Thursday, January 29, 2009

Bailout gone awry

I was incensed to learn that Wall Street employees were paid out $18.4 billion in bonuses last year. Why in THE hell are the taxpayers funding bonuses to Wall Street bankers?! Average people are being laid off with no job prospects and executives are getting extra $$ for running their businesses into the ground and losing money for their customers.
The New York comptroller stated that it is unclear whether taxpayer money was used for the bonuses, but the paper trail is irrelevant; companies that got bailout money from the U.S. Government because they claimed to be on the verge of collapse gave their executives reward money on top of their grossly overinflated salaries. They should be reprimanded, not rewarded.

The only conceivable reason I can think of for the bonuses is to keep around executives who fully understand how we got into this mess, so they can dig us out. I'm sorry, but that's like beating a dead horse with the poisonous snake that bit him.

The concept of a bonus is to reward a person for doing his or her job well. Guess what, ya didn't do your job well. I hope Pres Obama & Sec Geithner send some heads rolling because it is unacceptable that these people are getting extra while the rest of us get bent over a barrel for their mistakes. I say take the money back. Fine these companies and let them sink or swim on their own.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN

As I listened to our new President this morning, the words to "God Bless The USA" kept popping into my head. I remember singing that song as part of a children's choir and feeling a warmth in my chest and tears in my eyes. Today that visceral experience was revisited as I absorbed the palpable patriotic pride flowing from millions of my fellow Americans.

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife
I'd thank my lucky stars to be livin' here today
Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away

And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend her still today.
Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God bless the USA.

...Lee Greenwood

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Fit New Year

Happy New Year to all! It seems like forever since I have been part of the Blogosphere (I am referring of course to the blogging community and not Rod Blagojevich's Lego head).

How is everyone doing with their resolutions? I think it is a great tradition to give up something bad for you to begin the new year. Identify the thing that is most prominently preventing you from reaching your fitness goals and ban it from your life; it could be french fries, beer, sugar-soda, cigarettes, chocolate, white bread, cheesecake, mayonnaise, chicken wings... whatever it is dragging you down, 86 it and you will feel better.
I managed to maintain my weight during the Holidays and now I am back on track with my exercise program.

My stats: 217#, 28%