The "queen of mean" Leona Helmsley passed away recently and left $12M to her dog, Trouble. Many people are outraged that ensuring the care and lifestyle of a dog took precedence over the poor and needy, and over two of her grandchildren. Oh the horrors. Miss Mean gave money to two of her grandkids, but purposely excluded the other two (all from her late son).
My question is, since when are we entitled to the assets of our relatives? Sure, it would be nice if that rich uncle or miserly grandmother remembered us in their will. But do we have any "right" to that money? Since when did ol' Dad's money "belong" to us? Regardless of how someone acquired their wealth, THEY were the ones who earned it. Why should I be entitled to the fruits of their work? I won't have to face such issues since my family is far from wealthy and I certainly don't expect even a piece of china or heirloom necklace from anyone. Inheritances are gifts, and nobody owes me a gift. Ever.
Back to little Miss Trouble then...I personally think she deserves the money. I mean, who was by Leona's side every waking moment? Her grandchildren? Nephews and nieces? Personal assistant? Attorney? Trouble saw Leona's face without makeup and kissed her good morning anyway. She was the loyal companion through the good and the bad. Surely she misses her mom and was devoted to her, even if humans called her mom the queen of mean. Trouble's love for Leona was unconditional. If it helps her cope with losing her mom, then I say let Trouble maintain her extravagant lifestyle.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Corn is Evil
I started reading The Omnivore's Dilemma this weekend. I am not quite halfway finished, but what I've read so far is rather startling. Maybe this is one of those Chicken Little books, or maybe it's got a conspiracy slant like Michael Moore. The author won a James Beard award, so he must have it at least sort of right, yes?
Apparently most of what we eat is corn-based, one way or another. HFCS, sorbitol, meat, eggs, cereals...corn was part of the food production. There's the delish corn on the cob type of corn and what is called grade 2 corn...this is corn that is used in food processing and animal feed. It is cheap and farmers will plant more when corn prices drop. It seems counterintuitive to the laws of supply and demand, except that the farmer needs $x for a year's crop, and if prices are low, he will need to produce more corn to take home the same amount of money. Obviously the increased corn production will further suppress prices and the government pays farmers to make up the difference. According to the book, the US has a 10 BILLION bushel surplus. What to do with all this corn? Find ways to consume it, of course. Hence the ethanol push. And feeding it to animals. Cows are one of the biggest corn eaters. Minor detail though: cows don't eat corn--they eat grass. Their bodies were built to eat grass. Corn makes cows sick. To offset the cow's natural inability to eat and digest corn, the feedlots mix 75% corn with fat, proteins, and hormones. The cows still get tummyaches and other more serious issues, which are treated with antibiotics. The USDA says livestock can't be given antibiotics unless the animal is sick. Well, when a cow is sick because of its food supply, then doesn't it seem obvious to stop feeding cows corn? Nope. Corn is the cheapest feed, so cows must eat it. One vet said that cows can't live on corn for more than about 150 days; coincidentally, the cows don't have to, because they usually get slaughtered right around the 150th day. This makes me wonder about Chipotle's antibiotic stance on their meats...I checked out the websites of several beef producers. Yes, they are much better than most beef processing, I'm sure. But they all say the cows eat corn, so they cows must get treated with antibiotics, right? One of the producers doesn't ship their cows off until 14 months of age, so the cow gets grass for all but two months of his/her life. Not long enough get sick, perhaps? Oh, apparently the cows we eat today are killed at about 14-16 months of age. Back in the 1950s, I think it was at 2-3 years of age; and back in our grandparents' day, it was 4-5 years, when cows were solely grass-fed.
Momma cows birth a calf and they hang out together for about six months before the calf is taken away and weaned. Apparently that's not natural because the author reported that weaning day is a tense day on a ranch (momma cows stay on ranches and eat grass; they are basically baby factories). The calf cries for his/her mother and momma cow moans for the calf. When the calf is six months old, he is shipped to a feedlot and taught to eat corn. Until that point, the calf drinks mom's milk and grazes on grass. Unfortunately calves can't stay with their moms because she usually gets inseminated again two months after she births.
I've sort of digressed about why corn is evil. BTW, I don't really think corn is evil. Just the people who manipulate our soil, ecology, and environment. Here's something that really shocked me: corn requires fossil fuels to grow. So what's with the push for ethanol then?! Corn requires fertilizers in the form of nitrogen to grow, which requires oil to produce. The really weird thing is that farms used to mean a few cows, horses, chickens, plant crops, maybe a few fruit trees. The animal manure is used to fertilize the crops, which in turn feeds the animals and humans. It was like a mini-ecosystem. With the introduction of hybrid seeds (not to be confused with GMO seeds), farmers could plant corn more densely, which required chemical fertilizers. Corn was more lucrative, so farmers kept allocating more land to corn and eliminating livestock and other crops. They used to rotate between corn and soybeans since the legume puts nitrogen back in the soil. Now, some farmers plant only corn on the land year after year.
I can't help but wonder if the changes in technology, food production, and food processing is affecting us as humans. I mean, we are consuming foods that were produced using "unnatural" raw materials or processes. Salmon, chickens, cows, pigs...they are all fed corn. Corn from many producers using different seeds--some hybrids, some GMOs. As a result of carnivores (salmon) eating corn, farmers must feed the fish additional fats and chemicals to maximize production. How do we know these hormones, antibiotics, vitamins, etc aren't being transferred to us? Chickens fed corn are then processed and chicken litter (their bedding, feces, and scraps of their feed) are fed to cows who are in effect consuming corn. Theoretically, cow manure produced at these feedlots can be spread on crops, except they are essentially toxic waste that would burn the plants. Runoff from the manure contaminate bodies of water, causing fish and amphibians to develop abnormal sex organs and body parts. Lovely! What should be black gold is instead toxic. Don't get me wrong--we eat what is available to us. But at the same time, most of us have no idea what we are really eating. The fact that corn requires a lot of fossil fuels to produce is alarming. One cow is equivalent to a barrel of oil between growing the food it consumes, the antibiotics, and other resources necessary to raise a cow.
I bought another book today, What to Eat. I can't wait to see what other eye-opening things I learn. Why stop the spending spree now, right? I also bought a Nintendo DS in red. Woot!
Apparently most of what we eat is corn-based, one way or another. HFCS, sorbitol, meat, eggs, cereals...corn was part of the food production. There's the delish corn on the cob type of corn and what is called grade 2 corn...this is corn that is used in food processing and animal feed. It is cheap and farmers will plant more when corn prices drop. It seems counterintuitive to the laws of supply and demand, except that the farmer needs $x for a year's crop, and if prices are low, he will need to produce more corn to take home the same amount of money. Obviously the increased corn production will further suppress prices and the government pays farmers to make up the difference. According to the book, the US has a 10 BILLION bushel surplus. What to do with all this corn? Find ways to consume it, of course. Hence the ethanol push. And feeding it to animals. Cows are one of the biggest corn eaters. Minor detail though: cows don't eat corn--they eat grass. Their bodies were built to eat grass. Corn makes cows sick. To offset the cow's natural inability to eat and digest corn, the feedlots mix 75% corn with fat, proteins, and hormones. The cows still get tummyaches and other more serious issues, which are treated with antibiotics. The USDA says livestock can't be given antibiotics unless the animal is sick. Well, when a cow is sick because of its food supply, then doesn't it seem obvious to stop feeding cows corn? Nope. Corn is the cheapest feed, so cows must eat it. One vet said that cows can't live on corn for more than about 150 days; coincidentally, the cows don't have to, because they usually get slaughtered right around the 150th day. This makes me wonder about Chipotle's antibiotic stance on their meats...I checked out the websites of several beef producers. Yes, they are much better than most beef processing, I'm sure. But they all say the cows eat corn, so they cows must get treated with antibiotics, right? One of the producers doesn't ship their cows off until 14 months of age, so the cow gets grass for all but two months of his/her life. Not long enough get sick, perhaps? Oh, apparently the cows we eat today are killed at about 14-16 months of age. Back in the 1950s, I think it was at 2-3 years of age; and back in our grandparents' day, it was 4-5 years, when cows were solely grass-fed.
Momma cows birth a calf and they hang out together for about six months before the calf is taken away and weaned. Apparently that's not natural because the author reported that weaning day is a tense day on a ranch (momma cows stay on ranches and eat grass; they are basically baby factories). The calf cries for his/her mother and momma cow moans for the calf. When the calf is six months old, he is shipped to a feedlot and taught to eat corn. Until that point, the calf drinks mom's milk and grazes on grass. Unfortunately calves can't stay with their moms because she usually gets inseminated again two months after she births.
I've sort of digressed about why corn is evil. BTW, I don't really think corn is evil. Just the people who manipulate our soil, ecology, and environment. Here's something that really shocked me: corn requires fossil fuels to grow. So what's with the push for ethanol then?! Corn requires fertilizers in the form of nitrogen to grow, which requires oil to produce. The really weird thing is that farms used to mean a few cows, horses, chickens, plant crops, maybe a few fruit trees. The animal manure is used to fertilize the crops, which in turn feeds the animals and humans. It was like a mini-ecosystem. With the introduction of hybrid seeds (not to be confused with GMO seeds), farmers could plant corn more densely, which required chemical fertilizers. Corn was more lucrative, so farmers kept allocating more land to corn and eliminating livestock and other crops. They used to rotate between corn and soybeans since the legume puts nitrogen back in the soil. Now, some farmers plant only corn on the land year after year.
I can't help but wonder if the changes in technology, food production, and food processing is affecting us as humans. I mean, we are consuming foods that were produced using "unnatural" raw materials or processes. Salmon, chickens, cows, pigs...they are all fed corn. Corn from many producers using different seeds--some hybrids, some GMOs. As a result of carnivores (salmon) eating corn, farmers must feed the fish additional fats and chemicals to maximize production. How do we know these hormones, antibiotics, vitamins, etc aren't being transferred to us? Chickens fed corn are then processed and chicken litter (their bedding, feces, and scraps of their feed) are fed to cows who are in effect consuming corn. Theoretically, cow manure produced at these feedlots can be spread on crops, except they are essentially toxic waste that would burn the plants. Runoff from the manure contaminate bodies of water, causing fish and amphibians to develop abnormal sex organs and body parts. Lovely! What should be black gold is instead toxic. Don't get me wrong--we eat what is available to us. But at the same time, most of us have no idea what we are really eating. The fact that corn requires a lot of fossil fuels to produce is alarming. One cow is equivalent to a barrel of oil between growing the food it consumes, the antibiotics, and other resources necessary to raise a cow.
I bought another book today, What to Eat. I can't wait to see what other eye-opening things I learn. Why stop the spending spree now, right? I also bought a Nintendo DS in red. Woot!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Pictures of You
Random pics that summarize my life the past few weeks. The red bag was much bigger prior to felting. I was all excited about having a mini-tote bag. We had friends over the other night. Like me, she is allergic to cats. After meeting Angel, she is now open to eventually adopting a "petite faced girl with small ears" like Angel. :)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Stash is Good
Ok, so the formatting is a bit off, but here's a glimpse of my stash. I am proud (or is it ashamed???) to admit that I have more yarn tucked away elsewhere, like the basket in the family room that holds patterns and needles. Oh, and I have scraps and leftover yarn from projects in various little shopping tote bags. Don't let the rectangle basket fool you...there's a lot of yarn in there, mostly my "precious" yarn that is too "expensive" or "too good" to be used for my silly projects. What am I saving it for? No idea. I have a divine bit of Debbie Bliss pure silk in turquoise that I can't figure out what to do with--it was quite expensive for the tiny bit I got, so it's not enough to make anything except a hankie. I used some to make Mrs. Tea's "something blue" anklet for her wedding day. Yup, that's all the action the yarn's got in the 6-12 months that I've had it.
Here's a "tour" of my yarn, based solely on recollection...
Square basket, from front to back, left to right:
100% Australian wool in baby blue I bought online from Knit Happens, GGH Sublime yarn from KH, same Aussie wool in pink (I didn't know if my brother was having a girl or boy at the time); Nature Wool in cream, Classic Elite MarLa (this was the yarn that turned out to be four strands...each color you see is a strand of yarn), another GGH Sublime, Lamb's Pride aran (wool and mohair); Lamb's Pride bulky (green) and aran (pink), a soy and wool blend by Patons I think, MarLa in another color; more Lamb's Pride in aran and bulky. Can you tell Lamb's Pride was on sale??
In the rectangle basket, there is the DB Pure Silk, Rowan Baby Soft, Morehouse Farm merino wool in lavender and cream, Knit Picks wool sock yarn in a minty green, a lush alpaca sock weight in a moss green, a few Debbie Bliss Cathay in navy blue (leftover from my first picovoli sweater), a superwash merino in charcoal gray by GGH I think (leftover from my second picovoli), furry/frilly yarn in Bear Cub (South West Trading Co?), that's all I remember, but there's much more. The pictures are actually out of date now...I have since acquired more yarn (it's an addiction, sue me!).
As I mentioned in a previous post, I knitted a hooded sweater for piglet using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran. Poor me, I have a full skein and a half left. :) I am currently knitting my varigated red tote bag using Nature Wool. I bought these yarns prior to a job interview. Got there too early and needed to kill some time. tee hee!
Oh! I ordered a knitting bag and purse from divaknitting.com late last week and got my order on Monday. She's fantabulous...great prices, prompt shipping. The Diva is also a blogger and was published in the most recent issue of Knitty. Congratulations Cheryl! Anyway, my bag is Namaste's Executive Knitting Bag. It's roomy but still a manageable size. It's also great as an interview bag, when I need to stash a padfolio, makeup, extra pantyhose, etc. I also got a sheep tape measure. Very cute. I will take pictures and post later.
Anxiety of the week: I know it's early, but seasoned traveling knitters said we're basically at the mercy of the TSA dweebs on the dangerousness of our needles. WTF!!! TSA's site said knitting needles are allowed. Done! Stick with the policies, eh??? Nope, these travelers said bamboo or plastic is preferable to metal and would reduce the chances of confiscation or rejection. Obviously circulars would be the way to go given the cramp space and all. But they expect me to ditch my beloved Addis??? Please say it ain't so! I have one pair of Clover bamboo circulars and as much as I love my Clovers, nothing beats the smooth joints of Addi needles. Clover has great straight and double pointeds, but for circs, it's Addi or nothing. We can now add knitting needles to my list of separation anxieties. Angel, Davis, Cara, Addi. :)
Anxiety of the week: I know it's early, but seasoned traveling knitters said we're basically at the mercy of the TSA dweebs on the dangerousness of our needles. WTF!!! TSA's site said knitting needles are allowed. Done! Stick with the policies, eh??? Nope, these travelers said bamboo or plastic is preferable to metal and would reduce the chances of confiscation or rejection. Obviously circulars would be the way to go given the cramp space and all. But they expect me to ditch my beloved Addis??? Please say it ain't so! I have one pair of Clover bamboo circulars and as much as I love my Clovers, nothing beats the smooth joints of Addi needles. Clover has great straight and double pointeds, but for circs, it's Addi or nothing. We can now add knitting needles to my list of separation anxieties. Angel, Davis, Cara, Addi. :)
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Baby Fever
I am at my prime child-bearing age as are most of our friends. QE always had this theory that women are on the prowl for a husband around age 30 since that's when baby fever kicks in. According to him, even women who didn't want children in their 20s hanker for the pitter patter of little feet in their early 30s. He thinks our hormones and instincts kick in and it is beyond our control.
As most of you know, QE and I don't want human children. Ever. We have three furry children and that is plenty of pitter patter (and hisses!) for us. Allow me to digress for a moment... When people ask if we have any children, I always respond that we have three cats for children. Most are usually surprised and taken aback that we would refer to our cats as our children. Are we crazy? Do people with human children take offense to that because we are equating our cats with their kids? Whatever. I have three kids. Kids I don't need to put into a car seat, butts I don't need to wipe, and beings I don't need to drag with me shopping.
Ok, so here's the deal. We don't want human kids ever. But I am nesting in the worst way. Sort of. I am nesting for a baby. My terms and conditions: a baby that does not require me to birth; a baby whose diapers I don't have to change; a baby that won't require me to wake up at night; and finally, a baby that will not grow into a kid. I would also require a daytime nanny and a serious push present. Forget those cheesy rings from Kays or Shaws or Jared. Nope, it will definitely cost QE if he requires me to give birth. (Hahahahaha!!!) Given these parameters, I am looking to adopt a baby with a nanny that I can Return to Sender when it reaches 2-3 years old. Oh, and it must be a girl. Ok, I kid. What I'm really looking for is a baby to borrow. To snuggle, smell their clean, just-bathed baby smell, and change her into multiple outfits like a doll, and give her to someone else when she emits any bodily waste.
We met up with some friends who are about to marry. QE told them I was nesting, I described my requirements, and we finally told them we weren't having kids ever. The guy says it's too bad, and that it's always the ones who would make the best parents that choose not to have kids. It's flattering, I suppose, that he thinks we'd make good parents. But there was also a sense of disappointment and a hint of "WTF is wrong with you crazy people?! It's unnatural not to want children." Oh well.
So what brought on this nesting? Not sure really. QE's cousins seem to spawn babies left and right out of wedlock and insufficient means of supporting themselves as it is. My brother and his wife are due in November. With four weddings to attend this year, we'll probably see these couples have a baby within the next 2-5 years. Knitting baby clothes for my brother's piglet is fun. The clothes are so tiny! I finished a hoodie sweater today. It's supposed to be for 3-6 months and it is so tiny!!! Trips to Target involve visits to the baby section and me scoping out cute clothes and toys. It's so wonderful they live in another country because otherwise I would be buying a lot of toys. LOVE those Fisher-Price toys! Push a button and lights come on. Turn the tiger's head and he roars. Press the pig and he oinks. Sigh...baby toys are so much fun. There was one where if you lift the chicken, there are eggs and a chick in the nest!
I guess I am nesting in a superficial way. But it's enough to amuse and concern QE. No, I am absolutely confident I do not want a human child of my own. But it doesn't mean I don't want to play with cute babies. That first year is so amazing. They transform from a helpless little bald sleeping lump to a brave and active baby on the move and anxious to conquer the world. Those tiny "rat teeth" start showing up, those fat thighs become chubby legs with dimpled feet. I am not fooled by those sleepless nights, those exploding diapers, or living in one big biohazard when baby decides to put everything in her mouth. No thanks. I guess we are good parents in that we are responsible enough to know that we do not want human children. Hankering for a baby is not a good reason to bring a human into this world.
Besides, would my human child snuggle up next to me each time I cry like Angel and Davis do? Would the kid lay (ok, pass out) on the filing cabinet enjoying the air conditioning when I am using the computer like Cara? And would the kid greet me at the door when I come home from work? Don't get me wrong--I know there are a lot of great things about seeing my spawn present her first "I Love Mommy" drawing, or the first time she learns to write her name. And because she's my spawn, she will be smart!! (tee hee) My kids will never go off to college or get straight As. But, my kids do afford us some freedom from diaper bags or a finding a babysitter for the day. And that suits me just fine. So please let me nest and coo over a sweet smelling baby without asking why I don't want a human child. mmm, baby smell...and those tiny fingers! Those petite peas for toes! AHEM!--I meant to say don't tell me I would make a great mom. Duh. I know that. Just ask Angel, Davis and Cara. They will tell you I spoil them rotten but still discipline them as necessary. Those pink gums and later rat teeth! How am I supposed to resist little rat teeth!? Is there anything cuter?! Yes, there is...long eyelashes and chubby cheeks.
As most of you know, QE and I don't want human children. Ever. We have three furry children and that is plenty of pitter patter (and hisses!) for us. Allow me to digress for a moment... When people ask if we have any children, I always respond that we have three cats for children. Most are usually surprised and taken aback that we would refer to our cats as our children. Are we crazy? Do people with human children take offense to that because we are equating our cats with their kids? Whatever. I have three kids. Kids I don't need to put into a car seat, butts I don't need to wipe, and beings I don't need to drag with me shopping.
Ok, so here's the deal. We don't want human kids ever. But I am nesting in the worst way. Sort of. I am nesting for a baby. My terms and conditions: a baby that does not require me to birth; a baby whose diapers I don't have to change; a baby that won't require me to wake up at night; and finally, a baby that will not grow into a kid. I would also require a daytime nanny and a serious push present. Forget those cheesy rings from Kays or Shaws or Jared. Nope, it will definitely cost QE if he requires me to give birth. (Hahahahaha!!!) Given these parameters, I am looking to adopt a baby with a nanny that I can Return to Sender when it reaches 2-3 years old. Oh, and it must be a girl. Ok, I kid. What I'm really looking for is a baby to borrow. To snuggle, smell their clean, just-bathed baby smell, and change her into multiple outfits like a doll, and give her to someone else when she emits any bodily waste.
We met up with some friends who are about to marry. QE told them I was nesting, I described my requirements, and we finally told them we weren't having kids ever. The guy says it's too bad, and that it's always the ones who would make the best parents that choose not to have kids. It's flattering, I suppose, that he thinks we'd make good parents. But there was also a sense of disappointment and a hint of "WTF is wrong with you crazy people?! It's unnatural not to want children." Oh well.
So what brought on this nesting? Not sure really. QE's cousins seem to spawn babies left and right out of wedlock and insufficient means of supporting themselves as it is. My brother and his wife are due in November. With four weddings to attend this year, we'll probably see these couples have a baby within the next 2-5 years. Knitting baby clothes for my brother's piglet is fun. The clothes are so tiny! I finished a hoodie sweater today. It's supposed to be for 3-6 months and it is so tiny!!! Trips to Target involve visits to the baby section and me scoping out cute clothes and toys. It's so wonderful they live in another country because otherwise I would be buying a lot of toys. LOVE those Fisher-Price toys! Push a button and lights come on. Turn the tiger's head and he roars. Press the pig and he oinks. Sigh...baby toys are so much fun. There was one where if you lift the chicken, there are eggs and a chick in the nest!
I guess I am nesting in a superficial way. But it's enough to amuse and concern QE. No, I am absolutely confident I do not want a human child of my own. But it doesn't mean I don't want to play with cute babies. That first year is so amazing. They transform from a helpless little bald sleeping lump to a brave and active baby on the move and anxious to conquer the world. Those tiny "rat teeth" start showing up, those fat thighs become chubby legs with dimpled feet. I am not fooled by those sleepless nights, those exploding diapers, or living in one big biohazard when baby decides to put everything in her mouth. No thanks. I guess we are good parents in that we are responsible enough to know that we do not want human children. Hankering for a baby is not a good reason to bring a human into this world.
Besides, would my human child snuggle up next to me each time I cry like Angel and Davis do? Would the kid lay (ok, pass out) on the filing cabinet enjoying the air conditioning when I am using the computer like Cara? And would the kid greet me at the door when I come home from work? Don't get me wrong--I know there are a lot of great things about seeing my spawn present her first "I Love Mommy" drawing, or the first time she learns to write her name. And because she's my spawn, she will be smart!! (tee hee) My kids will never go off to college or get straight As. But, my kids do afford us some freedom from diaper bags or a finding a babysitter for the day. And that suits me just fine. So please let me nest and coo over a sweet smelling baby without asking why I don't want a human child. mmm, baby smell...and those tiny fingers! Those petite peas for toes! AHEM!--I meant to say don't tell me I would make a great mom. Duh. I know that. Just ask Angel, Davis and Cara. They will tell you I spoil them rotten but still discipline them as necessary. Those pink gums and later rat teeth! How am I supposed to resist little rat teeth!? Is there anything cuter?! Yes, there is...long eyelashes and chubby cheeks.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Mr. T's Wisdom
"I pity the fool..." was one of Mr. T's famous lines. And fools are aplenty. NPR reported that the housing bubble burst and rising interest rates are causing many people to lose their homes. In fact, the number of people who will lose their homes to forclosure will exceed the number who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina. What a staggering statistic. However, only one group deserves sympathy in my opinion.
Many households enjoyed the low interest rates and soaring home values of the past 5+ years. We were all moving up in the world! Unfortunately, many families did not spend their money wisely and now must face the consequences. Many more households bought their first home. In principle, that's a wonderful thing. The American Dream is coming true for more people! However, many of those buyers had no business buying a home beyond their means and now face foreclosure. If I recall correctly, NPR noted there was one woman who worked at Wal-Mart making $10 or $15 an hour who bought a $700K+ home with no money down. She never made a single mortgage payment. YES, the shady lender shouldn't have made the loan. BUT, shouldn't that woman also be accountable for knowing there is no way she can afford such a home?
To make matters worse, there are all those flippers out there--investors who let greed rule their hearts and mind. Those same jackasses are now stuck with vacant properties and are unable to unload it without taking a loss. To that I say HA! You f'ers deserve it. The investors pumped up the home prices and priced out a lot of legitimate home buyers who just wanted to buy a house. How fair is that? Hard working families can't afford a modest home because properties were overvalued.
Now there's an idiot bitch who wants the government to bail people out of their troubles. She wants to help people avoid foreclosure. That's wonderful, really. She better be using her own money and not the taxpayers'. Why should the government rescue people who made wrong choices? Should we all expect government bail outs for our failures? What if an entrepreneur is about to lose his business? Or how about if I took three vacations and bought two cars over the summer and now can't pay my credit card bills? Will the government help me too? Where is the accountability? When will people take responsibilities for their actions and decisions? Yes, people can be down on their luck and lose their jobs etc. Absolutely we should help those people. But those who willfully engaged in practices or entered into contracts they knew were risky is reckless and they should learn their lesson.
Many households enjoyed the low interest rates and soaring home values of the past 5+ years. We were all moving up in the world! Unfortunately, many families did not spend their money wisely and now must face the consequences. Many more households bought their first home. In principle, that's a wonderful thing. The American Dream is coming true for more people! However, many of those buyers had no business buying a home beyond their means and now face foreclosure. If I recall correctly, NPR noted there was one woman who worked at Wal-Mart making $10 or $15 an hour who bought a $700K+ home with no money down. She never made a single mortgage payment. YES, the shady lender shouldn't have made the loan. BUT, shouldn't that woman also be accountable for knowing there is no way she can afford such a home?
To make matters worse, there are all those flippers out there--investors who let greed rule their hearts and mind. Those same jackasses are now stuck with vacant properties and are unable to unload it without taking a loss. To that I say HA! You f'ers deserve it. The investors pumped up the home prices and priced out a lot of legitimate home buyers who just wanted to buy a house. How fair is that? Hard working families can't afford a modest home because properties were overvalued.
Now there's an idiot bitch who wants the government to bail people out of their troubles. She wants to help people avoid foreclosure. That's wonderful, really. She better be using her own money and not the taxpayers'. Why should the government rescue people who made wrong choices? Should we all expect government bail outs for our failures? What if an entrepreneur is about to lose his business? Or how about if I took three vacations and bought two cars over the summer and now can't pay my credit card bills? Will the government help me too? Where is the accountability? When will people take responsibilities for their actions and decisions? Yes, people can be down on their luck and lose their jobs etc. Absolutely we should help those people. But those who willfully engaged in practices or entered into contracts they knew were risky is reckless and they should learn their lesson.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Lesson in Microeconomics
I love all things associated with knitting. Why do tote bags need to cost so much just because it's classified as a "knitting" bag??? No matter. My current system (or lack thereof) works for me. My needles and patterns and books are a different story. I have at least one set of needles in all sizes from 0-15. QE picked out several baskets for all my loot a year or so ago and I argued against it, saying I didn't need multiple baskets. Well, I have managed to use all of the baskets and bought one more, larger than the previous ones. I hate it when he's right. Needle cases and "pattern organizers" cost a fortune. A case can cost between $20-$80 or more. Do companies think knitters are rich? That cost is not an object? Hellooooo!!!! There's an opportunity cost involved! Every dollar spent on "luxury" items is a dollar not spent on yarn. Besides, nobody will see my beautiful needle case since I wouldn't carry 20+ sets of needles with me.
The past weekend was a tax holiday on school supplies. I bought a 1-1/2 inch binder ($1.49) and a 50-pack of page protectors ($1.99?). I sorted and filed all of my patterns in the binder. Bam! Done for less than five bucks. That's $40+ I "saved" and can spend on yarn. Lovely.
The past weekend was a tax holiday on school supplies. I bought a 1-1/2 inch binder ($1.49) and a 50-pack of page protectors ($1.99?). I sorted and filed all of my patterns in the binder. Bam! Done for less than five bucks. That's $40+ I "saved" and can spend on yarn. Lovely.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Ugly Greek Eager Beaver
Two posts in one day...can it be???
I tried to upload some photos that have been on my camera for a while (too long) after finishing the work I brought home--trying to keep the Dementors away, you know--only to find that plugging in the USB caused a power overload on our computer. Weird, right? Not really if you have an eager beaver in the house who gnaws and chews through everything. Yup. Cara chewed through our camera's USB cable. We knew about it, but didn't think it actually damaged the cable. Upon further inspection, it appears that our little beaver managed to break a few wires within the cable. Hey, I tried to share pictures. It's Cara's fault. You can call and complain to her at 800-Bite-Mee.
We went out for dinner. We rarely eat at home on the weekends, so it's no big event or anything. We decided to try a new restaurant. It's a mom and pop type of place that we've driven by many times since moving to our house. It looks like a diner and served Greek, Italian and American fare that is very well-priced. I ordered the moussaka, which is eggplant, potatoes and ground beef with a white bechamel sauce. It came with a salad and a side of vegetables for $9.45. Not bad, right?
Got the greek salad. Not too bad...very little feta, so it's tolerable. As I was picking through the lettuce to ensure no chunks of feta, I come across something else that was white. A white hair coated in salad dressing. Ew. I ate all of two bites before finding it. Whatever. It's a diner...we lowered our expectations the moment we walked in. BUT, a waitress bussing the table behind us (she wasn't our server) saw me make my glorious discovery, examine the specimen and push my salad away. Did she do anything? Nope. She didn't proactively take away my salad nor tell our waiter about my problem. See, regardless of the type of restaurant, I would expect that the restaurant's staff would attend to all the guests' needs, even if we weren't their table. I guess that's asking for too much. I would have tipped her in addition to our waiter if she took care of me. Oh well, her loss.
My entree came. The moussaka looked good enough. The vegetable of the day was green beans. Wow. I swear those were canned green beans tossed with some oil and bits of cooked tomatoes. I had not seen such drab looking green beans since my elementary school days. QE's grandmother's dreadful Thanksgiving green bean casserole looks fresh from the farmer's market compared to the dead beans sitting on my plate. The color is only what I imagine would be in a diaper after feeding a kid nothing but pea puree for a week.
The moussaka tasted good. I couldn't figure out what the white layer on top was. Mashed potatoes like on shepherd's pie? No, it's not. A dough crust? No...oh right! Bechamel sauce! Wait...isn't that supposed to be creamy and saucy? That's the base you use to make mac and cheese from scratch. This is soft but solid...there's no oozing or dripping here. What the heck. It's a diner owned, or at least run by, Greeks and they can't get a freakin' Greek entree right? We purposely focused on the Greek items thinking it would be the kitchen's specialties. Maybe dinner isn't their thing. We will give it one more try, either breakfast or lunch. We want to support small, local businesses, but for $25 including tax and tip, we're better off eating at Chipotle and pocketing the other $12.
I tried to upload some photos that have been on my camera for a while (too long) after finishing the work I brought home--trying to keep the Dementors away, you know--only to find that plugging in the USB caused a power overload on our computer. Weird, right? Not really if you have an eager beaver in the house who gnaws and chews through everything. Yup. Cara chewed through our camera's USB cable. We knew about it, but didn't think it actually damaged the cable. Upon further inspection, it appears that our little beaver managed to break a few wires within the cable. Hey, I tried to share pictures. It's Cara's fault. You can call and complain to her at 800-Bite-Mee.
We went out for dinner. We rarely eat at home on the weekends, so it's no big event or anything. We decided to try a new restaurant. It's a mom and pop type of place that we've driven by many times since moving to our house. It looks like a diner and served Greek, Italian and American fare that is very well-priced. I ordered the moussaka, which is eggplant, potatoes and ground beef with a white bechamel sauce. It came with a salad and a side of vegetables for $9.45. Not bad, right?
Got the greek salad. Not too bad...very little feta, so it's tolerable. As I was picking through the lettuce to ensure no chunks of feta, I come across something else that was white. A white hair coated in salad dressing. Ew. I ate all of two bites before finding it. Whatever. It's a diner...we lowered our expectations the moment we walked in. BUT, a waitress bussing the table behind us (she wasn't our server) saw me make my glorious discovery, examine the specimen and push my salad away. Did she do anything? Nope. She didn't proactively take away my salad nor tell our waiter about my problem. See, regardless of the type of restaurant, I would expect that the restaurant's staff would attend to all the guests' needs, even if we weren't their table. I guess that's asking for too much. I would have tipped her in addition to our waiter if she took care of me. Oh well, her loss.
My entree came. The moussaka looked good enough. The vegetable of the day was green beans. Wow. I swear those were canned green beans tossed with some oil and bits of cooked tomatoes. I had not seen such drab looking green beans since my elementary school days. QE's grandmother's dreadful Thanksgiving green bean casserole looks fresh from the farmer's market compared to the dead beans sitting on my plate. The color is only what I imagine would be in a diaper after feeding a kid nothing but pea puree for a week.
The moussaka tasted good. I couldn't figure out what the white layer on top was. Mashed potatoes like on shepherd's pie? No, it's not. A dough crust? No...oh right! Bechamel sauce! Wait...isn't that supposed to be creamy and saucy? That's the base you use to make mac and cheese from scratch. This is soft but solid...there's no oozing or dripping here. What the heck. It's a diner owned, or at least run by, Greeks and they can't get a freakin' Greek entree right? We purposely focused on the Greek items thinking it would be the kitchen's specialties. Maybe dinner isn't their thing. We will give it one more try, either breakfast or lunch. We want to support small, local businesses, but for $25 including tax and tip, we're better off eating at Chipotle and pocketing the other $12.
Funeral Potatoes and Wedding Spaghetti
I bought five balls of Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran yarn at a cost of $42 for a hooded baby sweater. Ouch. It's really nice though. Smooth but not silky or limp. Thick but not chunky. So nice to knit. I was very relieved to learn that knitting needles are allowed on flights. QE called me a nerd for worrying about it.
We went to a flea market today. Very cool. Lots of treasures to be had. Too bad we didn't buy a single thing. We are too practical to buy things we don't need and don't see the point of buying goodies for the sake of collecting. We looked hard for something to buy...anything. No luck. Maybe next time.
The heels of most of my work shoes squeak. Is it a coincidence that all the shoes are from Ann Taylor? Don't know. Some are new this season too. It drives me crazy!!!
I've decided that we will host a small party for Princess Angel's 10th birthday. It's not every day a girl turns 10, you know. I think we will go with an Oreo ice cream cake from Maggie Moo's. She loves Oreos and enjoys sharing my ice cream. I think she will enjoy her cake. :) I hope to find a few party hats for the occasion. How does one put a party hat on a cat and keep it there???
What else is new...ah yes. Work will now be called the Dementors. It's not reference to any one person, but the general office. There are a few (only a very few) that are tolerable. The office truly sucks the life out of me. IG helpfully added that the office is very cold, which further supports the name Dementors. I can't figure out if we work in a very inefficient and wasteful building or if the menopausal hags in our office crank up the AC to alleviate their hot flashes. Either way, it's intolerable.
Our patio, deck and fence will be built in the next few weeks. I am so excited.
Davis is sweeter and needier than ever. QE kissed, hugged, and headbutted me as Buddy watched, his paws kneading the sofa. The moment QE left me, my sweet boy came to cuddle with me. I seem to also belong to Cara. She gets pissy when Davis is on my lap. Nevermind that she has no interest in snuggling with me, but nobody else is supposed to either. As a result, I am the usual venue for their fights. Nothing like being fought over and being the battleground, eh?
We went to a flea market today. Very cool. Lots of treasures to be had. Too bad we didn't buy a single thing. We are too practical to buy things we don't need and don't see the point of buying goodies for the sake of collecting. We looked hard for something to buy...anything. No luck. Maybe next time.
The heels of most of my work shoes squeak. Is it a coincidence that all the shoes are from Ann Taylor? Don't know. Some are new this season too. It drives me crazy!!!
I've decided that we will host a small party for Princess Angel's 10th birthday. It's not every day a girl turns 10, you know. I think we will go with an Oreo ice cream cake from Maggie Moo's. She loves Oreos and enjoys sharing my ice cream. I think she will enjoy her cake. :) I hope to find a few party hats for the occasion. How does one put a party hat on a cat and keep it there???
What else is new...ah yes. Work will now be called the Dementors. It's not reference to any one person, but the general office. There are a few (only a very few) that are tolerable. The office truly sucks the life out of me. IG helpfully added that the office is very cold, which further supports the name Dementors. I can't figure out if we work in a very inefficient and wasteful building or if the menopausal hags in our office crank up the AC to alleviate their hot flashes. Either way, it's intolerable.
Our patio, deck and fence will be built in the next few weeks. I am so excited.
Davis is sweeter and needier than ever. QE kissed, hugged, and headbutted me as Buddy watched, his paws kneading the sofa. The moment QE left me, my sweet boy came to cuddle with me. I seem to also belong to Cara. She gets pissy when Davis is on my lap. Nevermind that she has no interest in snuggling with me, but nobody else is supposed to either. As a result, I am the usual venue for their fights. Nothing like being fought over and being the battleground, eh?
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