It's Not As Bad As You Think...It's Worse

Everyday the news about Japan gets a little more terrible. As if the earthquake wasn't bad enough, the tsunami that followed devastated the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people. Its so sad to think of all the mayhem the wave caused. But just when I started to think the people would recover, news of an impending nuclear meltdown circle the airwaves.

The risk of death due to an explosion is horrible. But what's worse is the long-term effects of radiation poisoning. The initial blast is only the beginning. Radiation will poison flora an fauna. As the radiation works its way up the food chain, cancer will become more of an issue. Both men an women could face reproductive and a host of other as yet unforeseen problems.

But, just as I think things can get worse...ignorance blankets the airwaves. These talking ass-hats begin diagnosing the economic repercussions of this disaster in the most insensitive manner imaginable. A media outlet that shall remain nameless framed the disaster not in terms of lives lost or ruined, homes destroyed or infrastructure damaged, but in terms of the cost to the American populous because of a Toyota Prius shortage. Did I hear right? Is someone comparing shortage of Mickey Mouse cars to a massive earthquake, devastating tsunami and nuclear meltdown? Never mind the loss of thousands of lives; let's get upset because Muffy has to wait a little longer for her Prius.

All of this while Haiti is still in shambles. Where's the outrage? Oh, I'm sorry that Haiti's economy isn't as crucial to globe as Japan's. I am sorry that they don't export anything valuable enough that would drive us Prius-driving, Gucci bag-totting, Wii-playing ass-hats to give a crap. I am sorry that the loss of human life is not enough on its own to keep our national attention for longer than a minute.

Don't get me started on New Orleans. The point of this rant is to remind myself that we don't care about anything unless we are personally affected. Don't pretend to care about the Japanese people or the Haitian people or even Louisiana if all we care about is our cars, fuel costs or flat screen TVs. I love being human, but sometimes we suck.

Pray for Japan, Haiti, Australia, Lebanon, Egypt and all the people of the world struggling right now.
Kevin Greene

Share the Pain

I have been seeing a lot of reports talking about teachers and other government employees and their high salaries and 'Cadillac' health plans. One report stated that the average teacher salary is about
$55k per year. With benefits, that compensation jumps to about $90k. First of all, those statistics are misleading because it includes administrators and other staff positions without direct responsibility for educating the kids. But I digress.

States facing huge budget deficits are trying balance their books on the backs of state workers at the expense of their bargaining rights. Fox news correspondents have been saying that state employees are greedy and not sharing the pain. They have even gone as far as to state that $90k in salary and benefits is so high that the average worker could and should contribute more to their benefits.

But wait just a minute. Are these not the same people who vehemently opposed increasing taxes on people making more than $250k per year? That's $250k before accounting for any health benefits. Fox ran reports stating that 250k is not rich in America. Conservative elected officials fought tooth and nail to prevent our President and Democrats from repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. They said it would be bad for the economy. They pressured Obama and he gave in to their demands.

So if $250k isn't rich and those who earn that and more per year can't afford a minor increase in their taxes, how did $55k become rich? When did it become shameful to fight for union rights while the entities really responsible for our current economic situation rake in record profits and bonuses? Fox argued that rich CEOs should get their bonuses so that they stay and don't leave for higher paying jobs elsewhere. So riddle me this, Batman? What happens when teachers quit to take better paying jobs elsewhere or you lose good quality teachers because we are not compensating them? Who educates our kids then?

I understand people are out of work and that many see government employees as and their health coverage with disdain. But wait a minute. When Obama and democrats passed health care legislation the same people who are upset now are the same ones who want to repeal it. Huh? Does that make sense to anyone? So don't make me get insurance, but I want to tell others that they should pay more for theirs.

We have to get our priorities straight. Somehow we as a society have been tricked into voting against our own best interests. Wake up and smell the coffee, people. I am all for fairness. But beating up on the little guy is hardly fair.
Kevin Greene

The Feds Are Prepared For A Shutdown. Are You? : NPR

I wonder if I am essential or not. I could use a vacation but a shut down isn't worth it if I am out of work for more than a few days.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/25/134043241/the-feds-are-prepared-for-a-shutdown-are-you
Kevin Greene

From 2 and a Half Men to No Men

Check out this article:
http://www.npr.org/templates/email/emailAFriend.php?storyId=134041893
Kevin Greene

Founding Father's View of the Second Amendment

I saw this clip recently and and I think it offers a realistic, comedically precise, interpretation of how the "founding fathers" would react to the application of the Second Amendment today. Obviously, we will never really know how they would feel unless we could actually interview them. But I think that historical perspective is very important when interpreting the US Constitution. Laws frequently change and evolve to deal with changing times and technology. I think that those who have a strict, narrow interpretation of the Second Amendment need to reexamine the history and the context surrounding it.  What do you think?


Constitution Corner

What’s the Effing Difference?

All of this talk about what is going on with Charlie Sheen and his ‘sheenanigans’ has sparked a curious question in me. What is the difference between a Porn Star and a Prostitute (Hooker/Escort)? Is there a ‘real’ substantive difference? I submit that there is no real difference; money (or something of value) in exchange for sex is at the core of both activities. Just like taking something that did not belong to you is at the core of both burglary and robbery.  It is inconsequential to me whether the item taken is taken from a person or stolen from a house.

Let’s think about this one for a moment. I read somewhere online recently that prostitution in and of itself is not illegal; solicitation is illegal. So presumably, someone could legally exchange money for sex so long as they don’t get caught making the deal. Ok, I get it; I think.  The damage to society is the process through which money is exchanged for sex, not the actual exchange of money for sex? And by extension, I guess the porn industry does less harm to our society than Joe Suburban trying to get a hand-job for $20 in his pick-up truck.

A Porn actor (I can’t call them all stars because, let’s face it, they’re not) engaged in the same activity as an escort or prostitute, isn’t committing a crime because said porn actor has a production behind them (no pun intended).  On that note, can we really call them actors? I mean, come on. No one watches a porn movie for the plot. I have never met anyone who after watching a porn flick says, “That was a very well made movie; the pizza delivery guy was very convincing; the character development was spot on.”  I submit that porn actors, or at the very least, their management agents, are soliciting money for sex. The production company tells the actor or his/her agent that they will be paid ‘x’ amount of money for sex with ‘y’ number of costars in ‘z’ many positions (I have no idea what goes into a porn contract, but I would sure like to know). A deal is being brokered, is it not? So again I ask, what is the ‘real’ difference?

What is the real difference between a “professional” singer/musician and a subway performer? Both get paid to sing/perform.  The only quasi difference is the production behind the “professional” musician, which is absent from the guy in the subway.   As a matter of fact, some of the performers in the subway have more talent than some of these alleged professionals running around here.

I am not advocating for the legalization of solicitation or the illegalization of porn. Please don’t take what little joy I have away from me.  I am simply asking, “Why is there a difference?” The point of this diatribe is simply to point out the asinine separations we have become comfortable with in our society. When the news of Charlie Sheen’s bender first broke, many well-known media outlets stated that he was with ‘prostitutes’.  Soon thereafter, ‘prostitutes’ became ‘porn star’. My first thought was: “porn star? I’ve never heard of this lady. How much of a ‘star’ can she be?”  I read my friend’s blog about matter. In it, he talks about the difference between crack cocaine and powdered cocaine and then I really began taking apart the elements of the Sheen story.   I understand the legal reasons for the separations/distinctions, but I think that as a society we should stop lying to ourselves. To take a popular statement from the Presidential campaign: “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”.

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