Change has truly started. Of course today is filled with the ceremonial trappings that hearld any monumental change. Tomorrow the real work will begin. Each has a new beginning. Our new president has his work cut out for him, fine line to walk, change to implement. The old president will return to private life but with a new twist. He will never again be just a private citizen, he will forever be linked to those moments that shaped his presidency.
Everyone involved has been forever touched, forever changed. Not only those in the forefront but those behind the scenes and those who are on the sidelines watching.
Change and new beginnings go hand in hand, one cannot exist without the other. How we embrace them gives insight to our character and ability to continue moving forward as opposed to remaining stagnant in the past.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Not Politics
Ah the calm before the storm. Yes, you say, the ingauration is Tuesday and this truly is the last calm weekend before the change begins.
No not a political calm, a football calm. Tomorrow the AFC and the NFC champs will be determined. Then with a frenzy matched only by March madness the hipe and trash talking will begin. This is a particularly interesting time for me. My beloved Baltimore Ravens are just one win away from being AFC champs. We only have to beat the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers. No love lost between these two titans of the AFC. Ranked 1 and 2 in their division and ranked 1 and 2 in defense, this will prove to be a very physical game. Can a team with a rookie quarterback and a rookie coach make it to the Super Bowl? I hope so.
As a transplanted Marylander, I have tried to support the North Carolina teams, both professional and collegiate. However, when a team from my home state is playing, my true loyalties show through.
So I will be glued to the TV tomorrow afternoon in anticipation of seeing history continuing to be made with a rookie quarterback winning the division playoffs and going to the Super Bowl.
No common sense here, just unabased pride in my home town team.
No not a political calm, a football calm. Tomorrow the AFC and the NFC champs will be determined. Then with a frenzy matched only by March madness the hipe and trash talking will begin. This is a particularly interesting time for me. My beloved Baltimore Ravens are just one win away from being AFC champs. We only have to beat the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers. No love lost between these two titans of the AFC. Ranked 1 and 2 in their division and ranked 1 and 2 in defense, this will prove to be a very physical game. Can a team with a rookie quarterback and a rookie coach make it to the Super Bowl? I hope so.
As a transplanted Marylander, I have tried to support the North Carolina teams, both professional and collegiate. However, when a team from my home state is playing, my true loyalties show through.
So I will be glued to the TV tomorrow afternoon in anticipation of seeing history continuing to be made with a rookie quarterback winning the division playoffs and going to the Super Bowl.
No common sense here, just unabased pride in my home town team.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Change
The new president hasn't even been sworn in and already people are questioning his thoughts and views. This is to be expected. However, my concern is that he won't be given a chance. The time for change has arrived and whether we agree or not, it is going to happen. Will things get any better, I hope so. But they will get worse before that happens. We can't wipe away the years of neglect, distrust and corruption in a few year yet alone a few days.
I am concerned that the first $350 billion was distributed without oversight, without accountability. It hasn't been used for its intended purpose and things have not improved for anyone other than the banks that received the funds.
We need a return to common sense. We need to rethink the various trickle down theories that have been floated every few years. The premise was good however, human nature being what it is, the implementation fell short of accomplishing the intended purpose. Jobs must be created, not sent overseas. Our infrastruction is falling apart, not a winter goes by without a city suffering a major water main break because they are older than most of us. Our police and firemen need upgraded equipment. Our schools have not kept pace with the changing needs of our students. Bridges are crumbling right under our wheels.
All of these projects were put on hold in order to offer incentives to businesses to relocate or to fund some pet project. As a nation, we cannot thrive unless our foundation is sound. We have long ignored it and now we are paying the price for that neglect.
It will not be easy and it won't be cheap but it must be done. We will all have to pull together as Americans do and get it done. We are a nation of doers not complainers. When the going got tough, Americans have pulled themselves up by their boot straps and getting things done.
We must do so again.
I am concerned that the first $350 billion was distributed without oversight, without accountability. It hasn't been used for its intended purpose and things have not improved for anyone other than the banks that received the funds.
We need a return to common sense. We need to rethink the various trickle down theories that have been floated every few years. The premise was good however, human nature being what it is, the implementation fell short of accomplishing the intended purpose. Jobs must be created, not sent overseas. Our infrastruction is falling apart, not a winter goes by without a city suffering a major water main break because they are older than most of us. Our police and firemen need upgraded equipment. Our schools have not kept pace with the changing needs of our students. Bridges are crumbling right under our wheels.
All of these projects were put on hold in order to offer incentives to businesses to relocate or to fund some pet project. As a nation, we cannot thrive unless our foundation is sound. We have long ignored it and now we are paying the price for that neglect.
It will not be easy and it won't be cheap but it must be done. We will all have to pull together as Americans do and get it done. We are a nation of doers not complainers. When the going got tough, Americans have pulled themselves up by their boot straps and getting things done.
We must do so again.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tis the Season
At this time of year let us put aside our political differences, our personal quirks and remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Those who have lost jobs, homes and even their lives during this last year. There are more of them than ever and we who are blessed to still have jobs should do what we can to help those who are in need.
No matter our own personal situation, if we can contribute money, time or anything to improve the life of someone in need, we improve our own life as well. With all of the recent focus on bailouts for big business, don't let us lose sight of the important things in life.
Spend time this holiday season with family and friends. Start a new family tradition of volunteering at a shelter or soup kitchen instead of having a party. Give back instead of taking.
No matter our own personal situation, if we can contribute money, time or anything to improve the life of someone in need, we improve our own life as well. With all of the recent focus on bailouts for big business, don't let us lose sight of the important things in life.
Spend time this holiday season with family and friends. Start a new family tradition of volunteering at a shelter or soup kitchen instead of having a party. Give back instead of taking.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Common Sense
A temporary staffer at Wal-Mart was trmpled to death on Black Friday when the doors opened and shoppers surged forward to get bargains. Even other staffers, the police and EMTs were shoved around. All to save a few dollars. I can understand wanting to save money but come on people, was it worth a person's life?
Man has not evolved so far above animals afterall. The only true difference is that man supposedly has common sense which offsets or curbs our baser instincts. Common Sense, that most precious of senses. While life can exist without it, living is much more rewarding with it.
Man has not evolved so far above animals afterall. The only true difference is that man supposedly has common sense which offsets or curbs our baser instincts. Common Sense, that most precious of senses. While life can exist without it, living is much more rewarding with it.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Beginning of the end?
Mitt Romney, in an article in today's WS journal, indicates that the Big 3 should fail. Why, you ask? Because then they will be forced to come to grips with their own short-sightedness. Then they would be forced to admit that they made mistakes and that their collective pasts have caught up with them. Give up their corporate jets, eliminate the golden parachutes, cut the salaries of their entire management staff and renegotiate their union contracts.
On paper it looks good and in theory it should work. But will they do it? Someone has to make the hard choices. Unions improved the working conditions for everyone who has ever held a job; union member or not. However, we are now at a point in time where we have to decide between 30 people making $21.00 an hour plus benefits and maybe 100 people making $12.00 an hour plus benefits. We also need to look at retirees whose income and benefits are guaranteed regardless of the economy.
My benefits are not guaranteed after I retire. At this point I am not even sure I can retire and there are million of others who have to make choices between food, medicine and utilities even with Social Security and Medicare Part D.
I have exaggerated to make a point. The Big 3 with the Government's help has been allowed to become dinosaurs. They can no longer sustain themselves in the manner to which they have become accustomed. Government kept pushing back the deadlines for fuel efficiency and foreign auto makers stepped in and filled the void. At first the cars were not very attractive or comfortable. However that has changed.
In order to survive, the Big 3 must change and make the tough decisions. They must also do it without taxpayer money bailing them out. Taxpayers are not an endless source of funds for every corrupt, greed monger. Auto-makers and businesses in America cannot continue 'business as usual'. This is a new world we live in. There are nations providing services and goods that at one time, only the US could provide. Our place in the world is changing. We can chose to embrace it as we have done in the past and become stronger. Or we can bury our heads in the sands of the past and pretent we are still the greatest nation on the earth. Resting on the laurels of the past is one way to be run over by the future.
Americans have never run away from a challenge. We are or were noted for being ingenious and going where no one had come before. Status quo was not good enough, we had to prove that we could do it better. That the nation born of castouts, ruffians and ne'er do wells was every bit as good as the aristocats in Europe.
We, the descendants of those original colonists, have become complacent with our lot in life. We are no longer the dreamers, inventors of the past.
On paper it looks good and in theory it should work. But will they do it? Someone has to make the hard choices. Unions improved the working conditions for everyone who has ever held a job; union member or not. However, we are now at a point in time where we have to decide between 30 people making $21.00 an hour plus benefits and maybe 100 people making $12.00 an hour plus benefits. We also need to look at retirees whose income and benefits are guaranteed regardless of the economy.
My benefits are not guaranteed after I retire. At this point I am not even sure I can retire and there are million of others who have to make choices between food, medicine and utilities even with Social Security and Medicare Part D.
I have exaggerated to make a point. The Big 3 with the Government's help has been allowed to become dinosaurs. They can no longer sustain themselves in the manner to which they have become accustomed. Government kept pushing back the deadlines for fuel efficiency and foreign auto makers stepped in and filled the void. At first the cars were not very attractive or comfortable. However that has changed.
In order to survive, the Big 3 must change and make the tough decisions. They must also do it without taxpayer money bailing them out. Taxpayers are not an endless source of funds for every corrupt, greed monger. Auto-makers and businesses in America cannot continue 'business as usual'. This is a new world we live in. There are nations providing services and goods that at one time, only the US could provide. Our place in the world is changing. We can chose to embrace it as we have done in the past and become stronger. Or we can bury our heads in the sands of the past and pretent we are still the greatest nation on the earth. Resting on the laurels of the past is one way to be run over by the future.
Americans have never run away from a challenge. We are or were noted for being ingenious and going where no one had come before. Status quo was not good enough, we had to prove that we could do it better. That the nation born of castouts, ruffians and ne'er do wells was every bit as good as the aristocats in Europe.
We, the descendants of those original colonists, have become complacent with our lot in life. We are no longer the dreamers, inventors of the past.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Naughty or Nice
You can tell the holidays are here, more and more of corporate America is drafting their Christmas lists for the taxpayers. First, the $700 billion supposedly to purchase toxic assets from banks in need. Next, AIG is given $85 million to prevent failure. Now add the auto industry is crying for assistance not because of their own stupidity but because of the economy.
Gee, maybe I should have used that logic when I couldn't pay my bills. Hey, it's not my fault, it's the economy. So, Uncle Sam do you think you could bail me out too? I mean, even if no one else is going to be hurt if I fail, there is a possibility that someone might and we can't have that happen.
Since I pay taxes and it is taxpayer money that being used, can deduct my pro-rata share of this expense on my income taxes for 2008? I mean that has got to fall under charitable contributions, right!
Gee, maybe I should have used that logic when I couldn't pay my bills. Hey, it's not my fault, it's the economy. So, Uncle Sam do you think you could bail me out too? I mean, even if no one else is going to be hurt if I fail, there is a possibility that someone might and we can't have that happen.
Since I pay taxes and it is taxpayer money that being used, can deduct my pro-rata share of this expense on my income taxes for 2008? I mean that has got to fall under charitable contributions, right!
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