25 Random Things About Me (Or what I’m thinking right now)
Month: January 2009
Welcome to the 80’s!
We live in an age of incredible modern technology. Communications are instantaneous. The internet is everywhere. Our world is wireless. Any device, any content, any time, any place. Right?
I like to consider myself ahead of the times, as well. I don’t mind spending money on technology that I feel can radically enhance my life. I felt that way about the internet in 1995, about digital cell phones in 2000, and about the Mac in 2005.
Well, yesterday I took a major step backward in time when I had the privilege of purchasing my…
Auditions – Week 3
This week, Simon and Friends went to Salt Lake City and Jacksonville – two of the most boring cities on the planet – so it’s not super suprising that things were slightly unremarkable this week.
First of all, we can’t get through this blog without mentioning David Osmond. Yes, friends, he is a Mormon, and thus we can soon add him to the pantheon of Mormon idols born on this television program.
I predict David will go to top 12, but it’s anyone’s guess after that. He’s a seasoned performer, so will do well if he can choose the right songs and somehow get America (the non-Mormons) to somehow endear him.
Help a Brother Out
My little brother has recently entered an awesome graphic into some kind of art contest scholarship thingey. It’s of Obama – and it’s very thoughtful and well executed.
It’s time to throw the full weight and force of the WhiteEyebrows readership behind this entry. Please click on the link and vote for his piece. Do it lots of times. As many as you can….
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICTURE AND VOTE
… or there’ll be NO MORE AMERICAN IDOL POSTS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!!!
(now there’s an ultimatum that will blow your hair back!)
Also, please post this on your own blog, or I’ll stop reading your blog and will turn its address over to my friends in the Cialis and fake diplomas spamming engines… then we’ll see who’s laughing!
Inauguration Stupidity
Here are some of the stupid things I have heard people say since the inauguration:
“I will put my hope and faith in [Obama]” – a friend’s blog
Uhh… not to be a jerk or get all preachy on you, but there’s only one place I put all my faith and hope. Men (and women) will always fail. God is the only one who is perfect. As dorky as it sounds, “God is Faithful” & humans suck.
“…[Obama] will rule this country…” -doofy reporter on NPR
Ok… no one RULES this country.. got it! The minute someone starts ruling this country is the minute I pack my bags and naturalize myself somewhere warmer.
Oh, and P.S…
You want to know who was shouting for joy the most when Obama signed the executive proclmations ending the CIA’s interrogation programs, closing Guantanamo Bay, and pledging a new transparency and freedom of information? Not the human rights advocates. Nope, it was the terrorists. Yes! They don’t even have to spy on us now to figure out what we know about them… we’re just going to tell them out loud. And then we’re going to treat them like gold and offer them every luxurious inefficiency of the American judicial system as well – the country which they hate, pledge to destroy and are not even citizens of.
This president obviously has no concept of the value of information in the war against terror we are fighting.
Personal Pity Party
Yes… I know. There was no American Idol post this week… I’m sorry. So sorry.
But I have a good excuse… see… I was sick! Cough, cough… hack, cough, sputter.
Let’s have a pity party for me.
- I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. And for the past 4 mornings too…
- Work is very, very busy. Too much work and not enough “vontade” to do it.
- I was sick for 4 days this week and had to work through my sickness (albeit from the comforts of home).
So the blog suffered this week. In fact, the posts that got posted got posted because I had written them in days previous and scheduled them to go up… So maybe the blog should suffer less next week. Here’s hoping!
But, the good news is, I got a lot of work done this week, and my fiance and I got a lot done on the wedding, too. (We’re T-minus 2 months now… just in case you were wondering)
I also went to a fabric store today, which was a severe threat to my manhood, and I survived with my man card intact. We did check out after a couple of queens that were buying a LOT of sequined fabric. Scary.
Irony of the Economy
I’m no economist, but I do make one particular observation regarding the current economy:
The recession we are currently experiencing was undoubtedly caused by the collapse of many financial institutions. This collapse was caused by lenders making bad loans to people who were spending more than they could ever repay.
The exposing of that truth put us into a lending/financial/banking crisis which struck fear into people and companies. They began saving and scrimping and protecting their capital at all costs. People stopped spending money, and the layoffs started. Since most jobs are dependent on companies selling stuff and people buying it. If everyone stands around and no one buys anything, then the recession just gets worse. More layoffs, less spending – it’s a downward spiral. And so began the protectionist phase of this recession.
Now we’re entering the next phase – which seems to be the consumer and corporate confidence crisis. No one is willing to take the first risk right now into an economic situation that is still unsure. No one knows how long the recession will last and is holding their cards until the last round.
Someone has to take the first step. Confidence has to be restored. Unfortunately, the government is the one with deep enough pockets and a large enough megaphone to do anything about the confidence crisis. The only question is, will their stimulus package stimulate the right places of the economy, such that people and companies will then increase their spending and turn their confidence around?
It’s ironic – we were put into this recession by spending, and the only proposed way out will be spending. Is our continual, unsustainable spending really the only way out of this crisis, or am I missing something?
Obama is a Class Act – Biden is Not
Obama just signed his first proclamations as President, most notably on transparency expected from his administration.
More interesting though was the moment that happened immediately afterward, when VP Biden was asked to administer the oath to the senior staff members who were assembled. Biden wasn’t expecting to give the oath, and so in a moment of cover and panic, made a crack that “he didn’t have as good a memory as Justice Roberts” and would need a copy of the oath to read.
When Biden made that comment, Obama visibly bristled and frowned. This is the exact kind of classless politics he has renounced for the past 2 years on the campaign trail – and now he has a poster child of such politics on his right hand.
Lucky guy, huh.
I’m thrilled about Obama’s reaction though. It shows me he actually believes what he was saying, and is actually committed to a more civil dialogue in Washington. Then again, it just might be a sign that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, and even the highest levels have yet to buy into his vision.
Update: Washington Times Wire
Update: Here’s the video… it’s about 1/2 way through.
The First in a Long Line of Mistakes
Yesterday’s Presidential Oath of Office was kind of botched first by the Chief Justice, then by Obama, then the awkward stepping all over each other’s lines. Sadly, the beauty pageant was slightly marred by the bungling of this critical moment. Of course, most news outlets I listened to just glossed over the whole thing (imagine if that were governor from the South with an accent up there… we’d never hear the end of it…)
Didn’t anyone tell these guys that the bible is really there as a place to hide a cheat sheet?!?! For reals…
But I’m not here to rail on the media, the Chief Justice, or even President Obama. Who cares.
I’m here to rail against expectations.