If you have read most of my blog entries, you are aware that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you are at all familiar with our church, you know that we do not have a paid ministry and that from time-to-time, members are given the opportunity to speak in meetings. Today’s blog posting is the text of a talk I gave a while back. For those of you out there who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is not an attempt to convert you. I believe that everything I’ve written can be appreciated by anyone who considers himself a Christian. I have quoted a few passages from The Book of Mormon. I hope these quotations do not offend you.
Charity Believeth All Things
Earlier this week, I was given the assignment to speak today on the topic: “Charity Believeth All Things.” This phrase is taken from the 13th chapter of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians. In this chapter, the apostle provides a short discourse on the importance and traits of this virtue. Beginning in verse 1 he writes:
1 THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
In pondering this statement that charity “believeth all things,” I have come to the conclusion that if we have charity, we believeth all things which are true and righteous and which will inspire us to make the changes in our lives that will lead to our eternal exaltation. And not only that, but we will develop this virtue so that it not only leads to our own exaltation, but also blesses the lives of others.
Over the past few weeks, we have heard several talks from this pulpit concerning charity. During that time, I have thought about what charity is. In Moroni 7:47 we are taught, “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” This pure love of Christ is the love that the Savior has for each of us, which caused Him to atone for the sins of the world and to suffer death to help “…to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
Having charity means having a concern for the needs of others. King Benjamin taught:
And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish. Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? (Mosiah 4:16-19).
But some of us do not have the means to provide for those in need. King Benjamin realized this and also taught:
And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give. And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received. (Mosiah 4:24-25)
So, charity is as much an attitude as it is an act. Whether or not we have the means to provide for others is not as important as how we treat them. And how we treat others should not depend on how they treat us. When we truly have charity, this pure love of Christ, we will have it for all people and in all circumstances. We do not have the luxury of picking and choosing to whom we will feel charitable—Christ’s atonement is an infinite atonement, available to any and all who are willing to accept it. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you… (Matthew 5:43-44)
People often say or do unkind things to us, sometimes on purpose. But how we respond is an indicator of the depth of our charity. To illustrate this, I brought in a comic strip, “For Better or for Worse” by Lynn Johnston, which appeared in the newspaper on this past Thursday. I won’t show it from the pulpit because you probably can’t see it from where you’re sitting. In this strip, April and Shannon are high school girls. April is a typical young lady of about 15. Shannon is also 15, but is a “special needs” student who has been attending the public school for about two years, and April is her only “normal” friend.
In the first panel, April speaks first: “Shannon—who calls you ‘retarded?’”
Shannon responds: “Jeremy, Jones, Miriam, and that guy over there.”
In panel 2, Shannon continues: “They call everyone in special needs ‘retarded.’”
April says: “I hate them for that!”
Shannon says: “I don’t.”
Then in panel 3, Shannon says: “They just don’t understand. They just don’t know us.”
April says: “They’re ignorant, and they’re mean.”
In panel 4, Shannon says: “Well, it’s not their fault if they were born that way.”
One of the most difficult trials we face in this life is how we respond to others who have hurt us or treated us unfairly. Charity is not always easy. On his last day of mortality, the Savior was buffeted, hit, spit on, and beaten. Then he was put before the people and rejected by those he came to save. He was nailed to a cross where he was mocked by both the Romans and the Jews. And yet, His final request of Heavenly Father was: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).
This is charity. This is the pure love of Christ. “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him” (Moroni 7:47). I pray that we might all develop this virtue that we might all become more Christ-like. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Forty-five Years Ago
John Kennedy once stated that there were two events that the American people would never forget: The bombing of Pearl Harbor and the day that President Roosevelt died...
On the afternoon of November 22, 1963, I was at a pep rally for our school's first basketball game of the season. Bismarck Grade School, Bismarck, Illinois--enrollment-400. I was an eighth-grader, thirteen years old. I had taken my transistor radio to the rally, but had turned it off because all I could get was news about some shooting somewhere.
When the pep rally was over and we all returned to our classrooms, the intercom was turned on, giving us live coverage from Dallas. We all just sat there for about ten minutes, wondering what was going on. Then the newscaster finally told us that the president had been shot.
I think my first reaction was one of disbelief. I think that same feeling must have been shared by my classmates. Nobody cried. Nobody seemed upset. Nobody knew how we were supposed to feel. Nobody knew how we were supposed to react. I wanted to say something funny and have everybody laugh, and then find out that this whole assassination thing was a big hoax. But I didn't. It wasn't.
The thing I remember most is Mr. Winland, our teacher, writing on the blackboard, "Let's hope the gunman is an American." He must have seen the puzzlement on our faces because a few moments later he wrote, "What if he's a Russian?" School ended early that day. It wasn't until we got home that we learned that President Kennedy had died.
It snowed that night in east-central Illinois. Our basketball game did not get called off. We played Armstrong. We won. That was the only activity we had that weekend to take our minds off of what had happened. Everything else just shut down--the factories, the theaters, even some of the stores. The only thing on television was news of the assassination and all of the other events surrounding it.
On Sunday our church was fuller than I had ever seen it. There were people there that I had only ever seen on Easter, and there were many that I had never seen there before. I suppose that, for many, church seemed the proper place to mourn.
Monday was the funeral. Most of my family--aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.--met at my grandparents’ home to watch it on television. I had never seen a funeral for a president. I did not understand the significance of the riderless horse. I did not understand the Catholic mass. But I had been to other funerals. I understood the tears.
Most of my knowledge of John F. Kennedy has come after his death. I was too young while he was alive to have known about all of the politics. But I do remember the man. I remember his enthusiasm. I remember his humor (I still have a copy of "The First Family" which he enjoyed very much). I remember the Cuban missile crisis and President Kennedy's television speech that helped assure our nation.
I remember Jackie and her hats. I remember Caroline and John-John, and Bobby and Teddy, and football on the White House lawn. I remember Camelot. But most of all, I remember that day--November 22, 1963. I think that is the day I began to realize that the world is not a magical kingdom. I think that is the day I began to grow up.
I wrote the following essay in December 1987 as a Rhetoric assignment.
This past month, we marked the twenty-fourth anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, slain November 22, 1963. As we remember Kennedy and his times, for most of us, the day-to-day workings of the government have long been forgotten. But what we cannot forget, what we refuse to forget, is the feeling, the attitude, that prevailed during his 'Thousand Days' in the presidency. Kennedy's time was a time of hope, a time of dreams--hope and dreams that, maybe, with faith and effort, we truly could solve all the problems of this world; that a generation had finally emerged that could leave the world a better place than it was before.
Kennedy's time was often referred to as 'Camelot,' that fairy tale society in which every knight of the Table Round was equal, judged only by his deeds and faithfulness.
Kennedy was our 'king,’ our Arthur, whose drive to bring equality to all citizens, especially the black and the poor, gathered in the young of our nation and gave them a sense of purpose and a desire to improve the lot of each person. The establishment of VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and the Peace Corps during Kennedy's 'reign' showed his concern for all of his 'subjects' as well as his concern for all people, whether within or without his 'realm.'
John Kennedy began life as a true 'prince' within our society. As the son of millionaire industrialist Joseph P. Kennedy, he attended the finest schools, wore the proper clothes, made the best of impressions. In true storybook fashion, during World War II, young John Kennedy set out with sword in hand to save the damsel in distress (freedom) from the monstrous, fire-breathing dragon (Japan). His exploits as a P.T. boat commander in the South Pacific have been immortalized in the film, "P.T. 109."
Kennedy brought a certain style to the presidency. With his charming wife, Jacqueline, to be his Guinevere, we did not feel that the many celebrity-laden dinner parties held at the White House were excesses, but, rather, events that our 'king and queen' graciously allowed us to attend vicariously by means of newspaper and television.
These are the memories that most who lived during Kennedy's time hold most precious about the man and his life. Sadly, history has shown us that our beloved 'king' had not reached a state of perfection. In all honesty, it must be Kennedy, not his successor, Lyndon Johnson, who should take the biggest portion of the blame for America's military involvement in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia. As an administrator, most government experts generally rate Kennedy as "fair." As far as we know, Kennedy had no 'Mordred,’ but his extra-marital affairs have become well known to all.
But still, John Fitzgerald Kennedy is a man we remember. We remember him for his ideas and his dreams, and his ability to excite us with those dreams. It is said that our first president, George Washington, was urged to become king but refused a crown. John Kennedy wore the crown well.
On the afternoon of November 22, 1963, I was at a pep rally for our school's first basketball game of the season. Bismarck Grade School, Bismarck, Illinois--enrollment-400. I was an eighth-grader, thirteen years old. I had taken my transistor radio to the rally, but had turned it off because all I could get was news about some shooting somewhere.
When the pep rally was over and we all returned to our classrooms, the intercom was turned on, giving us live coverage from Dallas. We all just sat there for about ten minutes, wondering what was going on. Then the newscaster finally told us that the president had been shot.
I think my first reaction was one of disbelief. I think that same feeling must have been shared by my classmates. Nobody cried. Nobody seemed upset. Nobody knew how we were supposed to feel. Nobody knew how we were supposed to react. I wanted to say something funny and have everybody laugh, and then find out that this whole assassination thing was a big hoax. But I didn't. It wasn't.
The thing I remember most is Mr. Winland, our teacher, writing on the blackboard, "Let's hope the gunman is an American." He must have seen the puzzlement on our faces because a few moments later he wrote, "What if he's a Russian?" School ended early that day. It wasn't until we got home that we learned that President Kennedy had died.
It snowed that night in east-central Illinois. Our basketball game did not get called off. We played Armstrong. We won. That was the only activity we had that weekend to take our minds off of what had happened. Everything else just shut down--the factories, the theaters, even some of the stores. The only thing on television was news of the assassination and all of the other events surrounding it.
On Sunday our church was fuller than I had ever seen it. There were people there that I had only ever seen on Easter, and there were many that I had never seen there before. I suppose that, for many, church seemed the proper place to mourn.
Monday was the funeral. Most of my family--aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.--met at my grandparents’ home to watch it on television. I had never seen a funeral for a president. I did not understand the significance of the riderless horse. I did not understand the Catholic mass. But I had been to other funerals. I understood the tears.
Most of my knowledge of John F. Kennedy has come after his death. I was too young while he was alive to have known about all of the politics. But I do remember the man. I remember his enthusiasm. I remember his humor (I still have a copy of "The First Family" which he enjoyed very much). I remember the Cuban missile crisis and President Kennedy's television speech that helped assure our nation.
I remember Jackie and her hats. I remember Caroline and John-John, and Bobby and Teddy, and football on the White House lawn. I remember Camelot. But most of all, I remember that day--November 22, 1963. I think that is the day I began to realize that the world is not a magical kingdom. I think that is the day I began to grow up.
I wrote the following essay in December 1987 as a Rhetoric assignment.
This past month, we marked the twenty-fourth anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, slain November 22, 1963. As we remember Kennedy and his times, for most of us, the day-to-day workings of the government have long been forgotten. But what we cannot forget, what we refuse to forget, is the feeling, the attitude, that prevailed during his 'Thousand Days' in the presidency. Kennedy's time was a time of hope, a time of dreams--hope and dreams that, maybe, with faith and effort, we truly could solve all the problems of this world; that a generation had finally emerged that could leave the world a better place than it was before.
Kennedy's time was often referred to as 'Camelot,' that fairy tale society in which every knight of the Table Round was equal, judged only by his deeds and faithfulness.
Kennedy was our 'king,’ our Arthur, whose drive to bring equality to all citizens, especially the black and the poor, gathered in the young of our nation and gave them a sense of purpose and a desire to improve the lot of each person. The establishment of VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and the Peace Corps during Kennedy's 'reign' showed his concern for all of his 'subjects' as well as his concern for all people, whether within or without his 'realm.'
John Kennedy began life as a true 'prince' within our society. As the son of millionaire industrialist Joseph P. Kennedy, he attended the finest schools, wore the proper clothes, made the best of impressions. In true storybook fashion, during World War II, young John Kennedy set out with sword in hand to save the damsel in distress (freedom) from the monstrous, fire-breathing dragon (Japan). His exploits as a P.T. boat commander in the South Pacific have been immortalized in the film, "P.T. 109."
Kennedy brought a certain style to the presidency. With his charming wife, Jacqueline, to be his Guinevere, we did not feel that the many celebrity-laden dinner parties held at the White House were excesses, but, rather, events that our 'king and queen' graciously allowed us to attend vicariously by means of newspaper and television.
These are the memories that most who lived during Kennedy's time hold most precious about the man and his life. Sadly, history has shown us that our beloved 'king' had not reached a state of perfection. In all honesty, it must be Kennedy, not his successor, Lyndon Johnson, who should take the biggest portion of the blame for America's military involvement in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia. As an administrator, most government experts generally rate Kennedy as "fair." As far as we know, Kennedy had no 'Mordred,’ but his extra-marital affairs have become well known to all.
But still, John Fitzgerald Kennedy is a man we remember. We remember him for his ideas and his dreams, and his ability to excite us with those dreams. It is said that our first president, George Washington, was urged to become king but refused a crown. John Kennedy wore the crown well.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Five Lessons
My Nephew, Jason, sent this to me in an email. I share it here with you.
Five (5) lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.
1. First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello.'"
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:3 0 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.'
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3. Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4. Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5. Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts.
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.
I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to share this with others. One last thought:
Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching.
Five (5) lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.
1. First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello.'"
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:3 0 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.'
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3. Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4. Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5. Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts.
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.
I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to share this with others. One last thought:
Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching.
Monday, September 29, 2008
A Modest Proposal
Like most Americans, I am well aware of the challenges we are facing as a nation—the price of oil, companies going out of business, massive layoffs and unemployment, stock prices plummeting, and (whether or not you actually believe it is happening) global warming. With this in mind, I put forth a proposal that I believe could be a solution to many of these problems.
I am proposing that every individual taxpayer who earns $30,000 or less per year ($60,000 or less for a married couple) should receive a tax credit in the amount of $25,000 for the purpose of purchasing a new vehicle. The credit could be pro-rated for individuals/couples who earn more than the $30,000/$60,000 limit.
The vehicle would not need to be an automobile. It could also be a truck, van, motorcycle, etc. The main criteria would be that it could be legally licensed to be driven on public roads (which would eliminate dirt bikes, 4-wheelers, etc.); it must be new; it would not need to be an American brand, but it must have been assembled in the United States; it must have a fuel efficiency rating of at least 30 miles per gallon; and it must be purchased from an American dealer (or directly from the assembly plant).
The tax credit could be used for more than one vehicle. For instance, if you purchased a car for $20,000, you would have $5000 left to buy a motorcycle. Or if you had (a) trade-in(s), that would increase your purchasing power. I would suggest that the credit could also be used to cover the cost of taxes, license and title fees, and one year of vehicle insurance. After all, the credit would be useless if the person buying the vehicle could not afford to drive it. And allowing this would mean that part of the money spent would go back to the cities and states in which the vehicle was purchased.
Putting this proposal into effect would put thousands of displaced auto workers back on the job. It would also put people laid off from companies that provide parts (such as tires, batteries, etc.) to the auto industry back to work. It would help local economies because the vehicles would be purchased from local dealers, who, in turn, would pay local taxes. Foreign vehicle makers, realizing that their cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. are included in this plan, might be inclined to increase production here in America rather than importing products that would not be eligible for the credit.
This program would be mostly financed by income taxes and corporate taxes derived from putting these people back to work and from helping the automobile companies become profitable again. Requiring the eligible vehicles to meet fuel efficiency limits would help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Requiring the vehicles to meet minimum fuel efficiency standards would also help to reduce air pollution.
So this is the proposal. I’m not going to write ten pages espousing the merits of this proposal. There are a number of issues that would need to be worked out--one being how long the program should last. The specific amounts I have proposed could be negotiated, but I believe the basic idea is sound. I’d like to see it put into effect.
I am proposing that every individual taxpayer who earns $30,000 or less per year ($60,000 or less for a married couple) should receive a tax credit in the amount of $25,000 for the purpose of purchasing a new vehicle. The credit could be pro-rated for individuals/couples who earn more than the $30,000/$60,000 limit.
The vehicle would not need to be an automobile. It could also be a truck, van, motorcycle, etc. The main criteria would be that it could be legally licensed to be driven on public roads (which would eliminate dirt bikes, 4-wheelers, etc.); it must be new; it would not need to be an American brand, but it must have been assembled in the United States; it must have a fuel efficiency rating of at least 30 miles per gallon; and it must be purchased from an American dealer (or directly from the assembly plant).
The tax credit could be used for more than one vehicle. For instance, if you purchased a car for $20,000, you would have $5000 left to buy a motorcycle. Or if you had (a) trade-in(s), that would increase your purchasing power. I would suggest that the credit could also be used to cover the cost of taxes, license and title fees, and one year of vehicle insurance. After all, the credit would be useless if the person buying the vehicle could not afford to drive it. And allowing this would mean that part of the money spent would go back to the cities and states in which the vehicle was purchased.
Putting this proposal into effect would put thousands of displaced auto workers back on the job. It would also put people laid off from companies that provide parts (such as tires, batteries, etc.) to the auto industry back to work. It would help local economies because the vehicles would be purchased from local dealers, who, in turn, would pay local taxes. Foreign vehicle makers, realizing that their cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. are included in this plan, might be inclined to increase production here in America rather than importing products that would not be eligible for the credit.
This program would be mostly financed by income taxes and corporate taxes derived from putting these people back to work and from helping the automobile companies become profitable again. Requiring the eligible vehicles to meet fuel efficiency limits would help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Requiring the vehicles to meet minimum fuel efficiency standards would also help to reduce air pollution.
So this is the proposal. I’m not going to write ten pages espousing the merits of this proposal. There are a number of issues that would need to be worked out--one being how long the program should last. The specific amounts I have proposed could be negotiated, but I believe the basic idea is sound. I’d like to see it put into effect.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Kids Playing Baseball
I read an online article today written by Kevin Hench at
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/8495030?MSNHPHMA
In this article Hench writes about a 9-year-old boy being banned from pitching in the Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Connecticut because he throws too hard. According to the article, the pitcher, Jericho Scott, throws the ball at least 40 miles per hour, and parents of children on the other teams in the league are afraid their children will be injured.
The article states that Scott’s team was undefeated through eight games, but does not say how many of those games Scott pitched. After eight games, the league officials informed Coach Wilfred Vidro that Scott would no longer be allowed to pitch. He could play other positions, but if he continued to pitch, the team would be disbanded. When Coach Vidro sent Scott to the mound to start a game last week, the other team refused to play. Scott’s team was disbanded with players from the team assigned to other teams in the league.
If my father reads this (and I’m sure he will because I’m sending a copy of it to him), I’m sure his first thought (as was mine) is, “What a bunch of candy asses.” My goodness, why do parents let their children play sports if they don’t want their children to compete? Are they really afraid Jericho Scott is going to hurt somebody? Is that really what’s going on? If Jericho Scott is such an intimidating pitcher, why did it take until the team was 8-0 for the league to decide he couldn’t pitch any more?
Hench’s article states that despite throwing 40 mph, Scott has never hit a batter. The article also states that batters wear helmets with facemasks for protection. The article does not tell us how the 40 mph velocity was measured (did the league use a radar gun?) or if any other pitchers’ speeds were tested. I wonder if, after the league determined that 40 mph is too fast, they set a speed limit that they feel is okay.
And how do they decide what speed is too fast? If 40 mph is too fast, is 39 okay? Or 38? (Maybe they would prefer a rule similar to slow-pitch softball in which the pitch must have an arc of six feet) And once the official speed limit is set, how do they enforce it? Does someone stand on the sidelines with a radar gun to measure each pitch, and then rule that any pitch exceeding the speed limit is an illegal pitch? And what if a pitch exceeds the speed limit, but the batter swings and hits it over the fence? Is the homerun disallowed because the pitcher threw too hard?
As noted above, Scott has never hit a batter with a pitch. That’s pretty good pitching for a nine-year-old, no matter how hard he throws. I would ask the parents, “Would you rather have your child come to the plate against a pitcher who throws 40 mph and is accurate, or a pitcher who throws 35 mph and is wild?”
It’s interesting that this article appeared less than a week after the completion of the Little League World Series. I watched a number of those games on TV and never heard any complaints that the pitcher threw the ball too hard or that a batter hit the ball too far. Maybe that’s part of how a team makes it to the World Series—You play against whomever the other team puts on the field; you play your hardest; and generally, the better team wins. That’s baseball.
Mr. Hench writes about the lessons the children in this league will learn from this episode. Read his article. I agree with what he says. I appreciate how he says it. I will say that baseball (as well as most sports) can be dangerous. Kids do get hurt playing baseball. Occasionally, and tragically, someone is paralyzed or killed. It happens. That’s life. Getting hurt is part of the game. And getting hurt (or seeing teammate get hurt) is often what is remembered the longest.
I played Little League Baseball in the 1960s. One day at practice, Johnny Park was on the mound warming up to pitch, and my dad, the team manager, was hitting balls to the outfielders. Just as Johnny was getting ready to throw a pitch, my father tossed a ball into the air and hit it. Unfortunately, the ball came off the bat and hit Johnny right in the nuts. Back in those days, only the catcher wore a cup, so Johnny was bent over for a while, but he was pitching again before the end of practice.
Later that season, Danny Rich was hit in the knee by a pitched ball during a game. The ball had been thrown so hard that was not able to continue playing, and the indentation from the seam of the ball was visible for two days. That happened to be the last game of the season, so he didn’t play any more baseball that year, but he did play football that fall without any problems.
I played baseball at one level or another from the time I was eight-years-old through my junior year in high school. In all those years, I was never injured. When I think about those days, what I tend to remember most is standing in the batter’s box, staring at a pitcher a couple of years older, several inches taller, and quite a few pounds heavier than I. Was I intimidated? Yes. Was I afraid? You bet. Did I get a hit? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes I struck out. And a few times, the pitch hit me. But I stood in there and took my swings. What will the players from Connecticut remember?
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/8495030?MSNHPHMA
In this article Hench writes about a 9-year-old boy being banned from pitching in the Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Connecticut because he throws too hard. According to the article, the pitcher, Jericho Scott, throws the ball at least 40 miles per hour, and parents of children on the other teams in the league are afraid their children will be injured.
The article states that Scott’s team was undefeated through eight games, but does not say how many of those games Scott pitched. After eight games, the league officials informed Coach Wilfred Vidro that Scott would no longer be allowed to pitch. He could play other positions, but if he continued to pitch, the team would be disbanded. When Coach Vidro sent Scott to the mound to start a game last week, the other team refused to play. Scott’s team was disbanded with players from the team assigned to other teams in the league.
If my father reads this (and I’m sure he will because I’m sending a copy of it to him), I’m sure his first thought (as was mine) is, “What a bunch of candy asses.” My goodness, why do parents let their children play sports if they don’t want their children to compete? Are they really afraid Jericho Scott is going to hurt somebody? Is that really what’s going on? If Jericho Scott is such an intimidating pitcher, why did it take until the team was 8-0 for the league to decide he couldn’t pitch any more?
Hench’s article states that despite throwing 40 mph, Scott has never hit a batter. The article also states that batters wear helmets with facemasks for protection. The article does not tell us how the 40 mph velocity was measured (did the league use a radar gun?) or if any other pitchers’ speeds were tested. I wonder if, after the league determined that 40 mph is too fast, they set a speed limit that they feel is okay.
And how do they decide what speed is too fast? If 40 mph is too fast, is 39 okay? Or 38? (Maybe they would prefer a rule similar to slow-pitch softball in which the pitch must have an arc of six feet) And once the official speed limit is set, how do they enforce it? Does someone stand on the sidelines with a radar gun to measure each pitch, and then rule that any pitch exceeding the speed limit is an illegal pitch? And what if a pitch exceeds the speed limit, but the batter swings and hits it over the fence? Is the homerun disallowed because the pitcher threw too hard?
As noted above, Scott has never hit a batter with a pitch. That’s pretty good pitching for a nine-year-old, no matter how hard he throws. I would ask the parents, “Would you rather have your child come to the plate against a pitcher who throws 40 mph and is accurate, or a pitcher who throws 35 mph and is wild?”
It’s interesting that this article appeared less than a week after the completion of the Little League World Series. I watched a number of those games on TV and never heard any complaints that the pitcher threw the ball too hard or that a batter hit the ball too far. Maybe that’s part of how a team makes it to the World Series—You play against whomever the other team puts on the field; you play your hardest; and generally, the better team wins. That’s baseball.
Mr. Hench writes about the lessons the children in this league will learn from this episode. Read his article. I agree with what he says. I appreciate how he says it. I will say that baseball (as well as most sports) can be dangerous. Kids do get hurt playing baseball. Occasionally, and tragically, someone is paralyzed or killed. It happens. That’s life. Getting hurt is part of the game. And getting hurt (or seeing teammate get hurt) is often what is remembered the longest.
I played Little League Baseball in the 1960s. One day at practice, Johnny Park was on the mound warming up to pitch, and my dad, the team manager, was hitting balls to the outfielders. Just as Johnny was getting ready to throw a pitch, my father tossed a ball into the air and hit it. Unfortunately, the ball came off the bat and hit Johnny right in the nuts. Back in those days, only the catcher wore a cup, so Johnny was bent over for a while, but he was pitching again before the end of practice.
Later that season, Danny Rich was hit in the knee by a pitched ball during a game. The ball had been thrown so hard that was not able to continue playing, and the indentation from the seam of the ball was visible for two days. That happened to be the last game of the season, so he didn’t play any more baseball that year, but he did play football that fall without any problems.
I played baseball at one level or another from the time I was eight-years-old through my junior year in high school. In all those years, I was never injured. When I think about those days, what I tend to remember most is standing in the batter’s box, staring at a pitcher a couple of years older, several inches taller, and quite a few pounds heavier than I. Was I intimidated? Yes. Was I afraid? You bet. Did I get a hit? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes I struck out. And a few times, the pitch hit me. But I stood in there and took my swings. What will the players from Connecticut remember?
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Five Minute Management Course
The following was sent to me by my daughter, Kathy. There’s too much wisdom here not to pass it along.
Lesson 1:
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.
The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.
Before she says a word, Bob says, “I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.”
After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.
The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.
When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, “Who was that?”
“It was Bob the next door neighbor,” she replies.
“Great,” the husband says, “did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?”
Moral of the story:
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.
Lesson 2:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, “I'll give each of you just one wish.”
“Me first! Me first!” says the admin clerk. “I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.”
Puff! She's gone.
“Me next! Me next!” says the sales rep. “I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.”
Puff! He's gone.
“OK, you're up,” the Genie says to the manager.
The manager says, “I want those two back in the office after lunch.”
Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.
Lesson 3:
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.
A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, “Can I also sit like you and do nothing?”
The eagle answered, “Sure, why not.”
So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
Lesson 4:
A turkey was chatting with a bull.
“I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the turkey, “but I haven't got the energy.”
“Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull. “They're packed with nutrients.”
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.
Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.
He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.
Moral of the story:
Bull crap might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there..
Lesson 5:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.
While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.
Morals of the story:
(1) Not everyone who craps on you is your enemy.
(2) Not everyone who gets you out of crap is your
friend.
(3) And when you're in deep crap, it's best to keep
your mouth shut!
Lesson 1:
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.
The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.
Before she says a word, Bob says, “I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.”
After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.
The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.
When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, “Who was that?”
“It was Bob the next door neighbor,” she replies.
“Great,” the husband says, “did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?”
Moral of the story:
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.
Lesson 2:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, “I'll give each of you just one wish.”
“Me first! Me first!” says the admin clerk. “I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.”
Puff! She's gone.
“Me next! Me next!” says the sales rep. “I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.”
Puff! He's gone.
“OK, you're up,” the Genie says to the manager.
The manager says, “I want those two back in the office after lunch.”
Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.
Lesson 3:
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.
A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, “Can I also sit like you and do nothing?”
The eagle answered, “Sure, why not.”
So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
Lesson 4:
A turkey was chatting with a bull.
“I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the turkey, “but I haven't got the energy.”
“Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull. “They're packed with nutrients.”
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.
Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.
He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.
Moral of the story:
Bull crap might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there..
Lesson 5:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.
While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.
Morals of the story:
(1) Not everyone who craps on you is your enemy.
(2) Not everyone who gets you out of crap is your
friend.
(3) And when you're in deep crap, it's best to keep
your mouth shut!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Telephone Service
I read an article that discusses the decline of landline telephones in America. For nearly a year now, I have not had landline telephone service in my home. The main reason? Money.
For a number years I had one of the best calling plans available. For $39.99 per month I had unlimited local and long-distance calling through AT & T. That sounds like a pretty good deal, and it probably is, but what they don’t tell you about in the advertising is that the $39.99 is the basic fee. Then they add another $10.00 or so for services that they are required to provide and another $10.00 or $15.00 in various taxes that they are required to collect. My $19.99 per month Internet service was billed through A T & T so that by the time I got my monthly bill, I owed $85.00 or $90.00.
About a year ago, my wife and I decided that we could not afford to continue having both landline and cellular telephone service. As we talked it over, we decided that if we had to choose between one or the other, the cell phone was more practical—after all, we could take it anywhere and we also liked the idea that our teenage son could have a phone while he is out running around, doing teenage guy stuff.
One of our concerns was how to have Internet service without telephone service. For several years, we had had A T & T DSL service, and we were very happy with it. We knew we could get Internet service from our local cable TV company, but we were not cable customers and did not want to become cable customers. Having cable Internet service without also having cable TV service cost nearly $50.00 per month, much more than we wanted to pay.
We decided to discontinue our telephone service, even though we thought it meant we would have to give up our Internet service. However, when I talked to the A T & T representative, I found out we could have DSL service even if we did not have a landline telephone. It is called a “dry loop,” and originally cost $23.99 per month (it recently went up to $29.00 per month). Unlike the telephone service, there are no added charges; the price is $29.00 per month, and that’s all I pay.
We went for five or six months without a telephone in our home. It was really nice not having that $65.00 per month telephone bill. But there were times when having a telephone in the house would have been convenient. For instance, if my wife had the cell phone with her while she was out, she could not use to call home if she had car trouble.
Another issue was the cost of our cell phone service. Our basic plan is for 450 minutes per month for $40.00 per month. The second line for our son cost an additional $9.99 per month. Unlimited text messaging is $19.99. Taxes bring the total to about $80.00 per month. If you don’t count the cost of the text messaging it means we pay about $60.00 per month for 450 minutes, or about 13 cents per minute. And the minutes include calls received as well as calls made. Our plan does include free nights and weekends, but when you need to call a business during the middle of the day and you are put on “hold,” 13 cents per minute is very expensive.
So I started looking around for a way to have a telephone at home without the expense. I ended up trying two different online telephone providers, Skype and Yahoo Messenger. Both companies allowed me to download their software for free. The software allows me to use my computer to make calls from my computer to any telephone anywhere in the world. Both companies also allowed me to purchase a telephone number so that other people could call me. Neither company required a contract.
I was not sure I would be happy with either service, so I originally signed up for both. I found that the quality for both was excellent—most people cannot tell that I am using a computer instead of a regular telephone. Both companies charge $2.99 per month for the telephone number and have the same basic features (voice mail, caller ID, and an address book that you can use for speed dialing or e-mail messages; you can be notified of incoming calls via a pop-up message or have the phone ring through your computer speakers). I ended up dropping the Skype in favor of the Yahoo because Skype charges 2.1 cents per minute and Yahoo charges a penny (this includes both local and long distance calls in America; international calls are more expensive).
With Yahoo, unlike with a cell phone, I am not charged for calling toll-free (800, 888, etc.) numbers and I am not charged when someone calls me. So I pay $29.00 per month for the Internet service, $2.99 per month for the telephone number, and a penny per minute (this figures out to 1000 minutes for $10.00) for calls that I dial from my computer. This means that I typically spend about $35.00 per month for my Internet and telephone service combined. As I mentioned earlier, I used to pay around $65.00 per month for the phone, and another $19.99 per month for the Internet.
Despite the savings there are a few drawbacks to this system. To have good quality you really need to have a DSL, cable, or other high speed Internet service. In order for the telephone to work, the computer must be turned on and the Yahoo Messenger program needs to be running; so if you want to have continuous telephone service, you have to leave your computer on all the time.
You need a way to talk and to listen. You can use a microphone and your computer speakers, but the quality is better with a headphone with an attached microphone. I use a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoiP) telephone that connects to a USB port on my computer. I bought it at Wal-Mart for $29.99 and it provides better quality than the headphone and microphone I had been using. When using headphone or USB telephone, I have to be fairly close to the computer when I am using the phone. I believe that you can purchase phones that connect wirelessly, but they cost more than mine.
I know that this type of telephone service is not for everyone, but it may be something you want to check out at http://voice.yahoo.com/. I’ve tried it and it works for me.
For a number years I had one of the best calling plans available. For $39.99 per month I had unlimited local and long-distance calling through AT & T. That sounds like a pretty good deal, and it probably is, but what they don’t tell you about in the advertising is that the $39.99 is the basic fee. Then they add another $10.00 or so for services that they are required to provide and another $10.00 or $15.00 in various taxes that they are required to collect. My $19.99 per month Internet service was billed through A T & T so that by the time I got my monthly bill, I owed $85.00 or $90.00.
About a year ago, my wife and I decided that we could not afford to continue having both landline and cellular telephone service. As we talked it over, we decided that if we had to choose between one or the other, the cell phone was more practical—after all, we could take it anywhere and we also liked the idea that our teenage son could have a phone while he is out running around, doing teenage guy stuff.
One of our concerns was how to have Internet service without telephone service. For several years, we had had A T & T DSL service, and we were very happy with it. We knew we could get Internet service from our local cable TV company, but we were not cable customers and did not want to become cable customers. Having cable Internet service without also having cable TV service cost nearly $50.00 per month, much more than we wanted to pay.
We decided to discontinue our telephone service, even though we thought it meant we would have to give up our Internet service. However, when I talked to the A T & T representative, I found out we could have DSL service even if we did not have a landline telephone. It is called a “dry loop,” and originally cost $23.99 per month (it recently went up to $29.00 per month). Unlike the telephone service, there are no added charges; the price is $29.00 per month, and that’s all I pay.
We went for five or six months without a telephone in our home. It was really nice not having that $65.00 per month telephone bill. But there were times when having a telephone in the house would have been convenient. For instance, if my wife had the cell phone with her while she was out, she could not use to call home if she had car trouble.
Another issue was the cost of our cell phone service. Our basic plan is for 450 minutes per month for $40.00 per month. The second line for our son cost an additional $9.99 per month. Unlimited text messaging is $19.99. Taxes bring the total to about $80.00 per month. If you don’t count the cost of the text messaging it means we pay about $60.00 per month for 450 minutes, or about 13 cents per minute. And the minutes include calls received as well as calls made. Our plan does include free nights and weekends, but when you need to call a business during the middle of the day and you are put on “hold,” 13 cents per minute is very expensive.
So I started looking around for a way to have a telephone at home without the expense. I ended up trying two different online telephone providers, Skype and Yahoo Messenger. Both companies allowed me to download their software for free. The software allows me to use my computer to make calls from my computer to any telephone anywhere in the world. Both companies also allowed me to purchase a telephone number so that other people could call me. Neither company required a contract.
I was not sure I would be happy with either service, so I originally signed up for both. I found that the quality for both was excellent—most people cannot tell that I am using a computer instead of a regular telephone. Both companies charge $2.99 per month for the telephone number and have the same basic features (voice mail, caller ID, and an address book that you can use for speed dialing or e-mail messages; you can be notified of incoming calls via a pop-up message or have the phone ring through your computer speakers). I ended up dropping the Skype in favor of the Yahoo because Skype charges 2.1 cents per minute and Yahoo charges a penny (this includes both local and long distance calls in America; international calls are more expensive).
With Yahoo, unlike with a cell phone, I am not charged for calling toll-free (800, 888, etc.) numbers and I am not charged when someone calls me. So I pay $29.00 per month for the Internet service, $2.99 per month for the telephone number, and a penny per minute (this figures out to 1000 minutes for $10.00) for calls that I dial from my computer. This means that I typically spend about $35.00 per month for my Internet and telephone service combined. As I mentioned earlier, I used to pay around $65.00 per month for the phone, and another $19.99 per month for the Internet.
Despite the savings there are a few drawbacks to this system. To have good quality you really need to have a DSL, cable, or other high speed Internet service. In order for the telephone to work, the computer must be turned on and the Yahoo Messenger program needs to be running; so if you want to have continuous telephone service, you have to leave your computer on all the time.
You need a way to talk and to listen. You can use a microphone and your computer speakers, but the quality is better with a headphone with an attached microphone. I use a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoiP) telephone that connects to a USB port on my computer. I bought it at Wal-Mart for $29.99 and it provides better quality than the headphone and microphone I had been using. When using headphone or USB telephone, I have to be fairly close to the computer when I am using the phone. I believe that you can purchase phones that connect wirelessly, but they cost more than mine.
I know that this type of telephone service is not for everyone, but it may be something you want to check out at http://voice.yahoo.com/. I’ve tried it and it works for me.
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