Wednesday, March 22, 2006
New Feature
We now have a guestbook. If you really can't find it, it's on the bar to the right. Drop One Nation Divided a line, comment, or suggestion. You've got a voice; use it. I will answer all comments directed to me. See what others are saying about the site. Start a discussion. Go nuts. It is completely anonymous.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Sad But True
Yesterday Congress passed a measure (52-48) increasing the national debt ceiling to 9 trillion dollars.
Today's national debt (12:00A.M. 3-22-06)= $8,351,430,529,038.72
Population est. of U.S. (12:00A.M. 3-22-06)= 298,350,612
That equals a $27,992.00 debt per person in this country as of this morning.
Also, the debt rises $2,430,000,000 a day.
That's an extra $8.14 per person tomorrow on top of today's total. That's $57.00 this week per person. That's $252.48 this month per person. And an increase in debt of $2972.84 per person this year. For a family of five that's: $40.72 tomorrow, $285.07 this week, $1262.44 this month, $14864.22 this year.
Now call me cinical, but damn, that's too rich for my blood.
Sources:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html
Today's national debt (12:00A.M. 3-22-06)= $8,351,430,529,038.72
Population est. of U.S. (12:00A.M. 3-22-06)= 298,350,612
That equals a $27,992.00 debt per person in this country as of this morning.
Also, the debt rises $2,430,000,000 a day.
That's an extra $8.14 per person tomorrow on top of today's total. That's $57.00 this week per person. That's $252.48 this month per person. And an increase in debt of $2972.84 per person this year. For a family of five that's: $40.72 tomorrow, $285.07 this week, $1262.44 this month, $14864.22 this year.
Now call me cinical, but damn, that's too rich for my blood.
Sources:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html
Time
"I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date. No time to say hello. Good-bye! I'm late. I'm late. I'm late." -The White Rabbit
Doesn't it seem like there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything that we want to do? No matter how little we have left to do or how much we've done ahead of time, we never seem to get ahead in life. Our days are so completely packed full of things to do that we rarely have time to do what we want to do.
This said, it is undoubtedly certain that for all that we do accomplish, there are other (sometimes more important) things that we aren't able to do. Spend time with the kids, our families and friends, do homework and work at night, paint the house, fix the garage door, and countless other things. And, although those things are significant, what about more important things that you don't even have time to realize that you should do. What about volunteering? Taking a course at a community college? Starting a family? Going to a museum? Relaxing for once? And so forth.
Wouldn't this country be all that much better if we were all able to take an hour out of our day and devote it to volunteering. Maybe we'd feed the homeless or build a house or work at a local hospice. Or maybe we'd just coach our little kid's baseball team or help an elderly family member around their house. It'd sure be nice to be able to do these things. I don't know a person that wouldn't, that is of course if they could. Not enough time in the day. That's the excuse. But I understand. We have to take care of our own first. An hour of public service is an hour you aren't getting paid for, an hour your child is not being fed with, clothed with, housed with. I understand. But wouldn't it just be nice sometime if we could survive without that extra hour. I know there are those out there who can and don't and I know there are those out there who can't yet they still try to every once and a while. Honestly, I understand. It's not you necessarily, it's the system that's messed up.
There's something that we can do though. Something that, if we want to be able to do all that we want to do, we have to make time for. I cringe to think about the number of people who go into the election booth every time that time of the year comes around and stares blankly at the punch card (or screen, or form, etc.) and fills in the blank for a candidate based on the ethnicity of their name or their gender, or because their best friend from high school had a dog by that name. Flip a coin anyone?
What we so desperately need to do in this country is remain informed. And not just about politics, about life in general. We have to make time to understand the issues, to understand others, to learn to co-exist in this world with each other. Why do we have war? Two reasons: greed and misunderstanding. Naturally, these issues are huge, vast concepts that any one person could only hope to begin to understand in an entire lifetime. But we have to make time to try. Mankind will not be long for existence if we cannot conquer our differences.
It's time we ask ourselves why we discriminate, why we hate, why we treat others unequally. The good news is that it isn't always our faults. Many times we are indoctrinated into a way of thinking through our families, schools, governments, religions, and so forth. Of course, a good indoctrination, one that treats everyone equal, is good. It will benefit us in the future and I can only hope you who did have it pass it on to your children, students, citizens, worshippers, etc. Naturally this is just me talking. Your idea of a good indoctrination is probably different. Sadly, I realize, most people are very discriminatory to certain groups of people even if they don't realize it.
Let me ask you something. Would you like someone to tell you that you are inferior to them because you are too fat? Too short? Jewish? Too poor? That they are going to treat you as a second class person just because of who you are? Would you like that? Then take some time and look real deep within yourself and realize your shortcomings. We all have them. Realize who you discriminate against. Get down to the root of the issue. Find a place inside yourself that is disgusted by how you feel about them and work from there. Eliminate discrimination from your life. Do not hate. See everyone as equal with your own eyes. Don't just say it; mean it. There's no use lying to yourself. Really do it.
Of course, in your mind there are probably a hundred better things on your list of things to do when you have time. I won't force you to make mankind better. I won't make you do anything. All I can do is hope that one time when you do actually have some free time that you'll sit down and think of what I've said. All I want is world peace, infinite acceptance, and complete equality. True, it's a lot for one person to swallow, but there are six and a half billion of us. Surely together we can succeed. And, after that, just imagine the things we could do together.
Doesn't it seem like there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything that we want to do? No matter how little we have left to do or how much we've done ahead of time, we never seem to get ahead in life. Our days are so completely packed full of things to do that we rarely have time to do what we want to do.
This said, it is undoubtedly certain that for all that we do accomplish, there are other (sometimes more important) things that we aren't able to do. Spend time with the kids, our families and friends, do homework and work at night, paint the house, fix the garage door, and countless other things. And, although those things are significant, what about more important things that you don't even have time to realize that you should do. What about volunteering? Taking a course at a community college? Starting a family? Going to a museum? Relaxing for once? And so forth.
Wouldn't this country be all that much better if we were all able to take an hour out of our day and devote it to volunteering. Maybe we'd feed the homeless or build a house or work at a local hospice. Or maybe we'd just coach our little kid's baseball team or help an elderly family member around their house. It'd sure be nice to be able to do these things. I don't know a person that wouldn't, that is of course if they could. Not enough time in the day. That's the excuse. But I understand. We have to take care of our own first. An hour of public service is an hour you aren't getting paid for, an hour your child is not being fed with, clothed with, housed with. I understand. But wouldn't it just be nice sometime if we could survive without that extra hour. I know there are those out there who can and don't and I know there are those out there who can't yet they still try to every once and a while. Honestly, I understand. It's not you necessarily, it's the system that's messed up.
There's something that we can do though. Something that, if we want to be able to do all that we want to do, we have to make time for. I cringe to think about the number of people who go into the election booth every time that time of the year comes around and stares blankly at the punch card (or screen, or form, etc.) and fills in the blank for a candidate based on the ethnicity of their name or their gender, or because their best friend from high school had a dog by that name. Flip a coin anyone?
What we so desperately need to do in this country is remain informed. And not just about politics, about life in general. We have to make time to understand the issues, to understand others, to learn to co-exist in this world with each other. Why do we have war? Two reasons: greed and misunderstanding. Naturally, these issues are huge, vast concepts that any one person could only hope to begin to understand in an entire lifetime. But we have to make time to try. Mankind will not be long for existence if we cannot conquer our differences.
It's time we ask ourselves why we discriminate, why we hate, why we treat others unequally. The good news is that it isn't always our faults. Many times we are indoctrinated into a way of thinking through our families, schools, governments, religions, and so forth. Of course, a good indoctrination, one that treats everyone equal, is good. It will benefit us in the future and I can only hope you who did have it pass it on to your children, students, citizens, worshippers, etc. Naturally this is just me talking. Your idea of a good indoctrination is probably different. Sadly, I realize, most people are very discriminatory to certain groups of people even if they don't realize it.
Let me ask you something. Would you like someone to tell you that you are inferior to them because you are too fat? Too short? Jewish? Too poor? That they are going to treat you as a second class person just because of who you are? Would you like that? Then take some time and look real deep within yourself and realize your shortcomings. We all have them. Realize who you discriminate against. Get down to the root of the issue. Find a place inside yourself that is disgusted by how you feel about them and work from there. Eliminate discrimination from your life. Do not hate. See everyone as equal with your own eyes. Don't just say it; mean it. There's no use lying to yourself. Really do it.
Of course, in your mind there are probably a hundred better things on your list of things to do when you have time. I won't force you to make mankind better. I won't make you do anything. All I can do is hope that one time when you do actually have some free time that you'll sit down and think of what I've said. All I want is world peace, infinite acceptance, and complete equality. True, it's a lot for one person to swallow, but there are six and a half billion of us. Surely together we can succeed. And, after that, just imagine the things we could do together.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Rantings of a Mad Man Part VI
Why does everything in politics have to come down to politics? Why does everything in life have to come down to politics? Why must we all divide ourselves by our differences?
It doesn't matter what you or I believe, we should always work towards the greater good. This is not accomplished by debate; it's accomplished by action. And, sacrifices must be made on both sides. Politics don't matter; we must do what works. We cannot get something for nothing. Do not hold grudges. Life is too short. Why must we put up barriers. Break down these manmade walls. Tear down the blockades of our hearts and minds. Burn them to the ground.
Right now, here and now we are reaching inwards instead of reaching outward. We need to decided to coexist. It needs to be a conscious decision. It doesn't matter whether we are white, black, Hispanic, Catholic, Protestant, or agnostic.
Why do we kill each other because of the color of our skin? Why do we discriminate because of our sexual preferences or political affiliation? Why are we so divided.
Mankind has so much potential. The stars are literally the limit. Why do we fight with each other over such petty differences? We are all the same inside. We love. We fear. We cry and suffer. We hunger and thirst. We are all equal. No one has the right to tell another how to act or live. No one has the right to control another. No one is justified in hurting another. No one under any circumstance should be subject to the whims of another. Governments should not have control over people. People should have control over governments. Politicians have no power over us. They are not above us. We are all equal. We are all human.
Capitalism is based on the greed of others. It works because greed is easy. There is no doubt that it is successful. But it is based on inequality. It's foundation is in the promotion of self by stepping on others. This may just well be the downfall of society, if ever we get that far. Capitalism depends on the ability of people to manipulate the feelings and beliefs of others.
Freedoms are all well and good to talk about when it isn't easier to ignore them. It is when it is easier to forego these freedoms that the real test of a society's clout comes about. When will we learn. Fear is not a blank check. It is not a weapon for personal gain. It is not moral; it is evil, deceitful, and yes sinful. Lying is by definition wrong. Fear is being used as a tool today to help those in power profit from a situation that should never have come up at all. Those who don't believe me will say of course that we were in danger. Too bad fear hit you hardest. You can't honestly believe that we are safer today than we were five and a half years ago. Can you? Wait, of course you can. Politics in all its grandeur. When will we learn.
Politics it is said comes from the root "poly" meaning many and "ticks" meaning blood-sucking creatures. Whoever it was that said that hit the nail right on the head. Too bad there isn't one for lawyers too. Help should be free. The rich should not have a better opportunity for justice than the poor.
All I can hope for is that we all put our differences aside. I did. I don't judge people. I don't hate people. (I do however hate ideas and philosophies, just not people.) To me everyone is completely equal bar none. I look past the color of one's skin or the style of one's dress to the inner person, who I know, far more times than not, is really genuinely a good, kind, just individual. Maybe they're a little confused, but hey we all are sometimes.
I don't judge. I always give the benefit of the doubt. What's mine is yours; if I can help I'd be glad to do it. Everyone is equal in my mind. My friend's friend is my friend. My beliefs and yours aside, I believe that we are all the same. Can you honestly say the same thing? If not, why?
It doesn't matter what you or I believe, we should always work towards the greater good. This is not accomplished by debate; it's accomplished by action. And, sacrifices must be made on both sides. Politics don't matter; we must do what works. We cannot get something for nothing. Do not hold grudges. Life is too short. Why must we put up barriers. Break down these manmade walls. Tear down the blockades of our hearts and minds. Burn them to the ground.
Right now, here and now we are reaching inwards instead of reaching outward. We need to decided to coexist. It needs to be a conscious decision. It doesn't matter whether we are white, black, Hispanic, Catholic, Protestant, or agnostic.
Why do we kill each other because of the color of our skin? Why do we discriminate because of our sexual preferences or political affiliation? Why are we so divided.
Mankind has so much potential. The stars are literally the limit. Why do we fight with each other over such petty differences? We are all the same inside. We love. We fear. We cry and suffer. We hunger and thirst. We are all equal. No one has the right to tell another how to act or live. No one has the right to control another. No one is justified in hurting another. No one under any circumstance should be subject to the whims of another. Governments should not have control over people. People should have control over governments. Politicians have no power over us. They are not above us. We are all equal. We are all human.
Capitalism is based on the greed of others. It works because greed is easy. There is no doubt that it is successful. But it is based on inequality. It's foundation is in the promotion of self by stepping on others. This may just well be the downfall of society, if ever we get that far. Capitalism depends on the ability of people to manipulate the feelings and beliefs of others.
Freedoms are all well and good to talk about when it isn't easier to ignore them. It is when it is easier to forego these freedoms that the real test of a society's clout comes about. When will we learn. Fear is not a blank check. It is not a weapon for personal gain. It is not moral; it is evil, deceitful, and yes sinful. Lying is by definition wrong. Fear is being used as a tool today to help those in power profit from a situation that should never have come up at all. Those who don't believe me will say of course that we were in danger. Too bad fear hit you hardest. You can't honestly believe that we are safer today than we were five and a half years ago. Can you? Wait, of course you can. Politics in all its grandeur. When will we learn.
Politics it is said comes from the root "poly" meaning many and "ticks" meaning blood-sucking creatures. Whoever it was that said that hit the nail right on the head. Too bad there isn't one for lawyers too. Help should be free. The rich should not have a better opportunity for justice than the poor.
All I can hope for is that we all put our differences aside. I did. I don't judge people. I don't hate people. (I do however hate ideas and philosophies, just not people.) To me everyone is completely equal bar none. I look past the color of one's skin or the style of one's dress to the inner person, who I know, far more times than not, is really genuinely a good, kind, just individual. Maybe they're a little confused, but hey we all are sometimes.
I don't judge. I always give the benefit of the doubt. What's mine is yours; if I can help I'd be glad to do it. Everyone is equal in my mind. My friend's friend is my friend. My beliefs and yours aside, I believe that we are all the same. Can you honestly say the same thing? If not, why?
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