BenRaines

Bank of America tried to return some of the funds but they wanted to modify the agreement so that they would not have to have so much in reserves. Government would not go for it so they were unable to return the funds at that time. They are trying again Ben Raines

Please don't get me wrong I am not in favor of bigger government. Money was not given to the big banks. Banks borrowed it from the Federal Government with some very heavy fees to borrow and some had to give up significant ownership to get the funds. All I am saying is lets be a little better informed about what the rescue funding was all about and Bailout is an incorrect term for what happened Ben Raines

Government has made over 4 billion dollars on repayment by 5 of the major banks that received funds from the government. They repaid the dollars received and then purchased back their warrants and paid interest on the money received in excess of 4 billion dollars. Government made money on the deal from those banks. The major ones. Ben Raines

I would say that most people have an investment and benefit from big oil companies. If you have a company pension, work for a state or local government or even a smaller company as an employee that has any kind of a retirement plan then you are a beneficiary of big oil. If you own or have an interest in an S&P 500 fund you are an investor in big oil and pharmaceutical companies. Funkytown, I am not getting down on you but on the biased reporting that makes large companies look like they are making money for a select few when most Americans invest in those companies one way or another. Ben Raines

If there was a better way to do it then I think someone would have developed it. When I was much younger Sears was the largest retailer in the US. This was in the late 1970's. I was selling products to K-Mart at the time. K-Mart's goal was to become the largest retailer in the US to to dethrone Sears. A very smart man out of Bentonville, Arkansas started with the philosophy that there were under served small towns throughout the country where he could bring better product at a cheaper price to those in small cities. Walmart was formed. While K-mart had their eyes on Sears a small company grew and passed them both. Eventually K-Mart purchased Sears and even after that Walmart is the largest retailer in the US and distributes all over the world. Small business employs more people than large companies. Government employs more than any one company. I say the problem lies in government employs more than anyone. Anyone who is not in business to produce a profit will not be in business very long. Most people go in to business to make money, not lose it. Ben Raines

This is more of an issue of your, you and your husband's, household. This is more about what you and your husband decide. I had to tell both my parents, after they divorced, that they were welcome to my house and could bring boyfriend or girlfriend but there was no overnight stays at my house unless married. When my children became adults that has been our rule for them too. They go on trips and a bunch of kids, male and female, stay in the same motel room. I would not do that but they do and they are adults. I only rule in my own house, with my wife's permission Ben Raines

There was an article on it in the last couple of years in the Ensign. It is a prayer to dedicate the home as a sanctuary for your family. A place for the Holy Ghost to visit often, etc. No specific ordinance. LDS.org - Ensign Article - Making Home a Holy Place Check out item number 9 Ben Raines

Everyone based on need in the US is eligible for Medicaid depending on the state you live in. You need to go to the county hospital with your grave situation and have them diagnose it and they have doctors that can treat it. My sister in law came to US without any insurance. Needed an emergency appendix removal and she paid nothing for it, we didn't either. That is what the US no cost to beneficiary medical plan is. Our National health care. Your Bishop should know someone to get you hooked up. Ben Raines

Did that stranger say something to you like "You look nice in those pants" and you knew that you didn't and that made you mad? :) Ben Raines

What was film? Was it like the kind where you had to start rolling it on one end and make sure that it took before you could close the back, like on my Brownie Kodak camera or like the one I later had that had a cartridge that slid in the front on my Polaroid Instamatic or the little 110 Kodak camera that I had that had a little cartridge that you dropped in the back or the one like my Olympus 35 mm camera that had a cartridge you had to thread or the ones where we dropped the 35 mm cartridge in and when you closed it it wound itself? Oh how I love my digital camera where I can shoot 1,000 shots of something if I want and delete all the stuff I don't want. Nice. Ben Raines

In the article it states that 138, I believe, who have been aquitted due to DNA evidence proof. Ben Raines

Wow that is an interesting read. An imperfect solution. Ben Raines

I have a bunch of those pics too and scanned them and then put a note next to them to "Ask Mom". Mom will be gone six years next month. Too little too late. Ben Raines

Sure looks like people like throwing the dog ma around. Sheeesh. Ben Raines

BMY, my son was in his junior year when he married. Still has a year and a half to go. Wife has a degree. She works full time, he works part time. Grants and student loans cover the rest. It can be done. Many have done it before. Pray about it and go with the instructions given. Don't let anyone rush you but don't let financial matters delay you either. Ben Raines

I do not believe that anyone in their right mind would take their own life. Since there had to be some condition, usually mental, that would allow this beast, human, to take it's own life, since we try so hard to preserve it. My guess is that the taking of their own life will not be considered and again as previous poster stated, it is not my call, thank goodness. Ben Raines

Ask away. There are also great online sources at the source. LDS.org and mormon.org We always welcome honest questions from inquiring minds. Ben Raines

Thank you all that have participated. I think this has been a learning experience in definitions and level or understanding and knowing or not knowing. On to the next topic. Ben Raines

Perfect knowledge does not require faith. There are things that are perfect knowledge. I can reach out and touch my children. I have perfect knowledge that they are standing there. When I hear them on the phone I believe it is them by the things they say and their voice, but it is possible for someone to imitate their voice so it is not perfect knowledge that they are there. I have faith based on the things they say that it is them. As I recall one of the purposes of our existence, other than to obtain a body, is to live by faith. Prove ourselves worthy to return not having a perfect knowledge. Ben Raines

Pam is a bomb? Watch out. Ben Raines

I understand your point Gatorman and agree that there is a difference in Perfect Knowledge and Knowledge. Sounds to me like your and Snow's difference is a difference in how words are defined and not in belief. I do believe, with all my heart that God lives, that his Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth, died and was resurrected. I believe I know these things from a witness that was given to me by the Holy Ghost. But I do not have a perfect knowledge. I have not seen them, not felt the marks in the hands and in the side of the Savior. Based on a witness spirit to spirit I know these things to be true but I admit I do not have a perfect knowledge. A perfect knowledge does not require faith. I must have faith. Ben Raines

I never waited around for a date. I find that most girls/women prefer to be asked out and do not like being called chicks. Ben Raines

When I lived in a small country we created an informal institute. We held it on Wednesday nights so that there was somewhere for the members to go in the middle of the week. Many churches have Bible study in the middle of the week so we organized a scripture study in the middle of the week too. You may need to use the missionaries to do this if the Bishop can't get a member to do it. More of an informal Sunday School class in the middle of the week. Ben Raines

I seem to remember reading that Faith is not a perfect knowledge. We have faith, we believe and with that can come a witness of the Holy Ghost that leads us to the knowledge that we have had a witness, spirit to spirit communication. Then I might say that this I know in a spiritual sense but not the same that I know that 2+2=4. Ben Raines

There is a list of approved reading for missionaries while in the mission field. Often it changes in each mission. There are books that are not for reading while on a mission. Ben Raines