Sharia Finance...Heard About It?

Sharia Finance/Banking.....aka Islamic Banking.

Check out the two links below. The first link describes what Sharia Finance "Islam Banking" is. The second link is a list of banks that are ALREADY Sharia compliant. In other words, these banks (chances are you will find your bank on this list) have complied with Islam Banking laws and are ready to do business....the Islam way.


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80003

http://www.shariahfinancewatch.org/blog/shariah-compliant-banks/

Wait, I thought this was AMERICA...."Land of the free, home of the brave". Ain't nothin' 'free' about anything Islam. Never mind, I forgot for just a moment that we, the United States of America sold out.

I'll say it again guys.....please wake up. Tomorrow, I'm going to post again on Obama's Global Poverty Act.

Castle Dome Mountains

'Sad Face'?


A hawk on top of the tree
(click to enlarge photos)



Castle Dome Mountains

The road ahead

Yesterday we went on a jeep run with another couple we know. The trail started about 40 miles from here, and took us through the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge for about 54 miles. The desert was beautiful as always, but greener than usual for this time of year. The only wildlife we saw was a hawk. No deer, bobcats, not even a rabbit. The trail itself was rated moderate, but I guess we decided we'd rate it easy. There was only one spot that I would deem moderate, (and I'm a lightweight).

There is a museum about 20 miles in and we had every intention of stopping and checking it out, but as we approached the entrance gate, the sign posted said "Adults-$5.00 fee".

Call us cheap, but honestly, I couldn't see spending $10.00 on a museum in the middle of nowhere that consisted of delapitated buildings.

So, we continued on, stopping to eat sandwiches we had packed. A 15 mile side trip went up to a 'well preserved' miner's cabin, which required an uphill hike the last mile. We decided to go the last 15 miles, but after 7 miles, and an hour later, decided we better turn back. The sun was going down, and I am not sure my knee would have handled an uphill one mile hike anyway.(that's 2 miles roundtrip you know...ugh)

Maybe another day for that trip. It was a good day though and we enjoyed getting to know Dave and Renee better.

A Very Merry Christmas To Friends & Family

As I am sitting here on Christmas Eve, doing very little, I am reminded of Christmases in the past. Back when my kids were little, and life was a hurried, fast paced flurry of activity.

Every Christmas Eve was all about hurrying to get off of work, to hurry home, to hurry and prepare our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, to hurry and let the kids open their one special gift from their grandparents (a tradition on Christmas Eve), only to fly out the door quickly in time to catch the Christmas Eve Service at church....the only hour I really sat still all day.....and then rush back home to get the kids to bed, so "Santa" could bring gifts. Bedtime for me used to be typically around midnight on Christmas Eve at our house....awwwww.....I miss those days.

I miss the excitement you can see in the eyes of all children. Their wonderment and enthusiasm is contagious. So, I guess this Christmas I would have to say what I miss the most is not being able to spend it with the grandchildren. At ages 1, 4 and 11, there would surely be plenty of energy and excitement!

Do you think children today still believe in Santa? I'll have to ask a young parent.

More importantly, I wonder if they really know what Christmas is about, beyond giving and receiving gifts to one another....it is about the greatest gift of all from God; His son. And receiving the most precious gift; His free gift of eternal life.

Merry Christmas.

Again....Where Is The Outrage?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It's something any bank would demand to know before handing out a loan: Where's the money going?
But after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's largest banks say they can't track exactly how they're spending the money or they simply refuse to discuss it.
"We've lent some of it. We've not lent some of it. We've not given any accounting of, 'Here's how we're doing it,'" said Thomas Kelly, a spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, which received $25 billion in emergency bailout money. "We have not disclosed that to the public. We're declining to."
The Associated Press contacted 21 banks that received at least $1 billion in government money and asked four questions: How much has been spent? What was it spent on? How much is being held in savings, and what's the plan for the rest?
None of the banks provided specific answers.

*******

So....let's see if we've got this right. We, the taxpayers, have given BILLIONS of dollars (that we will pay in taxes!) to these banks...and now they refuse to tell us how they spent the money?!

When Mr. scumbag Hank Paulson and his sidekick, Bernanke, asked for the $700 Billion bailout, they told CONgress the markets were 'frozen' and if the banks didn't get the money, our economy would collapse.

The banks did indeed get their billions of dollars....along with AIG (an insurance company), General Motors and Chrysler (Auto Industry)....oops, getting off track.

The banks took the money but they are still NOT lending to consumers. As a matter of fact, they have tightened their lending practices. Guess what? The credit market is still 'frozen'!

The banks are hoarding the money they've been given. That's the bottom line.

Maybe, the general population won't get it until they see how much their taxes will go up. Hey, they've got to pay for all these bailouts somehow. You and I just happen to be the ones footing the bill. Lucky us!

This Video Tells It All

Please click on the title of this post to view a short video that provides true insight as to the state of our economy and the death of our great nation.

Can things possibly get any worse? To borrow from BHO, (whom I absolutely hate) 'yes, they can'.....And they WILL!

Our President, Congress, Wall Street brokers, hedgefund managers, investment firms, banks, Bend-us-over Bernanke, Hanky Panky Paulson and Cox have been lying to us, stealing from us, and screwing us. Yes, even Pelosi, Obama, Clinton, Frank, Schumer, Dodd, etc. etc. etc. are all to blame for the demise of the United States of America.

Think your job is safe? Think again.
Think Wal-Mart shelves will have plenty of food on them come 2009? Think again.
Think your money is safe in the bank? Please!!
Think there will be a revolution of the American people because they are fed up and pissed off?
Nope, I don't think Americans have enough balls to revolt. Our society is too dumbed down today.

After over a year, they finally admit we are in a Recession. Wonder when they'll fess up to the "D" word? Depression greater than the 1930's? More like 1873. Check it out.

Slab City

The entrance to Slab City


'salvation monument'

We have heard about Slab City and thought it time we check it out. Of course, we were hoping for much warmer weather, but didn't find it. Pretty cool temperatures and very windy.

So, Slab City is in the middle of the Californian desert and consists of trailers, tents, motorhomes, buses, vans, campers, lean to's, you name it. A person can stay as long as they wish, cost is free. They have their own library, church, and live entertainment every Saturday night.

I'm not sure how many acres Slab City covers, but it is huge. Many of the 'campers' are permanent as is evident from some of the run down, delapitated trailers. There is no electricity, no running water and no sewer dump. So, consequently, everyone has solar panels for their energy and many have brought in large 50 gallon drums for fresh water. I've no idea how they dispose of their 'black water' as we don't see any evidence of that.

In fact, some of the 'campsites' are small communes consisting of three or four buses or RV's. They claim their site by outlining the area with rocks or what have you.

Quite the interesting place. Not for everyone...but, hey, now we can say 'been there, done that.'

Where is the Outrage???

We have been duped by our very own Government, yet we sit idly by and say or do absolutely nothing! What is wrong with the American people?

*Our economy has gone to hell in a handbasket (and going to get worse)
*Our Government has bailed out everyone and their mother with OUR money
*Today, the former Nasdaq Chairman ADMITS to a $50 Billion ponzi scheme..FRAUD
*The Governor of Illinois (D) tried selling Obama's Senate seat
*The auto industry (and Democrats) wants $14Billion...and Bush is going to give it to them,
(with OUR money)
*311 Mortgage companies have gone out of business this year
*23 Banks have gone out of business this year
*Bank of America (whom we've given billions of dollars to) is cutting 30-35 thousand jobs
*Unemployment numbers reached 539,000 in November alone

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....American Idol, Survivor, and Paris Hilton seem to be at the forefront of 'most' Americans minds. We have become a country that makes me ashamed. While Prozac lulls many into a state of complacency, our Government is cutting away at the very backbone of our country.

We have crackheads, meth addicts, and potheads that sit on their lazy asses with their hands out waiting for their next welfare check. Our young people have been seduced by 'reality' shows and video games. The baby boomers are dumbfounded as they wonder where their 401K or retirement fund went. And for all the rest....they are mesmerized by BO (Barack Obama). It is no wonder our politicians/government are able to bleed us to death without as much as a nod of the head. Disgusting.

Wake up people! Where is the outrage? Where is your anger? When are you going to say "ENOUGH!"

Hoover Dam & Vegas

Hoover Dam






Hoover Dam






Fremont Street-Las Vegas



I hadn't realized how long it had been since I posted to the blog...a whole month.

We have been, I guess I could say, in Las Vegas almost that entire time. Of course, we stopped in Arizona to visit our daughter in November. It was great seeing her! She loves living in Arizona, loves her job, loves her life....what more could we ask for!

The Hoover Dam is pretty awesome! I wish we would have taken the tour because it is amazing.

Las Vegas turned out to be a much longer stay than we originally anticipated, but was fun none the less. We visited Fremont Street which I always love! So much excitement. The show is always the best! We visited the casinos, won some, then lost it. (Okay, what 'happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas').

So, today we finally left Vegas and are headed east. Temperatures are a bit cooler (actually a lot cooler), but it is December after all.