What … No “Thank You”?

Back in March of this year, the bell-weather Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted to a 12-year low of 6547. Many on Wall Street, and certainly most in the right-dominated financial news arena, criticized, and even attacked, Barak Obama as the cause of the stock market meltdown. (We could argue that the cause was actually initiated, perpetuated, and accentuated under the watchful eye of the Bush regime, but that is the subject for another post).
Yesterday, we finally closed back above the “magic” 10K level of the Dow, a whopping 70+% move in just seven short months. Certainly a cause for celebration and a proverbial slap on the back for our President, right? But, for some “odd reason” I didn’t see one mention, in broadcast or print, that lauded Obama or his financial team for getting the market back to this level in such short order.
So, where’s the “Atta boy!”, “Way to go!, or even “Thank you!”??? You’d think with all the “liberal controlled media” that they would be clamoring over one another like Russians in a one-loaf breadline to applaud the President. Well, unless you need the tax loss, don’t go buying futures and options on any type of positive recognition happening anytime soon. All one has to do is look at who owns the news networks, and therefore controls the messages delivered, to realize that there is very little liberal media in this country. Even CNN, which is often characterized in this way, is home to John King and Lou Dobbs – two of the most ardent conservative mouthpieces in broadcast. At least GE, parent company of the NBC family of networks, allows for some balance with the more liberal minded MSNBC vs. the conservative led CNBC.
But, control debates aside, fair is fair. If you are going to blame someone for a problem, then it is only reasonable to commend them when they fix the problem (or at least get things going in the right direction). When America was able to score quick and decisive victories in the early parts of the Afghanistan operation, I was one of the first to admit that my initial feelings about President Bush and his cohorts might have been wrong, and loudly praised the success. Unfortunately, those feelings were quickly dashed when it became clear that they would leave the job unfinished to begin a new, unnecessary war in Iraq.
I’ve heard so many conservatives say that Obama “doesn’t walk on water”. Apparently, it seems he may have to do something along those miraculous lines in order to get any sort of recognition from the right-wingers. Though, even if he does somehow traverse water, I’m sure many will find a way to discredit it.

Decisions, Decisions!

The current economic crises has put many of us on the financial brink.  As a result, we have had to make very hard decisions on where and how we spend the money we do have.   For many, it has been a choice of whether or not to continue insuring their car, their house, or even themselves.

I have several friends that have been debating, or already chosen, whether they should keep their health insurance vs. their home insurance.  Granted, health insurance has become a much larger portion of everyone’s economic expense pie than has insurance for their abode.  However, the choice has still been health or home – along with some other discretionary expenditures to make up the difference.

For me, the choice would be easy.  I have always been a firm believer that if you have your health (and the love of your family) you have it all.  Others have said that you have to ensure the roof over your family’s head will not be threatened.  While I agree with that, by not having health insurance for your entire family, you are putting your home and your family’s security at great risk.  Should a major health crises arise, you could be on the hook for thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.  If you are being forced into making a decision on whether or not to insure, you certainly don’t have the cash position to cover that kind of expense.  The result will most likely be bankruptcy, and the loss of your house anyway.  For others, though, the choice has been for the material rather than the ethereal.

I’m interested to see how others feel on this tough decision.  Please, log your choice on the poll above.

Watch out! This thing may be loaded!!

WARNING:  THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES! (Sorry, no porn)

I’ve been told I need an outlet.  Not that I have anger issues, mind you.  But, I see so much inane, insane and mundane things going on in the world around me that I can’t help myself.

So, this blog will be an ongoing rant about anything and everything – shooting, if you will, for the Soft White Underbelly.  Politics, Economics, Entertainment, Sports, Sex, Relationships, Religion, Family, Friends, and anything else that hits a nerve.  Though, anonymity will be well served here, no thing and no one is safe … not even me!