no they didn't...

OH YES, they did! Yesterday while perusing the television channels, I stopped channel surfing to stare in horror at the "Special Edition" Chia Obama head on TV. At first I thought it was a joke; like a MadTv spoof. But alas, they are selling this as a real product...to be diplayed proudly on your desk or at home...phhtt! The sad thing is that this product probably is flying off the shelves.

It's a sad, sad day in this country when our president has been dubbed a Chia Pet. A sad day indeed.

recession

You can barely listen to the news or partake in water cooler conversation without hearing the word uttered. Gas prices are the equivalent of highway robbery, even milk and eggs cost exponentially more than they did a few months ago. Other tell tale signs is that the dollar is practically worthless and the price of GOLD is once again skyrocketing. I can't say that I am surprised, though. I saw this coming nearly 8 years ago when a bonehead was elected to be president. I'm serious, you can ask my ex. Though, I predicted it would only take 5 years to hit, you couldn't fool me.

Anyway, what's really disturbing to me is my observations driving around each day; the growing number of boarded up houses in Chicago...a direct result of the sub prime meltdown. Its just sad because each house symbolizes yet another family down on their luck, possibly homeless...who knows. I'm sure other cities like Sacramento, which are being hit harder by the foreclosure crisis, are even more depressing to see.

But, as I drive down these streets with abandoned & boarded up houses, I can't help but think about the social ramifications of it all. Debt has so long been ingrained in the American culture that like many others, I can't remember a time where I was truly debt free. I get paid so I can adequately pay another bill and attempt to stay afloat until next month, when I will do it all over again. It's like a rite of passage in the U.S. or something...and the finance companies, they greedily gobbled it up for as long as they could. Well, it appears now that our beloved country is paying tri-fold for that greedy mentality. The social ramifications have spilled over into every crevice of the economy and will not go away as easily as it was put there. In other words: we are in deep shit!

The next question remains: How do we fix this crisis? How do we prevent the eminent recession? Who will help us help ourselves get out of debt? Who will cut up our credit cards, consolidate our loans, and set realistic budgets for us to follow? Who??!! Because it appears we do not have the will power to do it for ourselves?!!

They say the government should lead by example, but yet our country is currently facing the largest deficit in history.

Despite all these DEPRESSING facts, I have hope...One thing is for certain: I AM READY FOR CHANGE. I am a woman on a mission to disillusion myself from the glory of "material" purchases. I have closed out a number of high APR cards, and am reducing costs like removing my HBO package from Comcast (which never has anything noteworthy on it anyway!) Little steps, I know..but maybe after some time it will really pay off. I just hope the future face of our country adheres to the same mentality. After all, the White house doesn't need that $3,000 toilet bowl cover, now does it??!!

food for thought

"Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime."
Aristotle

When did helping the homeless find a meal become a crime? Cities across the nation from Orlando to Las Vegas have begun penalizing local charities which are feeding the homeless on City property...simply because they think it will help lower crime rates and indirectly, increase tourism to their glorious cities. In Dallas, for instance, you have to get certified to handle food and apply for permits just to serve the homeless in city parks. Failure to follow this procedure can lead to a hefty $2,000 fine.

Wait a minute...isn't it obvious that further making poverty worse in your communities by denying people of the basic right to eat - won't lower crime rates, but increase them? And, obviously, if crime rates are up, people sure aren't going to be running over each other to visit your city.

This government falls victim to never seeing the big picture in deep seeded issues. They opt for the cosmetic fix, instead of trying to heal them at their source. Or maybe they just don't give a fuck?!

This country is disturbing on so many levels.



For those curious, the article can be found here.

what can i say? i'm a libra & all about equality

Tomorrow on Capital hill there will be a constitutional vote concerning the Federal Marriage Amendment Act which threatens to deny marriage equality to same-sex couples. These people, while living 'unconventional lifestyles', have found the true love we all yearn for. Who in their right mind would try to ban such unions, in essence attempting to make these people criminals?

This amendment makes gay people out to be 'religious and soicial abominations'...while in fact they are not. These are our friends, brothers, sisters, uncles, co workers & they need all our help to defeat this evil attack on their existence. So please help to ensure the freedom and equality of all our brothers and sisters nationwide by signing an online petition via the Moveon organization. It only takes a minute, I promise...and it will fill you with a warm happy sensation inside that only takes palce when you know you have done something undeniably and irrefutably right.

While this amendment doesn't directly affect me (a heterosexual woman), I feel very deeply about it, as in my opinion: LOVE IS LOVE. Whether it’s between a man and a woman, a man and a man, a dog and a goat (sorry about the poor use of words, but my point is made). I don't care who it is, if they are in love and wish to be married, no one has the right to tell them they cannot.

The way I figure it is: If we don't fight for the rights of ALL the American people, we are only allowing these conservative assholes to further limit our own rights. Slowly but surely, they are tightening the ropes and attempting to reverse the last few decades of foward movement in civil rights for all Americans. I refuse to contribute to that rope tightening...so I'm spreading the love for same sex marriage. How about you ?

give peace a chance...

Tomorrow marks the horrid one year anniversary of the one of the biggest mistakes in US history..the US invasion of Iraq. Granted, Hussien is a dickhead and murderer of his own people (any many others), but we have caught him already. Also, there is no evidence of ANY weapons of Mass Destruction to be found. SO my question is..why are we still there? Why are people still dying for a cause that has no grounds to begin with? There is no logical explanation in my opinion why we still are there and everything Bush and Colin Powell say is full of baloney. This war was not about W.O.M.D. but about our leaders eyeing the oil that is so plentiful out there. You mark my words.

Anyway, being the militant modern day hippy that I am, I will join millions of protestors worldwide to PEACEFULLY demonstrate against the war. There will be a march and rally in downtown Chicago and across many cities worldwide. While some may see this as silly and feel that our protests will fall on death ears, I see it as one of the only ways to get my voice heard. This war is an abomination of the innocent Iraqi people who have done no wrong. Anyway, before I start preaching, check out the site which is helping coordinate an International A.N.S.W.E.R. to the War (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism!). As John Lennon would say "All we are saying..is give peace a chance."

P.S. HAPPY FRIDAY !!