Gloom and Doom

The 3 oldest had dentist appointments today. No cavities, hooray! Shianne went with Brandy to our dentist, but I took the other 2 to their pediatric dentist in SF.

On a side note...I made an appointment for their 6 months check today in July...for SIX kids! Oh my word. Am I nuts? Yep. Am I gonna be? Oh, yeah. May have to call in the Daddy to help with that one!

So, Jaden and I are waiting for the kids and I'm reading the SF paper. I don't usually read any papers...on occasion I like to read the Sunday paper. I don't watch too much news either...cuz the gloom and doom life is awful. Stuff drives me up a wall.

I'm going to get on a soap box here. Feel free to knock me off and go do laundry. If you're unemployed, then by all means, knock me off. I'm definitely not trying to be unsympathetic, just realistic. Or maybe just more optimistic than the media.

3 Top Picks

in today's paper

1. State Jobless Rate Soars...
   unemployment at 3.9
   
   Excuse me??? Call out the troops, cuz apparently 3.9% is off the charts. Yes, it's increased. Yes, we're in a recession. Yes, I feel for those who are unemployed. Yes, it stinks. But THREE POINT NINE PERCENT (yes I'm shouting) is not incredibly high. Gloom and doom. Here's some basic economics. If you had 0% unemployment (meaning every Tom Dick and Judy that wants one has a job) you would get no new business in your state. Why? Because there's no one left to work so no new business will come!! Don't try to scare me with 3.9%. Have you been to Africa? Do you know that in E and many other countries they have 50-70% unemployment? Now THAT is scary.
   
   
2. Digital Switch Delayed to June 12...
   in part because of 2.6 million [unfilled] coupon requests
   
   Call me crazy. I understand food stamps. I understand housing assistance. I get it. I, for the most part, don't mind my (I'm a taxpayer after all) money going to these things. People need food. Shelter. Water. Medical. And even a phone. BUT TV?!?!?! We're delaying the digital switch because the gov't hasn't gotten out all of these coupons that I would dare bet I'm paying for?!? I could care less about the delay. Digital, analog, whatever. But subsidizing TV viewing? Come on. Maybe if we didn't all watch so much TV we could work our way out of this recession!!!
   
   And then my absolute" favorite"...
   
   
3. "Nation's transit system deteriorates...roads, public transit, [and] aviation have gotten worse the past 4 years....water and sewage systems are dreadful. The basic physical backbone of American Society is barely above failing, a report by top engineers says. Drinking water, inland waterways, roads and sewage systems get a [grade of] D-.
   
   Oh for the love!!
   
   Let me ask you this. Did you brush your teeth this morning with clean water, pumped right to your home, that you simply had to turn a nob for? Did you "do your thing" and then flush your toilet? Did you drive to work?
   
   Or, maybe...you had to walk 6 miles for a bucket of dirty, diseased water. Maybe you urinate in the streets, just like everyone else...or in an outhouse of sorts. Maybe everything is closed because it's the rainy season and because of the awful roads no one can get anywhere.
   
   Ugh!! Have these "experts" ever been anywhere?? Who are they comparing the US to? Perfection!?! I'm not saying we shouldn't do upkeep, but this is RIDICULOUS!!!!!

Ok, off my soapbox. Better go do some laundry!