In the midst of this excitement surrounding this electrifying voting year, days before the election, Democratic Presidential Nominee, Barack Obama’s grandmother, Madelyn Dunham passed away. We express our sincerest condolences to Barack Obama and his family for their loss.

Barack Obama has managed to put together a remarkable campaign, enabling people to be an integral part of the democratic process on a state by state basis. He is offering America Change and the ability to Hope again after eight years of mounting National Debt, rising unemployment, home foreclosures, mounting medical bills and two wars. Barack Obama’s campaign indicates that if he is our next President, “We The People” can be in charge of our own destinies once again, and willing to work hard for the future of America to once again shine up on the hilltop!

No need to guess who I am voting for! Now getting ready to VOTE!

Despite the fact that JP Morgan Chase is one of the largest banks affected by the foreclosure crisis, holding 1.5 Trillion dollars in mortgage loans, will be implement their plan on loans held by the bank which is only about 20% and the other 80% of loans are held by investors whose loans they service and are currently not figured into this plan, yet. According to Charlie Scharf, CEO of Retail Financial Services at Chase,

While Chase has helped many families already, we feel it is our responsibility to provide additional help to homeowners during these challenging times. We will work with families who want to save their homes but are struggling to make their payments.

One of the program’s first priorities, is to eliminate the negative amortization loans it services most of came when they took over Washington Mutual Bank and EMC. This is a significant addition to its current foreclosure prevention program.

The type of loans targeted by the JP Morgan Chase plan are called “option adjustable rate mortgages” also known as option ARMs. The modifications that the bank plans to offer option ARM borrowers include affordable 30-year, fixed-rate loans, as well as a conversion for 10 years to an interest-only loan and principal deferment, in which a large portion of the debt is forgiven for a term of years or until the house is sold.

Chase’s plan is similar to that of Bank of America’s loan modification plan, in which the borrower will have to pay only about one-third of their income on a home mortgage.

Chase said it will review its entire portfolio to try to determine which of its customers are at risk and offer workouts to those borrowers before they get into trouble. It will streamline the process by using some kind of affordability standard (the bank declined to say how that will be done) to determine the best workouts it can offer customers to keep them in their homes.

Then it will contact the borrowers who will merely have to accept the offers to get more affordable mortgages.

Chase plans to meet the challenges head on by increasing staff, add 300 new counselors, for a total of 2,500 and opening 24 new regional counseling center for accessibility to their mortgage customers. Truly hope that this plan works for the many families facing foreclosure at the moment.

Now, after the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a re-write of Paulson’s TARP, to include more oversight , CEO compensation limits and more taxpayer protections. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was rejected by House Republicans by a margin of 2 to 1 in spite of the arduous work of both Democrats and Republicans on September 28, 2008. There were rumors that The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 would pass with bipartisan cooperation between the parties, long nights through out the weekend, and assurances that the American Taxpayer would be repaid. That very same day, the stock market plunged 777 points in one day for the largest point drop in U.S. Market History and causing a ripple effect in Financial Markets around the World!

Here we go again! The U.S. Senate is making suggestions and amendments to try and improve upon the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and pass it later on today! For example, Democratic Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama has requested that increasing the amount of money insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) at banks and other financial institutions, from it’s current rate of $100,000 to $250,000. This increase could allay some fears of depositors with over $100,000 in the banks that they could lose their hard earned money.  Republican Presidential Candidate, John McCain shares the thought that an FDIC increase would be benficial. So hold on, let’s see if the U.S. Senate will pass the bill, this time!

The sub prime lending market is not something that just sprang up over the last housing boom. It has been in place for some time and crafted for those so-called “high-risk” borrowers! This is all bull! These lending instruments were crafted for any one who is minority, primarily Black Americans! The areas where these borrowers would generally be able to afford homes have been already mapped as a “sub prime” market, or red lined as a “high-risk” neighborhood! In contrast, illegal immigrants can get a home mortgage with a utility bill at fair rates from large institutions like Wells Fargo, Bank of America and others without any proof of ability to repay or a credit history.

It is reprehensible the way the media and the bankers are portraying the victims of these predatory lenders as people who should not have received a mortgage because they were not able to afford it anyway! This is a bunch a crock! Ask anyone who has ever bought a home and they will tell that they will do “almost” anything to save their home and the dream of owning their own home ! There is way more to this story than we are being told!

“May I Be a Blessing”

In my home life may I be a blessing; its sunbeam when the days are dark; its inspiration when the days are sad and hopeless; its tender comfort when the days are full of pain and tears. Always thinking of others before myself; never imposing my private sorrows; ever with the girt loin and the lighted torch; washing my face and anointing my eyes, and confiding my griefs to Thee only, that I may ever have a heart at leisure from itself to soothe and sympathize. (Abbie C. Morrow, adapted)

The above is an inspirational message that I think would make good positive reading in one’s life. I hope to bring these little positive notes to help inspire.

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the secret is timely.

The Secret is very timely for the times we live in with technology, materialism and prosperity at the forefront of our lives. Sometimes we have at one time or another, stopped to search for a deeper meaning and purpose of our being, or happiness! The Secret’s popularity seems to be a quest for deeper understanding and spiritual connection of ourselves to make us complete and better for all. This seeking will improve all aspects of our life from health to happiness! To quote Jesus, “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.”(Matthew 5:3)

More blogs about the secret is not new.

Awoke this morining after a long and restless night, to begin the search anew! Followed up on the previous calls to the animal shelter, only to be told that there was no update on my babies! Before the next plan of search, the phone rang and it was the animal shelter! They “forgot” that someone had phoned in a message after closing, that there were two dogs found and were in their possession! Joy, Joy, Joy as we knew that these two found dogs had to be Spank and Sparky! Called up the party who found and put them up for the night, and YES, they fit the description and we barrelled out to get them!

They are home now, tired, hungry and celebrating their return. This is a happy ending and we are thankful to all who helped us get our babies back! Have you ever lost a pet?

Now, she’s gone, but won’t go down without a last fight! The possession of her remains case has been something from the Anna Nicole Show! Only Anna can make others feel like a star, Judge Larry! That was her gift to fame, she could turn anyone around her into some one people want to know more about! She will be missed!