Friday, February 27, 2009

Parking Wienies in Portland

I live across from a "Community School", a sort of gifted and talented pre-school for faculty and students at PSU. It costs $1,000.mo/child for tuition and $700/mo for students at PSU. Some parents have up to three kids enrolled.

Every night, for the last three nights, I have watched the "Meter Maid" come by at 5:00 PM and give out $20 parking tickets to the parents running in to get their children. The zone sign says "15 Minuter Parking" for the four spaces in front of the school (pickup zone?). The front door to get your kid is 14 feet away, the meter to get you 25 cent ticket (for the maximum 15 minutes) is half a block away.

Many people pay...but take 20 minutes to get their kid. They get a ticket. Some do not pay, run in and get their kid. They get a ticket. At 4:45 the Meter Maid is waiting.

The metered parking expires at 7:00 PM (free after 7:00 PM). I've seen the Meter Maid outside a high rise condo, a block away, writing tickets at 6:55 PM. Now they want to add 50¢/hr in fees to park and extend the metered time to 9:00 PM.

Some folks have 20 to 30 parking stickers on their drivers windows (to confuse the idiot Meter Maid? The maid has a scanner device, like a UPS reader, that reads the sticker to see if it is valid or expired.

Granted she is just "doing her job", but one has to ask if the city is really in that much of a bind financially, that Meter Maids have to circle parking spaces like a hungry hawk over a meadow of field mice!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Sacrifice

The "War of Terror", the "Economic Depression/Recession" and all other social issues...where is the sacrifice? From the dawn of history, sacrifice for the common good has been essential for civilization, nations, businesses, and families to suffer through hard times.

Yet, during these current pressing times, where is the sacrifice? Sure, people are losing their homes, jobs, income, and retirement investments. But not by choice, not by self-sacrifice so that others may survive. Major company’s layoff thousands daily. How many would be laid off if all employees took a 25% pay cut, so that all may continue to work? Where are the people voluntarily offering to pay more in taxes so that projects, social services, and tax funded employees can weather the storm?

The military and their families make sacrifices, but others at home, safe in their little worlds of plenty do not.

Citizens claim to be "Christians, Muslims, Jews, or other tenants of major or minor religions each holy day, but in practice, few follow their faith to serve others. Worldwide in the last 100 years people have become so self-centered, in their own little issues that helping others before self are merely a means to get on talk shows or reality television.

Sacrifice could be the solution for all of humanity to overcome war, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and all the ills of civilization. "The rights of the many do indeed outweigh the rights of a few." From a numbers view I would say it requires more than a tithe of 10% or 15%. I would estimate as much as 50% of an individual’s time/money/assets/help for the good of the group society, or mankind. OK, now that your jaw has fallen into your lap, think about what everyone would get from such an arrangement. If 50% of your efforts and time go to help others, then 50% of their time/efforts go to help you, help your community, your nation, your world. It seems like a win-win situation, a no brainer.

Will it be done...probably not. Should it be done, of course, the survival of mankind demands it.

The End is on the horizon...sacrifice for others are the only solution!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

What Does Diversity Do for Me?

Diversity and demographics play a large part of any one's "quality of life". I recently realized that the NW is different from other places I've lived mainly for two basic reasons.

One, the average population is young, mostly 20's something liberals with no attachments, religious dogma, or ethnic identity.

Two, diversity, unlike Michigan and other places in the East, is urban wide. There are no "ethnic" neighborhoods for the most part. All racial, ethnic, and income groups live together, not only in the same neighborhood, but often the same building.

One's ability to mix or ignore such cultural lines by choice is impossible. Liberals think this is wonderful, others like myself, find it annoying.

In addition, the "groups" are further sub-divided into ex-convicts, drug addicts, alcoholics, the generally insane, and folks in various levels of recovery, along with the indigent, elderly with health issues, and runaway youth.

Liberals think this is cool, I think it is absurd! If one wants to associate with all segments of society, I think is should be by choice, not government mandate. Yet one more reason the vast majority of the population lives east of the Mississippi River.

What does diversity do for me? Nothing.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

2012 And The End Of The World

Here is a reprint of another view!

Whatever you are planning for your future, whether it's a new house, starting a family or even going on a diet - don't bother. In four years the world will end and your plans will be ruined. This is the belief of thousands of people across the planet, preparing for the end of the world and death of mankind. So grab your diary and put this date in it - December 21st 2012.

The concept is gaining momentum as many religious texts, historical documents and even NASA have 'predicted' that there will be major changes to the Earth in the year 2012. And with the help of celebrity believers including the always-reliable Mel Gibson joining in, 2012 has become the talking point at dinner parties everywhere.

So, where has this cultural phenomenon come from and why do so many people believe? The widespread panic that accompanied the end of the millennium and the whole Y2K debacle seems to have shape shifted into another end of the world scare. Why should we believe this one when Y2K believers became figures of fun to all those who had mocked them. Well, there are many reasons to listen as 2012 theorists can source 'facts' and 'knowledge' to support their claims.

The most referenced prediction comes from the Mayan Calendar as believers point to the completion of the B'ak'tun cycle as the signal that a new world order will be upon us. So the Mayans have apparently predicted that the end of the world will occur in 2012 and that the length of the lunar moon is 329.53020 days. They were only thirty seconds out with their lunar moon guess so basically it's all over for us earthlings. Misinterpretation can make a big difference when translating ancient texts.

If you aren't convinced yet then take a trip to Yellowstone National Park where the world's biggest volcano lays dormant. Beneath this US tourist attraction, a volcano with a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years is expected to celebrate its special day with us. So when is the volcano's anniversary, that's right - 2012. It is understandable that the volcano is set to erupt in the near future but it would seem unrealistic that it would even wipe out a small section of the American population so are the believers clutching at straws with this one?

Moving on. So the Earth has two magnetic poles, north and south, that help protect the Earth's surface from the devastating effects of the sun. Well, hold on to your hat, because the protection is about to be rescinded, the poles are shifting and we are all set for the worst case of sunburn in history. So, stock up on some factor 50 sunblock and grab the biggest hat you can find because it is about to get extremely hot.

Scientists have also announced that sunspot activity will reach a massive peak in 2012, resulting in severe solar storms and atmospheric changes. With this predicted sunspot expected to be up to 50 per cent stronger than previous ones, NASA has even began making preparations for the problems that await. But will these events make as big an impact on live as we know it as is suggested?

Cynics will say that all of these theories are based upon false translations and misinterpretations that manipulate people's faith and need to believe. However ridiculous the claims may seem to non-believers, it is certainly going to be an interesting day when the clock strikes midnight and the 21st December 2012 is upon us.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/philosophy-articles/2012-and-the-end-of-the-world-508492.html

Article Tags: Armageddon, 2012, Doomsday, End Of The World, Apocalypse, Holocaust, Mayan Calendar, Y2k

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Time Left

OK, I guess I know where I'll be when "The End" comes. Here. I went on-line to see what was involved with moving to another building or another state for subsidized senior housing. Uh huh. Here there is a 2-3 year waiting list for almost all buildings. Most states I have lived, or want to live in, have no local housing office or are "in the hood". I am not interested in diversity, so much is left out. Oh well, just cause I have a housing unit here, doesn't mean I have to physically "be" here 100% of the time. Adventures await.

The HDTV debacle...if your clueless about this issue after 12 months of ads and announcements, you should not own a TV.

The Economy and Bailout. I wonder if most folks realize it will 18 months to two years before any effect takes place. Do you realized this will last 5-10 years? Like the "War on Terror", which would last a generation, most folks think the Bailout is a quick fix. Actually since the real Bailout needs to be $10 Trillion dollars, it is no fix. The will to fix this does not exist. It will not be fixed.
December 21, 2012 at 11:11 AM will fix this.