We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
I am a small business owner, a New Yorker, an entrepreneur, a daughter, a sister, and an advocate of others who wish to pursue their dreams. I am passionate about freedom, education and innovation; I am open minded and eager to hear about other people's experiences. My personal views on political issues are deeply rooted in my own personal experiences.
I have launched two businesses over the past seven years; however for the first five years I struggled. I am an educated and intelligent woman but found myself living hand to mouth -- even briefly taking food stamps to buy basic groceries. After year three, I was able to access capital at a reasonable cost and this allowed me to grow; after year six, I am finally seeing some success and I am able to support myself; after year seven I am thriving.
My companies have created jobs for more than 250 US workers and have generated more than $10 million of economic activity. I enjoy my work and find fulfillment in creating a positive impact. I work hard day in and day out to pursue my dreams and encourage others to do the same. I help other entrepreneurs without asking for anything in return because this is the right thing to do. I am not perfect, I have made mistakes, and I am among the ranks of millions of small business owners doing the same thing.
Here are some facts about small businesses. (Before we begin, note that the SBA generally defines small businesses as firms with less than 500 employees; however you can read more details about small business criteria here.)
Small businesses account for 44% of the US economy(1). Specifically, small businesses created $5.9 trillion, or 43.5%, of the $13.6 trillion private non-farm US economy in 2014.
The entire US GDP is approximately $20.2 trillion. The entire world GDP is $80 trillion.
Please let this sink in for a minute. Here are a few other facts.
Small businesses in the US employees 58.9 million people, which makes up 47.5% of the country's total workforce.
Small businesses create 1.5 million jobs annually and account for 64% of new jobs created in the United States(3).
Before COVID, it was challenging enough. Most small businesses fail; here are some stats. The primary reasons small businesses fail are cash flow and management / business planning challenges, the latter of which I believe is due to a lack of education. The SBA has amazing resources for small business owners, but small business owners often are not aware of these resources.
Back to politics. On a personal level, I find many individuals in politics distasteful -- on both sides. I also find many role models in our leadership on both sides. But, personalities are their business and not my business. If I could not find a way to work with people I did not like, I would be out of business.
All I ask is that everyone do a personal inventory of your motives for hate speech or rallying in an unsafe way - whichever side you are on. If you are doing this to fit in, for approval, to make yourself feel better or simply because you are bored, check yourself. Don't be afraid to speak about your experiences -- or to pursue your dreams.
Please, be safe, be grateful, and support a local business today.
The New York Times is having an identity crisis. Is it a newspaper and the paper of record still, which has its own point of view but prints both some hard news and some other opinions? Or is it an “opinion journal,” a magazine like National Review or the Nation, which has one view and sticks with it while patrolling all parts of its turf?
It's an English (via French "chef" and Latin, same root as "captain" and "chieftain." "Jefe" in Spanish.
Do any readers associate the word "chief" as disparaging to Native Americans? If the CEO is question doesn't want to be a boss, ok, but a CEO has to be a boss whether you like it or not.
In the Algonquin family of languages, a "sachem" was the boss.
"Portland is leading. They’re showing what it looks like to stay in the streets despite police oppression, despite the federal forces being sent in. This kind of energy is actually what’s needed."
I beieve that there is a calculated strategy: To expose the violence inherent in the system.
Going after Federal buildings is just begging for that. The feds are obligated to protect Federal property and people. There is nothing these protesters want more than to receive some real bullets.
Nonsense. They would love another Kent State and look as if they are trying to provoke it
What, exactly, is the message when mostly white Leftists are involved with vandalism, graffiti, property damage, assault, and arson, among others? What does it have to do with black lives matter?
When all is said and done, in 2020, the Smithsonian’s caretakers chose to tell our children that values like hard work and rationality are part of the “white” inheritance—and don’t come naturally to those raised in other cultures. If this demeaning caricature was offered up by drawling good ol’ boys defending Jim Crow in some grainy newsreel footage, we’d spot it for the unapologetic racism that it is. The question of the hour, though, is what we call it when educators offer it up in the name of “anti-racism.”
The pandemic could actually strengthen the U.S. food system. The shock to U.S. food chains from the coronavirus has been a boon to small- and mid-sized farms and distributors. Could it be the start of a new way to get food?
The media are openly rooting for a surge in coronavirus cases, cheering for violence and racial division in our streets, praying for a slow economic recovery, and demanding that children stay home from school, because they are hoping it will hurt Trump at the polls. The veils have come off for the mainstream media. On November 3, the veils will also come off for the American voters.
5,000 Burmese 
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