...Because it's never too late to jump on the bandwagon

Used My "Angry" TItle Too Soon!

Turns out that wasn't anger.  Anger is more like this, where I cannot continue on with the work in front of me because I am so distracted and I feel a little sick to my stomach.  Here is a post I just saw on Facebook:

I know, right?  I mean, how can someone even dare say this in a time where our unemployment rate is at heights not seen in generations?  The haughtiness, the condescension, the indifference to others' plights!  It is just galling!  I seriously should probably defriend this person, but I do value being exposed to the opinions and resources of people with different points of view.  Here's the comment I posted on the picture:

"If only everyone knew this! The unemployment rate surely would plummet if the unemployed were informed that they could get money if they just got a job. Stupid unemployed people! 

These people are really getting on my last nerve with their free speech and their peaceful assemblies."

Because of course, this is all in reference to the Occupy movement.  Wherein the exact same methods (if not ideologies) are used by these people that have been used by the Tea Party.  Which was ok then, but is totally not now.  I mean, we can all see the distinction there, right?

I will say that some of the motivations we may attribute to some of these people are not ones I could agree with (just like I can't agree with all of those by the Tea Partiers).  Like, the feeling or idea that rich people don't deserve what they have.  In some cases, this is very, very, disgustingly, overwhelmingly true.  But in some cases it is not, and our society's principles are that you get rich through your own talent and effort, and that is to be lauded not derided.  So, there is some haughtiness and insult on each side.  

Yet, the latter doesn't make me sick to my stomach.  And I also understand the origins of their feelings, whereas I just don't understand how anyone could even think what they were thinking to create that poster!  Anyway, when you also have this:

you can start to get the sense that there is something...unfair.  Something even...nefarious, perhaps?  Surely those CEOs in other countries are talented and have worked hard as well.  And consistent with our American philosophy, they deserve to prosper for it.  But, does this philosophy have a limit?  Might we say that if someone is particularly talented and hard-working at economically subjugating masses of other people, that perhaps the rewards are less merited?  Or, to frame it in a way that more conservatives might understand, did our founders envision people being rewarded not only based on their talents and hard work, but by leveraging the power that they "earned" against those with less power in order to extend further and further and further those rewards they get? That at some point, they are no longer being rewarded for their talents and hard work, but for other less admirable things?  Like who their money has bought them access to?  Or for being a person that can more easily dismiss social implications of their actions (because those that are bothered by those concerns will not be rewarded as much)?  Just some thoughts...

I'm not trying to say that we should have a law that says CEO pay shall not exceed lineworker pay by more than a ratio of 10 or 100 or something.  None of those other countries have those laws.  They just, I think, have a culture that places a slightly more equitable value on people's talents and work.  They still reward the CEO more, but it really reveals their values as a culture.  And I'm sad and angry that Americans don't have those values, too.

Angry!

There's a mumps outbreak going on.  Last year, it was Whooping Cough.  People actually died of that.  But still, there are "flat-earth" parents that are not getting their kids immunized because they don't want them to become autistic.  Ugh.

So now we are losing our herd immunity and diseases that were, for all intents and purposes, eradicated are actually killing people!  I'm very libertarian in letting people live their own lives and choose how to do so without interference from anyone else.  But, I'm more skeptical about seatbelt and helmet laws than this.  At least in those cases there usually aren't injuries or deaths to parties other than the ones not wearing the aforementioned safety gear.  There are just costs to us taxpayers and in the private market.  But here, these people are doing more harm to the rest of us.

I'm resisting the instinct for punitive damages, but at the least, they should be quarantined for the protection of society!  I am always really distressed about how little people are held accountable for their actions.  And in this example, if they want to have the freedom to not get their kids vaccinated, they should be the only ones to suffer any consequences.

Future Trips?

I read this article yesterday about the Arctic ice melting a lot faster than climate modelers have been predicting and a variety of factors for that.  It's hard to believe how soon it could be gone.  I think we need to schedule a trip to Churchill ASAP to see polar bears.  Jeff loves bears and looks like these ones will be extinct sooner rather than later.  I won't even get into this discussion in this post.

But it made me think about traveling to the Arctic.  I believe the best time to see the polar bears is sometime in the fall.  I guess they are out actively hunting to bulk up for the winter.  On the other hand, we'd really like to see the aurora borealis, which I guess would be best seen in winter, if only to increase the chances via longer periods of darkness.  But I'd also like to see a 24 hour day.  Years ago, Breean and I said we should drive a couple days straight through from Seattle to the Arctic circle to arrive on the solstice.  I recently told her I was still holding her to that, and she said she hasn't forgotten!

It sounds like the only time not to bother with the Arctic is spring.  But, it's too cold to travel up there for each of these different things!  Might just have to suck it up, because it is a fascinating place.

Next Trip in the Works

Where are we going next?  Well, we figured that by Christmas-time we would want somewhere warm and super relaxing, where we could just spend time together and zone out.  We are going to Kauai!  

We've booked a condo right on the water in Poipu, the warmer, sunnier side of the island (by all accounts.  We've never been there, of course).  We will be there for a whole week, including over New Year's!  Even more exciting news is that we will be there at the same time as the Kay/Tingleff family, so we can hang out with Breean and Sam, their boys and meet Leah.

We will be doing some hiking, maybe a helicopter tour, probably scuba diving, and I'd really like to go ziplining.  I guess it won't be all just lazing about.

Anyone else want to join the party?  Traveling with friends is so fun...and I can't think of Hawaii without thinking about our last trip there, with so many friends, for Shane and Melissa's wedding!