A Serious Question for Black Friday

What is with you people?  No, seriously, What Is With You People?  

What bargain can possibly be so important that it is worth trampling a Wal-Mart employee to death?  

Was it the Samsung 50″ Plasma HDTV?  Maybe a Bissel Vaccum for $28? How about the Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera for $69? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the $9 DVDs.  It’s even more sad and absurd if it was over the DVDs.

Seriously?  A human being died because of stupid cheap holiday bargains. Was it worth it? Do you actually like traffic and potentially dangerous crowds?  Can none of you figure out Amazon.com?  You know, you can buy gift certificates out of the Coinstar machine at the grocery store — at no charge — and not worry about having to use a credit card, right?  

Shop Smart.

In closing:  a couple items on the Citi bailout (remember, CitiGroup would not exist without Phil Gramm actually working to repeal Depression-era banking reforms); a nice group of items on exactly how much taxpayer money is being spent on bailouts, and what your personal share would be (I can think of better ways to spend it); Lies Conservatives Tell About Liberals; the economy sucks even worse if you are a woman; scientists can now at least predict how fast the ice sheets will melt; and ’tis the season to be charitable. Please remember Child’s Play this season.  They help put toys and games in the hands of children in hospitals.

Thankfulness

I’d like to start with the other half of a story you may have seen today, the story of a man named Martin Gill. He took in two little boys one December just to have “a decent Christmas”:

A decent Christmas didn’t seem too much to ask. He said yes.

So that night, two small boys, one 4 years old and one 4 months old, came to Martin Gill’s home. The 4-year-old had on a dirty adult T-shirt and sneakers so small he wore them like flip-flops. Both boys were sick. The older boy’s medicine was unopened and expired, the baby’s barely touched.

The 4-year-old did not speak, and seemed mostly unresponsive. The only thing he cared about was changing, feeding, and taking care of his baby brother. Gill… quickly realized that this 4-year-old was the baby’s primary caretaker.

After about a month, the older boy finally began to talk. It quickly became clear that he had never seen a book, couldn’t distinguish letters from numbers, couldn’t identify colors, couldn’t count, couldn’t hold a pencil. At dinner time, he’d ask for more food at the start of the meal, hide it, and then sneak it into his bedroom because he was afraid it would run out. Gill… slowly got him to stop doing that by keeping plenty of food in the house and showing him at the start of meals that there was lots of food.

The boys have now been with Martin Gill… for four years. The experts and the judge have a lot to say about just how good that is. The kids have structured lives; they’ve lived in one place all four years, they eat meals together and talk (no TV or phones answered during meals), they go to school. They have friends. They have a family…. They have a grandmother. Gill even bought a Ford minivan.

The remarkable part of this story is that a court in the state of Florida said that finally, Mr. Gill and the grown-up love of his life can finally adopt these boys.  You see, Mr. Gill and his partner are gay. 

If you are at a loss for something to be thankful for, try the fact that this family can now work to make itself official.

In closing:  things are tough all over (the world); a bill proposing single payer health care (true universal medicare for all, not mandatory health care) has been introduced; and Stupid CEO Tricks would be a whole lot funnier if we all hadn’t bought front row tickets.

Month-End and Other Tidbits

Wisdom of the Week:  “You’re a smart lady” actually means “I am about to condescend to you, and say something completely unsupported, that I expect you to take on faith because I just told you how smart you are!”

A little bit of follow-up:  Ford may sell the private jets.  After all when you are grubbing for money, there are appearances to be maintained. Oh, and GM doesn’t see bankruptcy as an option.  

A Trio on Health Care and Health Insurance:  I am going to actively try to stop conflating the two, and I hope others will join me. Five Myths, Insurance companies are willing to cover everyone if and only if everyone is required to pay them regardless of what they choose to charge; and almost half of American doctors would get out of medicine if they could.  Yeowch. 

The economy:  on the backdrop of the FDIC taking over 3 more banks (yeah you have a great weekend there, America!), President Elect Obama discusses how we can put out-of-work Americans to work building infrastructure we need, such as fixing our highways and building renewable energy resources! 

The Past:  It’s the 45th anniversary of the death of JFK.  Oh, and the Vatican has chosen to forgive John Lennon for saying he was more popular than Jesus some 40 years ago.  Way to go, there Vatican, forgiving somebody who has been dead for close to 30 years for something he said while he was very probably stoned. You are totally showing how “with it” and “hip” you are.  How about getting off the high horse to feed some hungry and comfort the afflicted?  

Retrospectacular, or some of my favorite November posts of the last five years: To the President on Tax “Reform”; on Investing; on the crappy economy we were pretending was great 5 years ago; on Why politics will always stink; on framing; and it’s hard to believe Call of Duty 4 has been out 2 years.  Well, Call of Duty 5 (“World at War”) came out a couple weeks ago.  If you nice people don’t mind, I have a Japanese Castle to storm.

Cars

A lot has been said over the last few days about the idea of bailing out the American automotive industry. I’m still having a really hard time getting around the idea of “why should we bail out a business that has been killed by bad management?” On the other hand, some of the problem is health care costs.  But then again, why haven’t the CEOs and stockholders of the Big Three advocated a true universal healthcare system that couldhave fixed the problem a decade or more ago?  But the gripping hand is: maybe they could try building quality cars in attractive, safe designs with good fuel efficiency and enough “giddyap” to be satisfying on the onramp (somehow, Honda and Volkswagen have that down, among others).  Then there are the arguments “for” a bailout:  if we don’t it could cause not just a recession but a full-on depression; nobody likes it but they’re “too big to fail” (which I still treat as “too big to be allowed to exist”); and my personal favorite, the automakers themselves think things will magically get better by 2010.  I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!

The auto industry desperately needs several things. First, a break-up of big companies into a bunch of smaller players.  Second, true universal health care.  Third, to stop believing in magic and change their ways, including rejecting all the “we can’t do that!” thinking.  Maybe they can study the Asian and European automakers and figure some things that work better than what they’ve been doing.

They could start by learning a few things from the 50 worst cars ever made.

In closing: Advice from Mr. Bush to Mr. Obama; a cheery Christmas thought, real (bad) retail sales; thanks to Ding for pointing out some people who really are pro-life, even the kind after birth; almost half of all primary care doctors would leave medicine if they thought they could; if you are stumped for Thanksgiving, here’s some side dish ideas; or perhaps you’d prefer cake in a mug.

Peace, be still. It’s Armistice Day.

Poppies

Picture — as you may have guessed — courtesy of FreeFoto.com.

Many people will be writing about Veterans Day today, also known as Armistice Day on the other side of “the pond”.  Here is the official history according to the United States Army. Beleive it or not, there are some veterans of The Great War celebrating today. There are also veterans of World War 2, some of whom would like to forget but cannot.

I’ve been asked to say a few words particularly in support of our newest Veterans, the ones returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. There is an organization called Survivor Corps.  They want to help the 1.5 million Americans who have come home, some of whom have obvious physical wounds and some of whom have subtle mental injuries which, left untreated, could have a terrible impact on their lives and families.

Hug a veteran. Pray for a soldier, sailor, or marine.  Pray for peace.

In closing: Well if they can put their 10 Commandments over there, we can put our religious statue here!; the economy oversimplified; what to do with a dead car dealership; somebody else who would like to see the pro-life crowd support those who are actually living; back to work, you lazy woman, no college for you!; Duhpartment of Research finds that kids with severe arthritis don’t exercise much (couldn’t have anything to do with the pain, d’ya think?) and kids tend to eat like their parents (who incidentally buy the groceries);  Supreme Court to decide whether the real life CSI investigators have to defend every lab test in court every time a test is used;  it turns out that TSA checkpoint “family lines” work well; excuse me sir, is that a cheetah in your cargo hold?; thoughts on the election turnout; and things are tough all over in this mini-depression.

Yes, We Did

Dear America,

Thanks for doing the right thing.

Grant Park, courtesy of the Telegraph

Picture courtesy of The Telegraph.

Most of you have no idea how huge Grant Park is.  Sure, there are a lot of people here.  But you can’t appreciate how many people there are until you know how freaking huge Grant Park is. How big is it? The whole thing is 319 acres.  And there were people standing outside who couldn’t get inside.  It’s so big that there isn’t an openable window in sniper range, despite the fact that it is sandwiched in between downtown Chicago’s skyscrapers and Lake Michigan.

To think that in addition to this crowd, there were crowds in New York and in Washington and I don’t even know where else.  Just in the United States.  Not counting those in “palaces and parliaments” and “huddled around radios” around the world.  Wow.  What a night.

Thank you, America.

As for California, I’ll deal with you later!

Hugs and kisses,

ShortWoman.

In Defense of the “Straight Ticket”

Despite the fact that I consider myself only “slightly left of [the real] center,”  I don’t vote like a lot of “centrists” and “moderates.”  In fact, the last Republican I voted for was a Justice of the Peace in Fort Worth back around 1994.

That’s right. I vote a straight ticket.

It isn’t that I agree with the Democratic party all the time.  In fact, there have been times I have had to hold my nose to vote.  However, the time to choose the right candidate isn’t just on Election Day:  it’s at the primaries;  it’s at the caucuses;  it’s at the local political events that happen weeks and months and sometimes over a year before the election itself.

My views in this regards are informed by the writings of the late Robert Heinlein, author of such books as Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers. He also wrote a book on political activism called Take Back Your Government.  Mr. Heinlein recommended that if you really want to change your country, you must change the political parties.  And the way to do that is from the inside!

There are two sides to many issues, and conveniently enough two political parties.  Just pick the one closest to your views and join up. I don’t care which party you join; in fact the Republicans could sure use some new ideas right about now.  Start going to your local events.  Learn who the local players are.  Do some volunteer work and meet some people.  Get a feel for who might be running not just next year, but for some years in the future.  From here, you can influence the future!  You can quietly argue for the points where you don’t necessarily agree with the party, and maybe change the way the party sees things.

While I think there is some merit to crossing party lines to vote for an incumbent who honestly has been doing right by his/her constituents, I hold no truck with those who “vote the man, not the party.”  For a man [or woman] to get to the point where they are running for a political office higher than Dog Catcher, he [or she] must have demonstrated some willingness to adhere to the party line. All Maverickyness aside, the candidate did not get to be the candidate by being independent.  This, by the way, explains why Joe Lieberman finally lost the Democratic nomination for his Senate seat;  he wasn’t much of a Democrat anymore.

Yes, I am a member of the party. I gave money.  I volunteered.  I wrote letters to my Congresscritters.  I wrote essays here and elsewhere.  If you want change, you have to work for change.  You won’t get it by doing nothing more than showing up at your polling place today.

In closing, special election day edition: Fetal rights are bad news even if you are [so-called] Pro-Life;  how Election Day came to be today; mmCoffee; mmIceCream.  Get off the computer and vote.  And then get busy!

Oh wow, it’s the end of the month already

Happy Halloween, folks!

Here are a few of my favorite October posts over the last 5 years:  How to Make Money Selling Cars is strangely new again; Post Partum Depression is still too common and too rarely treated; seriously, Just Say No to Voter Initiatives; School Fundraisers are a terrible waste of time for students and faculty; I wish I was Special; and Rent Control does the exact opposite of what proponents think it does.

In closing: Nebraska Governor thinks only cute little babies are worth saving from parents who can’t take care of them; banks would rather outright give money to people who don’t need it than lend it to people who do need it; the Government economists can no longer hide the fact that the economy sucks; a voter’s guide straight out of the Bible; finally somebody who is really Pro-Life instead of Anti-Abortion or Anti-Sex; speaking of which, a real pro-life stance admits that expecting mothers are living beings too; and remember to VOTE Tuesday if you haven’t already.  I hope to have an item on the philosophy of voting by then, but you never know.  Have a great weekend!

The House with Laughing Shorties

What would you suppose is the greatest breakthrough in public health? The discovery of germs, perhaps?  Vaccines? Doctors washing their hands?  Pasteurization?  Nope.  The Toilet!

It’s (not) all in your head: If a  modern preacher in a mainline demonination suggested that you shun antibiotics in favor of trusting in the healing power of God, he’d be laughed out of most congregations, perhaps with an admonition that “God gave the power to heal that into the hands of doctors.”  Yet one out of three people who confide in their preacher about diagnosed mental illness get a fast ration about demons, sin, and lack of faith! (Warning, there is an image that may offend people with too much time and not enough real things to worry about on that site.  I’d apologize, but unless you are under-aged, I’m not sorry.)

Where have all the lenders gone? Well, banks have better things to do with the taxpayer provided money than actually lend it out.  Seriously.  I am hearing experienced Realtors grumble that “you have to have cash or walk on water these days.” However, just today President Bush told them “come on guys, cut it out already!” so everything should be ok soon. I have a nice bridge to sell you, cash only please.

Huh, that’s not what they said last time: The Republicans are warning that putting one party in charge of both Congress and the White House would be Very Very UhohUhoh Bad.  Just in case we were unclear on this, Governor Palin reiterated the idea, explaining that somehow or another, it would lead to Gridlock!  Funny, 4 years ago we were told that if we did not put one party in charge of both Congress and the White House things would be Very Very UhohUhoh Bad and Terrorists would rule the world or something.

The President and the Constitution: Commander in Chief?

TSA to see reason: The airplane carry-on ban on anything liquid may be lifted in 2009.  Please keep in mind that the Europeans are already ahead of us on this one, and security experts have openly asked “if this stuff is so darn dangerous, why are we piling it all in one bin again?”

Oh no, there might be more high school dropouts if we expect students to learn stuff: At least that’s the warning bell being sounded by USA Today. Forgive me for failing to see why this is a bad thing. We have a lot of jobs in this nation that don’t really need a high school education to do properly. Second, the idea that “everyone” needs a diploma devalues the diploma itself.  Third, the diploma needs to mean that a certain level of mastery has been acheived (and frankly, if you can pass the GED at 14 I am not sure why you shouldn’t).

Your dose of Tama: Stationmaster Cat Tama has been knighted. That medal looks pretty cool on him!

Mercurial: Cool pictures of Mercury, the closest planet to the sun.

I seem to recall having said this: Counting calories is making a comeback, because calories matter!  Now, if only common sense would make a comeback as well….

The consumer is down: I think Business Week said it all when they said “The Conference Board said on Oct. 28 that its consumer confidence index has dropped to an all-time low, from 61.4 in September to 38 in October.” Wow. The Economic Policy Institute adds “American consumers shopped but have now dropped”. Unbossed points out that the real problem is crappy wages. This is apparently not true if you happen to be a football coach (here’s an idea for balancing the university budget, cut this number drastically!). And finally, the election as viewed by the homeless.

Write to Marry

And last but surely not least: It’s Write to Marry Day. Thanks to Last Left Turn Before Hooterville for pointing it out.  If someone can explain to me how my marriage can possibly be threatened by George Takei or Pam Spaulding I’d really appreciate it. Am I supposed to suddenly leave my partner of 17 years because I can kiss a girl??  Why should the gay and lesbian people I know who are in long-term committed relationships have fewer rights than [insert vapid and short lived but heterosexual relationship here]?  Furthermore, this is not about sex.  It’s about property rights and medical care and companionship and tax benefits and all the other stuff.  Here’s what the head of the ACLU has to say on the matter.  He’s writing from the heart.

Piper Palin Picked a Peck of Pickled Pocketbook

Ok.  I’m not the first person to post this picture:

Piper Palin

According to Buzzflash, that’s a $650 Louis Vuitton handbag. For a 6 year old.  Just for reference purposes, I have been an adult *ahem* somewhat longer than Little Miss Palin has been alive, and I haven’t spent that much on handbags, total, in my lifetime. To get anywhere near that total, you’d have to add briefcases, backpacks (ranging from K-Mart cheapies to L.L. Bean), and a computer bag.  Sure, I know people who would buy that kind of bag for a kid (well, a teenager anyway);  I also know people who can barely afford the gas to get to work in the morning.

But according to Shaun at Kiko’s House, it’s even worse.  The bag isn’t real, but a counterfeit!  Buying a stupidly expensive handbag for a first grader is merely bad taste.  After all, they can afford the real thing — particularly if the RNC is paying.  Counterfeiting is a crime.  Supporting it is theft of intellectual property.  Oh, yeah, the money made from these bags may also support organized crime and terrorism.  Way to be “America First” there.

In Closing: My what big borders you have; a creepy doctor’s office (thankfully, abandoned); cut Federal spending all you like, but you won’t touch the National Debt without letting the blood out of some sacred cows; the downside of public transit?; Agent Greenspan Is Just Shocked!!; ok ok fine split the baby and each of you can have half, or Fake Centrists taken to task; and sign of the economic times as much as the academic times, today’s kids less likely to graduate high school than their parents. Forgive me for not seeing this as a problem in any way;  nobody needs a diploma to sack groceries or scrub floors or dozens of other tasks that are menial but necessary. Furthermore, no school administrator is able to wave a magic wand and make poor families able to do without the meager income brought in by a working (ex-)student.