Stop Spending My Money

I just read a lame opinion piece regarding the recent rescue attempt of the three men in Oregon. The writer suggests and even cites some samples of why we shouldn’t sweat the cost of this rescue mission, as in the end it helps rescuers to train for future rescues, helps with the coordination of rescue teams and law enforcement, and besides... all of these costs will go toward other future hopefully successful rescue missions, so its certainly fair that these costs could be paid back by taxing everything from gas, to hotels, to cell phones.

Excuse me?

Aren’t I taxed enough already? Do you think the American people are a never ending pocket full of money? Our income is taxed, our goods are taxed, our gas is taxed, we’re taxed coming and going, even our deaths are taxed, and you want us to pay more taxes because somebody with the “spirit” to climb got stuck on a mountain?

Could it be that we now NEED to have these types of mountain rescues because people know if they get in trouble that someone (at great expense) will come get them? Do you think that perhaps we wouldn’t have these issues if they were told “get up there and get stuck, you are on your own buddy”.

We need to stop this “save everyone” mentality, especially for those who purposefully put themselves in harm’s way. People don’t HAVE to climb a mountain, and yet I’m footing the bill for their hobby. I have no problem with helping people who find themselves (through no fault of their own) in a bad situation, but why am I paying to find three people who CHOSE to do what they did, knowing the risk and danger. You get into it, you get yourself out of it.

Justifying everything because it’ll help me out in the long run is lame, telling me that I shouldn’t sweat the money (um, its MY money, well, at least until the IRS wants more of it) because it’ll help others who CHOOSE to do dangerous and stupid things... no. Screw them. I’m tired of footing the bill for stupid people.

I think its time that everything taxed needs to be itemized WHY you have to pay this tax. Would people be so willing to pay additional taxes if they got a receipt that said:
Gas: $1.25
Rescue stupid people stuck on a mountain tax: $5.24
Road fix tax that we’ll never get around to fixing: $2.39
Environmental tax to save the Blue Horned Toad: $.06

Instead of prices going up for no reason and just standing by and paying it like lemmings, perhaps we could use tax as a donation system. Do you want to help stupid people get off a mountain? Then make that tax donation. But don’t force me to pay for it. Then, if I ever get stuck on a mountain, you can tell me “hey, you didn’t pay your get stupid people off a mountain tax so we can’t help you”. Which is fine with me, as I don’t plan to purposefully get stuck on a mountain any time soon.

May the Earth Embrace and Care for You!

Yeah, that’s my “holiday” greeting to everyone. As you may guess, I don’t celebrate christmas, I’m a Neo-Pagan. I have a cool little private ceremony on the 21st (Winter Solstice) and pretty much that’s it for me. No shopping, no gift exchange, no last minute running around for stuff, no decorating (tree killers all of you), no cards, no nothing. I just enjoy the earth, thank it for allowing me a space, and pray that I continue being a good person and enjoy what I have in life, no matter what that is.

So, as someone who doesn’t celebrate the “holidays” as most people, what do I think of all the politically correct hoopla going on? I think the world has gone insane actually. Can you BE any more non-festive? People suing because their religious or belief icon is not displayed in an airport, people ramming cars with their cars getting parking spaces, people freaking out because they don’t know what to say to people in way of a greeting, people fighting over toys, killing over games. Wow! Is this the TRUE spirit of Christmas?

What cracks me up is that if we’re so hyper-sensitive over offending people, why have decorations or ornaments at all? Are the atheists not a big threat in the sue happy world? I would think that if we’re so worried about offending a religion (or lack thereof) then we wouldn’t put ANYTHING up in a public place for fear of pissing those god-less people off.

What’s the big deal about saying “Merry Christmas” to someone anyway, regardless of their belief system? Its yours, that’s your “saying” so freakin say it! If you say it to someone that doesn’t celebrate Christmas, then they should, in return, greet you with whatever it is that they say. What’s so hard about that? Does everyone have to get all hot and bothered because someone “assumed” they celebrate Christmas? That’s not what the greeting means. It means “Hey moron, I celebrate Christmas and I’m greeting you”, its not “Hey moron, I celebrate Christmas so you better celebrate it too or I’ll beat your head in with this tickle me Elmo doll”.

I also wonder if anyone ANYWHERE actually celebrates holidays anymore for their true meaning. To me, holidays mean a sale in a store, not a celebration of our Independence, or to commemorate fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom. It means 50% off, going to a mall, getting a bargain. Does anyone go out to a military cemetery and actually honor the soldiers, or do we just watch a ceremony on tv, call it a holiday and go shopping? I actually remember a time in history where stores were closed on holidays so that people could celebrate, or commemorate, or do whatever it was they did with everyone else. Now, everything is open, and usually they have something on sale. Usually food places name “specials” after the holiday, which I find demeaning and sickening. Come get your 2 patty FREEDOM MEAL with free fries!

What’s with people who scream about Christmas, don’t celebrate it, yet still take that day off? Ok, so I’m given that day off by my company because if I showed up for work, I’d be the only one there, but if we’re suppose to be such a diverse country, why aren’t I interviewed for my belief system and given the appropriate days off instead of the traditionalist holidays off. I’d much rather have December 21st off to celebrate, instead I have to take a rare and fleeting vacation day, or even work and do my little ceremony at the appointed time (in some cases most likely freaking out some people with my little outdoor ceremony, who will never question me about it, for fear that I will sue them). If given the choice of having the 21st of December or the 25th of December off, I’d go with the 21st, as that is my day of “celebration”. There are some people that complain that they don’t get their days of “celebration” off, but should get them off because its a religious thing for them, but don’t want to give up the traditionalist holidays either. Um, that’s not right. You can’t have it both ways. Either or, make a decision and if you choose your religious day off you can come sit with me in an empty building on Christmas. After all, its not YOUR holiday, so it should be just any other day at work... just with less people. Look at it this way, at least you’ll get more work done because people won’t be running around telling you about their shopping sprees. Of course the next day will suck because you have to listen to what everyone did over their three day weekend.

So, do what you do, let other people do what they do, and shut up about it. If you want your religious thing displayed somewhere and it isn’t, go buy one and donate it. I’m sure if you went to someone and said “hey, I would appreciate it if you would accept this thing to display” they would be more likely to actually display it, versus you walking up and saying “here’s this lawsuit because you aren’t displaying a Festivus Pole next to the soon to be dead non-descript non-offense pine tree”

Get a life people, and get busy reading about what the holidays are REALLY all about.

In anticipation of the rebirth of all earth’s belongings

Me

The Way Forward

So, the news is goofing on President Bush about saying “The Way Forward” over and over and over. Well, duh, that’s just contractor speak and has been used to death on documents for years now.

I’m actually somewhat relieved by the fact that its taken over for the nauseous and non-sensical “Paradigm Shift” of days gone by, perhaps it’ll even take over for “thinking outside the box”, but I doubt that. Thinking outside the box is how you plan the “way forward”. Then there are those who are rebels and use “Way Ahead”, which may be a little short-sighted and only used to get through the next week, whereas the “way forward” suggests a longer term plan, but certainly not a “solution” to a problem. Its more of a machete approach to get through a boggle, then you have to plan the plan for the over-arching solution.

Some other gems expected to make it into the mainstream (remember, you heard it here first) will be adding “centric” to everything. From Net-centric, to war-centric, peace-centric, grocery store-centric, you name it, and “centric” will be added to it.

Another good one is adding “ability” to the end of everything. Sustainability, Re-usability, coffeeability, planability, way forwardability, thinking outside of the boxability, paradigm shiftability. Its all just another way to say the same vague thing, but make it seem much MORE.

So, the depth and breadthability of the latest paradigm shift in the war strategy is to plan the plan for the way forward in the peace-centric future.