Give Us Our $9,000.00 share of the Bailout

Back in September, when Bush appeared with the Treasury Secretary  Henry Paulson, urgently needing 700 billion dollars, or rather just some “big” number to bailout our economy – my first thought was that this is a parting gift to Bush’s financial friends.  (As if he hadn’t done enough already!)

My first instincts are usually right, though I don’t always listen.

What we have seen is that that is just what it turned out to be. $200,000 bathroom renovations, a new corporate jet, big bonuses to the very people who claimed how desperate the economic situation was, and the very people responsible for the situation!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Love George W. Bush.

What color is the sky in their world?

And the people who were supposed to be helped by this? Still waiting.

The situation for most of us regular Americans is dire.  However, the financial industry  simply doesn’t care. As long as they get their bonuses and can buy their jets and renovate their luxury bathrooms, why should they?

We are the peons, they are the princes.

Now, four months later, the new recovery plan is for almost one trillion dollars. Thinking about just how much a trillion dollars is, I was curious to know what that would mean if we, the people, who are the ones who have to pay this back, would get if it were divided up and given to us.

One trillion is a 1 followed by four sets of three zeroes.

$1,000,000,000,000.00

According to one source, the population of the United States is about 303,824,640. If you gave the money directly to each one of us, that would be $3,291.37.

If you used the number of households, which according to one source stated there was 111,162,25 households in the US in 2007, then each family would receive almost $9,000.00. ($8995.86 to be exact.)

I don’t know about you, but I definitely could start to stimulate our economy with my share.

However, for most people, we would just be giving it back to the banks anyway. By the time you get your mortgage up to date, and pay up your credit cards, there’s nothing left to spend, except by using your up to date credit cards.

The banks are going to get it, one way or another.

And just remember, if we include this current “recovery” plan along with the original bailout, we would get almost double.

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Safe Landing of Flight 1549 Good Omen for Obama

I just finished watching a video, caught by a surveillance camera of the actual landing of Flight 1549 on the Hudson. I was amazed at just how smoothly the pilot, Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, landed the commercial airliner in the Hudson River.

Beautiful.

Facing a catastrophic situation – Capt. Sully was quick to make a decision and act on it using his piloting skills resulting in minimal injuries and no loss of life. What surely could have had a devastating outcome, became the stuff of legend, heroes and inspired optimism. That, even while fearing the worst, the best can happen.

His well trained crew were also quick to seize the moment and led everyone off the plane to their safe rescue.

What makes us proud to be Americans was also shown as all those on the Hudson who could help came together, worked together and rescued all 150 passengers and 5 flight crew.

At the time, I was also watching the Obama inauguration train arriving in Washington, DC on TV.

Perhaps this extraordinary event – the remarkable safe landing and rescue of Flight 1549 is a good omen for our future.

That in spite of the catastrophe the Bush administration has created and is leaving us with, Obama will be able to seize the moment when he takes the wheel and steer us to safety.

Like the passengers of Flight 1549, we may have to endure a critical time in icy cold, and dangerous water.

Hopefully, Barack Obama will prove to be our Capt. “Sully”; his recent cabinet appointments will be his expert crew. And we, the people, seeing the need will answer the call and do whatever it takes to help salvage our country.

Ah, only three more days to go and Barack Obama will officially be our President.

Godspeed, President Obama.

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Happy New Year To All!

As I sit, and write, just 18 minutes into the New Year – I felt compelled to wish everyone a most Happy New Year.

Yes, I’ve had my champagne toast – and an extra glass and I’m a wee bit tipsy. I must apologize for any faux pas and rambling that may occur.

This year is the first year in a long time I’ve felt the excitement of the New Year.

Even though my husband could not make it home this year, I was none the less determined to celebrate what I believe will be a turn for the better for us as a family as well as for our country and our planet.

Somewhere, on the web, I found information that may have been the root of my past New Year problems.

There is a tradition of New Year foods that is traditionally prepared and eaten on New Year’s Day – collards (or other) greens for financial success, pork (because a pig roots forward), black eyed peas (because they resemble coins) and cornbread or corn I guess because it is golden and resembles coins, but maybe it is for good health.

Anyway, in years past, I prepared each of these items on New Years Day. And I religiously ate them in hopes of a healthy and prosperous New Year.

I must have been doing something very wrong, as it seems that our situation – other than our health – seemed to worsen each and every year.

Recently, somewhere on the web, I read that this “lucky” meal should be the first items you eat in the New Year. Not being one who particularly wants to eat collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread for breakfast – I decided to make this a midnight meal.

Actually, as I write this – I’m getting ready to go back for seconds!

I really found some good recipe ideas this year. I never really follow a recipe as written – I just use them as guidelines and adapt them to my own tastes. This year everything has come out Great. A very good omen for the New Year.

I’m excited. I’ve been excited the whole night. This isn’t my usual M.O.

I started watching the videos of fireworks since about 4pm (est) from different counties around the world. So far, my favorite is the Sydney, Austrialia display.

Past years have been somewhat bleak – they have matched the current financial crisis, so you have an idea of why I am hopeful that this New Year will indeed bring the change I desperately need.

I haven’t written for a while – mostly because I have been diligently trying my best to clean my home before this New Year day. While I haven’t – until the past week – touched the rooms of my two sons (aged 21 and 17), I could take it no longer.

When the dust reaches a certain height – I must intervene. Their rooms were definitely bad Feng Shui! And I needed to correct this problem.

I don’t understand why dirt and dust doesn’t bother them. While I may be guilty of clutter – at least it sits upon a clean surface.

Anyway, I see that I’m rambling. And while I do have much to say, I think I need to get a bit of sleep and come back later .

Good night everyone. Have a most Wonderful, Happy and Propserous New Year!

Juedz

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