Sound Off II

6/21
'Money blurts' help drive fundraising  (Yahoo News, by Dan Eggen & T.W. Farnam, 6/19/2011)

I have just encountered a new term being tossed around in the media to describe the incendiary, controversial comments politicians spew in the hopes of garnering donations:  money blurts.  These supposedly impulsive outbursts can range from disrespectful interruptions of Presidential addresses, to memorable one-liners used in speeches and tv appearances.

I have many problems with this tactic.  First, the seemingly impromptu statements are all-too-often pre-planned campaign ploys.  I have nothing against well choreographed, grass roots fundraising.  But call it what it is.  Most Americans are not stupid,* and don't appreciate the cheap shots politicians have been taking to gain a monetary  advantage over their competitors. 

Second, these suggestions can be dangerous.  Requesting that constituents ready their weapons for a political battle, for example, could be seen by militant groups as a true call to arms.

Third, these controversial ideas are often against the spirit of our Constitution, or downright untrue.  Calling Obama a Muslim was a sound bite I heard all too often during the last Presidential campaign season.  There is no way the speakers didn't know Obama was a Christian, but he or she knew spewing this "controversial" lie would sit well with some donors.

In summary, money blurts may seem like a fantastic way for a candidate to get a temporary boost.  But intelligent Americans will see through the charades, and never vote for someone willing to lie and cheat to win.*

*Hopefully
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6/22

Probably the first cool thing to ever come out of Canada is the new polymer money featured in the video at the top of this article.   Not only does it look awesome, it also virtually impossible to counterfeit.  And, once it is taken out of circulation, it can be recycled into other useful products.  Go Canada!
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6/26

Not everyone is cut out for college.  Many youth recognize this at a much earlier age than we may realize.  I remember knowing that I loved school the first time I attended.  My husband, on the other hand, hated it.  For me, going to college was a joyful experience; a transformation of my mind.  For my husband, it was a nightmare that took six years, and garnered little more than major headaches.  Still, because of the value our society currently places on a four year degree, he could not have the career he had without it.

That is why I found this quote so compelling:  "According to Harvard's "Pathways" report, the United States needs a school system that establishes career options for students as early as middle school. The options should specify the coursework and the training students will need. This approach will enable students, along with their parents, to map pathways toward the work they seek."  (The high cost of our obsession with four-year colleges)

This should include an expansion of our technical college system, as well as a major re-evaluation of such schools' prestige in the eyes of our nation.  There is nothing wrong with taking two years of courses to be a solar panel expert, or a wind farm technician.  Our sole focus on the four year bachelors degree is out dated, and holding us back in this highly technical age we find ourselves living in.

Let's go back to the example of my husband for a moment.  In high school, his first job was selling newspapers.  He fell in love with the sales process, and managing a sales team, by the time he graduated the twelfth grade.  Wouldn't two years focused on honing the skills involved in a career as a sales manager have been more beneficial to him than a four year liberal arts degree that didn't include even one class about selling or managing?  His current employer would not have even considered his resume without the bachelors degree, however.
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6/29

My husband and I watched a television show last night about people who are preparing for doomsday by stockpiling food, readying hazard suits, and even building underground bunkers.  It was a National Geographic special that absolutely blew my mind.  Beyond the fact that these folks are rather pessimistic about our country's, and the worlds, future, they posses brilliant ideas that could help us all live more efficiently, and even avoid the doomsday they anticipate. 

The first family featured turned their entire back yard into a giant science fair project on sustainable living.  Only, this demonstration is so good that it is actually feeding all four of them, and could continue to do so without outside help for the foreseeable future  Granted, they eat a lot of tilapia.  And the fact that they live in the middle of the dessert makes their belief that they could somehow continue to thrive indefinitely without their home, even with the best survival skills, seem ridiculous.  Overall, I respect their ingenuity so much that I could get over the solar-flares-are-going-scorch-us theory long enough to want to chat with the father for a while. 

The other family's were equally interesting.  The lady who believes hyper-inflation could be disastrous for the U.S. is not too off base, I fear.  Only stock-piling beans and palettes of Hormel chili seems far too extreme to be worth the time or money.  I would rather shoot myself than eat an entire palette of canned anything!

To check out two clips from the show, click on this link.

Superstitions

 Cursed number "39" haunts Afghan car owners  (Yahoo News via Reuters, by Hamid Shalizi, 6/15/2011)

Whenever I hear someone mention the number 13, I can't help but shiver.  It has been drilled into my brain from such a young age that the number brings bad luck, that I can't suppress the response, even though I realize I am being superstitious.

In Afghanistan, the number 39 is suddenly gaining steam as the latest symbol to exude negative connotations.  Suddenly, if there is a 39 on your license plate, you are considered a pimp.  Though some American men may covet the title, the idea of being a "pimp" in Afghanistan's conservative Muslim society has real world, negative repercussions. 

Whether the idea originated because of an Iranian pimp who drives around in a luxury car nicknamed "39," or as a result of a police scheme to earn money is interesting to consider.  But what really makes my mind stew is how fast the superstition formed, and traveled.   It makes me wonder if other cultural idiosyncrasies developed in a similar, exponentially expanding manner.
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Hilarious

What do you get when you mix Peanuts comics with random Twitter messages?  Absolute hilarity.  Check it out here.
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6/16

The Peoria Chiefs are holding 'LeBron James 2011 NBA Championship Replica Ring Giveaway' night this evening.  They may even skip the fourth inning in honor of the choking that took place during the final minutes of each game.  You can read about the event here.  Hilarious!
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9/8/2011

I have heard of folks feeding their pets beer.  I even remember a Judge Judy case about a drunken dog.  But an inebriated moose stuck in a tree?  This one you have to see to believe:  Rescuers free drunken moose stuck in tree.