random thoughts:7 days to vote/black bloggers unite!/expensive dinner?

So I just wanted to add some quick random thoughts that come to mind as I wait for my fiance to wake up - she's an olympic-level sleeper so it might be a while.

1. 7 days to vote: So for those of you who may read my blog from time to time - to those who may have just stumbled upon it - you both have 7 days left to tell me what weekly feature (which you may have noticed hasn't been so weekly lately) that you'd like me to get rid of. For that matter, you have 22 days to vote which not-so-weekly feature you'd like me to keep. Let me know by simply clicking on one of the surveys to your right.
   
2. Black Bloggers Unite: So as I was surfing the net so-to-speak I came across the following web ring site for black bloggers - blackblogz.com . I signed up and if you happen to be a black blogger too...maybe you should sign up as well. I also tried to look up a male blog ring since I am seeing blogher.com links everywhere but to no avail, I guess us guys don't like to cooperate - just compete.
   
3. Most expensive dinner EVER!: So I'm not sure if I've mentioned this enough but part of my excuse for not blogging as much lately is that I've been engrossed with quite a few projects with my personal life. One of which is having a surprise 60th birthday party for a family member which will be today. About 30 people are coming to this person's favorite Italian restaurant - Dobson and Myself are splitting the bill (for everybody) which I've calculated to come out to about $1,300 - worst case scenario. And about $800-900 best case scenario. Let's hope for best case scenario. (and if you're wondering I do have cash on hand to handle up to $600 - or $1200 total) I'm sure I'll groan tomorrow if it's worse.
   

Quote of the Week #17

"Money is kind of a base subject. Like water, food, air and housing, it affects everything yet for some reason the world of academics thinks it's a subject below their social standing."

-Robert Kiyosaki

Article/Newsbit of the week: US subpime crisis in graphics

I'm a little torn emotionally as far as the slant of this article goes but, I guess you can't argue with the facts?

US subpime crisis in graphics

The BBC, I've found, is a great asset for world business news and different views not easily found here in the U.S. where the same story and opinion is usually repeated again and again.

One thing that can be difficult to swallow (for a black male anyway) is the lack of political correctness - that is somewhat automatically and silently assumed by the American media. I guess they don't have the constant threat of Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson marching on their doorstep since people can drive but flying to England is for most of us - an economic impossibility.

What I'm referring to is a representation of the facts that would not be easily found here in the States:

"Mortgage brokers focused their efforts by selling sub-prime mortgages in working class black areas where many people had achieved home ownership.

They told them that they could get cash by refinancing their homes, but often neglected to properly explain that the new sub-prime mortgages would "reset" after 2 years at double the interest rate."

If you'll take the time to check out the article, above this blurb in particular, there is a map of Cleveland - a city here in Ohio - that does have a large black population. The map can be adjusted to see:

1. Areas where subprime lending occurred.
   
2. Areas where Foreclosures (repossessions) occurred
   
3. Areas of Deutsche Bank properties (loans were made)
   
4. ...oh yeah and Black areas

At first glance it almost looks as if the report is saying more or less

'because black people are so stupid, and bankers were stupid enough to lend to them - we are now in this sub-prime crisis which may go global'

At 2nd glance it looks like it's saying:

'evil bankers didn't tell the stupid black people that there mortgages would reset in 2 years and then they wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage back so now we're in this sub-prime crisis'

Either way it doesn't seem like it's showing black people in the most favorable light.

For the sake of having some personal pride, I'll argue that this portion of the article is not that relevant seeing as black people only 12% of American households and we are no longer even the largest minority group thus we cannot be blamed entirely or even share more than 1/8th of the blame for the sub-prime mess and you definitely can't blame me - cause little ole me doesn't own any 'real property' as in real estate. ..bloody britons.

Web Video of the Week: Money As Debt part 4/5

Here is the 4th part of the movie/video - Money as Debt. This portion offers possible solutions if you consider our money system a problem:



Unfortunately, the solutions presented are easier said than implemented. What do you think?

November results / December goals:

So here are the results for my goals for the end of November:

1. Finish chapter editing on novel - SUCCESS - I just finished re-editing the last chapter of my novel. now to find a publisher.
2. Make $100 in alternative income - FAILURE - I unfortunately, made no inroads towards this goal. Possibly because the goal is very non-specific.
   
3. Raise net worth above $8000 (third try is a charm) - SUCCESS - I can't even begin to explain how happy I am about achieving this goal.
   

Goals for the end of December:

1. Send novel manuscript to 10 book agents and/or publishers
2. Apply to 20 jobs (part-time or full-time)
3. Raise net worth to $8,500 or better
   

I'm trying to stick with the less is more strategy as far as goals go. However, the first two goals are a little daunting in size. All I need is focus during the holidays and I think I'll come out alright.

I'll have to focus on 2008 goals at the end of this month - trying to get through the friend and family Holiday festivities first.

When I get my first $200,000 worth of disposable income...

...After I start a non-profit on finance for inner city youth[to clarify] ....I am buying me a jet pack.

That's right, according to the above link on CNN.com there is a company that will be selling jet packs for only $200,000! (last I heard it cost about $1 Million or more for the first few versions of the jet-pack) . They will go for sale supposedly sometime next year.

It's amazing how things that seemed like science fiction when I was a little kid (jet packs , robots & flying cars )- are now reality. Expensive as hell, but still reality.

November 2007 - Net Worth

OH - yeah! Finally, I broke the 8K threshold ...that has been eluding me like Moby Dick eluded Ahab.

Now the goal is to stay 'above' the 8K line.

I believe there are a number of reasons I was able to achieve my 3 month-old goal:

1. There were no additional major unexpected expenses (as I cross my fingers for good luck while I type)
2. I decided part of my emergency fund should go to my most recent credit-card 'emergencies'.
   
3. My 401k has consistently gone up (even though the DJIA as a whole took a 4% drop for the Month)
   

I think the key reason would be the last one, without a positive return on my 401K this month I would be just under (if not way under) the 8K goal. For the short-term at least it appears that my conservative investment strategy is paying off - as far the long term though, it remains to be seen. I'll have to look back a year from now and see how I did.

For now though, I think I am going to enjoy a greasy, transfat-filled, heart-attack inducing $7 Value meal in order to celebrate. It's too cold here in Ohio to do much else...plus they're trying to ban the heart-attack inducing transfats here in Ohio so I might as well get in while the getting is good.