Tree Surfing

With so much negative news going around I thought it appropriate to give credit where credit is due. Of course since I’m still a little bitter, I’ll prove my point by pointing out those who are failing miserably.

A great round of applause to these wonderful people, counties, and organizations:

India: For their pledge of aid and medicine to the hurricane battered south. They stand out as a great example of the good in foreign countries. Although the USA arguably quite able to take care of itself, the concern and goodwill of the Indian people is greatly appreciated especially compared to those like the Germany’s environment minister, Juergen Trittin who shamefully dared to blame the disaster on America’s supposed environmental negligence.

Wal-mart: While many like to deride Wal-mart for encouraging consumerism and accuse them of unfair wages practices, you can’t help but nod appreciatively at the MILLIONS donated by the corporation in money and goods. Compare that to the warehouse where I work, where the company will match employee gifts up to $20,000. A nice gesture, but come on! If you’re going to help, why don’t you really help? 20 grand is a pinprick when your company is making millions every year. You’re only in it for the PR: Cheap Bastards!

Many Nameless heroes: Those who are actually getting the shit done! Pulling people off roofs, handing out food, giving around the clock medical attention… You are to be commended above all. You give selflessly and ask for no glory. Compared to today’s greatest example of Hollywood idiocy: Sean Penn. Instead of leaving matters to those trained in rescue he gets in a leaky boat filled with groupies and a PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHER. Gee, I wonder what your goal really is?

Respectable Victims: Those who prepared and persevered. Those who lost everything but still manage to move on without blaming the rest of the country. As opposed to those who freeload, and blame the government for their discomfort.

These people know that the hurricane wasn’t anyone’s fault. They thankfully accept the assistance that is given to them, and make due, being brave, and trying to start over again. They realize the world will keep on spinning, even though their home and jobs were destroyed. They stand up, and refuse to be defeated. They represent the true spirit of American.

I know, I know…
I haven’t written much lately, but it’s better to be silent than to write mounds of horse crap.

Anywho, there’s a lot of stuff going on that has me riled up. The main culprit being: THE BLAME GAME.

Example:

The hurricane was Bushes fault because he hasn’t done anything to stop global warming.
Bush failed us again because the government didn’t respond “fast enough”.
Oh those poor black people are being labeled as looters and if it wasn’t for the those rich selfish white people they’d be doing so much better.

And many other gems. If I had motivation, time and energy: once everyone is safe and cared for I’d travel around the country bitch-slapping everyone who sits and whines about anyone who isn’t doing “enough”. It’s like pulling someone from a burning building, and then instead of a thank you, you get “Where’s my a bottled water, Bitch!”

Here’s an article from a right wing perspective, but it illustrates another line of argument that really pisses me off: Chickenhawks!

And the highlight of my blog reading week was finding this very beautiful, highly controversial post via the Mad Pigeon.
I’m not going to be presumptuous and claim that everything written is the gospel truth. There still is enough opinion and questionable logic to go around, but as a whole I think it sums up my frustrations with recent situations rather well.

You can believe that the government hasn’t done it’s job, but if you believe that simply because you hate Bush and are looking for any reason to smite him, then you need to chill out! There’s soo much hate flying around out there it’s scary! The only thing worse then the hurricane is the firestorm of illogical envy, and hatred that is flaming around recent events.

The hurricane wasn’t Bush’s fault. The job of the federal government is not to prevent idiots from making stupid mistakes, you cannot be free and still expect to be free from the consequences of your decisions. The recent tragedy is horrible yes, but don’t make it worse by adding to the damage. Wash away the mud don’t throw it.

Tell me what you think. But please, please please, don’t be an impulsive idiot. You have a right to any opinion you may have, but if it isn’t backed up by some sort of logic don’t be surprise when I knock on your door with the 2x4 of Moron Reeducation.

It’s true that nobody likes to spend more money then they have too, but I think there are some effects that nobody has thought of, or at least not widespread theories yet:

1.) Teenagers will no longer be able to “cruise” the town for hours on end. The mindless circling for chicks will come with a high price tag.

2.) However unlikely: it may cause people to think about budgeting and spending their money wisely instead of the rampant consumerism that has been going on for the past decades.

3.) The post office will use fuel prices as an excuse to raise the price of postage stamps again.

Some things won’t change:
Poor people will be the worst affected like always.
Rappers will use high priced gas-guzzling cars as status symbols.
Many “middle class” families will still own two or more cars.

As other’s have mentioned now there will be more incentive for people to walk, ride, bikes, and buy “environmentally friendly” cars. However I don’t expect widespread change to take place until gas hits $4-5 per gallon. By then alternative sources such as bio-diesel and other higher priced fuels will become more “affordable” compared to gasoline.
Here’s another view.

I wonder how much will really change; I think only the gap between the rich and the poor. That only means there will be more room in the middle. So all you middle class folk will be able to stretch your legs without kicking anyone.

Sorry it took so long to write this post, but never-the-less, here’s my own personal opinion on illegal immigration. Those of you who took the time to read some of my information from yesterday’s post may already have formed your own opinion.

Personally I’m all for letting anyone have their shot at the American dream. Where you were born should have no effect on how far you can go in life. Sadly there are those who believe that we should keep everyone out who isn’t American because they will “taint” our country. Never mind the fact that nearly every American is the descendant of immigrants! Rather than attempt to argue this point, and for the sake of brevity; I will apply my “Rule of Morons” and simply say: “You lazy selfish bastards.”

Now that we’ve gotten the issue of legal immigration out of the way we’ll talk specifically about Illegal Immigrants. First off let me say that if I were in their shoes I would be doing the same thing. Imagine you’re the provider in your family and you can make 10 times the money across the boarder. The difference between staying in Mexico or working in the US is the difference of a better life for your family, if nothing else, a good chance that your family won’t go hungry. Just like the Taco Bell slogan I’d be running for the border every chance I had.

This isn’t to say that I condone, or approve of illegal immigration, just that I don’t blame them. Look at all the paperwork required to become a legal resident, it’s worst than taxes! File form X, and Y, then do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around, and if you have a solid handle on government paperwork and lawyer speak you too can become a citizen!

Do illegal immigrants cause problems, sure some do. It’s especially noticeable in the border states. I don’t envy the problems those taxpayers have to deal with. However, the notion that all illegal immigrants are freeloaders, “dirty”, and or criminals is very misguided. My view is arguably different living in central Wisconsin as opposed to southern California, but I still have a valid perspective on the mater.

My wife grew up in the San Fernando valley and her godmother is a legal immigrant. She has been greatly influenced by Hispanic/Mexican culture. I grew up on a dairy farm. Many of the farmers have begun hiring Mexicans, legally and “illegally” way up here in Wisconsin. There simply is a lack of Americans willing to do farm work, and other menial labor for that matter. We are a nation of TV’s and couches.

Are the immigrants taking away jobs from “true-blooded” Americans: In some regions Yes, in the MAJORITY of the country NO, I don’t believe so. Feel free to argue otherwise. If you’ve lost your job to an illegal immigrant I would love to hear it.

This post is already growing quite long so I will try to sum up my main points.

1. I would prefer if all immigrants were legal, but I’m not waste my time trying to chase them back. I say if they’re here, and they’ve managed to find a job, let them work. Competition is supposed to be good for everyone in the long run.

2. Are illegal immigrants a problem… In the Southwest, I’d have to say Yes. For the majority of America, I don’t believe so. What’s the solution? I don’t know. Sorry but I’m not God, I don’t have all the answers.
* I think all of the stupid single mothers on Welfare, are a bigger problem to me than illegal immigration.

3. The government is incompetent. It seems they can’t do anything effectively. (Oh boy another topic to post on!) I personally know illegal immigrants that have gotten a driver’s license and rent homes. If the government is really on the ball how is this possible? Especially with all the worry about terrorists?

How can someone who doesn’t speak English and has never lived in the US get a driver’s license?
Makes you wonder who we should really be worrying about.

I saw a recent survey that only 6% of Americans READ blogs. Of course this is a little questionable, but I think that it’s at least somewhat reliable. Perhaps many of your friends have blogs, maybe a lot of your family members do… It MUST be more than 6% right?

I’ll see maybe 100 people, for more than 30 seconds in the average day: I live in a medium sized Midwestern town. If I take a walk down the street or go to a store and really start looking at people who will I see? 100 bloggers…10 bloggers… even one blogger? I work a blue collar job, the dull menial warehouse labor kind, I’d be surprised if there were more than one or two bloggers out of the several hundred people employed there. The self-published author who works with me had never even HEARD of blogs until I told him, and he didn’t seem that interested.

It’s mind boggling: The notion that the world at large is even bigger and less connected than you originally thought. When I started blogging I was amazed at how many nice, interesting, and like-minded people I was able to connect with. I was sure that blogging was the wave of the future, and soon the entire world would be woven into an intricate fabric of internet communication. This may one day be true, but not today, and not tomorrow.

Those of us who are writers and bloggers often forget the recent trend of abandoning books as entertainment; of not learning or using proper grammar and writing skills; of lower and lower test scores in schools. It’s easy it get excited and optimistic while encased in the protective bubble of the blog sphere.

We should be optimistic, but we can’t forget that the bulk of the world does not blog, does not read regularly, and does not care about our interests or goals. This is important for the young blogging communities such as the Writers Blog Alliance, to remember. The potential is huge, but the market is smaller than you imagine it to be. You aren’t selling yourselves to the world, you’re selling yourselves to other bloggers: To other bloggers who share the same interests. It’s not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind.

Now that your blogging bubble has popped how can you go on living?
Realize that the number of blogs continues to grow, especially among the younger generations.
Get more of your friends and family to start blogging.
Keep blogging yourself, remember to focus on friendly, quality posts.
Continue to read, comment, and link to the blogs of others, the more we interwoven we become the stronger blogging becomes. Links are power in the blog sphere.

Some more blogging Information for you Consideration:
The Blogging Iceberg
The Blogging Geyser

Last night while I was at work I was thinking. (How’s that for a really bad opening sentence?) I was pondering the friends versus family concept. I’m sure you’ve all heard the quote: ” You can choose your friends: but you can’t choose your family.” (And the more amusing little boy humor: “You can pick your nose, but you shouldn’t pick your friend’s nose.”)

I grew up in a wonderful family. Like all families we had our good and bad moments. However, I think that overall, I was a very lucky kid. My parents weren’t alcoholics, or druggies; they didn’t beat me; they always showed interest in what I did, and even when I made choices that they didn’t approve of, they stood behind me. Not to mention just simply feeding, educating, and guiding my path into life.

In high school and college I made a lot of interesting friends. I loved my family but I had grown tired of them and yearned for something new, more interesting. People with whom I could freely express myself and not have to worry about what they would think.

George Burns: “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”

At one time I fully agree with George on this one. In fact until quite recently I’ve not really had the desire to live anywhere near my family. (Side effect of spending the first few months of marriage living upstairs perhaps?) After 2+ years of being married, working a blue collar job, and with another kid on the way: my perspective has shifted.

I’ve had some truly wonderful friends in my short life. There have been a multitude of people that I wish I could have hung out more with, but I’ve been blessed with a couple really close friends. The sort of friends who help you bury bodies.

One’s friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.
George Santayana

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.
C. S. Lewis

But when things really get tough, its your family that will take you in. If I loose my job, or my wife dies, or any other number of truly terrible things happens; it will be my family that carries me through. True my friends will still be there, and my really close ones will also help out, but it will be my family that takes the bulk of the load.

Even my best friends, as dedicated, and well-intentioned as they are, simply don’t have the means or ability to say: adopt my kids if I die, or give my family a roof if I’m unemployed. Even your best friends forget about you when you’ve moved farther away, but your family will always be calling your house, or try and stop by for a visit.

A good family is one of the most valuable things you can have. It’s another one of those intangible riches that you can’t just find, or buy in a store. This spring I’m moving back near my tiny hometown, to work on the farm again, and take some time to raise my kids in the country while my family graciously allows me even more time to figure out just what it is I want out of life. The scary part is, even after all my wanderlust, and complaining about how crazy my family: I’m looking forward to it!

George Moore: “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.”

“You’ve misunderstood the American character. We’re instinctive isolationists at bottom. We don’t want to rule the world — we want to be able to ignore it.”

It’s hard to argue with this quote. I’ve found another must read blog. (Clicking on the quote will take you to the blog.)
Armed and Dangerous
Sex, software, politics, and firearms. Life’s simple pleasures…