Sunday, September 26, 2010

Lucky Bag

Let's start with the title of today's blog.  The yearbook at the United States Naval Academy is called Lucky Bag; but that is not why I used that name today.  The lost and found locker on a naval vessel is also called the Lucky Bag.  Over time, it gets filled with all sorts of odds and ends.  This is the Lucky Bag that today's blog is named for.

I seem to have no single topic but a lot of small things come to mind.

So let's make a list.

1. A woman, a nurse, in the Air Force was outed after it was discovered that she had a lesbian relationship with a civilian woman off base.  The Air Force fired her and the Justice department ordered her reinstated.  This really shows the bigotry of the Don't Ask Don't tell policy.  This woman behaves as she wants to; in a way that she no doubt finds fulfilling.  She does it on her own time and in a way that has no impact on her performance.  What do we do?  We fire her.  Give me a break!  We fire a nurse because of how she conducts her private life.  So, tens of thousands of dollars now need to be spent to train her replacement.  Lose-lose situation.  Time for a change.

2. It turns out that 2 out of 3 Americans are not happy with Obamacare.  Here is the kick.  They are unhappy because it doesn't do enough!  The GOP has this pledge that they created after listening to the American people.  They want to trash Obamacare.  Seems they quit listening before the American public had a chance to say the WANT MORE, not less.  I am among those that want more.

3.  There is a mouse in my house and I'm not sure how to go about getting rid of it.  My dog pretends to be interested in getting whatever I am looking at under the couch.  However, as soon as I walk away, he takes a nap.

4. I think semi-sweet baking chocolate is good for morale.  Not too sweet so the guilt level is low.

5. I think Obama needs to be more Pro-Business.  It seems that we spend time going between "Make the rich, richer" and "Spread the wealth."  I wonder if it really has to be one or the other.  I recommend that the top salaries of companies can only be a certain multiple of those providing the labor.  It can be a big number, but right now its infinite.  To be fair, when the leaders cut their salaries, labor must do the same.  This way, everyone sinks or swims together.  I also think that profits made from financial schemes need to be taxed at an really high rate.  Right now, a person that trades in money can quickly become a millionaire while contributing nothing to society.

6. A couple of friends have recently lost loved ones (a dad and a son).  I don't know how I would survive the lost of one of my kids.  I probably wouldn't .  Death is always hard on the living.  For those that have died, I think their adventure is just beginning.  We should celebrate their lives here as well as their new beginning.  As for the pain of Grief - it is the price we pay for love.

7. I saw a comprehensive report that showed the number of millionaires created between 2002 and 2007 went through the roof.  At the same time, the average American's household income dropped by $5k a year.  This is the result of GOP economic policy.  So, if we do the same thing again, shouldn't we expect the same result?  I'm just asking.

8. I just read The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking.  In the book, he basically says Science, not God, is responsible for making the universe.  Good for him.  This is something I've suspected since I first heard the story of Adam and Eve.  Maybe I should have written a book about it but I was tied up with second grade art class.  There is no new science in the book and I get the feeling he just wrote it to make a buck or keep his name in the news.  He completely ignored that part of our lives that is non-physical.  For example, how can a mom know her child, a hundred miles away is in trouble?  What is thought?  Is there a soul?  I believe that the physical world is but a small part of our existence.  It may be a big part of this life but what about the one before and the one after?  I give the book a big thumbs down.

9.  I am conducting an experiment.  My business partner created an App for his android phone.  He sells it for about a buck.  However, you can get it for free if you agree to have an advertisement show up on your phone.  If they click the ad, he makes a buck.  So far, he is making way more with his free app and the ad clicking than he is for the paid app without ads.  So, I created another blog.  I put software on it that allows for ads to show up.  Google puts ads on it based on the content of the blog.  So, I write junk that has a lot of interesting keywords.  Things like Android and video games and Xbox.  I need your help to make this work.  Go that blog (http://bookmovietechreview.blogspot.com /) and click on one of the ads.  You don't need to buy anything.  Just click on an ad.

10. Breaking Bad is probably the best written and acted show on television today.

I know it's Sunday and most of you have the day off.  No me.

I have a world to save.

Up, up and away...
j