“We are the change we’ve been waiting for…” Part I
I won’t pretend to understand the ins and outs of lobbyists, special interests, earmarks, or the “old Boy’s network”… But it’s pretty obvious that something isn’t right. When people get paid (a lot of money) to hinder the process and lobby for interests that are the opposite of helpful to the American people – something is wrong. When a president is allowed to wage war unilaterally by ‘duping’ the public and the government into supporting it with fear mongering and lies – something is wrong. When a majority of that same public didn’t even vote for the sitting president – something is wrong. When human rights advances are rolled back for criminal captives and women and minorities something is wrong. When that president and his band of merry men can’t acknowledge their own humanity or claim blame for their failed economic, foreign, and domestic policies – something is wrong. But what I’m more fed up about is people’s apathy and acceptance of these wrongs as the norm. People need to wake up.
Again, I will not claim to know why or how this is all happening but I can’t help but be fed up with the hypocrisy of this administration and the Republican party as it stands today. I understand why the Republicans are always working for a smaller government. OK – the idea makes sense. But when “smaller government” means releasing markets and industries in this country and around the world to operate without any oversight or a watchful eye, “smaller government” is simply irresponsible. Even if all the CEO’s on Wall Street were honorable and mindful of the risks and challenges their companies face, regulation is necessary to monitor the economic growth and to protect the investors and institutions. Shouldn’t that be assumed? nope… De-regulate de-regulate de-regulate, until one day companies start failing due to lack of oversight, and only then does the government start paying attention to the companies behavior. Only at THAT point do we need regulation and big government to step in. Scratch that.. MASSIVE government …700 billion dollars of government to come save the day.
Thanks guys, really. I’m so happy that I get to help bailout criminal CEOs who were allowed (by you…) to do whatever they wanted. How does that happen?! I’m just glad John McCain went back to Washington fix it…he is an economist, right? (sarcasm.) McCain doesn’t sit on any relevant committees or have anything to offer to the discussion about the Bailout. So what exactly did he hope to accomplish? I understand that he’s now the party leader (sorry Bush but you just don’t matter anymore, I guess) and he needed to “rally his troops” but I don’t understand how photo-ops help that cause and I’m glad he was still able to make it to Ol Miss. (Just in time!). I’m glad the first bill failed. It sent shock waves through the political system and made everyone step back for a second and think about this thing. Granted, it seems everyone is coming back to the same fix but it sent a signal to the administration and to the country – The era of no limit economics and blank checks is over. (Hopefully) 
October 2, 2008 Comments Off
Off topic but amazing…
Nothing about our travels but some pretty funny stuff….
Last – Someone in Ohio had WAY too much time on their hands…
I mean… really?? www.whitehousecornmaze.com
Enjoy….
September 28, 2008 Comments Off
Sports Day
Sports Day consisted of warm up stretches, speeches in Korean, speeches in Korean, cheering and running, relay races, games, relay races, games, cheering, dancing, really races and speeches in Korean. Oh, and the teachers all were a uniform and the kids all wear white. The kids are then tagged with either yellow or blue to designate which team they are on.
Finish Line!
Tug of War!
Chicken fighting. Falling. Like what we weren’t supposed to do in the pool when we were kids. The do it on the ground as part of school.
Aerobics. . . what we would call organized dance party for minors. We practiced the dance with them. Pretty fun. We’ll show you when we get back. At my other school, Jang Ho, the students wore spandex midriff and back exposing, bell bottoms, corp tops and halter-mini dresses. Electric green and yellow with kelly green ruffles. Whoa Nellie.
Dress the little guys in clown outfits for their relay race!
Not only the kids do relay races. The parents are major participants in Sports Day. Sometimes they are competing alongside the children, other times against each other. My favorite of the parents vs. parents games is the one bellow.
1. Inflate balloons.
2. Place filled balloon into a huge trash bag.
3. Compare balloon-stuffed trash bag height.
4. Relay race with the balloon-stuffed trash bags.
During one of my stamp and squat sessions teacher Kim (our English speaking guide) ran over to me, dragged me over to a line-up of mothers with their children and stuck me in a mother place. She told me “You are his mother,” and ran off. No direction, just go with the Korean flow, Kate. The first kid I was mother to was not happy to be stuck with the tall white woman as his Mom, the second held my hand and my third child was incredibly cold and then told me “Good job!” in English when I caught the ball on our turn.
This kid is the only one that held my hand as I played surrogate Mom.
He caught it!
Waiting for out turn.
We won!!
Have fun? We did!
K
September 28, 2008 1 Comment