Galen

alfakat: “I would question whether missed opportunities would have much to do with the choice between renting and owning, all other things being equal. Yes, property taxes and repair costs go up for homeowners...AND property owners, as well, who pass on those costs as... RENT INCREASES!!! As someone who rented more of his adult life than has owned, NO way is renting the wiser decision. You still end up with a pile of receipts at the end of 30 years and the dollar figures are much bigger at the end than when you first started renting. Not really a hard decision to make, for the vast majority.” It is terrible the way that so many raise rents each year. We don’t raise rent. If we wanted to we would between renters, it would just never occur to us to raise the rent while someone was in a unit. It would not ‘feel’ right to us. We also average the rents listed in the local area, comparing like units to each other. And we form a running average of what such a unit should rent for, considering if it has a garage and laundry etc. Then we subtract 20% and that is our rent. It does tend to keep our renters ‘happy’ and turn-over is rare. They also don’t complain much. If one does need to move, they commonly bring in and introduce the next renter to us, so we rarely list an empty unit. But that is just our observation. :-)

What The Hay: “Well that is a good definition of debt, but it doesn't answer the question whether or not debt is good or bad. Actually it is neither.” Within a narrow context Debt can be explained as bad, and I agree. However debt is far more like an object. Whether a hammer, or a vehicle or a nuclear critical-mass; objects can be used in ‘good’ ways or in ‘bad’ ways. Often in our society debt is used in ‘bad’ ways and it controls people, it robs their life and prosperity away from them. “Most people's financial problems are caused by going along with the crowd and trying to keep up with the Joneses. But the real reason people struggle financially is largely due to the fact they do not know the difference between an asset and a liability.” A multi-faceted topic, though your statement is largely correct. “Accounting is probably the most boring subject…” Bonnie and I find the topic fascinating. We have studied it long and focused for many years. Never really thought of it as ‘boring’. “Rich people aquire assets. Sometimes they borrow money to do that.” But than their Net Worth has not grown. I prefer to acquire assets in methods that grow my Net Worth. “The poor and the middle class aquire liabilities, but they think they are assets.” Sorry but I find that I must point out. The terms ‘poor’ and ‘middle-class’ in this context are fairly insulting. These are mind-sets and NOT actual income levels or life-style levels. If a person desires to be ‘poor’ they certainly can, however it is purely a mind-set. I have known affluent people who if dealt lemons, and found to be money ‘poor’ never let that change their mind-set, and are soon ‘on-top’ again. “… I hear, "Where do I start? I'm in debt so I need to make more money." But more money will often not solve the problem, in fact, it may actually accelerate the problem.” True, I have seen this happen as well, in counseling sessions helping others to plan their budgets. “Many people believe their home is their biggest asset” Yes and they would be incorrect. However in my case, our homes are assets, in that they each earn income. “2. Even though people receive a tax deduction for interest on mortgage payments, they pay for all their other expenses with after-tax dollars - even after they pay off their mortgage.” Of course there are methods by which all of the mortgage payments become tax-deductions, not just the interest part of the payments. :-) “5. The greatest loss of all is from missed opportunities. If all your money is tied up in your house, you may be forced to work harder because your money continually goes out the expense column in property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities. All too often a house only serves as a vehicle for incurring a home-equity loan to pay for mounting expenses - expenses that are liabilities and not assets.” I don’t really agree with that. There will be expenses that rarely ever change that are budgeted, that are necessary in maintaining any property. This is the same whether that property is an asset or a liability. Whether it is a money-pit or a money-maker. “The end result in making a decision to own a house in lieu of starting an investment portfolio early on impacts an individual in at least the following three ways:” I see purchasing each residence as a vital part of our portfolio. It is where we earn most of our income, and certainly where most of our Net Worth is held. “The middle class always finds itself in a constant state of financial struggle. Their primary income is through wages, and as their wages increase so do their taxes” As generalities go, this stinks. I really don’t like the idea of these classifications, but if I had to I suppose that I would be middle-class, but man I find this insulting. My primary source of income is NOT through wages, and I don’t pay income tax. I don’t find myself in a “constant state of financial struggle” and anyone who does needs counseling. :-)

Raf: "Just one last appeal, one that doesn't rely on memory... Galen, can you check the tapes and let us know, for certain, whether Wierwille talks about that same kind/different kind stuff with allos and heteros?" Aye, aye.

Oakspear: "During the last couple of years of Martindale's reign I started hearing local leadership reprove us for having an attitude that it was "Way Corps or nothing" when it came to committment. In other words, we supposedly thought that only the Way Corps were subject to the rules and controls from HQ, like the no-debt non-policy. " You certainly hav e read that observation in most of my posts. :-) ".... The top dogs already had the Corps on their leash, now they were working ..." But nobody was buying.

Mr. Hammeroni: "Galen, hope I didn't pi** you off too much.. just some folk turning it into PFAL is God is a little too much- had to say something." No worrys mate. :-)

49% (Yankee). Barely into the Yankee category.? My father's from Missouri [benton county], My mothers from Oklahoma [tellaqua], I lived in Southern California 18years, then Ct 1year, Va 2 years, ct 3, Va 2 years, Northern Ca 4 years, Scotland 3 years, Ct 3 years, Wa 4 years, Italia 3 years, Ct 3 years. Thats a total of 10 years in Ct, and I'm just barely a yankee? LOL [ca girls are the best]

alfakat: "You rent for 30 years. You pay the landlord's interest, he gets the tax break and in 30 years, HE owns the place and you have a nice stack of receipts for rent paid and no tax break from the interest. Which should I choose...hmmmm" Another consideration. When a rental-building's mortgage is paid-off, it can be re-financed and that money can be blown doing something else. To spend tonnes of money and it still be tax-free, Yahh. We just re-financedour placed in Ct, and used the money to purchase our retirement home in Me. Even the 'new' mortgage will be paid-off by the renters. :-)

Al Poole: "" ... In fact I recently met her again at our 25th Highschool reunion. Seeing her now, made me glad that I had dropped her back then :-)" " "Galen you are one cold dude man! LOL!!!" I'M COLD!!! I PROPOSED TO HER, SHE LAUGHED. SHE CHOKED AND SPEWED SHE LAUGHED SO HARD. Yeah I'm cold. She is wrinkled, white haired and looks like she was rode hard and put away wet many times. yeah I'm cold. "I understand, I divorced 10 years ago, dated a bunch, occasionally will cross paths with one of them...... nuff said. Glad I made the choice I did when I married this one." I am to. I finally met an orphan. She was used to doing things on her own, and did not need anyone else around for support. She was totally convinced that she did not 'need' a husband, except for perhaps social acceptance. She ran her own businesses and was very independent. It was worked out well for my household. I can safely trust in her. I can go away and travel for months at a time, and upon my return I will find everything prospering. Bonnie is very smart, and independent. I am totally amazed at her ability to allow me to be the head of our household. :-) Cindy! Aye, Aye, maam.

Xena: "This may sound really stupid, but do you think it's harder to file for the divorce or to have the papers served to you?" I have no idea, I have never done either. I have however ministered to numerous guys who had just recieved notification [have never seen anyone 'served'. Just a big stack of letters usually, one 'dear john', followed by a couple things from a court, ending with the 'settlement' and how much the guy now owes] From what I have observed it always looked terribly hard on the guys to get divorced. I never saw anything that would have indicated that the guy had expected it. Usually it just came from 'out of the blue'. We go to sea one month and all marriages were happy, then we surface four months later and a handfull of the wives will have divorced. Happened every patrol. No reason to it. It is just what some wives do [edited at the request of a wonderful young lady]. [though from our POV, it certainly had appeared that it has been the over-whelming majority of wives. Admittedly our exposure to couples has been mostly among servicemembers]. :-)

notinKansasanymore: "... Soy is one of them, and you should know that some folks also caution that soy has so many natural estrogen-type things in it that they worry that it could be feminizing to men." LOL and boostering little girl's into their puberty earlier, and lowering sperm-counts among boys, and it counts as HRT among post-menopausal women who are at high-risk for breast-cancer or cervical-cancer. Just like cow's milk, another source of estrogen. :-)

laleo: "Hey, Galen ..." I apologize if I sounded offensive, I did not mean to. :-) "As far as kava-kava goes, there is no mention of alcohol consumption in this advisory." I partly 'trust' doctors, as I also listen to conspiracy theorys and I partly trust the idea that the medical and drug industrys operate in a manner so as to conitue making more profit for themselves. Before doing Kava-Kava and St. John's Wort, etc; we did what research we could. I am more 'comfortable' taking things if I am equaly knowledgible of it's side-effects as is the doctor proscribing. No doubt civilian docs are likely better, but we use military ones.

outintexas: "I think it was in CF&S that vpw said about children... "have 'em by the barrellful!" We had three. We were treated like we had too many." Psalm 127: 4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. So sayeth The Word of God. :-)

Shellon: "Galen, as usual you have an interesting way to put things......" thanx I didn't mean no insult, I just dislike social-workers. Sorry.

Okay, So if we can all agree that: 30% of ALL females are abused everyday, and 60% of ALL females are in abusive relationships, and 95% of ALL females have experienced abuse, and 25% of ALL males are abused everyday, and 55% of ALL males are in abusive relationships, and 75% of ALL males have experienced abuse in a relationship. Will it finally make everyone happy if we just say that in everyone's life, someone somewhere will someday 'abuse' you? Once in 1983, I got mad and I yelled at Bonnie once, so yes she is in an abusive relationship. I have never physically hurt her, and we dont argue. :-)

LOL I like renters, the more the better, pay my mortgage for me. :-)

Shellon- Ask any foster-parent, we see that kind of junk happening so much. It seldom gets into the newspapers. If you have any kind of self-respect, you should not go into social services. sorry.

abi- "1. Stay away from sugar and yes this means alcohol too." sugars only effect your triglycerides, not the HDLS and LDLS. "2. Go real easy on the caffiene" Really I had not heard that one before. My docs have never said anythign about giving up coffee. "3. Get more protient from chicken and fish and less from pork and red meats. Fish in particular has a very healthy fat in it." LOL, I dont do red meat. We do fish twice a week and either veggie or turkey the rest. Some of us dont do red-meat and the 'change' of dropping the red-meat seems to be a possible catalyst in running cholesterol up. "4. If you have to cook with oil, use olive oil" Woo, easy there, some of us, including me can NOT do olive oil. Olive oil runs my HDLS way up. I have to use grapeseed oil. Olive oil has way toooo much cholesterol in it. Most oils do have some, olive oil simply has less than some others and olive oil has better marketing. But there are other oils that has less chlesterol than olive oil. When we were inour late 30's we decided to begin changing our menu to make it 'better'. Bonnie does our menu on a monthly schedule, so she was easily able to slowly drop out red meats and bring up the levels of fish and veggie meals. We had fun with it. We also got rid of frying. 2 years later during my annual physical, my cholesterol had gone up, 400+. They can not read it when it goes above 400, they only know that it is above 400. So they say 400+. I began going to a nutricianist and dietician monthly for one year, at the time I had already gone off red-meat and fried foods. I was stationed in Italy at the time. They kept saying that I needed more fruits and veggies. So I did, but that ran my trigylercides up too much. I learned you can NOT do fresh fruits, fruit juices or V-8 either. So no fresh fruit and no fresh veggies. Finally between Zocor [80mg 2X] and Lopid [600mg 2x], we got it under control again. I go in now annually for a physical and new scripts. The docs tell me, that at this level of meds, no menu is going to have any difference in my cholesterol. So I should be able to again eat anything. We still dont do red-meat, or fried foods. We eat fish twice a week and the rest is either turkey or veggie. and I drink a little . I have read the stuff saying that cholesterol is a scam, pushed on us by the medical-pharm industrial complex, I dont know. If I had to pay for all these drugs, I would not. But being a servicemember I get it all for free, so I will be a 'good' boy and take it for now. :-) Hills- Since your problem is that your actually feeling the muscle fatique, have you spoken with your doc about it, and tried to get some other alternatives proscribed? Since this is a 'known' side-effect, they are kind of expecting to see some percentage of us to have this problem. There must be an alternative they can proscribe. :-)

According to your system I am a 8. "THE BIG SHOT --- Problem solvers. They are professional, but blunt and to the point. They have good judgment and are decisive. They have grand plans and like to live the good life. They take charge of people. They view people objectively. They let you know in no uncertain terms that they are the boss. They should learn to consider what others want in their decisions." Yes that does tend to encapsulate my style. However I feel that I should point out, when I do make decisions for others it is because they WANT my decision, and would be directionless and lost without it. I would think that such a style would be prefered among technicians and systems analysts. What bothers me is when I have been in command of others, and my decisions have led to their maiming, injury, or death. Through lengthy inquiry none of my decisions were found to be wrong in sending men to their demise, but it still bothers me at times. So I guess that's just the fate of someone who is a 'problem solver'? :-)

Cindy!: "When Steve! first asked me, I told him no." I hope you said it nicely. The first time that I asked a girl to marry me, she spewed her drink out both her mouth and nose, she laughed and had a terrible time re-againing composure. I took that as a significant indication that we were not 'ready'. In fact I recently met her again at our 25th Highschool reunion. Seeing her now, made me glad that I had dropped her back then :-)

There were other concepts in the OT culture as well. Outstanding debts were forgiven among the brethren every 7 years. I seem to recall that some things only got forgiven every 25 years [the 25th year celebration had a name, though I don’t recall it]. Also many get 'confused' on the topic of Usury. It was okay to charge interest on loans to un-believers. Israel had to be nice and hospitable to gentiles living among them [realizing that they were not subject to OT law but were drawn to G-d's people]. However distinctions were made, you could not charge 'high' rates of interest to believers, and you could not live off of the interest. Loaning money could be done and interest could be charged [low rates to believers, higher rates to gentiles], but you could not do it as you primary source of income. Within all of this keep in mind that they also had cities of sanctuary [was there like 7 of them?]. Any crime you committed, if you could run fast enough, you could run to one of those cities and live there. Commit the crime again in that city, and your done. Even though we commonly look at the OT laws as being terribly harsh, there was within the system ‘loopholes’. During my career, I did counsel many on their finances, as one of the hats that I wore. Increasing debt is common in our culture, businesses do live-off that interest and those businesses do prosper. It does suck the ‘life’ out of those who are so enslaved. Some can afford to declare bankruptcy, others like anyone with a security clearance can not, else they may lose their career. I do believe that debt can enslave. We were among the few who did buy homes during our time in ‘The Way International’, we purchased them with mortgages, and we have never made any form of down-payment on any house that we have owned. We were never confronted for doing this, though leadership did know what we were doing. The difference [as I see it] was that Bonnie and I had found ‘loopholes’ in The Way International’s doctrine which allowed for this kind of debt. What was this ‘loop-hole’? Well our purchases were business deals. The ‘homes’ were Multi-Family-Residences they each bring in a monthly profit, and we routinely housed believers [providing homes for those in the Twig]. We had boarders living with us [in our apartment] in each home right up until we left The Way International the last time, and we usually had believers renting apartments from us. :-)

WordWolf: "The Bible clearly says that the borrower is slave to the lender and that is something that every believer must deal with when/if he enters into a debt." "Does anyone know where it "clearly says" this?" Prov 22: v6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. v7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. v8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. :-)

Jim: "The first group served under Lynn in some capacity and feel that either they or others have been wronged by him. They are looking for a public debate with him and/or a public apology." hmm, nope never served under him. I dont think that he ever wronged me or mine. "The second group has connections with CES and feels that John is still a MOG and deserves some respect." I am not a CES 'partner' though I do kind of watch what they do. I have gone to a few of their functions. I never really bought into GreaseSpot's "MOG" thing. I never thought that there was any one 'Man of God' on earth, my understanding from PFAL is that we are all, each one of us men of God. I think that Mr. Lynn deserves respect the same as everyone else, whether they are in CES, or on Greasespot Cafe, or simply a destitute vet thumbing his way down the highway. "The third group knows of John Lynn from his comedy skits and finds the whole thing, like his skits, somewhat amusing." Never saw any skit that he did. Were they done at R.O.A's? Or were just private things done for the benefit of the WC? Being such a newbie there were many things that I obviously missed. :-)

LOL Very nice. Near where we lived while stationed at Bangor Wa, was a few families whose children all went to school via skiffs. I remember newspaper articles about these children rowing their boats across Juan DaFuca channel to go to school each morning. LOL

What about: "WhichaDidcha"? For example: "Durn truck got stuck in the mud again, you didn't bring your tow-chain WhichaDidcha?" :-)

satori001: "Wouldn't it be a flock of ducks? A herd refers to cows," Isn't it a quack of ducks? :-)