Epic Georgia Floods

I was considering the recent floods in Georgia this week and the AJC article that claimed this was a 500-year flood. I'm wondering if the world's temperature continues to rise, with a 6.3 degree increase forecast by the end of the century, will this flood be considered a 10-year flood. Something to mull over and consider how we live our lives today.

Family Health Premiums: $13,375 a Year

According to this story in the South Florida Business Journal, employer-sponsored family health insurance premiums are $13,375 per year, with employees paying $3,515 and employers paying $9,860, on average. This is just one cost of the status quo health care system in the US. God, no wonder the insurance execs are making salaries in the tens of millions a year. This is obscene and morally wrong.

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Obama's Invisible Achievement

I found an interesting article over at Truthdig about perhaps the most notable achievement of President Obama's administration...one that perhaps will remain virtually invisible for generations until some historical perspective can be achieved. I agree that had Obama not acted aggressively on the economy, things would now be much, much worse. Here is an excerpt:

The hardest slogan to sell in politics is: “Things could have been a whole lot worse.” No wonder President Barack Obama is having trouble defending his stimulus plan.

If governments around the world, including our own, had not acted aggressively—and had not spent piles of money—a very bad economic situation would have become a cataclysm.

But because the cataclysm was avoided, this is an invisible achievement. Many whose bacon was saved, particularly in the banking and corporate sectors, do not want to admit how important the actions of government were. Anti-government ideologues try to pretend that no serious intervention was required.

So everyone goes back to complaining about high deficits and the shortcomings of government as if nothing had happened. This is now creating problems for Obama on health care.

Obama could never win with the right wingnuts, who would have criticized him for doing too little had he not acted aggressively. Now they just tell lies and call names. Reminds me of grade school bullies.

Facebook and Other Social Media

I had told friends that I would not join them on Facebook, but about three months ago, I did anyway. It's been a blast, plus I found a short temp job via Facebook Marketplace.

I also joined Twitter, but I almost never use it. I guess I need someone to teach me its finer points, as I see little virtue in it.

On the other hand, now I am addicted to Facebook, especially one of its many games, Mafia Wars. When I first started playing it, little did I know it could become addicting. I've been addicted to games in the past, such as Hearts on Yahoo Games, so I'm sure in time that this addiction will pass away as the others did. I know it will when I find a job and get busy with "life" again.

However, in the meantime, join my mafia, damn it.

What Has Been Going On

Contrary to any rumors, I have not been kidnapped or ran away to some far away place. Nothing much has been happening with me except getting poorer financially. I have worked a couple of very short jobs: one six-day contract and another that was under 40 hours. I've had no luck finding work in or out of my field of technical writing.

I lost my qualification for unemployment back in March after having quit a contract job I wasn't qualified for. The only way to be reinstated in unemployment is to get a permanent job that lasts for at least six months and then be laid off again. Consequently, I've been borrowing from my home equity loan to make house payments, pay for groceries and utilities, and to pay all the deductibles and co-pays from my gall bladder surgery. I've almost maxed out the loan.

Luckily, I will be 62 in mid-September, so I qualify for early Social Security, with a lifetime reduction of about 25-30% because I am not at the full retirement age of 66. My payments start in mid-November, as I have finished all the application process. This income will pay a little more than my mortgage payment each month.

I'll also have a tiny pension starting in early October that should cover a few of my utilities. However, I will still need to work at least part-time to pay other bills and to have any money for recreation or travel. The problem is finding such a job or jobs.

I still have a roommate who pays his rent each month. That helps too.

I have some money in a retirement account, which I am holding off on touching since the bad economy has really caused it to take a huge hit. I may have to take a little near the end of the year. I will be in such a low-income bracket for the year that my tax hit on that money shouldn't be much. Plus, Georgia doesn't really tax retirement income. Only federal tax should be owed.

After I turn 62, I'll also be eligible to take courses for free at Georgia state colleges. I haven't inquired yet about the process. I'll wait until I am 62 in less than a month so that when I find out, I can make the application at the same time. I expect to take courses in Adobe Photoshop and in web design to enhance my technical writing skills. Getting another degree would probably only make me even less attractive to employers in this job market. I think the courses should help though.

I write all of this not to complain or for pity. I'm just recording this for myself and any friends who read my blog. This is how things are financially and career-wise right now in my life.

I have to admit to fighting depression. I take an anti-depressant, at the urging of my medical doctor. It has helped some. I think once I have my Social Security income coming in, I may feel a little bit better. Not having much money really sucks, but I'm getting used to NOT being a consumer. It seems that many folks are doing the same in this great recession.

Some of my friends have been very good to me these past few months. I'll remember them when I'm back on my feet. I've been treated to various things that otherwise I would have not done. I am thankful to each and every one of you who have been so kind. That is what friendship is all about...loving and helping your friends in good times and bad. I love you guys.

There is more that I could write in this post, but now that I've started writing again, I think it won't be so long until my next post. Until then....

Science Flies You to the Moon

Sometimes you stumble across something on the Web that makes you laugh and also makes you think. This photo was one of those times for me. Since we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, how more appropriate could the sign be.

Fox Theater

I went with some friends from one of my Meetup.com groups to go on a tour of the Fox Theater. I've been here many times for events, but this tour showed me things I've never seen. Here is one of the photos I took. The rest of them are on my profile in Facebook.

This chair was one of a set of two in the women's "powder room" and the guide told everyone not to sit in them. I thought they are very pretty. (Yes we toured two of the "tea rooms" because of ornate features.)

The tour is inexpensive and I highly recommend it for a nice Saturday morning outing in Atlanta.

Review: Burno is Brilliant

There is not a dull moment in Sacha Baron Cohen's brilliant comedy, Bruno. Cohen's style of comedy is not appealing to everyone, and some people "just plain don't get it." I love off-beat humor, especially humor that pushes the envelope. Bruno does more than push the envelope. It licks it all over, stamps, and mails it.

I am aware that some gay folks don't like this movie for some reason or other. I haven't read their criticisms because I don't care. The character of Bruno is an extreme caricature that makes fun of stereotypes. He uses outrageous situations and dialog to make fun of homophobes, "ex-gay" charlatans, and rednecks. Whatever anyone else wants to read into this movie, go for it. That's my take. Two fists up.

Here's the restricted trailer.

In Poll, Wide Support for Government-Run Health

I am very pleased that the public is behind Obama on this. Many in both parties in Congress (who owe lots of money to the insurance and pharma lobbyists) want to scuttle the public option. I hope this poll will push the public option over the finish line in Congress. Call your Representatives and Senators...please.

In Poll, Wide Support for Government-Run Health - NYTimes.com

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This message appeared tonight while I was playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. Somehow, the HTML code appeared. Oops.

Some Health Care Facts

Here are a few facts about health care in the US that I recorded while watching a short segment on health care on CNN:

• France spends $3449 per person per year on health care.
• The United Kingdom spends $2760 per person per year on health care.
• Canada spends $3678 per person per year on health care.
• The United States spends $6714 per person per year on health care.

Do we get our money's worth for paying so much extra? You decide:

• The US ranks 50th in the world in life expectancy.
• The US ranks 44th in the world in infant mortality.

We are spending more on health care partly due to the administrative costs of having so many health care plans. Americans also go to specialists more, which adds to costs. There is more emphasis on prevention in other countries, such as Canada, which reduces the need for health care.

I could go on, but these are just the facts I recorded from the short segment. Obviously, there are other reasons for our high costs in the US.

The Back of Kennedy's Note

In case you missed it this week, President Obama wrote a teacher's note for a child during one of his town hall appearances. The story and video are here if you want to know more. What has not been reported, or if so, I haven't seen it, is what was written on the back of the note. Now it can be revealed.

Town Hall meeting
Grab a burger with brown mustard - Don't tell Michelle
Tell Congress to pass health care
Take Michelle on date in Rome on next European adventure - This is a lot of fun
Buy arugula at Fresh Market
Remind everyone again that I inherited this mess from Bush
Buy a new teleprompter
Sneak out for a smoke - Don't tell Michelle or reporters