First Post

Well, here's another blog to add to the vast array already out there floating around the internet. I don't really have much to say at the moment, so I don't even know why I created this thing. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Thanksgiving will be here in a couple of days. Always a fun day - lots of good food. My roommates and I and several friends prepared a large "Thanksgiving" meal this past Saturday evening. I successfully cooked a turkey for the first time. Other dishes I prepared were sausage balls, green bean casserole, french onion dip, and cream corn. Other dishes we had were: vegetable casserole, chicken dressing, cornbread salad, sweet potato casserole, turnip greens, squash casserole, deviled eggs, hashbrown casserole, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice cake, pecan & cranberry pie, an assortment of white and milk chocolate covered desserts, sweet tea, ...
Everyone who showed up seemed to enjoy it. Although, half the people we invited (and planned the date around) decided not to show up at the last minute, which seemed a little rude to me. Oh well, thats how people can be I guess. I don't think I'll ever understand them? But there were plenty of leftovers to eat off of for days.

I started a new job a couple of weeks ago. Already, I'm realizing why I decided to go to graduate school and why I am so looking forward to start working on a Ph.D. in geography somewhere next fall. Anyway, this job involves staring at a computer screen all day, right hand latched onto a mouse - I can't imagine doing that for any extended amount of time. Data collection and updating databases, statistics, GIS, geocoding, and research are all involved. But, it pays the bills.

Someone sent me one of those "forwarded" emails the other day as many people often do. This particular one actually made me mad for some reason. Here is what the forward said (sorry it looks all garbled up, but you get the gist):

"> "What you are is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your> gift> > to God."> > Danish proverb
>>>> > >The way it should be> > >Good morning> > >Welcome to the United States of America> > >Press "1" for English> > >Press "2" to disconnect until you have learned to speak English.> > >> > > >Subject: FW: SOCIAL SECURITY> > > >> > > >My mom was a homemaker and dad worked all his life and> > > >paid into SS, dad> > > >has passed away and now my mom can barely make ends> > > >meet. While the> > > >possible "illegal" alien in front of her at the> > > >grocery store buys the> > > >name brands, my mom goes for the generic brands, and> > > >day old breads. She> > > >doesn't have out of state calling on her phone,> > > >because she can't afford> > > >it and shops at the thrift shops and dollar stores> > > >while the "illegal"> > > >aliens go to Macy's, Gap, J.C. Penny, Banana Republic,> > > >etc. She> > > >considers having a pizza delivered once a week "eating> > > >out". She grew up> > > >during the depression, watched her husband go overseas> > > >to fight in WW II> > > >a year after their marriage, and then they went on to> > > >raise, feed and> > > >clothe 5 children, scrounging to pay tuition for> > > >parochial schools. I'm> > > >sorry, but I can't see how the Senate can justify this> > > >slap in the face> > > >to born and bred!, or naturalized citizens. It is> > > >already impossible to> > > >live on Social Security alone. If they give Benefits> > > >to "illegal" aliens> > > >who have never contributed, where does that leave us> > > >that have paid into> > > >Social Security all our working lives? The Senate> > > >voted this week to> > > >allow "illegal" aliens access to Social Security> > > >Benefits. Attached is> > > >an opportunity to sign a petition That requires> > > >citizenship for> > > >eligibility to receive social services. If you do not> > > >wish to sign the> > > >petition yourself, please forward on to anyone you> > > >think might be> > > >interested.> > > >> > > >PETITION FOR: President Bush> > > >> > > >Mr. President:> > > >The petition below is a protest against the recent> > > >vote of the senate> > > >which was to allow illegal aliens access to our social> > > >security! We> > > >demand that you and all congressional representatives> > > >require> > > >citizenship for anyone to Be eligible for social> > > >services in the United> > > >States. "

--and then a list of almost 500 names made up the rest of the email, followed by this statement:

"> > > >If you don't forward the petition and just stop it, we> > > >will lose all> > > >these names. If you do not want to sign it, please> > > >just> > > >forward it to anyone who might want a voice. Thank> > > >you!!!> > > >> > > >To add your name, click on "forward". You will be able> > > >to add> > > >your name at the bottom of the list and then forward> > > >it to your> > > >friends.> > > >> > > >I just copied it and pasted it to a new email - then I> > > >was> > > >able to add my name.> > > >> > > >> > > >THE 1,000TH PERSON SEND IT ON TO THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL> > > >ADDRESS:> > > >President@WhiteHouse.gov"

Was I justified in getting angry over it? I started to write a response and "Reply to all" that it was sent to, but then decided against it because it probably would have just gone over their heads anyway. Who Knows. That type of stuff just serves to provoke narrow-mindedness about things and people and cultural differences. But you can't try to tell some people anything that goes against what they think about things.

Anyway, the following is what I felt inclined to write down after reading it:
"My, My. I sure feel so sorry for this poor unfortunate old lady. But if she really is this destitute, why is she solely relying on Social Security? Why isn't she out looking for a job to help support herself? Did her five children suddenly abandon her as well? Surely at least one of them made something of him or herself and could help support her if she raised them properly. I also find it hard to believe that (up until last week) a majority republican Senate would be considering enacting legislation that would give the same benefits to undocumented immigrants that U.S. citizens receive. Remember, this is the same senate that voted recently to use your tax dollars (that could be much better spent elsewhere) to construct a 2,000 mile long wall along the entire length of the U.S./Mexico border (never mind the fact that throughout history "walls" have always failed - Berlin wall, iron curtain, Israel/Palestine wall, etc...). This is the same Senate that voted to make it a felony to have any interaction with undocumented immigrants. I just find it hard to believe that this senate would also be considering legislation giving Social security benefits to undocumented persons.Maybe if this lady needs more help we could all vote to raise taxes to have more funds to put into Social Security. Or, we could reallocate funds from the already poorly funded education system to help this lady out (I doubt congress would allow a decrease to the defense budget at all for the same purpose - we have a war in Iraq to pay for you know). Last time I checked, I didn't notice too many "illegal" immigrants shopping at high end stores - they really can't afford to, but at least they are working to support themselves and their families back home in their origin countries. And most do pay taxes in one form or another. Most work long hours day to day in low-wage jobs such as construction and landscaping in cities, or agriculture and food processing in rural areas. You won't find as many Americans doing these jobs anymore because they can't get paid as much as they want to, but they also want cheap goods and services which requires someone to perform low-wage jobs to produce those low-cost goods and services. I would also like to point out here that, from direct personal observation on my part, the poorest of the poor in America are far wealthier than a lot of people around this world. I'm beginning to wonder about Americans in general. Most act so entitled and self-centered about everything, always coming up with excuses and blaming others for their own shortcomings. And they worry and fret over the stupidest things. Most have absolutely no earthly idea of the horrors that many people in this world go through on a daily basis. Many Americans could do with a good eye-opening!"

People are funny! Anyway, that's about all I have to say right now.