Rivers To Cross, Bridges To Build

By personal decree, I am supposed to write about why I am poor and what I am doing about it - my own personal mission/blog statement.

I can't imagine being a poor man in any other age and having a mission statement - or even having the ability to say anything except by mob or by gang or by planting potatoes in squiggly lines in protest.

I would probably be one of the first to die with Robin Hood in the movie - the plucky comic relief that gets killed pointlessly during the opening credits - if I even made it that far politically. So I have God to thank that I have a form by which to make a difference.

Arizona passes a new law on immigration, and I am hearing many people say that it is not their place to create such a law. And I wonder if it's my place to comment? Then I remember that I pay my state taxes like the next guy, if indeed the next guy pays taxes. Having to pay for the uninsured non citizens means that a portion of what I bleed goes to pay their health benefits. So, yes, I should have something to say about illegal immigration.

The new Arizona law is not new. It enforces a federal law that seems to be not enforced. And the federal law is supported by the constitution. It does not encourage racial profiling anymore than does the enforcement of traffic laws or vehicular registration laws. Law enforcement (and I am so not for giving these guys any more power) are not allowed to pull anyone over without measured significant cause.

Yeah, I'm not so sure I like the idea, or even believe it - with the personal experience I have had with law enforcement. As an agency I feel they are far too easily corruptible - as is evidenced by incredible and seemingly un-checked power over civilians that pushes legal standards as it is. This may be the real flaw in the Arizona law.

But, in theory, they are not to be profiling any more or less with this new standard. It does force those pulled over to provide proof of citizenship. Doesn't a legal drivers licence provide that? Don't we have to provide these ID's when we apply for a state ID or a licence?

Another question. Why are we giving the leg up on one group of immigrants while insisting that another jump through financial/political hoops? My friends from Brazil are struggling financially, but they pay the fees and wait the allotted times and complete the forms and pay more fees and follow the rules to immigrate lawfully and rightfully to the US, while many others from, dare I say where, are illegal aliens? And they are illegal and not just the politically correct "non-residents" just as illegal drug dealers are not "non-licenced pharmacists."

It seems the established immigration laws under the constitution are to protect residents of our country. If you wish to be a resident, there is an established manner of action for ALL, not just those outside of Mexico. Am I racist or bigoted for wanting all immigrants to follow the same rules? Would I follow them if I was in their shoes, or would I slide on in and try to take advantage of a better system in order to support my family?

I hope I would follow the law. And no, I don't think I am racist or bigoted.

I am just poor. With a blog.

I Don't Hate Obama...

Its a Political Full Moon. Be Afraid


...In fact, I really want to like him. Years ago I heard him interviewed on PBS as the great Democratic hope, and I liked the guy. He has since become the poster child for elitism and snobbery. And I know snobby. He ran on the ticket of change, but his tactics are increasingly old fashioned and self serving. I have been reading the new health care bill and I am mortified.

In these days like no other, "Less is More" should be tattooed on our bulbous foreheads. This health plan has turned on its lights, pulled us over, frisked us, beat us and won't give us our one phone call. "Don't Tread On Me" has become, "These Boots Were Made for Walking".

Am I listening to to much talk radio? Should I take down my Sean Hannity poster? Jon Stewart told Fox news to "go f*** itself". 'Teabonics' is the most recent dialect of the spelling-challenged (Brothers!) and reality-impaired. Do I want to be on any of these sides? I hope am not just jumping on the brass bandwagon who is the loudest. Whose hyperbole fits the occasion best? And are we best served by just giving up and replacing the whole Washington and Hollywood bunch.

I want a job. I want insurance that leaves me with teeth and not just holes. I want to have hope for the future. I am willing to pay the taxes, but I want to see it going somewhere, and getting my family someplace.

Who do I believe? Who do you?

Seriously?

Sarah Palin? She looks good, she makes fun of Obama, she was funny in the Movie Date night, but I keep thinking what her neighbors the Russians must think of the lady who spies on them from her kitchen window.

Are we so enchanted with Mrs. P from her book tours and clever sound bites that we overlook her lack of knowledge and experience?

She makes fun of Obama, too. Gotta like that. Most can't do that much and not be called a raciest, bad sport or a Pinky. She pulled it off, though. Problem is the joke can be turned right back on her. Neither Mr Obama nor Sarah P. know anything about Nuclear weaponry or North Korea. Isn't that a kick!

Cute is great. Smart is better. Moral and smart is best.

Romney, then? Can the country overlook the Mormon guy in it's quest for smart and moral?

Only Slightly better than Obamas Plan

For its latest trick, The federally created senior citizen health care plan won't pay fair market value for prescription drugs. Effective April 16, Walgreens drugstores across the state won't be taking any new Medicaid patients, saying that filling their prescriptions is a money-losing proposition — the latest development in an ongoing dispute over Medicaid reimbursement.

This is the same government that wants to takeover health care and then not-pay those bills either.

Walgreens states that its decision to not take new Medicaid patients stems from a "continued reduction in reimbursement" under the state's Medicaid program, which reimburses it at less than they can tolerate and stay in business. The expressed concern is that the reimbursement rate is too low for pharmacies to make a profit.

The amount private insurers and Medicaid pay pharmacies for prescriptions isn't the actual cost of those drugs but rather is based on what's called the drug's estimated average wholesale price.

Pharmacies take money from people who do not have insurance. Or they charge the insurance companies depending on the plan. Then they pay their pharmacologists, pay rent and pay other bills. We expect them to pay their bills. The electric company expects to be paid.

So, what is next for Obama and the new federal health care plan. We will be forced to buy it - literally forced by the IRS (read the bill) - and we are going to have to pay our bills.

But look who doesn't have to pay theirs.

Open Letter to the Homeless

Please consider these photos as friendly suggestions!






Dear homeless people.

First, let my start off with a pleasantry such as, "Hi", or "How are you?". I am having to post this open letter because there doesn't seem to be any type of address on file for any of you.

I will get to the point. Would you please leave the nice areas of the neighborhood? You are making the rich people nervous and uncomfortable. Have you ever heard of a personal space bubble? You are getting in ours. Don't you have any other options than hanging around our banks and shops asking for money.

Your sign says that you are willing to work for food. How about working your way across town to a more appropriate area where you just fit in better - like the train tracks or the blood bank or thrift stores?

Your clothes do not match. Did you know that? Is it possible that you really don't know how distasteful it is for us to move about town knowing that you are always there sitting or laying or standing someplace that was made for riding or walking? Are you really so comfortable there? Wouldnt you rather just go to your homes and watch some TV? How about a change of clothes? Or teeth?

If you really can't afford a new coat, can't you just brush your teeth better? Tooth brushes are not that expensive and they fit in your pocket, so there is really no excuse.

I heard on the Family Values Radio Network that times are tight. I understand that we all have to cut back where we can. We, on the right side of the tracks are willing to do our part. We promice that we will try not to shop after, say, eight o'clock at night excepting weekends when there are late night movies, and all we ask is that you try to stay out of sight until we leave. Deal?

So, to recap, You: brush teeth more, try to look nicer, sleep on walkways only late at night (and you can stay until 8-ish cause I don't get up until noon) and try to get an address as soon as you can so you can watch more TV.

If you have any questions, please text me or e-mail my husbands secretary.

Tx's so much!
Mrs. Ernest Howard Smithson Jr. - Illona :)

I Don't Even Get Dinner

Okay, I don't really care if it is Obama Care or Devil Care, as long as I can get my families teeth fixed.

My wife has had to take out a credit card that specializes in dentist bills. Ain't that great! Only in America can some pauper see a need to fill, fill it and get rich, and that's just what happened.

The picked on American dentist wasn't getting all the money that was owed them in quick-enough fashion from the insurance companies. And now they won't have to wait even a day!

Isn't that great! Of coarse, the card will cover the bills from last year and not this year, so even though we have some insurance, we can't use it because we can't afford our portion even in monthly payments.

God bless the insurance companies of America.

Now all I have to do is keep the crowns and fillings that haven fallen out of our mouths safe in the fridge until I can afford, what, maybe another credit card so we can see the dentist. Or the doctor. Or whomever could help us pursuit happiness.

I do love our country with all my heart and ask blessings on her and her leaders every day in my prayers. But how many more teeth need to fall out and sit on the shelf before I can get decent health care for my family.

Maybe next year, honey.

Cameos and Gold Teeth?

So, my wife and I thought seriously about me going back to school to get a degree so that I can teach - officially - since I have been teaching for years. There are some programs I looked up on the Internet, and there might be a pell grant I can apply for.

Makes sense. I like to teach. I like it a lot, and I am good at it. When I have taught in the past it was performance and Musical Theatre stylings for the private student: A voice coach as it were. But I am stellar in history and English and as long as a have a spell check handy I can do well.

Today Jordan School District announces that they are laying off 500 teachers for the next year.

Next option is grave robbing.

I Don't Know. What Do You Want To Do?

Employers unexpectedly cut 20,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate fell to a five-month low of 9.7 percent, suggesting some labor market improvement starting to take root.

And where would that be?

KEY POINTS: * The Labor Department said the economy lost 150,000 jobs in December, compared to 85,000 previously reported, but November was revised to a gain of 64,000, up from 4,000. Christmas help, anyone? A sharp increase in the number of people giving up looking for work helped to depress the jobless rate. The number of 'discouraged job seekers' rose to 1.1 million in January from 734,000 a year ago.

COMMENTS:DOUG ROBERTS, "It indicates a certain form of stabilization but there's not a bounce that everybody was looking for."What is throwing people off is probably the 9.7 percent unemployment rate -- the drop in the unemployment rate --, which is positive but is not coming from new jobs created its coming from people dropping out of the work force.

"It's a series of conflicting data ... The positive take is basically it wasn't a total disaster, but the flip side of it is you're not seeing a recovery."

Really?

CARY LEAHEY, ECONOMIST, "The excitement is the unexpected drop in the unemployment rate. Both hiring and the number of people looking for work rose. That increases the sense that the unemployment rate peaked a couple of months ago. You won't see much improvement in the unemployment rate for the rest of the year because more people will start looking for jobs, but it appears the unemployment rate is on, at worst, a flat path.

And she says later that...
"Payrolls lost 20,000 jobs, pretty much as expected. Revisions to the prior two months offset each other. November job growth was much better but December was much worse.

After the 25th.

"On the services side, a decrease of 48,000 jobs was led by retail trade which might be a problem of seasonal adjustments after Christmas.

"Another large gain in temporary help was positive because that eventually will lead to more gains in permanent hiring.

Tell that to the fired Temp help.


"The drop in the unemployment rate does have implications for the Fed. If the Fed sees the unemployment rate stabilizing, it's obviously closer to lifting short-term interest rates than it would be otherwise. Everyone knows the Fed will be extraordinarily unwilling to hike rates until the unemployment rate starts to move lower.


TOM SOWANICK, "The drop in the unemployment rate should be viewed in the context not that it is not a shocker but that this is the second monthly decline. The trend may now be established and that's probably why the bond market was not reacting at first and now under pressure. Was January stronger than anticipated? The answer is yes because December was much weaker.

KURT KARL, "It is an interesting set of numbers. Disappointment with the downturn in non-farm payrolls, but interesting that the unemployment rate ticked down quite substantially. It could mean some good news is coming soon. That is why the unemployment rate went down -- you had a very small increase in the labor force and a huge jump in household employment."

"We're probably still at least six to 12 months away before we start to see a strong hiring trend. At the same time today's numbers weren't far enough away from expectations to be a major (Treasury) market mover."

Can we hold on for a year? My family can't.

Fix That Resume!

Fix That Resume! A sandwitch board can get attention. So can a stellar resume - even if your experence isnt outstanding.

Before you start work on your resume, review free resume samples that fit a variety of employment situations. These sample resumes and templates provide job seekers with examples of resume formats that will work for almost every job seeker.

Don't just copy a resume example that you like. Instead, choose your resume very carefully. Review resume examples, choose a type of resume that highlights your strengths and achievements, and review a typical resume format. Remember, your resume needs to impress the hiring manager enough so you get the interview. That means it needs to be perfect. I found a slew of workable templates that served very well by googling Resume.

Make sure you work it over with a spell check or seven, and a smart neighbor who owes you a favor. Don't look like a foolish man/woman, which is how you will look if your resume is not put together well. And remember to tell the truth!

It may be good to have several different styles of resume for more professional, or for more casuel workplaces and attitudes. And with the formats that are available, it is easy to do at your desk or at the local library.

Its February! It's February! Don't you know what that means?

It means that another arbitrary day has come that we can use as a proverbial measuring stick to see how our efforts thus far have paid off and how that haven't. No hangovers physically or emotionally - just a day to see where we are, and where we want to be. There will be time later to get drunk. Naaaaaw.

We're here to access potential today. What are my strengths count them out. List them in such a matter that they make even you proud.

That's right you can do it while sitting down. Now, areas of weakness, or areas of opportunities. That's right.

Now what are you planning to do to strengthen these areas for growth. Write them down. Post them up. Come out with a plan. Doesn't have to be storming the castle today, but when? What will you wear, what is the thought you want them to get from you straightaway. Practice it out a bit. Get prepared. Use this "no stress" time to get prepared and to find out that you do actually really do like yourself.

Follow through with a plan. Push yourself a bit harder. Eat something yummy.

February is going to be our month!