Monday, August 8, 2011

Money Monday


Welcome to Monday, August 8th. It's 8/8 . 8 means money in Numerology. Do you know where your money is? Do you know how it's spent?



  Feels like 'Armageddon': Global stock markets fall after US downgrade   MSNBC - August 8, 2011

Nikkei 225 closes down 2.2 percent; 'Investors are concerned about a rising risk of global recession,' analyst says

Global stocks fall after US debt downgrade   AP - August 8, 2011

Global stock markets sank again Monday as worries about the downgrade of U.S. debt outweighed relief at a European Central Bank pledge to buy up Italian and Spanish bonds to help the two countries avoid devastating defaults.

Moody's says U.S. needs to find more deficit cuts   Reuters - August 8, 2011

Ratings agency, Moodys, repeated a warning on Monday it could downgrade the United States before 2013 if the fiscal or economic outlook weakens significantly, but said it saw the potential for a new debt agreement in Washington to cut the budget deficit before then.

Second NATO chopper goes down in Afghanistan   MSNBC - August 8, 2011

A NATO helicopter crashed in Afghanistan's east on Monday but there were no apparent casualties, officials said, another stark reminder of the dangers of the war after 38 people were killed in an air incident, the largest single loss for foreign forces in 10 years.






Sunday



When Vietnam happened - people protested and thought we had no business sending troops there ... followed by promises that it would never happen again. I don't know anyone who was gullible enough to believe that.

So the grid brought us Afghanistan and Iraq based on events linked to 9/11 - but that was 10 years ago. When are people going to get over it? So much money ... so many killed. So ridiculous. Yet we know the patterns of the program ... one war ends and another begins.

Once again we are reminded that we do not belong in the business of other countries - at least not to the level of sending troops who get wounded physically and emotionally. It's been that way since man picked up his first weapon and continues until the end of the program.

With all the loss we have sustained, as well as enemy causalities - below we find the latest as the Taliban say,"Up yours!" after the death of Osama bin Laden. There are no winners in war games - only losers. This also takes us to the economy which ... well you know how bad that is.

SEALs on rescue mission killed in Afghan crash   AP - August 7, 2011

The 30 American service members - most of them elite Navy SEALs - who died when their helicopter was shot down had rushed to help Army Rangers who had come under fire, two U.S. officials said Sunday.




War in Afghanistan Began October 7, 2001


The War in Afghanistan began as the armed forces of the United States and the United Kingdom, and the Afghan United Front (Northern Alliance), launched Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11 attacks on the United States, with the stated goal of dismantling the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization and ending its use of Afghanistan as a base. The United States also said that it would remove the Taliban regime from power and create a viable democratic state.

The cost of the war reportedly was a major factor as U.S. officials considered drawing down troops in 2011. A March 2011 Congressional Research Service report notes the following about Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Afghanistan:

    1. following the Afghanistan surge announcement in 2009, Defense Department spending on Afghanistan has increased 50%, going from $4.4 billion to $6.7 billion a month. During that time, troop strength has gone from 44,000 to 84,000, and it is expected to be at 102,000 for fiscal year 2011;

    2. The total operational cost for Afghanistan from the beginning of the conflict in 2001 through 2006 only slightly exceeds the amount spent in 2010 alone - $93.8 billion. The projected total cost relating to Afghanistan in fiscal year 2011 is expected to be $118.6 billion.

On June 22, 2011, President Obama announced that 10,000 U.S. troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2011. An additional 23,000 troops will leave the country by the summer of 2012.






65-foot Wave

Think about it ... What would a 65-foot wave look like?

As we follow solar activity and naturals disasters ... check this out




65-foot waves from tropical storm Muifa threaten Chinese chemical plant   MSNBC - August 8, 2011

Towering waves from a tropical storm threatened to hit a chemical plant in a Chinese port city, raising fears it might lead to a toxic chemical spill, Chinese state media reported Monday. Waves as high as 65 feet broke a dike in Dalian in northeastern Liaoning province and threatened to hit the compound of Fujiahua chemical plant where toxic chemicals were held, Xinhua News Agency said, citing soldiers at the scene.








Speaking of 60's ...



60 may be the new 40 ... but the body has still been around for 60 years of wear and tear.

As someone in her 60's - I see the wide range of health issues for people in my age group, just a few in perfect health like myself because ... good genetics ... I keep stress away so I have no need to sabotage ... I sleep well ... and eat well most of the time. The 60's is an interesting time where some people feel old and someone like me see the world through the eyes of a young person. Still and all... I am 68 and must respect that. No matter how good your body is physically and emotionally ... everything is aging.

With each decade that passes one must respect the changes in their body and act accordingly. Teens are the worst for many. The 20's are infallible for most. The 30's is grow up time. The 40's is reflection and healing if needed. The 50's is ... what will I do about money if ...

Make the most of each decade but understand your mind-body connection and what you can and cannot do.


Here are choices two people in my age group made that now find them in the news:

64-year-old swimmer dies during Nautica New York City Triathlon   NY Daily News - August 8, 2011

A 64-year-old man died competing in Sunday's Nautica New York City Triathlon, officials said. Michael Kudryk, 64, of Freehold, N.J., was pulled from the Hudson River at W.79th St. about 8 a.m., police said. Both victims were brought to Roosevelt Hospital in cardiac arrest, officials said.



Which each decade that passes one must respect the changes in their body and act accordingly.   MSNBC - August 8, 2011

American endurance swimmer Diana Nyad jumped into Cuban waters Sunday evening and set off in a bid to become the first person to swim across the Florida Straits without the aid of a shark cage.