Wednesday, July 13, 2016

WARNING: reverse mortgages are great for banks, suck for you

Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders -

Yeah, yeah...I'm still skirting all the awful news. Still just can't think about it too hard or too much--the meltdowns are just too intense. Ugh.

So, again, I'm choosing a less violent topic to warn y'all about today: reverse mortgages.

Why them, why now?

Well, I keep seeing commercial after commercial after commercial trying to sell them to vulnerable older Americans.

And it pisses me off.

A sweet elderly couple very near and dear to me paid off the mortgage on their retirement home and then, after some years, realized that they just didn't have enough cash to pay all their bills. They had spent down their pensions and had nothing left but Social Security, so they decided to get a reverse mortgage.

Just like any other loan, right?

Well, no...not exactly.

The problem with the reverse mortgage is that you have no idea how much interest you will be paying at the end of the day because--like outstanding credit card debt--the interest just keeps piling and piling up.

Oh, sure...the banks make it look attractive by giving you a low rate, like 1% or 2%. But, over time, that interest racks up...and up...and up.

And it does so with alarming quickness.

For example, this couple took out their reverse mortgage around 2011 to the tune of around $165k. Each month, the pay-off amount went up at about $600. Five years later, the total bill came to over $200k.

Five years...$7,000.00 per year...totaling about $35k in interest.

In other words, they ended up owing nearly a quarter of their original loan amount in five years just in interest.

See why I'm pissed?

Since this sweet couple were both older and in failing health, their family stepped in...and realized the predicament with horror.

The family sold the couple's home at a break-even price--the best the market could bear--and moved their loved ones in with whoever in the family could take them.

In other words, this darling couple, who were only trying to survive and who didn't realize that their judgment wasn't perhaps as sharp as it used to be, needed a bail-out. And their family members mortgaged their own futures to pay for their loved ones' present needs.

So much for an inheritance.

Yup...this lovely, educated, elderly couple who worked their whole lives to support others and who strove never be a burden on anyone ended up being a huge burden because they got snookered by the smooth-talking banks who know exactly whom to target with their larcenous "products."

The moral of the story: DON'T get a reverse mortgage.

If you must take out a loan, get a REGULAR mortgage so that you know up front how much interest you will owe over the life of the loan.

Better yet, downsize and learn to live within your income. You never know if you're going to need to take out a loan for medical expenses--especially if Trump lands in the White House.

On that disgusting thought...

Don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:


Peas, friends. Hug yourselves and each other for me--please and thank you! And, like I keep saying, please keep an eye on your elderly rellies--don't let them fall for the reverse mortgage scam. It's not like the government is going to protect our loved ones, so it really is up to us.

- Dot Calm's shadow   

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My Tea Party Christian friend,
who claims to be a bible literalist,
got his panties in a bunch
when I quoted him the bible
chapter and verse.
He screamed that I was "twisting"
the bible and "taking it out of context"
because I read
the words on the page as written.
You see...
he thinks that you have to read
all the apologetics
and make all sorts of interpretations
to read the bible "literally."
To him,
"The day before Passover" = "Passover"
Black = white, up = down, evil = good
and
"Monday" = "just another word for Tuesday."
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Headlines

Must see security camera video shows NYPD was LYING about shooting Black motorist

A historian of the left on how Sanders supporters can still reshape the Democratic Party

The controversy over Ruth Bader Ginsburg attacking Donald Trump, explained

Republicans observe the one-month anniversary of the Orlando LGBTQ massacre by holding hearings on FADA, an even more vicious-than-usual anti-LGBTQ law--as the article says of FADA, the "First Amendment Defense Act is one of the most atrocious faux religious liberty bills yet proposed." In short, the idea is to let Christians hate on and discriminate against LGBTQ+, as well as anyone who's had sex outside marriage--to their black little hearts' content. Ironic that the rat-bastards are labeling this blatant attempt to repeal the First Amendment as its defense....

Trump told Bill O'Reilly that he "can relate" to Black victims of racism--does the weasel-wigged cheeto even realize that he is one of the greatest fomenters of racism in the public square? I'd laugh if the tiny-appendaged orange buffoon didn't have a serious shot at the presidency....

Female doctors make WAY less than their male counterparts--atrocious!! Too bad the fux at FUX Noise will never read this article...nor would they believe it if they did read it...if they could read, that is....

Boarish Johnson, British Foreign Secretary, has apparently insulted quite a few nations and their leaders. Can't say I disagree with him on Commander Chimpie McCodpiece, though. It's worth it to click through to the article just to see the gawd-awful picture of Ol' Boarish. He looks like Trump fell out of the clothes dryer on the verge of turning into the Wolfman about to go on a rampage.

Holy phuque--Corey Lewandowski is getting paid both by CNN and Trump! OK, that's not as bad as it sounds...the pay from Trump seems to be severance...but pundit/goon Lewandowski signed a non-disclosure agreement binding him never to say anything negative about Trump. Hardly an objective "reporter" for any news outlet that wishes to maintain at least a veneer of even the slightest respectability....
    
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Mailbag

Al Franken--sign the THANK YOU card for Bernie!

 
I want to say thanks to Bernie Sanders.

I want to say thanks for fighting for progressive values his entire life.

I want to say thanks for bringing those issues front-and-center in his presidential campaign.

I want to say thanks for showing, over the past year, the real power of grassroots organizing.

And I want to say thanks to Bernie for supporting Hillary Clinton, uniting the party, and refocusing the campaign on what’s important: Making sure Hillary Clinton defeats Donald Trump and becomes our next president.

Want to join me in saying thanks to Bernie Sanders? Sign the card we’re putting together, and let’s give Bernie a big thanks >>
Hell..."thank you" seems so pitiful, so paltry...wish I could give Bernie a great big HUG!!!!!
-- Dot Calm's shadow
    
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From Sean Patrick Maloney for Congress--protect LGBTQ!

Forty-nine people lost their lives in a gay nightclub exactly one month ago today. And this afternoon, Republicans decided it was a great time to hold a hearing aimed at legalizing discrimination against LGBTQ Americans.
As a gay man, knowing that my colleagues are trying to deny my family civil rights – on today of all days – is a slap in the face.

I’m calling on Republicans in Congress to pass the Equality Act and protect LGBTQ Americans, not discriminate against us. Will you join me?
Click here to tell Republicans in Congress: Protect LGBTQ Americans from discrimination!

Thanks,
Sean

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From Gallego for Arizona--stop religious "freedom" to discriminate...and hate...and harm

Despite all the progress we've made in recent years, LGBT Americans still face numerous laws that threaten their civil rights.

That's why Ruben and his colleagues in Congress are working to pass the Do Not Harm Act, which ensures equal protection under the law for everyone.

Will you sign your name as a supporter?
    
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CREDO action
Say NO to mining sacred Native American land in Arizona
Submit a public comment to the U.S. Forest Service:
“I oppose any mining by the Resolution Copper project, which would harm or destroy the land of Oak Flat – considered sacred and holy by the Apache tribe – and its natural resources.”
Take action now ►
  
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Protect women by joining EMILY's List

43 years after Roe v. Wade secured the right to a safe, legal abortion, access to women’s health care is under extreme threat.

Now more than ever, voters need to elect pro-choice Democratic women who will fight for the reproductive rights of women across the country.

Since 2011, 320 state laws have been enacted restricting a woman’s ability to get an abortion, including 30 laws passed just this year.

These constraints have forced women to travel hundreds of miles to their nearest clinic or seek out dangerous black-market solutions to terminate their pregnancies.

We need to put an end to this.

We know that progressive women politicians are more likely to advocate for policies that support other women and families. Plain and simple—by electing more women at all levels, we can protect reproductive rights once and for all.

Join EMILY’s List, where we help support pro-choice Democratic women across the country. Together, we can help protect a woman’s right to choose.
    
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From Amnesty International--stop police using excessive force

The laws that govern when police can use lethal force need to be reformed now, and that should start with a task force to review all aspects of the criminal justice system and make real improvements.

Tell President Obama: Create a National Crime and Justice Taskforce now.
    
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           This week, Congress may vote on a bill to address the public health crisis of the Zika virus. But here's the catch: Anti-choice Republicans made sure it blocks family-planning clinics from providing contraception.

Now more than ever, these clinics need to be fully equipped to help women plan healthy families and get the care they need, as the risk of the Zika virus spreading moves through the country.

Anti-choice Republicans putting women's lives at risk is indefensible. Sign the petition to tell the GOP to fund women's health as part of the Zika virus bill.
    
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March on Richmond to stop new fossil fuels

Governor Terry McAuliffe’s claims to be a climate champion, but he's backing fracked-gas pipelines through our mountains, oil drilling in our oceans, and coal ash dumping in our rivers. Join us at the March on the Mansion Saturday, July 23rd, in Richmond to fight for real climate leadership in Virginia.
   
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From Attorney General Mark Herring--demand Congress fight gun violence

It sickens me that massacres have become routine in this country, and the aftermath is always the same. First there are the moments of silence. Then there's the push for reform. And now – despite a filibuster and a historic sit-in – we've hit the wall of NRA-funded obstruction.
The NRA thinks that if it can delay commonsense gun safety reform long enough, we'll give up, at least until the next mass shooting.

I have news for the NRA and its Republican allies in Congress: We're not going away.
We've helped lead this fight in Virginia, and I won't stop speaking out for solutions to gun violence. I need to know that you're with me. Add your name to help make sure Republicans in Congress hear us loud and clear: Enough is enough.

Click here to demand Congress take action to stop gun violence.
    
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From UltraViolet--AmeriCorp put extremists ahead of women's health, abandoning vulnerable patients

AmeriCorps made a big mistake by caving to extremists and leaving 200 clinics and their patients without basic health care. Can you take one minute to call and ask them to reverse this bad decision?

Here's the number: 800-452-8210

click here
Click Here
    
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Personally, I think she made a bad move...
an excuse for Republicans to shit on SCOTUS...
but she is right...
Oh, and
Trump MUST disclose his taxes NOW!
 
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Democracy Now!

Stories

For the past week, protests against police violence have spread across the country. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets. Hundreds have been arrested. The protests ... Read More →

Last week, an Air Force veteran named Chris LeDay posted the first video of the police shooting of Alton Sterling to go viral. LeDay obtained the video from a friend of a friend. He ... Read More →

Two years ago this week, Eric Garner died in Staten Island after officers wrestled him to the ground, pinned him down and applied a fatal chokehold. The man who filmed the ... Read More →

Headlines →
   

Stories

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today at a joint rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The rally comes less than ... Read More →

Ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the television and film actress Shailene Woodley has launched a cross-country caravan ... Read More →

The Democratic Party platform committee held its last meeting in Orlando, Florida, over the weekend ahead of the party’s convention at the end of this month. The ... Read More →

President Obama is speaking in Dallas, Texas, today at a memorial service for the five Dallas police officers killed by a sniper Thursday evening. Dallas authorities ... Read More →

Headlines →
    
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Someone please tell me...
WHY can't Repubes SEE this?!??

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Daily Kos

  • Video emerges that blows up NYPD story of motorist's shooting death in road-rage incident
  • Iraqi man hugged suicide bomber and sacrificed himself to save hundreds of lives
  • CNN invites Joe Walsh on network after Walsh tweets 'Watch out Obama' threats. Why?
  • Surprise move puts Indiana's Senate seat in play for Democrats
  • 'Rough Rides' for prisoners is not unique to Baltimore
  • 7 questions for Derek Bauman, 20-year law enforcement veteran, about police shootings
  • Kansas police officer fired for threatening 5-year-old black girl on Facebook
  • This Dallas surgeon's response to last week's shooting is utterly profound
  • Arizona is suffering largest measles outbreak because immigration employees didn't get vaccinated
  • Over 2,000 from Trump's alma mater send scathing open letter: 'You don't represent us'
  • The Republican War on Women continues -- this time with new subpoenas targeting fetal tissue researchers. Help NARAL end this irresponsible witch hunt. sponsored
  • The media, both-sides-ism and fairness
  • Add your name to stand with Hillary: Stop Donald Trump in his tracks. sponsored
  • Lies, damn lies and Harry Houck's NYPD statistics on black crime
  • Broadcaster calls Texas Lt. Governor a 'fool' in this stunningly honest commentary—a must-see
  • The Daily Show goes into the Fox News sexual harassment scandal with guns blazing!
  • Mike Huckabee just called for a 'Male Lives Matter' movement—for real
    •     
     
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    AlterNet

    By Bill Quigley, AlterNet
    It's time to retrain the cops and take away their military goodies. READ MORE»
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Bernie Sanders’ noble efforts as Democratic Candidate for President got an odd tribute from a 1%-er late Tuesday.  READ MORE»
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Emotional issues are prompting voters to abandon the GOP. READ MORE»
    By Ilana Novick, AlterNet
    Apparently, Zika and Flint water aren't as troubling a this so-called scourge. READ MORE»
    By Sarah K. Burris, Raw Story
    Is reading while black a crime now? READ MORE»
    By Sean Illing, Salon
    The Dallas PD using a bomb robot to kill gunman Micah Johnson has opened the door to a new world of policing READ MORE»
    By Robin Scher, AlterNet
    How Trump bypassed New York City laws to build a development that dumped tons and tons of sewage into the Hudson River. READ MORE»
    By Jim Sleeper, AlterNet
    The answer is a renewal of civic nationalism, on both sides of the Atlantic.  READ MORE»
    By Shawn Sebastian, AlterNet
    In two short years, the Fed Up Campaign has taken on the notoriously insular Federal Reserve, and changed the conversation on race and poverty. READ MORE»
    By Tom Tomorrow, AlterNet
    Unfortunately, this author has gotten a little carried away. READ MORE»
    By Robin Scher, AlterNet
    “We must ensure that Americans'—especially children's—very sensitive information is protected." READ MORE»
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Bret Baier tells Colbert that, shockingly, he has never been on the receiving end of Ailes' advances. READ MORE»

    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Bernie didn't just endorse Hillary and step aside. READ MORE»
    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    The Fox News anchor is sure as hell he isn't racist... unless you actually know what racism means. READ MORE»
    By Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, AlterNet
    The FBI is using the actions of a lone gunman as a pretext to attack the Black Lives Matter movement. READ MORE»
    By Gary Legum, Salon
    He's no game changer: Tapping Mike Pence for VP isn't enough to get Trump elected; he might even make it harder. READ MORE»
    By Peter Montgomery, Right Wing Watch
    Religious Right activists have been gearing up to make sure that the GOP platform keeps anti-gay and anti-abortion language. READ MORE»
    By David Daley, Liveright
    It’s legal, it’s breathtaking, and much of it happened in plain sight. The Democratic majority was ratfucked. READ MORE»
    By William Astore, TomDispatch
    "We have met the enemy and he is us." READ MORE»
    By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
    He opened America’s eyes to the power of big money corrupting our democracy. READ MORE»
    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
    Theresa May has driven extreme policies that surveil and criminalize Muslims, migrants and refugees. READ MORE»
    By Jim Hightower, AlterNet
    Carrier moves plant from Indianapolis to Mexico, destroying working-class livelihoods in the process. READ MORE»
    By Kenneth E. Leonard, The Conversation
    Forty-one states now have legislation allowing medical marijuana. But what that means depends on the state.  READ MORE»
    By Marquita Brown, The Hechinger Report
    Can Mississippi schools get ahead after a new round of budget cuts? READ MORE»
    By Anabelle Bernard Fournier, Kinkly
    It may be a controversial decision, but choosing sterilization is as valid as choosing to carry a child to term. READ MORE»

    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Bernie endorsed Hillary today in New Hampshire in a stand of unity for American people—and against Trump. READ MORE»
    By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
    Governor signs yet another bill that disregards civil rights and liberties. READ MORE»
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    “You can both grieve for the police and advocate for police reform," Meyers said. READ MORE»
    By Chauncey DeVega, Salon
    If what I saw and experienced firsthand is any indication, America's youth holds the answer to racial tension. READ MORE»
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Does anyone remember Antonin Scalia's big mouth? READ MORE»
    By Paul Waldman, The American Prospect
    Could recent tragedies mark a shift in the nation's gun control debate? READ MORE»
    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Look how far we've come.  READ MORE»
    By Jen Sorensen, AlterNet
    We are united by our fear of bomb delivery robots. READ MORE»
    By Yvonne S. Marquez, Autostraddle
    Gun nuts will be surprised at who's joining them; some in the reeling LGBT community think it's solution enough, but many have doubts. READ MORE»
    By Jenny Pierson, AlterNet
    It's so simple, yet so overlooked. READ MORE»
    By Sarah K. Burris, Raw Story
    Even other evangelicals are questioning her authenticity. READ MORE»
    By Dana Dovey, Medical Daily
    "It's not about getting high. It's about keeping my mind engaged in the activity I'm in." READ MORE»
    By Fionna Agomuoh, iDigital Times
    Kids are desperate to play, but there's a risk... READ MORE»

    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    The Fox Newsians are circling the wagons around boss Roger Ailes. READ MORE»
    By Ava Kofman, AlterNet
    To the alarm of human rights advocates, the Gulf nation of Kuwait plans to build the world’s largest DNA database this year. READ MORE»
    By Martha Rosenberg, AlterNet
    The cops were totally outmanned by legal guns. READ MORE»
    By Vijay Prashad, FRONTLINE
    What is it that makes people speak of a multipolar world? READ MORE»
    By Alissa Quart, Capital and Main
    Let's call them the "Precariat," increasingly vulnerable and pessimistic about the future. READ MORE»
    By Paul Rosenberg, Salon
    Sanders and Corbyn have rekindled the mass desire for a functioning democracy. READ MORE»
    By Atef Abu Saif, Beacon Press
    "Individuals aren’t the targets, but residences, family houses. They’re bombed until there’s nothing left." READ MORE»
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    The Trans-Pacific Partnership, coming before the party’s platform committee last Friday, is a nightmare for Hillary Clinton.  READ MORE»
    By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
    The venerable joint is still a long way from the dustbin of history. READ MORE»
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    The controversial main ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup is being connected to algae blooms that have fouled drinking water and killed wildlife.  READ MORE»
    By Erin Coulehan, Salon
    A new study shows a link between a woman’s acceptance of sexism in her relationship and fewer orgasms. READ MORE»
    By Lola Gayle, STEAM Register
    Good news for pasta lovers! READ MORE»
    By Brad Reed, Raw Story
    The woman who hosted the protest said she was “stunned” after officers moved onto her property. READ MORE»
      

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    Republican Logic 101
    Birth control?
    BAN IT!
    Abortion?
    BAN IT!!
    Gay marriage?
    BAN IT!!!
    Guns?
    Oh, well,
    banning something never stopped people
    from getting it...!
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    Movie time!

    Herr Drumpf has chosen a real viper to be his "spiritual advisor": Paula White. YouTuber wordoffakes posted a video on how greedy and corrupt she is. I figured that would be a good starter for todaze m00bies, so here goze:


    Indian Bummer | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee | TBS

    Anti-Gay Pastor Arrested For Child Porn

    UN Truck Conspiracy Theory Goes Viral--hilarious!!

    Yahweh's Amazing Miracle--cringeworthy. Too bad no Christians would ever watch it.

    Republicans To FBI Director: Why Didn't You Charge Hillary? So much better beating off dead horses than doing any actual real work....

    MUST SEE: Christian Lunatics Reveal God's Message About Donald Trump...I'm starting to like this David Pakman guy! Jim Bakker, on the other hand...EWWWW!!!!!

    Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Dallas Police Shooting...this is as close as I can get, my friends: someone else's video. For me, there are no words.

    Philando Castile Targeted By Cops For Years--Philando Castile was "Mr. Rogers with dreadlocks"...a much beloved man who memorized all 500 kids' food allergies in the school cafeteria where he worked. What a loss...what a tragic loss.

    VIDEO: Trump Spokeswoman Implodes on Live TV in Talking Point Coma--LOLOLOL. Silly Healy is the caliber of superstar expert Trump promises to hire if we hire him? ORLY?!??

    Conservatives are Mad at Liberals for Knowing Stuff--no duh. Everyone knows that knowledge is e-e-e-e-evil...after all, it wasn't the tree of s-e-x that the nameless rebellious rib ate from--it was the tree of KNOWLEDGE!

    Seth Andrews interviews John W Loftus: The Outsider Test for Faith--there's a Patheos article describing the test here; the essence is to test your beliefs as if you were an outsider to your own faith. Think "This is what your religion looks like to me" but from the other side of the mirror, as it were....

    Get Obama Party's Female Outreach ad is downright insulting--when your ads for women even insult men, you know you are hopelessly gormless. Wait, I'll help you, GOP...let me whip out my clue-by-four!

    10 Trump facts...hilarious but pitiful. Or is that pitiful but hilarious? Either way, we are absolutely phuqued if he gets into the White House...as anything other than a common visitor, that is!


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    posted by Dot Calm @ 5:26 PM