Happy Earth Day

I'm doing my ever luvin' best to ignore this "holiday" but boy it's everywhere. I can't seem to escape. Even some of the more sensible blogs I read are talking about making their blogs Carbon Neutral.

Uh huh.

Carbon Neutrality is a scam. And impossible to boot. There's just no such thing.

I've decided that in honor of Earth Day I will breath MORE to try to make up for these nonsensical so called earth friendly actions. And to make up for the fact that I am riding the bus this week, which I'm only doing to save money, not the earth.

But seriously...all the holier-than-thou greenies just make me want to trash the environment and go pour oil in the Sound. And that goes against my nature. I LOVE the environment. We have one of the MOST beautiful states and I love seeing the mountains, the plains, the swamps, the forests...we have everything. The last thing I want to do is pollute my environment.

Not polluting my environment is a long way from trying to save the planet or becoming carbon neutral (I don't think even death will create carbon neutrality will it...don't we give off various gases as we decompose?).

And I don't recall Earth Day ever being such a big deal, do you? I have vague recollections from when I was younger of Earth Day being mentioned here and there, but not everywhere as it appears to be now. Is it going to be on par with Christmas or Thanksgiving someday?

*sigh* I realize that Mother Gaia is the new politically correct religious icon but do they really need their own holiday. On the other hand, if I get the day off of work I'm all for it. :)

Funny

I have several friends and coworkers who lean pretty far left. I try not to engage them in politics because despite their views I like them and value their friendships. It's REALLY hard to keep my trap shut when I see some of them on Facebook joining groups like the one called "How About we Stop Blaming Barack Obama for everything George Bush did" ...

*blank stare*

I find this funny and a little odd. Perhaps a group needs to be created called "How about we stop blaming George Bush for all the crap Obama is now doing." :)

Have the Commies Met Their Goals?

Fascinating link found through one of my Facebook friends today...a list of the Communist Party's goals as of 1963. Some of these, I think, have been met quite spectacularly (and to our detriment).

The ones that speak to me most deeply:

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."


23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

Yeah...well, I think mission accomplished on those two. Especially in liberal meccas like Seattle.

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.


25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

I'm constantly shocked by what they allow on television - and I watch a LOT of television...too much I know. I'm going to have to tone it down as my little guy gets older and starts paying more attention. And the idea that homosexuality is "normal" just defies logic to me. I honestly do not care if some one is attracted to their same sex, but that does not make it normal and definitely is not healthy.

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."


28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

What the heck is "Social" religion? I'm not sure. I've heard a lot about intellectual materity though and that intellectually one cannot believe in God. Which is funny since there are some prominent scientists who have found God THROUGH science. I'm continually in awe of the natural world around us and its complexity. God is truly amazing.

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

I remember my public school education...these are both continually taught. That last line is hilarious on its face to anyone who actually knows history.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.


41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

These two enrage me! Whether or not people are actively communist, many in the public school system seem to want to remove children from their parental influenses. Just because you disagree with me does not give you the right to re-train my son! Or to ever tell him that his mother is wrong. If one teacher ever does this I will flip out.

So, the Soviet Union is no more and I think any honest intellectual will admit that Communism is a failure. Just look at North Korea and Cuba. Even China has gone away from "pure" Communism. It just doesn't work.

Freedom is better than the so called equality that Communism attemps (and fails miserably at providing).

Where Am I?

I'm still around. =) SO busy with finishing up my current job - this is my last week! Woohoo!!! Then I have next week 'off' (I'll be officially unemployed I think) and then I start with "the Duck" the week after.

I've been trying to keep my jewelry blog updated as best I can...especially because I signed up for a website called Social Spark. I get paid to write some blog posts ... if I can actually follow the dang rules. They're really strict and I sometimes only skim when I read. Live and learn. =) It's still a great site!

So if you are so inclined, please follow my jewelry blog for more up to date stuff. Including pictures of the necklaces I made for my mom...and one for me. It's the first new jewelry I've made in weeks and weeks. Dang kid.

But...here are a couple of cute pics of my amazingly adorable little boy at the Farmer's Market for the very first time.

Mommy, please take this hat off me...It's not cold enough for TWO hats. Sheesh.

Hey...how am I in the glass? This is fascinating! =)

Isn't he cute!?!?!

I Know This is Scary

OOOOOhhhhhh Look out Dems! Scary Tea Party radical!!!! Boo!

The lefties / progressives are practically peeing their pants over what they consider "mobs" and threatening radicals. Give me a very large break. I've been to "tea party" rallies and never once been nervous about my safety. I can't say the same about any lefty protest I've come across.

It's not violent to protest those who wish to rule over you. It's not violent to raise strong and passionate objections. It's not even technically violent to wish ill on someone...it's rude and stupid...but not violent. I have yet to hear ACTUAL threats of violence. I've heard stupidity and classless comments, but even those may not be what they seem.

In case you lefties have forgotten, THIS is what actual death threats are like. And THIS. Do you hear Palin crying or whining? (She's probably packing though! And I hope someone is investigating that lunatic.)

Conservatives are threatened and smeared all the time particularly when they start getting national attention. Remember Joe the Plumber? His personal and private details were illegally accessed in order to smear him because he dared, DARED, to question The One.

I've personally had my property defaced by some leftard...a bumper sticker on my car was defaced. Not a big deal but I would never...NEVER...touch someone's car to deface their personal property. It's wrong and rude. I had to remove the sticker (it was a troop supporting sticker, not even a pro-bush sticker which I don't even have on my car).

I have yet to see mobs of tea partiers with signs wanting to hang The One. We want to KILL the BILL...not the man. Yet it was just standard operating procedure to see signs calling for the death of Bush for a variety of supposed transgressions.

That's at an Obama campaign rally. Yup. No radical mobs here. Move along.

I didn't attend any official McCain rallies but I would be comfortable betting that there was nothing like that at one. If there had even been ONE single case of someone hanging The One in effigy it would be all over the news. ALL over. Just one. A single one. As "proof" that America is still a racist country.

The projection (not to mention hypocrisy) from these lefties who can't handle even a little bit of dissent thrown their way is palpable. We the People are fed up. We are tired of being told what to do by politicians who refuse to live by the same rules.

"This latest Dem hysteria over the scariness of tea partiers is just beneath contempt. Obviously nobody should do anything illegal, but, heck, you trample on people's basic rights in an area of intimate concern to them and put the financial survival of the nation at risk, and everybody is supposed to just lie down and be all polite about it? What a bunch of cry-babies. But dangerous crybabies. They're making omelettes like crazy, breaking eggs by the gross, and when one of them squeaks, "I'm a little chick, please don't hurt me!" it's all, the right wing terrorists are on the loose! Transparent, contemptible political theater and utter cluelessness about, you know, freedom. People, as in the People, have every right to be angry, furious, shocked, appalled and disgusted by what Congress and our ambitious young prince have done."

I'm planning to take my little baby boy who turns 6 months old today, to a "mob rally" tomorrow morning at the state capital (organized by Americans for Prosperity). Somehow I'm really not stressed about it and think he'll actually enjoy it a lot. Of course, he won't get all the interesting puppet shows to watch like he would at a lefty rally. But it'll still be fun.

I'll be sure to bring my camera to photograph those angry, threatening mobs.

Pretty scary and threatening looking aren't we. :) Well, Marshal might puke on you but that's the extent of our violent potential.

It's Giveaway Time

I think that title could be read a couple of different ways, some worse than others, but this isn't the government trying to give away my money...this is me giving away some beautiful jewelry (and it's not even my own jewelry!).

Head on over to my jewelry blog, Casto Creations Jewelry, and see how you can enter to win a stunning completely handmade copper necklace, earrings, bracelet, and ring in a gorgeous handcrafted jewelry pouch made by my good friend Dana of Dana's Jewelry Designs. She's so talented! I wish I had half her talent...though instead of trying to pull her down and suppress her gifts I want to help build her up even higher. Sure, she's 'technically' competition but competition is good for us!

And at least this giveaway is completely voluntary. =)

We Are Screwed

I'm beyond pissed. I'm livid. And I'm sick to my stomach.

Passed through trickery, back room deals, bribes, and I'm sure some outright threats...this bill does NOTHING - not ONE DAMN THING - to make our health care system better or more efficient and effective. NOTHING!!!!

So those of you who think this is some great new government Utopian program are crazier than I am. I am TRULY afraid of the consequences of this monstrosity. Will my medications be "approved" by some bureaucratic board somewhere in DC? And if not, what the hell am I supposed to do? Because my current health insurance will probably be completely destroyed and run out of business by government meddling and chicanery. And it's not a cheap medication. But if the government deems it too expensive, and my life not worth enough to save, then I'm screwed.

My son will be screwed if he happens to inherit my lousy genes. But he's going to be screwed regardless because the government wants him to be their slave. Any hard work he does will be punished. He will be encouraged to be a slug and leach off the government instead of working hard to succeed on his own. And how in the world do we as parents counter this message of "the government will take care of you"? Why should he bother to work hard? His salary would just be confiscated to pay for entitlement programs.

Then again, if enough people fall into the entitlement trap we will all collapse financially. It's just so depressing I can hardly stand it.

Do politicians just immediately lose their sanity when they are "hired" by us? Or is it just that the people doing the hiring don't care and fall for the bribes promises of said politicians? *sigh* There is no logic to this piece of crap.

Screw listening to the people. The majority of Americans do NOT want this piece of crap monstrosity of government intrusion.

I don't even want to think about it anymore. I have actual, you know, WORK to do. Not that the Democrats would know anything about a hard days work. Bastards.

What it Really Looks Like...

Some people seem to think that, while government can't efficiently run our postal service or departments of licensing, they can somehow provide us with "universal" health care coverage that is better than the private sector can provide. I think these people are delusion ... they probably think films like Sicko are actual documentaries, as opposed to the leftist commie propaganda they truly are.



The Cuban dissident, Dr. Ferrer, who took this footage risked his life and is currently in jail not far from Gitmo, but in slightly different conditions. Gitmo would be a resort for this poor man.

"The Castroite propaganda in Sicko so outraged people cursed by fate to live in Castro's fiefdom that they risked their lives by using hidden cameras to film conditions in genuine Cuban hospitals, hoping they could alert the world to Moore's swinishness as a propaganda operative for a Stalinist regime.

At enormous risk, two hours of shocking, often revolting, footage was obtained with tiny hidden cameras and smuggled out of Cuba to Cuban-exile George Utset, who runs the superb and revelatory website The Real Cuba. The man who assumed most of the risk during the filming and smuggling was Cuban dissident -- a medical doctor himself – Dr. Darsi Ferrer, who was also willing to talk on camera, narrating much of the video's revelations. Dr Ferrer worked in these genuinely Cuban hospitals daily, witnessing the truth. More importantly, he wasn't cowed from revealing this truth to America and the world. (A recent samizdat reports that the black Dr. Ferrer is currently languishing in a Cuban prison cell --not far from Gitmo, by the way-- undergoing frequent beatings."

The system in Cuba's communist utopia is a nightmare for the regular people. Yet, our 'betters' want to model a U.S. system based on the supposedly "fair" system in places like Cuba, Canada, and the UK.


Is this the future for America under Obama Care?

There are MUCH worse photos of actual conditions in Cuba at The Real Cuba website.

Even in the U.K., an obviously much freer and not evil society, conditions in the socialist run health care system approach nightmare stage (patients having to have family members clean their rooms, bring them water, and even a man dying from dehydration in the hospital!).

Our system is far from perfect, but it is Utopia in comparison to Cuba. "Free" is never truly free. There are always costs and consequences.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Would you trust these people with your health insurance?

Photo stolen borrowed from Big Government. =)

I sure as hell don't. Nor do I trust them (or any other government...dem or rep) with my personal information. They already have more of it than I prefer.

We got our census form the other day and let's just say that I feel I met the minimum requirements as provided for in the constitution. The government now knows that we have three people in our house, the year each was born, and whether we are boys or girls. That's all they need. They don't need our phone number. They certainly don't need to know what "race" we are (I did answer...but I put down 'other' American).

My friend Marie said that technically I should have put "Human" as race because it is the only true 'race' ... all our definitions of race are actually ethnicity. But I think American works for my purposes.

We'll see if we get a government worker knocking on our door one day or if we get fined. I think this is one instance where I'd be tempted to fight it in court. The census purpose is to count the number of people...that's it.

Because, after all, what could go wrong with the government having our ethnicity or other information???

We're from the government and we're here to help.

We Just Don't Understand

Oh for Pity's sake...obviously the more things change, the more they stay the same. This video, posted by Instapundit, shows a congressman from way back in the 80s (I think I was 10 or 11 at this point) getting booed and chased by a crowd of angry seniors. Look familiar???



And that classic line, "they don't understand" what government is trying to do for them...

OH EM GEE!!! WTF?!?!?! These politicians really never change do they? They think we're all a bunch of ignorant schmucks who should just shut up and let the government run our lives. Get out of their way, because they know better.

I've never cursed so much as I have in this last year...and so much of the cursing has been at politicians.

Meeting with the director for my new job, he said that the health care bill would actually be good for Aflac. But I don't care. I'd rather stick with what we have now and sell from that perspective than ruin the entire economic system but benefit my new industry. Keep the government out of my health care!!!!

[P.S. HOLY COW...just heard on the radio that Walgreens will no longer fill Medicaid prescriptions starting in April...see how great "free" health care is!]

So Who Wants To Buy Some Insurance?

ROFL

I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot tell you how excited and relieved I am. While I realize that my hard work isn't over, at least this horrible state exam process is over. When the guy was printing the results last night I thought I was going to throw up and I almost cried when he said "Good News". =)

Now I need to get fingerprinted and apply for my actual license ... and then start doing training with Aflac. WOOHOO! AFLAAAACCCCC!!!!! I'm really good at imitating the Duck.

My last day with my current company is April 23, though I admit my brain has already left. :) As soon as they hire my replacement I'll start training them. HR is agonizingly slow. They have a candidate who they want me to meet with and I was supposed to get a meeting request for today or tomorrow and so far nothing. I wish they'd hurry up. I'm ready to move on!

I Will Not Sue

Today is a hilarious day. I come in to work and find out that a pipe burst in the floor above us and our entire network for our floor is destroyed. I can't help but laugh.

So I've squatted in someone else's cube on a different floor (above the water damage line) and it's really strange and totally throwing me off my schedule. The "Business Continuity" emergency backup plans did not kick in as they should have and our entire department is pretty much scattered, but happily most folks are doing pretty well in dealing. I am not.
I hate anything that throws my routine off. I may just take the afternoon off to study since I have the second attempt at my exam tonight.

Anyway...on my way to work this morning the radio host was talking about people suing Toyota because the resale value of their car has taken such a hit.

Are these people insane?!?!?!

A car is not an "investment" and there has never been any guarantee of "return" for reselling. No one said you were guaranteed to get a certain price. Sure the assumption is that Toyotas have a higher resale value, but that is not a definite.

I didn't buy my car so I could 'resell' it someday with an expectation of higher values. Why would I SUE just because the value might be perceived as lower???

People have issues. And greed is just one of them.

I am not going to sue...unless my car goes out of control. Then I might get worked up. But for now I will enjoy my Toyota Rav4...cracked windshield and all.

Halfway There...and Guns Are Scary

Well, I passed one of my exams (the Life one). I bombed the Disability exam though. *sigh* So I rescheduled and will take it again tomorrow night. I wish I could take some more time to study but I'll just study during lunch and after work tonight. Hopefully that'll get me there.

On another note...a conversation at work today has me a bit peeved. I know the views of a couple of my coworkers on the "gun" issue but it still infuriates me that they are such wimps. The sight of a gun makes them want to pee their pants apparently.

I was talking about how this state is an open carry state and I'd be glad to see people displaying their firearms. "What's the point?" was the response. And I said, the point is that it is our right to do it. Yeah, that went over like a lead balloon.

One coworker said she was glad that our company didn't allow guns on campus ... to which I of course responded that it's a shooting gallery for someone who does not care what the rules are. Just like the teacher who was shot last week on a GUN FREE campus.

Wait...how could some one get shot on a GUN FREE campus? That makes just no sense.

Except that the bad guys do not care one bit what some rule says about carrying a gun. It just makes it that much easier to take out their targets...since their targets can't fight back. If she'd been allowed to carry a gun she might still be alive today.

My goal this year is to get my concealed carry permit and buy my very first gun...I'd really like a pink one, but I'll take function over fashion. =) I will want a pretty holster though.

Because when I start selling Aflac (so close...) and going to locations that I'm unfamiliar with (or even where I am familiar) I want to be able to protect myself.

Because when you need the police in seconds they are mere minutes away. I am the only one who can be responsible for my own safety when my husband isn't with me (he even carries to church!).

I know I won't change their minds. I know that my one coworker would never let her kids come over to our house because we have guns. Whatever. They're probably safer at our house than at their own home. If a criminal is intent on doing harm, they'll be a lot more successful at her home where she'll call the police and then wait while the bad guys do their worst. At my home, the police will get called...to clean up the body of anyone who tries to do me or my family harm.

My Head Is Going to Explode

I have SOOOO much stuff that I want to write here but my mind needs to be focused on studying. My exam for my Insurance license has been scheduled for this Friday.

EEEEEEEKKKKK!!!!!!

I am absolutely terrified. And the odds of me getting any studying time this week are nil. Hubby is working nights during the week now (which is good because we'll get weekends together again, but bad because it's just me and the boy during the week) and the boy doesn't encourage focusing on anything other than him at night.

So, if posting seemed light the last few days...it will be even more so this week. Even though I have several posts started (there's just so much going on out there) I must restrain myself and focus like a laser beam (as my favorite Talk Show host says) on cramming as much information into my head as I possibly can.

Wish me luck!!!

Just Because It's Not True, Doesn't Make it a Lie

That seems to be what The One thinks anyway...you know how you can word something in just a certain way that doesn't make it a true falsehood (ha...true falsehood, funny), but it doesn't exactly ring true? He hit the ball out of the park with this laughable statement:

"There has never been a program of this scale, moved at this speed, that has been enacted as effectively and as transparently as the recovery act..."

Excuse me while I laugh hysterically. Did he say this with a straight face? Were his fingers crossed behind his back?

How can any sane person believe that!?!

I mean, I agree that there hasn't ever been a program of this scale or that has moved at this speed. That it has been implemented effectively or transparently???????

Seriously? When I heard this played on the radio I was actually shocked, though I suppose I shouldn't have been.

Are his handlers and staff shielding him from reality? Has he fallen so far under his own spell that he has NO idea how ridiculous his policies are, how damaging they are, and how badly he is doing as president?

The website, recovery.gov, reported $26.5 million going to ten New Mexico Congressional districts that do not exist. Those millions were credited with creating 61.5 jobs. Spadework by our Watchdog counterparts in other states showed a total of $6.4 billion reported as being allocated to 440 nonexistent, or “phantom,” Congressional districts.

Right, I suppose he's such an empty vessel that these "phantom" districts are perfectly acceptable to him as proof of his genius and prowess in bringing the economy up from the bowels.

This country is in serious trouble financially. I'm still optimistic and believe that we will come out of it eventually. Sadly, I hope we don't come out of it before 2012...if we do it will NOT be because of his insane policies, but in spite of. Yet he will not hesitate to claim credit...the way Biden thinks that the success of the Iraq war will be one of The One's biggest achievements. *sigh*

Delusions. I suppose it's nice to be in their world.

Great Analogy

At least from my perspective, this analogy for health care and government involvement makes the most sense. It comes from a commento on Megan McArdle's piece about first dollar coverage (and I know what that is now since I've been studying for my insurance exam!).

The comment was this...

It's more like groceries + flood insurance. For "normal" medical care, doctor's office type things, people pay out of pocket. You may need food to live but you buy the groceries yourself. The lower income people get food stamps. For big things, such as heart attacks, the government provides or subsidizes insurance like they do with flood insurance (plus probably making it mandatory), you may never need it, but it's there if you do.

 Exactly!

Do the majority of Americans really want the government to pay for their every day food choices? I certainly don't. But I do recognize that some people need government assistance even for the most basic need of food (the efficiency and effectiveness of the food stamp program is something to be debated though).

People should, for the most part, pay for their own food. Similarly, people should pay for their basic health care services.

Last year I went through a pregnancy and it wasn't an easy one. I'm a member of an HMO and so usually have a copayment, but not for maternity services. Except that I had to be referred to a specialist and I had to pay a portion of the cost. It wasn't exactly pretty, but we managed. It did give me a nice view into the actual costs of my treatment. A basic ultra sound was over $800!

It's sad that people with no kids, no plans for kids, single guys, et al help to subsidize my maternity care. It's even more sad that we aren't allowed to pick the exact types of insurance we want. Why should I pay a premium to cover hair plugs, chiropractor services, or psychotherapy if I don't need or want those things? (Granted, the psychotherapy is something I've needed in the not too distant past, but something I could have paid for out of pocket if needed.)

So let me pick my own coverage - which for us would include maternity care - and let our neighbor who isn't having anymore kids pick their coverage without maternity. Or let them choose to pay for basic coverage out of pocket and pay for a catastrophic plan only.

If the government needs to be involved, let it be at a catastrophic level (i.e. flood insurance) so that people don't have to declare bankrupcy in order to receive treatment. And if someone is so poor that they require food stamps, the government can offer basic coverage insurance options for them too.

Universal coverage will do NOT one DAMN thing to increase the actual health of Americans and will inevitably lead to more cost, less access, and way more waste & fraud.

Will You Vote?

I finally found a contest to enter Marshal's cute little face in. Will you go vote for him??? I entered six different photos but I think the cutest are these.

Dressed up in his Penn State Nittany Lions outfit, given to him by his auntie Jennifer.

Modeling his adorable little Sheriff's outfit, given to him by some great coworkers of mine.

I think his little face would be perfect on the cover of Parents magazine, don't you??? :)

Cross Posted at Casto Creations.

Pry It From My Cold Dead Hands

The nanny state, health police are at it again. First it was Tobacco. EEEEveeeeeel tobacco.

Sure it's stinky and gross, but it's a legal product and people have the choice of whether or not to use it.

Now it's SODA!

Apparently we are too stupid to assess the risks of drinking this poison and we need the government to start a campaign to re-educate us.

And a growing number of public health advocates are pushing for even more aggressive actions, urging that soda be treated like tobacco: with taxes, warning labels and a massive public health marketing campaign, all to discourage consumption.

Give me a break. I'm not overweight because I drink too much soda. I'm overweight because I don't exercise...I don't get enough sleep...and I don't eat right. All things that I could change if I had the will power and time (I keep hoping that having a child will get easier...I think I'm subconsciously smoking crack). Time is the biggest thing here...I work full time and have a hubby on a rotating schedule so I'm pretty much in charge 24 hours a day 7 days a week right now (although I will say he does help out when he's awake at 2 in the morning...at least it's something). There isn't a lot of extra time to hop on the Wii or run around the block...much as I'd like to (well, not the running part...I don't run).

“What you want,” says Kelly Brownell, director of Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, “is to reverse the fact that healthy food is too expensive and unhealthy food is too cheap, and the soda tax is a start. Unless food marketing changes, it’s hard to believe that anything else can work.”

These nanny state do-gooders are completely out of touch if they consider Soda to be a "cheap" food option. Soda is freaking expensive and a total drain of our wallets.

Increasing the tax won't produce the kind of "revenue" (aka taxes) they want...when you tax something you discourage it. Just like when they started taxing cigarettes more and more ... the revenue from the taxes decreased and never did reach the levels they anticipated. Nor do I believe the money was used for all of the purposes claimed...somehow I am guessing that a significant amount of the new "revenue" will find its way to "special" projects not at all related to 'educating', 'warning', or 'fighting' obesity.

The state of Washington recently screwed over the tax payers "suspended" Initiative 960, put into law by the citizens of the state to require a 2/3 majority vote by the legislature to raise taxes. It also required more transparency from the blood suckers politicians. So now the Queen Governor is proposing new taxes on everything she can think of...regardless of the consequences.

Gov. Chris Gregoire wants a total of $605 million in higher taxes to help fill the state's budget deficit, including larger levies on oil products, bottled water, pop, candy and cigarettes.

Screw the idea of fiscal responsibility and CUTTING spending! Just because the little people (aka me and my family) have to balance their check books and cut out unnecessary spending, don't expect those who lord over us to do the same. Tax my soda! Tax my candy! Tax the few things I enjoy. Oh and be sure to tax oil products so that all products get more expensive.

I certainly don't need the government to spend my tax dollars on a campaign to tell me that something is bad for me. I already know that. Anybody who has a pulse should know that too much sugar is bad for you. Parents who don't monitor their kids consumption are bad parents. Or they've weighed the risks and prefer a child hopped up on sugar and caffeine. THEIR kids...THEIR choice.

[As an aside...I certainly don't plan to let my boy drink soda ... of course, I say that now. :) I will never put Coke in his bottle...my mom has seen parents (more than one!) do that. That is almost child abuse IMHO. I don't even want my kid to have juice unless it's totally watered down. He can drink water and milk.]

Last time I looked this was still a free country. That means allowing people to be stupid, make choices that are bad for them, say offensive things, and eat crap that will make them fat. The government is already too involved in trying to run our lives ... "for our own good" of course.


They can have my Dr Pepper when they pry it out of my cold dead hands. I know the risks ... I enjoy drinking it! It tastes yummy and I like having it with a couple of meals. I KNOW that I need to cut back and I will...eventually. Probably when we're down to one salary and can't afford to buy it anymore. Until then, the government can suck it.

About Bloody Time

Let's have more of this! Fire their lazy asses! And take the power away from the union who only cares about sucking the public dry rather than encouraging actually teaching and education of children.

Teacher salaries

at the high school average $72-78k. Apparently 50% of the students at the school are failing all of their classes, and the graduation rate is also under 50%. In an effort to turn the school around, the superintendent requested some changes be made whereby the school day would be slightly extended, teachers would perform some extra tutoring, etc.

The union balked and refused the terms, so now she is firing the entire teaching staff of the high school and replacing them. This is yet another example of unions digging their own graves by refusing to negotiate or accept reasonable terms. Sentiment is on the side of the superintendent, at least among the folks I have discussed the issue with.

My little cousin had Friday, Monday (a holiday), AND Tuesday off. Why?

She had no idea. Of course, she loved it. But there are two days that could have been used to, oh I don't know, TEACH children! It's not like the teachers were using it as a work day. I know several teachers who hate those lame days off that are supposedly for 'working' or continuing education...or even worse some stupid mandatory meeting that is a complete waste of time.

Yet one more reason I want to send my boy to private school. As much as I'd like to home school I just don't think I'd be very good at it. But maybe if I could find some other like minded parents we could do a sort of rotating school day...I might be able to handle that. One parent teaches history and english and another teaches math and science...etc. That would be cool and offer the kids a chance to socialize as well.

Some teachers deserve 70-80K a year. But most don't. I'd say that out of all of my high school teachers, over four years, maybe 5 of them deserved that kind of pay. They were great teachers who actually taught me things. The rest were just hanging on and punching the clock every day for a paycheck. They taught nothing.

Which is why hubby and I voted NO to the latest levy...of course, it still passed. So more money getting soaked out of our paychecks to fund a system that is pretty much broken.

More Woes for Toyota

Heard on the radio this morning that Toyota is having even more issues...now with the Toyota Corolla. They also mentioned people having problems with sudden power steering jerks to the side.

This caught my attention immediately because my car (Toyota Rav4) has ALWAYS pulled to the left. I can be on a totally flat and straight stretch of road, regardless of speed, and it pulls to the left. Sometimes this is more obvious than others and I have to really adjust my steering to stay straight. But it's something that I've lived with because it didn't seem that abnormal to me and I think I'm just used to driving that way.

It's not like my accelerator sticking issue several years back.

The radio guy was talking about how the "fix" Toyota is coming up with for the accelerator/brake issue isn't really a fix. It doesn't solve the problem of the sticking accelerator, it just creates a new way to stop the car if it does stick. Kind of like a bandaid on a wound that requires stitches but won't kill you immediately.

My faith in Toyota as a safe car is definitely and perhaps permanently shaken. Which is really sad. Because I've always thought of them in very high esteem as a quality car company. My next car might just be a Ford. God bless capitalism that I have so many choices and can 'vote' with my pocket book.

Celebrate Valentine's Day, Even Now!

On President's Day, I went ahead and took Marshal to the baby sitters. I don't have ANY days off. Even on the weekends. At least until hubby starts a day shift again. He works on the weekends right now at night so he sleeps during the day.

I try not to complain but the lack of sleep makes it tough.

Anyway, so I took the day "off" so to speak. Took Marshal to daycare and went back to bed for a couple of hours. Got some studying in and then headed to the movies with my aunt, little cousins, mother in law, and sister in law.

We saw Valentine's Day and WE LOVED IT!!! All of us. From my 13 and 15 year old cousins to my 69 year old mother in law. We laughed throughout practically the entire thing. A lot of it was predictable (I'm sure I drove my MIL crazy saying what I thought was going to happen next) but toward the end there were two scenes that totally floored me. One made me tear up immediately and the other one kind of made me gag. :)

But it was an awesome movie. Totally fluffy, predictable, and pointless but sweet and endeering. And it has SO many all star actors and actresses. Julia Roberts was awesome in her small part. George Lopez was very funny and Ashton Kutcher (is that how you spell it?) did a good job.

But the actor who stole the show was the little boy who was in love with Jennifer whats her name (from Alias), his teacher. He was beyond precious and totally made the whole theater laugh. At one point in the movie the whole theater clapped.

I'm pretty sure the whole theater loved it.

I've been going to move movies since we had Marshal than we ever did before we had him. I guess it's our way to get out and away from the house. I've even gone enough to earn a free popcorn and free candy! Sheesh.

I'm Sure It's A Scam

I love my family...really...I do. My aunt sometimes tries my patience. She believes in ... things. Like crystals. And ghosts. *sigh*

And apparently Oxygenated water.

Yes...Oxygenated.

Water.

You know...water...otherwise known as H2O...and the O stands for...

Anybody?

OXYGEN!!!

It's called "Perfect Water" and my poor, sweet, naive Aunt bought some for my Mother in Law, who's cancer has returned. She will not be getting any treatment other than blood and plasma transfusions. Her doctor gave her between two and six months.

It's not the news we wanted to hear but we're all dealing.

This so called improved water just preys on people's fears and desire to be healthier...just by drinking water. But it's crazy expensive.

So color me skeptical.

This is also the aunt who believes that Democrats are "for the poor". I guess that's true if by "for the poor" she means that Dems want more people to be poor.

I am not a fan of marketing something as a health tonic (aka snake oil) with little to no scientific proof. God bless the capitalist system...but it isn't without it's flaws.

I'll Give You $1 if You Give Your Neighbor $100

That's pretty much the gist of the so called "jobs" bill The One is proposing.

"A company could save a maximum of $6,621 if it hired an unemployed worker after the bill is enacted and paid that worker at least $106,800 — the maximum amount of wages subject to Social Security taxes — by the end of the year. The company could get an additional $1,000 on its 2011 tax return if it kept the new worker for at least a full year."

Wow...really? So if I hire someone and pay them at least $106k+ I'll get a tax break of $6,621. What a deal! I'll take two!

It's such BS. I mean, sure, if I were already going to hire someone at that salary it'd be a bonus for me. But as far as enticing me to hire someone new, someone I hadn't planned on hiring...it does jack.

"CBO estimates that such a tax break would generate only eight to 18 full-time jobs per $1 million in tax breaks."

Great. Some job "stimulus".

Once again, The One and his followers show their fundamental lack of comprehension. The private sector is the only path to recovery, not the government.

Where Are the Real Men?

I can guarantee you, regardless of what any stupid contract said, if my husband saw a beat down about to take place he would intervene to help the victim. (If the video doesn't load it is also at the link.)

"Two security guards stand over the victim while she's being pummeled and do not intervene. At one point in the video, one guard is seen raising his arm toward the assailant, who ignores him.

The guards, who work under contract with Metro, are restricted from intervening in assaults."

He wouldn't walk away as one pussy ass "guard" did. He wouldn't nicely ask the attacker to 'please stop' as it appears another guard is doing. He would MAKE the juvenile stop thrashing the girl. It's not like the guards should be afraid of a little girl when they are clearly much larger and MEN!

Well, obviously not real men.

Sure, they are bound by some piece of paper to not intervene or provide actual security. But human decency should have prevailed here. Sure they could have lost their job for HELPING A BEATEN GIRL ... but is any job that requires you to stand by and let people get brutally kicked in the head really the kind of job you want to keep?

I'd be PROUD if my husband got fired for stepping in to prevent such an action and I'd shout from the roof tops the despicable company who decided to fire him for being a decent human being. Because my husband is a REAL man.

Not only are these security guards lacking some testicular fortitude, but the policy that requires them to sit on their hands just proves once more that government is not to be relied upon to protect us. Or provide us with health care. They can't even provide basic protection in a bus transit tunnel!

Washington State Screwing Taxpayers - Again

Well, they've done it again. Gone and screwed over the taxpayers of this fine state. Bastards.

NO, not just bastards. RAT bastards.

I loathe these scum sucking, life draining weasels who are the elected officials of Washington State. The Democrats are in the majority and the Republicans are toothless and have no recourse to stop the out of control spending. This state has had a Democratic governor since before I can even remember - at least more than 20 years.

Who cares that the people of this state passed an Initiative to limit tax increases? Not prohibit tax increases mind you. Simply limit them so that it was hard enough to raise them so that they'd only be raised for necessary reasons.

Instead of cutting the outrageous and unneeded spending, the Democrat controlled legislature last night passed a suspension of Initiative 960. Well, almost. In their incompetence they only passed 90% of the bill, when they really wanted to screw us over 100%. So they're having another vote today.

""We'll be telling the people to shut up and pay up, and we know what's best," said Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake."

True. We're just the citizens of this state. Who cares what we think? Who cares that we are already struggling to pay our bills and keep our jobs? The queen needs money to pay her bribes promises.

"Another bill extends a freeze on pay raises for nonunion state workers. It was approved on a 33-15 vote and heads to Gregoire's desk."

Because gosh, it would just be wrong to freeze pay raises for UNION workers.

Photo shamelessly filched from The Liberty Zone.

What the hell is the point of having an Initiative process if the government just takes a crap on the will of the people the second they can?

I'm ready to move. Is there a state somewhere that doesn't screw over its citizens???

And in a related note...if they can't handle the money they already take from us what makes them think they can properly manage MORE of our hard earned dollars?

Think It Can't Happen?

Think again. The green police have struck.

Lawn height requirements!!!

Oh the humanity!

Although to me this is actually an anti-green measure. I mean, if you want to be truly green you just let your yard grow au-natural. And using a lawn mower means polluting the air with noise and fumes. That's just wrong I tell ya.

The premise of this new law is the same though...government interference into the private and personal lives and decisions of its citizens. The nanny state striking again for the good of society - whether you like it or not. Freedom be damned.

After all, they know better.

It's Not Charity If It's Forced

Reading a post on a blog that I subscribe to today...they mention that they are getting a refund check from their taxes this year. They also mention that they are one of those who pay fewer taxes and get more back in return. A pretty good gig if you can get it.

Anyway, he thanks people who DO pay taxes for the "charity" they've given. This line, more than anything else in his entire post, grabbed me and made me see red.

"If your income level is such that you do not qualify for a tax refund, I want to thank you for the donation that you have given the rest of us."

WHAT!?!?!

My taxes are not given as a DONATION for charity. They are forcibly removed from my earnings, often for purposes other than my choosing. I support the military. I want my taxes used for roads, fire/police, and community things like national parks. I do NOT want my hard earned money given to people who haven't earned their own

[By the way...Stew is actually very gracious about this. He totally realizes that his refund is technically not money he earned in any way. I get that. He is taking advantage of the way the system is set up and I don't blame him for that...I would too. I just think the system is broken.]

Our family does not make a ton of money (and are poised to make much less this year) yet we have owed money the last two years because we would rather keep our money throughout the year rather than loan it to the government interest free and get a "refund".

Last year we owed about $400 or so. Not a huge amount but still painful. And to know that there are people paying no income taxes getting "refunds" (aka welfare in the form of a tax refund) really chaps my hide.

I'd really like to see some sort of flat tax or at least a system where EVERYONE has a stake in the system. If everyone had to write a check for their taxes, instead of having it withheld from their paycheck, I think people would pay a LOT more attention to what our government spends and where. Maybe more people would realize how stupid it is for the federal government to fund things like the National Endowment for the Arts. Or public schools. Or the Post Office. Privatize them all. If you love the NEA so much, donate to them. Let the USPS compete for business. And let local communities keep their tax dollars and invest them in their schools...where locals know the issues and needs.

Instead our paychecks are raided and our tax dollars are allocated based on what some politician in a far away land deems worthy ... or where they think they can get the most political bang for OUR buck.

I Still Love My Toyota

Toyota is having a rough week. :)

And the government is piling on because they smell blood and are hoping that the injured Toyota will allow for Government Motors to move in and take advantage.

The thing is...even with all of their issues, Toyota is STILL a better company with a better product than GM or Chrysler. Just is.

I LOVE my Rav4. No, mine is not involved in the recall (it's a 2004) but it wouldn't surprise me if they expanded the recall to include it. On the other hand, I've already been through the sticky gas pedal situation and lived to tell the tale. If my accelerator stuck today I would know what to do and how to safely shut my car down without crashing or killing myself. Any GOOD driver should (even when I was a not so good driver, somehow I managed to survive the incident).

So let’s set the record straight about how a perfectly normal Toyota, or any other car, truck, or SUV, can accelerate wildly “out of control” with an even reasonably competent driver behind the wheel. Can’t happen. Period. End of story if the driver simply puts the gearshift in neutral (that “N” just above “D”) and safely steers over to the shoulder of the road. And if the engine races until you shut it off, so what? All you really care about is keeping you and your passengers safe.

Duh!

And don't tell me that if GM were having brake or accelerator issues that the government would be making ridiculous statements like 'just don't drive them'. They would be praising GM for taking action and letting people know about the issue, reassuring the public (and stock holders) that everything was fine.

"...Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, wants to hold hearings about how Toyota has handled the recall. Let’s see, a Democrat from Michigan who represents a government that owns a good chunk of Toyota’s automotive rivals. What could go wrong?"

Maybe it's a good time to buy Toyota stock. I don't think the company is going under and I'm sure that they will recover from this (eventually) and continue to build good (non-union!) cars. Since the government helped the stock plunge yesterday it is basically on sale. :)

When I'm ready for a new car I will be looking at Toyota, but I admit that this incident has shaken my faith. So I'll probably also look at Ford...an American company not sucking at the government tit.

I Think I'm A Bad Mom

Not trying to have a pity party or say oh woah is me or anything but I've really been questioning my motherly instincts lately.

Please don't misunderstand, I adore my son. He is so cute and his smile warms my heart.

But I don't always want to be with him. I don't always feel like entertaining him. I don't even want to always hold him. I'm often relieved to drop him off at daycare and wondering how I could get weekend care! What the hell?!?! I'm supposed to be raising this little guy to be a good person and eat his veggies and I want to pawn him off on a sitter.

How in the world do you entertain a 4 month old? They have the attention span of a gnat. He's got a little Jeep walker and that will occupy him for ... a nanosecond before he starts fussing. The other night I didn't even get to finish eating dinner before he was wailing.


My favorite time? When he's finally asleep! I'm the luckiest mom in the world to have a baby who has been sleeping through the night since before 3 months of age. I get bummed when he ONLY sleeps 8 or 9 hours in a row.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Why can't I think of things to do with my son that don't involve sitting glassy eyed in front of the computer on Facebook? When he was 2 months old he just sort of sat there in my arms with few complaints, and often would fall asleep. Now that he's 4 months old he doesn't just sit nicely while mommy studies or plays her games. He gets pissed!

How in the world do parents of multiple kids handle it?

Somehow my husband managed to make pancakes on Monday morning, while I was sleeping (I was sick all last weekend and Monday...and still am actually) and he was watching the boy. PANCAKES!?!?!

I can't even heat up a bowl of soup.

I keep telling hubby that he's clearly a better parent than I am because he seems to be able to get a lot of stuff done even when he's in charge of the crumb cruncher. I, on the other hand, feel completely paralyzed and trapped ... unable to even go to the bathroom without five minutes of thinking about how to do it without a screaming baby as the result.

Does it get better? Do I just not have the mothering instinct? Maybe I'm just too selfish. I get bored trying to keep him entertained. I want to go make jewelry or study or heaven forbid do laundry!

I have been saying that I do not want him to watch TV until he's at least 2 years old, and even then keep it limited. But on Sunday I found myself rolling his Jeep in front of the TV so I could get a couple of things done.

I am a horrible mother!

P.S. No actual alcohol was consumed in the creation of this photo! I'm not THAT bad!

What Have I Done?

Faith as small as a mustard seed...that phrase has stuck with me since I was a child because sometimes I feel my faith is indeed just that small (a mustard seed is super tiny by the way).

I quit my job several weeks ago...even though I won't actually stop working at this job until April 23 (my official last day). It was important to give my final notice so we could move forward and find my replacement (which may take awhile considering how many people have already expressed interest ... and the job still isn't even officially posted!).

Why did I do this?

This Guy!

And the company headquarters (where I work) is moving to Seattle from Tacoma. My current commute can range from 30 minutes to 90 minutes depending on traffic (that's one direction...the longer time is generally in the afternoon). Driving to Seattle will MORE than double it because traffic just gets worse and worse the closer you get to the big City.

I'm not willing to sacrifice that much time in my car (or on a bus or train) away from my family. It would cost me MUCH more just to work and I'd be getting less compensation (they are not increasing anyone's salaries just because we'll be working in a much more expensive place and it will cost almost everyone more to get to work). I'd be away from home anywhere from 12-14 hours every day. There isn't even a daycare available for that amount of time...a couple coworkers suggested finding a daycare in Seattle and commuting with my boy. Yeah, right, there's a stellar idea.

Even though the company isn't going to be done moving until December 2010 (or so they say, I don't know if I really believe it'll happen that fast...nothing happens fast here) I decided that I could not just wait to see what happens. I decided to take control of my future...

Well...let me rephrase that. I prayed very hard late last year and the only thing I felt called to do was quit my job. How freaking scary is that?!?! Our economy isn't exactly booming and God wants me to quit my job, which pays well enough that hubby and I are very comfortable with two salaries. We're not rich but we manage.

So there I am with this calling to quit my job (before the move is even in progress) before I have any other job lined up. In early December I met with our company's Aflac agent to update our policies. We've had the Accident policy for more than 8 years and have had to use it twice already. Plus I wanted to add the Cancer policy and add Marshal to our plans.

When I met with the agent I asked how she liked it and how the business was doing. And out of nowhere I decided that I could work for Aflac.
I had no idea what this would require. I've never held a true sales position (I sold Avon when I was 19, and of course I do hock my jewelry *grin*)...I've never had any desire to sell any type of insurance (although Aflac isn't traditional insurance). And all of a sudden I'm saying...I could do that.

WTH!?!!

Now I'm studying for my Washington State Insurance License exam and once I pass that (*knock on wood*) I'll start training with Aflac (hopefully I can do it while I'm still in my current job). As of today I am not even technically employeed with them. Talk about scary.

Even scarier...I'll be working for commissions. EEK!!!

Lord...are you sure about this???

There are lots of benefits, without a doubt...

• Working on my own timeline - and as much or little as I desire (which can be good and bad)
• Working near my home and not commuting every day
• Being with a company that I truly like and from what other agents have said treats their associates very well
• A flexible schedule that will allow me to be home with my son more often - and work around hubby's ever changing schedule
• Potential for an incredible salary in a time of economic uncertainty

The downsides are huge and scary...

• No steady paycheck...commissions! *gulp*
• Having to buy healthcare on my own since I'll be an "independent contractor" (we're looking to see how much it will cost to get on hubby's healthcare)
• Having to pay self employment taxes (haven't confirmed this one but if I do it's going to totally suck)
• Having to network and "sell" myself...something I don't know if I'm good at, but people have been telling me that I am

With great risk can come great reward. I just hope God knows what he's doing. Doing a quick budget calculation based on our basic bills and only hubby's salary......We'd be in the hole by over $300 before even buying any groceries, formula, or diapers each month.

Again, I ask, What Have I Done?!?!?

It's a little panic inducing (me being prone to panic attacks already!) but I am trying to take deep breaths and continue to pray.

Things that make me feel more calm...

• I've got a good bonus coming up that is approximately two months of my pay (a little less after the extra taxes the government always take out...bastards!) that will go to paying off some debts and putting into savings.
• My last 5 paychecks will go into savings accounts and paying bills that aren't covered by hubby's paycheck (and saving for daycare expenses for when I'm training and doing sales things)
  
• I passed my first certification exam with 88%!!! WOOT!
• I'm going to be my own boss (mostly)!

So while I feel a little insane (actually, ... oh never mind ... insert your own snarky comment here) I am excited and exhilarated. And terrified!

Marshal...if mommy winds up in the looney bin, this whole experience is why. :)

I Want a T-Shirt

So, I'm reading this article about Che (well, really about our ol pal Hugo) and how brain dead celebrities and naive teenagers think he's so uber cool and the antithesis of authority and I decided that someone needs to make a t-shirt with the famous Che face ... only with a bullet hole between the eyes. 'Cause that's the only way this monster did any good - being murdered like a coward while trying to flee the 'cause' he supported.

Why do intellectuals (so called) and celebrities think that mass murderers are so cool...as long as they're the "right" mass murders? i.e. Mao, Marx, and Che. Hitler isn't as cool apparently because he was just so damn obvious about his atrocities. Plus he lost this brutal war, you know.

My son is going to learn about these monsters. History does matter and forgetting history (or believing the white washed version that some lib-tard professor tries to teach) has consequences.

I recommend this book. I've heard the author interviewed a couple of times and have read his book (it's good, and not super long). Reading it at work (I used to work out at lunch and would read it on the treadmill... note the past tense) a coworker saw it and got all excited that I was reading about Che. Until she saw the full title. *grin* Then she stormed away in a huff.

It saddens me when otherwise intelligent people defend mass murderers. One excuse? "The people who tell these stories are just the rich ones who were forced out."

*insert cricket chirps and blank stare here*

Understanding

Anyone who has never felt depression or been touched by someone with this disease may have a hard time understanding.

While there is still a stigma today with having a "mental" illness, more and more is being discovered and treatment is readily available for most.

I have Bipolar Disorder. I really hate saying "I'm bipolar"...because I'm not defined by my disease. It's something I have...like diabetes. It's a chemical imbalance and the ONLY thing that keeps me sane is medication. And even then the symptoms find their way in to destroy my days.

Reading The Bloggess, she posted a link to a post she made in 2009 ... It explained the feeling of depression so well.

In the grips of a massive "down" I know in my head that there is nothing to be so hopeless about. My logic is still present. But it doesn't change the way my body reacts to whatever chemicals are screwing around in my head. I think my logic is one of the only things that has saved me from offing myself in the past. That and my stubbornness and desire to not destroy my family. Suicide really is a very selfish act. And again, The Bloggess has a great post addressing that too.

Could This Work?

Turning Detroit from the Motor City into the Farm City? It seems a rather fascinating idea and I think it's more constructive than the current direction Detroit is in (which seems only to be down).

Detroit was once the 4th largest city in America and it held the title of Motor City because most of America’s cars came from there. Flash forward 40 years, and Detroit’s population has dwindled from a high of 2 million people to just over 800,000. The average price for a home in Detroit is $15,000, the lowest in the country. With so many empty spaces, criminals have no shortage of hideouts and drug factories.

...

There is a lot of unused land in Detroit. This John Hantz thinking about how to use all of that vacant land. He is pitching a proposal to turn Detroit into a modern farming community.

People gotta eat right? It would provide jobs in a city with a 25%+ unemployment rate. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment people have when they are part of something and produce something ... and earn something instead of being handed welfare.

I can't imagine the overwhelming logistics of this proposal, but determination and American can-do spirit can generally accomplish anything. I wish this millionaire all the best.

In 2032

I don't remember the first time I saw this movie, but it spoke very deeply to me.

What does that say about me? I'm not sure. But if you get past the fact that it is a Stallone movie, I think there really is a deeper message about freedom. (And Sandra Bullock rocks it.)

The more I hear about progressives wanting to force us into universal health care, monitor our speech to make sure we aren't "hateful", and trying to make us eat what "they" want... the more I think about this movie.

"I'm the enemy...cause I like to think. I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I'm the kind of guy who likes to sit in a greasy spoon and wonder, Gee, should I have the T-Bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecue ribs with a side order of gravy fries. I want high cholesterol. I want to eat bacon, and butter, and buckets of cheese okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section.....

I've seen the future and you know what it is? It's a 47 year old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas drinking a banana broccoli shake singing I'm an Oscar Meyer weiner."

The BEST part of the movie by far is in the first three minutes of the clip above.

The world has become a bunch of sissies. Yup...I think they call them Metrosexuals now.

Huge Contest Ending Soon

I know...three posts in one day. :) And I'm actually getting 'real' work done too. I must be on a Bipolar high.

Whatever...Okay, I have to thank Sense to Save for alerting me to this ginormous contest (is ginormous really a word? It doesn't turn up with that red squiggly line underneath it LOL) over at Money Crashers.

The value of all the prizes is now over $9,000!!!!!! Holy Giveaway Batman! And there are dozens of ways to earn extra entries...I cannot even imagine how they are keeping track of everything.

So, in the spirit of spreading the love, and getting extra entries, I'm writing a post to let you know about it too. And I'm going to cross post this on my other blog.

Good luck (and if you win...you'll share with me right?) =)

This is Not a New Issue

My first car was a 1986 (or 87, I can't remember) Toyota Corolla that my mom bought - she bought it without me so I didn't even get to help pick it out. Thankfully I still loved it and eventually I bought it from her (and even paid it off!).

After I'd paid it off and owned it outright for approximately two months I had the scariest thing happen...I was driving to work, on a street where the speed limit was around 25 mph, and all of a sudden my gas pedal wouldn't stop...and my brakes weren't slowing me down.

The car kept speeding up more and more and I was seriously panicking. Finally I just turned the car off in the middle of the street. That's about all I remember, aside from the terror I felt. I was only 19 or 20 at the time...not the most experienced with scary car things.

Even worse...after I restarted and kept driving it happened AGAIN a few days later. So I went and bought a new car. This time a 96 Toyota Corolla, which never gave me the same scary experience.

Now I have a Toyota Rav4, a 2004, and have never experienced this same thing. But then they come out with a recall saying that a bunch of newer models have this accelerator sticking problem and it makes me really nervous. Because it is NOT a new issue from my perspective. When I traded in my 86 at the dealership I did tell them about the accelerator issue I had and they were not surprised. So when will my 04 crap out on me?

All of my cars have always been Toyota (aside from hubby's truck, which is a Ford) and my dream car is actually a 4Runner. Maybe I need to rethink that.

Racial Victimization Causes Violence

If you constantly tell kids that they are victims, that they will never get ahead because of the color of their skin, that they are "owed" something from others because of the color of their skin ...

You will get kids who are messed up.

"Asian students say black students routinely pelt them with food, beat, punch and kick them in school hallways and bathrooms, and hurl racial epithets like "Hey, Chinese!" and "Yo, Dragon Ball!""

Blacks are not the only race in the world who have been oppressed in the past. Schools teach about slavery to a fault. But they don't seem to teach about other incidents of slavery in other countries (some still ongoing), or about the horrible treatment of other races even here in America (Chinese, Japanese, Irish, etc.).

Would this behavior be tolerated in any way shape or form if the assaulting students were white? No WAY. There would be none of these wimpy protestations that the school district is doing all it can. There would be immediate expulsion of students and loud protests by the offended parties.

"Ackerman apologized to the students but was criticized for bringing a busload of black "student ambassadors" to one hearing , students who were not involved in the strife. She also stirred tensions when she complained that the cultural crisis was "taking up a lot of my time.""

I also think that if the ones being beaten up were white we wouldn't even hear this much about it.

More details are sure to come out and I'm sure there are "guilty" parties on both sides (as my mom says, it takes two to tango) but those responsible for the bullying need to be severely punished and removed from the school to allow those who want to learn to do so safely. I really can't imagine being scared at school.

Creating or Saving?

I think I'm doing my part for job's creation...at least according to The One's definition.

You see, a couple of weeks ago I gave my official notice. I'm quitting my job. =) My last day is April 23 (I'm staying until there is a replacement who I can train).

My company is also "outsourcing" quite a few jobs to a foreign country. But my open position is now available to (hopefully) one of those who will lose their job to said foreign country.

Thus I've SAVED a job.

Right? :)

And this job can be added to the count of saved jobs. What are we up to now? Thousands? Millions? How's that Hope and Change working out?

The Dinner Roll

This is, I think, a very powerful example of so called compassion run amok. Just because others are in need does not mean the government needs to forcibly take from some who have made good choices or had good luck.

Borrowed from the Liberty Zone who "stole" it from Misha.

The Dinner Roll

Once upon a time I was invited to the White House for a private dinner with the President. I am a respected businessman, with a factory that produces memory chips for computers and portable electronics. There was some talk that my industry was being scrutinized by the administration, but I paid it no mind. I live in a FREE country. There’s nothing that the government can do to me if I’ve broken no laws. My wealth was EARNED honestly, and an invitation to dinner with an American President is an honor.

I checked my coat, was greeted by the Chief of Staff, and joined the President in a yellow dining room. We sat across from each other at a table draped in white linen. The Great Seal was embossed on the china. Uniformed staff served our dinner.

The meal was served, and I was startled when my waiter suddenly reached out, plucked a dinner roll off my plate and began nibbling it as he walked back to the kitchen. “Sorry ’bout that,” said the President. “Andrew is very hungry.”

“I don’t appreciate…” I began, but as I looked into the calm brown eyes across from me, I felt immediately guilty and petty. It was just a dinner roll. “Of course,” I concluded, and reached for my glass. Before I could, however, another waiter reached forward, took the glass away and swallowed the wine in a single gulp. “And his brother, Eric, is very thirsty,” said the President.

I didn’t say anything. The President is testing my compassion, I thought. I withheld my comments and decided to play along. I don’t want to seem unkind.My plate was whisked away before I had tasted a bite.

“Eric’s children are also quite hungry.” With a lurch, I crashed to the floor. My chair had been pulled out from under me.

I stood, brushing myself off angrily, and watched as it was carried from the room. And their grandmother can’t stand for long.”

I excused myself, smiling outwardly, but inside feeling like a fool. Obviously I had been invited to the White House to be sport for some game. I reached for my coat, to find that it had been taken.

I turned back to the President. “Their grandfather doesn’t like the cold.”

I wanted to shout, “that was my coat!” But again, I looked at the placid smiling face of my host and decided I was being a poor sport. I spread my hands helplessly and chuckled. Then I felt my hip pocket and realized my wallet was gone. I excused myself and walked to a phone on an elegant side table.

I learned shortly that my credit cards had been maxed out, my bank accounts emptied, my retirement and equity portfolios had vanished, and my wife had been thrown out of our home. Apparently, the waiters and their families were moving in. The President hadn’t moved or spoken as I learned all this, but finally I lowered the phone into its cradle and turned to face him.

“Andrew’s whole family has made bad financial decisions. They haven’t planned for retirement and they need a house. They recently defaulted on a subprime mortgage. I told them they could have your home. They need it more than you do.”

My hands were shaking. I felt faint. I stumbled back to the table and knelt on the floor. The President cheerfully cut his meat, ate his steak, and drank his wine. I lowered my eyes and stared at the small grey circles on the tablecloth that were water drops.

“By the way,” he added, “I have just signed an Executive Order nationalizing your factories. I’m firing you as head of your business. I’ll be operating the firm now for the benefit of all mankind. There’s a whole bunch of Erics and Andrews out there and they can’t come to you for jobs groveling like beggars..we need to spread YOUR wealth around…”

I looked up. The President dropped his spoon into the empty ramekin which had been his crème Brule. He drained the last drops of his wine. As the table was cleared, he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair.

He stared at me. I clung to the edge of the table as if it were a ledge and I were a man hanging over an abyss. I thought of the years behind me, of the life I had lived.. The life I had earned with a lifetime of work, risk and struggle.

Why was I punished? How had I allowed it to be taken? What game had I played and lost? I looked across the table and noticed with some surprise that there was no game board between us.

What had I done wrong?

As if answering the unspoken thought, the President suddenly cocked his head, locked his empty eyes to mine, and bared a million teeth, chuckling wryly as he folded his hands. “You should have stopped me at the dinner roll,” he said.

While the elite and government tell us we must be compassionate no matter the cost, they fly in their tax subsidized jets and eat their $100 a pound Kobe beef. They tell us to not have such high expectations and that we must all come down to some imaginary "fair" level. They insist that the regulations they impose on us are for our own good. And again they try to impose guilt - that somehow success is wrong and should be punished while relying on government is the only true way to live a fair life.

It's all bunk and it must be stopped!