Stress Reliever—solve the puzzle
Take a few minutes to relieve some stress, have fun, and solve the puzzle. Puzzles are great stress relievers
I’m No Expert…
Opinions and views from people just like you
Tastes too fishy?
Did you ever hear some one describe their fish dinner as tasting too fishy? I’m guilty of that all the time. I don’t like fish that tastes too fishy. But isn’t that odd. How else is fish supposed to taste? I never described beef as tasting too beefy, chicken as too chickeny or pork as too porky!
I’ve heard people say the meat was too gamey, but usually when describing something like pheasant or perhaps venison. So why is fish too fishy?
Let’s declare war on disease
For some reason a large minority of people across the country are unwilling to spend taxpayer money on programs that “promote the general welfare,” (remember that phrase from the constitution?) but will appropriate billions for war. For example the Korean war cost $454 billion*, Vietnam war cost $698 billion*, the first Gulf War $100 billion*, and the War on Terror (includes Iraq, Afghanistan and counter terrorism) has cost nearly 1 trillion dollars since 9/11.
Just calling something a “War” gets it significant appropriations. More than 30 years ago President Nixon declared a “War on Drugs.” Today we are still fighting it at an “official” cost of approximately $13 billion a year in this decade alone (unofficial estimates are significantly higher). The majority of this money goes towards law enforcement.
But try to get money for health care or education and the right wing throws a hissy fit. So let’s scrap “health reform” and declare War on Disease; forget education and “no child left behind” and declare War on Stupidity. maybe then they will get the funding they deserve!
* Adjusted for inflation
The pioneers of government bailouts
If you think bailouts are a recent solution to economic woes, think again. These captains of commerce and industry pioneered government bailouts decades ago.
I couldn’t resist posting this again since it’s more relevant than ever. Who would have guessed that a sitcom would have such foresight?
Waiting until the next crisis is upon us
The current financial disaster is a perfect example of what happens when we wait for a crisis to hit before moving to act. Many Congressional and corporate financial leaders saw the dangers years ago. Some even attempted to head off the crisis with regulatory legislation, but their bills couldn’t even make it to the House or Senate floor. Now, the crisis is upon us and is Congress scrambling and spending trillions to keep the economy from falling off the cliff. The Calvary may have arrived in the nick of time, we shall see. Regardless, millions of people will be hurt by this financial crisis. But let’s keep in mind that this crisis was created by a partnership of Main Street and Wall Street. Millions of people choosing to live life on credit and banks giving it to them, although both know they will never be able to repay. The bailout really just keeps this system going–for a while.
Once we get through this Congress will need to shore up Social Security and Medicare or face a new financial crisis in the future. They will need to make tough decisions about how to keep the promise to millions of hard working Americans who paid into this system and count on it for their declining years. My fear is that this economic disaster was another conservative plan to bankrupt the Treasury, thereby creating a future argument for making drastic cuts in Medicare and Social Security
Other crises such as climate change and energy are on the horizon. The warning bells have been sounding for years. And they grow louder. Their consequences will be devastating and long lasting. Once they are upon us they may be irreversible.
Many of us remember gas lines and gasoline rationing, when OPEC cut imports in the 1970s. We all witnessed skyrocketing oil prices and inflationary consequences. Though they all have temporarily subsided, they will be an unavoidable part of our future unless we act now. But Congress sits on its hands with some singing, “Drill baby drill.” But the meager 1% increase in domestic production produced by this policy will do little for solve the growing energy crisis and nothing to free us from the grips of OPEC. Just as a side note I don’t understand how in one breath they talk about the need to break our addiction to oil and in the next breath say “Drill baby drill.”
Climate change is even more frightening. Unlike the economy and energy, climate change may reach a “tipping point” from where there is not return. The wait and see approach is unacceptable.
Those who opposed legislation to head off the current financial crises are the same people who sing “Drill, Baby, Drill” and oppose action to head off climate change. They are quick to create an imaginary economic burden that moving to renewable energy will create (for them). They forget the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Not to mention the millions of jobs created by a renewable energy industry.
This is why real and significant change in leadership is needed. And the choices we have are clear.
Maybe the bailout needs a better name
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
- Romeo and Juliet
Maybe the bailout failed to pass because it didn’t have a good name. You remember, whenever the Bush administration really wanted to sell something to the American people they would create a campaign, tell us anything but the truth, and give it a name to rally around. Who can forget some Iraqi war favorites:
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Anaconda
Operation Red Dawn
Well it seems that this time the Bush administration forgot. Or maybe the name person in the administration quit. Anyway here are a few we could use to help rally the American people before the bailout bill goes back to congress for another vote:
Operation Go For Broke
Operation Hand It Over
Operation Last Red Cent
Operation Takeover
Anyway if you can think of more please send them in or post a comment and I’ll add them to the list.
Contributors:
Operation Regulation Transformation
UPDATE: Today TIME.COM (10/1/08) recommended renaming the bailout bill to help sell it to the American people. Do you think they read this blog?
Masters of distraction
It never ceases to amaze me how good the GOP is at distracting the public from the issues. Instead they get the press to spend the day focusing on a “lipstick” comment (taken out of context) or the Palin phenomenon. Just cross another day off the campaign trail.
The GOP seems to be able to keep the press talking about anything but healthcare, the economy, foreclosures, social security, education and how a republican administration and congress took a trillion dollar surplus and turned it into a half a trillion dollar deficit. What worries me is how many people are buying it. Time will tell, but we’re running out of it.
The lighter side of menopause
Is there one? I’m no expert about menopause, but Barbara Kimmel and Joanne Fsadni creators of PERRIE MENO-PUDGE™ release the healing power of humor to help women navigate t
hrough the challenges of mid-life and emotional roller coaster of menopause. PERRIE MENO-PUDGE™ is a grown-up cartoon for women. You can meet Perrie and her loving family and friends who share in this time of life by visiting www.perriemenopudge.com.
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The first mortgage securities investors meeting
Did you ever wonder how investment banks sold mortgage securites?:
Happy New Year Etiquette
So for how long do we need to keep saying “Happy New year”?
I’m still hearing people wish each other a “Happy New Year”. In fact, yesterday I saw a friend I have not seen since December and he wished me “Happy New Year.” If we see someone in the middle of February that we have not seen or spoke with since December do we still need to wish a “Happy New Year”?
I’m no expert on etiquette, is there a cut off date?