The Tribune Online, 33

Please, just a hand and not a hand out

Last night, I watched this "60 Minutes" piece about this place somewhere in a desert for homeless military veterans...and all I could say is "pathetic". Veterans being no more than welfare cases is an embarrassment for those who have served. I attribute this to the media and unfortunately the current govermental administration. There simply seems to be  more interest in the problems of the nation as opposed to potential solutions, as typified in the letter I sent to Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. [Copy of letter to Secretary Solis is available upon request at infobuck@juno.com]

One thing that was instilled while in the military was a sense of team work and disciplined independence, which means any form of welfare is an insult with the exception of those who have been wounded and possibly for the families of those who lave lost ones during their service. Opportunities for self sufficiency for all veterans, regardless of economic distress should be at the top of the list of priorities.

In this 2010 mid-term election, the emphasis should not be on extended unemployment benefits, but on increased employment, and if you can't get the job done, expect a Republican control of the Congress. If the administration doesn't answer my letter between now and then and offers a hand to my extending my business growth, then it will constitute a continuation of bureacratic bullsh*t. However, if this Republican Congress starts solving problems like helping people to find employment with entrepreneurial business ideas, then the push will be to replace the current President with a Republican one in 2012.

It's not Barack's Vision that matters

I'm amazed that the Dems and Obama's Administration not being able to see this election for what it is. The Dems and Obama came in with the notion that they were all about the "vision of the vast middle class" which the T-Party has been appealing to...devastating the old boys Republican dynasty and will soon be eating the lunch of the Dems.

Long story short, the Obama Administration took its eye off the ball and the prize, by catering to fringe elements such as bankers, Wall Street, Unions, and associated cadres, and those with particular religious agendas, of which I don't need to name, for it's obvious. What do these groups that I have cited, have in common with the vast middle class Americans?...absolutely nothing!...kind of like "war" and the T-Baggers are kicking asses and taking names.    

Defund Cottage Industries now!!

When President FDR began the implementation of the "New Deal" he was called every thing except a child of God, a "communist jew" was probably one of the worst...by what may have been called the "upper crust conservatives". All he did was to save the health of the nation, because the men of the nation were so devastated by hunger and poverty, we had to implement a nationwide nutrition program just to get them ready for the military prior to WW II. Redistributing the wealth might have been considered complimentary. The "New Deal" program allowed the nation to not only implement the nutrition programs, but infrastructure programs, road and even building the Hoover Dam. It also funded the programs for artists to express their professions.

Today, I can almost hear what today's conservatives are mumbling under their breath in their name calling of President Obama with his effort to restrengthen America's economy. An economy that almost tanked into a Hoover's Republican state of mind, especially with his being black, and you don't have to stretch your imagination.

I admit that we need to rebuild infrastructure...that was one of the signs of the decay of civilization because people started living less like the "modern culture" it had become. Crime became rampant, civil law became virtually abandoned, and like the domino theory, collapse ensued. Therefore, there's a need to sustain this sort of practical spending, along with maintaining a strong military (bring back the draft), continued advanced learning, but federally subsidizing many if not most of these cottage industries should be frozen until the economy gets back on its feet.

Defunding would include all entertainment and sport associated activities that provide no practical returns to the taxpayers' coffers. If they do or should, let them go it alone in doing so. We can sacrifice entertainment for a while when we are trying to be more pragmatic as opposed to "playing".

So, Brother President, be ready to demonstrate "your cojones" or Sister Sarah plans to cut 'em off like that old civil rights' huckster Jesse Jackson, Sr wanted to do, because you busted him in his position as "HNIC"...at least in his mind. Consequently, you need not apologize for freezing or cutting back on spending on these "special interest" domestic programs.   

Speaking of "cojones"

I am watching this Saturday's football game between LSU and Auburn, and I recalled the young quarterback formerly of LSU who went pro with Oakland Raiders. Well, as so many young athletes from Mobile, AL that went pro and wound up either as drug cases for using or distributing, his case was no different. 

It seems he was arrested for use and abuse of a controlled substance in some sort of concoction called "Purple Drank". He's being represented by Attorney Donald Briskman. Briskman was my attorney while pursuing IBM, and you might even say he likes cases of "color" for my case involved "big blue." I felt Briskman threw the case, and IBM got off with a "summary judgement" on the discrimination part.

I later got an out of court settlement in Federal Court in Roanoke, VA for "breach of contract"...no thanks to Briskman, but another attorney in Mobile who legally got all the records pertinent to the case before Briskman could dispose of them. I even tried to seek Briskman's work on the case and his actions via the Mobile Bar Association, but was told he had to voluntarily release the documents...he of course would not do.

I even went to the FBI, the Republican Senator from Alabama, and even the US Attorney's office for the Southern District of Alabama headed by current Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, who personally quashed looking into the case as represented by Donald Briskman. Why am I bringing this up?

I believe this nation was done a major disservice in terms of technology and defense going as far back as the eighties, and possibly beyond any statutes of limitations for damages done to US businesses that were being served by IBM. I would like to see the Justice Department grow a "set" and look into possible malfeasance by associated politicians, including jurists, and especially the attorney whom I now dub the "purple drank kid" aka  " big blue" Briskman. 

When does the "buck" stop?

As stated, I'm under a "consent decree" not to disclose certain specifics about my working relationship with IBM, but I can share this one story that's amusing and very true. Before going to the legal authorities about what I saw as corporate malfeasance, I was contacted by some head honcho from IBM's headquarters in Armonk, NY. I guess they became concerned after seeing the release of my first small publication entitled "Buck Sense" in 1982...the pen is mightier than the sword.

I was also runnning out of funds, for I was without employment resulting from this "IBM mess" while seeing this commercial on television; whereby, this guy was attached to this machine that was suppose to break, and the researcher on the line was being asked "Broke?" and the response was "ain't broke yet"! I didn't find that commercial too humorous with my being on the brink of being broke.  This caused me to consider getting the government involved with a small article in the local newspaper about the "discrimination" suit, that I filed pro se. Evidently, that got their attention; thus, the phone call from the head honcho in Armonk.

In the mean time my little book was dedicated to my Grandfather, whose Dad, my Great Grandfather was featrured on the cover with his wife, Mariah. His name was Bill Buck, and some called him "Wild Bill", the first person in my heritage that became a small business owner, of which he was tougher than his toughest customer, thus the moniker. Anyway, the book tells how to survive when times are the toughest, he was  a true example for me as I ventured into the world of small business. 

This IBM head honcho had a thick "German accent" and after his inability to get me to talk money on the phone (which could have been interpreted as "employee extortion"), he finally said "I'm getting very angry, Mr. Buck"! to which I said calmly, "and I'm very broke"...so let's see if we can come to some sort of reasonable agreement across the table, face to face. He slammed the phone!! 

A couple of months later, I get a call from a young lady from IBM saying that they wanted to talk, and would be sending down one of their representatives, a Mr. William Stopper. In other words, "you are sending a Bill Stopper...now isn't that special"? She just hung up the phone. Nevertheless, Bill arrived and I arranged the meeting at the office of one of my associates doing my printing, with another associate as a witness, to ensure that we stayed legal in this negotiation. IBM, again, wanted me to talk money, but what I wanted was credit that this was my original concept without any ownership by IBM. They would not agree; the rest is academic.  http://theroanoketribune.com/rich_text_11.html 

The 99'ers featured on "60 Minutes"

Unadulterated bunk!! Yes, that's right!! This feature was about people that are beyond the 99 weeks of extended unemployment benefits. It showed people who had exhausted all of their funds, retirement and otherwise, and still can't find a job. Many of the people are college graduates with some having Phd's, and yet they can't find work? The truth be told, they can't find the kind of employment they desire, good hours, good pay, benefits, vacation, insurance, etc.

What they are getting is a good swift kick in the pants by what is called "life". Wake up and get one, for that paradigm of employment doesn't exist anymore and if you are relying on unemployment until it does, then you are what is called "S.O.L" and I don't mean sun light at the end of the tunnel.

I can provide overnight employment with the expansion of my business and you can sign up online right now at http://infobuck.com 

Difference in Rich and Wealthy?

From the book: "How One Becomes Wealthy Despite Society's Ignorance and Stupidity"

"Be willing to sacrifice every material possession you have in order to survive and thrive, but never sell your soul."

Chris Rock does this stand up routine explaining the difference in being rich versus those who are wealthy; e.g., professional sports stars maybe  rich with their high dollar contracts, but their owners are the wealthy ones, as in the owners of the color "blue". This was an interesting analogy to my bout with "Big Blue" when I finally got an "out-of court" settlement...the day I became wealthy.

Let me explain, all too often in this free enterprise society we are taught to strive to become rich if we are poor, and many times we will do anything to become rich, such as selling out our principles and morals; thus, selling one's soul...leaving a hollow existence, that can never be filled by any sort of material richness...only one of the reasons that there are so many unhappy "rich people" in our society.

As I explained in my finally reaching that settlement with IBM which took nearly seven years in and out of courts, I faced poverty any number of times, of which they (IBM) had me "blackballed" in the computer industry, until I hired on with one of their competitors. I came close to taking a financial amount, but only if I agreed not to take credit for my concept...which is why I felt the attorney who initially represented me might have gotten "rich" because of the way the case got tossed, in the first bout with "Big Blue".

Fortunately, I held fast to my principles and ethics, until I got it documented in Federal Court with a settlement, for I now not only owned outright my original concept, but that concept gave me ownership of a part of IBM's soul, albeit small, yet large enough to insure my "wealth in posterity" with my soul intact.

Let the Investigations Begin!!

The photo below is that of Rep. Issa (R-CA) who quoted "I'm going to be doing a lot of investigating." "One of those priorities is to investigate where the stimulus funds went." I, for one as a small business owner, say let the investigations begin!!

I know when I tried to get Sen. Jeff Sessions(R-AL) to look into fraud perpetrated by IBM, he wouldn't budge as then a US Attorney for the southern district of AL...he was too hell-bent on rounding up those seeking their civil rights in the "Heart of Dixie". Likewise, when asking Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), who will be out as the head of the House Judiciary Committee to look into this fraud, he bowed out by saying that it wasn't in  his purview, possibly because he was receiving financial backing to see that it wasn't in his purview? Therefore, good riddance!! IBM eventually was found guilty of fraud...by this committee...no thanks to Conyers.

Consequently, get these investigations underway and find out who may have committed fraud in receiving these stimulus funds, and march these "perps" straight to the nearest jail house. Oh, while you're at it, find out why the IRS can't get access to those tax scofflaws banking offshore with UBS. If not, maybe, middle class America can "T-Bag" your lame asses out come 2012.