What happened to Emily could happen to you. Emily is a 40-something professional with an outstanding resume. Unfortunately, the company she worked for on contract went belly-up twice in one year.

Listen to the show and/or read more below.

The first time led to a six-month lay-off, but she was paid up-to-date. Belly-up II resulted in company restructuring – a euphemism for “We don’t intend to pay what we owe.”

Dealing with Deadbeat Employers

Employees were fired without notice, and Emily was still owed $400. She was instructed to work when they knew they couldn’t pay. Four hundred is not a huge sum, but Emily believes that every dollar is worth fighting for. The new “president” (small p – mercurial, 35 and a former part-time worker) had promised to pay. Emily sent emails. He wrote back pleading poverty. But her final email got his attention. Emily wrote:

“Three months have passed since you last promised delivery of a check in the sum of $400 for work undertaken for your company.

“This is abusive behavior. You should realize that your own self-interest is served by honoring this debt.

“As for any future association with your company, thanks but no thanks.”

The president called her within five minutes. He stated, “We’ll settle on Tuesday. Come to our new office on the second floor. We want you to sign a release letter.” The address was an upscale neighborhood. If the company had money for a new office in a great location, why didn’t they paid her during the intervening months?

Taking no chances, Emily confirmed the date and location by email while still on the call.

Warning Sign: The president then told her to meet him in the front of the building, rather than in the new office .

Bizarre, but Emily wanted her money. Perhaps the new office was tiny, and he didn’t want her to see it.

Here’s what transpired.

Emily arrived at the front of the building at the appointed hour to collect her overdue check. She waited, and waited…and waited. No president. She tried entering the building. The company’s name wasn’t listed, and there was no way to gain entry without a code. She phoned numerous companies listed on the door. No one answered.

Finally, after 20 minutes of pacing and dialing, one of the ground-level tenants let her into the building. The “restructured” company didn’t appear on the paper roster taped to the first floor wall. She took the elevator to the second floor and asked those she encountered if they knew the company. Nada. By now, she was upset and angry – feeling utterly abused by the situation and all players involved. That’s when she chanced on a sign with the company name.

She opened the door and saw the president happily chatting at his desk. Emily raised her voice (men raise their voices, women shout, or so men would often have us believe):  “How could you leave me out there?”

The Bully: The president responded with the following tirade, “How dare you shout at me. You’re psychotic and I want nothing more to do with you.” Yes, he used such a hideous word to demean a professional woman and five years of loyal service to the company. He set up the conflict, doubted that she would find him, but once she did he was a regular King Kong.

Threats: The president added: “If you say another word, I’m phoning the police to have you arrested for trespassing.” He started to dial.

Emily considered the alternatives. Conflict vs check. Police vs $400. She would naturally tell the police to review his email – where the meeting was confirmed for the office, not the pavement downstairs. She could then have sued him and what remained of the company for false arrest.

But she understood the type of person she was dealing with. So she said flatly, “Let’s finish this” and then spoke as little as possible. Best offense in dealing with bullies – speak little, leave quickly.

“What do I owe you?” he asked (as if he didn’t know), “A hundred dollars?” Mean and meaner. That’s how bullies behave. Emily answered in two words. “Four hundred.”

Then he said, “I didn’t prepare the release letter yet.” Right. He didn’t prepare it, because he never expected to see her – certain that she would leave when he didn’t show up on the pavement outside.

He finally typed up the letter, wrote the check and Emily departed – a crescendo for five years of loyal service and a bitter pill to swallow. But she had her money. Fortunately, Emily’s bank allowed late check cashing at the after-hours window.

She had something else as well. The new president with a small p handed her the original of the release letter. He mistakenly kept the copy.

But the one thought on her mind as she drove home was: If it happened to me, it could happen to anyone. Let us know if/when does.

Emily’s motto – don’t get even until you have the cash in hand.

Emily knew that the only way to handle a bully is to stand up to the person. What does standing up mean? You don’t have to respond in kind. For the bully to win, Emily had to leave without her money. But the bully lost.

You have to keep a cool head when dealing with a bully. It’s hard to do, because bullies are skilled at bringing out an emotional response. Leaving Emily on the sidewalk and calling her psychotic was part of his attack. But she outsmarted him.

Most important: If an employer owes you money, don’t give up.

Be an Emily!

To your right to be paid!

Dr. Joyce Starr

Dealing with Deadbeat Employers – Deadbeat Bullies. How to Get Paid. originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on September 2, 2010.

“Incompetence is not being able to do the job. Arrogance is being able to do the job, but saying I don’t care.” ~ Bill O’Reilly

No Bloviating Allowed

I begin my Rights Radio show (and often end it) with Irish music. I even have a family Irish Crest – the one they make up for tourists. But Bill is the real deal – direct from Irish stock.

I watch his show nightly – through his talking points and guest authors who provide important factual information. Admittedly, I change the channel when Talking Hair types take over the screen – the man-candy experts with bloviating frocks. But I always catch Bill at the end.

Here’s the thing about Bill. I believe he’s truly pained by Obama’s miscalculations, outright mistakes and landmark programs that hurt the folks. He so wants Obama to do the right thing – to succeed – that it singes him personally when the President does just the opposite. Often Bill will lament: “Doesn’t he get it?” Or “Why did he do that?” “Didn’t his advisers warn him?” Or “I just can’t understand him.” “Doesn’t he know that he’s putting distance between himself and the folks on almost every issue?

The main reason that Bill can’t understand Barak is because Bill is an honest man. He speaks to the point and says what he means. Yes, he makes mistakes, but so what. He’s a good guy, a kind person, and there are far too few of those around. He’s a positive human being. I know that he cares about the folks. If you watch him long enough, you’ll feel the same way.

That’s why Bill can’t grasp Barak’s O’Blarney. Obama says what he doesn’t mean, rarely speaks to the point and never makes a mistake. He’s an imperial person who cares a great deal, but few are sure about what. Mostly, he’s impervious to what others think because that’s his true job.

Both have a talent for changing the subject. Bill must change the subject to keep his program moving. Obama changes the subject to keep his agenda moving. But that’s where the similarity ends. Bill responds to crises. Obama creates crises where none existed and remains at the center for as long as possible.

My question for Bill: What makes you think that Barak doesn’t understand that his wife’s vacation to Spain + entourage will generate controversy? Why do you ponder so over his remarks to a Moslem audience about a mosque near Ground Zero – carefully honed words designed to catapult Barak to media magnet of the week? Why are you shocked when he oversells key aspects of the Health Care plan that turn out to be just the opposite?

Isn’t it obvious? O’Blarney is changing the subject – doing precisely what he wants about X while the rest of us focus on Y. And you, Mr. O, keep falling for it. To my mind, it’s not confusing at all. In fact, Barak’s O’Blarney is the most brilliantly crafted messages in American history. Bring down the house while the audience clamors for more.

Maybe it’s time that we all change the channel on Barak’s O’Blarney – where the real message is no message at all.

Bill O’Reilly vs Barak O’Blarney – Why Bill O’Reilly Doesn’t Get Barak… originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on August 19, 2010.

“Until someone has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened.” There are apparently many unawakened souls on the Joplin City Council and in the Mayor’s office.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW: Click the play arrow below to hear my interview with Lindsay.

Many of Her Best Friends are Feral & Abandoned Cats & Kittens

Lindsay on Joplin Policy:

“Joplin has a feral cat problem, and the powers that be are enforcing an ordinance forbidding the feeding and harboring of feral cats.

“If you trap a cat in Joplin, have it sterilized and/or pay for shots, it’s now considered your cat.

“But Joplin residents are not legally permitted to “own” or house more than four animals at a time. Those who keep four animals are not allowed to feed, catch, neuter or vaccinate feral cats. Moreover, owners who release a cat back to the streets are not allowed to feed them. If the cat is starving, you can’t intervene. Their solution is to starve these defenseless cats to death.

“If you feed the cat after releasing it, you’re breaking the law.

“Rescuers are who own more than four cats are guilty of a misdemeanor.”

“I called the Director of Animal Services in Joplin, Dan Pekarek. He confirmed this inhumane and misguided method of control, which has proven wholly ineffective elsewhere. It is SO cruel. We “colony caregivers” regard these cats as our pets.”

Lindsay is asking for your help. Contact:

Joplin Mayor Mike Woolston. Toll Free: 1-800-444-8514 Local: 417-623-3480  Email: mikew@pro100.com

Joplin Globe: Editor – Carol Stark. Phone: 417-623-3480 Write to: The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802. Email: cstark@joplinglobe.com Online Form for Letters to Editor: http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/zope/letter_to_editor.php or Email Letters to Editor: letters@joplinglobe.com

Joplin on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joplin-Missouri/114104185266635?ref=ts

Joplin City Council: http://www.joplinmo.org/council.cfm

Lindsay on Trap, Neuter & Release (TNR) – Success in Sunny Isles & Miami Dade

“Joyce as you know I am a volunteer for The Cat Network which is based in Miami and advocates TNR. Although we are a long, long way from solving our own free roaming cat population, we are all out there feverishly trapping each and every night. Members are lucky enough, through grants etc. to be able to purchase a sterilization certificate through The Cat Network for just $25 which even includes a rabies shot at various participating vets.

“Last year our organization, which is rather small in comparison to many others, nevertheless sterilized 5,844 cats and this year our lofty goal is 10,000. I am also proud to tell you that I personally organized three Spayathons that were “bankrolled” by the City of Sunny Isles Beach in Florida. Sunny Isles Beach provided the location and The Cat Network sent their own mobile surgical unit to town. In just one day alone, the Cat Network’s resident vet and his wonderful vet tech operated on a staggering 80 cats. The total for the three Spayathons was in fact 220. By doing that, I can say we saved literally thousand of kittens from being born into a life of virtual misery.

“Prior to Sunny Isles Beach earmarking many thousands of dollars for the sterilization of local cats, you could see cats everywhere and also a dead cat here or there that had probably tried to cross a road in search of food or a mate, possibly caused a traffic accident in doing so. Many residents were very unhappy. Now the cats are cared for and fed at specified feeding stations by local volunteers and a symbiotic relationship exists.

“Again I am thinking of Joplin and thanking my lucky stars that I live where I do because just recently the Humane Society and Animal Services of Dade county were given a substantial grant whereby free roaming cats were sterilized, given a rabies vaccination and also a 4 in 1 shot, all for an amazing five dollars. My friends and I were out each and every night bringing in as many cats as we could while the grant was in force. It was FANTASTIC. Perhaps Joplin could take a leaf out of our book and move with the times.

“Once Joplin was well known as the home of the famous ball player Micky Mantel and I am hoping that it will not now be infamous as the city of cat inhumanity. Missouri also prided itself on being the “Show me State”, I don’t think THIS ordinance is anything to be proud of, do you?”

Cat Cruelty in Joplin, Missouri – Inhumanity Towards Feral Cats & Kittens originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on August 14, 2010.

Renters are rarely evicted for disturbing their neighbors, can’t be fined and can generally do whatever they want without consequence.

Click to listen and/or read below.

The absent owner can be fined, but it’s typically too much trouble for condo boards and managers to go after out-of-state owners for the bad deeds of their renters. Further, fearing the owner might dump the unit if they don’t receive their monthly rent, condo boards don’t want to rock the renter out of his/her comfee boat.

The net result: noisy, inconsiderate tenants. In one local condo, half of the penthouse floor is populated by renters, not owners. The next floor down is even worse. Owners below complain of ear-shattering music, moving of heavy objects at all hours of the night, boisterous balcony parties and secondhand smoke snaking through the corridors and central air-conditioning systems.

But complaints to management and/or condo boards fall on deaf ears. “The tenant said he wasn’t doing a thing” is a common retort. So the tenant said? Owners are treated as if they’re living in an imaginary world. The tenant is rarely wrong. The unit owner is seldom right.

Yes, renters are screened before being allowed to move in. But there is no way to determine in advance who will behave like an insensitive clod or bully. Prospective renters cannot be legally denied the right to lease based on personality. Tenants are also infrequently advised of good neighbor policies and practices.

In one case, a renter ran a cooking and food catering service out of her small kitchen – dumping pounds of hot grease down the kitchen sink weekly. Board members knew the renter was running a catering business, but didn’t intervene. A year later, a kitchen pipe full of her gunk exploded, destroying at least two kitchens in units below. By then, the unit had been sold, the renter was gone, and there was nothing the Association could do.

I wrote a book called Secondhand Smoke Crimes – When Neighbors Poison You, Your Family & Pets. The neighbor featured in the book – based on a true story – is a renter. His smoke permeates the living room of one owner and the kitchen of another. You can smell the disgusting tars in her kitchen cabinets, drawers and even in her dishwasher. Visitors to the corridor are overcome by the foul odor. Young girls and babies living only few doors away inhale the renter’s habit daily.

Several California cities have declared secondhand smoke a toxic health hazard in multi-family homes – while smoking in public housing units is now forbidden. The renter’s lease is up for renewal in October. Yet the board prefers to hide its head in nicotine, rather than refuse to renew the lease.

Owners who pay their condo fees and assessments have no rights against this vile individual, short of hiring an attorney take the condo board and/or renter/owner to court – at enormous personal expense. Several owners in the building are also smokers, but take care to smoke on their balconies or outside the home.

Given the fact that millions of owners have lost their homes, one might assume that offensive renters are previously foreclosed owners. This doesn’t seem to be the case.

Prior owners tend to be considerate renters – and on average, in their upper 30s, 40s or older. Younger renters, especially those who have never owned a condo or home, are less likely to care. The bully smoker, however, is in his mid-60s and was not a victim of foreclosure. He’s simply a horrid individual.

The joy of owning a home is ruined when owners become the target of renter abuse – especially abuses that fall into gray areas. Excessive noise before 11:00 pm may not break a rule, but it can destroy the nerves and peaceful enjoyment of property of those below. Smoking may be permitted in individual units, but that shouldn’t give a renter the right to kill you. Moving a heavy object nightly while others sleep may not break a specific rule, but it can break the health of the owner below. Intentional sleep deprivation, as we know, is classified as torture.

Condo documents typically limit the number of renters to 10 percent of all units, but Board members often turn a blind eye. One board treasurer provided the bank with falsified rental numbers and then bragged about her misdeed to fellow unit owners.

If actions aren’t taken to curtail renter abuse, condo owners may literally become a dying breed. What’s the incentive for buyers if the building is effectively ruled by renters?

To the protection of your health, sanity and peaceful enjoyment of property.

Dr. Joyce Starr

Related Articles:

Condo Owners vs Condo Renters: When Renters Rule the Roost originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on August 7, 2010.

Click to listen and/or read below.

A Soldier Died Today

He was getting old and paunchy

And his hair was falling fast,

And he sat around the Legion,

Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in

And the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his buddies;

They were heroes, every one.

And ‘tho sometimes to his neighbors

His tales became a joke,

All his buddies listened quietly

For they knew where of he spoke.

But we’ll hear his tales no longer,

For ol’ Bob has passed away,

And the world’s a little poorer

For a Soldier died today.

He won’t be mourned by many,

Just his children and his wife.

For he lived an ordinary,

Very quiet sort of life..

He held a job and raised a family,

Going quietly on his way;

And the world won’t note his passing,

‘Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,

Their bodies lie in state,

While thousands note their passing,

And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories

>From the time that they were young

But the passing of a Soldier

Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution

To the welfare of our land,

Some jerk who breaks his promise

And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow

Who in times of war and strife,

Goes off to serve his country

And offers up his life?

The politician’s stipend

And the style in which he lives,

Are often disproportionate,

To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,

Who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal

And perhaps a pension, small.

It’s so easy to forget them,

For it is so many times

That our Bobs and Wayne’s and Johnnys,

Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians

With their compromise and ploys,

Who won for us the freedom

That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,

With your enemies at hand,

Would you really want some cop-out,

With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier–

His home, his country, his kin,

Just a common Soldier,

Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,

And his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us

We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,

We find the Soldier’s part

Is to clean up all the troubles

That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor

While he’s here to hear the praise,

Then at least let’s give him homage

At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline

In the paper that might say:

“OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,

A SOLDIER DIED TODAY.”

Pass On The Patriotism!

YOU can make a difference

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable ‘To My Country’ for an amount “up to and including my life.”

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

Soldiers vs Politicians – A Soldier Died Today w/ Dr. Joyce Starr originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on July 26, 2010.

Hamburgers, pita, pigeons & more! Enjoy the show and/or the show content below.

I especially love the soft serve variety sold by our local ice cream parlor, aptly named D’Lites. It was around 6:00 pm when I ordered a medium chocolate and vanilla swirl cone.

The young woman behind the counter handed me the cone. There was no one else waiting in line.

I turned to find a table but came full stop. The empty tables were coated with gobs of melted ice cream, toppings and who knows what.

I asked her to wash off the table tops so that I could take a seat. She didn’t budge, and the manager – a pleasant person – wasn’t there. I asked again, and then a third, fourth and fifth time. Meanwhile, my soft ice cream cone was melting. Yes, I could have walked back into the sweltering 95 degree heat – perhaps ingested the cone in my car -  but that wasn’t my idea of fun.

Ice Cream - You Should Scream

I paid $3.50 cone (+ tax) to enjoy my cone while sitting at an air-conditioned table taking in the view.

She finally approached a table, with the dirtiest rag imaginable in hand. A filthy rag and a bottle of Windex.

Several moms sat at adjacent tables with their young children in tow. “Look at the way they clean the tables,” I said in a slightly raised voice but to no one in particular.

Three moms looked up and shrugged. No one uttered a word of interest or support.

The worker then proceeded to clean the primary counter-top – where women typically put down their purses to pay – with the same horrible rag.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of spending money to enjoy an ice cream cone, fast food sandwich or meal while watching staff clean tables with dirty rags. Why not use clean paper towels or micro-cloths that can be repeatedly disinfected and washed? Why doesn’t management care? Why doesn’t the public care? Where are the health authorities?

We don’t want to lose more trees than necessary, but neither should we be asked to pay to eat on dirt. Surely, there’s a cleaner ground.

Would you ever THINK of cleaning your kitchen table with the rag you use to wipe the toilet or floor? What’s the difference? How do we know where those filthy rags have been?

And how about the way that sandwich shop workers man-handle your food? I planned to enjoy a pita sandwich at Pita Plus. The “cook” threw my pita on the grill with his left hand and then banged on it with his right fist to make it cook faster.

“You put your hands all over my food,” I said.

“So what,” he replied. “I wash my hands.”

“You’re required by law to wear plastic gloves,” I replied.

He shrugged. Who cares?! Not the restaurant.

Burger King, by contrast, sets a high standard. Food workers start their day with a 12-step hand-washing program – and are required to rewash their hands every hour. Hourly hand washing is digitally tracked. If a worker leaves the area or picks up something off the floor, he/she must rewash.

Tables are cleaned with a blue towel that floats in a concentrated disinfectant solution. The solution is changed every four hours, and the towel is thrown out at the end of the day. The only negative: the same towel is used to wipe off both chairs and tables.

Another pet peeve: Workers that sweep the floor under or near my table while I’m eating – bouncing the dust and dirt into my food. Can’t they wait until the restaurant is empty and/or off hours? I can’t count how many times over the years I had to ask a McDonald’s employee to please stop sweeping the floor near my table.

I’m comforted to that McDonald’s cares about the floors – but there’s a better time and place.

I’ve had enough, and you should as well. Americans spend billions annually on home cleaning products, while paying for the privilege to eat on germ-infested tables in ice cream parlors, fast food joints and yes, even so-called fine restaurants.

A popular French outdoor cafe was besieged by pigeons at the height of the bird flu epidemic. Why? Because the manager refused to put up a sign asking his customers to stop feeding the birds.

The birds flitted from one table to another, resting on those that were empty. And how did the workers clean those tables? You guessed it: With the same filthy rag, because that’s what management told them to do.

And we wonder how sickness spreads.

But the most bizarre story of all comes from a local restaurant that “kosherizes” their glasses once a year. Where do they wash them? In nearby boat harbor waters, full of oil, pollution and muck from vanity yachts! And that’s suppose to make the glasses holy?

Give me a break.

If food establishment owners and managers care so little for our well-being, it’s time that we take our money out of their pockets and reward those who do.

To the customer’s right to clean tables and floors!

Dr. Joyce Starr

Ice Cream, You Should Scream – Paying to Eat on Dirt originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on July 15, 2010.

General Stanley McChrystal -  handsome in a craggy way that soldiers respect and women adore – was a brilliant warrior who despised killing.

General David Petraeus – looking more like a Harvard professor than a soldier -  favored brains over brawn.

Both men walked into traps set by fawners who favored (or pretended to favor) their views.

General Stanley lost his past; General Dave lost his future.

Listen to the audio file here and/or enjoy the transcript below:

The war that couldn’t be won was in a place that few Americans cared about. Those who cared most couldn’t be seen but they received a fortune for caring.

So why did America go to a war that wasn’t a war and couldn’t be won in a place most Americans didn’t care about?

The stated explanation focused on foreign terrorists who killed Americans in New York.

The majority of these terrorists held Saudi passports, but their leader lived in a cave in a country full of poppy seed plants. And that’s where he trained them to attack the most prestigious building in New York City.

The Man Who Lived in a Cave in a Dirt-Rich Country

The world knew that he lived in a cave because he often sent video tapes to the media filmed in one cave or another – warning that he would continue his killing spree. And everyone was furious.

But the real reasons were more complex. First, American and international drug companies needed all the poppy seeds they could control in order to churn them into billions of little cocainated pills.

Secondly, a trillion dollars worth of precious minerals and diamonds were buried beneath the rocks of this impoverished country.

The mineral discovery was revealed nearly a decade after the war against the man in a cave began, though All-Powerful men knew it from the start.

Americans were shocked to learn that their soldier sons were dying for a dirt-poor country that was really dirt-rich.

But since the news flash was overtaken the very next day by shocking developments concerning the finger of a Lady named Ga Ga, the trillion was quickly forgotten.

The man in a cave had many supporters, mostly too young to drive a car in America. Instead, his boy-soldiers drove our finest troops into the ground with the guns that we provided before we went to war against the man in a cave.

For reasons that no one could explain, American troops were often placed in harm’s way – especially when the world wasn’t watching.

Platoons were even ordered to fight from basins surrounded by mountains -  called kill zones – where we let the enemy kill our soldiers in order to keep the war that wasn’t a war going.

Platoons were also ordered to fight without adequate supplies and water. When enough died or were wounded, we withdrew those who survived and left the kill zones to their killers.

The soldiers complained, but few were listening, least of all the All-Powerful men who couldn’t be named or blamed. In fact, the All-Powerful men who ran the war that couldn’t be won were invisible. They knew who they were, but no one else could see them.

Even former and current Presidents, Secretaries of Defense, Generals and Members of Congress were ignorant about the All-Powerful men who pulled the strings – letting the Officially Powerful believe the war that couldn’t be won was really their idea.

And a grand, strategic idea at that. Or so they believed, or wanted to believe, or didn’t believe, but we will never really know.

What we do know is that there were no All-Powerful women in the invisible club, except as as wives, lovers and massage therapists. How do we know that? Because no woman alive at the time was so greedy or vile as to trade money and power for the life of another woman’s son.

And so it went, until one day, America declared victory by losing the war that couldn’t be won – withdrawing the remnants of the greatest colonels and generals who would never be and replacing them with platoons of geologists, drillers and bankers.

The next generation of last great generals had been killed or injured, leaving a gaping wound in America’s military capability – all according to plan.

The man who lived in a cave was never found.

The Invisible men who instigated and secretly managed the war were by now so filthy rich that they became the most hated people on the planet.

But then the most amazing thing happened, which until today, absolutely no one – least of all the press – can explain.

The more they were hated, the more visible they became. Soon, these invisible men became hunted prey just like the soldiers they sent to die in kill zones. But now, everyone in America wanted them dead.

The price on their heads was so high that they fled to caves in the dirt-rich country they plundered for diamonds, minerals and poppy seeds.

The man who lived in the cave but was never found captured these men, chained them to one another, whipped them daily, gave them little water and forced them to sleep with their faces in the dirt.

He even let young boys use them for target practice, a bullet here, an arrow there – so long as the Once-All-Powerful men lived to suffer for another day.

How do we know that? Because the man in a cave sent video tapes to the media. And Americans secretly cheered, because now they hated his All-Powerless captives even more than they remembered hating him.

America’s Last Two Greatest Generals – A Report from the Future originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on July 2, 2010.

Enjoy the show and/or continue reading below:

The key criteria for receiving mortgage modification approval at Wells Fargo/Wachovia – like most banks – is your ratio of debt to earnings. If you lost your job, if you had a bad year, don’t bother applying.

Sue had worked for the company for four years, but was  paid as a consultant in order to eliminate the need for benefits. Now the company was in danger of going belly-up, and she didn’t qualify for unemployment compensation.

Bonus for pushing the government option:

“It’s a terrible catch-22,” admitted one Wells Fargo insider. “It’s a rotten game,” said a banker. “The banks will do everything in their power NOT to reduce your interest, because that’s where they make their money. Why should they give up hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in monthly interest payments?”

How to Defend Your Condo & HOA Rights

Sue naively assumed that Wachovia would treat her with respect. Starting with an 8 percent mortgage many years ago, she’d already refinanced three times as interest rates began to fall. Her points alone had cost $7,500. So she approached her bank officer – the same person who had helped her previously. She was told that mortgage modifications were being handled by a special department that could only be contacted by phone. Bank officers were no longer involved.

Finally reaching a pleasant woman at the other end, she learned that there were two types of modifications available – Obama’s 2009 program and the bank’s internal program. Announced in April, 2009, few banks had signed up for the government’s Mortgage Modification Program by March, 2010. Wachovia enlisted and thereafter pushed the government option.

Explained a knowledgeable property investor: “To modify a mortgage, the bank must obtain approval from every financial institution that bought into the pool and thereafter, from the mortgage insurers. Its too much work, so they’d rather foreclose, take the write off and collect the mortgage insurance. Obama sweetened the deal by offering banks a $1500 cash bonus for each homeowner that applies for the government option.”

Guilt by Suspicion

What’s the difference between the two mortgage modification programs?

Embedded in the fine print of the U.S. government option: Applicants must agree that their personal information can be assessed by employees of the Department of Housing & Urban Development, other relevant agencies and by foreign governments! Moreover, if any government or foreign official harbors “suspicions” that the applicant’s information is  incorrect (with or without proof), she/he can be prosecuted for fraud. It was terrifying. Sue chose the bank option instead, which carried no such bottom line. Wachovia reluctantly accepted her verbal application.

The bank also demanded a brief letter explaining her current predicament – the reason she was applying for the reduced rate – along with supporting documentation that should have been in her file. It wasn’t. She was starting from scratch. The bank appointed a liaison officer to handle her case. Two months later, she received a call from the liaison requesting additional information.

He stated that she would receive a personal phone call – not a letter – confirming whether her application was accepted or rejected. Then silence for the next few months. Sue tried reaching his extension. He never answered and never returned the call.

She finally reached a woman who would not disclose her last name or title.  She instructed Sue to call back every month. After five months of phoning, a person at the other end of the line – not her official liaison – disclosed that the there were handwritten notes in her file indicating that she’d been rejected. But he couldn’t tell her for sure, since he had no authority to do so.

Another month went by. More calls. Nothing. Finally, she received a rejection letter in the mail – solely based on her loss of income. She didn’t earn enough to warrant interest rates she could afford. Imagine that!

The national press seems mystified that mortgage applications are down.  To my view, American homeowners have been beaten down by humiliation and mistreatment. Mortgage modification is just another way of saying: Enjoy the ride.

Here’s an August 20, 2010 update from the US Treasury Department:

Nearly 50 percent leave Obama mortgage-aid program – BostonHerald.com: “A new report issued Friday by the Treasury Department said that approximately 630,000 people who had tried to get their monthly mortgage payments lowered through the effort have been cut loose through July. That’s about 48 percent of the 1.3 million homeowners who had enrolled since March 2009. That is up from more than 40 percent through June.

Borrowers say the program is “a bureaucratic nightmare.” Banks lose their paperwork and then claim the borrowers never turned it in. The report suggests foreclosures could rise in the second half of the year and weaken the ailing housing market, analysts say.”

How to be charged an additional monthly fee a mortgage reduction? Don’t apply. (You read that correctly.)

I received a comment about mortgage modification nightmares at Bank of America that all should read. Homeowner David Russell wrote:

In February 2010, I was solicited via the internet by my mortgage lender Bank of America about their Making Homes Affordable Program. I called to inquire, but was told I did not qualify. About 6 weeks later, I receive a FED-EX package about the program. I called Bank of America, was told the documents were sent by mistake and to “toss them in the trash.” That is exactly what I did.

On June 4, 2010, I noticed that $95.54 was missing out of my checking account. After looking through my bank statement my fixed rate mortgage had jumped from $474.03 to $523.75 in May of 2010.

I contacted Bank of America and was told, “This is your new payment as we opened an escrow account to pay your property taxes and insurance for the Making Homes Affordable Program. I explained to 7 people over a 2 hour time period that I was not eligible for the program, never signed any documents, nor submitted an application, and have paid my own taxes and insurance outside of the loan since I first purchased the property.

The bank did admit that I did not qualify for the program, but the escrow account had been set up and it could “never be terminated.” “You will have to just live with it Mr. Russell,” the rep explained. “I told her my taxes are $199 a year and my yearly insurance is $200, but “You’re withholding almost $600 a year!” Her response: “Well, at the end of the 27 years, we will refund you the difference.” I then informed her that Bank of America fraudulently changed the terms and conditions of my loan without permission, my knowledge, or any signed documents. Response: “We do this all the time. It’s perfectly legal for us to withhold for your taxes and Insurance. I stated that my taxes are paid to date and so is my insurance. They can’t legally raise my mortgage! (But they did.)

I explained to the representative that I may not even be able to pay my mortgage next month as Bank of America funneled $100.00 out of my checking account due to the increase. “Well Mr. Russell, if you don’t pay your mortgage, we will simply have to foreclose on you and have the Sheriff remove you.” I explained to her that I have a limited amount of money and pay my property taxes each year with a small bonus check I receive from work. My insurance is paid in small increments monthly, and I can’t afford a $50 monthly increase in my mortgage. The representative then hung up.

I called Bank of America back and basically was told pretty much the same thing after speaking with 4 more people and a supervisor. The supervisor informed me that he could “try to opt me out of the program” (could take months) – you know, the program I did not qualify for and never returned any documents or applications. He said, “Yes sir that one.” I demanded the $99.54 that Bank of America had fraudulently removed from my bank account via auto-pay. The authorization was only for $474.03 a month not $523.75. Response: “It’s not possible Mr. Russell.”

Bank of America fraudulently increasing my mortgage and is illegally withdrawing more than agreed upon. It is quite apparent that Bank of America is committing blatant fraud in order to account for the TARP money they received.

I contacted the “President’s office” of Bank of America. John Priest promised me that he would look into the matter and said this happened to thousands of people. Since then, Mr. Priest has not returned emails or phone calls.

I have spent countless hours on the phone with Bank of America, only to be threatened with foreclosure and the sheriff removing me from my home. The stress is making me physically ill – just trying to figure out how I can stretch my budget further. I have gone without eating to pay my mortgage, HOA dues, property taxes and insurance. My home (condo) takes well over half of what I make just to not go into foreclosure. I’m now ready to let them have it back! I owe 69,000 on a home that’s now worth 20K at best.

If you’re wondering why Bank of America numbers have increased by 70% in one month, allegedly enrolling more people in the Making Homes Affordable Program, this is how they are doing it. I will never be able to catch up or pay the higher unlawful increase in my mortgage. Did I mention that my taxes, insurance, HOA dues and loan payments have never been late!

I may end up losing my home just for inquiring about the government’s mortgage modification program.

To your mortgage modification rights!

Dr. Joyce Starr

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Foreclosure & Mortgage Crisis: How to Stop the foreclosure process

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Mortgage Modification – How Banks Take Homeowners for a Ride originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on June 11, 2010.

Listen to the show and/or read the full article below:

Did the soldiers choose their assignment? Did they look forward to being pummeled with pipes and knives? Did they anticipate that “peace” activists on-board would throw two of their own overboard – and threaten to lynch others? Certainly not. Were they given orders to shoot to kill on sight? No – they were carrying paint guns and pistols. Did 9 people die nonetheless? Yes. Was it a tragic episode? Horribly so. Did Turkey’s President and Hamas hope to create a confrontation with Israel over the Gaza aid flotilla? Absolutely.

Was every man, woman and child in Israel responsible for this turn of events? Should the world hold every newborn and yet to be born accountable? Absolutely not.

And yet, the global fest of Hatred against Israel, Israelis and Jews – the most vicious in recent memory precisely because it was global and viral – erupted not in days, but in seconds, minutes and hours. All that Hatred was biding its time in virtual bunkers, waiting for the signal to attack.

The New York Times and Washington Post “instantly” published a sea of comments so venomous that any sane person would think the world had suddenly gone insane.

Insane over Hatred of Israelis and Jews.

The flotilla of words reached a feverish pitch when Helen Thomas, a 60 year veteran of the White House Press Corps, said Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and “go back home to Poland, Germany, America and everywhere else.”

Or how about the European football chant: “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas!” Perhaps the endgame will come sooner than we think.

When the world goes mad, Americans should get mad – not be dragged into the hysteria. Words matter.

As one Israeli citizen wrote: “The boats wanting to break the blockade are playing into the hands of people who don’t give a damn about their passengers. You can’t stop a conflict built on insanity with a Red Riding Hood mentality. We would rather not send our kids, boyfriends and husbands to risk themselves or you…People have being saying things about Israel they wouldn’t believe they said if we, Israeli citizens, the actual people, would send back their messages with a personal note about how it feels to see all their demons showing.”

Israel’s blockade of Gaza is the result of colliding truths: Hamas has declared time and again its intention to destroy Israel – and proved it by launching repeated rocket attacks from the Gaza staging area. Trying to stop the flow of weapons into Gaza, Israel declared a blockade three years ago. Egypt – viewing Hamas as a terrorist organization and threat – put its power behind the blockade. (Yet, there has been no outpouring of global Hatred against Egypt.) Iran is targeting a take-over of Gaza. A majority of Gazans voted for Hamas. But those who voted against Hamas, weren’t old enough to vote or weren’t alive when the vote took place are victims of leaders and policies they didn’t choose.

With events in the Middle East moving rapidly, with political landscapes shifting week to week, few observers care to remember how the situation in Gaza came about and why. Since 2007, the policy of the International Quartet has been to isolate the government that controls Gaza after Hamas forces ousted the forces loyal to the official representative of Palestinians from the Strip in a coup. An ugly and violent coup. “In five days of intense fighting,” reported Der Spiegel, a respectable European publication, “Hamas wrested political control over the 1.4 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. Fatah’s troops offered surprisingly little resistance.

By the end of [the] week, victorious Hamas fighters were driving [a Fatah leader's] few remaining men half-naked through the streets, before executing them in the desert.”

So, there were very good reasons for isolating Hamas and attempting to contain the Gaza Strip. True, the government in charge of Gaza is a headache for Israel. But it is no less of a nuisance to the legitimate representative of the Palestinians—the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas…Recognizing Hamas would signal that the Palestinian Authority could no longer claim to represent the people of Gaza. It would signal that the world is willing to work with a bully, with a group refusing to commit—even rhetorically—to the cause of peace, that it has given up on a better life for the Palestinians of Gaza.

Not even the United States, generally mellow in its response to the raid, could resist the temptation to define the situation in Gaza as “unacceptable and unsustainable.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared that “we have to deal with the situation in Gaza in a way that both protects Israel’s legitimate security interests and fulfills the needs of the people of Gaza.”

…the likely outcome of the flotilla affair will be that Israel’s security needs will be met, but less vigorously, and the “people of Gaza” will be abandoned. They will get more aid, more food and supplies, maybe some roads and buildings will be repaired—but abandoned they will be. Destined to be ruled by the ruthless and undemocratic Hamas regime without the international community’s protests or objections. ~ Shmuel Rosner, Slate

Was Israel (and Egypt’s) multi-year blockade of Gaza the most effective option? Yes, and it’s unclear. The rocket attacks stopped – for now – but Gazans are hungry for hope. Was there a better way? Possibly. What was it? No one can say – in retrospect – with any certainty. Ironically, Turkey and Israel strengthened military and strategic cooperation during the same 3-year period. Yet, I don’t recall Turkey sending food, medical and building supplies to Gaza  – until the Memorial Day flotilla.  By comparison, Israel has been sending  10,000 tons of food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies to Gaza every month.

Land for peace. Remember? Well, during the past decade, Israel gave the land — evacuating South Lebanon in 2000 and Gaza in 2005. What did it get? An intensification of belligerency, heavy militarization of the enemy side, multiple kidnappings, cross-border attacks and, from Gaza, years of unrelenting rocket attack. The world is tired of these troublesome Jews, 6 million — that number again… refusing every invitation to national suicide. For which they are relentlessly demonized, ghettoized and constrained from defending themselves, even as the more committed anti-Zionists — Iranian in particular — openly prepare a more final solution. ~ Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post

What actions would you have taken against Hamas if you were the Prime Minister and/or Defense Minister of Israel? I would have been wiser, all-seeing, benevolent and made no mistakes. But that’s just me. What would the President of Iran do in a parallel situation? Or the President of Turkey? I’m certain they would allowed in as many weapons as possible, embraced their enemies until it hurt and told their own citizens to accept whatever fate has in store – including generously agreeing to vanish as a sovereign nation if it would make the world a happier place.

And if that didn’t work, they could have launched a flotilla of Hatred against Israelis and Jews, because that’s what rulers and pundits do when self-aggrandizement is their true objective.

But truth has a way of rising to the surface. A new report states that activists who attacked Israeli commandos with clubs and knives boarded the ship in Istanbul without checks and were equipped by the Turkish government with flack jackets embroidered with Turkish flags, communications equipment and gas masks.

In a report published this week, a group of independent investigators from Israel’s intelligence community found that activists aboard the ‘Mavi Marmara’ were part of an organized group that was prepared for a violent conflict. The report, published by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Malam), said activists who attacked commandos with clubs and knives were supported by the Turkish government.

The report said while most of the Mavi Marmara’s 500 passengers were humanitarian volunteers who underwent security checks before boarding the ship at Antalya in Turkey, a group of 40 IHH activists had boarded the ship in an Istanbul port beforehand, keeping apart from the rest of the passengers throughout the journey. This hard core of activists boarded the ship without checks and was equipped with communications equipment, flack jackets embroidered with Turkish flags, and gas masks, Malam said. According to the report, the group turned the upper deck into its headquarters, blocking it off to other passengers. It had a clear internal hierarchy, with specific activists nominated as commanders.

As they had been banned from bringing wepaons aboard, IHH members improvised weapons including metal rods and knives cut from the ship’s metal rails, which they used to attack the soldiers. According to a witness aboard the ship, a confrontation broke out when the ship’s crew heard IHH members sawing the railing into metal rods, but they were unable to confiscate them from them.

IHH activists also gathered all the knives from six cafeterias on the ship, as well as axes from fire extinguishers on the deck, all of which served as weapons against Israeli commandos.  ~ Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz

Two final points:

1) On Wednesday, June 9, the United Nations passed a new round of (watered down) sanctions against Iran. China and Russia supported the sanctions. But Turkey voted against them.

2) The British Petroleum oil catastrophe has been compared to a nuclear attack on the United States – certainly on our Gulf Coast ecosystem. Yet, and rightfully so, not a word in the US press of irrational Hatred towards the British people.

To words that matter,

Dr. Joyce Starr

Flotillas of Hatred: When Truths Collide & Words Matter originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on June 6, 2010.

Home Air Purification via Air Duct Cleaning & Washable Filters

Do you change your air-conditioning and heating filters on a regular basis? Are you aware that most standard, disposable air filters block only seven to ten percent of household bacteria – such as skin flakes, cooking oil, dust mites, mold spores etc? Dr. Air Care, offers washable filters that reportedly block nearly 99 percent of allergens, while saving you money year after year.

Listen to this Rights Radio.com show below to learn more.

Q: David, what triggered your journey into air care solutions?

A: About five years ago, I Was living in an apartment building in Sherman Oaks, California. I was dealing with numerous health issues. I had a hard time breathing, I was getting allergies and skin irritations. I mentioned this issue many times to the buildings management but was ignored. When they finally came out to inspect the problem, they sent a handyman to take a look. Now this is the same guy that would repair typical issues like broken door or drawer. But he had no clue about air quality. He mentioned that changing the air filters every 6-8 months is required, but then again he was using 30 day filters for 240 days! I then took this matter into my own hands. I went online and read about air quality – how so many people suffer from allergies and much much more caused by indoor air quality.

Q. I understand that you visited a number of doctors during your research.

Air Duct Cleaning + Washable Air Filters

Yes, they concurred that air quality is the #1 cause of 99 percent of everyday sickness’s such as allergies, colds, flues, nosebleeds, lung cancer, asthma & COPD. They also agreed that adults and children will have a difficult time overcoming respiratory illnesses like asthma as long as home air quality is poor.

Q. A number of doctors also sent your questionnaire to their patients. It’s interesting that they were willing to work with both a non-medical professional and a person new to the field.

A. I was new to air filtration, but not home building. I’d spent 8 years in the home building industry – from construction to sales. The doctors realized that I might be able to help their patients if I could get a better handle on the problem.

We asked patients identical questions, and amazingly, their answers were nearly all the same. The key question was: How often do you change the filters? The responses were nearly universal: “I don’t change the filter; I don’t even know what an air filter is; I think I did it three years ago when we moved in.” Filters deserve more attention then they receive. If you’re using a 30 day filter,  you should only use it for that period. The majority of disposable filters only stop ten percent of bacteria from entering the air system. Replacing them regularly is a great improvement over doing nothing.

Q: How often do most people use their heating and cooling systems?

Home Air Filter

A: Two to four times a week is considered often.

Q: How often should air filters be changed?

A: Filters should be changed as directed! Thirty to 90 days.

Q: What happens if filters are not changed regularly?

A: Failing to change the filter regularly results in poor health, as well as high electric bills and future repairs.

Q: How does changing an air filter save on electricity?

A: When the filter is dirty, the system cannot breath properly and works much harder, thus increasing your electricity bill.

Q: You’ve taken it further by creating a washable air filter. What were you trying to achieve?

A: We discovered that filtering properly and regularly reduces electricity costs and keeps your heater & a/c working for a very long time without the need for repairs. But there’s a catch. Filters that you purchase at the hardware or grocery store only stop about ten percent of air-born bacteria. Our air filter can stop 99 percent of all air-born bacteria and be washed regularly. No more running to the store to pick up filters. No more dust on furniture and of course, now you’re living in a cleaner air environment.

Q: What kind of air born bacteria are you talking about?

A: Cooking oils, skin flakes, dust mites, pet hair, dander and saliva.

Q: What’s the advantage of using washable air purifying filters over paper or fiberglass filters?

A: As noted, our filter stops 99 percent of bacteria from entering the system. It has a lifetime warranty as long as you wash it every 30-45 days. Bacteria that makes its way to the bedroom is typically coming from the kitchen, hallways, living & dining area. Our washable filter purifies the entire house – preventing allergens, dust, skin flakes, and cooking oils from entering your central air system. Not to mention it can also be used as an air freshener. Spray a small amount of Febreze into the air intake, and you will instantly have the same scent coming out of every vent in the house. (But don’t try it on a paper or fiberglass filter!)

Q: Tell us more about DrAirCare.com. Where are you based, and what types of services do you provide?

A: Dr Air Care is based in Southern California. We service sick homes on a daily basis and receive referrals from over 60 Doctors. We specialize in allergy and respiratory problems. Air duct cleaning is the focus of our services, but we offer a variety of services to help families enjoy healthy air. We believe that the #1 solution to air quality is proper filtration. Our air purification methods include air duct cleaning, furnace cleaning & UV technology.

Q: Who are your primary clients?

A: We deal with anyone suffering from poor air quality – pet owners, people moving to new home. Anyone with allergies to dust or pets.

Q: How much does a Dr. Air Care air purifying filter cost?

A: It all depends on the size. But on an average, $60-$110.

Q: What about custom sizes?

A: We can make any size filter for any system or intake. There is no extra charge for custom filters, but they take about a week longer to produce.

Q:: How does one wash the filter?

A: Washing the filter is very simple. Remove and wash with pressure water. You can use a hose or simply throw it in the bathtub. The drainage system on the filter will help drying time. Make sure the filter is dry before use.

Q: Are their other advantages of using Dr. Air Care washable air purification filters?

A: If you’re thinking about going green, this is a good way to start. No more trees to cut down – or filters to toss into a landfill. Further, Dr. Air Care will donate a portion of every filter sold to the Haitian relief effort.

Q: Will you be expanding your air duct cleaning service to other states?

A: We hope to offer our air duct and home purification services in Texas in 2010 and thereafter throughout the nation. But naturally, we sell our washable filters worldwide. Just call 888-544-4865 or visit our air purification website.

We’re pleased to note that Dr. Air Care has joined our eminent group of Rights Radio sponsors.

To healthy home air!

Dr. Joyce Starr
Related Rights Radio Article:

Home Air Purifiers: Allergies, Odors, Mold, Tobacco Smoke

Home Air Purification: It’s not easy to find the right machine. I’ve purchased a variety of machines and threw most of them away. None were able to effectively counter mold or other serious toxins. I spoke with air purifying experts across the country, but most represented a single brand. Others offered…

Secondhand Smoke Abuse Against Women, Children, Pets: Second Hand Smoke as a Weapon

Secondhand Smoke Crimes – New Book by Dr. Joyce Starr. Are you a victim of secondhand smoke? Dr. Joyce Starr and NY literary agent Karen Gantz discuss Secondhand Smoke Crimes – how to fight back.

Why Home Air-Conditioning & Heating Filters Make You Sick. Alternative: Washable Filters. originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr on May 22, 2010.