Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Looking back
I was in a very reminiscent mood this passed week. It all started on Wednesday. I don't think I'm finished just yet, but I think I will be soon. The chain of events started with a long conversation with a friend of mine that somehow prefaced a weekend with old friends and familiar faces, which prefaced me going through nearly 15 memory boxes. (I know: I'm a total girl.)
I wish I had put an itemized list in these boxes. I have so many mementos from over the years that I think it's impossible for me to really remember what each one represents. I have everything from Mike's Hard Lemonade bottle caps, to a Sheetz receipt dated and labeled "On the way to Blink show in Columbus," to a note from my sister identifying a mystery caller for me who turned out to be a friend of mine who was serving overseas at the time, to multiple ticket stubs, to a Hall's cough drop wrapper that someone twisted up and gave to me as an "engagement ring." Those are just a few of the items whose symbolism I can actually remember.
The one's I don't are a little more ... out there. A few examples: directions to somewhere (I think maybe IUP, but I don't recognize the handwriting), an empty tube of Hershey's Kisses, an empty 20 oz. bottle of Mountain Dew and a pressed leaf.
I may have to ask some people from that time in my life if they remember. I guarantee they don't. I'm far more sentimental than just about everyone I know. But I refuse to throw any of it away. Each item in these boxes was important to me at one time or another, and I can just toss it out like trash even if I can't remember why they are special.
Most people get sad when they look back on old memories, but for some reason I just sat on my bed in awe of the fun times I had. I am going to combine some of the boxes, pack them up and put them away somewhere with a smile on my face.
I wish I had put an itemized list in these boxes. I have so many mementos from over the years that I think it's impossible for me to really remember what each one represents. I have everything from Mike's Hard Lemonade bottle caps, to a Sheetz receipt dated and labeled "On the way to Blink show in Columbus," to a note from my sister identifying a mystery caller for me who turned out to be a friend of mine who was serving overseas at the time, to multiple ticket stubs, to a Hall's cough drop wrapper that someone twisted up and gave to me as an "engagement ring." Those are just a few of the items whose symbolism I can actually remember.
The one's I don't are a little more ... out there. A few examples: directions to somewhere (I think maybe IUP, but I don't recognize the handwriting), an empty tube of Hershey's Kisses, an empty 20 oz. bottle of Mountain Dew and a pressed leaf.
I may have to ask some people from that time in my life if they remember. I guarantee they don't. I'm far more sentimental than just about everyone I know. But I refuse to throw any of it away. Each item in these boxes was important to me at one time or another, and I can just toss it out like trash even if I can't remember why they are special.
Most people get sad when they look back on old memories, but for some reason I just sat on my bed in awe of the fun times I had. I am going to combine some of the boxes, pack them up and put them away somewhere with a smile on my face.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Current Mood: Love You Madly
I don't want to wonder
If this is a blunder
I don't want to worry whether
We're going to stay together
'Till we die
I don't want to jump in
Unless this music's thumping
All the dishes rattle in the cupboards
When the elephants arrive
I want to love you madly
If this is a blunder
I don't want to worry whether
We're going to stay together
'Till we die
I don't want to jump in
Unless this music's thumping
All the dishes rattle in the cupboards
When the elephants arrive
I want to love you madly
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Bonus
The big news for the week: The American International Group (AIG) doled out $165 million dollars in bonuses after receiving $173 billion in U.S. government bailouts. In other words, a whole lot of taxpayers' money went to corporate big wigs at AIG.
President Obama's reaction was appropriate, and I agree with much of what he had to say:
"Under these circumstances, it's hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?"
My biggest complaint is about how these actions were surprising to the administration and Congress. Haven't we all heard the old saying, "Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me." Perhaps more time should have been spent on the rules and stipulations of the bailout rather than depending on the, as Obama put it, "reckless and greedy" corporate heads to do the right thing.
Now the administration is out for blood, but I ask this: Why weren't they out for blood to begin with? Now Congress is looking to pass a special tax within the next 24 hours that could potentially be as high as 90 percent of the bonuses. So hoorah! We'll get 90 percent back, but after it's processed, it will amount to about 50 percent of that 90 or $74.25 million. Hm. That's not even half. I'm also concerned as to whether or not this "special tax" is temporary or permanent?
It's not that I think these people deserve the money at this point in time, but should the people who worked hard to get where they are have their bonuses taxed because of a few bad eggs? I don't think it's fair to punish people for being successful. I also don't think it's fair to bailout all of these corporations and banks and financiers for failing. Failing is part of the game. Deal with it.
President Obama's reaction was appropriate, and I agree with much of what he had to say:
"Under these circumstances, it's hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?"
My biggest complaint is about how these actions were surprising to the administration and Congress. Haven't we all heard the old saying, "Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me." Perhaps more time should have been spent on the rules and stipulations of the bailout rather than depending on the, as Obama put it, "reckless and greedy" corporate heads to do the right thing.
Now the administration is out for blood, but I ask this: Why weren't they out for blood to begin with? Now Congress is looking to pass a special tax within the next 24 hours that could potentially be as high as 90 percent of the bonuses. So hoorah! We'll get 90 percent back, but after it's processed, it will amount to about 50 percent of that 90 or $74.25 million. Hm. That's not even half. I'm also concerned as to whether or not this "special tax" is temporary or permanent?
It's not that I think these people deserve the money at this point in time, but should the people who worked hard to get where they are have their bonuses taxed because of a few bad eggs? I don't think it's fair to punish people for being successful. I also don't think it's fair to bailout all of these corporations and banks and financiers for failing. Failing is part of the game. Deal with it.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Wow
So I logged onto heraldstandard.com today, and while perusing I came across Fayette County's Top 10 Most Wanted List and the Outstanding Warrant List. As it turns out, I went to high school with two people on the list. How random.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Which of the following doesn't belong: Stimulus Bills, Earmarks, Economic Downturn and Stem Cell Research?
A lot has been happening in Washington, D.C., as of late, and a large portion of it has been going on unnoticed.
The Stimulus Package I
The biggest news took place nearly a month ago on Feb. 17 when President Obama passed a $787 billion stimulus bill. This action did not go unnoticed. It was plastered all over the news. What seemed to go unnoticed in news coverage were the five w's: Who is getting the money? What purpose does this funding have? Where is the money going? Why are they getting it? And the most important non-w question: How is this going to help?
From my point of view, the stimulus bill was poorly planned, poorly organized and simply a big political coup to maintain support for the incumbent party. I know that action needed to be taken, but was it necessary to put my generation and more than likely my great-great-grandchildren's generation that far in debt without knowing whether the bill would work?
Many analysts are comparing this action to that of FDR's New Deal during the Great Depression. FDR was a very popular president. He took swift action to gain relief for the American people. But are people misremembering FDR's legacy or is it me? Does anyone remember what actually ended the Great Depression? It was U.S. involvement in World War II. It was not FDR's New Deal; in fact, the New Deal and the alphabet organizations created by it, only helped the economy in the short run. If I learned anything from Economics 101, short run policies don't fix the problem they just lighten the blow for a SHORT period of time ultimately making a recession last longer.
In the long run, what is FDR's legacy from short run policy? Social programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment compensation, welfare and just about every other dole project that has spun out of control. I am by no means blaming the poor for being poor, but I am blaming politicians for not regulating these programs, for not planning better or organizing them better and ultimately for bankrupting the nation by not only maintain these programs that are doomed for failure, but also for borrowing from them. (I have more to say about this topic, but I will continue my tangent at a later date.)
Earmarks
My comments on earmarks and pork-barrel-spending is limited. I understand that earmarks have been around about as long as the country and that it's not new to Congress, but it doesn't make it right. Instead of appropriating citizen's tax money without stipulations or reason, how about you let me keep my tax dollars, and I will spend it the way I see fit. Ed Rollins does a pretty good job at explaining my opinion here.
Economic Downturn
It's going to happen no matter what the government does to prevent it. I'd rather it happen quickly than prolonging it. As my beloved econ professor, Jan Palmer, would say, "To maintain a free market, the government needs to keep its hands off. Let the problem fix itself." (By the way, Jan Palmer was an awesome professor who loved The Beatles, wore a Winnie the Pooh watch and eloped in Vegas in his 60s.)
Stem Cell Research
I don't have an opinion on stem cell research one way or the other. Maybe it's because I don't know that much about it or maybe it's just because it's a political issue and I don't care. Regardless, why is the President concerning himself with a political issue in the middle of a crisis?
It's the red herring of it all. To me it was like saying, "Look American people, Big Bird is doing a jig in a ring of fire! Please pay no attention to this new $410 billion spending bill I'm signing that includes nearly 9,000 earmarks."
The ringer of it all? After the bill passed, the White House announced a plan to cut down the number of earmarks in appropriations legislation. Wait a second ... didn't you just ... hrm. Ya got me!
When reading this, please take into consideration that I'm not out to attack the Obama administration. If I paid as much attention to politics when Bush was in office, I would have criticized him too but for things like spending and immigration.
The Stimulus Package I
The biggest news took place nearly a month ago on Feb. 17 when President Obama passed a $787 billion stimulus bill. This action did not go unnoticed. It was plastered all over the news. What seemed to go unnoticed in news coverage were the five w's: Who is getting the money? What purpose does this funding have? Where is the money going? Why are they getting it? And the most important non-w question: How is this going to help?
From my point of view, the stimulus bill was poorly planned, poorly organized and simply a big political coup to maintain support for the incumbent party. I know that action needed to be taken, but was it necessary to put my generation and more than likely my great-great-grandchildren's generation that far in debt without knowing whether the bill would work?
Many analysts are comparing this action to that of FDR's New Deal during the Great Depression. FDR was a very popular president. He took swift action to gain relief for the American people. But are people misremembering FDR's legacy or is it me? Does anyone remember what actually ended the Great Depression? It was U.S. involvement in World War II. It was not FDR's New Deal; in fact, the New Deal and the alphabet organizations created by it, only helped the economy in the short run. If I learned anything from Economics 101, short run policies don't fix the problem they just lighten the blow for a SHORT period of time ultimately making a recession last longer.
In the long run, what is FDR's legacy from short run policy? Social programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment compensation, welfare and just about every other dole project that has spun out of control. I am by no means blaming the poor for being poor, but I am blaming politicians for not regulating these programs, for not planning better or organizing them better and ultimately for bankrupting the nation by not only maintain these programs that are doomed for failure, but also for borrowing from them. (I have more to say about this topic, but I will continue my tangent at a later date.)
Earmarks
My comments on earmarks and pork-barrel-spending is limited. I understand that earmarks have been around about as long as the country and that it's not new to Congress, but it doesn't make it right. Instead of appropriating citizen's tax money without stipulations or reason, how about you let me keep my tax dollars, and I will spend it the way I see fit. Ed Rollins does a pretty good job at explaining my opinion here.
Economic Downturn
It's going to happen no matter what the government does to prevent it. I'd rather it happen quickly than prolonging it. As my beloved econ professor, Jan Palmer, would say, "To maintain a free market, the government needs to keep its hands off. Let the problem fix itself." (By the way, Jan Palmer was an awesome professor who loved The Beatles, wore a Winnie the Pooh watch and eloped in Vegas in his 60s.)
Stem Cell Research
I don't have an opinion on stem cell research one way or the other. Maybe it's because I don't know that much about it or maybe it's just because it's a political issue and I don't care. Regardless, why is the President concerning himself with a political issue in the middle of a crisis?
It's the red herring of it all. To me it was like saying, "Look American people, Big Bird is doing a jig in a ring of fire! Please pay no attention to this new $410 billion spending bill I'm signing that includes nearly 9,000 earmarks."
The ringer of it all? After the bill passed, the White House announced a plan to cut down the number of earmarks in appropriations legislation. Wait a second ... didn't you just ... hrm. Ya got me!
When reading this, please take into consideration that I'm not out to attack the Obama administration. If I paid as much attention to politics when Bush was in office, I would have criticized him too but for things like spending and immigration.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Things I find disturbing...
OK so I read the news on CNN.com just about every morning. I don't know if it's just me or not, but every time I log on, I find at least one story about animal cruelty of some sort. I find this really disturbing. Last week, the Humane Society in Washington County, Pa., found nearly 30 emaciated horses on a farm and were struggling to find a place for them to stay let alone to find enough money to pay veterinarian bills.
So today I log on and find this little diddy about smoking a bong that has a kitten stuffed in it. I mean let's get serious: Stoners will be stoners and will always try to get their pets high, but is it necessary to torture the poor thing by shoving it into your pipe? But I guess I've since learned to never underestimate the stupidity of a pothead.
I suppose I simply don't understand animal cruelty. This is not to say I'm a member of PETA or that I'm a vegetarian, it just means I'm sympathetic to innocent and defenseless creatures that humans take advantage of for no reason whatsoever. Take the horses for example, why would the owners leave them to die on their farm with no food rather than call the Humane Society or try to sell them or something. Instead, they let them suffer.
I also came across this article about a man protesting Christianity by standing naked on a church steeple's cross for seven hours. I had a number of questions after reading this: 1. How is threatening to kill yourself by jumping naked from the top of a church a protest of Christianity? 2. Was it necessary to defile the cross by smearing your own feces on it? 3. More importantly, how did this guy manage to move his bowels while balancing on a cross? 4. Most importantly, who are you really punishing by pooing in your own hand and smearing it on an object you are clinging to?
So today I log on and find this little diddy about smoking a bong that has a kitten stuffed in it. I mean let's get serious: Stoners will be stoners and will always try to get their pets high, but is it necessary to torture the poor thing by shoving it into your pipe? But I guess I've since learned to never underestimate the stupidity of a pothead.
I suppose I simply don't understand animal cruelty. This is not to say I'm a member of PETA or that I'm a vegetarian, it just means I'm sympathetic to innocent and defenseless creatures that humans take advantage of for no reason whatsoever. Take the horses for example, why would the owners leave them to die on their farm with no food rather than call the Humane Society or try to sell them or something. Instead, they let them suffer.
I also came across this article about a man protesting Christianity by standing naked on a church steeple's cross for seven hours. I had a number of questions after reading this: 1. How is threatening to kill yourself by jumping naked from the top of a church a protest of Christianity? 2. Was it necessary to defile the cross by smearing your own feces on it? 3. More importantly, how did this guy manage to move his bowels while balancing on a cross? 4. Most importantly, who are you really punishing by pooing in your own hand and smearing it on an object you are clinging to?
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