Saturday, June 25, 2011
Quote
H.L.Mencken said of the new deal, It's dividing the country into those who work for a living and those who vote for a living.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Child abuse
Often in today's society it seems people are quick to claim child abuse. A slap on the rear or a harsh word can bring the threat of children's services being called.
Saturday's Cleveland Plain Dealer has a story from Lafayette township of true child abuse. Unlike some stories this story is ruling out charges being filed even before investigations are finished. The story tells of a young girl who lost her life not through an overt act but through a lack of proper supervision or perhaps overly permissive parents. The young girl died because she was allowed to ride a motorcycle before she was ready. This young girl was 4 years old and riding solo with training wheels when she crashed.
It's sad when we can't let children grow up at a normal pace, sometimes no has to be the answer.
Saturday's Cleveland Plain Dealer has a story from Lafayette township of true child abuse. Unlike some stories this story is ruling out charges being filed even before investigations are finished. The story tells of a young girl who lost her life not through an overt act but through a lack of proper supervision or perhaps overly permissive parents. The young girl died because she was allowed to ride a motorcycle before she was ready. This young girl was 4 years old and riding solo with training wheels when she crashed.
It's sad when we can't let children grow up at a normal pace, sometimes no has to be the answer.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Motivation
I've been awful busy lately or at least the days seem to have too few hours. Besides working 12 hour days and six days a week we got a new puppy after the disastrous Tillie affair. His name is Henry and he is a mini Dachshund. It's been a long time since we had a puppy and it's easy to forget how much more work puppies are compared to dogs. On top of the puppy the in-laws moved in a week ago for an indefinite stay. I'm glad we can help them out when they need a place to stay but it puts a strain on our privacy and routines.
So what does the above have to do with motivation. Well Henry and the in-laws were motivated by love but what of work. I like to think my motivation is solely dedication but I'm sure there is an element of wanting to acquire wealth. Now some might call this greed but I think greed is a desire to put accumulation of money ahead of all other concerns. Greed also has an element of envy and excessiveness involved.
So what has been driving advocates in Washington and states like Wisconsin and Ohio over the past couple of weeks. In Ohio and Wisconsin opponents of austerity measures have been calling out the Governors as being vengeful. They cite their rollbacks of public sector unions bargaining powers as payback for past political involvement. In Washington we hear much the same as Democrats decry attempts to cut certain funding as political payback. I won't deny that payback may have some roll but I think priorities are an equal partner in the cut backs. Many of the programs targeted have never been a priority for the Republicans but could be overlooked when the economy was humming along.
So what does the above have to do with motivation. Well Henry and the in-laws were motivated by love but what of work. I like to think my motivation is solely dedication but I'm sure there is an element of wanting to acquire wealth. Now some might call this greed but I think greed is a desire to put accumulation of money ahead of all other concerns. Greed also has an element of envy and excessiveness involved.
So what has been driving advocates in Washington and states like Wisconsin and Ohio over the past couple of weeks. In Ohio and Wisconsin opponents of austerity measures have been calling out the Governors as being vengeful. They cite their rollbacks of public sector unions bargaining powers as payback for past political involvement. In Washington we hear much the same as Democrats decry attempts to cut certain funding as political payback. I won't deny that payback may have some roll but I think priorities are an equal partner in the cut backs. Many of the programs targeted have never been a priority for the Republicans but could be overlooked when the economy was humming along.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Godzilla
Life doesn't always imitate art. In the old 50s-60s Japanese Godzilla movies the creature comes up out of the sea to reek terror on the people of Japan. In the movies the people run screaming and shouting, pushing each other what ever it took to reach safety.
Compare this with their reaction to to the earthquake and tsunami. While there was fear the people tended to act in an orderly manner. No stories of people looting or committing acts of violence on each other.
Maybe this is what made the Godzilla movies that we laughed at scary to the Japanese, the loss of control of emotions and decorum. The Japanese have had their Godzilla experience and reacted admirably.
Compare this with their reaction to to the earthquake and tsunami. While there was fear the people tended to act in an orderly manner. No stories of people looting or committing acts of violence on each other.
Maybe this is what made the Godzilla movies that we laughed at scary to the Japanese, the loss of control of emotions and decorum. The Japanese have had their Godzilla experience and reacted admirably.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sorrow
Well that didn't last long. The person we got Tillie from didn't have permission to give the dogs away an called yesterday demanding the dog be given back. We wrestled with this through the afternoon and concluded that the right thing to do was to relinquish Tillie to her first owner. Who would have thought that after a week it could hurt so much.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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