Just read this comment on this story. It has to be shared since it's classic & a total smack down. You know how I love those.
Author: LadiiE36
I am so SICK and TIRED of having the Baby Boomers and the more elderly generations tell my peers and me that we are "spoiled" and "entitled." From the day I was born, my parents worked their butts off to provide for me and to foster an environment that encouraged education. And it is MY understanding that THAT is what GOOD parents do. My parents went to college, my grandparents went to college, my whole family went to college, so I am NOT going to apologize to ANYONE for wanting to have that same opportunity. I read through all the comments from individuals stating that ALL I have to do is "work while I'm in school".....that just goes to show you how out of touch most of those individuals are. This is 2012 not 1977. Tuition has SKYROCKETED and job opportunities have PLUMMETED, making it almost impossible for students to be able to do both. I might also remind the previous generation that when you were paying for school, tuition looked something like $5,000. That is NOT the case anymore. It is not possible for most students to pay their $30,000 tuitions by working minimum wage jobs, part-time.
And I am also sick and tired of ignorant people telling us how "easy" it is to "just find a job." If that were the case, don't you think we'd be doing that? I can personally tell you that even while I'm in school, I scour ads and job sites on a daily basis for available jobs that will help me pay off my loans when I graduate. And you know what a common requirement is for those jobs?? A COLLEGE OR ADVANCED DEGREE. So don't tell me that degrees aren't necessary anymore. CEO's and managers DO want EDUCATED employees, so it is just plain stupid and uninformed of people to spout off about a degree being unnecessary. And I find it INFURIATING to read comments telling my peers and I that it’s our fault that we “waste” money on “useless” degrees in areas other than the hard sciences, math or engineering. You obviously make those assertions based on the premise that ALL students are good in those areas, or have any interest in those areas, whatsoever. Please stop making wild and unfounded statements like that when the previous generations had the privilege of getting jobs and degrees in all areas including art, business, finance, law, teaching, journalism, biology, English, religion, sociology, psychology, medicine, engineering, etc....YOU are the ones who fostered this idea that students can do anything they want....and that's exactly what you all did, you got to enjoy jobs in multiple areas. Now my generation wants the opportunity to do the same and you have the AUDACITY to call us spoiled and entitled?! That is UNACCEPTABLE. The truth is, the previous generations feel entitled. You all believe you put in work to pay off your $3,000 loans some 30 odd years ago, and think that somehow now entitles you to sit around and use up all the available resources made available to you by MY generation. So, YOU'RE WELCOME.
And you want to talk about entitled? How about you acknowledge that this failing economy is NOT just the result of a greedy government, but banks and businesses run by greedy older individuals who abused the advantages of a once flourishing economic system. Now these same banks and companies want bail-outs because THEY also don't want to pay back the money they owe. And how about the individuals currently collecting social security? I tell you what, I won't ask you for any help paying back my loans, if you ALL agree that my peers and I no longer have to chip in for your social security checks. Sound fair? Especially considering that by the time we retire, YOU all will have dried up the entire fund leaving NOTHING for us. MY generation is the FIRST generation in the HISTORY of this country to be left WORSE OFF than the previous generation, and you want to blame that on US. That's crap, and I know you all know that. But instead of wanting to accept the responsibility for the failed decision making of all the previous generations, you call us names and tell us we expect too much. Why shouldn't we? You all have homes, and cars, and families, and jobs, and educations, but now that we want the same things, you tell us that our expectations are unrealistic. You've left us all with nothing and now we are supposed to quash all our hopes and dreams, or “put them on hold” and settle for mindless jobs as garbage men and ditch diggers, oh please! I refuse to apologize for putting in hard work and wanting MORE for myself. It is the prior generations who should be apologizing to US for being greedy and making horrible decisions that are now affecting my generation.
So I say again, I am NOT going to apologize for taking out loans to provide myself with the necessary education to make MY life better. And I am NOT going to apologize if the government is trying to find a way to help my peers and I to get out from under this enormous financial clusterf*ck left to us by our parents, grandparents, etc…quite honestly, it is the LEAST you all can do.
Nope, I didn't write this one. I also have a TON more entries to write (that one on Comic Con & my latest extra gig for 2) but that will have to wait until my schedule is calm enough. These posts don't happen in 3 seconds; they require actual time & (gasp!) WORK!
Showing posts with label student loans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label student loans. Show all posts
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Some Hard, Cold Reality
My own personal crisis is a story that continues to be written. I got into lawyer mode on that one pretty quickly and after some panicking, realized that overall I'll be all right regardless. Still deciding on some measures & plans of attack but let's just say my enforcer cred should remain in tact.
Another development that could make this situation crazy: the same day that crisis started, I get a phone call from a producer at "The People's Court" asking me about taking my small claims matter to their show. Now I ended up cancelling it since the person I was suing gave me checks that were good & at that time, hadn't bounced after being in my account for a good 2 weeks. Before, the check bouncing happened after about 3 days or so.
Not so sure I'd want to be on TV for such a thing. After all, I'm not a fan of "reality TV." Wouldn't I be a mega hypocrite to do such a thing?
Since you don't give much detail in small claims court filings (these are not full fledged pleadings with any allegation you want to put in, no matter how absurd or extreme), I can only figure I was contacted b/c someone did their research on me. The entity I sued isn't super well known or high profile. Not only am I a lawyer but I do have an unusual career & a pretty face (and this isn't me being boastful but relaying facts others have told me a billion times).
If this isn't a sign that my personal privacy could end up being no more in the future, I'm not sure what is. I have to wonder if press attention can't be far behind if I did end up getting sued and had to form my defense/response.
Nonetheless, I hold true to a fact that only smart people know: no one cares about your own interests more than you. Which brings me to another really good point. Pay attention, folks!
In NYC, there is a continuing rally on Wall Street to end the systemic corporate greed in the US that favors rich people. Here is a general article on the matter.
While I'm not at the point to go out protesting myself & there are elements that I don't agree with (such as allowing incompetents to continue working in jobs they aren't suited for out of mere sympathy), in principle I support this type of protest. At least these people are getting off their asses & doing something, which is more than you can say for the majority of apathetic, whiny crybabies who'd rather sit on the couch with their big fat butts watching yet another insipid installment of the latest stupid reality show. These are the same people who tell you to never argue or stand for anything & just let the Man continue to anally rape you, so to speak. Speaking metaphorically of course though I'm sure some of this group would gladly bend over, spread their butt cheeks & scream out "Thank you sir! May I have another?" There are many weakened, cowed people out in the world & one should never underestimate that number. The legal profession alone is swarming with them.
Recently, I heard about the police brutality. Not content with allowing folks to protest & be heard, the NYPD apparently decided to beat up people who were already handcuffed, pepper sprayed women, etc. I wasn't there so I don't have eyewitness experience but I did see the photographs. So should you. Draw your own conclusions.
After hearing about this, a few thoughts crossed my mind:
1. I really hope some attorneys were present. Ideally, some who are civil rights/1st Amendment lawyers but even the ones from the group that goes to protests incognito would be good. I forgot the name of the group but there is a public interest group of attorneys that goes to protests specifically so police officers stay in line. They are future witnesses & will help people who are brutalized for exercising their constitutional rights.
2. NYPD officers aren't very smart if they're being the henchmen for Wall St. executive types. For one thing, Bloomberg was ready to lay them off last year before the whole "averted terrorist attack" at the theater district by the fellow who lived in CT. Second, I promise you that no Wall St. CEO or political figure will appreciate them or do a damn thing to help them in any layoff threats or concerns for their families. Maybe the higher ups but the rank & file guys actually out there maintaining order?? You're hopelessly naive if you think you're going to get real benefit from it other than maybe some sadistic pleasure of harming someone smaller than you. Bloomberg didn't even invite the first responders at the 9/11 scene to the 9/11 memorial event this year & that was a significant controversy.
I'd like these officers to consider if they'd want someone doing such things to THEIR kids or their spouses. There are methods of maintaining order but at the same time, I'm in favor of free speech. It's not my task to determine proper crowd control & again, I wasn't there so I can't say that wrongdoing indeed happened. But...when you hear no names of people doing this or about any suspensions, you do have to wonder if there's some wrongdoing taking place.
And personally, I think any of the responsible CEOs reap what they sow (they know who they are & who they aren't) + if it were me, I'd never bother protecting them. This is one of many reasons why I would not be a good police officer. I also have way too much righteous indignation & a fiery temper; I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Why can't these people be more like that sheriff who refused to evict people from their homes in the economic crisis in order to satisfy greedy banks? That sheriff should be held up as an example of a GOOD law enforcement officer; someone in favor of enforcing the laws that matter vs. being some corporation's Rent a Police Force.
This is essentially what any officer who engages in police brutality against this type of protest is in my book: a Rent a Cop for whatever corporation they are protecting. Got any clue how security people are treated? From the experience of people I know who've done it, not very well. The pay is definitely lacking, that's for sure. Not to mention the arrogance & shitty behavior from the little Hitlers who abuse their authority & make the sane people look bad!
So, with that brutalization, why in the Hell would you do a damn thing for the raping & pillaging mega-corp that's never going to do anything to help you? Remember, you have to help yourself in life & look after your own interests.
3. As I've said a million times, you leave people with NO means of doing anything good in life you create criminals. As that pool increases, there will be better criminals, smarter criminals.
4. There are also many more poor people than rich people. Everyone deserves to be treated with some basic humanity & let me tell you something else, would be police officer who thinks beating up protesters is okay: you're not part of the elite class & you will not be invited to the table no matter how many people you beat up.
4. Did anybody see Bowling for Columbine? Does anyone remember the message of that film? Oh, and did you know police brutality perpetrators that if you go beating up on the middle class white girls, the press will attack you like a pit bull going after a piece of meat? Especially if the white girl is pretty, related to or has friends in high places. Next thing you know, you'll be beating up some politician's kid & getting suspended, fired, whatever! Psych studies confirmed this.
So if you're going to beat someone or douse them in pepper spray, you may want to be careful & think before you act.
Then again, if you manage to scare some hipsters out of Brooklyn & other gentrified areas with brutality, maybe some of the less feeling hipster haters will overlook it. Especially if you're not otherwise bothering them.
I, however, have a real problem with the idea of the police behaving like the private police force of the corporate elite. Just so you know, you will eventually be the protesters (layoffs anyone?) & if you want the public to support you or your cause, you might not want to be known as those assholes who beat up young people who are doing nothing more than venting toward insulated pricks who refuse to wake up to reality or behave like human beings. You have to wonder if some of these corporate muckety mucks have any souls at all. I'm speaking of highest level folk only, not the lower level crowd. I get a sense a fair amount of them know the score already & don't all behave like drones.
Personally, I think of such folks as just being a bunch of old white guys I can't relate to & who have no clue what living in my shoes is like. Smart people respect the experiences of those whose lives they haven't lived & could never understand but I suspect a good contingent of this crowd isn't very smart. Call me a cynic but I'll reserve my final judgment for personal encounters as I always do.
Another development that could make this situation crazy: the same day that crisis started, I get a phone call from a producer at "The People's Court" asking me about taking my small claims matter to their show. Now I ended up cancelling it since the person I was suing gave me checks that were good & at that time, hadn't bounced after being in my account for a good 2 weeks. Before, the check bouncing happened after about 3 days or so.
Not so sure I'd want to be on TV for such a thing. After all, I'm not a fan of "reality TV." Wouldn't I be a mega hypocrite to do such a thing?
Since you don't give much detail in small claims court filings (these are not full fledged pleadings with any allegation you want to put in, no matter how absurd or extreme), I can only figure I was contacted b/c someone did their research on me. The entity I sued isn't super well known or high profile. Not only am I a lawyer but I do have an unusual career & a pretty face (and this isn't me being boastful but relaying facts others have told me a billion times).
If this isn't a sign that my personal privacy could end up being no more in the future, I'm not sure what is. I have to wonder if press attention can't be far behind if I did end up getting sued and had to form my defense/response.
Nonetheless, I hold true to a fact that only smart people know: no one cares about your own interests more than you. Which brings me to another really good point. Pay attention, folks!
In NYC, there is a continuing rally on Wall Street to end the systemic corporate greed in the US that favors rich people. Here is a general article on the matter.
While I'm not at the point to go out protesting myself & there are elements that I don't agree with (such as allowing incompetents to continue working in jobs they aren't suited for out of mere sympathy), in principle I support this type of protest. At least these people are getting off their asses & doing something, which is more than you can say for the majority of apathetic, whiny crybabies who'd rather sit on the couch with their big fat butts watching yet another insipid installment of the latest stupid reality show. These are the same people who tell you to never argue or stand for anything & just let the Man continue to anally rape you, so to speak. Speaking metaphorically of course though I'm sure some of this group would gladly bend over, spread their butt cheeks & scream out "Thank you sir! May I have another?" There are many weakened, cowed people out in the world & one should never underestimate that number. The legal profession alone is swarming with them.
Recently, I heard about the police brutality. Not content with allowing folks to protest & be heard, the NYPD apparently decided to beat up people who were already handcuffed, pepper sprayed women, etc. I wasn't there so I don't have eyewitness experience but I did see the photographs. So should you. Draw your own conclusions.
After hearing about this, a few thoughts crossed my mind:
1. I really hope some attorneys were present. Ideally, some who are civil rights/1st Amendment lawyers but even the ones from the group that goes to protests incognito would be good. I forgot the name of the group but there is a public interest group of attorneys that goes to protests specifically so police officers stay in line. They are future witnesses & will help people who are brutalized for exercising their constitutional rights.
2. NYPD officers aren't very smart if they're being the henchmen for Wall St. executive types. For one thing, Bloomberg was ready to lay them off last year before the whole "averted terrorist attack" at the theater district by the fellow who lived in CT. Second, I promise you that no Wall St. CEO or political figure will appreciate them or do a damn thing to help them in any layoff threats or concerns for their families. Maybe the higher ups but the rank & file guys actually out there maintaining order?? You're hopelessly naive if you think you're going to get real benefit from it other than maybe some sadistic pleasure of harming someone smaller than you. Bloomberg didn't even invite the first responders at the 9/11 scene to the 9/11 memorial event this year & that was a significant controversy.
I'd like these officers to consider if they'd want someone doing such things to THEIR kids or their spouses. There are methods of maintaining order but at the same time, I'm in favor of free speech. It's not my task to determine proper crowd control & again, I wasn't there so I can't say that wrongdoing indeed happened. But...when you hear no names of people doing this or about any suspensions, you do have to wonder if there's some wrongdoing taking place.
And personally, I think any of the responsible CEOs reap what they sow (they know who they are & who they aren't) + if it were me, I'd never bother protecting them. This is one of many reasons why I would not be a good police officer. I also have way too much righteous indignation & a fiery temper; I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Why can't these people be more like that sheriff who refused to evict people from their homes in the economic crisis in order to satisfy greedy banks? That sheriff should be held up as an example of a GOOD law enforcement officer; someone in favor of enforcing the laws that matter vs. being some corporation's Rent a Police Force.
This is essentially what any officer who engages in police brutality against this type of protest is in my book: a Rent a Cop for whatever corporation they are protecting. Got any clue how security people are treated? From the experience of people I know who've done it, not very well. The pay is definitely lacking, that's for sure. Not to mention the arrogance & shitty behavior from the little Hitlers who abuse their authority & make the sane people look bad!
So, with that brutalization, why in the Hell would you do a damn thing for the raping & pillaging mega-corp that's never going to do anything to help you? Remember, you have to help yourself in life & look after your own interests.
3. As I've said a million times, you leave people with NO means of doing anything good in life you create criminals. As that pool increases, there will be better criminals, smarter criminals.
4. There are also many more poor people than rich people. Everyone deserves to be treated with some basic humanity & let me tell you something else, would be police officer who thinks beating up protesters is okay: you're not part of the elite class & you will not be invited to the table no matter how many people you beat up.
4. Did anybody see Bowling for Columbine? Does anyone remember the message of that film? Oh, and did you know police brutality perpetrators that if you go beating up on the middle class white girls, the press will attack you like a pit bull going after a piece of meat? Especially if the white girl is pretty, related to or has friends in high places. Next thing you know, you'll be beating up some politician's kid & getting suspended, fired, whatever! Psych studies confirmed this.
So if you're going to beat someone or douse them in pepper spray, you may want to be careful & think before you act.
Then again, if you manage to scare some hipsters out of Brooklyn & other gentrified areas with brutality, maybe some of the less feeling hipster haters will overlook it. Especially if you're not otherwise bothering them.
I, however, have a real problem with the idea of the police behaving like the private police force of the corporate elite. Just so you know, you will eventually be the protesters (layoffs anyone?) & if you want the public to support you or your cause, you might not want to be known as those assholes who beat up young people who are doing nothing more than venting toward insulated pricks who refuse to wake up to reality or behave like human beings. You have to wonder if some of these corporate muckety mucks have any souls at all. I'm speaking of highest level folk only, not the lower level crowd. I get a sense a fair amount of them know the score already & don't all behave like drones.
Personally, I think of such folks as just being a bunch of old white guys I can't relate to & who have no clue what living in my shoes is like. Smart people respect the experiences of those whose lives they haven't lived & could never understand but I suspect a good contingent of this crowd isn't very smart. Call me a cynic but I'll reserve my final judgment for personal encounters as I always do.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Frugality vs. Miserly Acts
So, got some good news: hubby's not getting laid off this year. The financial picture is also looking better for me personally since I've been working at a paying temp job that keeps continuing longer than I thought it would. I keep getting good news to where I really should have a little confidence in my life being stable (or at least not feeling like I'm going to have to enact my doomsday plan).
Hey, if you're smart you have a doomsday plan. An agenda of what you'll do if your life completely falls apart & there's no incentive for you to follow law and order or care about anything. Maybe you parents can't relate since you'll have your kids to care for, but those who aren't should be able to. If you understand working toward a passion and knowing that if it fell apart tomorrow you'd never want to do anything else, then you definitely understand why one would have a doomsday plan. It's "doomsday" because you have no incentive to give a damn anymore. Some may be happy becoming homeless and not mind all the bullshit that comes with poverty but as long as I've got a brain, I'm going to have contingency plans.
When you plan for anything, though you know you're going to need money. Because of this and my perhaps paranoid nature, I'm a serious cheapskate (frugal, if you want to be nice). Now if you're able to show me the value in spending a little more or I experience this value firsthand, I'll spring a little.
Generally, though if it comes to something like eating out or going someplace that will cost me money, my knee jerk reaction is to say "No, we don't need to spend the money." I'm so bad on this that if my husband buys me something as a gift that I don't need, I'll tell him he didn't have to spend the $ on me.
One birthday, I was told to pick out some clothing & it was like pulling teeth to get me to get things. For one thing, I'm picky. My method of clothes shopping is I walk in & if something calls to me, I'll consider it. If it's unique enough, makes me look absolutely gorgeous & I can think of uses for it, I'll get it. I also felt things I saw were too expensive & that my hubby shouldn't be spending so much on me.
Once I get going, though, I can find more stuff I like that suits me & has the proper price. Doesn't help that I grew up with very little money. Most of the clothes I have I got through store discounts or on sale.
Trying on clothes recently though, I realized I desperately need to get some new stuff. This is because I'm freakishly tiny. How tiny? Apparently, I'm a size 0 if you look at one retailer's website (a clothing place I like due to the uniqueness of some of their items). My bust-hip-waist measurements match that size perfectly. It's eerie.
It also makes clothes shopping a bitch & a half, as I've stated before. The worst part is, I wasn't even fat in high school. I was being called skinny then & asked if I was anorexic. Can't imagine the flack I'd get now, especially when many of my classmates are larger than they were in high school. I must be the only person on Earth who loses weight during times when everyone else gains it.
Let's see: lost weight in college, lost weight after getting married (or at least haven't gained it), lost weight after moving to NYC. I've also never been a vegetarian or had what anyone would call the best diet ever, though I probably eat healthier than I did when I was younger (no soda & no fast food unless it's a chain I like that I can't get in my area). Hasn't changed a damn thing on me.
See why I keep my regime as it is? I also try to avoid too much exercise since I were thinner, I'd have to get clothes from the children's section.
As part of this, I feel like I'm becoming a miser if I don't get some new clothes. I consider one a miser if they could afford something but are just sticking to things that aren't fitting or have long outlived their usefulness. I'd like to think I'm not going to end up some recluse you see on Unsolved Mysteries who everyone thought was on hard times, doesn't talk to anyone about their personal life, then dies & you find out had millions of dollars they never used or enjoyed while they were alive.
I also saw family members throw money around like it was water. Couldn't save if their lives depended on it. I saw it as wasteful back when I was very young. Guess it also doesn't help that my mom borrowed money from me when I was a kid; she always said I should become a loan shark. My father also stole money from me to fund his drinking since I was the kid who saved allowances. Yeah, if only it were legal to be a loan shark! I could get some big strong guys to help me collect on debts. That would be fun.
Is it no wonder I'm an attorney? Is it no wonder I don't like wasting money?
As for my loans, got every intention to pay those when it's feasible to make a dent in it & will actually mean something in the grand scheme. Maybe loan providers should start helping get my business funded if they want their money that badly. Perhaps help these unemployed lawyers get work. Until then, shut the hell up & get with modern times. You aren't getting repaid by the students + the system itself is well documented as corrupt and not going to collapse with massive defaults. You've also brought it on yourselves.
I'd say as much to anyone trying to bitch at me for doing what I have to in order to survive & not worrying about kowtowing to a system where I'm not getting any kind of reward unless I follow an "all or nothing" scheme. Give me credit for what I can do (ex. partial payments) or expect me to do the bare minimum. It's the rational thing to do. Funny that even my law school bankruptcy professor said that credit card companies were evil; I wonder if he'd feel the same about student loan companies.
Hey, if you're smart you have a doomsday plan. An agenda of what you'll do if your life completely falls apart & there's no incentive for you to follow law and order or care about anything. Maybe you parents can't relate since you'll have your kids to care for, but those who aren't should be able to. If you understand working toward a passion and knowing that if it fell apart tomorrow you'd never want to do anything else, then you definitely understand why one would have a doomsday plan. It's "doomsday" because you have no incentive to give a damn anymore. Some may be happy becoming homeless and not mind all the bullshit that comes with poverty but as long as I've got a brain, I'm going to have contingency plans.
When you plan for anything, though you know you're going to need money. Because of this and my perhaps paranoid nature, I'm a serious cheapskate (frugal, if you want to be nice). Now if you're able to show me the value in spending a little more or I experience this value firsthand, I'll spring a little.
Generally, though if it comes to something like eating out or going someplace that will cost me money, my knee jerk reaction is to say "No, we don't need to spend the money." I'm so bad on this that if my husband buys me something as a gift that I don't need, I'll tell him he didn't have to spend the $ on me.
One birthday, I was told to pick out some clothing & it was like pulling teeth to get me to get things. For one thing, I'm picky. My method of clothes shopping is I walk in & if something calls to me, I'll consider it. If it's unique enough, makes me look absolutely gorgeous & I can think of uses for it, I'll get it. I also felt things I saw were too expensive & that my hubby shouldn't be spending so much on me.
Once I get going, though, I can find more stuff I like that suits me & has the proper price. Doesn't help that I grew up with very little money. Most of the clothes I have I got through store discounts or on sale.
Trying on clothes recently though, I realized I desperately need to get some new stuff. This is because I'm freakishly tiny. How tiny? Apparently, I'm a size 0 if you look at one retailer's website (a clothing place I like due to the uniqueness of some of their items). My bust-hip-waist measurements match that size perfectly. It's eerie.
It also makes clothes shopping a bitch & a half, as I've stated before. The worst part is, I wasn't even fat in high school. I was being called skinny then & asked if I was anorexic. Can't imagine the flack I'd get now, especially when many of my classmates are larger than they were in high school. I must be the only person on Earth who loses weight during times when everyone else gains it.
Let's see: lost weight in college, lost weight after getting married (or at least haven't gained it), lost weight after moving to NYC. I've also never been a vegetarian or had what anyone would call the best diet ever, though I probably eat healthier than I did when I was younger (no soda & no fast food unless it's a chain I like that I can't get in my area). Hasn't changed a damn thing on me.
See why I keep my regime as it is? I also try to avoid too much exercise since I were thinner, I'd have to get clothes from the children's section.
As part of this, I feel like I'm becoming a miser if I don't get some new clothes. I consider one a miser if they could afford something but are just sticking to things that aren't fitting or have long outlived their usefulness. I'd like to think I'm not going to end up some recluse you see on Unsolved Mysteries who everyone thought was on hard times, doesn't talk to anyone about their personal life, then dies & you find out had millions of dollars they never used or enjoyed while they were alive.
I also saw family members throw money around like it was water. Couldn't save if their lives depended on it. I saw it as wasteful back when I was very young. Guess it also doesn't help that my mom borrowed money from me when I was a kid; she always said I should become a loan shark. My father also stole money from me to fund his drinking since I was the kid who saved allowances. Yeah, if only it were legal to be a loan shark! I could get some big strong guys to help me collect on debts. That would be fun.
Is it no wonder I'm an attorney? Is it no wonder I don't like wasting money?
As for my loans, got every intention to pay those when it's feasible to make a dent in it & will actually mean something in the grand scheme. Maybe loan providers should start helping get my business funded if they want their money that badly. Perhaps help these unemployed lawyers get work. Until then, shut the hell up & get with modern times. You aren't getting repaid by the students + the system itself is well documented as corrupt and not going to collapse with massive defaults. You've also brought it on yourselves.
I'd say as much to anyone trying to bitch at me for doing what I have to in order to survive & not worrying about kowtowing to a system where I'm not getting any kind of reward unless I follow an "all or nothing" scheme. Give me credit for what I can do (ex. partial payments) or expect me to do the bare minimum. It's the rational thing to do. Funny that even my law school bankruptcy professor said that credit card companies were evil; I wonder if he'd feel the same about student loan companies.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
General Musings Part 22
Now that the whole wedding experience has been purged from my system, I feel like things are more back to normal. Crazy, busy and nuts: certainly. But it's MY crazy existence and I can say that there are few dull moments.
So, the time has come for yet another general musings post. Here goes:
* First, let's talk about the ridiculous amount of student loan debt graduates end up with. This story claims that there are young people who feel "empowered" by having debt.
Well, how the hell else should they feel? Do you want them to feel suicidal? Hate ALL the baby boomers for never retiring and getting out of the way so younger people can get the jobs paying fair wages? Maybe they ought to start murdering people who refuse to retire so they can get jobs that pay better than fast food worker. Would you rather they do that?
If they killed themselves en mass, who'd pay for the Social Security benefits most older people get? Maybe we could start offing Wall Street executives & government officials who should get out of the way. Any young person's feeling empowered by being in debt is all their fault anyway so I'd think these people would consider that their personal safety benefits more by that mindset than if young people felt cheated, betrayed, angry and lacking in any incentive to care about the rule of law or going to jail for murder. That just leads to lashing out and people getting hurt.
Consider that there is currently a class action lawsuit against a Tier 4 law school by recent graduates who are suing on the basis of misrepresentation of their job prospects after graduating & obtaining non-dischargeable student loan debt to the tune of six figures.
If you go around thinking that the economic background you're born into is where you're stuck at, no matter what you do, then unless you're rich you'd either kill yourself or become a criminal. I'd certainly do it. There's zero incentive to do any better & if you hate where you came from, you're fucked pure & simple. Not a smart way to organize society since you'll lose a lot of intelligence, diverse viewpoints and innovation. How many advances came from people who didn't start out as millionaires?
I rest my case.
* Thank you, Alec Balwin for summing up much of my opinion on the whole Anthony Weiner "scandal." How many people have done far worse things and STILL got to hold on to their congressional seats? What about Rangel or Bill Clinton or plenty of other politicans who did all sorts of egregious things like stealing from taxpayers, voting against the will of the people, etc.?
At least he didn't beat a woman up, use the taxpayers' money to visit his mistress or deny the whole thing. He manned up, admitted to things and didn't make some grand apology about how the devil had control of his mind like some other people I could think of.
I don't think the man should resign since to require politicians to behave "honorably" or thinking such a code exists is laughable at best. He's at least being one of those honest politicians that I mentioned would get my respect. Is it embarrassing for him? Sure, but I think it's time we joined the 21st century and got off our collective "holier than thou" high horse. Those calling for his resignation: what skeletons would we find in YOUR closet? How many misdeeds have you committed while a public official? I'm sure you've been in lobbyist pockets' for ages and done enough to warrant a charge of treason.
Unless you can prove otherwise (which I strongly doubt you can), perhaps you should shut the hell up, all right?
* This man is a piece of shit. I'm being dead serious about that.
If you have not heard, this scumbag decides to get even with his ex by putting up a billboard about how he lost his unborn child because his ex decided to abort it. If that's not cheap, judgmental and tacky, I'm not sure what is.
He's trying to claim it's a free speech issue, much like the military protests at funerals by Westboro Baptist Church. Yeah, let's think about that:
1. If you allow this kind of speech, you stigmatize abortion. Abortion is still legal, nut jobs.
2. If abortion is stigmatized, that means more unwanted children and kids in the foster care system. Not every pregnancy results in "pretty little white children" to quote Uncle Ruckus from The Boondocks. If a child doesn't fit that category and family is not willing to step up, the future is very grim for those kids. Not every parent is June and Ward Cleaver (from a 1950s show called Leave it to Beaver, for those who may not know the reference; it was known for presenting the perfect, happy family)! Get your head out of your ass and join us in real life.
3. People have glossed over the privacy implications but I bet it's because they are men. If you are a woman and don't see how a ruling for this man will affect you and your rights, then you need to get your head examined & stop listening to people like Sarah Palin.
4. What about doctor/patient confidentiality? That will be a total waste in the case of abortion, especially if you were required to tell the sperm donor about the abortion prior to getting one. I shudder to think what kind of father this man would be. What would he do if his kid turned out to be gay or took drugs? What if he wanted his child to play football but that kid didn't want to?
5. What about the implications for victims of domestic violence? Are you going to make some woman bring a child into that situation for fear that the abuser will do this in retaliation and get away with it under the auspices of "free speech?"
This shithead, Greg Fultz, is nothing but an abuser, plain and simple. What else can you possibly infer about someone who does this to get revenge on a woman? I certainly wouldn't nominate him for sainthood, though maybe the lunatic fringe of the pro-lifer crowd may try to have him canonized.
This woman did society a favor by not bringing into the world a child who'd probably be just as stupid or ugly as this man, not just physically but mentally.
I'd also bet you a million dollars that if she got pregnant and kept a pregnancy to term, he would not step up if it was inconvenient for him. How many men claim they would stand by their pregnant mate only to ditch them later on when the reality of parenthood hits, oftentimes before the child is born? It's not all cuddles & ice cream, you know.
Men absolutely deserve equal rights and should NOT be forced to support children they don't want but until society stops acting like all children are loved and wanted, there won't be equality on this issue. I'm all for fairness to men but until we can sue them for violating legal contracts on conception and child care and adult women who do not want kids can get voluntary sterilization without doctors bullying them out of it, abortion is just a sane and necessary option.
Certain US politicians are just trying to turn women into slaves and objects once again (maybe some abroad are as well but I don't know). That doesn't help and I hope those affected by these people will personally send a message to these misogynistic pieces of human garbage. If they lived in my district, I'd sure as hell give them a tongue lashing they'd not soon forget.
Should you happen to read this, Mr. Fultz, my speech is OPINION, which is not actionable as defamation. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it! If you manage to find a woman willing to have sex with you after this, I will be shocked.
* Finally, I read this today and something occurred to me that might not have occurred to you when you read it.
I remember getting out of school early in the late 80s/early 90s because of lack of air conditioning at school. Why in the hell are schools STILL without AC? It's only gotten hotter in 20-30 years during the summer. Surely some school districts could have prioritized getting air conditioning in the schools over crap like whether one's loved ones make too much noise at their high school graduation or some girl wants to go to school with red hair (I still can't get over that one & would love to see how these Texas school officials acted toward me with my bright, naturally red hair). Certainly most places should have planned for it, especially in the South. Now, if you're in the Midwest, maybe it's not sweltering, sticky hot that much. If you're in the South, it's inexcusable.
Where's the parental outrage over this? I hope there is some. I would certainly have some if I had a kid attending school in one of these districts.
Now I should see if it's still raining outside.
So, the time has come for yet another general musings post. Here goes:
* First, let's talk about the ridiculous amount of student loan debt graduates end up with. This story claims that there are young people who feel "empowered" by having debt.
Well, how the hell else should they feel? Do you want them to feel suicidal? Hate ALL the baby boomers for never retiring and getting out of the way so younger people can get the jobs paying fair wages? Maybe they ought to start murdering people who refuse to retire so they can get jobs that pay better than fast food worker. Would you rather they do that?
If they killed themselves en mass, who'd pay for the Social Security benefits most older people get? Maybe we could start offing Wall Street executives & government officials who should get out of the way. Any young person's feeling empowered by being in debt is all their fault anyway so I'd think these people would consider that their personal safety benefits more by that mindset than if young people felt cheated, betrayed, angry and lacking in any incentive to care about the rule of law or going to jail for murder. That just leads to lashing out and people getting hurt.
Consider that there is currently a class action lawsuit against a Tier 4 law school by recent graduates who are suing on the basis of misrepresentation of their job prospects after graduating & obtaining non-dischargeable student loan debt to the tune of six figures.
If you go around thinking that the economic background you're born into is where you're stuck at, no matter what you do, then unless you're rich you'd either kill yourself or become a criminal. I'd certainly do it. There's zero incentive to do any better & if you hate where you came from, you're fucked pure & simple. Not a smart way to organize society since you'll lose a lot of intelligence, diverse viewpoints and innovation. How many advances came from people who didn't start out as millionaires?
I rest my case.
* Thank you, Alec Balwin for summing up much of my opinion on the whole Anthony Weiner "scandal." How many people have done far worse things and STILL got to hold on to their congressional seats? What about Rangel or Bill Clinton or plenty of other politicans who did all sorts of egregious things like stealing from taxpayers, voting against the will of the people, etc.?
At least he didn't beat a woman up, use the taxpayers' money to visit his mistress or deny the whole thing. He manned up, admitted to things and didn't make some grand apology about how the devil had control of his mind like some other people I could think of.
I don't think the man should resign since to require politicians to behave "honorably" or thinking such a code exists is laughable at best. He's at least being one of those honest politicians that I mentioned would get my respect. Is it embarrassing for him? Sure, but I think it's time we joined the 21st century and got off our collective "holier than thou" high horse. Those calling for his resignation: what skeletons would we find in YOUR closet? How many misdeeds have you committed while a public official? I'm sure you've been in lobbyist pockets' for ages and done enough to warrant a charge of treason.
Unless you can prove otherwise (which I strongly doubt you can), perhaps you should shut the hell up, all right?
* This man is a piece of shit. I'm being dead serious about that.
If you have not heard, this scumbag decides to get even with his ex by putting up a billboard about how he lost his unborn child because his ex decided to abort it. If that's not cheap, judgmental and tacky, I'm not sure what is.
He's trying to claim it's a free speech issue, much like the military protests at funerals by Westboro Baptist Church. Yeah, let's think about that:
1. If you allow this kind of speech, you stigmatize abortion. Abortion is still legal, nut jobs.
2. If abortion is stigmatized, that means more unwanted children and kids in the foster care system. Not every pregnancy results in "pretty little white children" to quote Uncle Ruckus from The Boondocks. If a child doesn't fit that category and family is not willing to step up, the future is very grim for those kids. Not every parent is June and Ward Cleaver (from a 1950s show called Leave it to Beaver, for those who may not know the reference; it was known for presenting the perfect, happy family)! Get your head out of your ass and join us in real life.
3. People have glossed over the privacy implications but I bet it's because they are men. If you are a woman and don't see how a ruling for this man will affect you and your rights, then you need to get your head examined & stop listening to people like Sarah Palin.
4. What about doctor/patient confidentiality? That will be a total waste in the case of abortion, especially if you were required to tell the sperm donor about the abortion prior to getting one. I shudder to think what kind of father this man would be. What would he do if his kid turned out to be gay or took drugs? What if he wanted his child to play football but that kid didn't want to?
5. What about the implications for victims of domestic violence? Are you going to make some woman bring a child into that situation for fear that the abuser will do this in retaliation and get away with it under the auspices of "free speech?"
This shithead, Greg Fultz, is nothing but an abuser, plain and simple. What else can you possibly infer about someone who does this to get revenge on a woman? I certainly wouldn't nominate him for sainthood, though maybe the lunatic fringe of the pro-lifer crowd may try to have him canonized.
This woman did society a favor by not bringing into the world a child who'd probably be just as stupid or ugly as this man, not just physically but mentally.
I'd also bet you a million dollars that if she got pregnant and kept a pregnancy to term, he would not step up if it was inconvenient for him. How many men claim they would stand by their pregnant mate only to ditch them later on when the reality of parenthood hits, oftentimes before the child is born? It's not all cuddles & ice cream, you know.
Men absolutely deserve equal rights and should NOT be forced to support children they don't want but until society stops acting like all children are loved and wanted, there won't be equality on this issue. I'm all for fairness to men but until we can sue them for violating legal contracts on conception and child care and adult women who do not want kids can get voluntary sterilization without doctors bullying them out of it, abortion is just a sane and necessary option.
Certain US politicians are just trying to turn women into slaves and objects once again (maybe some abroad are as well but I don't know). That doesn't help and I hope those affected by these people will personally send a message to these misogynistic pieces of human garbage. If they lived in my district, I'd sure as hell give them a tongue lashing they'd not soon forget.
Should you happen to read this, Mr. Fultz, my speech is OPINION, which is not actionable as defamation. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it! If you manage to find a woman willing to have sex with you after this, I will be shocked.
* Finally, I read this today and something occurred to me that might not have occurred to you when you read it.
I remember getting out of school early in the late 80s/early 90s because of lack of air conditioning at school. Why in the hell are schools STILL without AC? It's only gotten hotter in 20-30 years during the summer. Surely some school districts could have prioritized getting air conditioning in the schools over crap like whether one's loved ones make too much noise at their high school graduation or some girl wants to go to school with red hair (I still can't get over that one & would love to see how these Texas school officials acted toward me with my bright, naturally red hair). Certainly most places should have planned for it, especially in the South. Now, if you're in the Midwest, maybe it's not sweltering, sticky hot that much. If you're in the South, it's inexcusable.
Where's the parental outrage over this? I hope there is some. I would certainly have some if I had a kid attending school in one of these districts.
Now I should see if it's still raining outside.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
General Musings Part 20
Can't believe I'm at part 20 already. Okay then, sit back because there are a LOT of articles today.
First off, this author of this piece is a total tool. I saw nothing in here about improved public transit or any effort to increase it in light of $5 gas. As long as you've got oil lobbyists controlling government and getting tax breaks, there's nothing good about gas prices squeezing out poor people from mainstream society and turning the middle class into indentured servants.
Oh, and no one will have any money to shop locally when they can not get employment since all the jobs are located in areas where you have to drive & pay for $5 a gallon gasoline. These so-called "benefits" do us no good when the average person can't survive without becoming a beggar on the street.
Not to mention that it wouldn't change the existence of pedophiles, PC hysteria, helicopter parents, crime, etc. In fact, most people will still have to drive fuel inefficient cars because they will be less likely to have the money to upgrade to a car with higher gas mileage even if they want to.
So until you get the oil companies & interests out of government, invest in new technologies and put funding into public transit akin to that in Europe and Japan (which make NYC's subway system & Amtrak look prehistoric by comparison), stop being a pro-oil company profiteering cheerleader. It's unflattering, elitist and could get you lynched in some neighborhoods.
The lack of guaranteed efficient public transit improvement to all the boroughs (not just Manhattan) is also why I did not support the congestion pricing plan in NYC.
Seeing this makes me feel a little optimistic but the fact remains that entrepreneurs and small businesses are not being helped by this current government's regime. So many things need to be done to fix things, it's not funny but I'm sure people more knowledgeable than me can come up with the bulk of it.
One suggestion is not subjecting college students & grad students to non-discharegable loan debt that's as large as most home mortgages. There needs to be serious reform instead of making people debt slaves for the next 20+ years. If any of these politicians really valued education, they'd be pushing for that change & telling the banks to suck it. Maybe they'd think twice about who they gave student loan money to if this happened. Again, lobbyists & interests ruining everything.
But at least there is one instance of a government doing something right. Yeah, yeah, employers getting around it...blah blah blah. Thanks for saying something, though. Maybe it will make others follow suit, though I think the fines ought to be a lot higher (say $10,000 then $50,000 for subsequent offenses). That would get a point across. I don't notice small businesses doing this nearly as much as large, multi-million dollar corporations.
We also have an EEOC, employers. Read it, embrace it, love it. Because otherwise, it's just a matter of time before you get in trouble for violating it & I'd likely have zero sympathy.
Oh, but the BS! It continues!
Not sure if I've ranted about this particular interview question but employers, just give it up already. The "biggest weakness" question is nothing more than an attempt to learn how manipulative the applicant is & how good they are at reciting societal bullshit.
Seriously, if you're asking this question & expecting honesty, you're naive at best. You know you're not getting an honest answer to this one. If you get pissed by the "I work too hard" or "I'm a perfectionist" response, then you're an even bigger douchebag than you were when you asked the question.
If you want a lesson on shortcomings & how one improved, why not just ask about that? Hmmm...that would be HONEST.
That would get the answer you're looking for.
That would save everyone the time of this little pretense & mind game.
Why the hell would you ask an interview applicant that one?!? Shouldn't you be asking their references or past employers about it? I think they'd be a tad more objective & have records in front of them to support the answer, don't you?
And what about people with delusions of grandeur or who are sociopaths? You're just discriminating against them by asking them about their weaknesses since they don't believe they have any.
They should form a class action & file a lawsuit against any employer asking this one. Being a sociopath is a mental condition, you know & people do seek treatment for that stuff. I'd like to see this one as an ADA discrimination claim; that would put this asinine question in the grave once & for all. Hey, if we can have some of the bullshit that has become lawsuits, there's nothing to stop this one from being a viable legal claim if you have the right plaintiffs!
I also saw this career article on what not to wear to an interview. Here's the simple answer, at least as I see it: anything reflecting that you have a personality. No, no don't show a personality. Be a robot!
Thank God I take steps to vet potential employers & avoid interviews for any job where I'm expected to be a robot. I simply ask what I should wear to the interview so I'm not overly dressy or intimidating since female lawyers have enough problems without me playing to stereotypes of being frumpy and fashion clueless.
Oh, and this is one more thing that irks me about the education system. I'm pretty sure the high school children have heard far worse at home or speak even more graphically in the hallways. For all you know, some of these children are already sexually active & you're going to fine this teacher for "using curse words in front of kids?"
Gee, I'd swear this happened in Mississippi or even NC instead of Manhattan. In some circles in the South, cursing is tantamount to treason. Using the "f-word" is as bad as murdering someone. I'm surprised no one's been incarcerated down there for saying it on the public streets; they probably would be if we didn't have 1st Amendment lawsuits on it.
More asinine censorship:
* A man in the UK was arrested for singing the song "Kung Fu Fighting" because some Chinese man & his mother were offended. If you'd have been "offended" in America (particularly NYC or more vocal places in the South), you'd have been told off by the audience & if the singer saw you, you'd be told to get over yourself (actually, it might be "Fuck you" in NYC or Jersey). Now if this singer were telling the crowd to murder Chinese people, that's a different story.
But singing a song you don't like? I just wonder when some whiny PC obsessed jerkwad is going to try that in America.
If we started going down that route, we'd have no classic cinema, music or anything else because racism has been alive and well since those long before those mediums were born. Oh, and everyone's offended by something. Live your life trying to find something to be offended by & you'll certainly find it. I'm offended by people who do nothing but bitch about everything & make zero effort to do something about it. I'm also offended by these busybodies daring to tell me what I can or can't hear, watch, read, listen to, whatever by filing lawsuits to suppress what THEY don't like.
If you want to live in a bubble away from mainstream society, I suggest you form your own religious community like the Amish or particular Mormon sects (or move to an island where you'll be the only one there, whatever).
Otherwise, get the hell over yourself and shut up unless someone attacks you or your loved ones personally (and I mean a real attack not "pulling the race card" bullshit). Get some earplugs, change the channel & go on your merry way.
* Fox is apparently not showing this hurricane themed animation block tonight because of the recent storms in the South. Thankfully, none of that hit my family members.
You know something, though? Maybe some of the people in the South who lost things might have appreciated some humor in their lives. It might have made them laugh and feel a little better. Did you ever think of that? I think this is just yet another instance of asinine censorship garbage that's catering far too much to the PC crowd.
Have the people who made this call ever watched these shows? PC they aren't. Why worry about offending anyone now considering some of the jokes on Family Guy? Can't speak for The Cleveland Show or American Dad so much since I don't really watch them anymore (stopped after 1 season) but yeah, this is just stupid.
If you'd be offended by that or think "oh, it's in poor taste" then you have never watched Family Guy in the first place & likely wouldn't start watching it anyway.
* But here is much worse overly PC garbage. Apparently, you shouldn't call your dog or cat a "pet." Seriously, read this.
Yeah, my cat has never complained about being called a "pet." If anything, I think this encourages people to assign human qualities to their animals which is just as bad. A classic example of why this is bad is the show Fatal Attractions on Animal Planet. Stupid humans want to go around assigning human qualities and motivations to their dogs, cats, snakes, bears, chimps, tigers, etc. while ignoring the fact that you are dealing with a dog, cat, snake, bear, chimp, tiger, etc. They have instincts, drives and other characters that make up their species & will never be humans.
They don't want to go vegan, need to be entertained every 5 seconds, want to wear clothes, socialize with other animals (my cat, at least), or go to school to learn the alphabet. Treat the animal like its species: I love my cat dearly & let's face it, cats own you but I know he's a cat. I don't have to cook his meat or put him on a vegan diet. Cats are carnivores: vegan diets would hurt them. I'm not going to dress him up or walk him on a leash. You can bond with animals and mourn their loss as companions but stop trying to make them into furry humans! They don't want or appreciate it. My cat would be offended if I treated him like a human; he expects better than that.
My cat wouldn't give a damn if I called him my pet, critter, fuzzy beast, etc. As long as I feed him, let him snuggle on me, scratch his head & tell him what a good cat he is, he could care less what I refer to him as if I'm not directly talking to him. Yes, I've talked to every cat I've ever had & if you don't like it, piss off you animal hating jerkoff!
And he IS a fuzzy beast since he does kill things (which is one reason we love him). He's usually "Mr. Cat" or given deferential titles. I just think this article goes too far & encourages some other bad human behavior. Just makes you wish for a flaming stick to beat the offenders with.
Finally, I saw this article on supervised teen drinking. Personally, I think the drinking age should be lowered to 18 and we should have a more European attitude about the whole thing. This coming from the child of an alcoholic. I realize not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic & not all people who drink become fight picking jerks who put their fists into walls or throw things at people (yes, my father did do this stuff).
The reason I think that should happen is the high rate of binge drinking and the idea that if you ban something so hard, you make it that much more of a curiosity and alluring to the person who can't get it. How many stories are there about pastor's kids who are total hellions either as teens or once they get out from under their parents' roofs? I certainly rebelled some when I left home. It's probably why I dated in college and why I have different attitudes about sex than most of my family. If there isn't some balance in the home and some room to deal with kids rebelling, you're just going to have an out of control hellion on your hands sooner or later. So many people I knew who went to the religious private school I went to had their rebellious moments & many ended up in major life situations. If my mother had continued being as strict when I was a teenager, I'd have probably gotten a police record, become a teen mom, skipped school or God knows what else.
If that's not proof moderation is better than outright authoritarianism, I don't know what else you need. I think the drinking age should be 18 since if you can be drafted, go to college, etc. you can get alcohol from older friends anyway. Plus, tons of kids over 18 have opportunities to drink and it's foolish to think that they don't, especially if they're in college and living far away from home.
Otherwise, let's move the age of adulthood to 21.
First off, this author of this piece is a total tool. I saw nothing in here about improved public transit or any effort to increase it in light of $5 gas. As long as you've got oil lobbyists controlling government and getting tax breaks, there's nothing good about gas prices squeezing out poor people from mainstream society and turning the middle class into indentured servants.
Oh, and no one will have any money to shop locally when they can not get employment since all the jobs are located in areas where you have to drive & pay for $5 a gallon gasoline. These so-called "benefits" do us no good when the average person can't survive without becoming a beggar on the street.
Not to mention that it wouldn't change the existence of pedophiles, PC hysteria, helicopter parents, crime, etc. In fact, most people will still have to drive fuel inefficient cars because they will be less likely to have the money to upgrade to a car with higher gas mileage even if they want to.
So until you get the oil companies & interests out of government, invest in new technologies and put funding into public transit akin to that in Europe and Japan (which make NYC's subway system & Amtrak look prehistoric by comparison), stop being a pro-oil company profiteering cheerleader. It's unflattering, elitist and could get you lynched in some neighborhoods.
The lack of guaranteed efficient public transit improvement to all the boroughs (not just Manhattan) is also why I did not support the congestion pricing plan in NYC.
Seeing this makes me feel a little optimistic but the fact remains that entrepreneurs and small businesses are not being helped by this current government's regime. So many things need to be done to fix things, it's not funny but I'm sure people more knowledgeable than me can come up with the bulk of it.
One suggestion is not subjecting college students & grad students to non-discharegable loan debt that's as large as most home mortgages. There needs to be serious reform instead of making people debt slaves for the next 20+ years. If any of these politicians really valued education, they'd be pushing for that change & telling the banks to suck it. Maybe they'd think twice about who they gave student loan money to if this happened. Again, lobbyists & interests ruining everything.
But at least there is one instance of a government doing something right. Yeah, yeah, employers getting around it...blah blah blah. Thanks for saying something, though. Maybe it will make others follow suit, though I think the fines ought to be a lot higher (say $10,000 then $50,000 for subsequent offenses). That would get a point across. I don't notice small businesses doing this nearly as much as large, multi-million dollar corporations.
We also have an EEOC, employers. Read it, embrace it, love it. Because otherwise, it's just a matter of time before you get in trouble for violating it & I'd likely have zero sympathy.
Oh, but the BS! It continues!
Not sure if I've ranted about this particular interview question but employers, just give it up already. The "biggest weakness" question is nothing more than an attempt to learn how manipulative the applicant is & how good they are at reciting societal bullshit.
Seriously, if you're asking this question & expecting honesty, you're naive at best. You know you're not getting an honest answer to this one. If you get pissed by the "I work too hard" or "I'm a perfectionist" response, then you're an even bigger douchebag than you were when you asked the question.
If you want a lesson on shortcomings & how one improved, why not just ask about that? Hmmm...that would be HONEST.
That would get the answer you're looking for.
That would save everyone the time of this little pretense & mind game.
Why the hell would you ask an interview applicant that one?!? Shouldn't you be asking their references or past employers about it? I think they'd be a tad more objective & have records in front of them to support the answer, don't you?
And what about people with delusions of grandeur or who are sociopaths? You're just discriminating against them by asking them about their weaknesses since they don't believe they have any.
They should form a class action & file a lawsuit against any employer asking this one. Being a sociopath is a mental condition, you know & people do seek treatment for that stuff. I'd like to see this one as an ADA discrimination claim; that would put this asinine question in the grave once & for all. Hey, if we can have some of the bullshit that has become lawsuits, there's nothing to stop this one from being a viable legal claim if you have the right plaintiffs!
I also saw this career article on what not to wear to an interview. Here's the simple answer, at least as I see it: anything reflecting that you have a personality. No, no don't show a personality. Be a robot!
Thank God I take steps to vet potential employers & avoid interviews for any job where I'm expected to be a robot. I simply ask what I should wear to the interview so I'm not overly dressy or intimidating since female lawyers have enough problems without me playing to stereotypes of being frumpy and fashion clueless.
Oh, and this is one more thing that irks me about the education system. I'm pretty sure the high school children have heard far worse at home or speak even more graphically in the hallways. For all you know, some of these children are already sexually active & you're going to fine this teacher for "using curse words in front of kids?"
Gee, I'd swear this happened in Mississippi or even NC instead of Manhattan. In some circles in the South, cursing is tantamount to treason. Using the "f-word" is as bad as murdering someone. I'm surprised no one's been incarcerated down there for saying it on the public streets; they probably would be if we didn't have 1st Amendment lawsuits on it.
More asinine censorship:
* A man in the UK was arrested for singing the song "Kung Fu Fighting" because some Chinese man & his mother were offended. If you'd have been "offended" in America (particularly NYC or more vocal places in the South), you'd have been told off by the audience & if the singer saw you, you'd be told to get over yourself (actually, it might be "Fuck you" in NYC or Jersey). Now if this singer were telling the crowd to murder Chinese people, that's a different story.
But singing a song you don't like? I just wonder when some whiny PC obsessed jerkwad is going to try that in America.
If we started going down that route, we'd have no classic cinema, music or anything else because racism has been alive and well since those long before those mediums were born. Oh, and everyone's offended by something. Live your life trying to find something to be offended by & you'll certainly find it. I'm offended by people who do nothing but bitch about everything & make zero effort to do something about it. I'm also offended by these busybodies daring to tell me what I can or can't hear, watch, read, listen to, whatever by filing lawsuits to suppress what THEY don't like.
If you want to live in a bubble away from mainstream society, I suggest you form your own religious community like the Amish or particular Mormon sects (or move to an island where you'll be the only one there, whatever).
Otherwise, get the hell over yourself and shut up unless someone attacks you or your loved ones personally (and I mean a real attack not "pulling the race card" bullshit). Get some earplugs, change the channel & go on your merry way.
* Fox is apparently not showing this hurricane themed animation block tonight because of the recent storms in the South. Thankfully, none of that hit my family members.
You know something, though? Maybe some of the people in the South who lost things might have appreciated some humor in their lives. It might have made them laugh and feel a little better. Did you ever think of that? I think this is just yet another instance of asinine censorship garbage that's catering far too much to the PC crowd.
Have the people who made this call ever watched these shows? PC they aren't. Why worry about offending anyone now considering some of the jokes on Family Guy? Can't speak for The Cleveland Show or American Dad so much since I don't really watch them anymore (stopped after 1 season) but yeah, this is just stupid.
If you'd be offended by that or think "oh, it's in poor taste" then you have never watched Family Guy in the first place & likely wouldn't start watching it anyway.
* But here is much worse overly PC garbage. Apparently, you shouldn't call your dog or cat a "pet." Seriously, read this.
Yeah, my cat has never complained about being called a "pet." If anything, I think this encourages people to assign human qualities to their animals which is just as bad. A classic example of why this is bad is the show Fatal Attractions on Animal Planet. Stupid humans want to go around assigning human qualities and motivations to their dogs, cats, snakes, bears, chimps, tigers, etc. while ignoring the fact that you are dealing with a dog, cat, snake, bear, chimp, tiger, etc. They have instincts, drives and other characters that make up their species & will never be humans.
They don't want to go vegan, need to be entertained every 5 seconds, want to wear clothes, socialize with other animals (my cat, at least), or go to school to learn the alphabet. Treat the animal like its species: I love my cat dearly & let's face it, cats own you but I know he's a cat. I don't have to cook his meat or put him on a vegan diet. Cats are carnivores: vegan diets would hurt them. I'm not going to dress him up or walk him on a leash. You can bond with animals and mourn their loss as companions but stop trying to make them into furry humans! They don't want or appreciate it. My cat would be offended if I treated him like a human; he expects better than that.
My cat wouldn't give a damn if I called him my pet, critter, fuzzy beast, etc. As long as I feed him, let him snuggle on me, scratch his head & tell him what a good cat he is, he could care less what I refer to him as if I'm not directly talking to him. Yes, I've talked to every cat I've ever had & if you don't like it, piss off you animal hating jerkoff!
And he IS a fuzzy beast since he does kill things (which is one reason we love him). He's usually "Mr. Cat" or given deferential titles. I just think this article goes too far & encourages some other bad human behavior. Just makes you wish for a flaming stick to beat the offenders with.
Finally, I saw this article on supervised teen drinking. Personally, I think the drinking age should be lowered to 18 and we should have a more European attitude about the whole thing. This coming from the child of an alcoholic. I realize not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic & not all people who drink become fight picking jerks who put their fists into walls or throw things at people (yes, my father did do this stuff).
The reason I think that should happen is the high rate of binge drinking and the idea that if you ban something so hard, you make it that much more of a curiosity and alluring to the person who can't get it. How many stories are there about pastor's kids who are total hellions either as teens or once they get out from under their parents' roofs? I certainly rebelled some when I left home. It's probably why I dated in college and why I have different attitudes about sex than most of my family. If there isn't some balance in the home and some room to deal with kids rebelling, you're just going to have an out of control hellion on your hands sooner or later. So many people I knew who went to the religious private school I went to had their rebellious moments & many ended up in major life situations. If my mother had continued being as strict when I was a teenager, I'd have probably gotten a police record, become a teen mom, skipped school or God knows what else.
If that's not proof moderation is better than outright authoritarianism, I don't know what else you need. I think the drinking age should be 18 since if you can be drafted, go to college, etc. you can get alcohol from older friends anyway. Plus, tons of kids over 18 have opportunities to drink and it's foolish to think that they don't, especially if they're in college and living far away from home.
Otherwise, let's move the age of adulthood to 21.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Sanctity of Marriage (Yeah, Right)
I just saw this story yesterday about NY state FINALLY getting w/the 21st century & adopting a no fault divorce law.
So people opposed to the new no fault law claim that the sanctity of marriage will be destroyed if NY adopts it? Let's consider a few things:
1. The other 49 states have a no fault divorce law & the Earth is still turning. God hasn't sent any meteors to the states allowing this or the US for legalizing abortion.
2. You can get married if you're under 18 in some states & get a quick marriage in Las Vegas. See Britney Spears.
3. Gay people aren't being allowed to get married but you can get a divorce by yourself in most places & simply say that you're just not getting along w/your spouse.
If you ask me, I think the sanctity of marriage has long since disappeared. Claiming there is sanctity in marriage today is like saying bubble gum is a health food.
Now that doesn't mean some marriages don't have sanctity. I certainly think mine does considering I love my husband, have never & would never cheat on him and don't view my relationship as "till death do us part...until someone better comes along." There are people who manage to have marriages lasting for decades & are still happy.
Problem is, the divorce rate is still very high & I'm sure the rate of unhappy marriages is up there as well especially when people can't afford to get separated.
If you want to make marriage sacred again, how about not allowing people to get married without basic counseling, full disclosures of anything that could be a deal-breaker & institute a waiting period.
Let's also not allow divorce without reasonable guidelines for domestic abuse, infidelity, etc. Finally, stop encouraging "starter marriage" or marriage with someone who's a terrible parent if you wish to have kids (to be disclosed long before you walk down that aisle).
I see no reason why gay people shouldn't get married. Not every married couple has children & it denigrates my relationship to say that gay people can't marry b/c they can't breed naturally.
If you want religious aspects in a marriage, get married at your church. Your church should also get to marry anybody it wants to & not marry people who have beliefs they don't agree with. State marriage & religious marriage should have long been separate in my opinion.
But that argument against no fault divorce in New York still makes me chuckle.
I also saw this Craig's List ad & wonder if one of the scam bloggers might have posted it:
Student Loans (Midtown West)
Date: 2010-07-05, 6:50PM EDT
Reply to: gigs-kxspd-1827148968@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Hi. I am currently seeking a young, attractive male willing to pay back student loans in exchange for my company. Athletic build is a plus. I will dazzle you with the knowledge I've obtained from five years of school and accumulating debt. ;-)
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: no pay
PostingID: 1827148968
If any of you did, great stuff guys! Seriously. Let me know what responses you get.
So people opposed to the new no fault law claim that the sanctity of marriage will be destroyed if NY adopts it? Let's consider a few things:
1. The other 49 states have a no fault divorce law & the Earth is still turning. God hasn't sent any meteors to the states allowing this or the US for legalizing abortion.
2. You can get married if you're under 18 in some states & get a quick marriage in Las Vegas. See Britney Spears.
3. Gay people aren't being allowed to get married but you can get a divorce by yourself in most places & simply say that you're just not getting along w/your spouse.
If you ask me, I think the sanctity of marriage has long since disappeared. Claiming there is sanctity in marriage today is like saying bubble gum is a health food.
Now that doesn't mean some marriages don't have sanctity. I certainly think mine does considering I love my husband, have never & would never cheat on him and don't view my relationship as "till death do us part...until someone better comes along." There are people who manage to have marriages lasting for decades & are still happy.
Problem is, the divorce rate is still very high & I'm sure the rate of unhappy marriages is up there as well especially when people can't afford to get separated.
If you want to make marriage sacred again, how about not allowing people to get married without basic counseling, full disclosures of anything that could be a deal-breaker & institute a waiting period.
Let's also not allow divorce without reasonable guidelines for domestic abuse, infidelity, etc. Finally, stop encouraging "starter marriage" or marriage with someone who's a terrible parent if you wish to have kids (to be disclosed long before you walk down that aisle).
I see no reason why gay people shouldn't get married. Not every married couple has children & it denigrates my relationship to say that gay people can't marry b/c they can't breed naturally.
If you want religious aspects in a marriage, get married at your church. Your church should also get to marry anybody it wants to & not marry people who have beliefs they don't agree with. State marriage & religious marriage should have long been separate in my opinion.
But that argument against no fault divorce in New York still makes me chuckle.
I also saw this Craig's List ad & wonder if one of the scam bloggers might have posted it:
Student Loans (Midtown West)
Date: 2010-07-05, 6:50PM EDT
Reply to: gigs-kxspd-1827148968@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Hi. I am currently seeking a young, attractive male willing to pay back student loans in exchange for my company. Athletic build is a plus. I will dazzle you with the knowledge I've obtained from five years of school and accumulating debt. ;-)
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: no pay
PostingID: 1827148968
If any of you did, great stuff guys! Seriously. Let me know what responses you get.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Debt & the Inevitable Public Outcry
Okay, I found this story on debtors going to jail a bit of a misnomer. It's not really "debtor's prison" but more like "don't miss your court hearings & if you didn't know about them, yell loudly about lack of service." I don't have the official source b/c of MSN's stupid attempts to make you do Bing searches to get anything.
One time, my late brother in law was taken to court by creditors over an unpaid debt. The judge asked him if he could pay; he said no. Creditors didn't get their money & because he had no income, there was nothing to garnish. Not to mention that by law, you can't garnish more than a certain % of someone's pay & you can't garnish wages to the point of the person becoming homeless.
So stay out of Minnesota, Arizona & Washington where the court system is apparently pro-creditor & wishes to avoid pesky little things like due process toward the average person. Any police officers who refuse to jail people on stuff like this will deserve esteem in my book. You can't blindly follow orders on everything or you end up just another drone. Have some of these judges lost their rational sense or a duty to uphold sane laws as opposed to being mercenaries for the aristocracy? You're just encouraging a debtor to go kill a man so he'll have a real reason to be in jail or prison instead of a few grand in credit card debt.
Will student loan providers be far behind? What good will putting bright minds in prison do? You don't want people like me in w/the general prison population b/c I tend to give others ideas & would likely attempt to organize a prison riot to make the one in Natural Born Killers look like a minor scuffle. We were also the classic "good kids" in school & I think lawyers would be doing lots of prison breaks.
Hearing about this already ignites my righteous indignation but I believe in not going down without a fight unlike some people.
So reading about this as well also interested me. Had shades of my family relationships, oddly enough.
I can also see that happening even though most people (presumably not living in dysfunctional families but we know it's a crock) would find it off. A lot of blood relatives hate each other.
I tell you this: if I was her, I'd tell the father to piss off permanently & disown him. He'd have been dead to me ages ago. When your family life was not Leave it To Beaver, that word doesn't have the same meaning for you. Family in my book are those people who are there for you no matter what, don't have an angle every time they talk to you & accept you for who you are. They might not like when you do something but they won't ditch you for it.
I have a somewhat shaky relationship w/my father in particular but I will give him this: he's never let me push him away. I know I've pushed him away pretty hard & in my experiences in the legal clinic, I saw fathers give up. This father is apparently another one who didn't bother to have that relationship & gave up.
I still don't have a perfect relationship w/the man but I appreciate who he is much more than I did as a kid. I could never see him trying to do that & I know he's not trying to ride my coat tails. However, I don't delude myself into saying he'll change or that his addiction is okay w/me; it's not.
When you hear about stuff like this, though you appreciate what you have a little more than you did. That's one reason I think working in the legal clinic was so valuable to me; it made me appreciate my family, screwed up as it may be, a little more.
One time, my late brother in law was taken to court by creditors over an unpaid debt. The judge asked him if he could pay; he said no. Creditors didn't get their money & because he had no income, there was nothing to garnish. Not to mention that by law, you can't garnish more than a certain % of someone's pay & you can't garnish wages to the point of the person becoming homeless.
So stay out of Minnesota, Arizona & Washington where the court system is apparently pro-creditor & wishes to avoid pesky little things like due process toward the average person. Any police officers who refuse to jail people on stuff like this will deserve esteem in my book. You can't blindly follow orders on everything or you end up just another drone. Have some of these judges lost their rational sense or a duty to uphold sane laws as opposed to being mercenaries for the aristocracy? You're just encouraging a debtor to go kill a man so he'll have a real reason to be in jail or prison instead of a few grand in credit card debt.
Will student loan providers be far behind? What good will putting bright minds in prison do? You don't want people like me in w/the general prison population b/c I tend to give others ideas & would likely attempt to organize a prison riot to make the one in Natural Born Killers look like a minor scuffle. We were also the classic "good kids" in school & I think lawyers would be doing lots of prison breaks.
Hearing about this already ignites my righteous indignation but I believe in not going down without a fight unlike some people.
So reading about this as well also interested me. Had shades of my family relationships, oddly enough.
I can also see that happening even though most people (presumably not living in dysfunctional families but we know it's a crock) would find it off. A lot of blood relatives hate each other.
I tell you this: if I was her, I'd tell the father to piss off permanently & disown him. He'd have been dead to me ages ago. When your family life was not Leave it To Beaver, that word doesn't have the same meaning for you. Family in my book are those people who are there for you no matter what, don't have an angle every time they talk to you & accept you for who you are. They might not like when you do something but they won't ditch you for it.
I have a somewhat shaky relationship w/my father in particular but I will give him this: he's never let me push him away. I know I've pushed him away pretty hard & in my experiences in the legal clinic, I saw fathers give up. This father is apparently another one who didn't bother to have that relationship & gave up.
I still don't have a perfect relationship w/the man but I appreciate who he is much more than I did as a kid. I could never see him trying to do that & I know he's not trying to ride my coat tails. However, I don't delude myself into saying he'll change or that his addiction is okay w/me; it's not.
When you hear about stuff like this, though you appreciate what you have a little more than you did. That's one reason I think working in the legal clinic was so valuable to me; it made me appreciate my family, screwed up as it may be, a little more.
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