I hadn't heard of the movie Inside Job (IJ)until I had watched part of the Oscar's this year. I briefly heard about IJ during the Oscar's but later found out what the movie is all about.
I think I can speak for the majority of the American, and even global population how awful the recession has been. Millions of people lost their homes and millions of people world wide lost their jobs. Thirteen million people in China alone lost their jobs. I saw it all happen, but I didn't understand why or how it happened. Well, to sum it up in one word: GREED
IJ explains in detail how the recession we are currently in started back in the late 90's in Iceland. I definitely can't explain it as well as Matt Damon does in IJ, but basically some big banking firms got a little greedy and made themselves a lot of money.
J. P. Morgan and Goldman-Sachs were two of multiple banking companies involved. The banks borrowed billions of dollars, bet against the money they borrowed and then sold the money they didn't own. It caused the whole market to crash around the globe. The men and women involved deny they knew what they were doing. In fact, some of them served as major financial advisors with President Clinton, President Bush, and President Reagan. They passed laws to make it easier for these big banks to make more money.
No one has stopped them. Nations around the globe know what they have done. These men and women are still employed and earning MILLIONS while many place in the world hover around a 10% unemployment rate.
The major individuals involved with the recession have not lost their jobs. They haven't lost $1. They haven't had to short sale their homes. The major businesses are even more wealthy and more powerful than before.
IJ will make most middle class citizens mad. It is irritating and frustrating to know how much we have lost and how much they have gained.
It is my opinion that there will be another recession. I think the world will recover to some extent from the recession of 2008. However, because there are still no changes and the same people and companies are still in power I predict this will all happen again. I don't want it too, but I think it will.
If you read this post I challenge you to watch Inside Job and tell me what you think.
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Traditions
I stole this from Jill. Sorry Jill. I thought it was cute and I actually read all of her answers. I don't necessarily expect anyone to read all of mine. I am mostly writing this down for "documentation." Documentation for what I don't know. I just like to write things down.
1. Does your family send out Christmas cards? I really try, but it is so hard to keep track of everyone's address.
2. How soon do you start shopping? As soon as I can. I started after Thanksgiving. I shop online!
3. Who do you shop for? My parents, Kyle's mom, brothers, sisters, niece. My family just started drawing names. That makes it nice.
Decorations
4. Do you put up a Christmas tree? yes
5. If so, is it fake or real? always real, but I have thought about getting a fake one
6. Do you like tinsel? Not really. I think it is pretty but I think it looks ugly on my tree. Tinsel belongs...well somewhere else.
7. Do you use homeade or storebought ornaments? We have mostly store bought ones. I have an ornament collection that I enjoy. I love themed trees but I can't bring myself to buy all the stuff to make a themed tree. I also like to change me decorations a lot so it seems like a waste.
8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house? I put some lights outside this year. I should take a picture. It is CUTE!
9. Do you put lights on the tree? Who doesn't put lights on their tree. I like lights.
10. How about popcorn and cranberries? We did that once when I lived in Logan. It was fun, but as Jill said it was time consuming. I have thought about doing it again because it was really pretty.
11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door? Yes and I made it myself!
Christmas Eve
12. Do you celebrate it? Yes. This is the night we spend with Kyle's family. As a kid we always would read Christmas stories, drive around in our jammies to look at everyone's lights and eat donuts. I always loved Christmas Eve.
13. Do you hang up your stocking? Yes. My parents have a real fireplace and one day I will too. I had to get creative with the stockings this year.
14. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?" Yes and lots of other Christmas stories.
Favorite
15. Christmas Movie: Elf hands down!
16. Character from any Christmas Movie: Elf
17. Christmas Song: Carol of the Bells (especially when it is sung with a beautiful choir and bells)
18. Christmas Memory: I don't have a real specific memory that sticks out as my favorite.
This or That
19. Give or Receive? I really love giving gifts. I like to find people meaningful gifts that they will appreciate. I also am a good fan of gift cards. I hate receiving when I have to tell people what it is I want. I like surprises!
20. Eggnog or Cider? Yuck! I like cider sometimes and I do like hot chocolate. I still prefer my drinks cold.
21. Red or Green? It depends on what it is. I like gold and silver in the mix too.
22. Ham or Turkey? Turkey, yes turkey. I don't like the way most people cook ham. It is like chewing on a shoe.
23. Star or Angel? Star. Until this year. We don't have anything on the top of our tree.
24. White Lights or Colored Lights? It changes. I went through a love the color lights phase. Then I went through a white light phase. I am leaning back into the colored light phase again. I like red and white lights together.
25. Blinking Lights or Still Lights: Still. The people down the street have blinking lights on this huge tree. Our family calls it the seizure tree. It is kind of creepy.
26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year? Nice! I am never naughty.
Presents
27. What do you want for Christmas this year? Mostly things no one can buy.
28. When do you open your gifts? Kyle's grandparent's Christmas Eve, our family Christmas day and Kyle's immediate family Christmas day. My family Christmas second. (the day after Christmas) It is three days of wrapping paper delight!
29. What's the best gift you've ever gotten? Gosh, I don't know. Kyle is usually thoughtful about what he gets me. Lately, he has been a little lazy.
30. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten? $20 from The Stingy's. It is a long story but basically it didn't mean anything. They gave me money because they had to not because they wanted to.
31. Who gives you the most gifts? It isn't about the number of gifts.
32. Have you ever had a secret Santa? No, but I have been a secret Santa. My family did secret stuff more than once growing up.
33. Do you like wrapping gifts? Yes! I usually wrap all of my mother-in-law's gifts for her. It makes it hard though because then I know what everyone is getting, well except myself. I always wanted to be a wrapper at a department store. I thought it would be fun.
Random
34. Do you put change in those red buckets? I have.
35. Do you burn a yule log? Nope
36. Can you name all the reindeer? dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet, cupid, donner, blitzen, and rudolph. Why does everyone forget Rudolph he is the most important!
37. Do you bake cookies? On yes! Wait until you see the pictures of our cookie baking experience this year. It was fun!
38. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Clause? Nope.
39. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe? Yes, but it is kind of silly. Kissing under a weed.
40. Do you go caroling? No, but it sounds fun.
41. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights? Yes. It was one of my favorite things to do with my family.
42. Have you ever left Santa cookies? We always left him donut because we thought he would be sick of cookies. We also left Rudolph a carrot.
43. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap? Many times.
44. Who do you celebrate Christmas with? Family
45. Where do you celebrate Christmas? Everywhere!
46. Have you ever had a white Christmas? Uh..I live in Utah of course there have been many a white Christmases. Last year we got snowed in. That kind of stunk.
47. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to? Spending time together as an entire family. That gets harder and harder every year.
48. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa? Yes. I don't know about professionally but I have many picture my mom has taken.
49. Does your family always take a picture at Christmas? Ha! Yeah right! The last official family picture we had done was when I was in 7th grade. We had my cousin take a picture of all of us sitting in the back of my brother's truck before he left on his mission. Oh, I guess our wedding pictures could count. Except Trace was missing at my wedding. Kyle was missing in some of Trace's wedding pictures. They aren't my favorite family pictures any way.
50. anything else? Kyle and I started a family tradition of reading the story of the birth of Christ every Christmas morning from the scriptures. We read it while we are still in bed. It is our way of thinking of Christ first. Seeing as he is the reason for the season!
1. Does your family send out Christmas cards? I really try, but it is so hard to keep track of everyone's address.
2. How soon do you start shopping? As soon as I can. I started after Thanksgiving. I shop online!
3. Who do you shop for? My parents, Kyle's mom, brothers, sisters, niece. My family just started drawing names. That makes it nice.
Decorations
4. Do you put up a Christmas tree? yes
5. If so, is it fake or real? always real, but I have thought about getting a fake one
6. Do you like tinsel? Not really. I think it is pretty but I think it looks ugly on my tree. Tinsel belongs...well somewhere else.
7. Do you use homeade or storebought ornaments? We have mostly store bought ones. I have an ornament collection that I enjoy. I love themed trees but I can't bring myself to buy all the stuff to make a themed tree. I also like to change me decorations a lot so it seems like a waste.
8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house? I put some lights outside this year. I should take a picture. It is CUTE!
9. Do you put lights on the tree? Who doesn't put lights on their tree. I like lights.
10. How about popcorn and cranberries? We did that once when I lived in Logan. It was fun, but as Jill said it was time consuming. I have thought about doing it again because it was really pretty.
11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door? Yes and I made it myself!
Christmas Eve
12. Do you celebrate it? Yes. This is the night we spend with Kyle's family. As a kid we always would read Christmas stories, drive around in our jammies to look at everyone's lights and eat donuts. I always loved Christmas Eve.
13. Do you hang up your stocking? Yes. My parents have a real fireplace and one day I will too. I had to get creative with the stockings this year.
14. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?" Yes and lots of other Christmas stories.
Favorite
15. Christmas Movie: Elf hands down!
16. Character from any Christmas Movie: Elf
17. Christmas Song: Carol of the Bells (especially when it is sung with a beautiful choir and bells)
18. Christmas Memory: I don't have a real specific memory that sticks out as my favorite.
This or That
19. Give or Receive? I really love giving gifts. I like to find people meaningful gifts that they will appreciate. I also am a good fan of gift cards. I hate receiving when I have to tell people what it is I want. I like surprises!
20. Eggnog or Cider? Yuck! I like cider sometimes and I do like hot chocolate. I still prefer my drinks cold.
21. Red or Green? It depends on what it is. I like gold and silver in the mix too.
22. Ham or Turkey? Turkey, yes turkey. I don't like the way most people cook ham. It is like chewing on a shoe.
23. Star or Angel? Star. Until this year. We don't have anything on the top of our tree.
24. White Lights or Colored Lights? It changes. I went through a love the color lights phase. Then I went through a white light phase. I am leaning back into the colored light phase again. I like red and white lights together.
25. Blinking Lights or Still Lights: Still. The people down the street have blinking lights on this huge tree. Our family calls it the seizure tree. It is kind of creepy.
26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year? Nice! I am never naughty.
Presents
27. What do you want for Christmas this year? Mostly things no one can buy.
28. When do you open your gifts? Kyle's grandparent's Christmas Eve, our family Christmas day and Kyle's immediate family Christmas day. My family Christmas second. (the day after Christmas) It is three days of wrapping paper delight!
29. What's the best gift you've ever gotten? Gosh, I don't know. Kyle is usually thoughtful about what he gets me. Lately, he has been a little lazy.
30. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten? $20 from The Stingy's. It is a long story but basically it didn't mean anything. They gave me money because they had to not because they wanted to.
31. Who gives you the most gifts? It isn't about the number of gifts.
32. Have you ever had a secret Santa? No, but I have been a secret Santa. My family did secret stuff more than once growing up.
33. Do you like wrapping gifts? Yes! I usually wrap all of my mother-in-law's gifts for her. It makes it hard though because then I know what everyone is getting, well except myself. I always wanted to be a wrapper at a department store. I thought it would be fun.
Random
34. Do you put change in those red buckets? I have.
35. Do you burn a yule log? Nope
36. Can you name all the reindeer? dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet, cupid, donner, blitzen, and rudolph. Why does everyone forget Rudolph he is the most important!
37. Do you bake cookies? On yes! Wait until you see the pictures of our cookie baking experience this year. It was fun!
38. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Clause? Nope.
39. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe? Yes, but it is kind of silly. Kissing under a weed.
40. Do you go caroling? No, but it sounds fun.
41. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights? Yes. It was one of my favorite things to do with my family.
42. Have you ever left Santa cookies? We always left him donut because we thought he would be sick of cookies. We also left Rudolph a carrot.
43. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap? Many times.
44. Who do you celebrate Christmas with? Family
45. Where do you celebrate Christmas? Everywhere!
46. Have you ever had a white Christmas? Uh..I live in Utah of course there have been many a white Christmases. Last year we got snowed in. That kind of stunk.
47. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to? Spending time together as an entire family. That gets harder and harder every year.
48. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa? Yes. I don't know about professionally but I have many picture my mom has taken.
49. Does your family always take a picture at Christmas? Ha! Yeah right! The last official family picture we had done was when I was in 7th grade. We had my cousin take a picture of all of us sitting in the back of my brother's truck before he left on his mission. Oh, I guess our wedding pictures could count. Except Trace was missing at my wedding. Kyle was missing in some of Trace's wedding pictures. They aren't my favorite family pictures any way.
50. anything else? Kyle and I started a family tradition of reading the story of the birth of Christ every Christmas morning from the scriptures. We read it while we are still in bed. It is our way of thinking of Christ first. Seeing as he is the reason for the season!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
It Does Matter
My friend posted this on her blog and I love the message. I find myself getting caught up with things that don't matter in life. Tonight I left the dishwasher full of clean dishes and a sink full of dirty dishes. I have a half of a load of laundry in the dryer. My toilets are filthy. And the list goes on... Why? Because I wanted to spend time with Grant. We played outside for a while and read a few stories together.
I am so far from perfect it isn't even funny. If I was perfect I wouldn't be in Kyle's dog house right now. I want to be a better mother and wife. I have tried lately to work on being a better friend. It is the friendships in life that I think are the most important in life. I love you all! I hope this messages inspires you like it did for me.
I am so far from perfect it isn't even funny. If I was perfect I wouldn't be in Kyle's dog house right now. I want to be a better mother and wife. I have tried lately to work on being a better friend. It is the friendships in life that I think are the most important in life. I love you all! I hope this messages inspires you like it did for me.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Dirty, Clean, and Offended
This is a venting post. I promise to get more pictures up here soon. My mac won't connect to the internet and that is where my pictures are saved. Any way, back to venting.
I provide language therapy for a LOT of children. Going into people's homes means working with everyone in the family. This is one of the perks of my job. I love meeting people and darling little kids. I love going into the CLEAN homes and seeing all the decor around the house. It is like living in an interior decorating catalog.
Oh and by the way NOT "clean" is defined as smelling like cat urine, dog crap, or human crap for that matter, moldy dishes (yes dishes can grow mold), and unidentifiable "mush" on the couch. To sit down you wish you could have Mary Poppins power and sit on the ceiling because it is the cleanest part of the house and even then it is questionable. Clutter, dusty picture frames, lint on the carpet, less than a month's worth of dishes in the sink, is NOT dirty! That is CLEAN! (My personal house has a little higher expectations, but it doesn't always achieve it.)
So I love my job! AND here comes the disclaimer to the previous statement. I don't like it when my families get offended. I have been reprimanded multiple times for being late to appointments and being EARLY! I have been too blunt, too professional and too friendly. I get really sick of getting told I am pretty much no where near perfect. I am tired of my bosses calling me into the office to tell me something else I did wrong.
Here is my side of the story! I really try to just be myself. I can't not be friendly, sorry, I just came that way. I try to be professional and sometimes it comes across as blunt. I try to be on time, but anyone who ever has done home visits that sometimes it just doesn't happen.
If you receive home visits from ANYONE here are some things you can do to make their life easier. First, be patient and give them a few minutes to get to your home, if they are late call them on their cell phone first instead of the boss! If they are too blunt or too friendly or anything else talk to them first. Speaking for all of us who do home visits, we really can't please everyone. If there is something you don't like just talk to us. We can't guess who is offended and by what.
The most frustrating thing is that when people get offended the only person they affect is themselves and in my case their child. I currently have one family who I have offended. They are cancelling all my appointments, which means their child isn't getting language services. I know why they are bothered by me and I wish they would just give me another chance.
Being offended is just a bitter feeling. I try not to be offended by other people. It is hard because the feeling is so validating. In most cases I don't think people try to offend others. We are all human and we all have different personalities, which is what makes the world unique. Unfortunately it also requires us to all have a little patience.
I provide language therapy for a LOT of children. Going into people's homes means working with everyone in the family. This is one of the perks of my job. I love meeting people and darling little kids. I love going into the CLEAN homes and seeing all the decor around the house. It is like living in an interior decorating catalog.
Oh and by the way NOT "clean" is defined as smelling like cat urine, dog crap, or human crap for that matter, moldy dishes (yes dishes can grow mold), and unidentifiable "mush" on the couch. To sit down you wish you could have Mary Poppins power and sit on the ceiling because it is the cleanest part of the house and even then it is questionable. Clutter, dusty picture frames, lint on the carpet, less than a month's worth of dishes in the sink, is NOT dirty! That is CLEAN! (My personal house has a little higher expectations, but it doesn't always achieve it.)
So I love my job! AND here comes the disclaimer to the previous statement. I don't like it when my families get offended. I have been reprimanded multiple times for being late to appointments and being EARLY! I have been too blunt, too professional and too friendly. I get really sick of getting told I am pretty much no where near perfect. I am tired of my bosses calling me into the office to tell me something else I did wrong.
Here is my side of the story! I really try to just be myself. I can't not be friendly, sorry, I just came that way. I try to be professional and sometimes it comes across as blunt. I try to be on time, but anyone who ever has done home visits that sometimes it just doesn't happen.
If you receive home visits from ANYONE here are some things you can do to make their life easier. First, be patient and give them a few minutes to get to your home, if they are late call them on their cell phone first instead of the boss! If they are too blunt or too friendly or anything else talk to them first. Speaking for all of us who do home visits, we really can't please everyone. If there is something you don't like just talk to us. We can't guess who is offended and by what.
The most frustrating thing is that when people get offended the only person they affect is themselves and in my case their child. I currently have one family who I have offended. They are cancelling all my appointments, which means their child isn't getting language services. I know why they are bothered by me and I wish they would just give me another chance.
Being offended is just a bitter feeling. I try not to be offended by other people. It is hard because the feeling is so validating. In most cases I don't think people try to offend others. We are all human and we all have different personalities, which is what makes the world unique. Unfortunately it also requires us to all have a little patience.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
What's in the name?
Many of you reading this blog know me as Cebu, but some of you know me as Kelly. What is with the name? Well, many people have asked me that question and so let me set the story straight.
Three or four years ago I was going through some personal trials. I was figuring out who I was and who I wanted to be. I had some big decisions to make and I went through a lot of changes. It was about this time in my life when I felt like the old Cebu everyone knew wasn't the same person I was now. I have always liked the name Cebu and enjoyed being unique but now all of the sudden I didn't feel like the name matched who I had become.
I started working for USU. After 10 days of answering who I was, why I was really white, if Cebu was my real name, why I didn't have a middle name, where did my name come from, what were my siblings names, why didn't they get "weird" names, where are my parents from, why isn't it spelled with a S, and many other questions. I had it! I was done. I didn't mind having a special name, but I didn't want to explain my name every day. I got to the point where I would avoid the question of "what is your name" and would dread answering the question when I couldn't avoid it. I thought to myself "why should I be so embarrassed by my name." I didn't like having this identity crisis every day so one day I sat down with the newspaper and I started looking for names (the names in wedding parties and names of family members in obituaries is where I started).
I finally found "Kelly" I thought the name fit, it was easy to spell, and it was "normal" enough to not raise questions about the color of my skin. I really like the name Kelly and enjoy going by it. I think it so cool that other people have my name and I love that everyone spells it right. It drives Kyle nuts sometimes because it isn't my real name. My family still call me Cebu, which is fine. They all know where my name comes from and so they don't ask questions. The only time it is a pain to have two names is when you are hanging out with your family and you meet someone from work. Then there is a small confusion, but that rarely happens.
At work I am known as the "name" police. When someone has a baby the mother likes to check with me first to see if it is too outlandish. I actually like most names. The only advice I give people is to make sure it is easy to spell and doesn't question there race or sex. You don't name a boy Sally and a girl Bruce. You also don't spell a simple name like Sally
C-E-A-I-L-L-I-E-Y! Well there you have it that is my soap box on names.
For the record I passed ISLA and JAXON.
Three or four years ago I was going through some personal trials. I was figuring out who I was and who I wanted to be. I had some big decisions to make and I went through a lot of changes. It was about this time in my life when I felt like the old Cebu everyone knew wasn't the same person I was now. I have always liked the name Cebu and enjoyed being unique but now all of the sudden I didn't feel like the name matched who I had become.
I started working for USU. After 10 days of answering who I was, why I was really white, if Cebu was my real name, why I didn't have a middle name, where did my name come from, what were my siblings names, why didn't they get "weird" names, where are my parents from, why isn't it spelled with a S, and many other questions. I had it! I was done. I didn't mind having a special name, but I didn't want to explain my name every day. I got to the point where I would avoid the question of "what is your name" and would dread answering the question when I couldn't avoid it. I thought to myself "why should I be so embarrassed by my name." I didn't like having this identity crisis every day so one day I sat down with the newspaper and I started looking for names (the names in wedding parties and names of family members in obituaries is where I started).
I finally found "Kelly" I thought the name fit, it was easy to spell, and it was "normal" enough to not raise questions about the color of my skin. I really like the name Kelly and enjoy going by it. I think it so cool that other people have my name and I love that everyone spells it right. It drives Kyle nuts sometimes because it isn't my real name. My family still call me Cebu, which is fine. They all know where my name comes from and so they don't ask questions. The only time it is a pain to have two names is when you are hanging out with your family and you meet someone from work. Then there is a small confusion, but that rarely happens.
At work I am known as the "name" police. When someone has a baby the mother likes to check with me first to see if it is too outlandish. I actually like most names. The only advice I give people is to make sure it is easy to spell and doesn't question there race or sex. You don't name a boy Sally and a girl Bruce. You also don't spell a simple name like Sally
C-E-A-I-L-L-I-E-Y! Well there you have it that is my soap box on names.
For the record I passed ISLA and JAXON.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Book Reviews
I love to read! My mom was a school teacher and as a child we never went without books. We had shelves of books in our rooms as wells as shelves in the family room. My siblings and I were usually always the top in our class for reading contests. We all just love to get lost in books.
I wasn't able to read for FUN when I was going through high school and college. (Don't worry I read my fair share, but not anything I would call "fun" informative yes, but fun no.) Once I graduated I picked up novels like nobody's business and have been making up for lost time!
Some of my fellow bloggers put up book reviews and share their thoughts on novels. I love it. I have picked up a few books I never would have read if it hadn't been for their recommendations. I truly appreciate all of my friends' insight into novels. I am hoping I can be just as insightful for my blog readers.
I am warning you I am very opinionated! I have certain "classic" authors I can't stand! I read a lot of mystery novels, but do adventure out to other genres on occasion. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. Just don't be offended!
I wasn't able to read for FUN when I was going through high school and college. (Don't worry I read my fair share, but not anything I would call "fun" informative yes, but fun no.) Once I graduated I picked up novels like nobody's business and have been making up for lost time!
Some of my fellow bloggers put up book reviews and share their thoughts on novels. I love it. I have picked up a few books I never would have read if it hadn't been for their recommendations. I truly appreciate all of my friends' insight into novels. I am hoping I can be just as insightful for my blog readers.
I am warning you I am very opinionated! I have certain "classic" authors I can't stand! I read a lot of mystery novels, but do adventure out to other genres on occasion. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. Just don't be offended!
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