Diary of a KAD

As some of you know, I am opposed to mutual funds; investing in them only because no other options are available in 401k accounts.  There is much data regarding the outrageous fees, and how mutual funds are basically a legal scandal, but I haven't been able to articulate my opinion quite like this article does.  I think you will find this VERY informative because it brings together the role of employers, the outrageous money in the industry, as well as the Supreme Court involvement: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/business/09stra.html?_r=1 John Bogle founded the Vanguard Group, but still lobbies for more regulation in our favor.  Check his blog for more information:  http://johncbogle.com/wordpress/2010/05/ Bogle told Robert Kuttner (an economic journalist) in “The Squandering of America” that from 1985-2004, the average mutual fund yielded an investor 3% less interest than the stock market indices.  He reported that during that time period, an inve...

78-year old Violet Large, and her husband, Allen hit the jackpot.   They won over $11 million in the Canadian lottery.   They kept 2% for themselves,   in case of “a rainy day” and gave the rest away. First, they took care of family, and then they helped the local fire department, churches, cemeteries, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, hospitals where Violet underwent her cancer treatment, and organizations that fight cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes.   They have been married 35 years and live a quiet life in Nova Scotia.   Were they loaded to begin with?   No.   He was a welder and she worked in retail. When asked why they didn’t want to hold onto the money, they said it caused stress and headaches that they didn’t have before they won the money, and they didn’t want after the money.

Yesterday’s election results may have you depressed, but it could be good for the economy. At the Good News Network, I am committed to finding the silver lining in stories that make headlines.   For those of you that are depressed about a Republican-majority House of Representatives, keep an open mind to the silver lining.   With the two Houses under control by two different parties, controversial or truly bipartisan legislation will likely not be passed.   The second point is that this election proves that the American microwave society has moved into government.   Voters are fickle and they want things to happen immediately.    This bodes well for the reelection of Obama.   Third, this is Clinton-esque.   The last time the Senate was Dem and the house Repub,   Clinton was in office.   Even Clinton-haters have to admit the economy was at it its strongest then -- there was record job creation, decrease in poverty, an approximate 15% incr...

I have created a list of some of my favorite ballot issues for today, and answers (based solely on my personal opinions which have been formed with little to no information). On health care Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma –should we amend the state constitution to prohibit forced health insurance for everyone by 2014, as stated in the Federal healthcare reform? No.  The Supreme Court has the final word, so these amendments will likely be a moot point. On gambling Oregon: Should a casino in Multnomah County be permitted? And should 15% of lottery proceeds continue to go to parks, beaches, and wildlife habitat beyond 2014? Yes.  Oregon has a lot of wildlife refuge – plus, it’s an artsy state.  The money will help. On Affirmative Action Arizona : Should preferential treatment in public employment, education and contracting be banned?  No.  Theoretically, preferential treatment should not be needed.  But, with the rec...

I had great expectations of writing insightful comments from yesterday's rally.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get close enough to hear anything, much less see.  At one point, I did get close enough to hear Jon Stewart introduce Jon Oliver & Stephen Colbert.  I think a skit followed the introduction, but mostly all I could hear was one person screaming, "Erica," followed by 2 dozen strangers screaming "Erica, Erica" and then laughing hysterically. There were millions of people.  Millions.  Just getting there was an adventure.  I have never seen anything like it, and I don't expect I will again.  There were crowds a mile away from the stage.   It became very difficult to take pictures because closer to the action, the crowds were so dense, a stranger could have reached into my pocket for my camera more easily than I.   But, I did snap this one, as a reminder that there were people literally everywhere. Official website photos:   http...

It's finally here!  I love when people exercise their first Amendment right to assembly... although this is more rock concert than it is rally.  I'll have pics later this afternoon. Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear Survival Guide PRE-PRE SHOW -- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Video montages/music will play on the Jumbotrons around the venue to entertain the crowd as they gather. PRESHOW -- 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. 12:00 - 12:40 -- THE ROOTS will play for the crowd. 12:40 - 12:57 -- Comedian (TBD) will warm-up the audience. 12:57 - 1:00 -- Video countdown & intros SHOW -- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. 1:00 - 1:05 SINGING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM -- Musical guest (TBD) 1:05 - 1:20 JON STEWART welcomes the crowd 1:20 - 1:30 STEPHEN COLBERT enters 1:30 - 1:35 BENEDICTION by actor Don Novello 1:35 - 1:40 POEM read by actor Sam Waterson [note: Park Service spelling, not WaPo TeamTV's] 1:40 - 1:50 JEFF TWEEDY & MAVIS STAPLES perform 1:50 - 2:15 JON & STEPHEN perform 2:15 - 2:20 SHERY...

Six-month old Pepper has already faced adversity:   loss of eyesight, abandonment, a possible car accident.   It’s hard to define exactly what this little guy has been through because he’s not talking.   He was found stumbling in a parking lot, by the County Regional Animal Shelter in Divide, CO.   They said he seemingly was in an accident and was an emotional wreck.   Since he had no home, Sharon L. Peters fostered the lab/boxer mix and tried to get him the medical care that he needed.   Peters wrote about Pepper in her column, and was overwhelmed with financial donations and support.   “ A semi-retired businessman from 2000 miles away got in touch to offer to pay whatever it took ($1,400 it turned out) for sophisticated tests if a veterinary neurosurgeon could not, through visual exam alone, ascertain what had happened and whether it could be surgically corrected,” she wrote. Diagnosis:   Pepper’s eyesight is awful, but he’s not completely bli...

Gone are the days of the volunteer fireman calendar, and Sports Illustrated bikini calendar (what does a bikini have to do with sports, anyway?).  Now, we get the RED MEAT calendar -- top Republican men's faces magically attached to bodies of hunks. Part of me thinks this is funny, while part of me gagged a bit when I saw the pictures of Boehner, Beck, McCain & Steele.  This might be the best Secret Santa year yet. See the entire calendar: http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/10/red-meat-republican-hunks-calendar-201010?currentPage=1

Nicholas Negroponte.   Do you know the name?   Among other positions, he’s Chairman of the non-profit , One Laptop per Child Foundation.   His vision is to eradicate poverty through education.   To do this, he gives laptops to children in developing countries.   Over two million children have been the recipients in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Cambodia, and Mongolia, to name a few.  Negroponte says these children should “have access to all the things our kids have… books… basically drive their own learning.   [The computer is] the vehicle through which the child learns” in areas where teachers and schools are nonexistent.   The laptop costs about $180 and it looks like our old SPEAK & SPELL.   Each has internet access and about 100 books loaded on it.    If the organization donates 100 laptops to a village, they have access to 10,000 different books.   Many of the children use the laptops to teach their par...

My intent is to pass on good news, thereby breaking the cycle of getting TMI about rapes, murders, terrorism and pedophilia.   It's pretty subjective, but I am trying to remain as impartial as possible.   For example, if Christine O'Donnell gets laryngitis before her next scheduled debate, or Rich (id)Iott doesn't get his Nazi uniform back from the dry cleaner in time, I am not going to report it as good news. I am committed to passing along stories that the general population would find satisfying, inspiring, uplifting, or just plain fun.   I invite you to send me your ideas, as well.   There are a lot of people out there helping one another, doing good things for the community, and instilling admirable values… I intend to find them and share their stories with you.

One of my favorite movies ever is Shawshank Redemption.   The story is brilliantly adapted from Stephen King, the acting is incredible, and philosophically it appeals to my strong sense of justice.   I shudder to think that people like that are wrongly imprisoned and have their lives stolen from them. It happened to Alan Newton.   He spent over 20 years in prison for crimes that he did not commit – rape and some other charges.   Eyewitness testimony put him behind bars… makes you wonder how they choose people for the police line-up… doesn’t it? Newton lost 20 years of his life, but he just won over $18 million.   A New York court awarded him the money, so he finally got his justice.    His plans are to go to law school, become a lawyer, and represent the vast majority of people that are shut out by the elitist judicial system.   He wants to make sure that what happened to him doesn’t happen to anyone else.   That’s real justice. Read the art...

How’s your credit?   No, I’m not on a first date.   I’m an employer deciding if I should hire, fire promote or demote you. In the midst of the horrific employment market (and possibly the Apocalypse),   employers have found yet another way to keep Americans unemployed.   I know what you’re thinking – this is not good news.   But, there is a silver lining.   Why do employers check the credit history of a potential candidate for hire?   Because in this automated society, any moronic way to screen someone out is a good way?   Is it driven by our litigious society?   These are idiotic questions that we shouldn’t even be asking.   But, the good news is that some states are taking a stand against this kind of discriminatory (and downright repulsive) practice.   Let’s hear it once again, for the traditionally blue states showing some compassion and making laws that prohibit this kind of exploitation.   Oregon, Washington & Hawai...

The It Gets Better project is the epitome of good news.  The concept is to reach out to the young gay community and convince them that life gets better.  In the teen years, "fitting in" is a full-time job.  I remember at about 13 years or so, my BFF's brother told her that when we got older, guys would appreciate the fact that we weren't slutty, but we actually felt insecure about it at the time.  Then in college, my brother told me (after I'd been rejected by a sorority) that pledging wasn't "me" at all and that someday, I'd be glad that I never endured that kind of hazing.  I believed them both, but it still hurt at the time.  I can't imagine getting publicly humiliated for anything sex-related... my heart goes out to these youngsters.  Dan Savage, the inspiring editorial director of the Seattle weekly called The Stranger, and author of the syndicated column "Savage Love," launched the project on YouTube in September.  It inclu...