I know it's been a while since my last published post. I feel like I should apologize to all 4 of my faithful blog readers but I won't....
All kidding aside, the last 10 weeks have been extremely exciting for me and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and emotions at the right time.
On a side note, I did import a blog from our 2007 trip to Italy.
more to come....
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Maxed Out
If anyone has not seen the documentary Maxed Out, it comes highly recommended by...ME. Debt had become widely accepted as the norm in this country. I'm not going to get in to the state of the economy and the mistakes that were made and why we are in the situation that we are in, I'll leave that to the pundits and less informed amateurs.
The subject that I would like to be talked about more is FICO scores and the credit bureaus that control them. I am talking about the three overlords: Equifax, Experian and Transunion. There is very little oversight of these entities and they control so much of our lives, which is fine and everyone should be accountable for their credit.
For as much control that these companies posses we should know how they formulate our score right? How come one bureau can say our score is X and a different bureau says it is way less than X based on the same exact information. These scores can save you or cost you a lot of money and there are plenty of injustices that have occurred without explanation.
It is not talked about enough and if my BLOG was accountable to anyone that wanted me to be more detailed, I would be but since it's not, all I'll say is watch the documentary or do some googling and write your congressman.
The subject that I would like to be talked about more is FICO scores and the credit bureaus that control them. I am talking about the three overlords: Equifax, Experian and Transunion. There is very little oversight of these entities and they control so much of our lives, which is fine and everyone should be accountable for their credit.
For as much control that these companies posses we should know how they formulate our score right? How come one bureau can say our score is X and a different bureau says it is way less than X based on the same exact information. These scores can save you or cost you a lot of money and there are plenty of injustices that have occurred without explanation.
It is not talked about enough and if my BLOG was accountable to anyone that wanted me to be more detailed, I would be but since it's not, all I'll say is watch the documentary or do some googling and write your congressman.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Holiday Memories!
Holidays were always special because my parents worked so hard to make them special. Cool thing about growing up in California was that you didn't have to wait until Spring to use the roller blades or bikes and it wasn't too cold to throw the BO Jackson silver and black football that my dad got me when I was eight.
Some of my most precious memories as a child are with my brother at Christmas time. The year we got our first Playstation, the year we got our roller blades, the year we got this and the year we got that. Looking back, each of those moments were monumental at the age of 10, 11 or 12.
Those gifts are no longer apart of my daily life but what is apart of my life are those memories we made together when one of us was the lookout for the parents and the other went through the shopping bags (that were in the hiding place that we weren't supposed to know about) to see what we scored or when we stayed up till 2 and 3 in the morning perfecting MK3 fatalities.
Miss you Pat and I look forward to your homecoming for Christmas 2010 and sharing it with the soon to be new addition.
God Speed...
Some of my most precious memories as a child are with my brother at Christmas time. The year we got our first Playstation, the year we got our roller blades, the year we got this and the year we got that. Looking back, each of those moments were monumental at the age of 10, 11 or 12.
Those gifts are no longer apart of my daily life but what is apart of my life are those memories we made together when one of us was the lookout for the parents and the other went through the shopping bags (that were in the hiding place that we weren't supposed to know about) to see what we scored or when we stayed up till 2 and 3 in the morning perfecting MK3 fatalities.
Miss you Pat and I look forward to your homecoming for Christmas 2010 and sharing it with the soon to be new addition.
God Speed...
Chink in the Armor
A twenty five year old mother to be collapsed while on "duty" at a coffee shop in Brooklyn New York. Off "duty" EMTs were in the right place at the right time, or so it appeared. When asked to aide the fallen citizen, both FDNY EMTs suggested that they dial 911 and left. The mom and her child (too premature) later died at Long Island College Hospital.
Hard to imagine being in a situation where you knew that you could help another human being and bailing out instead. Most of us would relish the oppurtunity to step in and be the hero, whether it be performing mouth to mouth, the heimlich maneuver or getting a cat out of a tree. How rewarding must it be to answer the question "what do you do for a living?", with "I am a FDNY EMT".
This incident is not and indictment on the FDNY, fact is that the FDNY is a symbol in this country and has become synonymous with the idea of selflessness, courage and honor. Few details were released in this story but it is hard to imagine a reasonable explanation for the EMTs actions.
Merry Christmas!
Hard to imagine being in a situation where you knew that you could help another human being and bailing out instead. Most of us would relish the oppurtunity to step in and be the hero, whether it be performing mouth to mouth, the heimlich maneuver or getting a cat out of a tree. How rewarding must it be to answer the question "what do you do for a living?", with "I am a FDNY EMT".
This incident is not and indictment on the FDNY, fact is that the FDNY is a symbol in this country and has become synonymous with the idea of selflessness, courage and honor. Few details were released in this story but it is hard to imagine a reasonable explanation for the EMTs actions.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Talk about a Nightmare
A British man was acquitted of strangling his wife in his sleep because he was having a nightmare. This incident occurred last year sometime while the couple was vacationing in a camper across Whales.
The prosecutors described the case as a unique set of circumstances. Apparently the man was dreaming that an intruder had broken in, so he began to wrestle with him. He awoke with his wife in a headlock.
Sometimes you read stories and think to yourself "this has got to be made up". How tragic! I'm sure we have all encountered individuals with bad wiring but this man just suffered from a sleep disorder and mild depression. According to both families he was loving husband and both families were relieved when they found out that he would be found not guilty.
Can you imagine thinking that you are waking up from a nightmare, when in fact the nightmare has just begun? The world as you know it is now missing your most favorite component, your better half is gone......it would be hell.....
The prosecutors described the case as a unique set of circumstances. Apparently the man was dreaming that an intruder had broken in, so he began to wrestle with him. He awoke with his wife in a headlock.
Sometimes you read stories and think to yourself "this has got to be made up". How tragic! I'm sure we have all encountered individuals with bad wiring but this man just suffered from a sleep disorder and mild depression. According to both families he was loving husband and both families were relieved when they found out that he would be found not guilty.
Can you imagine thinking that you are waking up from a nightmare, when in fact the nightmare has just begun? The world as you know it is now missing your most favorite component, your better half is gone......it would be hell.....
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Playing Palin
I'll be the first to admit that I am not the most up to date person in the world of politics. I would be more inclined to tell you which teams played in the Super Bowl the last twenty years or that Peyton Manning was 3-13 in his rookie season and 13-3 in his second, before I would be able to tell you who the current Governor of Alaska is?
I'm sure someone has done a poll, I bet that most Americans don't know Alaska's current Gov, which is interesting because he just took office because his predecessor quit. Sarah Palin has gone from unknown to superstar overnight. Targeted as a home run hitter for the Mcain campaign in last year's election, Palin was thrust in to the National spotlight. Anyone that says her selection wasn't for all of the wrong reasons just has to look at the Catie Couric interview. Open and shut case of a political party trying to seduce the American people with a little razzle dazzle and it backfired!
I don't blame Palin, she had an opportunity to leap frog her career by ten to fifteen years. She is a celebrity in the Republican party that can campaign and raise money better than most. The point that I find irritating is when Palin or her handlers try to play both sides of the media.
I am just as intrigued as most. Palin routinely is at or near the top in social networking sites and search engine searches. I admit that I'll click on Palin articles, not because I am a fan and I identify with her beliefs and support her message, I do it for the entertainment! Always intrigued to see what she is crying about, or if she said anything that will be on the nightly news.
This week, Palin graces the cover of Newsweek, the photo that they chose is the same photo that was on the cover of some diet magazine. The picture is of Palin in running shoes, shorts and an athletic jacket. Apparently Palin is a little huffy/puffy over the cover.
You're not Condoleezza Rice honey. You weren't picked to be the running mate because of your long history of policy change and academic honors. You think if you weren't a somewhat attractive middle aged slice of americana that you would have been on the ticket? You think Time Magazine has ever put Pelosi or Hilary on their cover in speedos?
If you want that kind of respect, you have to earn it. You don't necessarily have to earn fame, that's just about being in the right place at the right time. You didn't see Jamie Foxx winning Oscars while he was on In Living Color did you? After a couple of scenes with Pacino and a killer role in Ray and Ali is when he got his props.
The media is the reason that she can can wield the type of power that she now has. It might be a double edged sword but she wouldn't be what she is without it. To use it for her gain and then try to play the victim of sexism in the media and unfair coverage is hypocritical but what else would expect form a politician.
I'm sure someone has done a poll, I bet that most Americans don't know Alaska's current Gov, which is interesting because he just took office because his predecessor quit. Sarah Palin has gone from unknown to superstar overnight. Targeted as a home run hitter for the Mcain campaign in last year's election, Palin was thrust in to the National spotlight. Anyone that says her selection wasn't for all of the wrong reasons just has to look at the Catie Couric interview. Open and shut case of a political party trying to seduce the American people with a little razzle dazzle and it backfired!
I don't blame Palin, she had an opportunity to leap frog her career by ten to fifteen years. She is a celebrity in the Republican party that can campaign and raise money better than most. The point that I find irritating is when Palin or her handlers try to play both sides of the media.
I am just as intrigued as most. Palin routinely is at or near the top in social networking sites and search engine searches. I admit that I'll click on Palin articles, not because I am a fan and I identify with her beliefs and support her message, I do it for the entertainment! Always intrigued to see what she is crying about, or if she said anything that will be on the nightly news.
This week, Palin graces the cover of Newsweek, the photo that they chose is the same photo that was on the cover of some diet magazine. The picture is of Palin in running shoes, shorts and an athletic jacket. Apparently Palin is a little huffy/puffy over the cover.
You're not Condoleezza Rice honey. You weren't picked to be the running mate because of your long history of policy change and academic honors. You think if you weren't a somewhat attractive middle aged slice of americana that you would have been on the ticket? You think Time Magazine has ever put Pelosi or Hilary on their cover in speedos?
If you want that kind of respect, you have to earn it. You don't necessarily have to earn fame, that's just about being in the right place at the right time. You didn't see Jamie Foxx winning Oscars while he was on In Living Color did you? After a couple of scenes with Pacino and a killer role in Ray and Ali is when he got his props.
The media is the reason that she can can wield the type of power that she now has. It might be a double edged sword but she wouldn't be what she is without it. To use it for her gain and then try to play the victim of sexism in the media and unfair coverage is hypocritical but what else would expect form a politician.
Friday, November 6, 2009
City by the Bay
After careful deliberation the verdict is in, San Francisco is to this point my least favorite BIG city. There, I said it!
San Fran may have plenty to offer but it doesn't evoke the same type of feelings that other major cities do. There are too many variables to factor when comparing Europeon cities to American Cities so I'll limit the comparrison to New York and Chicago.
Walking down Broadway and through Central Park in New York can make you feel like anything is possible, that all of your dreams can come true with hard work and sacrifice. That isn't the case, but you sure feel that way when you are in that city. Michigan Ave and Navy Pier in Chicago have their own sense of romanticism. Both cities give the impression that they are living organisms and that life would go on without anyone being there.
The biggest factor is that San Fran of the three is the smallest. The tourists sites of all three cities are all probably even with NY holding a slight edge. Chicago and NY probably have more homeless and beggers but there not as in your face as SF. Manhatten and downtown Chicago are clean. The fact that SF is smaller makes you feel like you see street people everywhere you turn and guess what, YOU DO!
I don't know if it has always been like this. I am sensitive to the fact that the housing market in California was ground zero for the mortgage crisis and I am sure that the CA budget issue aren't helpful to the issues in question but there has to be a better answer than the current state of the matter.
At the end of the day, it always goes back to what your original expectations were. Expectations will determine your opinion 90% of the time. If you are eagerly anticipating the release of a movie and it's not as good as you thought it was then you are diappointed. If you end up knowing a few people at a reception that your signifcant other drags you to and it wasn't as bad as you thought was, then guess what you had a good time! (right Tom)?
I expected something different from SF. It doesn't mean I didn't have a great time figuring it all out, just means that it is my least favorite, so far.....
San Fran may have plenty to offer but it doesn't evoke the same type of feelings that other major cities do. There are too many variables to factor when comparing Europeon cities to American Cities so I'll limit the comparrison to New York and Chicago.
Walking down Broadway and through Central Park in New York can make you feel like anything is possible, that all of your dreams can come true with hard work and sacrifice. That isn't the case, but you sure feel that way when you are in that city. Michigan Ave and Navy Pier in Chicago have their own sense of romanticism. Both cities give the impression that they are living organisms and that life would go on without anyone being there.
The biggest factor is that San Fran of the three is the smallest. The tourists sites of all three cities are all probably even with NY holding a slight edge. Chicago and NY probably have more homeless and beggers but there not as in your face as SF. Manhatten and downtown Chicago are clean. The fact that SF is smaller makes you feel like you see street people everywhere you turn and guess what, YOU DO!
I don't know if it has always been like this. I am sensitive to the fact that the housing market in California was ground zero for the mortgage crisis and I am sure that the CA budget issue aren't helpful to the issues in question but there has to be a better answer than the current state of the matter.
At the end of the day, it always goes back to what your original expectations were. Expectations will determine your opinion 90% of the time. If you are eagerly anticipating the release of a movie and it's not as good as you thought it was then you are diappointed. If you end up knowing a few people at a reception that your signifcant other drags you to and it wasn't as bad as you thought was, then guess what you had a good time! (right Tom)?
I expected something different from SF. It doesn't mean I didn't have a great time figuring it all out, just means that it is my least favorite, so far.....
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