009.

Obama appointed his formidable opponent Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. She is a hawk whereas Obama is a dow. There is no matching chemistry. She will wage war with anybody – a female replica of George Bush – totally opposite character of her spouse Bill Clinton.

The internationally acclaimed and a rational person could have been former Secretary of State – Gen Colin Powell who is highly respected by almost all leaders, friends and foes, around the world. Obama missed him in his great baseball shot. He sacrificed Gen Powell in an act of balancing colors to avoid pointed fingers. His first grave mistake on international front even before he took over the office.

Just as President Bush inherited the caucus team of Chenny (Vice President), Don Rumsfeld (former Defense Secretary), Greenspan and other dumb heads from his father Sr. George H Bush, President elect Obama is following the same pattern by inheriting the legacy of Bill Clinton. Change? What Change? There is no change. Same dud and dirty politics.

And here comes another firm. Goldman Sachs. Entire Fed and Treasury buildings are infested with the mammals from Goldman Sachs. Rupert Rubin belonged to that clan. Hank Paulson also belongs to same clan. The newly appointed Treasury Secretary, Timothy ….…., too had a stint at Goldman Sachs. It is Goldman who is calling the shots for over 12 years of America’s mismanagement of economy. Many of the Anchors of business channels like CNBC have GS stamp on their butts. The entire policy is conceptualized in Goldman HQ, policyzied at the Treasury, monetized at Fed, and finally sold like Sub Prime assets through massive publicity in perfect harmony and orchestration via business channels manned by trusted friends who were once upon a time were with Goldman Sachs. Were they deliberately planted? Ask your self. What do you think? I also think the same way.

Obama is now trying to pump another $ 1 trillion into infrastructure spending, after massive $ 2 trillions infusion into the system by the gang of Bernanke and Paulson. He is also hell bent on reducing taxes on individuals. Never did he answer nor did anyone ask, how was he going to bring in income while spending on all fronts and destroying America at the speed of Katrina. The whole nation has become a typified New Orlean where stupefied corpses are found every where in immediate aftermath.

Obama has given first glimpses of his carefully nurtured personality. When the “red blood” is oozing through the main street and wall street, he is talking nonsense about “green air” and exhorting 3 Auto manufacturers to invent green cars. It will be years before those Auto makers would turn their cars green, provided they exist. The immediate priority is to take them out of deep trouble and do everytthing to rejuvenate demand for their products by any means. His currently reflected priorities are not of the becoming of a great leader about to sit on the coveted throne at White House. He has demonstrated so far that he is neither a leader seeking “Change” nor a “Santa Clause” on the eve of Christmas.

The only thing that changed during last 30 days of post election process – His name. He has decided to use his middle name while taking oath at the White House. He is now Barack Hussein Obama about to stride into White House. What is he trying to do by changing his well known name by including “Hussein” in the middle? Pacify Arabs and Islamic nations? If he had used “Hussein” as his middle name during campaign, he would have certainly lost the election in most disastrous fashion. He does not have the mandate from the people to use his “Hussein” brand . Thank God,. he is not changing his first name from “Obama” to “Osama”!

If name change were to usher in the dramatic change in economy, George Bush would be left wondering why did not he think of it while facing disaster after disaster at home and overseas during 8 years of his ignominious presidency.

Obama is therefore showing the sure sign of just another “mediocre” at the White House.

The crisis is so acute that there were reports that “US military was preparing for domestic disturbance” Click here for Newsmaxx Report. With guns being freely licensed through out United States, the nation is sitting on a huge volcano about to be burst. After years of practice of firing billions of bullets in other countries during last 60 years, US Military Commanders will have uphill battle back home for the first time firing for a change at their own people.

Will Barack Hussein Obama be the last ruling President of the nation once upon a time called “United States of America”? Don’t be surprised. It happened to USSR in recent past. It could happen again, this time in America for a change. Is this the CHANGE he was talking about?

Let us prepare ourselves for the “Great Royal Circus” in Washington. The curtain will be drawn on 20th January, 2009. It will be a battle royal in the far flung Afghanistan and Iraq – Obama vs.Osama. And the distraught investor, Warren Buffet, after investing $ 8 billions in Goldman Sachs and General Electric at the instance of Hank Paulson, who will no longer be there after 20th January, 2009, will be awaiting the final verdict from his city – Omaha. Obama, Osama and Omaha – what a rhyme in the American politics!

Poor Lady Liberty must have been tired holding the torch for so long in the middle of the sea. It is time to find new home, she must be murmuring. Where, she does not know.

Kalidas, Hong Kong
Ref: 0812-020 of 2008/12/26
http://www.anilselarka.com

 

Copyrights © 2008 by Anil Selarka (Kalidas)
General permission is granted to any person or publisher for their research needs
or for mass publications provided this Author’s source is duly acknowledged.

The author is from Hong Kong. He is finance professional having 36 years of experience as banker, stock broker, bond trader, convertible bond specialist, economist and practical solution finder for any kind of financial problem. He is author of new book (yet to be published) called “Sub Prime Resolved” which is a bible of economic recovery of United States of America. The author claims that at this moment, he is the only person in the world who has the complete solution for the current economic mess.


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Tenant Or HomeOwner? What is Best for my Current Situation?

Tenant or Homeowner? What is best for my current Situation? 

With so many homes reduced in value over the last several years, it’s more important than ever to assess your overall goals and needs for your investment in your home. Some say “you’re throwing your money away by renting” or “it’s always better to be a homeowner”,  but you must ask yourself what your goals are over the next year, 5 years and even 10 years and further to determine what is truly best. Also, the type of financing available to you, should be a major player in your decision making process. This is especially true for new college graduates.  

Looking at the numbers – www.txmortgagebank.com

While home ownership provides security, you must decide whether investing your money in a home purchase rather than simply purchasing other available assets such as mutual funds, your own business, other types of bonds, ex., makes more sense. With the recent decline in home values, one could argue it’s simply too risky to buy a home when so many homes have lost value over the last couple of years, Yet one could make the same argument that rents have increased over the last couple of years and it may be less expensive to pay a mortgage rather then rent to the landlord.  

Click here to use our Rent vs. Buy calculator to help with this determination:

 In 2004, The US census Bureau reported that 58% of American families could afford to purchase a modestly priced home in the state which they lived. That is they could afford to purchase a home with a 5% down payment or purchase the home cash. Today however, we face a larger unemployment rate, but much lower housing costs. This makes the number of qualified American families less in existence, but much more affordable for the families or individuals that may be able to afford the down payment or monthly payment.  Programs such as the USDA Rural development program, the various city and state down payment assistant programs, the Home Path and FHA mortgages mixed with historically low interest rates are making homeownership more affordable then ever.

 Other Factors

Of course buying a home isn’t strictly a financial decision. For lots of people, the thought of constantly worrying about losing the security deposit every time we hammer a nail or paint a wall isn’t particularly appealing.

Here are some other things to consider before making a home purchase:

To simply put it, first and foremost find a neighborhood and a home that you will  like and that fits your lifestyle. I’ve met lots of people over the last several years that felt obligated to buy just because they could afford it, however were unsure of their goals for the next 10 years and wanted to buy because they “heard it was a good investment”. This may be true if the numbers say so and you purchase a fixer upper, or update an older home. With the increase in foreclosures over the years, banks have strengthened their stance on negotiations and not budging on price nearly as much as they did at the beginning stages of the housing crises.  

It’s true you can get a good deal on a foreclosure, but you must have a realistic picture of just how much equity you may be walking into. What kind of costs will you incur at purchase? Are any repairs needed? And most importantly what have homes most similar to the subject property sold for in the recent months leading up to the home purchase. It’s vital you research comparable properties to really assess how good of a deal you may be getting. Many new buyers on the market today simply think just because it’s a foreclosure it’s below market value. This is simply not true. It’s extremely important to review the comparables in the neighborhood, or immediate area for rural properties.

When Renting is the best option

 In many cases especially for college graduates renting makes much more sense than jumping into a long term financial commitment. I think that’s really the key, recognizing and being able to commit long term. I feel that a big mistake many homeowners make is assuming that they will buy a home and sell it in a few years for a huge profit. Even though this can happen and hopefully for you someday, I always recommend when purchasing a home, be prepared to keep the home for at least 10 years. If keeping the home that long doesn’t sit well with you or simply doesn’t make sense, it’s probably in your best interest to just rent for the time being until you have no problem being in the same place for that long.

Also how do the average rents in your area compare to what a mortgage might cost you?

There are some areas where there is a major difference. For instance Trulia.com conducted a survey last year comparing list prices and rents in the 50 biggest cities here in the US finding areas like New York topping the list with renting being much less expensive then buying. Also Dallas came in as the tenth top city to rent versus buy. This is of course using the trulia.com rent versus buy index and doesn’t take into consideration the up front costs associated with purchasing and a larger down payment making a much lower monthly mortgage payment.

Recap – Pros and Cons

Renting Pros

-          Low upfront Cost – A deposit and a month or two of rent is normally all that’s needed, while a down payment could be significantly more.

-          Less responsibility – Your landlord takes the responsibility if something breaks or needs repair. Not only fixing or maintaining the home requires money and skill, but you must also invest time to get it done. When renting, the landlord gets this job.

-          Good Credit not a must – When buying a home you must have good credit; however when renting, less than perfect credit isn’t normally an issue as long as you can show steady income.

-          Flexibility – One of the best parts of renting is the flexibility of moving on much shorter notice. Normally renting comes with just a year contract at a time and even that can sometimes be terminated. So when you get that promotion you’ve been working for you can easily pick up and go.

 Homeownership Pros

-          Build equity – When renting, payments are simply out of pocket expenses. When buying the home you’re building equity and wealth for the future. A mortgage is a built – in savings plan as your home maintains or gains value.

-          Tax incentives – When it comes time to do the taxes you’ll enjoy being a homeowner the most. You may qualify for government rebates or incentives.

-          Low Mortgage rates – Currently rates are at an all time low and could mean you may never find a less expensive time to purchase.

-          Pride of home ownership – Owning your home affords you the freedom to paint the walls whatever color you’d like, plant trees; add a patio, whatever floats your boat. While renting is another story, you may not even be able to paint the walls.

 

Arnold Melendez is a Texas native. Arnold has been in the mortgage and real estate business now for 7 years and continues to maintain the same level of enthusiasm as when he began his career in Houston, TX as a loan officer. Arnold strives to offer his clients and referral partners an exemplary level of service and professionalism.

Arnold’s experience includes thousands of closed transactions with experience in various parts of the mortgage and real estate business. Arnold has a rare understanding of the front and back end of the business ranging from underwriting to the secondary market to real estate appraising.

Arnold’s passions include family, health, sports, education and real-estate and of course finance.

Office:512-782-8349 arnold@txmortgagebank.com


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How to Make Money Working at Home Online

Copyright (c) 2008 Dock J Murphy

Companies need your opinion for their products and services and are willing to pay you BIG money for your input. This service provides you a database of hundreds of companies that are currently paying. Companies will often pay per hour! This is a great opportunity for those looking for a part time job or those looking to replace their full time job with a real company.

Business owners have neither the time nor inclination to manage their own bookkeeping and tax reporting, and virtually every business owner needs some type of financial guidance. Business is strong for home-based customer service providers. I talked with several companies that look for home-based customer service reps and they say they are looking to recruit at least 20,000 new agents through the end of this year.

Paid survey chances are steady and the company is known for prompt payouts – via either PayPal or check, depending on your selected payment method. Paid surveys and mystery shopping jobs are a great way to make money online and they can produce a significant stream of money for people that have decided to work at home. You can do it part-time and earn 0-00 per month or work at it full time and make up to ,000 per year!

Data entry jobs are simple to perform, and generally only require basic computer skills, an attention to detail and patience. Indeed finding employment through online data entry jobs allows you to work from home and gives you invaluable flexibility to juggle work with your family and other commitments. Data entry jobs, survey jobs, customer service, help desk, sales, clerical, human resources, creative design, home businesses and much, much more. Totally from your home!

Create multiple streams of income with your small business ideas . The best small business opportunities, starting a small business opportunity and business opportunities. Create your own products. What do you want to learn?

Earn cash each time you complete a survey (a longer questionnaire). Earn some good cash building web sites . Earn some extra income from home. Earn 0 daily from the internet by just using your computer.

Start questioning the validity of working a regular job vs. Start questioning the validity of going into debt for everything you own. Start today and you can: Get paid to per online survey! Get paid to 0 to participate in online focus groups! Start earning online today!

Search engines and forums are your friend. You can get all the information you need from them to avoid getting scammed. Search engine loves it. They like to see fresh contents when their spiders pay your website a visit.

Imagine sitting at your home, just spending some time and put into actions of what you have read in the eBook – and getting loads of traffic to your site – every single day? You can make money at home even if you do not have any of your own products to sell! Imagine choosing the work you do because you love the products and services you represent. And how about the freedom to choose when and how much you work, and when you find the best ways to make money , you will also have the financial security of residual income that goes with it.

To find the best work at home business online opportunity and ideas so you can work at home visit: Choosing to Work at a Home Business Online Opportunity


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Rob Woodall for Congress – FairTax Issue

The FairTax has hundreds of thousands of supporters across this country and in the halls of Congress–but it is losing it’s champion as John Linder retires. I will be that next champion. I know the FairTax. I believe in the FairTax. Both John Linder and Neal Boortz have endorsed me in this effort. Too often politicians simply vote the right way and do no more. I will be tireless in championing the FairTax and its principles of freedom. The FairTax will move power out of the hands of Washington and return that power to the individual. The promise of the FairTax is an American economy that can continue to grow and thrive in the 21st century.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

The Film Determined to find the law that requires American citizens to pay income tax, producer Aaron Russo (“The Rose,” “Trading Places”) set out on a journey to find the evidence. This film which is neither left, nor right-wing is a startling examination of government. It exposes the systematic erosion of civil liberties in America since 1913 when the Federal Reserve system was fraudulently created. Through interviews with US Congressmen, a former IRS Commissioner, former IRS and FBI agents and tax attorneys and authors, Russo connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, and the national identity card which becomes law in May 2008. This ID card will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips which are essentially homing devices used to track people. This film shows in great detail and undeniable facts that America is moving headlong into a fascist police state. Wake up! —— Dear Lovers of Liberty, the struggle is just beginning! Get ready… Are you aware by May of 2008 the law will require you to carry a national identification card? Are you aware that there are plans being developed to have all Americans embedded with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) computer chip under their skin so they can be tracked wherever they go? Are you aware the Supreme Court has ruled that the government has no authority to impose a direct unapportioned tax on the labor of the American people, and the 16th Amendment does not give the government that power?

Prince Of Pot: The US Vs Marc Emery! Part 2 of 5… HD

Prince Of Pot: The US Vs Marc Emery! A look at how the united states DEA reached into canada to take out a man strictly for his political views. Which is both immoral and illegal… They then threaten to drag his friends down with him, to try to force feed him 5 years in prison, for nothing more than wanting to peacefully and diplomatically change one of Canada’s unjust laws… Free Marc Emery! Canadian Marc Emery, Canada’s most prominent marijuana legalization activist, is at the top of the US, Drug Enforcement Agency’s ‘Most Wanted List’ and now faces extradition to the US and possible life imprisonment. His crime – selling marijuana seeds over the Internet. An occupation he has never denied. In fact for more than a decade he has dutifully filed his income tax returns in Canada stating his occupation as “marijuana seed seller”. He paid his taxes and was left alone by the Canadian authorities. However Canada’s RCMP suddenly and willingly co-operated when the DEA got him in their sights. Widely known as “The Prince of Pot,” Emery is the joint smoking publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine, founder of the BC Marijuana Party and a lifelong rabble-rouser. And now, according to the DEA, one of the most wanted men in the drug world, up there with the heads of Colombian cocaine cartels, and the top drug trafficker in North America. His story is the prism through which director, Nick Wilson, examines the touchy issue of sovereignty, the long reach of US drug laws, and Canadian
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Prince Of Pot: The US Vs Marc Emery! A look at how the united states DEA reached into canada to take out a man strictly for his political views. Which is both immoral and illegal… They then threaten to drag his friends down with him, to try to force feed him 5 years in prison, for nothing more than wanting to peacefully and diplomatically change one of Canada’s unjust laws… Free Marc Emery! Canadian Marc Emery, Canada’s most prominent marijuana legalization activist, is at the top of the US, Drug Enforcement Agency’s ‘Most Wanted List’ and now faces extradition to the US and possible life imprisonment. His crime – selling marijuana seeds over the Internet. An occupation he has never denied. In fact for more than a decade he has dutifully filed his income tax returns in Canada stating his occupation as “marijuana seed seller”. He paid his taxes and was left alone by the Canadian authorities. However Canada’s RCMP suddenly and willingly co-operated when the DEA got him in their sights. Widely known as “The Prince of Pot,” Emery is the joint smoking publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine, founder of the BC Marijuana Party and a lifelong rabble-rouser. And now, according to the DEA, one of the most wanted men in the drug world, up there with the heads of Colombian cocaine cartels, and the top drug trafficker in North America. His story is the prism through which director, Nick Wilson, examines the touchy issue of sovereignty, the long reach of US drug laws, and Canadian

Wealth and Success Aside from the Corporate Ladder

Many people fall into depression because no matter how hard they work and no matter how much time they spend in the office, they are still far from being successful. While many see their jobs as a means of finding personal expression and fulfillment, majority of people define their success in terms of money. They try to put up with the endless loads of work, impossible deadlines, and work pressures — yet doing all these have not brought them closer to financial security. To make matters worse, many successful executives and highly driven young professionals find themselves sick and tired all the time. The enormous toll on the their health had made their job seem like a curse instead of blessing. It is no wonder that millions of dollars are spent on health care each year due to stress and other work-related anxieties. The uncontrolled drive for success had brought not a few people to the emergency room or to the hospital to get both medical and psychiatric care.

In America, millions of people work at least 40 to 60 hours a week. They do so because their success beliefs are anchored on the following premises:
Get good grades in school in order to get a good job.

Find a job in a large company or corporation.
Work hard in the office in order to get recognition and a promotion, which entails getting a high salary.
Get the children through school and have enough retirement and pension money.
This formula for success has been tried by millions yet not everyone gets to achieve their goals, at least in financial terms. In fact, some success finance and success gurus question the wisdom of the said formula. They think that there are other ways to attain success without the stress and anxiety of climbing the corporate ladder.
One such guru who questions the effectiveness of the traditional approach is named Robert Kiyosaki. He is an investor, businessman, author, and motivational speaker. He is best known for his book entitled Rich Dad, Poor Dad. In his book, he tackles the two different set of advices he received from his “rich dad” and “poor dad.” According to Kiyosaki, his “poor dad” was a smart and highly educated individual, who, nevertheless, failed to succeed financially. He said that his “rich dad” was not academically inclined but was very street-smart and financially adept. In his book, he also discusses the depression, stress, and anxiety that are encountered by many people who thought that their education and jobs would automatically guarantee financial success.

Kiyosaki said that one of the most important questions that his “rich dad” asked him is: “Why do you work so hard for something you’ll never own or can never pass on to your children?” That question, said Kiyosaki, somehow leads one to think that having a stable job may not be the key to financial success after all.
Kiyosaki also writes about a concept which he calls the ‘Cashflow Quadrant.” The Cashflow Quadrant, according to Kiyosaki, spells out how money or wealth is generated by different types of people. To better understand the concept, picture a simple cross on a blank sheet of paper. On the top left quadrant, write a letter ‘E” which stands for Employee. On the lower left quadrant, write a letter “S” which stands for the Small Business Owner or Self-Employed. On the upper right quadrant, write the letter “B” to mean Big Business. And on the lower right quadrant, right the letter “I” which stands for Investor. Kiyosaki says that many “E” people are resource-oriented in terms of their approach to work and their lives as well. To succeed, these people rely on their current resources: their academic degrees, cash on hand, the secure job, physical health, etc. According to Kiyosaki, employees usually have this mindset. The “S” people, on the other hand, are able to generate their own income by having their own business. But according to Kiyosaki, the “E” and “S” people rarely succeed enough to have real wealth that would allow them to retire comfortably. These people are able to retire with some money but only after decades of hard work. Kiyosaki argues that being in these quadrants is not the best option since an employee can lose a job and his health which would then prevent him from doing his job. Small businessmen can encounter severe changes in the market that affects profit; or one’s own company can fall into bankruptcy.

In contrast, the people who belong to Big Business (“B”) and the Investors (“I”) are the ones who can really gain wealth. Where lies the difference? Big Business and investors achieve financial success because they are able to harness the expertise of other people. Unlike the self-employed or small business owners, the members of the “B” and “I” quadrants do not do all the work by themselves. They let the experts do the work based on their desired objectives or financial goals. Unlike people from the “E” and “S” quadrants who “work hard for the money,” the “B” and “I” people let their money work for them. In his books, Kiyosaki cites some financial instruments, strategies, and anecdotes on how people can make their money work for them. He discusses this concept using the term “active income vs. passive income.” The main point of his financial advice is that people should learn how to invest their money on assets such as real estate property that can be rented out so that they would have regular income even without working. He also mentions that since the value of the property depreciates, the amount of tax to be paid also decreases and does not pose any financial difficulty on the part of the investor in the long-term. Kiyosaki says that financial literacy and having the right mindset are important in order for people to know how they can choose the best path towards financial freedom. While Kiyosaki’s books do not exactly show the step-by-step approach to financial success, he does provide very good motivational thoughts on how to avoid financial self-destruction. He focuses on improving one’s mindset which includes moving from being resource-oriented to being opportunity-oriented. In a typical financial counseling session, Robert Kiyosaki would usually say that:

“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire…the size of your dream…and how you handle disappointment along the way.”

Indeed, the ability to handle disappointments is essential to one’s emotional stability and physical health. Having the right mindset when it comes to finances and to life itself is the key to real success. After all, financial success without health is simply a bad deal.