The Sickness of Fairness

Over the past few months we have seen a dramatic increase in our government's insistence that certain industries be run fairly. We've seen orders to loan money to those who can't pay it back. We've seen caps on salaries. We've seen the expansion of government oversight in so many areas it is scary.

Unfortunately it is not limited to our country. Two islands in the Caribbean (French colonies) are crying "foul" and "unfair" over similar things. The islands residents think that food is overpriced as compared to the mainland (did anyone think about the cost of getting the food to the island?). http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090222/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_french_caribbean_roots_of_unrest

This whole attitude of something for nothing is becoming tiresome. People need to learn that is more helpful to get a hand up instead of a handout.

There is an old saying, ""Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Our world is caught up in the first sentence. We are in a cycle of feeding everyone without teaching them to feed themselves. What happens when those who can feed can longer afford to feed others? Do they starve? Or will they learn to fish?

you know you're a socialist when...

a hard-line communist warns you against turning to more government...

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/02/putin_warns_us_to_eschew_socia.html

The South Beach Diet Phase 1

Two weeks. Two weeks on phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. This phase is designed to break the addiction to sugar. If you don't believe it's an addiction spend a few days on this and you will. The first couple of days were hideous. I wanted burgers. I wanted bread. I wanted tortillas. I wanted chocolate. This subsided after about day three. The diet became easier. Then came the day when I either didn't eat enough or didn't eat soon enough. My blood sugar dropped drastically. I was dizzy and tired. The next day (after eating a lot more) I was fine. I continued to have issues with low blood sugar throughout the remainder of Phase 1. I was irritable, angry, sad, defeated...basically it was the equivalent of PMS squared. I did have a couple of days where the drop was so low I had to add a carb back in to counter the problem.

At this point I am able to add in some carbs. I feel like I can continue Phase 2 as long as necessary to lose what I want to lose. I did lose enough to make my close fith better and to wear a bra that had become uncomfortable (it isnt any more).

So far? If you want to lose weight try this. If you do not regularly see a doctor I would recommend going in for blood sugar levels before beginning Phase 1.

random points in the stimulus bill passed by the house

WIC:


FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE 14
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR 15
WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN (WIC) 16
For an additional amount for the special supple- 17
mental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of 18
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), 19
$100,000,000, for the purposes specified in section 20
17(h)(10)(B)(ii) for the Secretary of Agriculture to pro- 21
vide assistance to State agencies to implement new man- 22
agement information systems or improve existing manage- 23
ment information systems for the program. 24

Please read carefully...none of this money is going to assist anyone. It is going to IT. $100M for IT for a program that could use that money to help a lot of people.
**********

Administrative Expenses for Food Benefits

(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 15
(1) IN GENERAL.—For the costs of State ad- 16
ministrative expenses associated with carrying out 17
this section, the Secretary shall make available 18
$150,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010, 19
to remain available through September 30, 2012, of 20
which $4,500,000 is for necessary expenses of the 21
Food and Nutrition Service for management and 22
oversight of the program and for monitoring the in- 23
tegrity and evaluating the effects of the payments 24
made under this section. 25

People, that is $150 MILLION to tell you your benefits have been extended. Don't you think the increase in your check would clue you in.

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More government jobs...


NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION 9
ADMINISTRATION 10
SALARIES AND EXPENSES 11
For an additional amount for ‘‘Salaries and Ex- 12
penses’’, $350,000,000, to remain available until Sep- 13
tember 30, 2011: Provided, That funds shall be available 14
to establish the State Broadband Data and Development 15
Grant Program, as authorized by Public Law 110–385, 16
for the development and implementation of statewide ini- 17
tiatives to identify and track the availability and adoption 18
of broadband services within each State, and to develop 19
and maintain a nationwide broadband inventory map, as 20
authorized by section 3101 of this Act. 21

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ok, this thing is long and boring. needless to say much of what is included falls under "administrative" costs and statistical studies that are pointless. the whole doc is app 260 pages long.

Fear

Today has been an exhausting day. The "economy" reared its ugly head in my world again and the fear of losing a job dominated my morning. I understand that businesses are struggling right now and I understand that cuts must be made. However intellectual understand is easily triumphed by emotions such as fear.

For many people in my demographic this situation is a first. For me it is nothing more than recollections of my childhood. I know from personal experience what plant closings and layoffs can do to a family. I know the stressfulness of the situation affects every member of a family. On one hand I do not see that it is beneficial for the situation to be explained to children. On the other I see no better way to handle it other than complete and total honesty. But I digress. You see I have no children to worry about.

I do have to worry about myself and my significant other. How will we pay the bills if one of us loses our job? Will we be able to keep a roof over our head? What can we cut that is truly a want instead of a need? We have chosen to prepare for the worst. Our "fun" is now going to be limited. Instead we are going to save for a rainy day. We will substitute eating out for home cooked and bagged lunches much more often.

As the day worn on a calmness came over me as I realized that I have been through this before and you know what...I survived. We all survived. I realized the advantage I have over many in that I do know the legal types of work to look for to survive until this passes (should the situation come to that). I know that right now I have the tools to make a living (a much smaller living) if only I am willing to work hard.

So fear had its time with me today. Fear is still with me to some degree. But certainty that anything that comes along is only temporary (be it good or bad) is conquering that fear. And that, my friends, is the key to recovering from this so called recession.

Never forget that your destiny is largely your choice.