It's Not the President's Fault

I recently had a conversation with a friend who relayed to me her belief that employment in the US most likely is about only 85%. Officially I think it's about 90%, not taking into account those who have dropped off the unemployment lists. I'll buy that some have given up and that some are under employed (forced to work part time or for less than industry standard). So, let's say that employment is around 85% (unofficially). Pair that with a cute statistic I saw in the news that about 70% of those employed are afraid of losing their jobs. Interpolated, this could mean that just about everyone who has a job is afraid of losing it. This is fear factor.

Let's also combine the fact that President Obama's approval rating is falling. According to a newscast I watched (sorry I can't remember which one, might have been CNN), the low confidence in job security is to blame for this loss of approval. Seems like kind of a long shot to me. After all, Obama has done a whole bunch of things in the first six months of his presidency which could affect that rating. Also, let's remember that Obama was not just a candidate, but a super candidate that we all hoped would save us. (New Hope, anyone?) Based on these ideas, I think we can say that Obama may have started out with a high approval rating but it was based on him turning out to be Superman or maybe Spiderman.

Folks, the issues in this economy go way back to the beginning of George W. Bush's reign of terror. Some go back even further. US finances have long been based on faulty notions that there will always be more money and if we run out we'll make more. Turning around this sort of thinking and getting the military away from buying $1,000 hammers is going to take some time. It won't happen overnight or in six months. It won't happen even in four years. All the president can do at this point is make a start. The best we can do is support him and offer up whatever knowledge and experience we have of sound financial practices.

It's not his fault.

Chuck E. Cheese in League with Al Qaeda

Thank you, John, for heroically pursuing this quest for truth.

Mergering at the high end

Not that I'm at the extreme high end. I am close, working as I do in the Communications Department of HRH. Yesterday my analogy was an ant hive disturbed by a stick. Little ants scurrying around – some aimlessly, some with purpose. Lots of scurrying. Particularly since this little deal was kept dark and happened quickly. By late afternoon everything had settled down because a) they remembered they had jobs to do, and b) Joe from Willis was going to talk to them. I was not at that meeting. The hive was a tomb. I don't know what Joe told them but whatever it was I'm sure it made them very happy.

With a bit of sadness, I noted those who were left out and those who were shoved aside so that others could stand close to the new queen. I also noted how every merger is about somebody at the top getting a raise. Or a really fine parachute with a golden handshake. While the rest of us workers go on doing our duty to keep the hive thriving.

In between all the activity I gave crash courses on mergering for workers. Having survived the SunTrust RIF and other reorganizations, I felt I had some comfort and sanity to offer. Yep. That's me. The Florence Nightingale of corporate triage. For the moment.

Well, it's back into the hive. What will I see today?

By the way, if you go to Willis take a PC. They do not support Intel-based late model iMacs with Flash 9 (even though that exceeds their published minimum requirements – it's what I've come to expect from lazy PC guys ... "oh, we won't bother with really making the site compatible, we'll post this technical message instead, who the heck is on a Mac anyway? Well, except for that one guy in Cupertino.").

Nothing but Men

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The democratic primary has polarized the vote between men and women. Perhaps it just made obvious what's been happening all along. Like, I haven't come a long way and I'm not a baby.

Look at any photo of board members of a major corporation and you'll see lots of men surrounding maybe one woman. On the board will be Caucasian, Asian, Black, and Hispanic men with one lone woman blonde woman. It must happen in the men's room. Or on the golf course. It sure ain't happenin' at work or in politics. If Hill were a man Obama wouldn't have a chance. And, NO, it's NOT a black thing.

Impeach Bush and watch extreme videos

I really enjoy watching others go all out for whatever they've got going on. Probably because I'm a pretty calm person (most of the time). Reminds me of high school when my friend Mary confronted a friend who had labeled her "phlegmatic." This was the highest insult Mary had every heard. She talked about it for days. She pontificated on all the evidence that proved she wasn't phlegmatic. There are those from my past lives who would never describe me as phlegmatic but I think I'm there now and have been there for a long, long time. That doesn't mean I'm uncaring.

Anyway, so back to Bush. I signed a petition to impeach Bush and have been getting these emails ever since. Today I took a look at a video claiming infringement of the First Amendment and police brutality with a horse. I agree on both counts. Police arrested the poster posters claiming inciting to riot. Well, talk about politics and you can incite a riot almost anywhere. Is that a judgment call? What's the difference between peaceable assembly and inciting to riot? When does it get to that point and stop being a Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park?

From there I went to the Impeach Bush YouTube site and viewed a few videos, including one from Neil Young and one showing Bill Maher. Bill's a guy who leaves no doubt about his opinion. A strong opinion tends to generate strong opinions in reply. Is that inciting to riot?

I try to feel concerned about the whole Iraq/Bush thing and I strongly disagree with 99% of Bush's foreign policy. On the other hand, it's hard to keep my life going when I'm so freaking angry all the time. Good luck to the protesters. I hope they get to march on D.C. and exercise their first amendment rights and all the other ones, too.

In the meantime, for a little light entertainment, try Extreme Girl Kiteboarding videos. I'm so glad women get to be just as extreme as men.

impeach bush

Yesterday I visited In Other Words for the first time in days and read Viggo Mortensen's rant about Bush. Considering the other fine speeches Mr. Mortensen has made, the rant was uncharacteristically blunt and in ALL CAPS. I presume Mr. Mortensen has been around the net long enough to be fully aware of the conventions.

At the bottom of his tirade was a list of links for those interested in supporting the impeachment of President Bush. (Dick Cheney definitely needs impeaching, too, but I think the sanity squad will be rounding him up long before then.)

Here's the petition to impeach Bush. I signed it. You can, too! (Although, I don't think Belgians can. But you never know. Give it a whack.)

Extra: Perceval Press is giving away a book (you pay postage) to support the cause. Order yours now!

Twilight of Empire is ultimately an unflinching look at the corporate greed and manipulation at the bottom of what may be the most bungled foreign policy project in United States history. With the bodies piling up and no success in sight, Americans can no longer and sit idly by while their elected (and unelected) leaders gamble their future away.

(quoted from Perceval Press)