Tidbits Tackles: Socioeconomic Tension and Income Inequality, Pt. 1

Hi everybody, you might be wondering (of course y'all have!): why hasn't Euni posted anything more about the upcoming presidential election? Why hasn't she ranted about the economy and the U.S. political structure?

Fear not, my friends, I've been thinking about all the stuff that's been going on for the past year. I just don't want to fight or come off as belligerent in my argument. I've been reading a lot of Paul Krugman and Jared Bernstein in particular, as well as paying attention to the news, reading articles and posts that seem interesting and relate to all this...STUFF.

It's all very overwhelming, to be honest. Sure, I care about the economy and anything that happens to it (duh, I'm an economics student), but I seriously can't remember when I became so "involved" in political discussions. Take it with a grain of salt, I am not super-involved (though I wouldn't mind it): I'm not a part of some grassroots organization that tries to spread the word about any politician or whatever. However, I believe it is my civic duty and responsibility to educate those around me with the facts. One of my strengths, I will admit to this one strength alone, is that I can teach. I strive to learn the material/subject first, and then I find a way to explain it in simple and easy-to-understand terms to those who care to listen. I'm proud to say that I've been able to keep my mother informed about current events because of this strength, and I've even ventured in discussing economics with my little cousins (6 and 7 years old)...

ANYWAY, I've gone out on a tangent long enough, let me get to the point of this post. I posit this question (or maybe a few questions actually):

Fifty years from now, when our grandchildren(?) learn about this "Great Recession" and the 2008 & 2012 elections, how will they look at us?

Will they argue that there were some racial undertones related to the tension and disdainful outrage against President Obama?

Will they argue that income inequality was at the root of the clash between political parties? Of social classes? Of age gaps?

Will they even care about these times we are now living, or will our history books try to gloss over this turbulent time period?

I intend to do some research and share my answers and conclusion to the questions I've asked. Frankly, I do believe income inequality has a lot to do with today's tension, and the idea and (dare I say it?) disillusion that our chosen leaders (e.g. Congress, state, local governments, etc.) are indifferent to our needs and would rather help themselves first.

I may sound cynical or depressed when it comes to our government, but I am full of hope that while we are living during a socioeconomic revolution of sorts, there will emerge a number of people who are bright, passionate, and who care about their nation, not just themselves.

If this type of posting/writing is not "your cup of tea," it's quite alright. You don't have to agree with me, but if you want to bring your arguments forward, please be advised that I expect facts and evidence to back up your claims.

Wishlist

Dear Self,

I'm sorry I forgot my birthday was right around the corner. Sure, I realized that it was May, and in my mind I was like, "Yay, it's my birthday month. Woohoo!" but somehow it didn't quite dawn on me how close I really was to being another year older.

To compensate, I'll share a birthday wishlist with myself.

Ok, I'm sharing it with all my readers and friends, but I'm not doing this to ask for attention or to brag about my oh-so-refined-and-sophisticated tastes (riiiiiiiiiight). And I'm not asking for anybody to buy me any of these items...BUT in the event that someone (ahem, sisters in particular) would love to reward me for surviving yet another year, this wishlist will hopefully be extremely helpful.

1. Whale iPod speaker(s). (Yes, they exist, somewhere!)



I've tried to look for this speaker thingy, or cuter ones actually, but I've had no luck...Maybe somebody else will have better luck?

2. Steve Madden JAZIE COGNAC LEATHER oxfords. I have a soft spot for semi-androgynous Mr. Peanut-y shoes.

The pink adds a wacky feminine touch, I think.

3. Clinique CHUBBY STICKS. All of them, if I could. But one will make me happy.




I don't know how this happened---I was watching some television, minding my own business, not desiring any CHUBBY STICK lip balms, and then this commercial came on. It was a hypnotizing experience: by the end of the commercial I knew that I had to have at least one CHUBBY STICK. When did I become so stereotypically girly?

4. Clothing items with WHALES. (I guess I could have said whale-clad clothes?)

---BASICALLY, ANYTHING THAT HAS WHALES: DRESS, T-SHIRTS, PANTIES, SOCKS, SHORTS, ANYTHING!!!---Whales just make everything better, and I happen to look really good in whale-patterned clothing.

5. Oh yeah, I can't forget...

Paul Krugman's new book: End This Depression Now!

I do love Krugman's clarity.

Anyway, those are the things that would make my birthday awesome. I mean, they're not super important and necessary items, but I wouldn't mind receiving any one of these items. ;)

P.S. A puppy would make a perfect gift too. I love puppies, particularly black labrador retrievers. GIMME PUPPY NOW (please?)!

The Cat's Outta the...Envelope?

Happy Thursday (well, Friday, actually...) to all! I'm a terrible TERRIBLE person, first leading y'all to believe I was gonna write about something super AWESOME and PURR-FECT on my 100th post, and secondly telling y'all in my 100th post that I would totally share this particular something by Wednesday. But ya know, I'm a rebel, I take pleasure in NOT doing the things I tell myself to do. That, and you know, this thing called work gets in my way of what I really wanna do, and then I have dumb responsibilities (i.e. laundry and junk) that I have to take care of, blah blah blah, and then I also like to daydream and read Paul Krugman, you get the idea...but I am truly ashamed that it took me exactly a week to share this particular post with you all. I'm sorry. Please read this entire post and y'all will see it was worth the wait.

So let's start---I know, after a million years of me rambling on and on (stalling?), here we go. I'm a terrible storyteller by the way. I mentioned in my 100th post that in writing a blog, I have met some pretty cool people---like, super cool people, who enjoy writing (and do it well), as well as they enjoy the little and quirky things in life. {Note: by little I mean the underappreciated things we experience on a daily basis.} Woody, over at Woodn't Ya Know It, just happens to be one of these super cool people. Like, no lies, if you need to laugh or be lightheartedly entertained, you gotta check out his blog.

Anyway, Woody fancies thrift store adventures, and has a "Thrift Store Pen Pals" segment in his blog. The basic idea is he randomly (though in my case not so randomly) chooses one of the participating pen pals and sends them a thrift store "treasure." The rest of this post is about the totally awesome item I received and how it's found a new home.

Oh yes, brace yourselves.

I never get any mail, so imagine this pleasant surprise...

HELLO TABBY! My very own Kitty Photo Friends Photo Frame!! Just what I always wanted but never asked for!

Not impressed??? Just wait...look at all the amazing positions my HELLO TABBY can get into:

You really need to click on this picture to see HELLO TABBY in all its glory.

Naturally, since HELLO TABBY (as I decided to name it) is part feline-part photo frame, I decided to take a little tour around my work area and see what faces would suit him/her (this cat transcends gender barriers by the way)...Enjoy...

The instructions were a lot harder than I thought...

Starting off with POUTY TABBY, because all cats look good with pouty lips.

Or if you prefer tall, dark, and handsome---how about SULTRY TABBY?

Or how about some HELLO TABBY ala High School Musical?

Oh, Zac Efron wasn't the only celebrity to audition for the coveted role of HELLO TABBY, the Desk Companion:

No surprise that Ke$ha would wanna be HELLO TABBY, on the printer.

Khloe Kardashian decided to add an air of wilderness to her HELLO TABBY portrayal.

Ok, maybe---MAYBE---I'm a little biased, but I think Ryan Gosling is best suited for HELLO TABBY...

I mean, come on, HELLO [RYAN] TABBY looks good just standing next to the phone and office pens.

And he works well with his co-workers!

Nope, this is not Ryan Gosling, but to be fair, I had to let this horse join the competition.

A HUGE thanks goes out to Woody once again, for being awesome in sending out little treasures to his fellow blogger friends! If you want to participate in the project, head on over to Woodn't Ya Know It and check out the guidelines! (You won't regret it!)

{Not to make this post all pigtail-braces-glasses-nerdy, but this unexpected exercise was good for me---since I didn't know what was coming, I really couldn't prepare what I would say/write/do. I'm always insecure about my writing---is it good (i.e. well-written, worthwhile), and if it is, what I can I do to make the next one better, blah blah blah---but working on this allowed me to get out of my usual subjects/thoughts and go back to my more lighthearted and happy style.}

Anyway, thought I'd share the following icanhascheezburger cat video---I can't explain how I think it's semi-sort-of-related to this post besides the fact that it has cats. Enjoy :)

Just an Observation or Two (Who's Counting?)

It's Friday, and I've come to the true (i.e. "OMG I can't believe this is really real"---pardon the redundancy and /or limited/poor word choice) realization that April is pretty much GONE. Goodbye April, goodbye 1/3 of the year 2012. Isn't that crazy? I dunno about you guys, but now that I have been out of school for two---can you believe that, TWO---years, time just flashes before my eyes. My schedule is (sadly) a very predictable routine: wake up, get ready, work, go home, tiny moment (it seems) for personal activity/errands/exercise, sleep. Repeat Monday thru Friday. Saturdays are mostly taken up by babysitting and/or laundry. Sundays I can relax a bit, go to church, (and lately, watch 3 or 4 corny horror movies*). And then start all over again.

Routine is dull, but the silver lining is the fact that I have time to read more about different economic and political news going on. Goodness, let me just tell y'all, it seems like the term AUSTERITY is becoming as common as the word CHAD did back in the 2000 elections.

What's austerity? Prior to this drawn-out economic "downturn" (euphemisms rock!), I admit I only knew of the word as an adjective:

austere - adj. 1. stern and cold in appearance or manner; somber, grave; 2. morally strict: ascetic; 3. markedly simple or unadorned; 4. giving little or no scope for pleasure; 5. of a wine: having the flavor of acid or tannin predominant over fruit flavors usually indicating a capacity for aging

But with regards to the past few years, the word austerity---which, the way I see it, is an approach to fixing the economy by cutting down on spending and debt so that people/investors/countries/the world can become more confident in a particular country/economy, so that the economy can start growing once more---has been heard in a lot (A LOT) of economic articles, blogs, reports, etc. Some people have stubbornly defended it, even though this super genius idea (which goes against what econ textbooks teach us) has made matters no better, if not worse; just take a look at the latest European economy news. Others, including my economics-role model Paul Krugman, have long argued against it.

But I'm not trying to make any big arguments about austerity; from what I've read in the news and junk, even though the evidence is there, plain and clear, that this "cost-cutting and deficit-reducing" approach to stimulating the economy (in Europe, and to a smaller/unofficial degree, in the U.S.) is making things worse, our totally intelligent leaders will stay on the same great plan. I'm just making an observation, and I hope I'm wrong about remaining on the same austerity plan. Just an FYI:

austerity - n. 1. the quality or state of being austere; 2. an austere act, manner, or attitude; an ascetic practice; 3. enforced or extreme economy

(I got the exact definitions from Merriam-Webster Online. Oh yes, I love finding and sharing definitions. I love words.)

It's okay, by the way, if you completely ignored the observation above. I know I may not be very interesting when it comes to this subject---economics isn't for everyone hahaha---it's just something I had to get off my chest. Here, for your troubles, enjoy some annoying sun pictures, courtesy of some poor marketing ploy:

It's laughing at you. Whatchu gonna do about it?

Absolutely nothing. Let jaundice take over. And don't tell it the beard looks tacky.

Well now, did y'all know this is my 99th post? The next one, I can assure you, is gonna be EPIC, AWESOME, and PURR-FECT(?)! Just be patient my friends.

P.S. I don't know why the second sun picture wouldn't let me turn it over correctly. Probably because of the jaundice. Wait, hepatitis?

*If you were curious on what the asterisk was for, here you go! Corny horror movies are awesome. I will track them down on the internet and share my favorites along the way. :)

Tidbits Tackles: Romney, Taxes and Obama

Wow. Did y'all watch the State of the Union address last night? It's kind of funny (you'll see why by the end of this post) how things work out. Being at my new job has given me the pleasure of becoming more informed about our current events (more or less, regarding mainly the economy and politics---HEY, baby steps is what it's all about). Ok, so yesterday, when I read an article on the Wall Street Journal about Mitt Romney's release of tax information, I felt the need to input my own tidbit on it. I wrote a ~~very~~ rough draft of it. Here's how it went:

~~~Today, Mitt Romney's tax information has been disclosed. According to a WSJ article, Romney's effective tax rate is 14%, on an income of $21.7 million, after his tax-deductible charitable contributions and other sources of income have been taken into consideration.

Romney's taxes paid totaled around $3 million, which is a lot...IF you think about the amount as a number, not as a percentage of his total income. When I read and found out the total amount in taxes Romney paid versus the percentage of the whole---how the numbers look different "aesthetically"---I suspected immediately that his campaign would focus on the dollar amount rather than on the percentage. Let's face it: $3 million looks way BIGGER than 14% at first glance. And according to Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom, it seems very likely that they will focus on the dollar amount paid (oh, and definitely on the charitable contributions)---rather than on the tax rate itself---to make Mitt Romney even more presentable and appealing to the nation.

I wasn't very surprised by his tax rate or anything---we all expected it (Krugman), even Mr. Romney himself had given a roundabout estimate of 15%---and I don't mind that the tax rate I pay, even if it may be higher than his. But I do have a question---and I'm hoping a lot of curious minds want to know too: why has Romney only agreed to show two years' worth of tax information? I don't wanna sound like I'm nosy or in disbelief, but how do we know that Mr. Romney didn't just (and Krugman says it best) sanitize "his portfolio in preparation for his presidential run?"

Let it be known, the reason I'm talking about Romney and his taxes is not because I envy his wealth and success---believe me, if I had as much money as Mr. Romney does, I'd still be asking the same questions---but I really do believe in that saying "with great power comes great responsibility," and in a perfect world, the wealthier folk feel it is their civic duty and responsibility to contribute more proportionately back to their nation for the better of mankind.~~~

Yes, that had been my original intention for this post. That last paragraph, I know, Spiderman comes to mind when I say that phrase, but, I don't think I was far off from what President Obama expressed last night. Jared Bernstein provides a nice summary of President Obama's address last night, and I especially love the excerpt from the SOTU that Bernstein posted:

"We don't begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it's not because they envy the rich. It's because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don't need and the country can't afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference---like a senior on a fixed income; or a student trying to get through school; or a family trying to make ends meet. That's not right. Americans know it's not right. They know that this generation's success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to their country's future, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel the same sense of shared responsibility."

Well said, President Obama. Below is the entire SOTU, the "enhanced" version. Watch it if you'd like.

And with that, I guess I'll be quiet on this subject, for now. If you have anything you'd like to say in response, please feel free to, but let's keep it reasonable---no attacks necessary. And by no means am I implying that I'm good at this whole current events/Economics/politics thing. From time to time, I'll post "Tidbits Tackles" segments: I'm attempting to tackle various subjects. I'm definitely open to others' points of view. (Oh, and btw, Tackles has an -s because I'm using it as a noun, not a verb, in the title. {That was bothering me.})

Note: Photo of Mitt Romney courtesy of the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) photostream on Flickr.

Collage

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday. How is everybody doing!? You know, earlier today, when I was at work, I was actually working on a rough draft for today's Teeny Tiny Tidbit. Why, you ask? Well, because there have just been so many things on my mind lately, and I don't know which thing to write about first: Candyman, Paul Krugman, the Republican candidate showdowns, strange dreams, and last (but most certainly not least), more tales on the fine treasures I keep finding at work.

{Yowza! (lolol) the letter W sure let its presence be known in that paragraph!}

Since it is Wednesday, I guess I'll take the wacky way out of this overwhelmingly underwhelming predicament and share the newest treasures I've stumbled upon at work. You know, in my rough draft, I clearly remember writing, "...being at this new job has allowed me to appreciate the little oddities in life a lot more." Upon further reflection, I think I've always been appreciative of such things---the only difference now is that I document my findings more freely. I like this liberty.

Without further ado, may I present first....THE HORSE PEN:

This horse has some attitude. "NO FEAR."

The funnier part of this finding is that my older sister, who also works at this office, is terrified of horses....due to some unfortunate---ahem---beastly video...On another unfortunate note, while this pen is amazing, the ink has dried out, so I can't enjoy using it all day long. Sadness :'(

Also, for my entire "working" life, I have had to deal with and enjoy THIRTY-minute lunch breaks. I used to daydream about the day when I would have an HOUR-long lunch, and it seemed so strange to me, you know? Well, let me tell you, ONE-HOUR lunch breaks are the BEST thing ever. Oh yeah, not only do I have time to eat my meal peacefully, carefully, and in a timely manner (oh god, have I got to tell you guys about my eating habits and mannerisms...but at a later date!), but I also have time to venture outside and do as I please! The other day my sister and I went to Target (in Rowlett, by the way, I'd never been there before), and I found some really cheap, pretty adorable, rubber stamps and ink...Now, I don't really need stamps at work, but you never know...I like self-encouragement.

My cheap rubber stamp set.

My cheap rubber stamp set at work---in both senses of the word.

Near the end of last week, I also got to do just about the most exciting thing ever: I got to refill the candy bowl that goes in the middle of the waiting area table. Here's the thing, it's a large, glossy, ceramic bowl, and when I encountered it, the poor bowl was bare! I found out where the candy reserves are kept, and found not just red peppermints, but green ones as well! OMG. That's your reaction, right? This was my reaction: (-_-). Yes, that face. I didn't go to college for nothing, you know, so I put my degree to good use and made the bowl stand out with what resources I had available. And so, behold, the perfect combination of red and green peppermints. I call it: ILLUSION OF CHOICE. I hope you know why my work of art bears that name.

True Story: EVERYBODY who waits in that waiting area actually takes candy from that bowl. They didn't before.

You're probably asking, what else could top all these amazing happenings? Brace yourself. If you feel overwhelmed right at this very moment from so much AWESOMENESS, you might want to breathe deeply five times and then scroll down for the finale...

...Are you....RELAXed?????

I swear to you, I am NOT making this up. Totally real.

A note to add to the above postcard---yes, it was indeed a postcard---the back of it stated the following pun: "When you're ready to seal the deal, contact {MEHNEMEH real estate agent}!" Ohhhhh, goodness. And I found this in decade-old sheet protectors! Oh, but that wasn't the only genius postcard I found, here's another terrific one:

You heard this postcard: STOP FEEDING THE RENT MONSTER!

Now, don't think I waste time at work. Believe me, I pounce on all assignments, but since it is January, this is supposedly---and definitely apparently---the slowest time of the year. I guess I should embrace it while I can!

Well, this has been quite a long post, and I intentionally made the pictures above huge, so y'all could enjoy them...to the MAX. I could totally be one of those postcard creators. I hope y'all have been enjoying January (and your jobs, classes, activities, etc.) as much as I have. One more thing, when I got off work today and stepped on out, I was greeted by the late afternoon blue Texas sky. A little unseasonable weather, yes, but I love days like today.

Gorgeous.

Alright, I'll tackle POLITICS, Krugman, and Candyman (my favorite horror movie of all time), in the next few posts, ok? Good night! :)

I love May

Good evening, all, so you know how I was on vacation a few weeks back? Yeah, and I gave a tiny update about wind turbines? Well, I had hoped to write more often during vacation, but instead I spent it reading, stretching, job searching, and just staying at home. It's quite alright though, I'm not apologizing for the delay of posts; I honestly believe I distributed my time correctly.


Anyway, inevitably, April has become May, and I am a mere week away from my 23rd birthday. This is crazy on so many levels. I thought it was amazing when I had reached my 21st birthday, given my behaviors and bizarre eating habits/conditions. My 22nd was a little different last year, for not only did I earn another year of life, but a B.B.A. in Finance and a B.S. in Economics as well. It's kind of like my graduation overshadowed my birthday, actually, but it was overall an amazing day. And now this 23rd birthday comes along.


These paragraphs have been about me for too long. Enough. In other news, I came across this mini debate over cutting down the deficit. Paul Krugman, an admirable economist, makes it clear, that even though President Obama's plan on cutting down the deficit isn't absolutely perfect, it is more realistic and "plausible" than the Ryan Plan...





If you have time and aren't easily bored by these topics, I do suggest you view the above video. If not, well, you really should view it anyway, I mean, come on, it is Paul Krugman.


In other-other news, my hair has grown quite long, and I need to trim it! Part of me wants to chop it all off, but the more curious part wants to see how long it can grow before it becomes unhealthy. We shall see...


Note: I do apologize if you find this whole budget subject thingy to be boring. Might I suggest you start reading the news more often? A good old-fashioned newspaper every now and then is actually quite fun...or the online version, at the very least.

Sunday Night

It's Sunday night, patio door is open, the feeling that occurs right before a thunderstorm is making itself known. Just another wonderful, peaceful Sunday to add to my memories.

Before you read on, I do strongly advise you to scroll all the way to the bottom of this post and "play" the video. That way you'll have some music accompaniment to this winding post. DO IT!!!

I could apologize for the millionth time for not posting as frequently as I used to, but I'll feel guiltier because I'm not quite sure when the next time I'll post will be after this one. (Rest assured, I'll be on vacation next Saturday, and after I walk in the March of Dimes (for BABIES!) I'm gonna have so much time on my hands I won't know what to do with myself! :)

I had planned to go to New York during this vacation time, but alas, it is not the right moment to do so for countless reasons. But it's okay, I have modified my plans to go in October, which I think is a wonderful time to travel anywhere. And nothing (I'm gonna fight if I have to!) is going to stop me from going this time haha.

Anyway, there were quite a bit of topics I wanted to write about prior to today, but I never got around to writing them down, just because I know that upon reflecting on specific topics, I would become enraged and disillusioned with humanity and death, so I have chosen to hang on to my faith and hope and live on optimistically. Basically, the best I can do is the best I can do.

How about Friday night , eyy? We were mere hours away from a government shutdown, and I seriously had no idea what that meant. I felt ashamed of myself for not being more informed, so I decided to do a little bit of research to educate myself on the topic. Apparently, had Congress not come to an agreement over the budget, all but the "essential" government jobs would shut down, cease to operate, and those employees would be placed on furlough. Oh, but the good ole Congress people would still get paid, because they can only be affected by direct law. (Does that seem fair?) Meanwhile, we'd be essentially defenseless: no one to monitor diseases at the CDC, no one processing/approving passports or visas, etc. As I went through my research, I found out that a shutdown did actually happen back during Clinton's first term (1995 I believe?). I was only a child at the time, so I had no idea this had ever happened. Crazy stuff. Anyway, what's this stuff about the so-called Ryan Plan? I attempted to (seriously, I gave it my all) read this budget plan, and even though the website that promotes the Ryan Plan is all colorful, has fancy slides and whatever, I could not, for the life of me, read past the introduction. Perhaps you can, go ahead, read it, and explain it to me! Well, I'll give it another try, see what they have to offer (on the conservative side), and hopefully none of my "big government" influences blind my judgment lol. Frankly, I'm enjoying Paul Krugman's blog posts more, but who wouldn't!?

Here's the link for the Ryan Plan, I promise I'll read into it more and become a more worthy debater. Ha!

Now I seriously do apologize for making this particular post kind of sort of political (though I really haven't [or have I?] made it too biased). If you play this video below (Oasis, ohmygoodness), maybe it'll make you feel, well, high bahahaha, or like you're just driving around. Enjoy!