Posts Tagged ‘People’

If You Blend, You’re In

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

What the heck is going on in Arizona. Immigration is not just the issue but possibly an issue in general for people to be different. Being completely clear, I don’t think people should come here illegally what ever your shade or background. The word illegal itself states that something less than correct has been done. While I can’t remember a time when I have gotten away with doing something I wasn’t supposed to, I still can’t see supporting a law that enables simply looking at a person to be the jump start for the are you legal question. Lets just be honest for a second, making a law that allows local law enforcement to have authority to ask such questions is going to lead to unfair scrutinizing of certain people. We all know that this law is aimed at those who don’t satisfy the blend quotient. You know for those whose presence creates a level of concern and angst. Governor Brewer knows exactly what she is doing, just keeping it honest. Sorry governor, your plan stinks. What is the answer for immigration, who knows, but simply suspecting that a person isn’t legal by sight just isn’t going to cut it. But wait, that’s not enough for Arizona and good old governor Brewer, they are really on the ball out there aren’t they. Now not only if I look at you and think you might not belong will you have an issue but the fact that you may dare to learn about your heritage is also cause to throw up a big red flag. How dare you! Who do you think you are? According to the governor’s spokesman “the governor believes public school students should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people.” Truly laughable excuse. I guess the history lessons are next. You might as well not even worry about the few who are taking an ethnic studies course if the true concern is about potential resentment or hate for groups of people because of what might be learned in a classroom. Again I’ll just say, there go the history lessons or at least the accurate ones. I guess the governor doesn’t want anyone to think about the times when groups of people have been oppressed, mistreated and devalued or maybe just doesn‘t want anyone to learn about it. After all she wouldn’t want anyone to get upset. Too bad governor Brewer isn’t enlightened enough to want to open up dialogue about various aspects of a cultures history instead of trying to stifle it. Why shouldn’t it be a lesson in of itself that even if things were once a certain way that was inequitable to a particular group or groups that as a people, an American culture and forward moving and thinking country despite those inequities there is room for growth, development and conversation. Long story short, I think most people can agree that as a nation, especially at this time of concern for American safety, there needs be some serious oversight of immigration into the country. But as governor Brewer contemplates what she feels may be deemed as anti-white it seems that in no uncertain terms she has declared herself anti-, I’ll just say other.

Funny Pages

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

So I read this article that came to me via twitter from yahoo buzz that discussed the “arrogance” of our current President. “Americans reject arrogance in our leadership” read the tweet. I too reject this so I opened the article to see what it was all about only to find a comic strip of opinion about how this President is so much more “arrogant” than others. As I read on I realized that I had in fact stumbled upon a joke, the funny pages if you will. It always cracks me up when people reference health care reform as a negative, Rush Limbaugh as a positive and say that Sarah Palin is “unpretentious” and a “leader“. I could hardly contain my laughter. Since everyone gets to share their opinions I guess I’ll throw mine in there. Generally I believe myself to be a pretty objective person. I am willing to listen to various perspectives and ways of thinking if only to try to understand others better. The desire for everyone to have adequate health coverage, the ability to take ownership of and acknowledge previous errors and the quest to move forward in a more enlightened way just doesn’t strike me as being a bad thing. Yet these ideas seem to be such a thorn in the side to many people and I can’t help but wonder why. Is it the idea itself that gives them pause or the person presenting it? We all have room for improvement. Yes this includes President Obama. But I haven’t personally heard of one law that satisfies every person or addresses every potential issue that falls under its umbrella. As annoying as it may be, the fact of the matter is it just happens to be life. No matter how much it may suck in a particular situation. The sooner we know that on a personal level the quicker it can translate to our society at large. Because I’ve never read this particular comic before after I was done and reflecting on its message, I try to do that no matter how ridiculous at first glance a statement seems, I couldn’t help but wonder if the writer felt the same kind of outrage and contempt for the behavior of those in opposition to the new health care bill. Disagreement is one thing. Violence and absurd behavior is another. And since she liked to reference teachers and scolding I can only hope that somewhere she had the words to scold those whose behavior was reprehensible. Somehow I can’t help but doubt it, she seems to be just that well, lets just say funny. Now I want to note that those words that appear in quotes don’t belong to me. I haven’t said where you can find them yourself because I chose to protect the teller of these jokes. We don’t want too many people knowing just how ridiculous, strike that I totally meant funny, she truly is.

I’m The Man

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Is it just me or does anyone else have a problem with Sen. Bunning getting a “deal” to agree to allow an extension for unemployment benefits. I guess he has come up with a commodity other than money to help people pay bills and maintain a sense of normalcy within their lives. No, that didn’t happen? Oh for Sen. Bunning I guess it is acceptable to exist while holding your breath waiting for your life’s bubble to burst. I’m trying to figure out why he has been given so much power. Okay so politics requires tit for tat, we all know that, but what a blatant example of peacocking at the expense of others. I agree there is an extreme amount of debt piling up without knowing what the long-term outcome will be, but when did the basic standard of living get to be an acceptable sacrifice? When I see someone think somehow its cool for everyone else to do without and be okay, I can’t help but wonder what they would, scratch that, have given up as they dictate and decide what everyone else should be able to do without. So Sen. Bunning as you take your grand stand, I just have a few questions. Are you in jeopardy of falling behind on your mortgage and if not are you willing to downsize, probably at a loss, to cut your expenses? How many vacations have you skipped? Have you and your family forgone shopping? Have you parked your car? What exactly have you done other than say other people have been receiving too much money and it needs to stop. Did you forgo your salary or benefit package in the order to offset spending? Probably not. It’s really easy to sit in the only chair in the room and tell others to make themselves comfortable. Cutting off peoples unemployment benefits without offering another options highlights your humanity and true concern for your brethren. After all who cares if they have four walls if you Sen. Bunning, don’t get an extra vote.

Mechanic Needed

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

I just had a wonderful experience, as wonderful as dealing with a car repair can be. The auto shop that I sent my car to for a diagnostic test actually left me with good feelings despite the fact they told me I needed a new engine. So when I initially contacted the shop they told me the test would be over a hundred dollars. What was I charged? A cool 52 bucks with a written assessment of what was needed. If you are like me, you probably don’t have much faith in auto repair shops. But anytime you can walk away with an assessment, not be sweated about making an immediate decision and can even leave the car for over a week without it being the end of the world, well that is an auto shop I can learn to love. Thanks Chicago Import Services for renewing my faith in mechanics.

Spectacle Please

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

So posting new information is not the only thing that I‘m behind on, both of the dvrs are 95% full, my father knows more about YouTube than I do and I’m constantly asked by family and friends if I’m on Facebook yet. Okay, okay, I’m getting around to all of it. There is absolutely no way that my father can be more up on things than me. So while I’ve been catching up on Oprah and The View, a couple of stories struck me. One of my favorite is about a guest who was on The View, Dave Carroll, who has gotten to corporate America in my new favorite way. Can anyone say Spectacle! Much applause to you Dave Carroll, thanks for showing us the way. While the question that must still be raised is why most companies require “spectacle” in order to do the right thing, if that’s what gets it done I am certainly on board with creating a three ring circus at their front door. Mr. Carroll your performance was one of the best showcases of musical talent combined with spectacle. I loved it. By the way spectacle is one of my new favorite words and trust me that will certainly be my angle when I encounter future insurmountable and or unforgivable levels of denial, unconcern, and irresponsibility from any company. My heart attack days are over and I’m going to release all the drama that talking to customer service can offer. Again Dave Carroll, bravo on calling American Airlines out in such a truly interesting and charismatic way. I wish I would have thought of it myself. Now personally I don’t think that it should have to come to that, but congrats on demanding accountability from a ridiculous situation. American Airlines and all other companies who need it, the circus can always be open to your business.