travis' brain dump

At first glance one might think this is about the new kiddo… nope… this is about politics kids. That’s right, I’m back with a brand new slam on people who whine like little babies yet do nothing to help themselves.

First and foremost, I’m neither Republican nor Democratic by association in political views. I follow the issues and while sometimes I might favor republican views more, I’ll just as quickly support an opposing Democratic motion should I find a Republican one over bearing. Just don’t label me “green” and we’ll be okay. 🙂

Now… onto the rant. So, as I do most mornings, I popped over to CNN to view the usual headlines and such so as not to get left behind on current events. What do I see? pictures of sad, gloomy Republicans and quotes of their dismay over the results of the election.

I figure we would have to have seen these no matter who won so I’m sure I’d be picking on democrats right now if the tables were turned, so keep that in mind when you read what I’m about to say. It’s not directed at any one political party, just the people individually who complain ignorantly. 🙂

“Being a conservative, I think the Republican Party’s kind of lost some of their identity of who they are. I really don’t understand how it could happen,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s really sunk in. It’s hard to understand.”

Ok moron… How did the Republican Party “lose some of their identity of who they are” ??? They are still the Republican Party and they still have the same ideals as they did during the entire campaign and years before. Just because a Republican lost the Presidential election does not mean Republicans in general are now empty voids with no identity. Ok, so maybe some of the over-the-top ones lost some of the bigot attitude and looked past someones skin color when they were deciding who they would vote for but that’s hardly losing one’s identity unless that’s what you base your life on… *rolls eyes* As for understanding “how it could happen” … That’s easy…. the majority of the American people spoke via ballot how they felt and a decision was made. End of story. Take your diaper off and go about your life, the sun will still rise in the morning. We may not be able to see it due to pollution one day, but hey, it will still be there. LOL

“We have to watch this guy and not give him an inch,” one McCain supporter wrote. “The same way he criticized every move of President Bush. We have to make things as difficult for him as he did for Bush.”

And what are you going to do about it during the next four years? Turn into a Cindy Sheehan and camp out in front of Obama’s house? Give me a break. Of course we have to pay attention to what the President of the United States is doing. That is the whole reason we’re in the mess that we’re in. Everyone talks about “watching our government” and making sure they don’t trash our rights but yet nothing ever gets done. I’m sure this next run will be no different as long as people like you make comments like that and don’t actually do anything about it.

The fact of the matter is this. More than half the country voted for Obama and he won. Now instead of causing problems and running around whining like little babies, continue to do something to help your country rather than hinder it. McCain lost, Obama is in so stop living in the past and wondering about what you could have done to make things better then and focus on making things better now and in the future with the tools you have. If you’re afraid of certain things Obama wants to put into effect, start your process now with getting all the facts on what it is you’re going to protest and mail/call your local representatives about. Being President doesn’t mean “absolute power” even with a support Democratic House or Senate as long as the people exercise the check and balance system in place. Bring light to the faces of those representatives that don’t do what the majority of the people ask of them as they are failing to do so and start making the government work for you. If you don’t do anything to interact and involve yourself in the established channels, no matter how hard it is, you have no right to complain about anything that is put in place. 

As for making things as difficult as possible?! That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. You sir or ma’am are and IDIOT! Use the system to support or fight individual policies but don’t go off and make some half-cocked comments that we need to make things as difficult as possible for the new President. Thanks for helping add to the problems bonehead.

So many times people like to blame the top of the food chain first and foremost for all the problems in the nation and while it is easiest to do so, it also isn’t always where the blame should be. Yes, the top of the food chain may come up with ideas, albeit some dumb ones, that get pitched, accepted and put into bill form, but it takes representatives to vote it in or out at the end of the day. Now if the entire representative system is voting in the favor of the people and the President still pushes back – then we have obvious problems which do have solutions through that same system. So many people want to complain that the government doesn’t work for them yet they are doing nothing to make it work for them. Yes, many politicians are crooked but in some ways it’s the American people’s fault. We allow them to do it. We see them doing what we don’t like and we allow them to stay in office. If we’re not going to do anything about it, why worry right? WRONG! Pay attention and educate yourselves on what your representatives are doing. If they aren’t doing their jobs to what you believe they should be, vote them out. If you lose in such a vote and people have voted them in again, look at it in two ways. 1) Maybe you’re wrong and should educate yourself further or, more often than not, 2) The people who voted them back in are uneducated and you should focus your efforts on ensuring they make good educated decisions.

Education people. It’s what this nation lacks most. It’s probably one of the biggest reasons why our government is in the shape it’s in. When I say education I don’t necessarily mean a college or other post-secondary education. I mean self education on what the current issues are and what people are standing for. I wonder how many people didn’t vote based on issues or actual track records of representatives but instead voted to keep the existing status or voted for some other reason (race, religion, whatever) this election. I’d bet more than 70% easily.

Anyway, I’m rambling and this is quite honestly something I could go on about for hours that I don’t have. If we’re ever going to survive as a nation we need to not only pull together and work together, but educate ourselves before blindly voting, protesting or trying to influence others. If we don’t, we’re doomed. PERIOD. As I stated before, some of the things I said earlier, weren’t a slam on a group of people but a slam on individuals who blindly or ignorantly complain. Aside from that what has been said over and over again is so very true. Education and Unity are the only things that will save us. Hopefully somewhere in the near future enough of us can put the past in the past, look to the future and move forward together as “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” If we don’t find and embrace those roots that this nation was built on and immerse ourselves in striving for the same future the founders of this country envisioned, then it was all for naught and this nation will perish.

“World leaders are trying to calm anxious investors…”

That’s a the words I read this morning on cnn… did it make me feel any better? No. Why? Well, as the market shows, it doesn’t matter what the governments are saying, investors (not to mention people in general) don’t trust them any more.

You say things will get better, but yet instead of stepping in and directly regulating failing banks, you simply produce a bailout plan that pays these companies billions of dollars to recoupe their failures. Why? Don’t you understand the biggest problem is not the fact they are in debt, it’s how they got there.

Between million dollar payouts to high ranking executives to poor spending habits (see AIG’s 500k retreat for their execs after an 85 billion dollar loan) these companies will continue to downward spiral until the money that us taxpayers are footing the bill for in some way or another is all gone yet again. You might as well sit out front on the steps of the Capitol and burn money and throw it to the wind.

Someone asked me why I was a bit cranky this week. Wouldn’t you be if you were watching as the key points of your 401k were just burning out? Now, keep in mind I am optimistic as to my investments and have faith in the particular ones I’ve chosen only because I trust the people who directly influence them and know that somehow those investments will recover once the bottom of this pit has been reached. Those investments don’t depend soley on the health of the stock market to continue doing business and that is why I chose them. One day, they can recover. But do I trust things will get better when government officials who allowed this to happen says they’re doing everything they can? *NO*

As I made pretty clear yesterday, I’m unhappy with the political and economic health of this nation. While being a nation of unparalleled freedoms it has also become a nation of greedy politicians and businessmen. While not all are blatent liars and thieves, the vast majority of them which directly affects us are. While at this point in time, my family is doing ok, who’s to say tomorrow says the same tale if things continue the way they are.

We’ve tolerated too much as a nation by putting our trust people who do not have our best interests in mind. They don’t care about their neighbors, just themselves. You see them with multiple houses (*cough*McCain*cough*) that they don’t need while families are losing their homes. Now, don’t get me wrong here… just because many of the leaders (both business and government)  are crooked doesn’t mean some of the American people aren’t to blame either.

The mortgage crisis, is in part the people’s fault for allowing it to happen. Wether through ignorance or plain stupidity, a lot of people fell for these shady offers that lenders put out there. I’m sorry, but a subprime loan that has an ajustable rate… use your noggins. If your payment was 1200/mo at the time of signing and you could barely afford it, you had two options… a) have a solid plan to refinance on a fixed rate within 2 yrs or b) make enough money to handle the hike in price. A huge chunk of the failed mortgages were due to the fact that when those loans adjusted up, people couldn’t afford their payments anymore. I blame both parties there. The lenders for allowing people to put themselves into that position without properly educating them and the borrowers for not having the sense to walk away if it was something they couldn’t do.

Regardless, the nation, the world is in turmoil and bleeding out due to many factors and instead of actually addressing and fixing those things, we’re trying to apply bandages where stitches and sometimes amputation is necessary.  I wouldn’t be too surprised if we dropped under 8,000 today. *shrug*

who knows…

yes, the rumors of my demise are false…  after a brief little vacation from technology, with the exception of some copious amounts of video gaming and movie watching when not being all consumed by work related projects, I am back with more material…

so, politics… *rolls eyes* wth!? I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m voting Myke Reinhold this year. (i’ll post the explainatory link attached to his name once his website issues are resolved) So. In looking at the candidates what do we have? Obama and McCain, but lets not forget their shadows, Biden and Palin.

Between one that constantly puts his foot in his mouth and the other who couldn’t answer a question with a straight answer if her own life depended on it, I think we’re in trouble either way on the VP front. I’m not saying we’re doing better on the actual Presidential side either. We’ve got Bush’s BFF and a man who I think intends well but I’m unsure on how well he can deliver without plowing over the American people in the process of fixing things. Let’s face it, we’re all done for. 🙂 I guess the moral of the story here is, if you want the same thing that’s been going on for 8 years to continue, you know which way to go. If you’re the gambling type you have a choice there as well.

To each and all who vote:

Forget about your party of preference, forget about what your friends or family tell you about a specific candidate. Ignore commercial spots and emails as their sole intention is to use the lowest tactics possible to tempt your vote. Educate yourself. Learn about the individual and how they will govern andc hoose the person, not the party that will best handle what you feel is important. If you simply vote Republican or Democrat or follow the advice of others, you’re acting out of ignorance and might as well have not even showed up to the polls as an ignorant vote can be more devistating than a missing vote.

Now… onto the economy… So, where’s my t-shirt that says “I told you so” about the bailout? 🙂 When the first bill failed, the market dropped a little shy of 700 points… when the second attempt passed the market dropped almost 1000 points. Take a hint!

I think government bailouts are just another method of prolonging the inevitable. I mean, let’s face it. One of the first bailouts with AIG was not only dumb but it proved that nothing would change. There is a reason why AIG was in trouble and it wasn’t because they were the victim. It comes from being poorly operated and making bad business decisions. I look at CNN this morning and see a headline “Three weeks after an $85 billion bailout, AIG is turning to the New York Fed for additional funding,” and I think to myself why do they need more money? Then I read about how they spent $440,000.00 on a retreat for executives that included spa treatments, banquets and golf tournaments!? uhhh… that’s taxpayer money you just spent! I personally am sick of these CEO’s and other executives who get retarded amounts of money and boards who willingly allow these stuck up rich bastards to negotiate contracts which allow for them to take in ridiculous amounts of money no matter if the business flops or succeeds then pass along those costs to the consumers at the other end labeling it as needed due to increase in costs to produce products.

Hey, instead of giving someone a golden parachute or lining their pockets with enough money in one month to pay the salaries of 200-300+ employees, how about use that money to HELP the American economy rather than kill it!? Instead of taking some reductions at the top, these companies lay off workers at the bottom and then go begging for money from the government, which is our tax money by the way, in order to keep their billionaire lifestyles and sit behind their desk signing off on ridiculous expenses, talking about their golf game with their cronies and giving themselves raises.

I say let the banks fail. The FDIC insures the deposits up to a limit so the working class doesn’t lose their money because the banks are stupid and when the bank rolls over and dies the pieces get picked up by another bank. I saw it happen with WAMU and everything seems to be running okay there and Chase bank is now bigger and stronger because of it. Yes, the world economy is going to feel it and things will get bad before they get better, but this bailout business is just prolonging an even bigger collapse. It teaches nothing to these folks except that it’s okay to continue acting the way they are.

But… what do I know? I’m just a server administrator for a natural gas company. I’m not a political or economical expert nor do I pretend to be. I’m just an angry American citizen who is fed up with the way things have been allowed to get. I worry for my family, our freedoms and our financial future and where the world will be tomorrow.

Read first, comments after:

MARIETTA, Ga.

Parents are criticizing Marietta school officials after video of a chaotic school bus ride was posted on YouTube.
The incident began last Friday, when school officials said the driver pulled over to write up students who were being unruly.
A cell phone camera captured students on the bus getting more upset, after the students claimed the bus driver refused to let them off.

The students can be seen and heard on the video screaming for help. Students are also seen jumping off the bus through the emergency exit.
One of those students, DeBrandon Harris, said he was suspended from school and cannot return until further notice.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I was fearing for my life,” Harris said.

But the Marietta High School student and his mother believe that he’s being made a scapegoat for the other students.

“This doesn’t look good on my college application,” Harris said.
Thomas Algarin, the communications director for Marietta city schools, told CBS 46 News Monday that this was the bus driver’s first solo run with these students. It may also be her last. The driver is being removed from her duties pending an investigation.
When the driver finally stopped in a shopping center parking lot, furious parents confronted her.

Susan Caudill said she talked to her son while he was stuck on the bus.
“If you had heard what I heard on the phone, including ‘I’m being kidnapped,’ it would take some years off your life,” Caudill said.

Another parent, Jerrea Harris watched the video and said she never wants to see anything like this again.
“This is unbelievable. I’m very concerned,” Harris said.

The video has been removed from YouTube.

School officials did not release the bus driver’s name. They said the investigation is ongoing.

Officials said they will talk to all of the students who were on the bus.
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So what you’re telling me is that the bus driver who is responsible for the children pulled over the bus because there were children on it that needed to be written up immediately and upon doing so wouldn’t allow students to get off the bus because it was not their appropriate stop and/or could have been a dangerous location (traffic, etc) to allow children off… right?

I’m sorry but “I was fearing for my life” is about the absolute dumbest thing I’ve ever read in relation to a story like this. Sorry kid, no amount of college is going to help you if you seriously think your life was in danger because a school bus full of loud crazy kids is pulled over while the bus driver writes some of them up. You are an idiot and your parents probably are too.
Have we really become this mellow dramatic? This is absolutely pathetic. Both parents and students alike are a bunch of big whiney babies. If my child came home and gave me a tale like this I would look at her like she was crazy then if she had actually gotten off the bus, would be grounded until the end of time.

I mean there are a few items worth noting that you can honestly say “I was fearing for my life” when talking about a school bus incident.

a) someone has a weapon and is pointing at you.
b) someone is beating you to a bloody pulp in the back of the bus.
c) the bus has been involved in an accident and there are massive injuries all around you.

If there was that much chaos on the bus that the driver could not control it, she had every right and responsibility to pull it over to try to address the situation. A chaotic school bus is dangerous because it is distracting to the driver. Pulling it over was the safest action to take and keeping the children on the bus rather than let them off was in accordance to that action. I
seriously don’t think she should be blamed for anything other than trying to take responsibility for a bunch of out of control kids. If anything the parents should be punishing their kids… then again with things the way they are these days any form of “punishment” is considered to be abuse.

I can tell you what. If this happened to me growing up I would have been in some serious crap if I had anything to do with making the situation worse or even more so if I had gotten off that bus if I was in no real danger. I think some parents these days need to have their butts handed to them for immediately siding with their ‘perfect little children’ and not thinking for a minute that they might be the cause of the problems.

Now, keep in mind I’m going off the details handed me by this new article, so based on them, that is how I feel. If the situation was different somehow it may change my opinion, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t need adjusting.