This is reality, people. Not a TV show or a movie or a video game for entertainment purposes. The political candidates you choose to support in 4 weeks with your vote are either going to continue to steal your money, grow government and spend more tax revenue than they collect OR be fiscally responsible adults.
Please begin evaluating your candidates now, before the Bias Media gets all ramped up full-force, twisting and spinning, making it more difficult to unravel the mess of misinformation.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
In These Economic Times…
I had to hurry up and use this phrase as my headline before the Lake Superior State University puts it on their banned words/ phrases list for 2010: http://www.neatorama.com/2010/01/04/banned-words-of-2010/
Actually, I am reading a book about economics that I know will blow my mind. Well, it already has. “Intellectuals and Society” was written by Thomas Sowell, an African-American professor of economics at Stanford. If we had to elect just any anonymous black guy from the academic realm as POTUS (as some people did), why couldn’t it have been this guy?
The tidbit I’m chewing currently asks the question: Why do we assign emotional-drama labels to economic factors such as price? Market determines price, based on the interaction between supply and demand.
Instead, we let our intellectuals (he already covers in Chapter One the difference between intellect and wisdom) attribute human characteristics to a scientific fact like price. How can a price be greedy? Or how can a wage be deemed unfair, when it’s simply the price of labor in a market? If we have a low supply of nurses compared to the demand for them, they can require a pretty nice price for their labor (wage). Likewise, if we have a lot of people (high supply) who choose to pick cotton (probably driven by attained skill set), the wage would be pretty low.
The unfortunate thing is the labels STICK and become part of the public debate with no one questioning the underlying practice.
Actually, I am reading a book about economics that I know will blow my mind. Well, it already has. “Intellectuals and Society” was written by Thomas Sowell, an African-American professor of economics at Stanford. If we had to elect just any anonymous black guy from the academic realm as POTUS (as some people did), why couldn’t it have been this guy?
The tidbit I’m chewing currently asks the question: Why do we assign emotional-drama labels to economic factors such as price? Market determines price, based on the interaction between supply and demand.
Instead, we let our intellectuals (he already covers in Chapter One the difference between intellect and wisdom) attribute human characteristics to a scientific fact like price. How can a price be greedy? Or how can a wage be deemed unfair, when it’s simply the price of labor in a market? If we have a low supply of nurses compared to the demand for them, they can require a pretty nice price for their labor (wage). Likewise, if we have a lot of people (high supply) who choose to pick cotton (probably driven by attained skill set), the wage would be pretty low.
The unfortunate thing is the labels STICK and become part of the public debate with no one questioning the underlying practice.
Chinese Laundry
I had wanted a simple, cheap, comfortable dress to wear around the house while cleaning or cooking or relaxing. Growing up I saw my Southern grandmother wear muumuus for this situation (the 70s version of the 50s “house coat,” "brunch coat," or "duster"). Muumuus were brightly colored, shapeless, frankly obnoxious garments. My generation seems to favor an even more obnoxious sweat pants/ t-shirt combo AND we don’t relegate the look to the privacy of our homes. We sport this anti-fashion everywhere we go, inflicting our sloppy appearance on everyone we encounter!Well, I was going to up my style game. I could totally see me scrubbing sinks and toilets while rocking this cute sleeveless little denim number from T.J. Maxx, $15. Any bleach spills would only add character to the denim, right? The “Made in China” label did give me pause, but hey, I didn’t want something really nice for this deal. I’m not having tea with the Queen of Washington, D.C.
It literally fell apart in the washing machine after one wearing, one washing. You might point out that it was only $15, that it could even be considered a “disposable” dress at that price. But, take a deeper look, a longer view, at this picture with me.
Is this what we’ve become – a society that wears disposable clothing? How much sub-standard, cheap-ass clothing rots in our landfills? The buttons fell off, and we’re too busy or lazy to sew new ones on. It shrank after a few washings. We can’t even burn a lot of it since manmade fibers are so prevalent; it would be a gooey, melted mass in the garbage heap then.
I laughed at that scene in the “Idiocracy” movie in which the female from our time is presented with clothing of the future – polyester skirts and shirts peeled out of what looked like a Kleenex box, with hundreds more lying just beneath them. Not so far-fetched. Remember the “Units” craze from the late 80s?
(I recently read a hilarious story about Hawaii trying to pay a mainland state to dump its garbage there. Hey, they don’t want the $#*! in their paradise! Actually, their own landfills are near capacity. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/24/honolulu-waste-problem-ci_n_692279.html )
What is wrong with us that we keep buying the cheap, made-in-China crap and think happily “that’s exactly what I was looking for.” It’s kind of irresponsible environmentally even. If we paid a little more and demanded higher quality, things would last a little longer or have more re-use potential. How can we completely adjust our thinking process regarding money and buying decisions? It’s tough.
I’m going to try harder, though, to see every transaction as my “vote” to support or not support a policy, philosophy, or technology. I’m going to use my money as my voice to say “no, I don’t want to eat the genetically modified Franken-fish” or “I want the sturdier garden tool that will last 15 years, not two.” Just this week, my 16-year-old son pointed out to me that he drives a PLASTIC car.
I’m just saying, I’m going to try to put a lot more thinking into my thinking.
Monday, September 27, 2010
$#*! My Party Does
One of the slimier things I’ve seen, this is a direct mail piece that mimics the US Census, sent by the Republican National Committee to its party members, approximately January to June 2010. I received at least 4 in my mailbox. (See pics in separate entry below.)
The design is meant to trick recipients into thinking this correspondence is somehow related to the official census we were all required to fill out during that time frame – related, heck, it looked just like the official forms. And used the word “census” many times.
When I actually sat down to read it, I became filled with disgust, for many reasons.
1. I hate anything that masquerades whether as official government correspondence or a scientific survey or a genuine, heartfelt concern about representing me or my views.
2. And of course, it’s a disguised appeal for money!
3. The inflammatory language offends me, pandering to the lowest common denominator – it’s insulting to my intelligence.
4. Party Games: obviously, the GOP was freaked by the TEA party, realized it’s out of touch with its base, figured it would stick its finger up in the wind to gauge direction and yet, never pass up an opportunity to hit up for money. Of course, now they’re really freaked because they’re beginning to realize the jig is up.
We the People are tired of the Washington Games. Is 4 trillion better than 7 trillion? I don’t want compromise. I want stoopid legislation to stop being passed. I want my money to not be wasted on stoopidity. I want the fat government monster to stop growing and butting into my life. I want my elected officials to do their jobs in a humble, ethical, conscientious manner. I want criminal-legislators prosecuted in front of a jury of 12 Regular Joes who pay the bills.
I want all the stoopidity to stop.
The design is meant to trick recipients into thinking this correspondence is somehow related to the official census we were all required to fill out during that time frame – related, heck, it looked just like the official forms. And used the word “census” many times.
When I actually sat down to read it, I became filled with disgust, for many reasons.
1. I hate anything that masquerades whether as official government correspondence or a scientific survey or a genuine, heartfelt concern about representing me or my views.
2. And of course, it’s a disguised appeal for money!
3. The inflammatory language offends me, pandering to the lowest common denominator – it’s insulting to my intelligence.
4. Party Games: obviously, the GOP was freaked by the TEA party, realized it’s out of touch with its base, figured it would stick its finger up in the wind to gauge direction and yet, never pass up an opportunity to hit up for money. Of course, now they’re really freaked because they’re beginning to realize the jig is up.
We the People are tired of the Washington Games. Is 4 trillion better than 7 trillion? I don’t want compromise. I want stoopid legislation to stop being passed. I want my money to not be wasted on stoopidity. I want the fat government monster to stop growing and butting into my life. I want my elected officials to do their jobs in a humble, ethical, conscientious manner. I want criminal-legislators prosecuted in front of a jury of 12 Regular Joes who pay the bills.
I want all the stoopidity to stop.
$#*! Pics
Did the RNC actually get some serious push-back, enough to make them alter some of the language on the envelope in subsequent mailings (bottom one)?
Inside contents...I should have counted how many times the word "census" was used.
Gotta love inflammatory rhetorical language...
Have you ever seen the money transaction area called the "census certification and reply" area before? I almost admire the grab-em-by-the-throat ballsiness...nah, I take that back. This is MY INTELLIGENCE and ME they're insulting.
The return envelope...
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Pigs
My grandfather had a very strong sense of right and wrong, a code of honor, even in the last few years of his life, when dementia/Alzheimer’s was taking its evil grip. He accused a Target store cashier of stealing his lucky silver dollar when he realized it wasn’t in his pocket. Later, when he came to his senses and it was found, he demanded to be taken back to Target so he could apologize in person to the young woman.
He fought his mind disease like the warrior he was. Wrong things BOTHERED him! He couldn’t rest til he’d done the right thing. I remember him crying watching “Mississippi Burning.” And he loved watching Judge Joe Brown and Judge Judy on TV try to straighten folks out!
People like him are gone or dying off, and we’re being overran by selfish, immoral, cut-throat, hateful, ignoble assholes. They’re everywhere.
An amusing quote from Winston Churchill about his pet pig goes something like this: “Dogs look up to you. Cats look down on you. Give me a pig any day. He looks you square in the eye as his equal.” Leaders like Churchill made us laugh as they inspired us to be better than our nature dictated. He still inspires long after his death. What an impact one man made on humanity.
What do we get for leaders today? The Obamas – an all-new precedent for piggish behavior. Bill Clinton? A lying philanderer. Various legislators on both sides of the aisle who’ve lost all sense of morality as care takers of others’ money. Judges who jerk off on the bench.
What do we get for leaders for tomorrow? You tell me.
He fought his mind disease like the warrior he was. Wrong things BOTHERED him! He couldn’t rest til he’d done the right thing. I remember him crying watching “Mississippi Burning.” And he loved watching Judge Joe Brown and Judge Judy on TV try to straighten folks out!
People like him are gone or dying off, and we’re being overran by selfish, immoral, cut-throat, hateful, ignoble assholes. They’re everywhere.
An amusing quote from Winston Churchill about his pet pig goes something like this: “Dogs look up to you. Cats look down on you. Give me a pig any day. He looks you square in the eye as his equal.” Leaders like Churchill made us laugh as they inspired us to be better than our nature dictated. He still inspires long after his death. What an impact one man made on humanity.
What do we get for leaders today? The Obamas – an all-new precedent for piggish behavior. Bill Clinton? A lying philanderer. Various legislators on both sides of the aisle who’ve lost all sense of morality as care takers of others’ money. Judges who jerk off on the bench.
What do we get for leaders for tomorrow? You tell me.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Uh-Oh, No One's Buying...
...so it must be time for new packaging!This link will take you to a blog discussing the new Democrat Party logo (pictured above) and motto. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. I promise you, this is a change that will not matter in six weeks.
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