I am 60 years old. I am from the midwest, Muncie, Indiana and lived there until I was 24 and then went to Guam Island to teach High School. Then in 1976 I went on to graduate school in Tokyo, Japan and stayed there four years studying. My Master's degree is in political science, international relations and business. I left Japan and went to Korea and taught there until 1988 and then went to Taiwan where I met my wife who is Chinese. and we were divorced in 1998. I came back to the United States in 1988 and in 1989 I got my Real Estate license and have been a Realtor ever since.

I specialize in helping people of low and moderate incomes to find homes. I am familiar with the different grant programs and the fact is that on a rouitine basis I help people with incomes around $20,000 or less to own their own homes. Because of the availability of grant money they are able to move into their home, total closings and settlements of around $500. As you read this if you are interested in owning your own home and paying a total cash out of pocket of a thousand dollars or less please do not hesitate to contact me. People do not realize how easy the whole process is and how good the houses are that are available.

I read the Znet columns on a regular basis and try to keep informed about what is happening in the world around me. I am also a Real Estate investor. In July I bought a four bedroom  single family home with a large back yard and a big deck for $45,000 and then rehabbed it and sold it for $119,500. Anyone could have purchased the home but it is very puzzling to me in spite of my seven day a week schedule and 21 years of experience in Real Estate why more people don't buy homes like the one I bought for $45,000. The best I can understand the fact that most people let their landlord victimize them is that they are basically hopeless and are unable to imagine that their lives can be better. Also, there is a pervasiive feeling of cynicism, despair and anger which I frequently think about as the predecessor to the rise of facism in Germany. When I lived in Korea it was during a dictatorship and so I have seen what happens when you live in a dictatorship first hand.

I am encouraged by the recent events on Wall Street and believe that there will be realtively soon many more spontaneous demonstrations and organizing and that the rich and powerful will do what they can to divert and compromise any attempt to put limitations on their power.