While the politicians in Washington argue over whether raise the debt ceiling, do away with social security, take funding away from community based groups and lower taxes even more for corporate America, the Fat Cats are getting fatter and it's business as usual on Wall Street. The oil companies are showing record profits and Haliburton stock is currently at a 52 week high with net earnings of 511 million dollars in the last quarter. Shell shocked vets are the majority of people staggering down the streets of America, sleeping in doorways and alleys. Hard working people find themselves unable to afford basic health care. I hear a lot about cutting government spending but I hear nothing about cutting politicians salaries, or limiting their expense accounts. Instead I hear about proposed funding cuts to Planned Parenthood (like we need more people on the planet!) National Public Radio, domestic and international Aids programs and on and on and on. Health care isn't even a real concern to them and god forbid we should tax the rich or hold those namesless faceless corporations accountable. It's a pretty good ride if you're a major stockholder. If you're a person that's simply trying to pay your rent you're on your own, Charlie.
Washington D.C. is corporate headquarters and the politicians are on the payroll. They're no longer working for their constituents, they're available to the highest bidder and working for their special interests. The cards have been dealt, the outcome is predictable. More for them, then even more for them, and if that's not enough, let's make sure there's more for them.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
It's the Biggest Heist in History
4th Nov 2010
Contrary to the media blitz that would have us believe an event beyond our comprehension has caused this recession, there has been a robbery, plain and simple. There is a limited, although abundant amount of actual money in the United States and seeing as I haven’t heard about any fires at Fort Knox, or batallions of armored cars filled to the gills with money being vaporized by aliens, the big question is, “Who has the money?”
While people are losing their homes, losing their savings and having their retirement funds stolen by their bosses, corporate America is passing the money back and forth, buying favors to increase their profits, patting each other on the backs while they smoke cigars and fly around in their private jets. They’re paying themselves millions upon millions of dollars a year while they whine about “tough economic times” and stuff their workers down the garbage disposal. American arrogance is a global joke. The nation is in shambles and we continue to attempt to spread “democracy” around the world like an insidious virus.
I doubt very much that this fiasco bears any resemblence to what Tommy Jefferson and the boys had in mind when they cranked up that war for independence that we’ve heard so many stories about.
Van Dyke’s Soapbox: DADT is dead but War is still Hell.
Being the big old rabble rousing dyke that I am, I suppose I should be ordering a keg to celebrate the fact that it looks like we can be openly queer and still kill people while they’re making breakfast or getting ready to go to school, as long as a few conditions are met.
1. The victims have to live in a foreign land
2. Someone has to order us to do it
3. And we have to be wearing the uniform of the U.S. military
Back in the good old days before the advent of the wheel, young men were drafted into the US military and forced to kill in Southeast Asia. But, this was a strain on the psyches of the men who found themselves in such a state of peril, as they watched their best friends blown to bits before their eyes. Things were never the same when they returned to their former lives, which did not involve killing on command, or being ever vigilant even when asleep. Many of them moved into the streets trying to drown their guilty consciences with bottles of whiskey, while others joined the American Resistance and successfully organized to abolish the draft. That’s when the U.S. military became a volunteer organization.
Women wanted equality in all things, including the right to volunteer to be on the front lines, and they got their wish along with unbelievable sexual harassment including rape by their fellow soldiers. Now it’s the queers. I say, if that’s really what you want to do, then starch that uniform, polish your boots, and go to the Cuff on Uniform night. Leave that gun at home, and leave those poor people in Iraq and Afghanistan alone.
Oh yes, they’re waving that old red white and blue like there’s no tomorrow, while they try to spread democracy around the world like an infectious disease. We’re defending America against the nameless faceless terrorists who are out to destroy us. But the story changes with the times. In Korea and Vietnam, we were fighting the plague of communism which Russia was supposedly spreading like butter on bread.
When the United States was unsuccessful in finding and annihilating Osama Bin Laden after 911, the enemy morphed into Saddam Hussein and his fictitious weapons of mass destruction. Once Iraq was demolished, we moved onto Afghanistan where it’s hard to tell if someone is a terrorist, or a farmer working in their fields. You know, we had that same problem in Vietnam. Couldn’t tell who was a communist and who was a farmer, so we just killed them all, children included. After all, they could grow up to be communists; might as well nip it in the bud.
For now, the terrorist threat is working and when everyone gets sick of that excuse for war, it will be something else. Even though war has been proven time and time again to be completely ineffective as a problem solving method, it reigns supreme. War reigns supreme because it’s profitable. Doesn’t anyone get that? So, yes, my brothers and sisters, you’ve won the right to raise your rainbow flags as your charge into battle making money for Haliburton and the war mongers. What a victory!
And, of course, the women of America are sitting breathlessly in front of their computers just waiting for a photo of the right dick to come along, so they can have a reason to continue laughing.I suppose it’s always good to have evidence of your manhood available, just in case, in a moment of panic, you reach into your pants in search of comfort and find…..NOTHING. If Mr. Wiener’s name was Mr. Longnose do you think he would have photographed his nose for posterity?
American politicians have done an outstanding job flaunting their enormous capacity for stupidity on every level while the whole world watches in disbelief. ”Stupid is as Stupid Does” The internet is a PUBLIC forum, everything you post is available to anyone at any time and will be for years to come. Everything is traceable, everything is recorded. Internet anonymity is an oxymoron. It is unbelieveably stupid for anyone to put anything personal on the internet. It’s unbelieveably stupid to have private arguments on facebook; to break up with lovers via e-mail; to rant on twitter. 15 years from now, those words will still be there, but you will have moved on.
But, as far as I know, sex between consenting adults is still legal in the United States, and whether you respect your wedding vows or not, is, in my opinion, a personal issue. The morality police would disagree with me, and oh, horror of horrors, suprise suprise, Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child with his housekeeper! John Edwards fathered a child with one of his campaign staffers, Bill Clinton gagged Monica, and JFK had Marilyn. Thomas Jefferson fathered 7 children with Sally Heming, whom he owned… The mayor of Portland, Ore. The mayor of Spokane, it goes on and on. The list is so long, it’s impossible to reproduce here. If you’d like a more complete list of indiscretions, google "political sex scandals". You'll see what I'm talking abougt.I’m afraid I’ve become rather complacent about the stupidity of men, especially as it relates to their dicks.
I don’t expect much from the idiots running around to meetings and dinners and parties in Washington, DC. I’ve learned to avoid disappointment by lowering my expectations. What concerns me, is the Morality Police, the legions of spies and snoops who go digging for evidence that the men in power are violating the laws of propriety by sticking it in central vacuuming when no one is looking. It’s the same Morality Police that keep screaming about the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, (which is crumbling before our very eyes) and sex being intended for procreation (as if we need more people on the planet!). It’s the Morality Police creating sexual subterfuge while two overt wars, and an undisclosed number of covert wars have bankrupted our nation…
It’s the Morality Police creating scandal to divert our attention from the real problems that are keeping us from moving forward. The Rich are getting richer while the rest of us are scrambling to stay afloat.
Gay Day: Just Another Commercial Interruption
Gay Day is now a thing of the past, and we’ve managed, once
again to prove that we can all come together. Something the rest of the
world has had problems with since the beginning of time. The
Queens spit polish their tiaras, the dykes spit shine their boots and
their bikes, we work on our outfits and make dresses out of condoms,
paper plates and water bottles. We dust the world with glitter, and
revel in who we really are. The sky’s the limit, we’re queer, we’re
here and dahling, we’re Fabulous!
Gay Pride is not only a celebration of our existence, it’s a display of solidarity as well as a visual reminder of our very own diversity as a community. We’re construction workers, doctors, lawyers, baristas, teachers, nurses and social workers. We’re artists and bankers, designated by corporate America as a substantial source of revenue. This recognition has its ups and downs.
The economy is in shambles, because corporate America has a death grip on the nation’s cash and assets. It’s gonna take a suicide bomber to pry their greedy little fingers loose. The economy is in shambles because of this country’s arrogant attitude towards other nations and the political choices they’ve made. According to the U.S. everyone, apparently, needs to structure their government after ours and if they don’t see it like that, we have ways to change their minds. We’ll invade their country, bomb their national monuments and kill anyone that gets in our way. Saving the world from itself is a very expensive proposition, and who better to set themselves up as a role model than America, a country in ruin.
Corporate America is now substantially represented in every Gay Day Parade in America. It’s one big commercial interruption after another. But the worst thing is they’re not even trying to entertain us, or in any way enhance our viewing pleasure. Instead, they’re filling our parades with lack luster displays of capitalism. Just say NO to branded vehicles blasting club music. If they’re gonna insist on being there, let’s insist on them getting with the program. Let’s use them instead of rolling over and letting them walk all over us in the name of sponsorship. If they want to play, make them pay.
I have not gotten a response from the Pride organizers, so I’m not clear on what they’re currently paying, but in my opinion that kind of advertising is worth a lot. If Amerian Airlines, Microsoft, Redbull, etc. each paid $10,000 dollars we’d have some money to work with to revive that old art form known as the float. If $3000.00 of every 10,000 went to various queer groups with artists and activists who wanted to design and create a float the parade could, once again, become a vision of lovliness, an extravagant display of our creativity as a community, another enthralling and exhilarating queer moment in time.
Gay Pride is not only a celebration of our existence, it’s a display of solidarity as well as a visual reminder of our very own diversity as a community. We’re construction workers, doctors, lawyers, baristas, teachers, nurses and social workers. We’re artists and bankers, designated by corporate America as a substantial source of revenue. This recognition has its ups and downs.
The economy is in shambles, because corporate America has a death grip on the nation’s cash and assets. It’s gonna take a suicide bomber to pry their greedy little fingers loose. The economy is in shambles because of this country’s arrogant attitude towards other nations and the political choices they’ve made. According to the U.S. everyone, apparently, needs to structure their government after ours and if they don’t see it like that, we have ways to change their minds. We’ll invade their country, bomb their national monuments and kill anyone that gets in our way. Saving the world from itself is a very expensive proposition, and who better to set themselves up as a role model than America, a country in ruin.
Corporate America is now substantially represented in every Gay Day Parade in America. It’s one big commercial interruption after another. But the worst thing is they’re not even trying to entertain us, or in any way enhance our viewing pleasure. Instead, they’re filling our parades with lack luster displays of capitalism. Just say NO to branded vehicles blasting club music. If they’re gonna insist on being there, let’s insist on them getting with the program. Let’s use them instead of rolling over and letting them walk all over us in the name of sponsorship. If they want to play, make them pay.
I have not gotten a response from the Pride organizers, so I’m not clear on what they’re currently paying, but in my opinion that kind of advertising is worth a lot. If Amerian Airlines, Microsoft, Redbull, etc. each paid $10,000 dollars we’d have some money to work with to revive that old art form known as the float. If $3000.00 of every 10,000 went to various queer groups with artists and activists who wanted to design and create a float the parade could, once again, become a vision of lovliness, an extravagant display of our creativity as a community, another enthralling and exhilarating queer moment in time.
It's Not Democracy!
Contrary to what the media would like us to believe and contrary to what the government would like us to believe, it's not democracy that's invading, infesting, and destroying indigenous cultures of the world. It's not democracy that American service men and women are fighting for.... No! , it's CAPITALISM.
Western markets are saturated with TV's, cars, technology, and expensive restaurants. The Gluttons in charge of Corporate America have a bad case of "The Wants". They want more money, they want more bonuses, they want more money, they want more power, they want more money, they simply want more more more of everything. They'll take it wherever they can find it, they'll take it from the government, they'll take it from their own employees, they'll take it from the children working in their factories in foreign lands. Corporate America used to hide behind the smokescreen of anonymity, but now? They don't care that people know they don't care. They're proud of their greed and their arrogant breed. They're coming out of their closets saluting the flag of greed for the whole world to see. After all, they've worked hard to pollute the hearts and minds of the world, as well as the planet itself, if they don't toot their horns of success, who will? They've enlisted the support of the government, using the U.S. military as the first wave. Clear the space, get rid of the obstacles, make way for "progress". Bombs for Peace! Bullets for Friendship! More money for them.
The global trail of carnage is littered with corpses. The people of the middle east are living in hell, demonstrating in the streets over the distribution of wealth, the quality of their lives, their hopelessness and lack of happiness. The US media says people are demonstrating for democracy, but really they're voicing their outrage over the distribution of wealth and power, which is not very much different from the distribution of wealth and power in the U.S. Very few have it. Corporate America has an abundance but they're not at all interested in sharing, unless of course, the price is right.
Let's hear it for Capitalism and the men who promote it. After all, it's the American way, right?
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Bad Us!
As I was driving a friend to the airport this morning, I was listening to NPR. Back to School spending wasn't as lucrative as it needed to be. Bad us! Retail spending is below expectations...bad us! The housing market is not rising as quickly as it needs to....bad, bad us! As consumers, the media is quick to point out our weaknesses. If only we'd part with the money we don't have everything would pick up and start humming again.
Corporate greed is insatiable, there is, apparantly, no limit. As CEO, a 20 million dollar bonus on top of a multi million dollar salary seems to be a necessity, so spend more money folks! We're falling behind. Buy more stuff that you don't need. Throw the old stuff in the landfill, there's plenty of room. Uprade your technology, even though you just did it last year, or was that the year before? Whenever it was, there's been inovations that we're told we can't live without. Use those credit cards, get out there and support your local corporation. Because, God knows, they need us. Profits are down. Not gone, just down from the inflated levels of days gone by. The oil companies are doing well, the pharmaceutical companies are cleaning up, and the insurance companies are rollin' in dough. The financial institutions are far from collapsing but... what's happening to the people?
The media would have us think that it's an issue of Republicans and Democrats. That debate keeps us busy, arguing with each other, going after paper tigers. Perhaps, like me, you've noticed that it makes no difference which party wins an election, everything stays pretty much the same. The wars continue, people suffer, money is made.
If President Obama was able to make the changes he wanted to make, he would have. If the Clintons were able to have their way, they would have overhauled the health care system. They tried, they failed, and they paid for it with years of useless litigation over fabricated financial scandals. When that didn't work the powers that be moved onto personal attacks, making Hilary appear to be a man hating dyke (I only wish!) and Bill, well we all know what happened to him.
If President Obama was able he also would have overhauled the health care system to the benefit of the American people. Instead he overhauled it to the benefit of the insurance companies. What made that happen? It certainly wasn't his intention. I'd say it's time to make the corporations stand up and be noticed. Rip the cloak of invisibility off those corporate tanks that are mowing us down while they stack up piles of money. Make them take responsibility for the mess we're in, make them share some of their profits with the little guys who can't seem to be heard over the noise of the money counting machines. Used to be "behind every good man, there's a good woman!" Now, it's "behind every rich man is more rich men!"
Corporate greed is insatiable, there is, apparantly, no limit. As CEO, a 20 million dollar bonus on top of a multi million dollar salary seems to be a necessity, so spend more money folks! We're falling behind. Buy more stuff that you don't need. Throw the old stuff in the landfill, there's plenty of room. Uprade your technology, even though you just did it last year, or was that the year before? Whenever it was, there's been inovations that we're told we can't live without. Use those credit cards, get out there and support your local corporation. Because, God knows, they need us. Profits are down. Not gone, just down from the inflated levels of days gone by. The oil companies are doing well, the pharmaceutical companies are cleaning up, and the insurance companies are rollin' in dough. The financial institutions are far from collapsing but... what's happening to the people?
The media would have us think that it's an issue of Republicans and Democrats. That debate keeps us busy, arguing with each other, going after paper tigers. Perhaps, like me, you've noticed that it makes no difference which party wins an election, everything stays pretty much the same. The wars continue, people suffer, money is made.
If President Obama was able to make the changes he wanted to make, he would have. If the Clintons were able to have their way, they would have overhauled the health care system. They tried, they failed, and they paid for it with years of useless litigation over fabricated financial scandals. When that didn't work the powers that be moved onto personal attacks, making Hilary appear to be a man hating dyke (I only wish!) and Bill, well we all know what happened to him.
If President Obama was able he also would have overhauled the health care system to the benefit of the American people. Instead he overhauled it to the benefit of the insurance companies. What made that happen? It certainly wasn't his intention. I'd say it's time to make the corporations stand up and be noticed. Rip the cloak of invisibility off those corporate tanks that are mowing us down while they stack up piles of money. Make them take responsibility for the mess we're in, make them share some of their profits with the little guys who can't seem to be heard over the noise of the money counting machines. Used to be "behind every good man, there's a good woman!" Now, it's "behind every rich man is more rich men!"
Monday, June 28, 2010
Corporate Takeover of Gay Day
When I first arrived in Seattle, in the eighties, there was a festering rift between the drag queens and the homosexuals. The homosexuals didn't want the drag queens to ruin their image in the gay parade. Can you imagine? If it wasn't for those feisty queens at Stonewall in New York City, this national holiday we now call Gay Pride wouldn't even exist.
Dressed up in their finest, the drag queens hit the streets in protest and marched themselves right down Broadway on Saturday night. My girlfriend and I decided to escort them on our motorcycles and were happy to see that Vik had the same idea. It was a great march full of vitality and enthusiasm, unlike what I witnessed yesterday.
Dykes on Bikes started things off with the usual uproar, flags flying, horns honking, the crowd screaming. It was impossible to not feel proud and gay. But then (yawn!) something terrible happened. Logo encrusted cars, boom boxes blaring, their gay employees waving in their matching t-shirts. Bank of America, Coca Cola, American Airlines, esurance, Microsoft, the radio stations it just didn't stop. After about an hour I was pretty sure there must be a BP float back there somewhere, snuggled up with an Exxon float just waiting to be let out of the gate. I tried to stay the course, I wanted to enjoy the parade, but the logo riddled procession of internal combustion engines wasn't all that interesting. The queers were lining the streets, packing the beer gardens and having brunch on the street corners, while corporate America strutted it stuff in the Gay Parade. What's happened?
Gay Day, historically, is an energizing day of celebration. Gay Day 2010, in Seattle was anything but that. It was a celebration of our acceptance into the mainstream, acknowledgement of our importance as a consumer group, but....... hardly gay at all. I'm hoping the queers were, at least, in the back of the bus waiting their turn to burst out of the gates and hit the streets. I just didn't have what it took to wade through the celebration of the corporate takeover. I found it boring and insulting and left in search of the queers.
If I hear one word in one gay publication about how we're in debt over this event, I'm definitely calling the police because there were enough corporate "sponsors" to pay for three parades.
Dressed up in their finest, the drag queens hit the streets in protest and marched themselves right down Broadway on Saturday night. My girlfriend and I decided to escort them on our motorcycles and were happy to see that Vik had the same idea. It was a great march full of vitality and enthusiasm, unlike what I witnessed yesterday.
Dykes on Bikes started things off with the usual uproar, flags flying, horns honking, the crowd screaming. It was impossible to not feel proud and gay. But then (yawn!) something terrible happened. Logo encrusted cars, boom boxes blaring, their gay employees waving in their matching t-shirts. Bank of America, Coca Cola, American Airlines, esurance, Microsoft, the radio stations it just didn't stop. After about an hour I was pretty sure there must be a BP float back there somewhere, snuggled up with an Exxon float just waiting to be let out of the gate. I tried to stay the course, I wanted to enjoy the parade, but the logo riddled procession of internal combustion engines wasn't all that interesting. The queers were lining the streets, packing the beer gardens and having brunch on the street corners, while corporate America strutted it stuff in the Gay Parade. What's happened?
Gay Day, historically, is an energizing day of celebration. Gay Day 2010, in Seattle was anything but that. It was a celebration of our acceptance into the mainstream, acknowledgement of our importance as a consumer group, but....... hardly gay at all. I'm hoping the queers were, at least, in the back of the bus waiting their turn to burst out of the gates and hit the streets. I just didn't have what it took to wade through the celebration of the corporate takeover. I found it boring and insulting and left in search of the queers.
If I hear one word in one gay publication about how we're in debt over this event, I'm definitely calling the police because there were enough corporate "sponsors" to pay for three parades.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Corporate Pollution
Corporate Pollution:
I like to think that human nature is inherently helpful and cooperative. If someone is up against it, we like to move in and help. If your barn burns down, your neighbors come to build you a new one. If you lose a loved one, people bring food and comfort. If there’s disaster, people rally and stick together. All for one and one for all!
We seem to have extended our human compassion to the corporate world. Unfortunately, they have not reciprocated. . How much profit did that corporation lose? Poor thing, it’s having such a miserable time, and money means so much to it. Let’s give it our money to make it feel better, because if the corporations feel better, everyone feels better.
While thousands of people have been stranded in Europe, hotels doubled their normal rates, the railroads increased their fares, and rental car agencies took advantage of the situation. One hotel in Shang-Hai doubled it’s rates every 15 minutes until the only people who could stay there were people travelling on corporate expense accounts, the same people who sit in comfortable first class airline seats, sipping free cocktails while everyone else is crammed into the back of the plane, paying for pretzels to go with their water.
The atmosphere of greed and fear that’s permeating our lives these days is being cranked out by the television, and funded by the corporations. We don’t thrive in such a negative environment. We get scared and angry and hold on for dear life.
Meanwhile, the corporations are doing well. We hear about it 8 times a day on the news. They’re doing so well that they’re successfully running the country, determining policies that make them even more money. Goldman Sachs is flourishing, the oil companies are making record profits, and the pharmaceutical industry is at the top of it’s game. Over the years, the insurance companies managed to quietly turn healthcare, a basic human need, into a big profitable business. The recent battle was over who owns that business, and the insurance companies won. There is no universal accessible health care in the new plan. There’s no “people before profit” in the new plan. The new plan is insurance, more insurance, mandatory insurance, insurance for everyone. That’s not a health care plan, that’s an insurance plan.
Maybe the government could start an incentive program. Money for Humanity, because it’s clearly money that turns real people into corporate clones, gleefully tossing their compassion and humanity in the landfills conveniently located where the rest stops used to be.
I like to think that human nature is inherently helpful and cooperative. If someone is up against it, we like to move in and help. If your barn burns down, your neighbors come to build you a new one. If you lose a loved one, people bring food and comfort. If there’s disaster, people rally and stick together. All for one and one for all!
We seem to have extended our human compassion to the corporate world. Unfortunately, they have not reciprocated. . How much profit did that corporation lose? Poor thing, it’s having such a miserable time, and money means so much to it. Let’s give it our money to make it feel better, because if the corporations feel better, everyone feels better.
While thousands of people have been stranded in Europe, hotels doubled their normal rates, the railroads increased their fares, and rental car agencies took advantage of the situation. One hotel in Shang-Hai doubled it’s rates every 15 minutes until the only people who could stay there were people travelling on corporate expense accounts, the same people who sit in comfortable first class airline seats, sipping free cocktails while everyone else is crammed into the back of the plane, paying for pretzels to go with their water.
The atmosphere of greed and fear that’s permeating our lives these days is being cranked out by the television, and funded by the corporations. We don’t thrive in such a negative environment. We get scared and angry and hold on for dear life.
Meanwhile, the corporations are doing well. We hear about it 8 times a day on the news. They’re doing so well that they’re successfully running the country, determining policies that make them even more money. Goldman Sachs is flourishing, the oil companies are making record profits, and the pharmaceutical industry is at the top of it’s game. Over the years, the insurance companies managed to quietly turn healthcare, a basic human need, into a big profitable business. The recent battle was over who owns that business, and the insurance companies won. There is no universal accessible health care in the new plan. There’s no “people before profit” in the new plan. The new plan is insurance, more insurance, mandatory insurance, insurance for everyone. That’s not a health care plan, that’s an insurance plan.
Maybe the government could start an incentive program. Money for Humanity, because it’s clearly money that turns real people into corporate clones, gleefully tossing their compassion and humanity in the landfills conveniently located where the rest stops used to be.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Life is a Gameshow
Do you have your rewards card? How about your buy 10 get one free punch card? Or maybe you’re racking up those frequent flyer miles so you can redeem them for free rides. If you book your hotel rooms through hotels.com you’ll get a free night at some point in the future. I don’t remember ever agreeing to be a contestant on this game show of life. But then, my memory isn’t what it used to be. Maybe I took a quiz and didn’t know it. Maybe it’s my punishment for spending so much of my life off the grid. It’s true, I wasn’t paying much attention to popular culture. I do know one thing for sure, although it’s called the free enterprise system, there aint nothing free about it.
According to my spam folder I could be running a business on the side selling all the Viagra I can apparently get for free on the internet. I’d have a dozen free laptops, a couple of dozen free iPods and my bank account would be overflowing with all the money that anonymous millionaire wants to give away. I'd love to be informed if anyone I know, or anyone associated with someone I know has ever actually received one of those free laptops, or a check from Microsoft for ten thousand dollars.
It’s a blitzkrieg of lies lies and more lies. It’s almost a full time job to sort through all the shit, keep track of your place in line, tally up the points on your rewards card, cut out coupons from the Sunday paper and send in the rebate that came with your vacuum cleaner. It's completely insulting to me to be approached in this assanine manner and I do hope I'm not alone. Otherwise, things are way worse than I imagined and everyone is getting what they deserve.
If you see me walking around wearing my motorcycle helmet with no bike in sight, you’ll know I’ve had enough. And if you don’t have a helmet, aluminum foil will do just fine. I hear Safeway is having a special. If you have your Safeway card, you can buy two, get one free.
According to my spam folder I could be running a business on the side selling all the Viagra I can apparently get for free on the internet. I’d have a dozen free laptops, a couple of dozen free iPods and my bank account would be overflowing with all the money that anonymous millionaire wants to give away. I'd love to be informed if anyone I know, or anyone associated with someone I know has ever actually received one of those free laptops, or a check from Microsoft for ten thousand dollars.
It’s a blitzkrieg of lies lies and more lies. It’s almost a full time job to sort through all the shit, keep track of your place in line, tally up the points on your rewards card, cut out coupons from the Sunday paper and send in the rebate that came with your vacuum cleaner. It's completely insulting to me to be approached in this assanine manner and I do hope I'm not alone. Otherwise, things are way worse than I imagined and everyone is getting what they deserve.
If you see me walking around wearing my motorcycle helmet with no bike in sight, you’ll know I’ve had enough. And if you don’t have a helmet, aluminum foil will do just fine. I hear Safeway is having a special. If you have your Safeway card, you can buy two, get one free.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Two Party System
I don't know about you, but I'm completely sick of those boys in Washington carrying on about who's right and who's wrong. Clearly, they're ALL off the wall. The Republicans are acting our like 3 year olds who's favorite and only word is NO, while the Democrats have no backbone and keep looking for a compromise. I've always maintained that compromise is a terrible solution to any situation. Nobody gets what they want, and everyone is unhappy in the end.
A long time ago, there were some guys who were talking about government of the people, by the people and for the people. Those guys are clearly dead and gone gone gone. The only evidence I can find of their revolutionary existence reverberating in today's world, is on our money. It's about time to replace those Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin greenbacks with etchings of AIG headquarters, Wall Street, and Pfizer. The U.S. government, today, is of the Corporations, by the Corporations and for the Corporations. We the people seem to have no place whatsoever in the grand scheme of things, except of course, to hand our money over to the corporations in as many ways as possible. We can buy their products, we can buy shares in their future, we can bail them out when they say they don't have enough money.
I can't hear the voice of sanity in any of this bedlam. It's all brown noise. Where are the people? I can't hear them. Are they asleep? Doesn't anyone care that we seem to find unlimited money for war but universal health care is "too expensive?" Does no one see how ludicrous this is? I used to think things would be better if the power was distributed more evenly among the people. I do believe I've changed my mind about that. You won't find me running in the streets screaming power to the people, not these glassy eyed people sitting in a vegetative state in front of their TV's waiting for someone to tell them what to think....that's over and done.
Like it's as simple as one or the other, Good or Evil, black or white, the Republicans or the Democrats. This two party system is completely broken. Choosing between terrible and horrible is not really a choice, and no one is listening anyway. I think we have to fire them all and start again with representatives who actually represent us, who listen to us, who fight for us. Not these idiot men who are all in it for themselves and their bank accounts.
A long time ago, there were some guys who were talking about government of the people, by the people and for the people. Those guys are clearly dead and gone gone gone. The only evidence I can find of their revolutionary existence reverberating in today's world, is on our money. It's about time to replace those Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin greenbacks with etchings of AIG headquarters, Wall Street, and Pfizer. The U.S. government, today, is of the Corporations, by the Corporations and for the Corporations. We the people seem to have no place whatsoever in the grand scheme of things, except of course, to hand our money over to the corporations in as many ways as possible. We can buy their products, we can buy shares in their future, we can bail them out when they say they don't have enough money.
I can't hear the voice of sanity in any of this bedlam. It's all brown noise. Where are the people? I can't hear them. Are they asleep? Doesn't anyone care that we seem to find unlimited money for war but universal health care is "too expensive?" Does no one see how ludicrous this is? I used to think things would be better if the power was distributed more evenly among the people. I do believe I've changed my mind about that. You won't find me running in the streets screaming power to the people, not these glassy eyed people sitting in a vegetative state in front of their TV's waiting for someone to tell them what to think....that's over and done.
Like it's as simple as one or the other, Good or Evil, black or white, the Republicans or the Democrats. This two party system is completely broken. Choosing between terrible and horrible is not really a choice, and no one is listening anyway. I think we have to fire them all and start again with representatives who actually represent us, who listen to us, who fight for us. Not these idiot men who are all in it for themselves and their bank accounts.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Rapture
I had lunch, yesterday, with a friend, who thinks that fundamentalist Christians don't care what happens to planet earth because they're pretty sure the Rapture is going to come and take them away from all this. I guess some people, like George W, call that "faith". To the rest of us, it's just plain irresponsible.
The fundamentalist Muslims appear to think the promise of a gaggle of virgins in the afterlife is enough to get young boys to turn themselves into human bombs and take as many people with them as possible. I hope there's enough virgins in heaven to go around, otherwise those boys are now finding themselves severely disappointed.
The real question is, do the politicians, the fundamentalist politicians, of the world, really believe these ridiculous assertions? or...... are they simply hoping to convince enough people to look the other way while they fill their pockets. Who knows what you can buy in heaven if your pockets are full when the rapture comes. Maybe they think they've already staked their claim and have a downpayment on a 5 bedroom 6 bath condo up there where the streets are supposedly paved with gold. One thing's for sure, it won't last for long, the gold, that is. These same believers will be scraping it off the streets, claiming it for themselves, hoarding it under their heavenly beds, and feeling like they've really accomplished something big.
And if they're wrong about the rapture, then their earthly greed has managed to set them up nicely for the duration of their time here. Either way they win.
They say universal health care for Americans would cost too much money. That must mean that war is more of a bargain. Besides the official Armed Forces of the United States, there's what used to be called Blackwater International until a few of their boys in Iraq experienced a surge of their own and gunned down unarmed civilians in the streets simply because they were in their way. That incident increased public awareness of Blackwater's participation in the war in Iraq. This wasn't such a good thing for a private clandestine army of mercenaries, started by a fundamentalist Christian retired Navy Seal. It's not that they have cut back on their international activities, it's simply that by changing their name to Xe, they have regained their anonymity, making them more effective in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
I think I saw a headline in the Washington Post that said: "Rapture Postponed, Live Life Like It Matters."
The fundamentalist Muslims appear to think the promise of a gaggle of virgins in the afterlife is enough to get young boys to turn themselves into human bombs and take as many people with them as possible. I hope there's enough virgins in heaven to go around, otherwise those boys are now finding themselves severely disappointed.
The real question is, do the politicians, the fundamentalist politicians, of the world, really believe these ridiculous assertions? or...... are they simply hoping to convince enough people to look the other way while they fill their pockets. Who knows what you can buy in heaven if your pockets are full when the rapture comes. Maybe they think they've already staked their claim and have a downpayment on a 5 bedroom 6 bath condo up there where the streets are supposedly paved with gold. One thing's for sure, it won't last for long, the gold, that is. These same believers will be scraping it off the streets, claiming it for themselves, hoarding it under their heavenly beds, and feeling like they've really accomplished something big.
And if they're wrong about the rapture, then their earthly greed has managed to set them up nicely for the duration of their time here. Either way they win.
They say universal health care for Americans would cost too much money. That must mean that war is more of a bargain. Besides the official Armed Forces of the United States, there's what used to be called Blackwater International until a few of their boys in Iraq experienced a surge of their own and gunned down unarmed civilians in the streets simply because they were in their way. That incident increased public awareness of Blackwater's participation in the war in Iraq. This wasn't such a good thing for a private clandestine army of mercenaries, started by a fundamentalist Christian retired Navy Seal. It's not that they have cut back on their international activities, it's simply that by changing their name to Xe, they have regained their anonymity, making them more effective in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
I think I saw a headline in the Washington Post that said: "Rapture Postponed, Live Life Like It Matters."
Friday, February 12, 2010
Believe it or not, there is life without TV
I did it. I had my cable disconnected. What a bizarre feeling. I imagine I'll have a life in about two weeks or so, once the shock wears off. In the meantime, I invaded my friend, Helen's house, yesterday, while she was out of town, and watched three hours of I don't know what, just to get a hit of what I thought I was missing. Guess I was missing commercials...I counted them. during the course of an hour I was subjected to over 70 commercials, most of them repeats. This was on the FX channel, and there were 10 commercials in every slot. Bam Bam Bam...buy buy buy...now now now...
buy Pizza at Papa John's...Eat greasy wraps at Micky D's..don't forget your valentine,
hate your body? join Jenny Craig and on and on and on it went. Meanwhile I kept losing track of the show I was trying to watch because of all the interruptions.
At the risk of showing my age, I do remember when "pay TV" reared it's ugly head. Americans were horrified at the thought of paying for TV. The big selling point was that if you paid for TV you were spared all the tedious commercials. Boy Howdy, that's certainly changed. Now we pay for the privilege of being bombarded with ads, we pay for shirts with company logos on them, we pay every which way. We pay every day in every way.
I'm going through withdrawals, have spent 45.00 this week alone renting movies, but I suspect that will slow down. Meanwhile, I've finished knitting a sock and have started on the second one, I've finished reading a book and have started another one. I'm not falling asleep on my couch everynight, and I'm actually making progress on my to do list. With any luck, I'll wake up enough to start making art again. Part of me is feeling happy and free. The other part is sniveling and whining, longing for the good old days of NO-THINK.
buy Pizza at Papa John's...Eat greasy wraps at Micky D's..don't forget your valentine,
hate your body? join Jenny Craig and on and on and on it went. Meanwhile I kept losing track of the show I was trying to watch because of all the interruptions.
At the risk of showing my age, I do remember when "pay TV" reared it's ugly head. Americans were horrified at the thought of paying for TV. The big selling point was that if you paid for TV you were spared all the tedious commercials. Boy Howdy, that's certainly changed. Now we pay for the privilege of being bombarded with ads, we pay for shirts with company logos on them, we pay every which way. We pay every day in every way.
I'm going through withdrawals, have spent 45.00 this week alone renting movies, but I suspect that will slow down. Meanwhile, I've finished knitting a sock and have started on the second one, I've finished reading a book and have started another one. I'm not falling asleep on my couch everynight, and I'm actually making progress on my to do list. With any luck, I'll wake up enough to start making art again. Part of me is feeling happy and free. The other part is sniveling and whining, longing for the good old days of NO-THINK.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
If I could just turn off the TV, perhaps this compulsion to spend money would subside. It’s the holidays, and even though I’m not really celebrating the holocaust of Xmas, I seem to be participating in the overconsumption of absolutely everything. Buy Buy Buy! I’m trying not to, but I’m not having much success this week. I’m determined to continue with this experiment of trying to only spend 20.00 a day, even if the end result is that I’m unable to do it.
Week Two:
Day 8-
Rollover dollars: 45.00
Daily allowance: 20.00
Total available for the day: 65.00
I’m feeling flush! I’ve managed to accumulate an overabunance of daily money. Might be time to go grocery shopping.
I was watching PBS, late last night and came across a woman named Peggy Cappy who teaches Yoga. She was so calm and focused, and real…. not all airy fairy that I went online and bought one of her DVD’s… cost: 15.00
Made a plan and went to the co-op. 140.00 later I had enough food stuff to fend off starvations for at least a week.
Looks like my entire experiment is going down the tubes.
I’m 90.00 in the red, but I have food for at least a week.
KK and Patty came over for food before we went to Columbia City Theatre to see Tamara’s cabaret show. I made prawn skewers that I already had in my freezer, and put them on top of a luscious arugula salad. It was an elegant and cost effective meal.
However it wasn’t possible for me to be in the theatre and not buy a round of drinks. I just didn’t have it in me to be a dead beat friend.
My ending total is minus 108.00
Day 9:
Roll over dollars: minus 108.00
Daily Allowance: 20.00
Total available for the day: minus 88.00.
It’s Shan and Marni’s annual Frosty party, followed by Lainey and Julia’s 20th anniversary party at the Rose. If all goes according to plan, I should manage to not spend any money today, even though it’s not like me to go to a party empty handed.
Ingrid is experiencing a terrible back, so I picked up some soup, smoked salmon, and bread and headed to her house with lunch in hand. Cost: 13.00
Lainey and Julia’s party was in the women’s bar, due to the generosity of my friends, I didn’t spend any money while I was there. I’m now at minus 101.00
Day 10:
Roll over dollars: minus 101.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the day: minus 81.00
I stayed home and worked on the Day of the Dead toilet seat design.
I spent no money, even though it was solstice. I now only seem to be successful if I don’t leave my house, and we all know that has a short shelf life.
Day 11:
Roll Over dollars: minus 81.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the day minus 61.00
This isn’t going very well, at all. I went to Hollywood Videdo and got some movies for Xmas. Cost: 25.00
I’m now at minus 86.00!!
Day 12:
Roll Over Dollars: minus 86.00
Daily Allowance: 20.00
Total Available for the Day minus 66.00
Bear wanted a ride to the liquor store because her grandson is getting married at her house on the 27th. I should have waited for her in the car because, before I knew it I’d shelled out 40.00 to start replenishing my trashed liquor cabinet.
Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!
I’m now at minus 106.00.
Day 13:
Roll Over Dollars: minus 106.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the Day: minus 86.00
Well, I must have everything I could possibly need, I’m not going to Starbucks every day, and this mass celebration of capitalism is almost at an end. Tomorrow is Xmas, perhaps this lunacy will subside. I spent nothing today, leaving me with an ending total of minus 86.00.
Day 14:
Roll Over dollars minus 86.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the Day minus 66.00
It’s Christmas, and thank God everything is closed. Helen is coming over for eggs benedict and some movies, then we’re off to Christine’s house for boulliabase. It would be difficult to spend money today. Funny how even though I’m not doing Xmas I’ve been compelled to spend money. I think spending is in the air..
Ending total: minus 46.00.
Week Two:
Day 8-
Rollover dollars: 45.00
Daily allowance: 20.00
Total available for the day: 65.00
I’m feeling flush! I’ve managed to accumulate an overabunance of daily money. Might be time to go grocery shopping.
I was watching PBS, late last night and came across a woman named Peggy Cappy who teaches Yoga. She was so calm and focused, and real…. not all airy fairy that I went online and bought one of her DVD’s… cost: 15.00
Made a plan and went to the co-op. 140.00 later I had enough food stuff to fend off starvations for at least a week.
Looks like my entire experiment is going down the tubes.
I’m 90.00 in the red, but I have food for at least a week.
KK and Patty came over for food before we went to Columbia City Theatre to see Tamara’s cabaret show. I made prawn skewers that I already had in my freezer, and put them on top of a luscious arugula salad. It was an elegant and cost effective meal.
However it wasn’t possible for me to be in the theatre and not buy a round of drinks. I just didn’t have it in me to be a dead beat friend.
My ending total is minus 108.00
Day 9:
Roll over dollars: minus 108.00
Daily Allowance: 20.00
Total available for the day: minus 88.00.
It’s Shan and Marni’s annual Frosty party, followed by Lainey and Julia’s 20th anniversary party at the Rose. If all goes according to plan, I should manage to not spend any money today, even though it’s not like me to go to a party empty handed.
Ingrid is experiencing a terrible back, so I picked up some soup, smoked salmon, and bread and headed to her house with lunch in hand. Cost: 13.00
Lainey and Julia’s party was in the women’s bar, due to the generosity of my friends, I didn’t spend any money while I was there. I’m now at minus 101.00
Day 10:
Roll over dollars: minus 101.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the day: minus 81.00
I stayed home and worked on the Day of the Dead toilet seat design.
I spent no money, even though it was solstice. I now only seem to be successful if I don’t leave my house, and we all know that has a short shelf life.
Day 11:
Roll Over dollars: minus 81.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the day minus 61.00
This isn’t going very well, at all. I went to Hollywood Videdo and got some movies for Xmas. Cost: 25.00
I’m now at minus 86.00!!
Day 12:
Roll Over Dollars: minus 86.00
Daily Allowance: 20.00
Total Available for the Day minus 66.00
Bear wanted a ride to the liquor store because her grandson is getting married at her house on the 27th. I should have waited for her in the car because, before I knew it I’d shelled out 40.00 to start replenishing my trashed liquor cabinet.
Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!
I’m now at minus 106.00.
Day 13:
Roll Over Dollars: minus 106.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the Day: minus 86.00
Well, I must have everything I could possibly need, I’m not going to Starbucks every day, and this mass celebration of capitalism is almost at an end. Tomorrow is Xmas, perhaps this lunacy will subside. I spent nothing today, leaving me with an ending total of minus 86.00.
Day 14:
Roll Over dollars minus 86.00
Daily Allowance 20.00
Total Available for the Day minus 66.00
It’s Christmas, and thank God everything is closed. Helen is coming over for eggs benedict and some movies, then we’re off to Christine’s house for boulliabase. It would be difficult to spend money today. Funny how even though I’m not doing Xmas I’ve been compelled to spend money. I think spending is in the air..
Ending total: minus 46.00.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Who's in Charge???
It was never clearer than during the reign of the Bushmen, that the President of the United States is not the one calling the shots. He’s simply the media presence, the fall guy, the ventriloquist’s dummy. George W. couldn’t put three sentences together without a teleprompter, much less answer questions from the press spontaneously. Everything during his reign was staged. The smug idiot president who didn’t even win the election, was finally on his way back to Texas. Whew! It was never clearer that the president is not “in charge” than it was with W. Unless, of course, you want to roll back the hands of time to the Regan era where that president, the Hollywood actor, had Alzheimer’s Disease but remained in office anyway.
As the scope of the chaos left behind became clear, I wondered if Senator Barack Obama might change his mind.. After all, the job he was applying for had changed drastically while he was campaigning. It was possible that he wasn’t interested in the new job description, that he didn’t want to devote that much time to being a member of the clean up crew.
The Clintons, a seasoned political team, moved into the White House with high hopes. They were a team, they said so, and they had intellect and political savvy. We mobilized, we got out the vote, we wanted to help. We ‘d been convinced that some big things would change. Hilary rolled up her sleeves and immediately went to work on health care reform. She pounded out a plan, she took it to Congress, then something big happened. It wasn’t very clear what happened, but it was big. The media attacked. She was hailed as a bitch and a ball breaker, there were rumors of her being a lesbian, she was accused of interfering in important matters of state. Suddenly she went from seasoned team player, attorney at law, working mother, back to an archaic and traditional first lady. What would be big enough to make an accomplished professional woman like Hilary Clinton go back to the drawing room with a smile pasted on her face while there were no changes whatsoever to the bleak and inadequate system of health care in America?
Bill Clinton’s intention to make the military a safe place for homosexuals, turned into an assanine “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Clearly an embarrassing compromise with someone, but who? What convinced an intelligent man like Bill Clinton to stand in front of an entire nation and say something as ridiculous as Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. What makes Hilary put her tail between her legs and go back to the mindless role of First Lady instead of back to her life as an accomplished attorney? Many things happen that we don’t know about, and the investigations, and hints of scandal that surrounded them for the rest of his term would indicate to me that they put up a good fight. The price tag was high. They (whoever THEY are) dragged old mistresses out of the closet, gave them makeovers and paraded them in front of the nation. There was a possible real estate scandal that never amounted to anything, and of course, the grand finale.. the white house intern who put her semen covered dress in a plastic bag in her mother’s freezer, as if that were a perfectly normal thing to do. The Clintons started out in a ray of hope, a beam of light illuminating their path, and after many disappointments were drowned in the scandal of The Blow Job in the White House. Like anyone really cared, or like it was the first time, or like Kenneth Starr had never had indiscreet sex. I do believe the Clinton’s resistance resulted in the media undermining them, and successfully attacking their credibility.
If we watch carefully, we can see the same thing happening to President Obama. He, too, generated hope, hope for change. The time was right, the country was desperately in need of an overhaul, and he was the man to do it. He convinced us. He was going to balance his family life with his job. He and Michelle were going to have date night, once a week where they would mingle with the common people, have dinner, go dancing, take in a movie, drive around alone together in their car, just the two of them . He could handle it, he was confident they would succeed. We believed him. Michelle Obama gave up her career as an accomplished attorney and became an Amerian fashion icon, eliminating any threats to the status quo.
It’s true that the mess left by the Bushmen was enormous, financially, politically and emotionally. It’s also true that President Obama, now, a year into it, seems rather naieve. He, like Hilary, thought he could overhaul the healthcare system. God knows it ‘s only working well for the insurance companies. People are being denied quality health care in the richest nation in the world. It’s an international embarrassment, a stigma on the history of America. His administration went after it, talked about universal health care, the need for a public option. We had hope. After months of misleading information, we ended up with nothing but a few new guidelines for the insurance companies. It was too expensive some said…too expensive for who, I wonder.
So far, the only real clues I can come up with are these.
There’s oil in Iraq. Thick rich dark oil. Americans crave it, use it, bathe in it, and apparently will lie, cheat and steal to get their hands on more of it.
There’s poppies in Afghanistan. Opium poppies. I’d say this has something to do with the drug companies, who have something to do with the health insurance industry. Whatever it is, it’s important enough for President Obama to send 30,00 more troops to Afghanistan when he campaigned on an anti war platform, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. How embarrassing for a man like that to accept the Nobel Peace Prize while he’s sending more military might into another foreign land, driving people from their homes, demolishing their livelihoods and disrupting their way of life.
If you break it down far enough, in America, it always comes back to greed and profit and money, money and more money, while we the people have no idea who is conducting the orchestra. . I can only hope that President Obama will step back into that ray of light that was illuminating his path, causing us all to wear our sunglasses at night. Meanwhile, it’s the same old shit., with no hope in sight.
As the scope of the chaos left behind became clear, I wondered if Senator Barack Obama might change his mind.. After all, the job he was applying for had changed drastically while he was campaigning. It was possible that he wasn’t interested in the new job description, that he didn’t want to devote that much time to being a member of the clean up crew.
The Clintons, a seasoned political team, moved into the White House with high hopes. They were a team, they said so, and they had intellect and political savvy. We mobilized, we got out the vote, we wanted to help. We ‘d been convinced that some big things would change. Hilary rolled up her sleeves and immediately went to work on health care reform. She pounded out a plan, she took it to Congress, then something big happened. It wasn’t very clear what happened, but it was big. The media attacked. She was hailed as a bitch and a ball breaker, there were rumors of her being a lesbian, she was accused of interfering in important matters of state. Suddenly she went from seasoned team player, attorney at law, working mother, back to an archaic and traditional first lady. What would be big enough to make an accomplished professional woman like Hilary Clinton go back to the drawing room with a smile pasted on her face while there were no changes whatsoever to the bleak and inadequate system of health care in America?
Bill Clinton’s intention to make the military a safe place for homosexuals, turned into an assanine “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Clearly an embarrassing compromise with someone, but who? What convinced an intelligent man like Bill Clinton to stand in front of an entire nation and say something as ridiculous as Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. What makes Hilary put her tail between her legs and go back to the mindless role of First Lady instead of back to her life as an accomplished attorney? Many things happen that we don’t know about, and the investigations, and hints of scandal that surrounded them for the rest of his term would indicate to me that they put up a good fight. The price tag was high. They (whoever THEY are) dragged old mistresses out of the closet, gave them makeovers and paraded them in front of the nation. There was a possible real estate scandal that never amounted to anything, and of course, the grand finale.. the white house intern who put her semen covered dress in a plastic bag in her mother’s freezer, as if that were a perfectly normal thing to do. The Clintons started out in a ray of hope, a beam of light illuminating their path, and after many disappointments were drowned in the scandal of The Blow Job in the White House. Like anyone really cared, or like it was the first time, or like Kenneth Starr had never had indiscreet sex. I do believe the Clinton’s resistance resulted in the media undermining them, and successfully attacking their credibility.
If we watch carefully, we can see the same thing happening to President Obama. He, too, generated hope, hope for change. The time was right, the country was desperately in need of an overhaul, and he was the man to do it. He convinced us. He was going to balance his family life with his job. He and Michelle were going to have date night, once a week where they would mingle with the common people, have dinner, go dancing, take in a movie, drive around alone together in their car, just the two of them . He could handle it, he was confident they would succeed. We believed him. Michelle Obama gave up her career as an accomplished attorney and became an Amerian fashion icon, eliminating any threats to the status quo.
It’s true that the mess left by the Bushmen was enormous, financially, politically and emotionally. It’s also true that President Obama, now, a year into it, seems rather naieve. He, like Hilary, thought he could overhaul the healthcare system. God knows it ‘s only working well for the insurance companies. People are being denied quality health care in the richest nation in the world. It’s an international embarrassment, a stigma on the history of America. His administration went after it, talked about universal health care, the need for a public option. We had hope. After months of misleading information, we ended up with nothing but a few new guidelines for the insurance companies. It was too expensive some said…too expensive for who, I wonder.
So far, the only real clues I can come up with are these.
There’s oil in Iraq. Thick rich dark oil. Americans crave it, use it, bathe in it, and apparently will lie, cheat and steal to get their hands on more of it.
There’s poppies in Afghanistan. Opium poppies. I’d say this has something to do with the drug companies, who have something to do with the health insurance industry. Whatever it is, it’s important enough for President Obama to send 30,00 more troops to Afghanistan when he campaigned on an anti war platform, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. How embarrassing for a man like that to accept the Nobel Peace Prize while he’s sending more military might into another foreign land, driving people from their homes, demolishing their livelihoods and disrupting their way of life.
If you break it down far enough, in America, it always comes back to greed and profit and money, money and more money, while we the people have no idea who is conducting the orchestra. . I can only hope that President Obama will step back into that ray of light that was illuminating his path, causing us all to wear our sunglasses at night. Meanwhile, it’s the same old shit., with no hope in sight.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Can I Live on 20.00 a Day?
CAN I LIVE ON $20.00 A DAY??
OK, so it appears as if I’ve become a spendthrift! I didn’t notice it when I was working but now that I’m unemployed it’s apparent that if I see it, and I want it, and it’s under 500.00, I buy it! This isn’t such a good thing when that paycheck is no longer making it’s regular appearance in my bank account.
I’m embarking on a personal experiment. Can I live on 20.00 a day?
This does not include:
My recurring monthly expenses
Gas and insurance for my car
Xmas presents
It does include:
Food
Entertainment
Personal items/clothes and cosmetics
I’m a family of one, my cupboards are very well stocked with staples and condiments, and I have plenty of clothes.
Day one:
Beginning Daily Total: 20.00
As I was getting ready to go to Renton, in the hopes of recovering some photos that Debbie lost in her computer the night before, my mind began to wander.
“I’m going to be in Renton,” I thought. Maybe I’ll pick up some bras while I’m there.”
“But I have to also get some peanut butter and chocolate chips so I can make more peanut butter bombs for the holidays” Oops! Scratch the bras.
Along with the peanut butter and chocolate chips I picked up a small loaf of bread.
Total cost 10.00.
When I got home I discovered the karaoke sight on MySpace. What fun! I sang for a while, then realized that if I paid 8.00 for a premium membership I would have the ability to not only change the key of all the songs, but put some reverb on my voice. That was another 8.00
Total for the day 18.00
I now have 2.00 to roll over into tomorrow.
Day 2:
Beginning Daily Total: 22.00
Helen wanted to go to lunch, and when I told her about my personal experiment, we went to the International District for a $7.00 bowl of noodles and a thai iced coffee.
Lunch was 11.00
Parking was 1.00
And just to cover all my bases, I bought 4 Lotto tickets
Total for the day: 16.00
I’ve now become aware that I have been eating out whenever and wherever I want to with no awareness whatsoever of the financial impact.
I have 6.00 to roll over
Day 3:
Daily Beginning Total: 26.00
I’ve been pondering how to approach this Sunday dinner with Houston, playing with various possibilities. Lucky for me he called and wanted to eat Latkes in honor of Hanukkah. Whew! I can do that easily for 26.00! While I was there, I picked up a couple of other things bringing my total to 33.00. I’m now 7 dollars in the red, but the latkes were fantastic and I do have left over kugel, along with two chicken breasts to cook for another day.
Day 4:
Beginning total: 13.00
Ingrid called and wanted to do art day at her house. That was beyond good with me because I needed to design a Day of the Dead toilet seat., and not spend any money. It was a great day, and I didn’t spend any money whatsoever. Ingrid fed me and we shared a bottle of wine while the day passed quietly and productively
I now have 13.00 to roll over
Day 5:
Beginning total 33.00 I’m rich!
Guess that’s the pay-off to having a Zero day.
KK told me about a dollar store in Renton where I could find some stocking stuffers. I couldn’t believe it. Everything in the store is only a dollar. I cut loose and let myself shop. 6.00 later I was happy with my aluminum foil and food storage dishes, although I did grab a bag of Cheetos in the impulse shopping section next to the cash register. They were necessary to keep my blood sugar up while I was being bombarded by the same 20 Xmas songs over and over, in every store, the same songs, over and over…..Talk about kicking a dead horse!
I decided a prize was in order as a reward for so successfully mingling with the masses during this high Capitalistic holiday. I stopped at Starbucks for a delicious 4.00 steaming hot beverage.
As I was chowing down on left over kugel from Sunday’s dinner, I realized that I now have accumulated 23 roll over dollars!
Day 6:
Beginning total: 43.00 Things are really looking up! I could buy a bottle of Jack Daniels and have money left over!
Instead I arrived at Starbucks early early early and splurged on a hot beverage accompanied by a piece of coffee cake. Do they have 12 step programs for Starbucks junkies??? I’m beginning to think I might have a problem. Time to say bye bye to Starbucks, those expensive drinks add up.
I’m quickly working my way through my cupboards. I’m going to have to buy some real groceries pretty soon. I better make a plan instead of going up and down every aisle like I usually do.
Spent 13.00 on chocolate chips for more peanut butter bombs, a loaf of bread and a bottle of Soft Scrub.
I spent 18.00
I have 25 dollars to roll over.
Day 7: total for the day: 45.00! Whoo hoo!
Disaster! Must have been an unrecorded earthquake, my liquor cabinet toppled over scaring the bejeezus out of me, and smashing numerous bottles of alcohol all over my kitchen floor. If it had happened in the night, I would have attacked my kitchen with my .38 . Helen came over and helped me pick it up. I’ve washed the floor 9 times and I’m still sticking to it!
My experiment should be finished today, but I feel like I’ve only just begun. I’m extending it for a month. I need more information.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What's Happened to the Men???
WHAT’S HAPPENED TO THE MEN???
Men have, clearly lost their minds. It’s an orgy of violence and murder, a caveman revival, a global testosterone storm surge. It’s terrifying.
The air is filled with childish rationalizations for this bizarre behavior. “He hit me first, he started it!” Where is the “naughty mat” when you need it. I say we sit all their raggedy asses down in separate corners and keep them there until they think they can behave.
Now, before everyone gets on their high horses and starts defending the male species, let me point out that women, as a group, are not willingly participating in this carnage, unless you want to give Condaleeza Rice far more credit than she deserves.
Religious men are blowing up their neighbors, strapping bombs to kids and sending them into market places. Perhaps they think they’re doing them a favor by getting them out of this mess once and for all. Or maybe they think it makes them look good in the eyes of the world and that people will respect them and listen to them because they’re so big and bad.
American businessmen are slithering around the globe spreading democracy and capitalism like swine flu.
Not everyone wants this sickness, this craving for more and more stuff, more and more money, more and more power. America has demolished the ancient cradle of civilization, blasted it to kingdom come, in the name of liberation. It's annihilation, not liberation!
Bands of rifle toting men in Africa are maniacally running around burning villages, slaughtering unarmed people, and stealing the children. After they give the children drugs, they give them guns and send them out to kill more people, their own people. Is someone, somewhere, keeping score? Could the referees please declare the “winners” so this insanity can stop?
Maybe there’s something in the water. Maybe it’s testosterone poisoning, perhaps someone has spiked the global food supply with anger and it’s pushed men over the edge of the great abyss.
One thing is certain. Repeating the same actions and expecting different results is documented as a characteristic of insanity. Using violence, again and again, as a problem solving method, as a pathway to peace, is nothing but crazy. Haven’t you noticed, guys??? It doesn’t work!
I say we resurrect the gladiator syndrome and let all the angry men grease themselves up, choose their weapons and shoot to the death. Last man standing wins. Let the games begin!
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