I simply don't understand.

The other day I had three retail operations asking me for $1.00.   I denied twice and accepted once.

Two were for military family assistence and one was for hungry children.

With the annual defense budget ranging from $600 to $750 BILLION, depending on who you talk to and funds not fully accounted for, I just assume there is enough money to handle ANYTHING military.

Speculation is that a million children in the United States go to bed hungry every single night.

Then I thought about the amount of charities and foundations there are; combined with social programs in the billions and Walgreens is asking for a dollar donation in order to FEED hungry children.  (And they didn't have anymore red noses....but I did get a sticker)

I started looking into charities and discovered some very interesting facts that make me realize that I just don't understand.....ANYTHING.

(following figures are from 2014......http://www.forbes.com/top-charities/)

UNITED WAY has an annual revenue of $4.2 BILLION
and the government (you and other tax payers) gives them another $270 million.
Their top executive makes $1.9 million a year.

GOODWILL has a annual revenue stream of $5.3 BILLION
and the government (still you) gives them $465 million in support.
Their top executive makes $635,000 a year.

YMCA has an annual revenue of $6.6 BILLION
and the government gives them $606 million
Their top ex makes $515,000 a year.

THE TOP TEN CHARITIES IN THE US GENERATE APPROXIMATELY
$30 BILLION.......annually.....and please note that there are hundreds of charities...if not thousands when you count church organizations.

THE FACTS AND FIGURES GO ON AND ON AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT WEB SITES DEVOTED TO CHARITIES.

WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING GENERATED EACH YEAR BY CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH THE SIZE OF FOUNDATIONS,SUCH AS THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION,COMBINED WITH OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS.....

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ANY CHILD GOES TO BED HUNGRY IN THIS COUNTRY?

I SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND

I'm willing to learn if you have an answer.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Are you wondering?

To the right side of my article you will see APPLE, GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT.

THOSE ARE NOT ADS.....those are news stories about the three most visible technology companies in the world....and probably the most financially successful.

You can click on any one name and read the latest "stuff" about those companies.

Why would you want to read about those companies?

I'm just guessing, but if you use a computer or a smart phone then you use product created by one of those three titans.

THE MOST AMAZING SINGLE FACT REGARDING THOSE THREE GIANTS IS.....

APPLE AND MICROSOFT HAVE SOLD YOU PRODUCTS FOR YEARS AND YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM LARGE AMOUNTS OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY

I'VE YET TO MEET ANYONE WHO HAS EVER GIVEN
GOOGLE ................
....................................ONE PENNY.

Of course I don't hang out in the advertising circles.......and that's their main source of income.....and maybe their only source of income.  They keep trying different revenue streams like GLASS but the public just yawns and then Googles the following question...."Does Google make anything.....and if not, how come they have a market cap of  $365 BILLION?????

And then Google answers by simply saying......"Please narrow your question...and how do you spell sour grapes."

GENERAL MOTORS has a market cap of $56 BILLION

APPLE market cap is $739 BILLION
MICROSOFT.............$$392 BILLION

GOOGLE.......$365 BILLION
FACEBOOK.....$257 BILLION

FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE basically do not charge their users ANYTHING

FREEFREEFREEFREEFREEFREEFREE service.........to use their product.

(THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.....is always claiming to be on the verge of going bankrupt because of helping poor people get food and medical attention....but that's another story and right now let's just focus on the companies who are doing BLOCKBUSTER BUSINESS WITHOUT MAKING ANYTHING)

GM has 216,000 full time employees
Google.......55,000
Microsoft.....128,000
Apple.........92,000
Facebook.....9,199
NETFLIX......2,189
US Government.....22,000,000

(Netflix market cap is $37 Billion and they have 2,189 employees.....no wonder their stock is $615 a share.


APPLE, MICROSOFT, GM....Make THINGS.

GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK ...........Hook you up with information and friends.

It's actually a miracle that WE make anything in this country.....when one looks at how much money can be made through social interaction and entertainment.

OF COURSE I KNOW WE MAKE MUNITIONS AND WEAPONS BUT I WAS TRYING TO AVOID THOSE SUBJECTS RIGHT NOW AND JUST KEEP IT LIGHT AND BREEZY.

Back to original point in case you think I've wandered.......which I definitely have a knack for doing from time to time.....but remember it's called MIND JAZZ for a reason.

THE THREE COMPANIES SHOWN AT THE RIGHT OF MY CURRENT ARTICLE SHOULD BE COMPANIES THAT HOLD OUR INTEREST.

I've been considering the possibility of replacing one or two with something new but those three are the leaders in the world of technology and
why not just follow the leaders......

EVERYBODY ELSE DOES!

(Netflix has 2,189 employees and a market cap of $37 Billion.......I hope that stuck out as you read...even at $615 a share it might be a good time to buy)

How long before NETFLIX gets bought by ??????????

Oh....and by the way.....FRANKIE and GRACE is another piece of great content from the Reed Hastings school of entertainment.


Michael Timothy McAlevey

Yes...it is early for us but not for them

The 2016 Presidential election is just around the corner.  Now the corner part of that statement varies from block to block and person to person.  There is a certain percentage of the American public who couldn't care less and aren't quite sure who is who and what is what.  Then there's another portion who will vote for President but won't vote in the primaries.  And then there those who will vote in the primaries but won't read any of the ballot measures that are included....but they will vote.

An uninformed vote might be the predominate form of vote in this country.

I'm just guessing but out of 300 million people ( 250 eligible voters) I would put the percentage of fully informed voter at around......20%.

My friend Tom, who is much more politically acute than I, would put that number at around 5%.

One doesn't have to be fully informed to participate in the political process....from a voter's standpoint.

But and this is a HUGE BUT........if the fully informed percentage of voters was in the 50-75% range WE WOULD SEE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE.

WHAT IF THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO COULD VOTE IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HAD TO TAKE A CURRENT EVENTS TEST?  IF THE TEST CONSISTED OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE ONLY POLITICAL IN NATURE........how the system works and who is on the Supreme Court and so on and so forth.......THEN THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE ABLE TO VOTE WOULD PROBABLY DROP TO......

2%  which would be 5 million people......and now as I actually write that number I realize that my friend Tom might be overestimating his 5%.

ARE THERE 5 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE FULLY INFORMED OF THE WORKINGS OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM AND ARE AWARE OF CURRENT EVENTS THAT AREN'T BASED ON CELEBRITY BASED KNOWLEDGE?

The only people who are politically in tune are those who are playing the game of politics....and of course those who are tied into the lobby arm of the game.  The lobby arm of the game is a very powerful arm and seems to be getting stronger and stronger.

When the Supreme Court ruled that corporations were no longer limited in their campaign contributions......that set an entire new game afoot.

WHAT I'M ACTUALLY TELLING YOU IS THAT WHILE YOU DON'T GIVE A FLYING RAT'S ASS ABOUT THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION....THERE ARE ABOUT 250,000 FULLY INFORMED PEOPLE WORKING THEIR ASSES OFF RIGHT NOW TRYING TO GET THEIR CANDIDATES INTO THE WHITE HOUSE IN JANUARY  OF 2017.

PRETTY SOON THAT NUMBER WILL GROW TO 500,000 AND BY THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER 2015 THERE WILL BE A MILLION POLITICAL WORKER BEES TRYING TO PLEASE THEIR QUEEN.

WHO IS THAT QUEEN GOING TO BEE FOR EITHER PARTY?

YOU DON'T CARE?

And there in lies the rub......you don't care and THEY know it and all THEY are trying to do is sell you the brand name of THEIR soap.

THE NAME
THE NAME
THE BRAND
THE BRAND

THE NAME
THE BRAND

AND THAT'S WHY RIGHT NOW THE ODDS ARE EVEN MONEY THAT THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE

CLINTON VS BUSH

THOSE TWO NAME BRANDS ARE SO INGRAINED IN THE AMERICAN PSYCHE THAT FOR ANYONE ELSE TO EMERGE, IT WOULD MEAN THAT JEB OR HILLARY IMPLODED

I'm not saying that can't happen........

Is Hillary the best that the Democratic party has to offer?
Is Jeb the best that the Republican party has to offer?

I don't really think so.....but after all is said and done......the only thing that matters in an uninformed environment is

NAME
BRAND

AND THOSE TWO are like Coke and Pepsi......we know there are much healthier and better things to drink but the numbers don't lie and Coke and Pepsi are king.....and then on top of that if anything comes along that might rival their sales....they just buy em and fold them into their base camps.

I haven't had a Pepsi or a Coke for quite awhile.

Water, 100% juice and Canada Dry Ginger Ale just makes a lot more sense.....but so does being informed....and that doesn't seem to be any type of current trend that will be sweeping the country anytime soon so......

Get ready for a major dose of Clinton Bush.....which just doesn't sound very enticing......does it?

And I apologise for the image I'm leaving you with.

CLINTON /BUSH 2016


Michael Timothy McAlevey