You Have To See This Hilarious Video

I was recently catching up on Save Leigh Ann's blog and seen this hilarious video

Ohio MBA Student Starts Scholarship Fund in Honor of a VT Alumnus

You may recall recently talked about Jon Hanson and his book, "Good debt, Bad debt." I even gave away 3 copies of his book. Last week he made the following annoucement.

Columbus, Ohio, couple donates $5,000 cash and $20,000 in goods to create a "living endowment" at Franklin University, asks others to give online or by mail.

Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) May 1, 2007 -- A Columbus, Ohio couple has donated $5,000 cash and $20,000 in goods to create a "living endowment" at Franklin University, and the couple asks others to give online or by mail. The scholarship fund was started in honor of Virginia Tech alumnus Dave Gordon.

Several questions prompted the couple to act, including: Does your Alma Mater matter? What if the news every 10 minutes was about your Alma Mater not Virginia Tech? Is there a nationwide esprit de corps of the Alumni at 4,216 colleges and universities waiting to show solidarity for their VT Brothers and Sisters? What is the future of higher education funding? These are some of the questions that have been nagging Jon Hanson, a Franklin University MBA student, seeking to transition into fundraising and development work after spending the last 2 years promoting his book Good Debt, Bad Debt (Penguin, 2005).

Hanson said, "I spent most of last week trying to set up a fund in memory of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings, I planned to create a fund at ScholarshipAmerica.org for the VT slain. Timing and appropriateness issues slowed progress. Now that Virginia Tech (vt.edu) has a similar fund set up to memorialize the victims--I decided to do something closer to home to honor my favorite Hokie."

Goal: Create a Living Memorial

Hanson and his wife, Nita, a Capital University Law Student have donated $5,000 to Franklin University from their fund at The Columbus Foundation, to establish the Dave Gordon Leadership Fund, a scholarship with a preference for adult transitional students, over-leveraged single parents, workers in non-profits, entrepreneurs, and self-employed persons.

Besides calling on others to give, Hanson plans to generate another $20,000 for the fund by donating 1,000 hardcover copies of Good Debt, Bad Debt to be sold at www.gooddebt.com .

"The scholarship will receive the entire $20 per book (Hanson will absorb the cost) and you are welcome to buy more than one. They come 28 to a case and are wonderful graduation and wedding presents." There is not a tax deduction for purchasing the books. Hanson will arrange to speak to your group depending on the amount of books purchased or honorarium paid to the fund. If you wish to make a tax deductible contribution contact Hanson through gooddebt.com or mail a check to Dave Gordon Leadership Fund c/o Franklin University, 201 S. Grant Ave, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

Touch Lives Not Buildings

Many donors prefer capital campaigns because you can see the building, you can walk in it, touch it--buy naming rights. "With a scholarship endowment we are able to create a living memorial; your donations will still be helping students 100 years from now. You are not buying a brick but a capital share in someone's future."

"Dave Gordon of Pickerington, Ohio (48) died from cancer in December 2006. He was a VT Alumnus and engineer for American Electric Power. He left behind his wife Jackie and three beautiful daughters. Dave was an enthusiastic supporter of Virginia Tech, traveling to many of their football games. The VT shootings brought Dave's memory to the forefront for me, I was driven to do something--I just wasn't sure what to do. A fund in his name will honor his memory from now on," said Hanson. "Dave practiced Servant Leadership and was an inspiration to all that knew him, even during the darkest days of his sickness. We need more people like Dave Gordon."

Hanson is concerned about the difficulty of older students locked into working and unable to generate the extra funds for grad school or even a bachelor degree. Franklin does a great job with adult students but, someone needs to pay. "Almost all of my MBA class receives employer reimbursement." Hanson says, he'd like to see the Dave Gordon Leadership Fund rise to about $340,000 to allow a full program scholarship each year to be awarded to a non-traditional student, working single parent, self-employed, or someone working at a non-profit. "The educational pie can only be cut so many times until the pieces are too small to be nutritious for everyone needing pie--those unable to pay or whose employers don't pay. The goal is to get more pie (scholarship and grant money)."

Dave Ramsey is Coming! Dave Ramsey is Coming!

I am so pumped. In about two and a half hours, I will be leaving Topeka to drive to Kansas City to hear Dave Ramsey. Another reader of this blog and I, being single guys, are car pooling and driving to Kansas City together to financial guru Dave Ramsey. The $7 parking fee will be split, thus saving both of us money, if we had drove separately.
I would like to ask Dave a question, sort of a mini interview, but I really don't want to wait in line. Once I get out of the event, I just want to get back on the road and get home.
We will have to see what happens. It should be a great time. We are planning on stopping by a Wendy's and get items off their .99 menu. Biggie fries and Burger baby. Heck the burger is bigger then McDonald's $1 double and is a penny cheaper as well.
And you all know what Ben Franklin advised, "A penny saved, is a penny earned."

Till next time, see you, and here's to everyone getting debt-free. God bless everyone.

Desire to Date and Desire to Be Debt-Free

The biggest struggle I have right now is a war between my two biggest desires. My desire to find a wife, settle down and raise a family and my desire to be debt-free. As tight as my budget is, I cannot afford to to go out, let alone take out a girlfriend who might become the future princess of thrift.
Of course, I could wait until I am 100% debt-free and then I will have additional cash to spend as well as save. However, I am 38 (39 in July) and am not sure I can wait another two years to start dating.
Of course, I never planned to be nearly 40 before starting a family, but the best laid plans don't always go the way we plan. For example, I was in the news recently (4/22/07) because I didn't give up on one of my political dreams. A dream as all (KTKA-TV49, WIBW-TV13, and Topeka Capital-Journal) press accounts pointed out, that took me 17-years to finally accomplish.
As you can see, I am not a quiter. Throughout all the press coverage and the subsequent votes in favor of my resolution, I repeated the Henry Ford, several times. The quote, which I have mentioned on this blog before, "If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
I intend to find a girlfriend and with any luck and God's guidance, she will eventually be my wife. In fact, there is someone. Two really. One I have been interested in for quite some time, who until recently, had been an employee in the store that I am a member of management in. Unfortunately, she has yet to answer the phone when I call. She is very busy with her job and may be to busy for a relationship.
The other gal, I met on-line and lives about 45 minutes from Topeka. Is attending K-State and working part time at a hardware store. She and I have sent numerous text messages and made several phone calls back and forth over the past week. This is the gal that seems to be the most likely for something to develop with. However, it is still way to early to know what might happen. I don't want to put the cart before the horse.
The question that I am struggling with is how do I balance both of my desires, so that I can accomplish both of them.

New Thoughts on The Gas Out - A Realistic Way to Effect Change

I had never heard of this gas out idea before this year. As a result I posted it on my blog, then emailed it to a local talk show host.
The host and I both looked it up on snopes and found that it won't work for the very reasons you have mentioned. However, there is another thought out there. The other thought has a much better chance of working.
That idea is boycotting the largest fuel distributor (Exxon-Mobil) altogether. By boycotting the biggest, the theory goes, their profits suffer, while others like BP may go up, as a result they will try to get more customers back to their stores and lower their prices. If they drop their prices, everyone else will have to drop their prices as well to remain competitive. So what about it, lets boycott Exxon-Mobile stations for the next year or so. Force them to drop their prices and thus forcing all the other companies to follow suit.

Humorous Video Explains High Water Bill

I recently found this video online. A couple couldn't figure out why their water bill was high. Then one day, they found out. Surprised they video taped. The answer will surprise you. While the video is funny, it has a serious side. In this case to keep their water bill normal or lower, this couple started keeping the bathroom door shut. Anyway, just watch the video and you will understand why.

NO GAS...On May 15th 2007

A friend of mine, recently sent me the following message. Because the message is so important, I am posting it here.

NO GAS...On May 15th 2007
Body: Don't pump gas on may 15th
Body: ...in April 1997, there was a "gas out" conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.

On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station in protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places.

There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up.

If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take
$2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companys pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day.

If you agree (which I cant see why you wouldnt) resend this to all your contact list. With it saying, ''Don't pump gas on May 15th"