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Houston, KAK, and Freedom

Vigilante

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I have been trying to get a hold of @Kak off and on since the storm hit Houston a week ago.

He called me once maybe the day after to let me know he is OK, and now he's too busy to return my calls.

Why?

He's spending his time in Houston in the community. Getting his hands really dirty. Sheetrock, insulation. Helping. All day. Every day.

Because he can.

You get to see what people are made of when they respond to help the least of us, during true windows of darkness.

You're not reading about him in the newspaper, or seeing him on Fox News. He doesn't care. He's out there with contractor bags, and hopefully rubber gloves... helping people.

Right where he should be. Right where WE should be.

Here's me, sitting in my office, hammering him on my speed dial and pissed that he's not sitting around taking my call. He's not hanging around the forum. He's not sitting in his dry house in a peninsula of Houston.

He's out helping people. Being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Here's to the heroes like @Kak that understand where the internet personas stop, and where the real world is. Here's to the heroes in Houston that are shining a light in the darkness.

BTW @Kak when you see this, your voice mail message wasn't funny. You are too much like me.
 
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Vigilante

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JAJT

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@Kak lives what he believes. Very few people can say that.

That's probably the most apt description you could give the man.

If there's ever someone you could trust to tell it to you like he sees it without reservation, it's him.

Glad he's safe.
 
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cutthroughstatic

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This was on my mind last night as I watching the news (which I never do) to see footage from Houston. I have a guy that transports vehicles that lives down past Corpus Christi that called me - he had been on I-10 and parked in parking lots for over a week trying to get back home. He said driving through Houston was like a war zone...

And a thought that I have been having lately reoccurred to me. My goal and mission in creating my business is to detach money from time, but the end goal isn't to sit around and drink Pina Coladas one day. Unfortunately my business requires my constant presence at this stage, but one day it wont, and I need to work tirelessly towards that end.... not so I can make money "off the backs of others", but so that by creating value I can give back to people through my resources and my time.

It turns financial success/freedom into a moral obligation. That's what I feel like it is for me, anyway. I'm sure most on here would agree. We create value to attain financial freedom which allows us in turn to go and create more value. This is what it is all about.

My prayers are with people in Houston. Those who actually took time to go and be at ground zero - cheers to you.
 

jon.a

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@Kak's cat...

21270895_1559917794069961_5671671874439247919_n.jpg
 

Kak

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Wow! Thanks guys!

It's been a tough week for the City of Houston. I've been helping in every way I can. I was in 5 different houses today in the suburb I actually grew up in. (It never flooded once while I lived there BTW). These folks all had 3 feet of water in their homes. Lost everything. I've been leading a demolition crew from my church and showing them what they need to do to dry the homes out. Hands on stuff.

My friend and business partner in one of my ventures owns apartment complexes and lost 100 units of his 400 in Houston. He's suprisingly calm and churning through them quickly.

My chopped liver properties as well as my own home were all perfectly solid through this. I'm blessed. Thank you guys for the forum support and sorry I end up so busy. I'm usually juggling 20 things and now I want to buy a flooded house or two when they start to pop up on the liquidator lists.

@Vigilante my voicemail was funny.
 
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amp0193

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in the suburb I actually grew up in. (It never flooded once while I lived there BTW). These folks all had 3 feet of water in their homes.

Same here.

Tropical Storm Allison was as close as we ever got to flooding.

This time, my home neighborhood in Sugar Land was wrecked. My parents had water starting to seep in the backdoor when the rain finally stopped. Now my dad is doing the same thing you're doing, and is in the homes of others.
 

Kak

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This was on my mind last night as I watching the news (which I never do) to see footage from Houston. I have a guy that transports vehicles that lives down past Corpus Christi that called me - he had been on I-10 and parked in parking lots for over a week trying to get back home. He said driving through Houston was like a war zone...

And a thought that I have been having lately reoccurred to me. My goal and mission in creating my business is to detach money from time, but the end goal isn't to sit around and drink Pina Coladas one day. Unfortunately my business requires my constant presence at this stage, but one day it wont, and I need to work tirelessly towards that end.... not so I can make money "off the backs of others", but so that by creating value I can give back to people through my resources and my time.

It turns financial success/freedom into a moral obligation. That's what I feel like it is for me, anyway. I'm sure most on here would agree. We create value to attain financial freedom which allows us in turn to go and create more value. This is what it is all about.

My prayers are with people in Houston. Those who actually took time to go and be at ground zero - cheers to you.

This is an interesting post to me. I NEVER use the phrase "giving back." It implies that I took something when I was giving all along.

To me it almost seems like some folks feel the need to apologize for being in business. Apologize for making a profit. That what they do is not wholesome or overall good. Every single show on TV makes a villain out of the business guy. This is not the real world. These folks are the exception not the rule. You don't get far in business without being a man of your word, sincere, and trustworthy.

Take a good hard look at this: The inside story of what it took to keep a Texas grocery chain running in the chaos of Hurricane Harvey

And this: Mattress Mack opens his heart and stores to community

These should be the case studies. They both are highly respected, successful businessmen. Involved in the community. Great people.

People who don't think the humanitarian actions of these CEOs were good for their respective businesses are idiots. I can however attest to the fact that the only motive here was helping people.

All of this to say some of the most impactful help came from the business guys. The evil millionaires and billionaires. Show me a socialist that made this kind of impact.

Beyond this, we also have the enterprising people. The people who GASP will make money off of this storm. So what? There is a massive shortage of shovels, sheetrock, insulation, flooring, circular saws, shop vacs, air conditioners, furniture, generators, windows, cars, cleaning supplies, etc. If companies bring in more of these items at a price people are willing to pay that is a GOOD thing and I'm happy that they will profit. If they gouge, few will buy from them and they'll become known as pricks, but I also think there shouldn't be laws against it either.

Business in and of itself, independent of the humatarian help, is still a virtuous and good thing for others. It employs everyone in this country, including, indirectly, the politicians, the bureaucrats and government workers that too many people put their faith in. Business provides for every single one of your employees families. Business moves us forward. It isn't a moral obligation to make money just to kill the golden goose and give it away. It is virtuous to provide the most value you can for you, your customers and people you employ. Without business Houston would be in way worse shape right now.

You don't take anything that you need to "give back" by running a legitimate business. Helping people as far, as I'm concerned, is just part of being a good person.
 
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