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Huge concentrations of wealth corrodes the soul of any nation

A couple quotes from the Nicholas Kristof editoral linked to below:

A Hedge Fund Republic? Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times

“But there is also a larger question: What kind of a country do we aspire to be? Would we really want to be the kind of plutocracy where the richest 1 percent possesses more net worth than the bottom 90 percent?’

“I’m appalled by our growing wealth gaps because in my travels I see what happens in dysfunctional countries where the rich just don’t care about those below the decks. The result is nations without a social fabric or sense of national unity. Huge concentrations of wealth corrode the soul of any nation.”

I’ve been watching and crying over this growing problem for years.  Part of me just cannot understand how in a democratic society where the vast majority of folks are in the middle and lower economic classes this happened.  After all 9 to 1 should win ever time, right?

In large part it has happened because both political parties are unabashedly junkies when it comes to financing political campaigns.  Continue reading “Huge concentrations of wealth corrodes the soul of any nation”

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Parenting – An Addiction

Well this pretty much explains why we do such a crazy thing as have kids…

“Shankar Vedantam of Slate hypothesizes that people continue to procreate, despite overwhelming evidence that parenting isn’t very fun, for much the same reason that cocaine users can’t quit: they’re addicts.”

See link below.

The Parent Trap: Addiction

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Oración de la Serenidad

Dios concédeme la serenidad para aceptar las cosas que no puedo cambiar.

Valor para cambiar aquellas que puedo.

Y sabiduría para reconocer la diferencia.

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The Tradition Continues

When my kids were in grade school, I would occasionally have them do “book reports” for various reasons. They were never very happy when I assigned them one, but they did do them…grudgingly. My daughter is much older now and she seems to have fond memories of doing the book reports, at least a few of them.

David and his family visited us recently in St. Louis. David and Brandie were determined to not waste a moment of the weekend and we visited many of the sites in town including the Arch. In the gift shop at the Arch they had a place mat with all the presidents on it. I purchased one, I though for me. The grand-kids made such a fuss over the place mat that I gave it to them with the stipulation they give me a book report on a president whenever their report cards came out. The tradition continues.

I am still waiting for Jordon’s report. Below is Teagan’s report. Continue reading “The Tradition Continues”

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For Whom the Law Tolls

For while this year it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed, in other years it has been, and may someday be again, a Jew- or a Quaker or a Unitarian or a Baptist. It was Virginia’s harassment of Baptist preachers, for example, that helped lead to Jefferson’s statute of religious freedom. Today I may be the victim, but tomorrow it may be you – until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped at a time of great national peril.

-Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, September 12, 1960

The local Jewish community newspaper in  St. Louis ran the following editorial.  It was triggered by Oklahoma passing a constitutional amendment banning judges from considering Sharia (and international laws) in their judicial opinions.  The editoralist does not see a lot of legal danger from this amendment, but finds the attitude behind the passing of the amendment very dangerous.

The link: For Whom the Law Tolls

I’m just so proud to be an Okie…not.

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The Itch

Once upon a time lived a beautiful Queen with large breasts.

Ted the Dragon Slayer obsessed over the Queen for this reason.

He knew that the penalty for his desire would be death should he try to touch them, but he had to try.

One day Ted revealed his secret desire to his colleague, Horatio the Physician, the King’s chief doctor.

Horatio thought about this and said that he could arrange for Ted to more than satisfy his desire, Continue reading “The Itch”

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He is your President for Goodness Sake!

I will have to admit as a card carry liberal (I’m still thinking about putting a bumper sticker on my vehicle that says, “If’n you ain’t Liberal, you ain’t shit”) I have been very disappointed in Obama.  In many ways I find him much too conservative for my taste.

Then on the other hand the response of the Republicans have been appalling, while I am not a big fan of the Democrat party the alternative is totally unacceptable.

My own explanation for the recent election is the aging population and the fact that they must be suffering short term memory deficit.   How else can you explain that many folks are blaming the economy on Obama and have forgotten the obnoxious behavior of the Republicans in Congress and especially in the Senate.

Our current political morass has me sticking my head in the sand as I cannot stand to watch it.  It just plain hurts too much.  Sadly.

Here is a link to an article in a Canadian newspaper that makes incredible sense.  He’s your President for Goodness Sake!

I personally think it is such a good read and an important read I have included the whole text below. Continue reading “He is your President for Goodness Sake!”

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My Modeling Career

There is a security guard where I work, a white woman of ancient years.  I say ancient as she 10 or 15 years older than I, that must push her over into antiquity.  She stopped me the other day as I was returning to my desk from one of my many bathroom runs.  She knows from a prior conversation that I used to work for the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue.

She asked me, “You used to work for a clothing store, right?  Did you model for them?”

I looked at her funny and replied, “No I programmed for them like I program here.  Why do you think that?”

“Well,” she said, “you walk with such good posture and your wear your hair long and a little different.”

My hair is on the longish side, and I have taken to putting a bit of gel in it and combing it straight back.  I would have to admit it is not the typical hairstyle you see in corporate America.

Just picking at her I asked, “Are you trying to ask me if I am light in my loafers, as male models have that reputation.”

She tries to back pedal a little, and I then I decide to let her off the hook.  I tell her, “I have a bit of bad back that forces me to walk with good posture or bent over depending on how it is feeling.  And as for my hair I guess we all have our affectations.”

The ole Rev. was male model for Saks Fifth Avenue, who would have known?