Or, we could just plant money trees...

This is really an interesting article.

I think the American public needs to recognize how a lot of these people are paid. When my sister was a waitress, her hourly wage was about $1.00. She earned her money from tips. The concept is simple: do a great job, make money; do a poor job, don't make money. To me, it's the same with the bonuses. As to whether the amount of the bonuses is appropriate is another issue entirely, but we are a capitalist nation and those amounts were what contracts stated. It seems like a lot more details needed to be hammered out and lot more people needed to be on the same page before any of this happened.

The issue lies in government take-over of business. It is all so impossibly complicated that it could be- and probably will be- debated for years with no solid ethical conclusion. Our nation stands for freedom, and that is supposed to include enterprise. That is the key to the American dream, is it not? So how does government keep this freedom while ensuring the safety and well-being of it's citizens?

See, the heart of issue lies in the fact that we all desire to be prosperous, free of pain and able to fulfill our wants, yet the broken, sinful nature of humanity will continue to impede that possibility this side of heaven. Our nation is in a recession; it is hard, it will be painful. To define the position of the government is to recognize it is in place to prevent chaos, not keep cable television for every American.

We will fight through this and maybe our children will come out on the other side knowing that they can't have every new Ipod, every trip to Six Flags, every pair of Apple Bottom jeans, every new video game. Maybe our children will start to build forts outside out of branches and throw snowballs, instead of sitting out on the couch shooting guns at enemies from virtual trenches. Our families will become stonger, our churches will continue to serve and rally, our communities will pull together, and we will be a better nation. Let's keep those in places of authority accountable, not point fingers at the ones doing their jobs and working hard with integrity .

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How about an affidavit?

Just a little affidavit to get the day going right.

Really interesting to learn a little about "Jane Roe" and her life. Really interesting, and kind of sad and frustrating.

Apparently this week I am "political," although I don't consider myself political. I just care about the manipulation, exploitation and right to life of those who are disadvantaged and voiceless.

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Really??

I happen to be an avid Saturday Night Live fan. I make skit references on a daily basis, most of which are returned with a blank stare. Only my husband really laughs with me. I guess we were made for each other.



My favorite part of SNL is Weekend Update. Not too long ago, they introduced a special segment called, "REALLY!?!" with Amy Poehler and Seth Myers. It was basically the two of them mocking some assanine situation the media had been talking about all week. Here is a favorite, for example:



Seth Meyers: Really, AIG? Really? You went on this retreat only six days after receiving an 85 billion dollar bailout? Really? Even the mafia knows not spend money that soon after a heist. I mean, really!

Amy Poehler: Really! And the retreat was planned to recognize AIG’s top earners? Really? What does it take to be a top earner at AIG right now? Did you sell your office furniture on Craigslist? Seth Meyers: I mean, Really!

Amy Poehler: Really!

Seth Meyers: And you spent $150,000 on banquets? Really? Was your waiter Prince? Did you hire robot chefs? You better have a robot chef, because, if there were any humans in the kitchen, you drank urine!

Amy Poehler: Yeah, you did! You really did! Really! And, and you defended the retreat, saying it had been planned before the bailout. That’s like going ahead with Grandma’s birthday party even though Grandma died three days ago. Really!

Seth Meyers: And Really, you had to go there for teambuilding? Here’s a cheaper way to do team building. You know all those empty sacks that used to be filled with money? Get in those and race.

Amy Poehler: Yeah! Really!

Seth Meyers: Really!

Amy Poehler: Also, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday agreed to provide AIG with a second 37 billion dollar loan, on top of the original 85 billion dollar loan. Yeah! Which brings us to a new segment we like to call, "Oh My Gosh, Are You Serious!?!"

Amy Poehler: Oh, my gosh! Are you serious, Federal Government?!

Seth Meyers: Are you really serious?!

Amy Poehler: Oh, my gosh! It’s like you gave your junkie cousin $100 for rent, and then you ran into him at the dog track, and you gave him another $37 billion! I mean, are you serious?!

Seth Meyers: Seriously, are you serious?!

Amy Poehler: Oh, my gosh!

Seth Meyers: Really!



So now, this is one of my favorite daily activities. It goes something like this:

Middle School Student: Mrs. Smith, can I have a marker, because he keeps stealing my pencil and I need to write my name on it.

Me: Really! You need to write your name in sharpie on your pencil? Really?!



or...



Student: Mrs. Smith, can I go to the bathroom?

Me: No, you just went.

Student: Yeah, but see, I have this thing where the doctor says I have a really small bladder and I just can't hold my pee for very long.

Me: Really? Did you just tell me that? Seriously? Really?



or...



Maryland voters: Oh hey, let's have slot machines in our state, and all of the extra tax revenue will go to support schools!

Me: Really?! You actually think that's going to create extra revenue for our schools, really? You don't think legislators are just going to redirect funding currently for schools once that slot money rolls in, so that education doesn't actually see any increase at all, really? You didn't notice when it went exactly that way in Illinois? You don't think the increase in crime and folks declaring bankruptcy because of gambling addictions is going to cost anything? You don't notice that the places chosen for the slots are already low-income areas, clearly exploiting the less advantaged? That's like tackling the Salvation Army Santa man at the Giant entrance, beating the crap out of him, taking his pot of change, and using all the money to buy cookies from brownie troop at the Giant exit. Oh my gosh, ARE YOU SERIOUS.

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