No News Today?

I feel like something of a failure...since I can't find anything to really write about today. Aside from the Israelis, it seems like the entire world is just...pausing. There's news, of course. An Indonesian ferry sank, killing many. That coal ash spill in Tennessee really messed up a river that had been recovering. Prince Harry used a racial slur three years ago to talk about a fellow Sandhurst cadet. And natural gas may finally start flowing back into Europe, now that Ukraine has allowed EU monitors into the pumping stations.

And of course, as I mentioned, there's always Gaza.

But that's all I have, really. Nothing jumped out at me and said, "This is crazy-important! People are going to be DIRECTLY EFFECTED by what's going on here!" The world is...calm?

It's a false calm. In Ohio, the economic outlook isn't any better. And we have a group of freshmen legislatures who are tackling it. Could be good, could be bad.

Obama hasn't even been sworn in yet. 9 days to go (as of this writing), and then you just know something is going to hit the fan, just because it's a new President. And it'll be a nice juicy something because it's Obama. That crisis is brewing, as we speak. We just don't know about it yet.

Not much to do about it today though, except keep an eye on the newspage and an ear to the radio...try and stay a touch ahead of the curve. You folks have a great week, and I'll see you again for the "Your Take" recap on Thursday.

Say Hello to the New Russia...

...same as the Soviet Union.

For the past couple years, as we've grown more and more involved in our war in Iraq, Russia has been getting more and more frisky with it's neighbors. Between the gas crisis with Ukraine to blocking sanctions again Iran to the current incursions into Georgia, the practice of intimidating neighbors is back in vogue in Moscow.

Of course, we're not doing anything to help the situation. From our incredibly weakened state (both militarily and morally) we keep insisting on telling Russia how to behave, which is only going to serve to make Moscow dig it's heels in harder.

Add to that, our missile defense treaty with Poland and the Czech Republic. I love how we approached it in a spirit of compromise and diplomacy...but didn't budge an inch, just kept telling Russia how ridiculous they were being.

So are we settling into a new Cold War? That's what it seems like from where I'm sitting...

As if we don't have enough problems.

Welfare State?

Taxes piss me off as much as the next person. At least income tax...taxing money before I can use it is just offensive to me. It sucks my income. Tax my property, my transactions...but let me USE my whole earnings, please.

And it does grate on me to think people are living off my tax dollars, when they could just go out and work.

But...I actually employed those people. The types who worked at a breakneck pace all day long serving ungrateful people, just to get $352.80 every two weeks. Do the math...that's $705.60 each month.

I pay about $400 for rent on my apartment, on the edge of the sketchy part of town. That'd leave $305 for car payments, gas, food, utilities, etc...

Try raising two or three kids on that.

And yeah, I know..."If you can't afford kids, DON'T HAVE THEM." I know. And it sounds great on paper.

But what about the family that got started when Mom and Dad were making $18/hr at the sock factory? Did they become bad people when the factory moved to Honduras, and the only open job was a closer at Wendy's for $7/hr?

Black and white arguments scare the hell out of me, and all the arguments against Welfare and other assistance are black and white.

I was reading this post and comment thread from the archives of Scalzi.com on what it means to be poor...and it reminded me that no matter how hard you try to prevent the lowest common factor from cheating a system, all you really do is screw the honest people. Cheaters will always find a way.

So...I support Welfare, within limits. I think some key policies can be used to protect our investments in those down on their luck, who deserve a chance to get over their troubles and without being screwed for life.

...And Now for Some News...

"No Country for Old Men" Wins Four Oscars, from NPR (it WAS a good flick)

Ruling to Shut Down Leak Website Called Censorship, from NPR

Russia Pledges Support to Serbia, from BBC (I Paraphrase Billy Joel: Haven't they Heard we Won the Cold War?)

Pakistan's Top Army Medic Killed in Bombing, from BBC

Bringing Back Streetcars Discussed in Cincinnati, from WVXU

Only Two Key Issues Being Worked in Columbus, from WVXU