Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Can We Please Leave Christmas Alone?
I am compelled to write this article in the defense of Christmas. In the past several years, in one form or another, the Christmas holiday has come under attack. I haven’t figured out yet why this keeps happening, because I am quite sure I awake every morning in the land of the free. Let’s look at some examples.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside - although not actually written as a Christmas song, it was quickly adopted as such because if it’s Winter theme. The song was written in 1944 and is a duet sung between a man and a woman. Though both parties want the night to continue, the woman argues that she should go, she should say no and what would the neighbors think. All the while the man suggest she stay because the weather outside is less than desirable.
In 2018, seventy-four years after it was written, the song was removed from radio station playlists among pressure from the #MeToo movement which suggested among other things, that the lyrics contained suggestions of date rape. Thankfully, a victory was served to both the song and to Christmas when public pressure put the song back onto playlists.
Poor Rudolf - It’s bad enough that Rudolf was not allowed to play in any reindeer games at first, but now groups are offended about “Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” because Santa Claus and others early in the special are displayed as bullies. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a Christmas special and has been a beloved favorite for more than fifty years. When you watched it and determined that it was chock full of bullies, is that the moment that you turned it off and headed to the solitude of your social media account? Because if you watched the entire show, you would learn that Rudolf and some other bullied friends that he made along the way overcame bullies and guess what? Rudolf saves the day!
What’s In a Name? - Christmas has been around for a long, long time. The first recorded celebration of Christmas happened on 25 December 336 in Rome. Now, there are a number of countries that do not celebrate Christmas and there are a number of religions who celebrate some other traditional festival. Some examples include the Jewish who celebrate Hanukkah or Pagans who celebrate Yule. The United States is one of the many countries that celebrate Christmas and have done so since its birth as a nation. Prior to 1819, Christmas was celebrated in many different ways or not at all depending on which village or community you lived in. Much different from today, it was based mostly on religious values from the old world. But early in the 19th century, old Christmas traditions were combined with new American influences and Christmas was reinvented in the United States.
In the past several years, different groups have been having their way with requesting, and receiving radical changes to Christmas because it offends them or goes against their religion. From removing the nativity to changing the name of a town’s celebration and even demanding that the word Christmas be expunged. We have to remember that different peoples and religions have a different way of celebrating this time of year and that’s alright.
Let’s Be Real - If no one has said it yet, welcome to America. America is a melting pot, a country where people from all over the world immigrate to seeking religious, economic or personal freedoms and a host of other reasons. Here in America, we have such freedoms. Some of these freedoms we enjoy include Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Expression.
What this means is that you can immigrate here, become a citizen and practice your religion and traditions without any issues that you may have had to deal with from the country you ran from. And we are okay with that. If you celebrate Kwanzaa, fantastic! If you celebrate Solstice, Fantastic! Even if you celebrate Festivus, awesome! No matter what you celebrate, it is yours to celebrate as you wish.
Here is what is not okay. It is not okay to demand the people around you to change things about Christmas because it does not suit your religion or tradition. It is not okay to demand television shows or music to be canceled because you do not agree with the content. We have become this society where someone, somewhere decided that it is less trouble to just please everyone with these erratic requests. This is not true. It is much easier to leave traditions in place and tell the small group of upset people that they can make adjustments to suit their needs. For example, if you do not want to see Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer or hear “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” then you have the amazing freedoms afforded to you that allow you to change the channel. And I understand some of your frustration. I am offended by any radio station who starts playing a 24/7 stream of Christmas music as early as November 1. So what I do to combat this is change the station, or listen to a CD or even a collection of MP3 files of my choosing. I’m not going to protest and write letters demanding that these businesses re-write policy because there are people who appreciate what they are doing. If you are offended by the town’s Christmas Festival and you demand it be changed because your religion does not celebrate Christmas, then I’m sorry that you are offended, but the Christmas festival should go on as named.
America was here first, the country was founded with Christmas on the calendar. And for more than 240 years, people from different traditions, religions and walks of life have lived together and celebrated how they wanted, and Christmas was never affected. So it is not okay to demand that Christmas be changed or otherwise altered in any way to suit your traditions or beliefs. When I see you during the season, I will wish you a Merry Christmas. If it offends you, simply smile and keep walking by because there is no need to be offended. It takes much more effort to be angry and it gets you nowhere. Now, excuse me while I go deck the halls while singing Jingle Bells.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Being A Good Human Being
Hello Nation and all of the ships at sea! You know, this particular greeting was similar to the one that my father said many times addressing emails to the family. He would say “Boys & Girls and all the ships at sea”. I later learned that the great columnist Walter Winchell coined the actual phrase as "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America from border to border and coast to coast and all the ships at sea. Let's go to press." He used it at the top of his radio broadcasts. So I will use my own take on it, should that be okay with you.
At the end of each episode of The Joel Michalec Show, I use a sign-off that goes somewhat such as this, “Be good to one another and if you’re out and about, pick up three pieces of trash”. Why I do that is to promote well being. Somewhere in the past twenty years, something has gone very wrong with our society. We’ve become more vain, more disrespectful and we’re making a mess of our planet. I am amazed, no, I am furious every time I notice that someone had the audacity to throw their fast food rubbish out of their vehicle into the street. Asking people to be kind to one another and pick up after themselves is no being a jackass, it is simply asking one to be human.
Imagine what a simple act of kindness could do. Holding a door open for someone entering as you exit seems like such a simple thing to do, yet think of what could happen if the next person passes it on and so forth. Think of the possibilities if we all acted kind to one another and not to mention how much less energy it takes to be kind. It takes a lot of energy to be angry. As for picking up after yourself, why would you not? I cannot imagine what your own home might look like based on your behavior out and about. I have seen parks and beaches just littered with garbage. This past summer, driving past a beach town rental home on a Saturday morning, on display was the evidence of a crazy night before. Strewn across the lawn were hundreds of the red SOLO brand cups and beer cans. All I could think of in that instant was the image of the American Indian from the TV commercials in the 1970s, standing in a field of trash with a tear running down his cheek.
So, as I say each week, be kind to one another and if you are out and about, pick up three pieces of trash. Remember, you can subscribe to the program at www.JoelMichalec.com and a new episode drops every Sunday!
At the end of each episode of The Joel Michalec Show, I use a sign-off that goes somewhat such as this, “Be good to one another and if you’re out and about, pick up three pieces of trash”. Why I do that is to promote well being. Somewhere in the past twenty years, something has gone very wrong with our society. We’ve become more vain, more disrespectful and we’re making a mess of our planet. I am amazed, no, I am furious every time I notice that someone had the audacity to throw their fast food rubbish out of their vehicle into the street. Asking people to be kind to one another and pick up after themselves is no being a jackass, it is simply asking one to be human.
Imagine what a simple act of kindness could do. Holding a door open for someone entering as you exit seems like such a simple thing to do, yet think of what could happen if the next person passes it on and so forth. Think of the possibilities if we all acted kind to one another and not to mention how much less energy it takes to be kind. It takes a lot of energy to be angry. As for picking up after yourself, why would you not? I cannot imagine what your own home might look like based on your behavior out and about. I have seen parks and beaches just littered with garbage. This past summer, driving past a beach town rental home on a Saturday morning, on display was the evidence of a crazy night before. Strewn across the lawn were hundreds of the red SOLO brand cups and beer cans. All I could think of in that instant was the image of the American Indian from the TV commercials in the 1970s, standing in a field of trash with a tear running down his cheek.
So, as I say each week, be kind to one another and if you are out and about, pick up three pieces of trash. Remember, you can subscribe to the program at www.JoelMichalec.com and a new episode drops every Sunday!
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Joel Michalec Teaches Driving Laws: Stop Signs
What I find even more disturbing than the fact that I see dozens of people disobey stop signs on a daily basis, is that the first search result on Google when entering "stop sign law" is an article that discusses ways to FIGHT your way out of a ticket for failure to stop! I do not know what has happened in society that there is a great need to disobey traffic laws but I wish that I knew what everyone was in such a hurry for and is it worth the potential life-threatening dangers to get there?What the law says:
Whenever a yield sign notifying drivers to yield the right-of-way has been erected, it shall be unlawful for a driver of any vehicle on the highway whose traffic is regulated by such a sign to fail to yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching on or from another highway or merging roadway or to a pedestrian legally crossing a roadway. If required for safety to stop, the stop shall be made at a marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection. Any such driver having so yielded to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard or to a pedestrian legally crossing a roadway shall not enter into, upon or across such roadway or highway until such movement can be made in safety. (See citation 1)
What Joel says:
This is from the Delaware Code Title 21 but I am sure that every state has a very similarly written law regarding stop signs. If we break it down to its simplest form. the sign states in all caps, S-T-O-P and it cannot be more clear if it wanted to. Your failure to stop at the intersection first and foremost shows that you have no regard for others around you. It makes no difference whether or not you can see that there is no one around, which in many cases that is what I see. People assume that no one is around and bolts right through the intersection. The sign says STOP. That is the law of the road. The law does not state that you can choose whether you will stop or not. The law is no t open to discussion and it contains no ambiguity. It says STOP. So STOP!
Citations:
1. http://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c041/sc07/index.shtml
Thursday, June 21, 2018
The High Cost of Being Diabetic
It seems to me, as I am sure to others, that the high cost of being a diabetic feels more like a punishment rather than feeling like inflation and the cost of research. I’m talking about Insulin, in particular.
Insulin was born as we know it today in 1921 when Dr. Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best found that grounding up and refining a dog’s pancreas into an injectable murky goo would reverse high glucose. In 1922, their concoction was given to a 14 year old boy who was dying of Type 1 diabetes. Within 24 hours, the child’s glucose levels returned to normal. The team gave their patent away because their vision was that it should be made widely available to help those in need. Such a noble move that showed complete compassion for their work. Dr. Banting consider insulin to be a gift...a gift of life.
Unfortunately, their vision is unseen by more than 50 million diabetes sufferers each day around the world. Imagine you need a life-saving drug and imagine that your inadequate or high-deductible insurance expects you to pay $200, $400 or even $800 per month for the required medication. Imagine worse, if you had no insurance at all. Sounds like a far cry from the inventors who had expectations that their life-saving discovery would not be used as a ploy for money.
Now before you make an assumption that I have no idea what I am talking about, let me tell you first that I do, in fact, have a high deductible insurance plan that until I meet the deductible, expects me to pay $470/month for insulin in vial form or $660/month for the insulin in KwikPen form. The reality is that other than diabetes, I am not a very sickly person. I do not have a need to see a doctor often and I do not need batteries of tests so in any given calendar year, I cannot meet my deductible. So it is as unrealistic for me to find the money to pay these rates as it is to meet my deductible. These high deductible plans are waved in front of us to peddle their lower monthly premiums. Of course, because of the circumstances of society today, we knowingly take the plan because it has become more and more difficult to live from paycheck to paycheck. And many families struggle to make the decision each month to pay for food or insulin, rent or insulin, life or death.
Why is this drug so high? Because two or three company hold the patents; The patents that were given away freely by the inventors. And the long story short is that each time they make small advances or changes to the drug, they apply to renew the patent. Meanwhile, this keeps other companies or startups from manufacturing and selling less expensive alternatives or what we call generics. Plus most of the insulin today is analog, meaning it is synthetic and no longer coming from cattle or any other animals.
Incidentally, Eli Lilly Company who manufactures Humalog and Trulicity, are expecting 2018 revenues of $23 to $23.5 BILLION. Think about that as I do when I stress each day figuring out how I will best stay alive and looking for affordable insulin. That’s ONE of the three companies who hold all the cards in this game.
So meanwhile after strenuous research and double and triple checks, I’ve decided to try my luck with a Canadian pharmacy. This is not a move I took lightly because I believe in buying American. However, I’m also completely finished with placing my life into Eli Lilly’s grubby paws and if I have to go outside the United States to purchase medications then so be it.
So the question remains, how do the people at Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Sanofi sleep at night knowing that they run the table on a drug given freely as a gift of life and they profit from it while others die because it is ever out of their reach? I know I couldn’t. Until we rise up together and make a stand against these companies, they will remain in control of whether you live or you die. Maybe it’s not diabetes for you. Maybe it’s some other horrible disease and what if suddenly the one medication that would keep you alive became too expensive for you to have. Think about that.
References:
- https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/13/lilly-forecasts-2018-profit-and-revenue-largely-above-estimates.html
Take Action:
- http://www.stopdiabetes.com/
Insulin was born as we know it today in 1921 when Dr. Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best found that grounding up and refining a dog’s pancreas into an injectable murky goo would reverse high glucose. In 1922, their concoction was given to a 14 year old boy who was dying of Type 1 diabetes. Within 24 hours, the child’s glucose levels returned to normal. The team gave their patent away because their vision was that it should be made widely available to help those in need. Such a noble move that showed complete compassion for their work. Dr. Banting consider insulin to be a gift...a gift of life.
Unfortunately, their vision is unseen by more than 50 million diabetes sufferers each day around the world. Imagine you need a life-saving drug and imagine that your inadequate or high-deductible insurance expects you to pay $200, $400 or even $800 per month for the required medication. Imagine worse, if you had no insurance at all. Sounds like a far cry from the inventors who had expectations that their life-saving discovery would not be used as a ploy for money.
Now before you make an assumption that I have no idea what I am talking about, let me tell you first that I do, in fact, have a high deductible insurance plan that until I meet the deductible, expects me to pay $470/month for insulin in vial form or $660/month for the insulin in KwikPen form. The reality is that other than diabetes, I am not a very sickly person. I do not have a need to see a doctor often and I do not need batteries of tests so in any given calendar year, I cannot meet my deductible. So it is as unrealistic for me to find the money to pay these rates as it is to meet my deductible. These high deductible plans are waved in front of us to peddle their lower monthly premiums. Of course, because of the circumstances of society today, we knowingly take the plan because it has become more and more difficult to live from paycheck to paycheck. And many families struggle to make the decision each month to pay for food or insulin, rent or insulin, life or death.
Why is this drug so high? Because two or three company hold the patents; The patents that were given away freely by the inventors. And the long story short is that each time they make small advances or changes to the drug, they apply to renew the patent. Meanwhile, this keeps other companies or startups from manufacturing and selling less expensive alternatives or what we call generics. Plus most of the insulin today is analog, meaning it is synthetic and no longer coming from cattle or any other animals.
Incidentally, Eli Lilly Company who manufactures Humalog and Trulicity, are expecting 2018 revenues of $23 to $23.5 BILLION. Think about that as I do when I stress each day figuring out how I will best stay alive and looking for affordable insulin. That’s ONE of the three companies who hold all the cards in this game.
So meanwhile after strenuous research and double and triple checks, I’ve decided to try my luck with a Canadian pharmacy. This is not a move I took lightly because I believe in buying American. However, I’m also completely finished with placing my life into Eli Lilly’s grubby paws and if I have to go outside the United States to purchase medications then so be it.
So the question remains, how do the people at Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Sanofi sleep at night knowing that they run the table on a drug given freely as a gift of life and they profit from it while others die because it is ever out of their reach? I know I couldn’t. Until we rise up together and make a stand against these companies, they will remain in control of whether you live or you die. Maybe it’s not diabetes for you. Maybe it’s some other horrible disease and what if suddenly the one medication that would keep you alive became too expensive for you to have. Think about that.
References:
- https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/13/lilly-forecasts-2018-profit-and-revenue-largely-above-estimates.html
Take Action:
- http://www.stopdiabetes.com/
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
School Shootings: Epic Failure by Police
George Bernard Shaw said that the only thing we learn from
history is that we have learned nothing from history. What this means,
essentially, is that we do not pay attention to history and therefore we are
doomed to repeat the same mistakes and ignore opportunities. If we look at the
recent Mass Casualty Event in Parkland, Florida then we can see how this is
true.
Approximately 2:21 PM on 14 February 2018, Nicholas Cruz
entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, presumably set off the fire
alarm and proceeded to open fire on fleeing students. One of the first things
that you hear when these unspeakable crimes happen, is that it keeps happening
and needs to stop. The very next thing that you will hear is the cries for
tougher gun laws and more gun control. So let us go back to that first item;
this needs to stop. I think that everyone can agree on that issue. There are
many things that need to be reviewed and or fixed to get this under control but
let’s look at something that one would think is an easy and immediate fix.
In the case of Nicholas Cruz, law enforcement made a huge
blunder with this person. Here we have documented facts that the Broward County
Sheriff’s Office had been notified many times about Mr. Cruz’s attitude,
demeanor, ownership of guns, mental instability and the fact that he, himself,
said that he planned to shoot up a school and to become a “professional school
shooter”. If this is not enough to make you angry, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation received two tips regarding Mr. Cruz’s behavior. Once in
September of 2017 to the FBI in Mississippi and again in January 2018 when a
tip received was not properly forwarded to the Miami office.
Now, one could say that law enforcement missed the mark on
this one. How can you carry on a campaign of “If you see something, say
something” when saying something means nothing? Now, I hold a very high regard
and respect for the law enforcement community. Having said that, how many times
can we look back on Mass casualty Events and see where law enforcement has come
up short in regard to the actor?
You simply cannot blame guns. Guns, themselves are not the
issue. Evil people with intent on performing evil acts will find ways to do so.
We’ve seem mass Casualty Events by way of guns, knives, cars, trucks,
fertilizer and oh, yes, airplanes. Cries for your government to “do something
about guns” is the immediate cry. What are we doing to fix the shortcomings of
law enforcement? Yes, there are other areas of improvement and other factors
that demand review; however, actions speak louder than words. Fix the issues
that are staring us in the face and the issues that can be fixed with very
little effort. Such issues like following policy and procedure. That is a good
start.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Thoughts For Christmas
Call me old fashioned. It’s okay. I am proud of being old-fashioned when it comes to Christmas. It could also be said that I am stuck in my ways. Again, when it comes to Christmas, I am okay with being labeled as such.
The Christmas holiday has changed so much since I was a child in the 1970s. I often wonder if my parents thought of that in the 1970s. Was Christmas for them in the 1940s different? Have you ever watched a movie that depicts Christmas in the 40s? It looked so magical. The same goes for the 1970s; there was magic in Christmas from baking cookies as a family to decorating the tree as a family to visiting relatives throughout the season.
I am convinced that the very same things that have broken down our society over the past several decades has changed Christmas. I only hope that I can keep it alive the way I remember it within my own circle. So let's look at the changes that really put a curl in my mistletoe, shall we?
The Music - Music is the biggest change about Christmas that affects me. And some of that is attributed to the artists. Plus, I am pretty sure that much of this change is MY fault. You see, I cannot begin to accept the artists these days that perform remakes of Christmas music. I know it is my fault because I might say that I do not like the version of this carol that N’sync did but I like the way that John Anderson did it. Complete bias. I know this. You see, when I grew up listening to great Christmas music by the greats like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Jim Nabors, Doris Day and more, how can you go wrong? These were “my” Christmas carolers. But my children don’t get it and I do get why. Now there have been some great original Christmas music come out over my lifetime but performed by some of my favorite artists so here comes that bias again. But think about some modern pieces that are just so wonderful. Songs like "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses, "Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band-Aid and try this if you have not heard it, "(It Must've Been Ol') Santa Claus" by Harry Connick, Jr. But really, how many different ways can one stand the same carols being done? If they are definitively different or classy, then maybe they are worthy of a listen but I do not find that the case and I find myself browsing through the CD racks around this time of year looking for new compilations of the good old stuff.
The Programs - like the music, my tastes with television and movies are pretty much the same. Here again, I grew up watching great masterpieces of Christmas such as “Scrooge” with Alastair Sim who, in my humble opinion, is the best ever Ebenezer Scrooge. “It’s A Wonderful Life”, I mean you cannot go wrong with this holiday classic. Even children’s cartoons; “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, A Charlie Brown Christmas” and all of the Rankin-Bass productions. These are classics!! I am glad that many of these still air these days. I am more fortunate in that I have many of these on DVD and can watch them all season long should I wish to do so. Again, I am very critical of remakes and reboots but there have been good new original program, and I am not referring to ABC Family originals..bleh. Oops, my bias is showing again.I'm talking about "Polar Express" or "A Christmas Snow". Good original movies that pull at your heart strings and make you just feel good when you watch them. I do not think that we need another remake of "A Christmas Carol".
The Traditions - we come from all nationalities and backgrounds and I am not here to talk about your own traditions as they are very dear to you. But let’s talk about 1970 and 2010 (and forward) as it pertains to radio stations. You know when I was a child growing up, Thanksgiving was the “start” of the holiday season as far as music was concerned. Radio stations might play a carol here and there in the mix but you had to wait until Christmas Eve 6:00 PM for the All-Christmas music marathon to start and it would be like that until 11:59 PM Christmas night. And my butt was parked in from of that AM radio at 6 o’clock to listen to the non-repeating marathon of music to fill my heart with joy and anticipation of what Christmas morning would bring. Now they are going all - Christmas at November FIRST! Five years ago it was Thanksgiving. Some stations started BEFORE Halloween. C’mon people!
How about the commercialization of Christmas. Show of hands, who remembers when nothing was open on Christmas Day? Now everything is open which means someone has to work which means families are broken up on the holiday. If you want to see one reason society is collapsing, look no further than the Christmas season. Black Friday sales are now beginning on November FIRST. Stores that used to open at 5AM or 6AM on Black Friday are opening at 6 and 7 PM on Thanksgiving. “Thanks for dinner, mom. I gotta go get a deal on a TV and an Xbox for the kids”. What is that?! They now have reality TV shows that follow crazy people going Black Friday shopping. I cannot believe my eyes. And one wonders why there are dysfunctional families.
Retailers get a big part of the blame. Why are the Christmas trees and decorations out BEFORE Halloween? Can we get past the current retail groping before moving ahead three holidays? Who is making these decisions? I’d like to send Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to their board meetings (where are my Kevin Smith fans). But I know how to deal with it, I don’t buy into it. That’s right. I don’t shop on Black Friday. I don’t go to the malls. I’m told there are great deals to be had. Okay, but what if I do not need for anything? No need to go out.I have Amazon and Cyber Monday!
Maybe I am just grumpy. You know what? That’s okay too. Because while you are out there in the hustle and bustle, listening to the same six Christmas songs over and over again while leaving your family behind on Thanksgiving to fist fight your way to a cheap TV or a pair of socks, I’ll be the grumpy old-fashioned man who is set in my ways having a holly jolly time with my family while drinking a glass of eggnog and watching some football while Bing Crosby serenades me in the background with the classic rendition of “White Christmas”. I am good with that. Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Random Thoughts 10/14/2017
Several
weeks ago, I decided to take a break from Facebook. This decision came
after an argument that was driven by the NFL players utilizing the
National Anthem to protest their feelings about injustice and police
brutality and so on and so on and so on.
This
argument was not about the protests, this argument was over the fact
that I still watched my beloved Philadelphia Eagles despite my anger at
the players for disrespecting the National Anthem. Did you catch that?
Someone was angry at me for not boycotting the watching of my team.
I'd
like to address three things here. One, this petty argument. Two, the
so-called protests and three I want to to discuss social media and what I
learned while away from Facebook.
As
to the argument on Facebook. I am proud of the fact that I have the
freedom to choose what I do and when I want to do it. So long as I harm
no one and I do not break the law, I am free to do things and say
things. I have the right to my own opinion as do all of us. Something
that we have lost over the years since the birth of "social media" is
the ability to respect others. People no longer respect one another's
opinions. The way I was raised, you respected people and you earned
respect from people. Treat others as you would want to be treated.
I
left the world of talk radio after ten years because it became apparent
to me that you could no longer have a rational debate regarding
politics and the direction of America or the world without pissing
someone off or losing friends. As I stand here making a decision to come
back to radio to discuss anything but news and politics, I am learning
that no matter what the topic is, there will be haters.
I
have lost friends because I am neither Republican or Democrat; yes you
read that correctly. I have lost friends because of my opinions and most
recently I lost friends because, since I still watch football, I am
disrespecting the flag, the anthem and this great country. Sounds absurd
doesn't it? I am in charge of my thoughts and my actions. No one else.
Now
for these protests. I am not going to get into some trap about whether
it is right or wrong for them to protest. I will say that I am not
allowed to just break out in protest at MY workplace. But I feel like if
you really want to make a difference then wouldn't it be better served,
if you went out and really did something about it to really make a
difference? Hold a rally, mediate town halls so the people can speak
openly with police or any other of a hundred things that can be
organized that says "hey, I'm making a difference". Because right now,
your just being an asshole with you fist in the air or getting on your
knees. What does that teach the kids looking up to you? That it's ok to
disrespect your country, your employer's time and money? Just
wondering...
So
I removed myself from Facebook and it felt oh, so good. I almost did
not come back. I did continue to hang out on Instagram and Twitter.
Instagram, so far, is a pretty safe place to hang out. Mostly people's
lives unfolding in picture collages and memes and it's an easy way to
stay in touch with minimal discussion. So because of that, also not so
much arguing and bickering.
Twitter
is much the opposite and in some respects, it could be worse than
Facebook. The disagreements in Twitter far outweigh, in numbers alone,
those on Facebook. If you ever want to see haters in action, all you
need is a two minute trip to Twitter. It does not matter who you are or
what you do. You will be bashed, insulted, humiliated and hated on
Twitter. So if Twitter is so bad, why did I hang out there when I got
off the Facebook hate train? Because you can't look away. It's like a
fatal car wreck. You want to look away and leave but you can't!
So
really, leaving Facebook for a time or forever would make little to no
difference. Whether you frequent Twitter, Facebook or any other social
media site, one thing stands out; social media is far from being social.
Among many other factors, social media has had a hand in the
destruction of our social skills and the ability to communicate
rationally and socially with our fellow man/woman. No one steps out from
behind the keyboard to visit with someone in person or discuss the
state of affairs or show pictures or talk about vacations and sports.
Hell when that does happen, it turns into spite, anger and all out
fighting.
The next time I need a real vacation from this mess, I'll turn it all off.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Election 2016...Do the Right Thing!
My fellow Americans, for better or worse, we will be voting for a new president this year. If you follow the "news" on social media then it's hard to find any candidate worth voting for. According to all the "experts" on Facebook, there is nothing good about any of them and all kinds of good about all of them. It just depends on the meme of the moment. Let's look at a whole different view of this matter before you decide that you are moving out of the greatest country on Earth depending on the election outcome.
Have you ever stopped looking at all the rhetoric on Facebook and Twitter and tried to look at this mess without influence? Has it occurred to you that it makes no difference who is the President of the United States?
History Lesson #1 - When states leaders gathered together in 1787 to script the United States Constitution, their goal was simple. They wanted to create a government that was fair but would be limited in its power. Thus they created the three branches of governments; legislative, judicial and executive. No one piece can do all. For example, the President can negotiate a treaty but the Senate must ratify it with a 2/3 vote. Another example is Congress introduces bills to become law, but the President can veto the bill stopping it. However, Congress can, with enough votes and support, overturn a veto. The point is, there is a process.
That is why it is so ridiculous to fall into the trap of believing that any candidate is going to nullify the Second Amendment or "come take your guns". It's not that simple. It's not going to happen. As bad as you think Congress is (and believe it they are that bad), it just seems unrealistic that they would allow something like that to happen. It's unrealistic to think the votes are there. Recall when President Obama joked and said that he cannot just come take our guns because he was bound by the law of the land? He was right and he knows it.
Another popular issue this election is Socialism. "Bernie Sanders is a Socialist"! Maybe he is. "Bernie Sanders will raise taxes $23 Trillion"! Really? Let's be clear on this issue, the president does not have the power to raise or lower taxes on his own authority. He can try and influence Congress to create a bill to do so and he can veto a tax bill that he does not agree with. But Bernie cannot, as president, raise taxes. Take the Affordable Care Act, for example. Here is a good example of the president using his influence to get this bill passed through Congress. President Obama used a lot of influence to push it through and it worked. Of course, Nancy Pelosi announced that they "had to pass it to see what was in it". That last part is when yours truly came to the conclusion that Congress no longer worked for the constituents. More on that later. What would be nice, if a president used his influence to get bills passed that would lower corporate taxes so that companies can flourish here in the United States and hire more people. What would be nice, if a president used his influence to get bills passed that did something to solve hunger and homelessness here in the United States. What would be nice, if a president used his influence to get bills passed that would save our dying oceans.
My Fellow Americans, let me shift the conversation away from the presidency for a little because it is of the opinion of this author that the real problem is with Congress and some other parts of the system.
History Lesson #2 - Congress consists of two chambers; the Senate and the House of Representatives. Legislation cannot be enacted without the consent of both chambers. Legislation is a law enacted by a governing body. So in layman's terms, laws cannot be passed without the mutual agreement of both houses of Congress.
With that being clarified, now look at the problems that we are facing today; poverty, crime, hunger, homelessness, unemployment, high corporate taxes, etc. No one is saying that some of this is not the fault of the president or others in his administration. There is enough argument on both sides of the table to fancy a discussion on it. However, the president did not single-handedly raise corporate tax, cause hunger, make companies fail thus ruining economies around the country. Who is in charge of making laws? Who raises and lowers taxes? Who introduces crime bills? The answer is Congress. Who influences Congress? The president...and others. Wait, others? Yes. Have you thought about the corporations and lobbies that influence Congress? Some money here and some promises there and you have some legislation being introduced. Someone once asked me what I would do with the money if I ever won the lottery. I told him about all the great things that I would do to free myself from debt, help my children, buy a nice home. He said that he would "buy a Congressperson and make some changes". Think about how true that statement is; you can buy yourself a Congressperson. That is all a lobby does or special interest groups; they are buying legislation. If you remove that money from Washington, you may actually remove the corruption and get some real work done for the betterment of Americans.
I could go on for hours and words but I'd probably begin to bore you. All I really want is for you to open your mind and think on this a little. Everyone is looking to memes and fly-by-night Internet "news" agencies to tell them who to vote for as president. The real issue is who are you voting for in Congress and is that person after your best interests? Because that is the person that matters. What does not count is whether Hillary Clinton is a liar, Bernie Sanders is a Communist, Donald Trump is a fake or that Marco Rubio has no experience. In the words of Hillary Rodham Clinton, "What difference does it make". Absolutely none.
Have you ever stopped looking at all the rhetoric on Facebook and Twitter and tried to look at this mess without influence? Has it occurred to you that it makes no difference who is the President of the United States?
History Lesson #1 - When states leaders gathered together in 1787 to script the United States Constitution, their goal was simple. They wanted to create a government that was fair but would be limited in its power. Thus they created the three branches of governments; legislative, judicial and executive. No one piece can do all. For example, the President can negotiate a treaty but the Senate must ratify it with a 2/3 vote. Another example is Congress introduces bills to become law, but the President can veto the bill stopping it. However, Congress can, with enough votes and support, overturn a veto. The point is, there is a process.
That is why it is so ridiculous to fall into the trap of believing that any candidate is going to nullify the Second Amendment or "come take your guns". It's not that simple. It's not going to happen. As bad as you think Congress is (and believe it they are that bad), it just seems unrealistic that they would allow something like that to happen. It's unrealistic to think the votes are there. Recall when President Obama joked and said that he cannot just come take our guns because he was bound by the law of the land? He was right and he knows it.
Another popular issue this election is Socialism. "Bernie Sanders is a Socialist"! Maybe he is. "Bernie Sanders will raise taxes $23 Trillion"! Really? Let's be clear on this issue, the president does not have the power to raise or lower taxes on his own authority. He can try and influence Congress to create a bill to do so and he can veto a tax bill that he does not agree with. But Bernie cannot, as president, raise taxes. Take the Affordable Care Act, for example. Here is a good example of the president using his influence to get this bill passed through Congress. President Obama used a lot of influence to push it through and it worked. Of course, Nancy Pelosi announced that they "had to pass it to see what was in it". That last part is when yours truly came to the conclusion that Congress no longer worked for the constituents. More on that later. What would be nice, if a president used his influence to get bills passed that would lower corporate taxes so that companies can flourish here in the United States and hire more people. What would be nice, if a president used his influence to get bills passed that did something to solve hunger and homelessness here in the United States. What would be nice, if a president used his influence to get bills passed that would save our dying oceans.
My Fellow Americans, let me shift the conversation away from the presidency for a little because it is of the opinion of this author that the real problem is with Congress and some other parts of the system.
History Lesson #2 - Congress consists of two chambers; the Senate and the House of Representatives. Legislation cannot be enacted without the consent of both chambers. Legislation is a law enacted by a governing body. So in layman's terms, laws cannot be passed without the mutual agreement of both houses of Congress.
With that being clarified, now look at the problems that we are facing today; poverty, crime, hunger, homelessness, unemployment, high corporate taxes, etc. No one is saying that some of this is not the fault of the president or others in his administration. There is enough argument on both sides of the table to fancy a discussion on it. However, the president did not single-handedly raise corporate tax, cause hunger, make companies fail thus ruining economies around the country. Who is in charge of making laws? Who raises and lowers taxes? Who introduces crime bills? The answer is Congress. Who influences Congress? The president...and others. Wait, others? Yes. Have you thought about the corporations and lobbies that influence Congress? Some money here and some promises there and you have some legislation being introduced. Someone once asked me what I would do with the money if I ever won the lottery. I told him about all the great things that I would do to free myself from debt, help my children, buy a nice home. He said that he would "buy a Congressperson and make some changes". Think about how true that statement is; you can buy yourself a Congressperson. That is all a lobby does or special interest groups; they are buying legislation. If you remove that money from Washington, you may actually remove the corruption and get some real work done for the betterment of Americans.I could go on for hours and words but I'd probably begin to bore you. All I really want is for you to open your mind and think on this a little. Everyone is looking to memes and fly-by-night Internet "news" agencies to tell them who to vote for as president. The real issue is who are you voting for in Congress and is that person after your best interests? Because that is the person that matters. What does not count is whether Hillary Clinton is a liar, Bernie Sanders is a Communist, Donald Trump is a fake or that Marco Rubio has no experience. In the words of Hillary Rodham Clinton, "What difference does it make". Absolutely none.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Benghazi: Unsolved Mystery
Here in the United States of America, people are murdered every day. That is a sad reality. Law enforcement agencies are constantly working on leads and developments, talking to witnesses, canvassing the crime scenes, collecting and analyzing evidence all in an effort to bring the suspected murderers to justice.
Benghazi Case File:
On the evening of 11 September 2012, the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya was attacked by Islamic militants. As a result of this attack, A United States Ambassador Christopher Stevens and United States Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith were both murdered. Several hours later on the same evening, another compound approximately one mile from the murders, another attack ensued and United States CIA Contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were both also murdered. These are the core facts regarding events in Benghazi, Libya on the night of 11 September 2012.
The Benghazi "Scandal", as it is so called, has become a political pissing match between the Republican-controlled Congress and the Democrats. In three years and more than $4.5 million, there really has been no resolution to this issue not only politically, but also no resolution period. Now if we strip all the politics, the left and the right away from this whole Benghazi thing then we start to see this a little bit differently. Once we look at it without political lines, you might then feel like you have some questions of your own that you want answered.
Refer back to the core facts above; this is murder. This is capital murder with a lot of implications. Forget everything that you've read in the newspaper, magazines and (God help us) Social Media. Look at this without politics and look at it with your instincts. Four people were murdered that night. Four AMERICANS on sovereign AMERICAN soil. Now ask yourself these questions:
To re-introduce some politics back into it then yes, there are questions that need to be addressed. Why were 600+ requests for help not satisfied? How on earth and more importantly why would you ignore so many requests for help? Why would we hesitate for a second to send aid to our representatives in their time of need? It is the job of Congress to get to the bottom of this and it is no time for partisan politics. Forget about your party and get to the facts and the heart of this matter. It is law enforcement's job to find the murderers and it is Congress's job to find the people responsible for making the mistakes in our government. It sounds quite simple doesn't it?
Like anything else, if you strip the politics away from the issue then we can really see what is or isn't important. We begin to learn how the political machine and the media create these false realities. In some cases, it is a real head scratcher trying to figure out what the reasons are. In this case, four Americans are dead. I think it is time we focus in on that.
Benghazi Case File:
On the evening of 11 September 2012, the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya was attacked by Islamic militants. As a result of this attack, A United States Ambassador Christopher Stevens and United States Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith were both murdered. Several hours later on the same evening, another compound approximately one mile from the murders, another attack ensued and United States CIA Contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were both also murdered. These are the core facts regarding events in Benghazi, Libya on the night of 11 September 2012.
The Benghazi "Scandal", as it is so called, has become a political pissing match between the Republican-controlled Congress and the Democrats. In three years and more than $4.5 million, there really has been no resolution to this issue not only politically, but also no resolution period. Now if we strip all the politics, the left and the right away from this whole Benghazi thing then we start to see this a little bit differently. Once we look at it without political lines, you might then feel like you have some questions of your own that you want answered.
Refer back to the core facts above; this is murder. This is capital murder with a lot of implications. Forget everything that you've read in the newspaper, magazines and (God help us) Social Media. Look at this without politics and look at it with your instincts. Four people were murdered that night. Four AMERICANS on sovereign AMERICAN soil. Now ask yourself these questions:
- What law enforcement agencies are investigating these crimes?
- Was the Preliminary Survey performed?
- Was a narrative of the scene conducted by Crime Scene specialists?
- What evidence has been collected?
- Who are the witnesses that were questioned?
- What area(s) have been canvassed?
- Who are the suspects being investigated?
To re-introduce some politics back into it then yes, there are questions that need to be addressed. Why were 600+ requests for help not satisfied? How on earth and more importantly why would you ignore so many requests for help? Why would we hesitate for a second to send aid to our representatives in their time of need? It is the job of Congress to get to the bottom of this and it is no time for partisan politics. Forget about your party and get to the facts and the heart of this matter. It is law enforcement's job to find the murderers and it is Congress's job to find the people responsible for making the mistakes in our government. It sounds quite simple doesn't it?
Like anything else, if you strip the politics away from the issue then we can really see what is or isn't important. We begin to learn how the political machine and the media create these false realities. In some cases, it is a real head scratcher trying to figure out what the reasons are. In this case, four Americans are dead. I think it is time we focus in on that.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Mass Shootings: Something must be done!
As of the time I write this piece (October 6, 2015) there have been 297 mass shootings in the United States in the year 2015. I am sure that number shocks you because you most likely have not heard of nearly 300 mass shootings this year. That is because the media only covers the ones that make their news seem sensational and their advertisers salivate over the Return on Investment made advertising with the news agencies. According to Mass Shooting Tracker (http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Main_Page), a mass shooting is defined as four or more people shot in a single setting/spree; not only the ones killed. But let's move forward.
Every time the media covers one of these devastating events, it will usually include the President of the United States on television calling for more laws and measures to stop mass shootings. Now depending upon where you sit or stand on the political spectrum will highly decide just how you interpret these headlines and stories. Usually I attempt to make light of these things on social media but it does not always work out because there are far too many sensitive persons these days. So I will stick as close as I can to the center and to the facts. The President is calling on Congress to make some sensible laws to curb this sort of behavior while not infringing on the Second Amendment. This is a tough road to travel to be sure. However, it is not just Congress, it is the government in total that has to work together. This is not something that has happened in a very long time and certainly not since the Republicans gained control of Congress in 2014. This is not a reason for the President to insult the Republicans though it seems that he does. It is also not a reason for either party to boo-hoo and cry because they do not like the President.
Here in the United States of America, bills are introduced and voted on in the House of Representatives. If the vote passes, it moves to the Senate for debate and vote. If the bill passes the Senate it goes to the President to be "signed into law". Everyone get that? The President does not have the power to come take your guns. So now you have this bitterness in the government; the President wants something done... and Congress stalls on anything getting done at all about it... and the media reports whatever makes their network the most money. Conservative news will tell you that the President will come door to door personally and take all of your weapons, and the liberal news will blame the Republicans for not helping to take the guns and so the Republicans must hate America. Or something like that.
The reality is, we all want something done. We are all tired of watching the news and finding out that another "Gun-Free Zone" was targeted and a shooter performed a vicious act. We become scared, we become hermits. No one wants to go to the mall, go to the movies, go anywhere that people gather and can become a victim. So I am writing to discuss some points that I think address the problem or "could" address the problem and maybe help set things right.
1) Let's look at the issue of mental instability. Many of the shooters seem to suffer from some sort of mental disorder that may or may not be able to be helped but there has been a serious decline in facilities to house people who may be mentally distraught. Since 1972, there has been a thing happening called Deinstitutionalisation. This is the process of replacing long-term care facilities with community mental health services. Let me make that brief and reiterate; replacing facilities with services. In my opinion, because of the decline of the healthcare system (whole new argument there, folks), this simply means that we are not providing the best treatment for people who need it. Then if the people who really need it are not receiving the proper treatment and not being properly recorded, then they are able to waltz through the federal background check for a hand gun...hmm, how'd that happen? This is not in every mass shooting case, but in the ones that the person did have some sort of mental disorder, we cannot just shove a prescription in their pocket and kick them into the streets.
2) Now take a look at the shooters who do not kill themselves in the process. In most cases, these people find an attorney who will cop a plea of insanity or some mental disorder and woe is he for not having the proper care and help. Regarding the above paragraph, yes the people who need help NEED HELP. But look at the case of James Egan Holmes, the 2012 Aurora Theater shooter. He is scheduled to serve 12 life sentences followed by 3,318 years of prison. No, that is not a typo. He wanted to plea guilty to "avoid the death penalty", which was denied but guess what? A jury of his peers could not unanimously vote to put him to death. Interesting, I do not recall anyone popping into the movie theater on the night of July 20, 2012 and giving the victims a choice to live, die or be there at all! He lost his right to live the moment he set that plan in motion. He should have been marched out of the courtroom into the town square and put to death by any way the families of the victims chose. These executions should also be televised on all major networks coast to coast. Now look, I know that there are going to be some haters on this but don't you think that people who are NOT really insane might think twice about committing crimes like this if they know that this could be the outcome of their actions? Let's save some tax payers' money!
3) We have service men and women coming home and need jobs. There are some great groups out there that promote the hiring of these men and women and I applaud them I really do. Let's cross off two items from the list of "What is Wrong in America" (no, there is no actual list...) and give these men and women jobs protecting EVERY school in the United States of America from grade K through College/University. Guess what? A retail store in Delaware was tired of being robbed semi-regularly at gunpoint and hired an ex-marine to work the night shift as an armed guard in the store. They have not been robbed again. It works! And if it does not deter, it sure will be the best defense the schools can have to protect the institution and the people.
Every time the media covers one of these devastating events, it will usually include the President of the United States on television calling for more laws and measures to stop mass shootings. Now depending upon where you sit or stand on the political spectrum will highly decide just how you interpret these headlines and stories. Usually I attempt to make light of these things on social media but it does not always work out because there are far too many sensitive persons these days. So I will stick as close as I can to the center and to the facts. The President is calling on Congress to make some sensible laws to curb this sort of behavior while not infringing on the Second Amendment. This is a tough road to travel to be sure. However, it is not just Congress, it is the government in total that has to work together. This is not something that has happened in a very long time and certainly not since the Republicans gained control of Congress in 2014. This is not a reason for the President to insult the Republicans though it seems that he does. It is also not a reason for either party to boo-hoo and cry because they do not like the President.
Here in the United States of America, bills are introduced and voted on in the House of Representatives. If the vote passes, it moves to the Senate for debate and vote. If the bill passes the Senate it goes to the President to be "signed into law". Everyone get that? The President does not have the power to come take your guns. So now you have this bitterness in the government; the President wants something done... and Congress stalls on anything getting done at all about it... and the media reports whatever makes their network the most money. Conservative news will tell you that the President will come door to door personally and take all of your weapons, and the liberal news will blame the Republicans for not helping to take the guns and so the Republicans must hate America. Or something like that.
The reality is, we all want something done. We are all tired of watching the news and finding out that another "Gun-Free Zone" was targeted and a shooter performed a vicious act. We become scared, we become hermits. No one wants to go to the mall, go to the movies, go anywhere that people gather and can become a victim. So I am writing to discuss some points that I think address the problem or "could" address the problem and maybe help set things right.
1) Let's look at the issue of mental instability. Many of the shooters seem to suffer from some sort of mental disorder that may or may not be able to be helped but there has been a serious decline in facilities to house people who may be mentally distraught. Since 1972, there has been a thing happening called Deinstitutionalisation. This is the process of replacing long-term care facilities with community mental health services. Let me make that brief and reiterate; replacing facilities with services. In my opinion, because of the decline of the healthcare system (whole new argument there, folks), this simply means that we are not providing the best treatment for people who need it. Then if the people who really need it are not receiving the proper treatment and not being properly recorded, then they are able to waltz through the federal background check for a hand gun...hmm, how'd that happen? This is not in every mass shooting case, but in the ones that the person did have some sort of mental disorder, we cannot just shove a prescription in their pocket and kick them into the streets.
2) Now take a look at the shooters who do not kill themselves in the process. In most cases, these people find an attorney who will cop a plea of insanity or some mental disorder and woe is he for not having the proper care and help. Regarding the above paragraph, yes the people who need help NEED HELP. But look at the case of James Egan Holmes, the 2012 Aurora Theater shooter. He is scheduled to serve 12 life sentences followed by 3,318 years of prison. No, that is not a typo. He wanted to plea guilty to "avoid the death penalty", which was denied but guess what? A jury of his peers could not unanimously vote to put him to death. Interesting, I do not recall anyone popping into the movie theater on the night of July 20, 2012 and giving the victims a choice to live, die or be there at all! He lost his right to live the moment he set that plan in motion. He should have been marched out of the courtroom into the town square and put to death by any way the families of the victims chose. These executions should also be televised on all major networks coast to coast. Now look, I know that there are going to be some haters on this but don't you think that people who are NOT really insane might think twice about committing crimes like this if they know that this could be the outcome of their actions? Let's save some tax payers' money!
3) We have service men and women coming home and need jobs. There are some great groups out there that promote the hiring of these men and women and I applaud them I really do. Let's cross off two items from the list of "What is Wrong in America" (no, there is no actual list...) and give these men and women jobs protecting EVERY school in the United States of America from grade K through College/University. Guess what? A retail store in Delaware was tired of being robbed semi-regularly at gunpoint and hired an ex-marine to work the night shift as an armed guard in the store. They have not been robbed again. It works! And if it does not deter, it sure will be the best defense the schools can have to protect the institution and the people.
4) The President and others want to keep you thinking that where there are stricter gun laws there is less crime. Keep in mind that the way they present these numbers it can be true. If you look at it state-wide then the number works for your agenda; the states with the strictest gun laws have less gun crime. However, the cities with strictest gun laws have the highest crime. It's all perspective can we agree? So let's look at a smart gun law idea. What if more states allowed law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm concealed without obtaining a permit? Currently only six states allow what is known as Constitutional Carry meaning to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Twenty more states have introduced bills for Constitutional Carry but have not yet voted. This levels the playing field although it is a terrible thought that we must do so but criminals are more likely to not commit these mass shootings when there is a strong chance most of the would-be victims are armed and equally dangerous. Look at the argument this way, if you are a law-abiding citizen and pass a background check then you can own a firearm. Why the need for the additional steps to obtain more bureaucratic paperwork to carry your legally obtained firearm and protect yourself? Listen, having a permit or not having a permit does not make the difference in whether or not someone will use the firearm for harm or not. But not allowing citizens to defend themselves is completely wrong.
I do not have the answers, but collectively we can come up with some solutions. It will take everyone writing and calling your representatives in Congress. Instead of telling them to not take your guns, ask them to start passing laws that will allow you to protect yourself, laws that will ensure the proper treatment of persons with mental disorders, laws that will put our service men and women back to work in jobs that are meaningful to their training and laws that will help boost the economy and the moral of the citizens of the United States of America! Abraham Lincoln said, "and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". Start acting like it is a government of the people, by the people and for the people before it does perish from this earth
I do not have the answers, but collectively we can come up with some solutions. It will take everyone writing and calling your representatives in Congress. Instead of telling them to not take your guns, ask them to start passing laws that will allow you to protect yourself, laws that will ensure the proper treatment of persons with mental disorders, laws that will put our service men and women back to work in jobs that are meaningful to their training and laws that will help boost the economy and the moral of the citizens of the United States of America! Abraham Lincoln said, "and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". Start acting like it is a government of the people, by the people and for the people before it does perish from this earth
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Solving Our Nation's Problems - Hunger
Let me preface this blog with a quick note; I am not an economist and I do not claim to know how the economy works. I am, however, a voting patriotic constituent who recognizes obvious waste in the system. I see opportunities that are at the very least worthy of a blog and open for discussion.
In a previous post, I spoke about the amount of money that we send to other countries for various reasons of aid and Americans are even very generous, donating tens of billions to aid hunger and poverty overseas (http://www.globalissues.org/print/article/35#tab-content-oda-breakdown-donor-2). Why are Americans not donating to Americans in need? I get that wealthy Americans are looking for tax write-off opportunities but let's give to our brothers and sisters who need food.
Take a look at what programs like Hunters for the Hungry are doing (http://www.huntersforhungry.com/). These hunters provide hundreds of millions of venison meals each year to the homeless and hungry at soup kitchens and shelters around the nation. This without federal dollars. There are many other organizations like this and my hat is off for each and every one.
Now in my aforementioned previous post, I was talking about the annual ticket of $400 million that we give to Hamas. I would like to see that money go to the homeless situation using shipping containers to make small houses and neighborhoods to kick start the homeless back into society. So now about all the money from private donations that goes overseas...I cannot understand why we are not donating to organizations committed to feeding the poor and hungry here. Don't get me wrong, I feel for everyone but I think it sends the wrong message to poor Americans when we send the money around them to other countries. Can we not save our own? Does it not bother you when you drive past homeless people holding a sign and looking for anything you can give?
Perhaps the organizations that reel in the donations need to do a better job at two things; one they need to get American dollars donated to their American programs and two they need to do more outreach so that these people who take to the corners know that there are resources. What makes more sense to you? Giving a few bucks to a man on a corner who will probably buy alcohol or drugs or give to a legitimate organization who can do so much more with it to assist these people. Now before you call me heartless in my thinking, allow me to share a TRUE story. A friend of mine passed a man begging on a corner for money for food. My friend drove to a McDonald's and purchased a gift card because he wanted to make sure that this man he wanted to help would be able to get guaranteed meals. The man threw the gift card back at my friend and said "Fuck You!" Not so nice. We have to get these people off the streets and get them into programs to help them.
Let's step up and give back. Bring a good portion of this donated money back from overseas and put it to good use for AMERICANS! I am including a list of great verified agencies who combat hunger here in the USA.
Feeding America
Food Pantries
List of Charities
God Bless the United States of America!
In a previous post, I spoke about the amount of money that we send to other countries for various reasons of aid and Americans are even very generous, donating tens of billions to aid hunger and poverty overseas (http://www.globalissues.org/print/article/35#tab-content-oda-breakdown-donor-2). Why are Americans not donating to Americans in need? I get that wealthy Americans are looking for tax write-off opportunities but let's give to our brothers and sisters who need food.
Take a look at what programs like Hunters for the Hungry are doing (http://www.huntersforhungry.com/). These hunters provide hundreds of millions of venison meals each year to the homeless and hungry at soup kitchens and shelters around the nation. This without federal dollars. There are many other organizations like this and my hat is off for each and every one.
Now in my aforementioned previous post, I was talking about the annual ticket of $400 million that we give to Hamas. I would like to see that money go to the homeless situation using shipping containers to make small houses and neighborhoods to kick start the homeless back into society. So now about all the money from private donations that goes overseas...I cannot understand why we are not donating to organizations committed to feeding the poor and hungry here. Don't get me wrong, I feel for everyone but I think it sends the wrong message to poor Americans when we send the money around them to other countries. Can we not save our own? Does it not bother you when you drive past homeless people holding a sign and looking for anything you can give?
Perhaps the organizations that reel in the donations need to do a better job at two things; one they need to get American dollars donated to their American programs and two they need to do more outreach so that these people who take to the corners know that there are resources. What makes more sense to you? Giving a few bucks to a man on a corner who will probably buy alcohol or drugs or give to a legitimate organization who can do so much more with it to assist these people. Now before you call me heartless in my thinking, allow me to share a TRUE story. A friend of mine passed a man begging on a corner for money for food. My friend drove to a McDonald's and purchased a gift card because he wanted to make sure that this man he wanted to help would be able to get guaranteed meals. The man threw the gift card back at my friend and said "Fuck You!" Not so nice. We have to get these people off the streets and get them into programs to help them.
Let's step up and give back. Bring a good portion of this donated money back from overseas and put it to good use for AMERICANS! I am including a list of great verified agencies who combat hunger here in the USA.
Feeding America
Food Pantries
List of Charities
God Bless the United States of America!
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Solving Our Nation's Problems - Homeless
Let me preface this blog with a quick note; I am not an economist and I do not claim to know how the economy works. I am, however, a voting patriotic constituent who recognizes obvious waste in the system. I see opportunities that are at the very least worthy of a blog and open for discussion.
We have a terrible homeless problem in the United States of America. In fact, the problem is so bad that there is an annual report submitted to Congress called The Annual Homeless Assessment Report (https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/ahar-2013-part1.pdf). That is correct, we have a report. So this report typically states that there are just shy of 700,000 homeless individuals on a given night. Do you want to hear something that is deplorable? 12%, or just under 58,000 are VETERANS. In my opinion, that is about 12% too high as we owe more to our veterans who served and fought to keep this great nation free. But that is a subject for another discussion.
Right now let's focus on the entire situation. So we have a serious problem here. We should be concentrating on this issue.
It astounds me the amount of money that we send to other countries (http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/funding-mosques-overseas/); especially countries that promote terrorism (http://online.wsj.com/articles/why-should-americans-fund-hamas-1401913021). In a nation that has a deficit that is beyond being out of control, we just continue to send billions of dollars to other countries when we have a plethora of trouble here that needs to be addressed. I have a plan to help the homeless and it would probably cost less money than shipping it out of the country.
Shipping Containers.
That's right, shipping containers. Those steel containers that are shipped across the world's oceans to be loaded onto trucks to be shipped coast to coast. Well, these are fast becoming an ideal solution to affordable and sturdy housing and home designers are being very creative.
Now shipping containers come in a variety of sizes and here is the thing; they range in price from free (when companies just want to upgrade stock) to around $5000. I have even seen links on the web that have new ones for as little as $850 if you want a smaller one. Shipping containers are being used to bury in the ground as apocalypse shelters to office buildings, shopping centers and beautiful homes.
So if we built neighborhoods with used shipping containers, even the smaller ones, and spent another $30,000 to finish each one, install a roof full of solar panels and make a simple little house of it would this not help our homeless? I am not saying that we need to make luxury housing. I feel like we need to do something to bring the homeless indoors. The very basic human need is to have a roof over your head. The little extra money to make them "green" makes them self-sustainable and affordable in the future. This is an example of recycling in it's general form. Let's re-use these containers for some good.
If we look at the $400 million sent to support Hamas each year and divide that by say... $35,000 to do one basic container home... we can create 11,428 homes. As I said, I may not have exact figures or even know how it is supposed to work, but I know that somehow I have a say in where my tax money goes and I think many will agree that $400 million each year solves a lot of domestic issues with homelessness right here in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Additional Reading:
Could Shipping Containers Help End Homelessness? - Huffington Post
We have a terrible homeless problem in the United States of America. In fact, the problem is so bad that there is an annual report submitted to Congress called The Annual Homeless Assessment Report (https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/ahar-2013-part1.pdf). That is correct, we have a report. So this report typically states that there are just shy of 700,000 homeless individuals on a given night. Do you want to hear something that is deplorable? 12%, or just under 58,000 are VETERANS. In my opinion, that is about 12% too high as we owe more to our veterans who served and fought to keep this great nation free. But that is a subject for another discussion.
Right now let's focus on the entire situation. So we have a serious problem here. We should be concentrating on this issue.
It astounds me the amount of money that we send to other countries (http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/funding-mosques-overseas/); especially countries that promote terrorism (http://online.wsj.com/articles/why-should-americans-fund-hamas-1401913021). In a nation that has a deficit that is beyond being out of control, we just continue to send billions of dollars to other countries when we have a plethora of trouble here that needs to be addressed. I have a plan to help the homeless and it would probably cost less money than shipping it out of the country.
Shipping Containers.
Now shipping containers come in a variety of sizes and here is the thing; they range in price from free (when companies just want to upgrade stock) to around $5000. I have even seen links on the web that have new ones for as little as $850 if you want a smaller one. Shipping containers are being used to bury in the ground as apocalypse shelters to office buildings, shopping centers and beautiful homes.
So if we built neighborhoods with used shipping containers, even the smaller ones, and spent another $30,000 to finish each one, install a roof full of solar panels and make a simple little house of it would this not help our homeless? I am not saying that we need to make luxury housing. I feel like we need to do something to bring the homeless indoors. The very basic human need is to have a roof over your head. The little extra money to make them "green" makes them self-sustainable and affordable in the future. This is an example of recycling in it's general form. Let's re-use these containers for some good.If we look at the $400 million sent to support Hamas each year and divide that by say... $35,000 to do one basic container home... we can create 11,428 homes. As I said, I may not have exact figures or even know how it is supposed to work, but I know that somehow I have a say in where my tax money goes and I think many will agree that $400 million each year solves a lot of domestic issues with homelessness right here in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Additional Reading:
Could Shipping Containers Help End Homelessness? - Huffington Post
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)