Here's some very quick math: The Congress approved a $700 billion bailout plan. There are, according to the latest census count, about 228,889,959 citizens in the United States over the age of 18.
If instead of writing checks to big corporations for the $770 billion, which yes, might eventually trickle down to us at some point, they were to distribute that amount equally to every adult in this country, we'd each receive a check for $3,058 in the mail.
Now imagine how quickly this economy would spur ahead if we were each given an extra three grand to spend - on bills, on Christmas and Holiday gifts, home improvements, clothes, or vacations. I think we would see faster and bigger results this way than by bailing out multinational companies.
There, that's all I'm going to say on that.
A blog from Everard Strong, publisher and editor of Bay Area Kids magazine, and father of two. www.bakidsmagazine.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
In a galaxy far far away
Okay, one addendum to that last post about memories.
In the second box, under a bunch of other crap, I found a stack of comic books that I found to be worth over $600 - so that's nice. But, most important, I also found ... all my old Star Wars toys. For all you Star Wars geeks, that means the original Millenium Falcon and Star Destroyer playsets, and also a lot of the characters: Han Solo, Darth, C3PO, R2D2, Luke Skywalker, Chewie, and so on.
Even better, I brought all of these out for my daughter to see, and she went nuts (my son did too, but mostly he was excited because he just found some new chew toys).
So naturally, I figured it was time to introduce her to the Star Wars movie. It was a proud moment to sit on that couch with my arm around my daughter, watching the opening scroll. We bypassed some of the more gruesome moments, but overall, a success.
In the second box, under a bunch of other crap, I found a stack of comic books that I found to be worth over $600 - so that's nice. But, most important, I also found ... all my old Star Wars toys. For all you Star Wars geeks, that means the original Millenium Falcon and Star Destroyer playsets, and also a lot of the characters: Han Solo, Darth, C3PO, R2D2, Luke Skywalker, Chewie, and so on.
Even better, I brought all of these out for my daughter to see, and she went nuts (my son did too, but mostly he was excited because he just found some new chew toys).
So naturally, I figured it was time to introduce her to the Star Wars movie. It was a proud moment to sit on that couch with my arm around my daughter, watching the opening scroll. We bypassed some of the more gruesome moments, but overall, a success.
Boxed in memories
My parents recently moved to California from the Midwest and along with their furniture, they also brought a bunch of boxes that were, according to my mom, full of my junk. These boxes were gleefully unloaded on my front porch, as my parents were pretty happy to unload themselves of the extra baggage.
So I lugged the mystery boxes into the living room and into a corner, where I basically ignored them for a couple of days, not ready to delve into what could be lurking behind those cover flaps.
Finally, however, curiosity got the better of me, and armed with an exacto knife in one hand, and a glass of cabernet in the other, sat down in front of the first one, took a deep breath ... and coughed my lungs out. That's a lot of dust!
I am not one that keeps "things" around for very long. Photos, old projects, things that others might cherish as memories from long ago - every two years I cleanse my life of a lot of these things, not because of the bad memories, but because I need to make space for newer junk. Looking back I probably threw some sentimental objects out that I would have cherished down the line, but then again, if these objects aren't around to arouse my sentimentality, I won't miss it either.
Looking through these boxes, however, I realized that my parents were quite the opposite. Inside I found papers and art projects from my youth that, though now as a parent I can see they probably kept, are not things I want or want around. Old art pieces from when I was six? Why would I want those - so I can look back and see how far my talents have brought me? Wow, I was a really bad artist back then, but look at me now?
There were also some old compositions I wrote for Freshmen lit class. Really? Do I need to look back at my attempts at poetry and romantic stories that were thinly veiled autobiographical accounts of my schoolgirl crushes? Hmmmm .... nope.
Some of the stuff - yearbooks and college directories - are great because I can Google classmates and find out how far they've come (or not - for some reason many of these people can't be Googled at all, so either they're off the grid, or doing things in their life that don't merit a Google hit.)
I know many people will say But those are your memories, you can't just toss those away! Someday you'll look back at it all, or be able to show it to your grandchildren. To which I say No, I won't look back at most of it, because most of it isn't worth looking back at. It's the same for a lot of our memories and past experiences. Sure they shaped us into what we are today, but that doesn't mean they all need to be remembered or cherished. Their job is done, it's time to move on.
So I lugged the mystery boxes into the living room and into a corner, where I basically ignored them for a couple of days, not ready to delve into what could be lurking behind those cover flaps.
Finally, however, curiosity got the better of me, and armed with an exacto knife in one hand, and a glass of cabernet in the other, sat down in front of the first one, took a deep breath ... and coughed my lungs out. That's a lot of dust!
I am not one that keeps "things" around for very long. Photos, old projects, things that others might cherish as memories from long ago - every two years I cleanse my life of a lot of these things, not because of the bad memories, but because I need to make space for newer junk. Looking back I probably threw some sentimental objects out that I would have cherished down the line, but then again, if these objects aren't around to arouse my sentimentality, I won't miss it either.
Looking through these boxes, however, I realized that my parents were quite the opposite. Inside I found papers and art projects from my youth that, though now as a parent I can see they probably kept, are not things I want or want around. Old art pieces from when I was six? Why would I want those - so I can look back and see how far my talents have brought me? Wow, I was a really bad artist back then, but look at me now?
There were also some old compositions I wrote for Freshmen lit class. Really? Do I need to look back at my attempts at poetry and romantic stories that were thinly veiled autobiographical accounts of my schoolgirl crushes? Hmmmm .... nope.
Some of the stuff - yearbooks and college directories - are great because I can Google classmates and find out how far they've come (or not - for some reason many of these people can't be Googled at all, so either they're off the grid, or doing things in their life that don't merit a Google hit.)
I know many people will say But those are your memories, you can't just toss those away! Someday you'll look back at it all, or be able to show it to your grandchildren. To which I say No, I won't look back at most of it, because most of it isn't worth looking back at. It's the same for a lot of our memories and past experiences. Sure they shaped us into what we are today, but that doesn't mean they all need to be remembered or cherished. Their job is done, it's time to move on.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Where is all the good news
Is it the media's job to report the news, or to actually create the news? I get the feeling more and more that it's the latter - I feel like we're in an endless cycle of bad news begetting bad news begetting bad news - which yes, I do feel affects our day-to-day outlooks and spending habits.
This has become more evident with the reporting on the current economy. If you were to read the papers and listen to NPR, you'd get the feeling that we were in a major catastrophic recession and everyone should run to the hills now because The End is Near! Run! Ahhhhh! No, don't pack your things, just go now! Not only that but we are in an eminent global fuel shortage.
And here's where I get miffed: going home after picking up the two tots from daycare, I pass by several gas stations - and guess what? Gas prices have come down. A lot. One gas station has it posted for $3.39/gallon, and a friend told me that it's down to $3.29 a gallon in Vallejo.
$3.39 a gallon! That's about 70 cents lower than it was only three months ago, or about $8.40 savings each time you fill up a 12 gallon tank! It's almost to the levels they were about a year ago. If we ever needed a sign of recovery, I would think this would be it. And yet, I hear nothing - nothing - about this in the news at all. In fact, the media is still preaching that we're in the middle of a fuel crises.
So here we are in a recession, and yet gas prices are still dropping. The media should be all over this: "Look America, it's okay to leave your house again! You got rid of the SUV, so fill up your mid-sized sedan and take your family places! Go out to eat, go to the national parks, go to faraway lands. Visit places, spend money, be free!"
This has become more evident with the reporting on the current economy. If you were to read the papers and listen to NPR, you'd get the feeling that we were in a major catastrophic recession and everyone should run to the hills now because The End is Near! Run! Ahhhhh! No, don't pack your things, just go now! Not only that but we are in an eminent global fuel shortage.
And here's where I get miffed: going home after picking up the two tots from daycare, I pass by several gas stations - and guess what? Gas prices have come down. A lot. One gas station has it posted for $3.39/gallon, and a friend told me that it's down to $3.29 a gallon in Vallejo.
$3.39 a gallon! That's about 70 cents lower than it was only three months ago, or about $8.40 savings each time you fill up a 12 gallon tank! It's almost to the levels they were about a year ago. If we ever needed a sign of recovery, I would think this would be it. And yet, I hear nothing - nothing - about this in the news at all. In fact, the media is still preaching that we're in the middle of a fuel crises.
So here we are in a recession, and yet gas prices are still dropping. The media should be all over this: "Look America, it's okay to leave your house again! You got rid of the SUV, so fill up your mid-sized sedan and take your family places! Go out to eat, go to the national parks, go to faraway lands. Visit places, spend money, be free!"
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Daddy was (not) a punk
I never was into punk rock - I guess I had too happy of a childhood. Until now.
It started because my old job was in Tracy, and I started listening to the Adam Carolla show (and yes, I had a bit of a crush on his co-star, Theresa Strasser) in the mornings. The problem was that whatever station he was out of in the East Bay, the signal would fizzle when I crossed the Altamont Pass.
(Trivia: do you realize that the Altamont Freeway, which is like 5 minutes passed the pass towards Tracy is where the Rolling Stones had their [in]famous Altamont concert? Rock history in our own backyards.)
So anyways, I found that they were also broadcasting the show on Sacramento's 106.5 KWOD, and the signal is strong enough that I can listen to it all the way to Oakland, and I think even into the city of San Francisco itself.
The station is mostly a music station, so I found myself listening to them even after Adam went off the air, and on the drive home. At first I was a bit put off, because they were playing the kind of music that I had been avoiding. I think it started when I heard Linkin Park's "Numb" (the video features actress Briana Evigan, better known as the hot dance star from Step Up 2 the Streets, which, btw, has an incredible soundtrack) that I started to pay more attention, and then I started really liking the Foo Fighters and getting into their whole catalog.
So now, I'm a KWOD music junkie, which also, by proxy, means I'm turning into a punk/rock/emo junkie. Their playlist is amazing, and if you're missing out on some fresh music, turn your car radio to 106.5 and give it a couple of days.
Here are some of my favorite new groups/songs (and the more I play them around my children, the more I find them dancing along too - and yes, I make sure there are no questionable lyrics):
It started because my old job was in Tracy, and I started listening to the Adam Carolla show (and yes, I had a bit of a crush on his co-star, Theresa Strasser) in the mornings. The problem was that whatever station he was out of in the East Bay, the signal would fizzle when I crossed the Altamont Pass.
(Trivia: do you realize that the Altamont Freeway, which is like 5 minutes passed the pass towards Tracy is where the Rolling Stones had their [in]famous Altamont concert? Rock history in our own backyards.)
So anyways, I found that they were also broadcasting the show on Sacramento's 106.5 KWOD, and the signal is strong enough that I can listen to it all the way to Oakland, and I think even into the city of San Francisco itself.
The station is mostly a music station, so I found myself listening to them even after Adam went off the air, and on the drive home. At first I was a bit put off, because they were playing the kind of music that I had been avoiding. I think it started when I heard Linkin Park's "Numb" (the video features actress Briana Evigan, better known as the hot dance star from Step Up 2 the Streets, which, btw, has an incredible soundtrack) that I started to pay more attention, and then I started really liking the Foo Fighters and getting into their whole catalog.
So now, I'm a KWOD music junkie, which also, by proxy, means I'm turning into a punk/rock/emo junkie. Their playlist is amazing, and if you're missing out on some fresh music, turn your car radio to 106.5 and give it a couple of days.
Here are some of my favorite new groups/songs (and the more I play them around my children, the more I find them dancing along too - and yes, I make sure there are no questionable lyrics):
- The Killers. These guys, out of Las Vegas, are becoming one of my favorite bands just in general, with "Can You Read My Mind" being one of my favorite ever songs, but their newest single, Human, is a great 80s dance throwback while still having a wonderful melody line.
- MGMT. Their song "Time to Pretend" took me several listens to really like, but now I can't stop pressing the Repeat button on the iPod. If you like Bowie's Ziggy days, you'll like MGMT.
- Against Me. Their song "Thrash/Unreal" is one of those raw, emotional "us against the world" numbers backed by a really poppy score.
- Fall out Boy. I avoided this band for a long time, thinking them an overnight fad, but the more I listened to "Thanks for the Memories" the more I couldn't help liking them. Plus, their cover of Michael Jackson's Beat it is just hilarious, and Petey, the guitar player, is a deadringer for a very young Marlon Brando. On stage, they remind me of the Who meets the Monkees. They have a new album out.
- Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Beyond having what could be considered the best name of all time for a group, the Bay Area group is actually a composite of several punk bands who get together to do upbeat "punk" versions of everything from Broadway numbers to 70s schlock to 80s disco to country. Their version of "I Believe I can Fly" is better than the original. Great party music.
That's it for now, more available upon demand.
Sweet Ginger Brown
I've been out of commission for a while - was laid out for almost two weeks with a nasty cold/virus/lung thing that refused to go away. I'm not one of those types who suffers silently - I'm all about modern medications - so at the first sign of something going wrong I'm perusing the local Cold/Flu aisle at Safeway, Long's, and Walgreens.
I realize that I should have been a good boy and father figure and gone to my doctor's right away, but I rationalized that by the time I got an appointment, got the antibiotics and took them long enough to take effect, the virus would have run its course anyway, right?
Apparently, since I'm still coughing, I was wrong. But now I'm so far into it that the idea of going to the doctor's really seems unjustified.
So anyway, I have these coughing fits that leave me a wreck, and I've been trying everything to soothe the savage lung, but nothing was working: lozenges, Dayquil, special teas. Nothing was working. However I remembered that a couple of years ago a friend told me his mom used to give him a steeped ginger and honey infusion that would alleviate his coughing for a long time.
So at first I tried to find some ginger tea, but saw nothing, and finally grabbed some ginger roots and went home, cut some up, and through it into a cup with a tad bit of honey and lots of hot water and let it sit for about five minutes (covered). The results were ... amazing. I could feel my lungs and throat relax almost immediately, and even my sinuses started opening up. So there you go, the cure for the common cold. I have to figure out how to prep this so that my kids will drink it come cold season - perhaps I need a bit more honey, or maybe I'll use a spoonfull of sugar. Hey, it worked for Mary Poppins, right?
I realize that I should have been a good boy and father figure and gone to my doctor's right away, but I rationalized that by the time I got an appointment, got the antibiotics and took them long enough to take effect, the virus would have run its course anyway, right?
Apparently, since I'm still coughing, I was wrong. But now I'm so far into it that the idea of going to the doctor's really seems unjustified.
So anyway, I have these coughing fits that leave me a wreck, and I've been trying everything to soothe the savage lung, but nothing was working: lozenges, Dayquil, special teas. Nothing was working. However I remembered that a couple of years ago a friend told me his mom used to give him a steeped ginger and honey infusion that would alleviate his coughing for a long time.
So at first I tried to find some ginger tea, but saw nothing, and finally grabbed some ginger roots and went home, cut some up, and through it into a cup with a tad bit of honey and lots of hot water and let it sit for about five minutes (covered). The results were ... amazing. I could feel my lungs and throat relax almost immediately, and even my sinuses started opening up. So there you go, the cure for the common cold. I have to figure out how to prep this so that my kids will drink it come cold season - perhaps I need a bit more honey, or maybe I'll use a spoonfull of sugar. Hey, it worked for Mary Poppins, right?
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