A Crazy Game of Cards

Government and financial institutions expect people to use their credit cards to keep the economy goin, but many times the debtor fails to submit payment for the full balance due. Making the minimum payment keeps the user’s credit rating in good standing, but failure to cover the accrued interest perpetuates a vicious cycle that extends the indebtedness for months on end.

Interest rates, alone, should be an incentive to limit the use of credit cards for emergencies. When the prime rate goes down, bans are still charging a minimum interest of 9.9% above the prime rate. Making the minimum payment keeps the user’s credit rating in good standing, but

There have been countless studies that have shown how Americans in general do not save what is necessary to have sufficient funds to cover times of adverse financial conditions. Moneys invested for retirement are as dismal. This suggests further stress on social services at a time when alarms indicate the insolvency of Social Security within 30 years.

Uncontrolled use of credit cards to make ends meet undermines what is professed to show stability of American consumerism.

In December, Washington passed legislation that gave corporations the option of discontinuing supplementary health insurance to retirees. Private insurers are sure to follow suit since the liability would further stress employee/retiree benefits. As the years pass, every American should expect to pay higher medical deductibles and be prepared to foot additional charges not covered.

Medicare has already implemented denial of payment to medical institutions deemed the cause of post-operative infections. Patients have the options to seek a resolution with the health care provider, pay the charges or seek legal representation. Yes, lawyers are sure to reap some hefty bucks, creating even higher service charges for future medical treatments as doctors and hospitals pay settlement fees.

Many patients are already forced to cover medication expenses by incurring further debt with higher credit card balances.

The average American carries a credit card balance of $8,000! The disturbing reality is that there are many who have a figure much higher as indicated by the word average. There’s no doubt some of the charges are something other than necessary purchases. Corporations instill into peoples minds and lifestyles to upgrade what becomes implied obsolete products as newer, improved models entice the need of those whose quest is to participate on maintaining an edge on products, services and technology.

Most consumers have multiple credit cards. The variety is tempting with banks, department stores, online sites and gas companies doing their best to entice the buyer with introductory rates, bonus points for a multitude of products and services, and balance transfers from higher paying creditors.

Homeowners are the cream of the crop to be targeted by financial institutions. Loan consolidation, refinancing and second, or third, mortgages offer the consumer to free up their credit cards for additional purchases. There are a lot of people who just can’t control their spending. It starts out as a convenience, graduates to a habit and eventually ends up as a psychological disease.

Americans are given little guidance for management of money and financial responsibility. Individuals must take it upon themselves save and plan for economic security for both short term and long term needs. Most corporations offer options for 401k accounts, possibly matching a percentage of the employee’s contribution.

Payroll deduction is the safest and easiest means of saving for the future but many feel intimidated by the risk factor of investment. With an established tendency to fulfill their needs of material possessions, their first thought is garnishing their wages for immediate use.

People are also leary of seeking the assisstance of a financial advisor, in fear they will be responsible for paying transaction fees. More often than not, they are afraid to loose the control they have to spend as they wish. They would rather be irresponsible about their responsibilities. When hard pressed for cash, their tendency to dip a little here and little there costs them dearly with early withdrawals. A professional advisor can allocate funds to accomodate the specific needs of every investor.

People supplement their purchasing power by taking the disadvantage of the convenience of charging items. They view it as a safer alternative to carrying cash or personal checks wherever they happen to shop. The convenience is, well, too convenient. So goes, too, those convience checks.

The best anyone could do is cut up all but one or two cards. And reduce the credit limit to a reasonable amount. A faithful payment history will allow you to increase the amount if necessary in the future. If you call the creditor to cancel even one card, it has an adverse effect on your credit rating! It sounds like a poor scoring method, but that’s the rules of the game.

Inevitably there will always be a time and occasion when the credit card will not only come in handy, but also necessary, such as a car rental and a secondary identification.

Go ahead and keep the card on hand. Just don’t keep it in your hand.

New and improved Blogs

Other blogs that have morphed:

www.parcel-post.blogspot.com
{Comments to Entice}
2008: A New Year. A New Blog.

www.floridamenagerie.blogspot.com
{The State Down Under}
There's more to Florida than Vitamin C...
www.floridamenagerie08.blogspot.com
2008: A New Year. A New Blog.

www.hernandohews.blogspot.com
{Looks and Outlooks of Hernando County FL}
This is more than what you might expect...
www.hernandohews08.blogspot.com
2008: A New Year. A New Blog.


There are no pictures.
There are no sounds.
It's words that pursue me.

Rudy's "very bad headache"

Rudy Giuliani, Republican presidential candidate, experienced a “very bad headache” on December 19, 2007. There was concern it may have been the flu but the following day he was released from Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, with assurance he was in good health. Perhaps, but since doctor-patient privacy laws prohibit sharing of information, it may have been a condition that could lead to other, more serious health concerns. Rudy was quick to bring attention to his bout with prostate cancer in 2000, reassuring voters the absence of recurrence and that his PSA level is “very low, nonexistent”. Nonexistent is surely good news. Very low indicates something other than the best of diagnosis. Which is it? It can’t be both. He may have been distracting journalists from posing other health related questions. Of more immediate concern that may put into question his well-being are possible health problems stemming from his brave gestures to expose himself to harmful dust, debris and contaminants from the fallout of the Twin Towers on 9/11. Terrorists undoubtedly killed thousands of Americans on that infamous day of national disaster but others are at fault for the ill affects that have endangered the lives of nearly 400,000 workers in Lower Manhattan. This doesn’t include those who have residency in nearby condominiums and thousands of others who may also be at risk in outlying communities. As the wind blows, so do the elements of life-threatening poisons. There are untold thousands, if not tens of thousands, of additional victims who inhaled the toxins in the air and buildings during the months following the initial days of the attack on American soil. Rudy was there, as were hundreds of other public servants and employees, at Ground Zero assuring the public that everything possible was being done to ensure the safety of those in close proximity. Rudy was indeed there, following the paths of the EPA and Bush’s Council on Environmental Quality to give guidance and faith that testing of air quality was being done with the utmost diligence and using the most accurate of equipment. Perhaps, but their findings were well hidden from the public. Rudy and Bush and every government department that downplayed the seriousness of the affects of the destruction of the Twin Towers have made New York City and the United States government subject to millions of dollars in law suits, if not billions. As many as 70% of those exposed to the dust have become ill as a result of being exposed to the contaminants. The days and weeks following 9/11, businesses and residents were “dusting off” the gray, sooty materials floating in the air and from air conditioning ducts. Clothes, furniture and floors were covered with particles of fallout, causing alarm to workers and homeowners even though city and federal officials proclaimed all was well and safe. There were multiple reasons for New York City landowners to brush the dust balls under the carpet of secrecy. If buildings were found contaminated, the value of the buildings and properties would plummet. The estimated cost to cleanup a single apartment would amount to $10-20,000. As it stands, many downtown business buildings have, or will be, demolished as workers continue to experience illnesses deemed related to the toxins. The chemical composition of the dust clouds included glass, fiberglass, asbestos from insulation, lead from thousands of computers, mercury from fluorescent light bulbs and pulverized plaster, various metals, cement and other products easily passed through the paper thin painter’s masks that were distributed. Dampened cloth provided no better protection. Few were given gas masks or respirators and anyone who momentarily removed the devices was also exposed. Workers, executives, housewives and home-based professionals weren’t the only ones experiencing problems. Consider children, returning to contaminated schoolrooms, and their pets are the innocent ones. Every mammal, bird and reptile is subject to health problems through their lives, if not an early demise. The symptoms of illness include difficulty breathing, coughing, stomach disorders and panic attacks, even cases of mental illness. And HEADACHES. Keep in mind that these toxins not only infiltrate peoples’ lungs but also flow through their bloodstreams. Most of the minute particles absorbed by every organ of the body are often impossible to allow full recovery. Many of the victims have no health insurance and do the best to treat themselves. The seriousness of some illnesses is vary alarming. Chronic coughs or, worse, asthma with a discharge of phlegm and blood. Failing gallbladders, spleens and livers. Immune disorders. The tens of thousands currently requiring medical attention may dwarf the numbers who will develop health problems during the next couple of decades. I have not found any reference to adverse affects on eyesight, but it took physicians a bit of time just to correlate what illnesses patients were experiencing the weeks following 9/11. Time will tell. So, that simple headache that Rudy experienced just a few weeks ago may purvey something more serious in the future. With the number of times he frequented Ground Zero to claim his moment in history with praise and admiration for the leadership he demonstrated there is little doubt the exposure to contaminants will lay claim to his health. Perhaps it’ll be another headache. Or symptoms of any variety of the flu. Or a cough. A grimace of pain. Sweat on the brow. Any visit to a doctor or another hospital could be signs of something much worse.

The Evolution of Intelligent Design

To believe or not to believe. This will always be a question of faith for mankind.

The trend to teach the Theory of Evolution is wise but there should be a balance between science and what many believe as the creation of all living things. There is merit in the use of the Scientific Method that has shown how, through the ages, there are species that evolved from sea life to land creatures.

Paleontologists have shown that fossils from eons ago suggest a relationship of what was on Earth then and what inhabits our lands and seas today. In most cases, the similarities show a connection to present day living things, including bipeds. I can’t say with any certainty that prehistoric apes are of our ancestry, although this is generally seen as the evolution of man.

On the other hand, there are those who believe in a Supreme Creator, known as God, The Lord, Allah, Jehovah and Yahweh, among other deities. Various interpretations of the Bible might suggest the Tower of Babel has more to do with conflicting religious beliefs than the thought that the divide of cultures was separated with multiple languages. Differing religions offer their own translation of the Bible creating divisive ideologies. Through all of time this has lead to wars, including the current extremist actions of some Islamic and Muslim followers. At times, there is little compromise.

There will always be debates on the rationale of the creation of man and civilizations on Earth. This is where educational teachings can bring together minds and thoughts toward enlightenment on our existence.

It is difficult to understand the hesitation of the scientific community to accept the idea that at some point there was the Creation of time and space, this the concept of the Big Bang theory as professed my many. As time has progressed, the outward expanse of the universe suggests a Force has also evolved with the formation of galaxies, suns, planets and moons. There is no proof but there is the feasibility of other forms of life in the universe, some of which surely would be prescient beings, as we are. There would be more advanced societies, others less so.

My belief stands firm with the thought that there has been the evolution of all earthly creatures from insects to viruses to animals and man. As others have suggested, I also believe that there was a time when all became into existence by what could be called a Supreme Presence. Perhaps all of creation through the universe was made by His design; it is a small-minded, arrogant idea that intelligent beings are strictly limited to this planet.

Intelligent Design fits very well, even though it sounds much too formal a term. This would be in line that man was created in His image where intelligence gives us a means to grow in spirit and knowledge even though we may never “evolve” to His level of knowing.

This thought would be in line with science and religion; there was a Beginning and through the process of time and space the origins of life became a progression of growth and expansion of all things of Creation. There is ample reason for each corner of belief to be in harmony with the other. Each should be taught in the classroom. Students would be given a balanced view of life where rational thought can provide dialogues of debate, thus an evolvement of the mind.

Man is not to worship false prophets nor worship images of His design.

Personally, I worship the Sun for sustaining our lives. I worship all of Nature that my Creator provided toward an understanding of my existence in this concept of life. My belief gives revelation to all that He created. These are my sole beliefs; it is the belief in my soul.

Rudy Red Dress

Rudy Giuliani in drag? When I performed a search in Google I also requested “pictures” since I hadn’t seen the evidence that has been in the news. I’ll say I was a little disappointed. I was sure the sight would be rather repulsive but I have to admit it wasn’t quite as naughty as I had expected.

The purple color (or was it lavender or lilac?) gave a pleasant hue but, as I watched the video, a few questions popped in my mind. The blouse was slightly draped over the midriff and concealed what may have been otherwise unbecoming of a lady. Was our lady of indulgence securely harnessed in a corset? What about other under garments? Black lace? Chartreuse? Silk or satin? Surely, cotton would be shy of propriety. My curiosity has its limits.

The quality of the videos failed to provide me a clear view of the footwear. I imagine pumps were properly coordinated with the gown; otherwise those strides down the aisle would have been less graceful if his feet were adorned with high-heels. Were his legs shaven or were pantyhose another garment of collusion? I prefer not to envision the alternative to these options.

I have no intentions of revisiting the revealing scenes on the web, but I fail to recollect if his costume included earrings. It would be a shame if he had decided against jewelry to accent to locks of blonde.

I ponder the thought how Carson Kressley (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; How To Look Good Nakded) may have beautified Rudy. Their feminine sides may have clashed, resulting in caterwauling from each. My opinion would put Carson’s judgment as more appropriate. Now that I’ve brought up the idea, I would relish the occasion to further critique another transformation of Rudy.

The elegance shown with a splash of perfume equaled any model. Donald Trump sure got a good whiff when he positioned himself ever so close to Rudy’s neck. In no way did I view the scene as a kiss. In private there may have been other indiscretions, something which I decline to envision.

What about those lips? I was not at all impressed. I felt the coloring was much too flashy a red but may have been a goal to bring attention to whatever intentions he had hoped to invoke. I might have suggested that, to portray the look of a lady of the night, appropriate attire would have given him the title of “Rudy Red Dress”. If the dress fits….

Preface to "Ron Paul, the afro, the amero"

Before you read the blog titled Ron Paul, The americano, The afro, I would like to assure you that I have made every attempt to research and provide what I feel pertinent on the subject of sovereignty.

I have been diligent to obtain information from what I feel are official, valid websites. These websites are included in the blog. I have avoided reading other blogs since their sites generally provide too many opinions that may or may not be unbiased. Their information may be in question.

I obtained some initial information from wikipedia but have subsequently read that their information pages can be edited by anyone without oversight, allowing viewers to edit, as they will. The information isn’t necessarily reliable.

Ron Paul, The americano, The afro is very lengthy but I assure you it is not repetitive in nature.

The subject of the blog was brought to my attention at a furniture store! The sales associate explained that manufacturing companies that in the past had been located in the Carolinas are now in foreign countries, taking more jobs away from American workers. She mentioned a currency called the amero and invited me to check it out on the internet.

That is what I have done. That is the premise of Ron Paul, The americano, The afro.

For whatever reason, the media has avoided the subject.

I am not promoting the campaign of Ron Paul. Each voter must view all candidates for their overall politic policies.

Ron Paul, the amero, the afro

In part, this is about a union. This is not at all about a labor union as typically defined as representation of American workers. It is about another, invasive union of nations that would adversely affect the American way of life... and sovereignty. It is about the presidential candidacy of Ron Paul and his commitment to uphold and protect the integrity of The Constitution of the United States.

This is about the Governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States and their goals to become unionized. It does have to do with what some call underhanded and deceptive plans of the three nations to manipulate the economic stability in the North American hemisphere. Although the word “conspiracy” is often used, I look at the situation as “contrived”. In 2006, documents were obtainable under the Freedom of Information Act and acquired by WorldNet Daily journalist Jerome Conti.

There is the group called the Secretive Prosperity Partnership and a plan to create a Pan American Union. And there is the mention of a monetary currency called the “amero”, fairly consistent with the idea that created the “euro” with participating European countries.

(As I am typing in Microsoft Word, “amero” is underlined in red, drawing me to do a Spelling and Grammar check. It is, for now, not a recognized word. “Euro” is recognized. “Amero” may soon become an accepted word in every form of literature. Given the opportunity and out of defiance, I will decline the opportunity to update my computer software.)

The idea of the “amero” was introduced in 1999, the same year the euro became the new European currency, in a paper written by Canadian economist Herbert G. Grubel, The Case for the Amero: The Economics and Politics of a North American Monetary Union published by the Fraser Institute.

The 50-page document acknowledges that a North American Union would “improve the size and the economics of Canada and Mexico; American investment will grow correspondingly”.

It could save up to $3 billion in currency exchange rates alone and increase Canada’s GDP up to 33% within two decades if the economic union were to be adopted.

One of the main concerns identified for Canada is that “for economic reasons, the validity of which is evident from the German experience [the reunification of communist East Germany], the Canadian dollar will have to be valued at a rate that does not affect Canada’s international competitiveness in the long run. Such an efficient rate of exchange by definition would leave unchanged exports, imports, interest rates, capital inflows and outflows, production, employment and unemployment”.

Dr. Grubel certainly makes a case of wanting a piece of the American pie with Canada serving itself before anyone else. In the context of his paper, this is strictly presented as framework to bring economic stability to Canada. He discusses a North American Central Bank where Canada and Mexico could argue their cases and have the opportunity to influence policies through “voting alliances with American representatives”. Lobbyists and Special Interest Groups will always have their influences, greatly so with the implementation of mega-economic financial institutions. He also mentions each nation having representation depending on the ratio of financial influence, although negotiations could give one or more nation (Mexico and/or Canada) additional representation.

The United States may find itself on the downside of the balance of economic prosperity; we give, they take. This would be leaner times for American citizens.

Comparing a possible North American Union (NAU) to the European Economic Union (EEU), GDP figures for the 3-country NAU would be $16 trillion (USA $13 trillion), compared to the 27-country EEU of $16.6 with corresponding populations of 442 (USA 301) and 495 million. I suppose economists supporting multi-national financial agreements find support in numbers that suggest the USA must partner with the other two countries to balance the influence of the EEU.

Through the course of events, another advocate of a North American Union is Robert Pastor, who was director of the Office of Latin American & Caribbean Affairs in the National Security Council under the Carter administration. Present Bill Clinton subsequently nominated Pastor in 1993 to be U.S. Ambassador to Panama but Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) led the opposition to his appointment because of his involvement of “giving away” the Panama Canal to Panama. There was no confirmation.

Dr. Pastor has held a close, longtime association with Jorge G. Castaneda who accompanied Mexico President Vincente Fox to the U.S. in 2001 when Fox claimed to be president to 100 million Mexicans at home and 23 million Mexicans in the United States. Castaneda also voiced the idea that Mexico intends to promote the legalization of all illegal immigrants in the U.S.

On October 10, 2007, on CNN’s Larry King Show, Vicente Fox responded to a viewers’ question, “I would like to know how you feel about the possibility of having a Latin America united with one currency”, to which Fox replied, “Long term, very long term. What we proposed together, President Bush and myself, it’s ALCA, which is a trade union for all the Americas.”

Further, Fox openly confirmed the plan to create a regional currency, the “amero”. ALCA translates to Area de Livre das Americas, translated at “area of free trade in the Americas”. ALCA and NAFTA are one and the same. South American countries were originally targeted to be included but President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela negated such a union.

At a meeting in Waco, Texas, on March 23, 2005, the leaders of Mexico, Canada and the United States announced the implementation of a Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SAPP).

Viewing the website http://www.ssp.gov/, the leaders agreed to focus on “five high priority initiatives”:

***The North American Competitive Council; to enhance North American competitiveness
Advancing Cooperation on Avian and Pandemic Influenza; to deal with avian outbreak and human influenza pandemic in North America.

***North American Energy Security Initiative; to develop a diverse energy resource base in North America by increasing research, development and commercialization of clean energy-related technologies.

***North American Emergency Management; to develop and implement coordination of response to cross border terrorist incidents and natural disasters.

***Smart, Secure Borders; to establish risk-based screening standards with advanced electronic cargo information to analyze risk and ensure quick and efficient processing at the border.

Although none of these objectives indicate anything other than cooperation among the three nations, these is an attitude of alarm that continues to put large government, large financial institutions, and even larger corporations in control of the financial, medical and employment of every American.

As believed by alarmists, indicators of this takeover of the American continent began with the formation of NAFTA, which came into effect January 1, 1994, and has become the largest trade bloc in the world today in terms of the three-nation GDP.

Further signs of regional integration of trade, business and jobs is the Tri-National Advocacy for Efficient, Secure and Environmentally Conscious Trade and Transportation, a nonprofit organization, which promotes the establishment of a “SuperCorridor”, also known as the “NAFTA Superhighway”. The group is better known as North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc., (NASCO). The SuperCorridor, financed and maintained by Spain, would be (will be?) four football fields wide, accomodating pipelines, power lines, railroad tracks in addition to the SuperHighway itself.

The website for North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc., http://www.nascocorridor.com/ takes special note that, rather than being a new roadway, it covers existing highways from Mexico through the United States branching in every direction of the country to the far reaches of Canada along the Trans-Canada Highway upward to Alaska along the west coast.

The logo on this site displays the Canadian maple leaf (red), the American flag (red, white and blue), and the Eagle and Snake of Mexico (black and green) in a circular format. On this site there is also a link to the North American Inland Ports Network (NAIPN), which was established as a sub-committee by members of NASCO in 2003.Their websites Inland ports are cities along the Superhighway. Mexico City, San Antonio, Kansas City, Winnipeg are primary hubs. NIAPN and each Inland Port will soon have their own “Internet Demonstration Pages”.

As you navigate these websites, the numbers of acronyms seem unending.

Canamex <http://www.canamex.org/> is another site displaying a route already established.
It also gives various statistics:

***$0.25/hour in India and China vs. $2.10/hour in Mexico vs. $17.20/hour in the United States for manufacturing jobs. I can only conclude this will account for fewer manufacturing jobs in the U.S. with free trade and jobs benefiting Mexican workers.

***103% increase in vehicle miles traveled since 1970 vs. 5% increase in new road miles since 1970. This strongly suggests that Americans will be footing the bill for massive road construction toward the Superhighway road network.

Perhaps the best website for information investigate is http://www.fina-nafi.org/ which displays a map identifying multiple networks of “corridors” designated as Pacific, West, East and Atlantic. Each has it own network of assigned routes of transport. Florida’s connection in the Atlantic Corridor runs from Key West to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Other websites of interest for further information are http://www.inforwars.net/, http://www.boston.com/, http://www.amerocurrency.com/, and http://www.worldnetdaily.com/ where Jerome Corsi’s articles are predominate on the subject.

Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America_Free_Trade_Agreement is a fair site for other related subjects, such as the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) and North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC).

A telltale sign of things to come are the inclusion of translations in English, French and Spanish. NAFI stands for North American Forum on Integration / Forum sur L’Intergration Nord-Americaine / Ford Sobre La Integracion NorteAmerica. The logo is NAFiNA, which incorporates the language of all three countries.

The sight of the home page shows links to Conferences 2003 and 2004 and Triumvirates 2005 thru 2007. The next meeting, Tirumvirat 2008, is in the Montreal City Hall on May 25th to the 30th. A recent summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 20-21, more than 2,000 demonstrators were kept out by a 10-foot fence. A small group of protestors through rocks and bottles, prompting police to use tear gas to break up the group.

An American, Dean Lawven from New York State, made the comment that “I particularly oppose war criminal Bush seeking to annex Canada and Mexico, to put the armed forces and police services under U.S. command. It’s all very dangerous.”

Some believe the surge of illegal immigrants into the United States was less than an unwelcome opportunity for the advancement of the North American Union.

President Bush has decided to allow the continuation of a controversial pilot program allowing Mexican trucks greater access to U.S. highways despite a law past last year by Congress to prohibit just such an arrangement. Some view this as an underhanded means to proceed with the idea of a North American Union. The DOT took advantage of a loophole that prohibits the government from spending money to “establish” the project. A DOT spokesperson assures that no “new” funding will be appropriated for the program that began in September. Labor, independent truckers and environmental groups oppose the program that allows up to 500 trucks from 100 motor carriers to cross the border. Many feel illegal immigrants may be part of the cargo. As they come, American jobs will go.

Some view the housing slump, banking woes due to sub prime loans, the decline of the dollar and the huge national debt will be contributing factors aimed at convincing the American public to accept the idea of the three-nation combined economic union to redistribute power and wealth.

Others see this as unlikely, siting the Constitution prohibiting giving up our sovereignty.
Most Americans outside of Texas are unaware of the amero or the plans to integrate North America. Of the 2008 Presidential candidates, Ron Paul stands alone with concern for these developments that would erase the borders to the north and south of the United States.

Specific information on Ron Paul's position on this and other national and international concerns can be found at http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues. Ron Paul does not profess the existence of the amero, nor the idea that the North American Union is anything other than a broader version of NAFTA. Ron Paul does have concerns that these trade agreements are an intrusion on American jobs and the sovereignty of America.

Not to make light of the subject but, as I began to wonder why the currency would be called the “amero” since it omits a reference to Canada, I thought it more appropriate to adopt the name as the “americano”, strictly out of fairness.

On another note, in July 2000, there was a meeting in Togo, the Lome Summit, where a declaration was signed to include a 53-nation African Union, named the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and formed in 1968. The OAU has a targeted date of 2028, or earlier, to implement an African currency named the “afro”. The West African Economic and Monetary Union have designated a common currency called the “eco”. Attempting to identify the difference in the two currency has left me at a dead end.

As there is the euro and the future afro and amero, Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) Senior Fellow and Director of International Economics Benn Steil has stated in agency’s Foreign Affairs publication, “countries should abandon monetary nationalism and abolish unwanted currencies, the source of today’s instabilities.”

As there is currently the euro and the coming future of the afro and the possibility of the amero, does Mr. Steil’s statement suggest the progression of globalization foresee a global currency? For convenience, perhaps it should be called "the glob”.

Does this also suggest there may some day be a world-governing agency? Perhaps it will be called “The Federation”.

As suggested by journalist Drake Bennett of the Boston Globe, “Global government and elites who secretly sell out their own citizenry have long been staples of conspiracy theories, thanks in part to the Book of Revelation’s warning that world government will be an early indicator of the Apocalypse.”

Another website of interest is www.snopes.com, run by Urban Legends Reference Pages, addresses the validity of rumors. The site does not recognize the "amero" as anything other than a being a fanciful coin offered by Designs Computed at www.designscomputed.com. Snopes appears to be an opinion blog.

Conspiracy theory or not, we can thank the World Wide Web to keep us informed, although we are intentionally misinformed on some sites.