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All Of A Sudden, Another Game Of Monopoly Looks Really Good!

Basic Planning concepts

Here are a few basic principles of planning. I learned them in the Army. They are universal. Ignore these basic principles and you’ll wind up like Russians in Ukraine. Pitiful. Don’t be pitiful.

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

Any plan is better than no plan. Start with the goal in mind. For example, “I do not want my daughter to become a stripper.” Or “When I get old, I don’t want my children passing me around like a hot potato.” Or “I would like to live my life in dignity and modest comfort until the Lord says “Welcome home, good and faithful servant.” At which point I pass over the Great Divide, surrounded by the love of my family.”

Goals are Important!

Plans are how Goals become Reality.

When you are up to your ass in alligators, it is tough to remember that you came to Drain the swamp

Standard issue in every Army engineering unit is a poster with this slogan. Whenever you attempt to achieve any goal, gremlins will appear, troubles will multiply. Troubles that will distract you from your goal. Do not be distracted by the alligators. Remember your goal. And your plan to reach that goal. Focus. Allowing the inevitable snafus, difficulties, hassles, and annoyances to deviate you from your plan is failure. Keep your eyes on the prize. Nobody said this was easy.

ain’t no use in lookin’ Down ain’t no Discharge on the ground
ain’t no use in lookin’ Back Jody’s got your Cadillac

One of the first marching cadences new recruits learn is that “There ain’t no discharge on the ground.” You are not quitting. You must persevere. There is no easy way out. And besides, “Ain’t no use in looking back.” That way is closed. Keep your chin up and a smile on your face. It’s not that hard. And you chose the goal.

The Best laid Plans of mice and men gang aft agley

Scottish poet Robert Burns gets credit for this one. General George S. Patton (among others) said that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. And so it will be for your plans. Facts and circumstances impose reality on what you wish to accomplish. No surprise there. Not everything works out as you expect. Your plans will “gang aft agley” which I think means will often go astray. So what? There’s no alternative except failure.

And Now, On With Our Super Seven List Of Questions You Must Consider

Question 1: What About Your Little Kids?
You have minor children. Or grandchildren. You still like them. They’re not teenagers yet. Those little kids depend on you for everything. You know this. But what if you are no longer available? What if you cannot be there? Because you are dead. Also the other parent is dead. What about the kids? Who gets ‘em? Who manages the life insurance money?

Who pays for braces, ballet lessons, and the hockey travel team?

Who will handle the money? Who will care for the kids?

You need to answer these questions. They are the most important and fundamental. And lead to the most disastrous consequences when ignored. And don’t tell me your plan is to not die. That’s everyone’s plan. And usually that is what happens. But if the low probability scenario comes to pass, then it is 100%.

By the way. Do not let the “kid people” also be the “money people”. That’s how you get Olympic size swimming pools in your brother-in-law’s backyard.

Question 2: What About Mom? Or Dad?
You have parents. They are not as young as they used to be. 70% of Americans will need, on average, 3 years of skilled care. 20% will need 5 years or more. Most of this care has traditionally been provided within the family. But families are smaller. And busier. And paid-for care is more expensive than ever. If you can find it.

Barely trained home care workers cost $30+ per hour. Registered nurses, a vanishing breed, are twice that much. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are overcrowded, understaffed, and exorbitantly expensive.

Why does it cost so much? Why are the costs never going down? Simple: Supply and Demand. There are more older Americans than ever. There are fewer younger Americans to care for the older Americans. Big Demand for Care. Low Supply of Caregivers. Plus the work is hard, the hours are long, the rewards are few.

Question 3: What About My Spouse? Or Me?
Look in the mirror. You’ve come a long way baby. And it shows. It ain’t just the years, it’s the mileage. And your odometer is clicking up there. So what is your plan? Impose on the kids? Good luck with that one. They are busy. They have kids. And if they don’t have kids, they’re still busy. Your parents raised you with a heaping helping of familial responsibility and guilt. You raised your kids on Doctor Benjamin Spock’s “Baby and Child Care”. How’s that working out for you?

The care you will need is scarce and expensive. And it is getting worse. And your care will continue to get scarcer and more expensive. Perhaps a little planning might be in order?

And by the way, you might just have a spouse who will need the same care as you. What’s the plan there? Nursing home poverty? Your choice.

Question 4: Who’s The Boss?
If you cannot make decisions for yourself, who’s going to make them? Who will manage your finances? Who will talk to the doctors when you cannot? Who has the strength of character to carry through your intentions?

And please do not “solve” this problem by naming co-trustees, co-patient advocates, co-agents, or co-anything else. Pick one person to shoulder the responsibility. Give that person the full authority and moral backing necessary. And then pray to God that they will step up in your moment of need.

Pick your first choice. Then your second choice. Then your third. Etcetera.

You say you don’t have anyone? If you do not choose the probate court will choose for you. Would that be better? Seems unlikely.

Question 5: Any Special Deals?

Does one of the kids get a special bargain price for the house? Or the cottage? Or the hunting property? Did someone step up and help out beyond any expectation? Beyond anyone else’s contribution? Did you tell anyone that they could have [FILL IN THE BLANK] at a low price or on favorable terms?

You may not have the guts to tell the other kids about these special deals. That’s OK! It’s none of their business what you decide to do with your stuff. Give it to the church, the mission, the animal shelter, your favorite charity. That’s fine. It’s your stuff to do with as you please. But do not MUMBLE! Do not create expectations that conflict with each other. Write it down. Have your lawyer write it down.

It is common, and uncommonly destructive, for kids to believe that whoever talks to Mom or Dad last is the one who gets their way. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No” be no. All else comes from the evil one. Your kids can deal with a lot. They can deal with your decisions and wishes. What they cannot be expected to deal with is lack of clarity. Ambiguity. You want to divide your family. Tell each one a different story. Agree with each. Do not write anything down. That’s how you make sure that your descendants will hate each other. Cousin vs Cousin.

And it may not have been that bad at the start. The problem is that no one repeats a story without making the story “better.” More dramatic. More black and white. Nobody likes a namby-pamby story. We want evil villains and noble heroes. And when you have left things in a mess, the story will be told and retold making it more dramatic each time.

When you say what you mean and mean what you say… Peace and Harmony.

Question 6: Who Gets The Stuff?

We always knew that my oldest sister, the oldest child, would get the silver flatware. It was a given. She staked her claim before half of the other kids were born. No one begrudged her. Everyone accepted. No problem.

But the “stuff” frequently is a problem. Here’s why. Stuff becomes a symbolic substitute for the loved one. (By the way, I’m making all this up, based on 33 years of observation and not a whit of psychological training.) Sometimes it’s the ashtray (not kidding) that becomes the symbolic substitute for Mom.

True Story: Kids could not agree who got the ashtray. Name-calling. Fighting. Back-biting. Then comes the auction. Not one of the kids bid on the ashtray. What’s going on? My Theory: When the ashtray was in the house, part of the furnishings, the connection to Mom was strong. Undeniable. The children could not ignore that connection. They could no more give up the ashtray than give up Mom. But. When the ashtray was on the auction block, it became an ashtray once again. It no longer had that symbolic significance. And none of the kids smoked.

Moral of the Story: If you want particular things to go to specific people, write your list. Then take pictures of the stuff and cross-reference the pictures to the list. Do not simply write a description. No one will agree with one another about what you meant. To coin a phrase: A Picture is worth a Thousand Words.

Question 7: So Tell Me What You Want What You Really Really Want.

On the health care front. Many people, while planning, will claim that they do not wish for extraordinary efforts. But when it comes right down to it, the question becomes: “Is that all you’ve got, doc?”

This can be the most difficult question of all. When in planning mode, you are calm, cool, and collected. When your life is on the line, right now… things look different. Sometimes, people have thought the thing through, made their choices, and stick with them. Frequently the change in perspective results in a change in decision-making.

My own father took the steadfast approach. On more than one occasion he was at death’s door. And intended to walk through. He resolutely rejected any further therapy. His body didn’t get the message, I guess, and so he survived a few incidents that astonished the doctors. They couldn’t figure out how he kept ticking. That seems to me to be a good way.

Think it through yourself. Take it seriously. That’s the best any of us can do.

Let The Journey Begin

We are all getting older. We can all expect to suffer the infirmities of age. We will all die.

How we progress is not up to us alone. But we have a vote. We can decide how to face the future. We can make it easier for our loved ones. We can throw obstacles in their path.

Is it foolish to plan ahead? If you cannot be in total control, should you give up the control that you have? Are you opposed to having as much say as possible? Would you rather be powerless?

Not all these questions apply to everyone. But maybe they can spark some conversation within your own thoughts. And with your loved ones.

“Bah,” Said Scrooge, “Humbug.” Why Don’t You Deserve A Little Payback For All The Taxes You Paid In?

Why Do You Want To Spend Your Last Nickel On Long-Term Care?

Why Shouldn’t The Government Spend Your Money For You?

Traditional estate planning is concerned with avoiding probate, saving taxes, and dumping your leftover stuff on your beneficiaries. After you die. Nobody cares what happens to you while you are alive. How does that help anyone? Stupid.

Traditional estate planning fails because the overwhelming majority of us will need long-term skilled care. 70% of us. For an average of 3 years. And we will go broke paying for it.

Is it surprising that thousands of recreation properties: cottages, cabins, hunting land, are lost to pay for long-term care? Why is your estate planner hurting you and your family? It is evil intent? Or stupidity?

LifePlanning™ defeats Nursing Home Poverty. Keep your stuff. Get the care you have already paid for. Good for you. Good for your family. Good example for society.

When my mother suffered from the dementia which led to her death, over 10 years ago, their estate plan preserved their lifesavings. Mom’s months in the nursing home did not mean Dad’s impoverishment. Dad spent the last years with security and peace of mind.

Is Now A Bad Time For A Real Solution?

Perhaps you think you already have an answer to this problem. Maybe you do not see this as a problem at all. It is possible that you do not believe in the passage of time or its effects on you.

Peace of mind and financial security are waiting for everyone who practices LifePlanning™. You know that peace only begins with financial security. Are legal documents the most important? Is avoiding probate the best you can do for yourself or your loved ones? Is family about inheritance? Or are these things only significant to support the foundation of your family?

Do you think finding the best care is easy? Do you want to get lost in the overwhelming flood of claims and promises? Or would you like straight answers?

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

The LifePlan™ Workshop has been the first step on the path to security and peace for thousands of families. Why not your family?

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now. (800) 317-2812

The post 7 Questions To Answer Between Now And New Year’s Day appeared first on Carrier Law.

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German Pacifism On The Ash Heap Of History

Oh, So That’s What A Real Megalomaniac Looks Like

So He Went And Did It… Evil Idiot

Was there ever a war as stupid, pointless, evil, wasteful, and idiotic? Yes. Many. This is what you get with National Socialism, Democratic Socialism, Ricardian Socialism, Scientific Socialism, Leninist Socialism. Marxism, Communism, Maoism, all the -isms, all the same. Every try talking to one of these “socialists” about their ideology? About what actually happens? About the human misery? Tens of millions of humans starved, shot, tortured to death? “Oh that’s not real socialism, you poor ignorant fool!” they say. Then you will be overwhelmed with a dense, impenetrable word- fog. Like the undertow off Lake Michigan. You are sucked in. Suffocated. You drown. Words as weapons. First to weaken. Then to kill. Over and over.

And that’s how a Jewish Ukrainian guy becomes a neo-Nazi. Because he leads a people living on land that the other guy wants. This is nothing new. The same tired hogwash has deceived the “smart folks” for hundreds of years. From the French Revolution to Democratic Socialism. Same crap, different day.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”
“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can
make words mean so many different things.”
“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.”

—Lewis Carroll, “Through The Looking Glass”

Attach whatever labels you like. It is all the same. Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Putin is a long-time member of the Socialist Great Leader Murderers Club. Naturally, the few dozen dissidents and journalists he has murdered here and there do not count. Just par for the course. They made him uncomfortable so he killed them. Radiation. Nerve gas. Not secret. Business as usual.

Club Membership is exclusive. Only mass murderers need apply. Industrial scale slaughter. This guy’s been “in” for over 20 years now.

Long long ago. Far far away. Chechnya. Remember? Yeltsin started it and Putin carried on. 250,000 civilians dead. Tens of thousands more military casualties. War crimes as policy. Approved tactics: torture (real torture), rape, arson and murder.

Chechnya and Ukraine. In the same neighborhood. With the same heavily armed, unstable, nutjob neighbor who is always mumbling to himself about his glory days. Gee, do you wonder why even untrained Ukrainians want guns? Mysterious… why are they willing to fight?

Unprovoked military aggression. Civilians dead and wounded. Atomic power plants on fire. Soldiers dead and wounded. Stuff smashed. Labor lost. Hatred, grief, sadness. For what? Why?

To put Humpty Dumpty back together again. To reassemble the Soviet Union. At least the good parts. That is what this rifle-totin’, river swimmin’, pony-ridin’ he-man wants. He says so. It is no mystery.

In 2005, Putin said: “First and foremost it is worth acknowledging that the demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century. As for the Russian people, it became a genuine tragedy. Tens of millions of our fellow citizens and countrymen found themselves beyond the fringes of Russian territory.”

Here’s a guy with nuclear weapons. Lots of them. What does he think of the dead millions and catastrophic destruction of World War I, and World War II, and Korea, and Vietnam, and the Congolese wars, and Mozambique, and Biafra, and the Chinese Revolution, and the Cultural Revolution, and all the other bloodletting of the last century? Eh, not so bad. Worse than dead millions are liberated millions. Hundreds of millions liberated through the collapse of the Soviet Union. So that is what is going on in Ukraine, if you were wondering.

How did we get here? A few observations completely unrelated to the Ukraine aggression:

1. This guy has huge surpluses of oil, natural gas, and coal. Things that make factories go and keep homes warm and well-lit.
2. Because we got yelled at by a cranky, prepubescent Swedish kid who likes to play hooky, we now depend on unicorn farts and moonbeams to make our factories go and keep
our homes warm and well-lit. Brilliant!
3. Because we do not like mean tweets, we shut down our own supplies of cheap, secure oil, natural gas, and coal. Now we beg the bare-chested megalomaniac and others to sell us oil, natural gas, and coal. At extremely high prices. America! What a country!
4. Somebody’s making an awful lot of money pitching the unicorn fart and moonbeam machines that break down, don’t work, and chop up eagles like a Super Bass-O-Matic ’76.
5. Prestige and reputation tend to dwindle when rag-tag gangs of refugees from the 6th century taunt you. And beat you. And kill you. And steal your stuff. Then do the same to your friends who trusted you. And who refuse your bribes and sneer at your threats.
6. Fritter away your reputation and prestige and you invite megalomaniacal bullies to act as megalomaniacal bullies act.

Ukraine SNAFU Situation Normal – All Fudged Up
(But They Didn’t Say Fudged)

How’s that “Bring Back Stalin” war going anyway? They killed some people. Broke some stuff. Got a 40-mile-long convoy. Like Biden’s motorcade when he went to Scotland to complain about air pollution or something. Gross ineptitude seems to characterize the goings-on. What do the experts have to say?

“Knowing others and knowing oneself, in one hundred battles no danger. Not knowing the other and knowing oneself, one victory for one loss. Not knowing the other and not knowing oneself, in every battle certain defeat.”

—Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Soldiers are the heart of any army. Fighting spirit is the core of any soldier. There don’t seem to be many soldiers among the invaders. Seems like the invaders were not told they were invading until they invaded. And now Ukrainian mothers are calling Russian mothers so they can talk to their captured, weepy, hungry, homesick teenage sons. On the other hand, Ukrainian soldiers seem to understand why they fight.

Citizens are the heart of any nation. Patriotism is the core of any citizen. There seem to be quite a few citizens in Ukraine. And now Ukrainian citizens are taking up arms against the foreign invaders.

Do you think the megalomaniac knew the Ukrainians would fight back and that his “troops” would be confused and lost? That they would surrender and weep? Me neither. Not knowing the other and not knowing oneself, in every battle certain defeat.

Even the most willing soldiers need arms. But it appears that the invader’s equipment has not been maintained and is breaking down. For example, brand-new, unused missile trucks had brand-new, unused tires. Tires put on at the factory. Trucks then driven to marshalling yards. Trucks then sat. And sat. And sat. For years. Now comes invasion. Tires now brittle with dry rot. Tires fall apart when taken off road. Big huge military off-road tires. And there are no new tires. And if there were new tires, how would you get them to the front? With a 40-mile traffic jam? Must keep all trucks on road. Forty miles long road. How you say “sitting duck” in Russian? Or Ukrainian (if there is such a language)?

Also they have no food. And they ran out of water. And they ran out of gas. Gee, if only somebody had thought about these problems.

Amateurs talk strategy. Professionals talk logistics.

—Omar Bradley, General of the Army

Every man is important. The ordnance men are needed to supply the guns, the quartermaster is needed to bring up the food and clothes for us because where we are going there isn’t a hell of a lot to steal. Every last damn man in the mess hall, even the one who boils the water, has a job to do.

—George S. Patton, Lieutenant General

An Army travels on its stomach.

—Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France Frederick the Great, King of Prussia

It appears that the invaders were not told they were invading until they invaded. Without food. Without fuel. Without common sense.

Megalomaniac Invaders Have No Use For Middle-Class Values

Ever go on vacation? Take a little trip? Go camping? Bet you made sure gas tank was filled. And that the sleeping bags were packed. And you had a map (OK, OK… GPS!). Funny how middle class folks manage to figure out the basics that really smart geniuses overlook.

Megalomaniac or demented dodderer… national leaders sometimes don’t get the message. Are their people too afraid to tell them truth? Are they simply unaware? Do they believe their own press releases? Who knows?

Good News: regular folks do not have the luxury of being so stupid. We are not awesome. Our friends and co-workers do not grovel to us. They tell us the truth. They trust us. The smart folks do not trust us. They tell us the things they think we need to believe. So we will do the things they think we should. Like run factories and heat homes with unicorn farts and rainbows. Or moonbeams, I forget which.

Some people say that avoiding probate, saving taxes, and getting stuff to kids is what estate planning is all about. And if you wind up in long-term care, that is on you. Besides that never happens, the smart ones say.

Seems to me that an awful lot of folks do need long-term care. The government says 70% of people aged 65 will need, on average, 3 years of skilled care services. In a variety of settings. All of them expensive. Ruinously expensive.

Social Security is America’s answer to retirement income needs. Social Security is paid for with your tax dollars.

Medicare is America’s answer to hospitalization, medical, and pharmacy needs. Medicare is paid for with your tax dollars and premiums.

Medicaid is America’s answer to long-term care needs. Medicaid is paid for with your tax dollars.

Why does only Medicaid require that you be broke? Except for your house (up to $700,000). Except for your motorized vehicle (any value). Except for $2000.

Are you against getting the same deal with Medicaid that you get with Social Security and Medicare? Are you opposed to getting a payback on tax dollars paid in? Do you want your spouse broke?

Is Now A Bad Time For A Real Solution?

Some folks think they have all the answers to all the world’s problems. People who think like that often get to run countries. And get to tell other folks what to do. Does that sound like fun?

Other folks keep their perspective. Act with common sense. Look out for others. Work for fairness. Willing to help with common goals. Not willing to be played for a chump.

Peace of mind and financial security are waiting for everyone who practices LifePlanning™. You know that peace only begins with financial security. Are legal documents the most important? Is avoiding probate the best you can do for yourself or your loved ones? Is family about inheritance? Or are these things only significant to support the foundation of your family?

Do you think finding the best care is easy? Do you want to get lost in the overwhelming flood of claims and promises? Or would you like straight answers?

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

The LifePlan™ Workshop has been the first step on the path to security and peace for thousands of families. Why not your family?

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance. It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now.
(800) 317-2812

The post American Weakness Equals Foreign War Who Knew? appeared first on Carrier Law.

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Scanning The Globe To Bring You The Constant Variety Of Shorts

Jeepers Creepers Fellas! Europe War Bad!
Oh My Golly! Inflation Ragin’!
Zounds! Oil Prices Up And Sheiks Rejoice!

The Thrill Of Victory, The Agony Of Defeat

News Of The World
Everything Going To Hell In Hand Basket
Raise Hand If Surprised

Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle.
Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. That’s why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. The very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.

—George S. Patton

That was then. This is now.

Are the Russian people strong? Recently, Russia celebrated a 50% drop in extreme alcohol abuse. But: “the average Russian over the age of 15 years old [still] drinks about 11 liters (almost three gallons) of pure ethanol every year.” Read More Here

Is the Russian military strong? “[T]he United States maintains a fleet of literally hundreds of operational fifth-generation jets, while Russia has only 14 or so (only two of which are serial production models, the other 12 are handmade prototypes).” Read More Here Russian ships, submarines, tanks, missiles, electronics malfunction, sink, and blow up unexpectedly. Also they rust. Right now, in Syria, whenever Israelis want to blow up something defended by Russian missiles, the Israelis tell the Russians to turn off the radar so the Russians don’t get blown up too. And the Russians do. Guess they don’t want to get blown up.

Is the Russian economy strong? Russian per capita income is 85th in the world. Bulgaria beats them. Guam is 36th. Read More Here

Nobody wants Russian stuff. Not even Russians. Except vodka. But they have a lot of oil and gas! $40/barrel = Russia poor. $100/barrel = Russia rich. Remember when there was too much oil? Who shut down American pipelines? Oil exploration? Fracking? Who shut down $2 gas?

Is Russian leadership strong? Czar-for-Life is Communist former KGB agent spy large and in charge. Stalin is role model. Longing for Soviet Socialist glory days. Like most Russians. (Freedom is hard.) Read More Here. “Stalin had nearly a million of his own citizens executed, beginning in the 1930s. Millions more fell victim to forced labor, deportation, famine, massacres, and detention and interrogation by Stalin’s henchmen.” Read More Here. Did Stalin kill 20 million Russians? Or was it only 14 million? Don’t know.

So we tremble and cower before a nation of alcoholics, bearing Cold War-era weapons (still deadly to civilians), and no economy to speak of. Led by a fanboy of the second most murderous megalomaniac in history (Mao Zedong (also socialist) is #1 with 30-45 million kills). And the fight seems to be over a “nation” with a similar leadership and history.

Punchline #1: Whose side are we on? Don’t know. Why? Don’t know.
Punchline #2: Whatever side we’re on, we are losing. To the alcoholics. Badly. Obviously.
Punchline #3: Losing is now a habit. Can you remember Afghanistan? Only a few months ago. August 2021. Look it up.

Also inflation is up. Way up. Jimmy Carter up. Remember when oil was cheap? Putin was put out. Sheiks were saddened. Americans elated. And now… $100/barrel oil is back. Moscow is making merry! And the sheiks won’t return our calls. Ready for gas lines?

The glamour of evil is seductive. Temptation is all around. It easily overwhelms weak- minded, weak-hearted weaklings. Who become desperate. Lash out. Why has our Neighbor to the North abandoned its ideals? Victimizing the victims? Do they know that George Orwell’s Animal Farm was meant as a cautionary tale, not a how-to guide?

What To Do

What can you do? Stay true to our middle-class values. Sure, it looks good for the bad guys now. It always looks good for the bad guys. For a while. But have you noticed that the more awful the bad guys get, the more certain they will eventually fail? Those who believe in nothing, will believe anything. Firebombing is peaceful. Horn-honking is terrorism.

Faith and freedom. Perseverance and patience. Courage and commitment. These are the sword and shield of the middle class.

The world is counting on you. As it has in the past. As it will in the future. You are the indispensable people. America is the exceptional nation. Evil is not inevitable, unless we shrink from challenging it.

Every week someone tells me that pointing out the basic, obvious truth is “political.” As if that’s a bad thing. The attitude bebaffles, bebothers and bewilders me. Are you against the idea that hard work should be rewarded? Do you oppose getting some return on your tax dollars? Is it wrong to follow government-made rules so your spouse is not impoverished by long-term care? Is it ridiculous to think that leaving your kids a little something could be significant?

Is Now A Bad Time For A Real Solution?

Perhaps you already have all the answers. Maybe this is no problem at all. Possibly you do not believe in the passage of time.

Your habits and values have earned you peace of mind and financial security. LifePlanning™ is the easy part. You worked for the peace that only comes with financial security. What is most important, legal documents? Avoiding probate, is that the best you can do? Is family about inheritance? Or are the deeper things most significant?

Is any of this easy? Do you want to get lost in the overwhelming flood of claims and promises? Or would you like straight answers?

Well, here you are. Now you know. No excuses. Get the information, insight, inspiration. It is your turn. Ignore the message? Invite poverty? Or get the freely offered information. To make wise decisions. For you. For your loved ones.

The LifePlan™ Workshop has been the first step on the path to security and peace for thousands of families. Why not your family?

NO POVERTY. NO CHARITY. NO WASTE.
It is not chance.It is choice. Your choice.

Get Information Now.
(800) 317-2812

The post Europe War Bad! Inflation Ragin’! Oil Prices Up And Sheiks Rejoice! appeared first on Carrier Law.

Americans Love A Winner And Will Not Tolerate A Loser.

— George S. Patton

What is so different about you? What enables middle class folks to rise and win, time after time? Facing and beating challenges? At 7 years old, I began helping another kid on his paper route. Lucky for me, there was a block of triple decker houses and Paulie did not like climbing stairs. A few years later, my next younger brother and I had our own route. Hot in the summer. Cold in the winter. Raining or snowing from time to time. On foot.

We did not always whistle while we worked. But the Carrier boys delivered the Evening Bulletin 6 nights a week. And early Sunday mornings, before church, the Journal-Bulletin. You have done the same.

Throughout your life, you took the overtime. The second job. Doing what it took. My weekends at Notre Dame were spent delivering pizza. As a law student, I worked full time on the graveyard shift as a security guard. Just like you. What else could we have done? We had a job. We saw the need. We got it done. We learned it from our folks. After beating the bad guys in WWII, our parents went to work. Dad taught school all day, came home, changed clothes, and put in 8 more hours at the Narragansett brewery. For 16 years. Mom was an RN. After raising 8 kids, she pinned her nurse’s cap back on and resumed nursing.

Details vary, but your family lived the same values. How do I know? Thirty years of talking to and planning for your folks. And you.

These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country…yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

— Thomas S. Paine

And now COVID. The Elder Plague. Death rates: way down. Therapies: better and improving. So much winning. But we are not done yet. COVID is real. COVID can strike close to home.

By a series of commonplace coincidences, a team member tested positive for COVID. Several of us are now waiting on our own test results. We should be fine. Since the beginning, the Carrier Law team has taken every recommended precaution. And come up with a few of our own. Hand sanitizer, videoconferencing, outdoor workshops, social distancing, masks, working from home, plexiglass barriers, ultraviolet lights, temperature checks, screening protocols, Clorox-ing conference rooms, prudent behavior. Not perfect.

Last Friday, I spent a few hours (in the rain) climbing through trees on one of those courses. Team building with several paralegals. Outdoors, yes. Distanced, yes. Wearing masks, yes. Until that triumphant team photo at the finish. Mask off. Picture! Mask on. Well. So now we wait for the test results.

One more thing to be taken in stride. Aren’t we all waiting on “test results”? What will your “Alzheimer’s test” reveal? Of course, there is no such “test.” We find out only as time goes by. With COVID, we face reality, we do not wish it away. Most of us will eventually face dementia. Personally. Not just our spouse or a loved one. Lots of statistics. One bottom-line fact.

The trouble in American life today, in business as well as in sports, is that too many
people are afraid of competition. The result is that in some circles people have come to sneer at success if it costs hard work and training and sacrifice.

— Knute Rockne

We, the middle class, do not deny reality. We accept it, make our peace, and do the best we can. With optimism and good cheer. Lots of critics have lots to say about us baby-boomers.

But all agree that when we see what we want, we go get it. Make it happen. Rejecting the counsels of gloom and doom. With open eyes and stout hearts.

When you are facing long-term care, dementia, end of life issues, there are a million questions and few reliable answers.

Many people, including otherwise competent financial planners, well-known attorneys, and respected members of the community, seem to believe that you should go broke when facing these issues. Maybe they are unaware of the options. Perhaps they are in denial. Is there a moral imperative that you should go broke? Some “experts” seem to think there is.

Americans play to win all the time. The very thought of losing is hateful to americans.

— George S. Patton

Like you, I completely reject the idea that losing is okay. Like you, I believe in winning. We all have challenges and sometimes we do lose. But we never “get used to it.” Why should we? Losing is a bitter pill. I may have to take my medicine, but I do not have to like it.

If you want to go broke, as some folks think you should, you do not need me. The state is very good at making a bonfire of your lifesavings. The state helps only when you comply with their rules. And for most folks, compliance means poverty, insecurity, loss. Unacceptable.

[W]ith firmness in the right as god gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in…

— Abraham Lincoln

LifePlanning™ is middle class Michigan’s tool kit for winning. Comply with their rules? Yes, absolutely. If you want to win, you must know how to play the game. Thirty years of study, experience, testing and delivering results have produced the LifePlan™ system. Techniques and tools that preserve, protect, and defend your right to decide how you will live.

You earned that right through decades of work and conscientious stewardship. Isn’t it ridiculous to suggest that impoverishing yourself, your spouse, your family is somehow noble? Isn’t it foolish to reject your own life experience for the defeatist counsels of the “wise”?

LifePlanning™ means your choices matter, whatever the test results. Are you like thousands of Michigan families who played by the rules and earned homes, cottages, farms, lifesavings? Would you like the rules to work for you, for a change? Are you waiting for the test results?

Are you waiting until it is too late? Would you like to know now?

GET ANSWERS NOW… CALL THE LIFEPLAN™ HOTLINE
1-800-317-2812

LifePlan™ Workshops are Available Now: Live, Streaming and Recorded
What could it hurt?

The post Life Is The Test… Why Not Win It? appeared first on Carrier Law.

What is so different about you? What enables middle-class folks to rise and win, time after time? Facing and beating challenges? At seven years old, I began helping another kid on his paper route. Lucky for me, there was a block of triple decker houses and Paulie did not like climbing stairs. A few years later, my next younger brother and I had our own route. Hot in the summer. Cold in the winter. Raining or snowing from time to time. On foot. We did not always whistle while we worked. But the Carrier boys delivered the Evening Bulletin 6 nights a week. And early Sunday mornings, before church, the Journal-Bulletin.

You have done the same. Throughout your life, you took the overtime. The second job. Doing what it took. My weekends at Notre Dame were spent delivering pizza. As a law student, I worked full time on the graveyard shift as a security guard. Just like you. What else could we have done? We had a job. We saw the need. We got it done.

We learned it from our folks. After beating the bad guys in WWII, our parents went to work. Dad taught school all day, came home, changed clothes, and put in 8 more hours at the Narragansett brewery. For 16 years. Mom was an RN. After raising 8 kids, she pinned her nurse’s cap back on and resumed nursing. Details vary, but your family lived the same values. How do I know? Thirty years of talking to and planning for your folks. And you.

And now COVID. The Elder Plague. Death rates: way down. Therapies: better and improving. So much winning. But we are not done yet. COVID is real. COVID can strike close to home.

By a series of commonplace coincidences, a team member tested positive for COVID. Since the beginning, the Carrier Law team has taken every recommended precaution. And come up with a few of our own. Hand sanitizer, videoconferencing, outdoor workshops, social distancing, masks, working from home, plexiglass barriers, temperature checks, screening protocols, Clorox-ing conference rooms, prudent behavior.

Not perfect. Last Friday, I spent a few hours (in the rain) climbing through trees on one of those courses. Team building with several paralegals. Outdoors, yes. Distanced, yes. Wearing masks, yes. Until that triumphant team photo at the finish. Mask off. Picture! Mask on. Well. Then we waited for the results. One more thing to be taken in stride.

Aren’t we all waiting on “test results”? What will your “Alzheimer’s test” reveal? Of course, there is no such “test.” We find out only as time goes by. With COVID, we face reality, we do not wish it away. Most of us will eventually face dementia. Personally. Not just our spouse or a loved one. Lots of statistics. One bottom-line fact.

The trouble in American life today, in business as well as in sports, is that too many people are afraid of competition. The result is that in some circles people have come to sneer at success if it costs hard work and training and sacrifice.
– Knute Rockne

We, the middle class, do not deny reality. We accept it, make our peace, and do the best we can. With optimism and good cheer. Lots of critics have lots to say about us baby-boomers. But all agree that when we see what we want, we go get it. Make it happen. Rejecting the counsels of gloom and doom. With open eyes and stout hearts.

When you are facing long-term care, dementia, end of life issues, there are a million questions and few reliable answers. Many people, including otherwise competent financial planners, well-known attorneys, and respected members of the community, seem to believe that you should go broke when facing these issues. Maybe they are unaware of the options. Perhaps they are in denial. Is there a moral imperative that you should go broke? Some “experts” seem to think there is.

Americans play to win all the time. The very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.
– George S. Patton

Like you, I completely reject the idea that losing is okay. Like you, I believe in winning. We all have challenges and sometimes we do lose. But we never “get used to it.” Why should we? Losing is a bitter pill. I may have to take my medicine, but I do not have to like it.

If you want to go broke, as some folks think you should, you do not need me. The state is very good at making a bonfire of your lifesavings. The state helps only when you comply with their rules. And for most folks, compliance means poverty, insecurity, loss. Unacceptable.

[W]ith firmness in the right as god gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in…
– Abraham Lincoln

LifePlanning™ at Carrier Law

LifePlanning™ is middle class Michigan’s tool kit for winning. Comply with their rules? Yes, absolutely. If you want to win, you must know how to play the game. Thirty years of study, experience, testing and delivering results have produced the LifePlan™ system. Techniques and tools that preserve, protect, and defend your right to decide how you will live. You earned that right through decades of work and conscientious stewardship. Isn’t it ridiculous to suggest that impoverishing yourself, your spouse, your family is somehow noble? Isn’t it foolish to reject your own life experience for the defeatist counsels of the “wise”?

LifePlanning™ means your choices matter, whatever the test results. Are you like thousands of Michigan families who played by the rules and earned homes, cottages, farms, lifesavings? Would you like the rules to work for you, for a change? Are you waiting for the test results? Are you waiting until it is too late? Would you like to know now?

GET ANSWERS NOW… CALL THE LIFEPLAN™ HOTLINE
1-800-317-2812

The post Middle Class Estate Planning appeared first on Carrier Law.