A few thoughts about Obama's speech tonight:

INTRODUCTION:

"I won’t bore you with the details of every plan or proposal, but basically, the debate has centered around two different approaches." -- I want details!  I'm not an idiot, and I do not believe everything I hear on TV.  I want the details of BOTH plans, so I can decide for myself which is better.

NOT OBAMA'S APPROACH:

"... let’s live within our means by making serious, historic cuts in government spending." --YEAH!!  It's about freaking time!!

"Let’s cut defense spending at the Pentagon by hundreds of billions of dollars." --OK, not as good.  However, I've never known Obama (or any politician for that manner) to give fair and accurate reporting on an opponents plan, policies, or practices. I'll wait for actual facts before judging this point.

"Let’s cut out waste and fraud in health care programs like Medicare" --YEAH!!! Again, about freaking time!!

"Finally, let’s ask the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations to give up some of their breaks in the tax code and special deductions." --We'll get back to this one in a few minutes.

OBAMA'S APPROACH:

"It would reduce the deficit by around $4 trillion and put us on a path to pay down our debt." --I don't want to be 'on the path' I want a balanced budget.  I have to live on one, why doesn't Washington?! 

"And the cuts wouldn’t happen so abruptly that they’d be a drag on our economy" --You're talking like all of this will happen overnight.  NOTHING in Washington happens overnight.

"While many in my own party aren’t happy with the painful cuts it makes, enough will be willing to accept them if the burden is fairly shared." --We'll get back to this one too.

"That’s not right. It’s not fair. We all want a government that lives within its means, but there are still things we need to pay for as a country -– things like new roads and bridges; weather satellites and food inspection; services to veterans and medical research." --You're right.  It's not fair.  But I have to forgo a LOT of the things I am used to.  Why doesn't the government?  Why can't Washington make every penny count?  What's so wrong with telling some researchers that they have a really great project, but there just isn't enough money in the coffer to help out? 

"And keep in mind that under a balanced approach, the 98 percent of Americans who make under $250,000 would see no tax increases at all.  None.  In fact, I want to extend the payroll tax cut for working families." --And now I come back to the two points that I skipped.  How is this any different than the last point in the plan that you didn't like?  You have 2% of Americans making up all the new revenue, while you give more tax breaks to 98%.  How, exactly, is this a burden evenly shared?  Do you not pay attention to what happens when you tax an entity (person or corporation) more than others?  It just happened in California ... they leave your tax jurisdiction.  FYI, they take their money with them.

THE PROBLEM, AS OBAMA SEES IT:

"Now, what makes today’s stalemate so dangerous is that it has been tied to something known as the debt ceiling -– a term that most people outside of Washington have probably never heard of before." --Great.  Now we're idiots, and have no clue what is going on.

"Understand –- raising the debt ceiling does not allow Congress to spend more money." --You'll have to go into depth on this one, because I am really not getting it.  If Congress doesn't need to spend more money to pay the country's debts, WHY does the debt ceiling NEED to be raised?

"In the past, raising the debt ceiling was routine.  Since the 1950s, Congress has always passed it, and every President has signed it." --Yes.  Isn't this why we are in trouble now?

"We would risk sparking a deep economic crisis -– this one caused almost entirely by Washington." --Um ... correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't federal spending completely in the control of Washington?  So, isn't the whole reason that you had to interrupt my TV show, to insult me, Washington's fault?

"But the new approach that Speaker Boehner unveiled today, which would temporarily extend the debt ceiling in exchange for spending cuts, would force us to once again face the threat of default just six months from now." --Good!  I want Washington to keep this item on the agenda, to have the threat of default hanging over their heads until they BALANCE THE DAMN BOOKS!!  If this means having a temporary measure passed, and the issue is forced in another 6 months, then fine.  But BALANCE THE DAMN BOOKS!  NOW!!

"We know what we have to do to reduce our deficits; there’s no point in putting the economy at risk by kicking the can further down the road." --Maybe it will finally get it through your thick skulls that the American people want the DAMN BOOKS BALANCED!

"Again, they will refuse to ask the wealthiest Americans to give up their tax cuts or deductions." --You mean unlike point four in the plan you don't like?

CONCLUSION:

"I’ve told leaders of both parties that they must come up with a fair compromise in the next few days that can pass both houses of Congress -– and a compromise that I can sign." --If a compromise passes both houses, sign the damn thing.  If it has a good chance of working, and is constitutional, why in the hell would you refuse to sign it?!

"Now, I realize that a lot of the new members of Congress and I don’t see eye-to-eye on many issues.  But we were each elected by some of the same Americans for some of the same reasons." --Yes.  The American people want a change, and they didn't think that the current powers that be (first the Republicans, now you) could/would make it happen.

"If you want a balanced approach to reducing the deficit, let your member of Congress know. If you believe we can solve this problem through compromise, send that message." --Seriously?  Call your congressman and tell them to vote for my plan?  Why?  You haven't given ANY details about your plan.  All you've done is break into my normal TV programing (again!), insult me several times, give some vague assurances that 98% of Americans won't see their taxes increase, and threaten not to sign any plan that isn't yours.  Are you six?

For those of you interested, all of the quotes from Obama were taken from the White house's website.  You can find his whole speech here.  Thanks for listening to me rant.

Did someone say science?

I apologise for the interruption, but this is not the usual sardonic/sarcastic post that I usually generate.  I will get back to those next time.  I promise.

I recently finished reading an article in Scientific American that discussed the lack of science in the curriculum of early education. They specifically mentioned pre-K through K, but I don't recall much formal education in science before the third grade. 

I agree with the article in that we are doing our children a great disservice by not starting formal science education at an early age.  There doesn't have to be a downplay, or removal, of anything that is currently being taught in early education to include science.  But it will require more early educators to be comfortable with science ... something that is lacking currently.

However, this is something that you can easily foster in the home.  Children ask a lot of questions.  Especially young children.  When they ask a question, take some time to "seek" out the answer with them.  I understand that this can not be done for every question.  (I was 12 when my youngest sibling was born.  I remember how many questions were asked each day!)  Even if you choose only one or two questions a week, you will be teaching your child the skill set they will need to reason and apply logic.  In short, you will teach them how to learn "science."  (When they grow up, they may not like doing it, but they will be able to do it.)

I was fortunate enough to grow up as my dad was going to college.  While doing his homework, he would take the time to explain to my sister and I what he was doing.  I remember sitting on his lap holding a large flash card with a letter of the alphabet on it.  He would be reading a text book, and whenever we came across the letter we were holding, we could yell and point it out.  I'm sure it was a huge disruption in his studding (when I was going to college, I would think back to this and wonder how he got any studding done!) but I am very grateful for the time he took. 

I would like to encourage all of my readers with young children to take sometime and teach your child how to use the scientific method.  If they ask a question, ask them what they think is the answer is, why they think that is the answer, etc.  Some kids will get frustrated with this method, so try somethine else.  Get them thinking any way you can.  Teach them not to be afraid of learning new things, thinking differently from others, and even getting the wrong answer.  Help them discover the joys of learning.  I believe that this is one of the most important skill sets that parents can teach their children, and I hope to pass it on to mine.

Ok, I've been preachy enough for one day.  It's time to slaughter some darkspawn.  Dragon Age, here I come!

Why do I Bother?

I consider myself a very logical person. Frequently this trait is the cause of much hilarity among my friends. While I was growing up, my mom would often tell me that I was "applying logic where it doesn't belong." Now she just gives me a pitiful look; apparently there are some habits I will never out grow.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Darwin Awards. I have yet to come close to understanding what these poor, poor people were thinking. I have come to the conclusion that I need to ask myself one question. "Why do I bother?" Here are a few examples:

The graduate student across the hall from me is one of the lecturers for the Freshman Chemistry labs. She as 9 sections, with 300 students (at last count) and 4 TAs. She is also the TA for the Chem 1010 online course, and is in charge of AMES (college chemistry for high school students). And she is supposed to do research...when? In all 2 hours of her free time, no doubt. I'm sorry...you're right, I hyperbolize. She won't have that much free time.

In St. George, man robbed a bank. After getting the money, he went to visit family and then walked the streets. The police found him standing on the corner near his house, waiting for them.

One of Dr. Eyring's undergraduate students got his BS in Chemistry, and continued on to medical school. He became a pathologist. Ten years later, he decided that he didn't like the amount of paperwork, and became a potato farmer. (There was some mention of not liking to cut up dead babies, but I'm sure that's not important here.) That lasted for a few years before he got disgusted with the pay, and he went to law school. Now he is a lawyer, who specializes in malpractice suits.

Back in the day, if a St. Georgian wanted a pet they would drive out to the Arizona strip and grab a tortoise. If it ran away, no big deal--you go get another one. If it got too big, no big deal--leave the fence open, it runs away, and we know how to fix that. This practice has caused the BLM to 'reserve' large areas of land, in southern Utah, for the tortoise. A tortoise that wasn't in Utah before we brought it there.

Have you ever watched the "sidewalking" segment of the Tonight Show? Every single time I do, I wonder how these people have survived for so long. Shouldn't they have forgotten how to breath long before now? I like to think that he screens them by asking "Would you ever vote for Ron Paul?"

I'm sure that by now you see my frustration. What is this world coming to? How am I supposed to be able to find a place in it? I...who's favorite part of Geometry and Trigonometry was the proofs...have a place in all this insanity? Am I the only one who feels completely and utterly lost among a sea of idiots?!

At this point of my rant, I would like to thank my family and friends. These wonderful people who provide a levy against the tides of insanity; the absolute gems who help me understand the insanity that leaks through. I owe every bit of sanity that I possess today to them. Some days all I want is for them to come collect it, so I can finally fit in.

This bud's for you

Dear Moral Reprobate,

While I congratulate your eagerness to leave your mark on the world, I do not think that my car is the appropriate place. Can't you find a street sign, or fire hydrant somewhere to vandalize? There is a stop sign about half a block away from where I park. Maybe you need glasses.

I understand that accidents sometimes happen. It is a sad thing that when we don't have the proverbial balls to own up to our mistakes. Couldn't you have left a note? Do I need to keep pen and paper outside of my car, as well as inside? I am assuming you do know how to read and write; after all most five-year-olds can write their name and phone number. Do you enjoy being morally egregious?

I would offer you a cold one, but you probably wouldn't want it. Considering the mood I'm in, spit would be the nicest thing I would put in it!




*whew* I really feel better now. You guys should really try this! It works.