The Manda Blog: October 2011

October 31, 2011

October 27, 2011

Occupy

Peter Schiff, please continue to do as you're doing.

Let's take this step by step. First of all, the people behind the protests are smart. They have designed a plan that deflects the bad economy away from President Obama onto greedy Wall Street people and by extension the Republican Party.

It works this way: The protesters scream that Wall Street greed is why the worldwide economy is so bad. And who supports big business? Why, the Republicans do. Simple, effective and some in the media have latched onto the theme. The economic disaster in America is not the president's fault; it's the fault of corrupt Wall Street greed-heads.

Whether he knows it or not, President Obama lit the fuse for this plan by openly stating that corporations and the wealthy are not paying their fair share in taxes. "Talking Points" doesn't know whether Mr. Obama knew his class warfare rhetoric would ignite public protest, but it has, and surely the president understands the power of his words. On Sunday at the Martin Luther King Memorial he said this:

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Dr. King understood that peace without justice was no peace at all, that aligning our reality with our ideals often requires the speaking of uncomfortable truths and the creative tension of nonviolent protests.

If he were alive today, I believe he would remind us that the unemployed worker can rightly challenge the excesses of Wall Street without demonizing all who work there.

The president's use of the word "justice" is interesting. What's the definition of justice?

Some folks believe that justice is making sure everybody has the same amount of money. That's the income equality group. They want governments around the world to take money away from the affluent and business and give it to the "people." And spurred on by the demonstrations in the USA, protesters all over the world are now demanding social justice.

What people have to understand is that these demonstrators come from a variety of places. Some are hardcore communists; some are socialists; some are just confused and/or looking for some action. Most of these people don't know the big picture. They're just out there protesting whatever beef they may have. The commonality here is that the protesters despise capitalism, believing it unfair. And sometimes it is, just like every system can be unfair.

The greedy business people who invented the giant mortgage con absolutely damaged the worldwide economy. They are villains. There's no question about it.

But you don't see these protesters screaming about countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal and other social justice nations going bankrupt because of excessive spending on entitlements. That bankruptcy spectrum is hurting the worldwide economy far more than any mortgage scheme ever did.

You also don't see the protesters angry with the Democratic Party here in America for spending this country into near bankruptcy, badly damaging the currency and retirement accounts.

No, none of that is on display. It's all about social justice.

The truth is that many protesters in America simply don't like their country. They don't want to compete in the free marketplace. They want to do their own thing and be guaranteed financial security while doing it. Again, they don't want to compete; they want to be supported.

Meantime, the demonstrations are costing working taxpayers millions of dollars. Money down the drain.

On another front, it is instructive to see how the left-wing media in America are supporting the demonstrators. Think back a year ago when the Tea Party was demonstrating for smaller government and responsible spending. Did the media support that effort? Of course not. It demonized the Tea Party as racist and insensitive to the needs of the poor.

So what happens now? Well, my pal Glenn Beck says this is just the beginning of worldwide rioting and revolt designed to tear down the capitalistic system. "Talking Points" believes the protesters will in the short run ramp it up. They are now emboldened, and the powerful people behind President Obama certainly see this as an opportunity. If Wall Street becomes the economic issue, Mr. Obama will be much better off. The president's campaign chief, David Axelrod, gave us a preview on Sunday:

DAVID AXELROD, BARACK OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN CHIEF: I don't think any American is impressed when they see Governor Romney and all the Republican candidates say the first thing they would do is roll back Wall Street reforms and go back to where we were before the crisis and let Wall Street write its own rules. I think that will be an issue.

Interesting, right? The Democrats know they can't defend President Obama's economic record, so they will deflect it into another arena and the media will buy it.

But "Talking Points" is not buying it. Capitalism gives the most amount of people the most opportunity to succeed on their own. Europe is collapsing economically because of rampant social justice spending. The Soviet Union collapsed. Cuba and Venezuela are disasters. Socialism never works.

But worldwide there are millions of people who want stuff without working for it, and they are capable of using force trying to get that stuff. Not a nice picture.

And that's "The Memo."

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I don't understand the lack of support for Capitalism, after all, the ability to individually succeed is what makes America great. Are the witnessed effects of countries that have tried to survive via large government not enough to help us understand the blessing of full-freedom? The story for social justice has got to be an angle posed by the percent of OWS just looking for a cause. Right?

Too much faith in Americans? Maybe.

Someone [preferably liberal because the left won't listen to the right] who understands the issues and realizes the emotional are trying to destroy the American dream needs to redirect the confused, get them all on the same page, tthhheeeen take action.

BY ALL MEANS, that person has got to exist.

PS. Feel free to link me to a respectable, logically thinking OWS supporter that can articulate his/her cause so I may understand the other side.

PPS. In SLC, it is now illegal to let your car idle for longer than 2 minutes.

PRTLND

I'm not exactly sure of where or how to start telling the story of our trip to Portland. Travel journal=good idea for next time.

To prevent from lengthier descriptions and incredible amounts of boredom, here is my third person, post-road-trip list blob of 5 hippin and hoppin young adults out to have a good time:

October 12 2011

Departied an hour or two [or two and a half] behind schedule.
Men forgot essentials (AKA blanket/sleeping bag/pillow for camping).
Mandy packed way, way too much.
Rule #1: No open food in Kimmy's car.

Bradley spilled raspberries all over Kimmy's car before leaving hometown.Bradley and Kimmy cleaned up said raspberries.
Bradley handed remainder of raspberries to Samuel.
[3 minutes]
Bradley bumped Samuel and dumped the raspberries for a second time.
Samuel = Kanye West fest
Dumpster bagels and bread.
No space, small car quality backseat air conditioning.

Good friends.
Spice Girls dance party.
Mandy sat on and melted an entire pack of Crunch bars.
Yoga at rest stop in Idaho.
Driving, driving, driving.
Arrived at Trevor's house.
Unloaded.
Sleepover in the basement=talked until 4:30 am.

October 13 2011

WAHOO we're in Portland!

Cafe for breakfast.

Walking, walking, walking.

Explored the city =
VooDoo Donuts [Samuel ate a bacon donut-- eWW]

Powell's Books

Music

Buffalo Exchange
Cafe for drinks.

"Hey friend, could you spare a smile?"

Night= more walking/bridge crossing.

Montage for dinner:
House MAC and pesto shrimp fetteccini were delicious. Best part was when they wrapped our "leftovers" (complimentry bread because we didn't have leftovers) in tin foil and shaped it into a WHAT?

ARMADILLO.

Bradley and Mandy photographed the Adventures of Armadillo.

Bradley and Mandy got in trouble for lolly-gagging too often.
Arrived back at Trevor's house.
Trevor made delicious rice pudding.

October 14 2011

Kimmy woke up early and got ready.
Kimmy met good friends in downtown.
Mandy wwoke up early and got ready.
Mandy waited in the kitchen 4EVER for homeboys to wake up.
Nobody wakes up on their own=Mandy wakes everybody up because she's bored.
Jake, Bradley, Samuel, Trevor and Mandy watched morning Hey Arnold!
Kimmie came back.
Time to go hiking up Mulnomah Falls!

BEAUTIFUL.
Lots of family pictures.
Lunch at Laughing Planet.
Herbal Chai Bubble Tea at Cafe.
Herbal Chai = Delicious.
Bubbles/Tapioca balls = Not delicious.
Bubbles/Tapioca balls = Better for spit wads than consuming.
Jake and Kimmie went back to Trevors to take naps.
Bradley, Samuel, and Mandy:
Rode street car.

Explored shops.

Bought books.
Covered the entire city on foot.
Found flowers.
Gave flowers.
VooDoo donuts: While we were at the counter deciding which donuts the purchase the cashier announced to us that one of the other customers was paying for our donuts. WHAT? A kind woman who stood near us in line paid for our donuts. I'm not really sure why except that Portland's people are so kind.

Mandy: Became responsible for ugliest balloon hat ever.

Bradley and Samuel: Ate leftover sushi found on a table outside a sushi shop.

Met up with Jake, Kimmy, and Trevor.
Samuel, Jake, Kimmy, and Trevor go to the best concert of 2011 at the Crystal Ballroom.
Bradley and Mandy swere supposed to go dancing BUUT--
Instead met up with Bradley's homeboy and homeboy's Craigslist ride, helped them find a parking spot, walked around, didn't go into a real club/ended up dancing at a gay bar

[^called CC Slaughters] for a half hour [maybe].
Mandy met up with the rest of the gang.
Bradley and Matt [homeboy] were who knows where.
Samuels wallet was left/stolen. :(
Party ends up back at Trevors.
Hang out.
Go to sleep.

October 15 2011

Long day yesterday, Mandy wanted to sleep in.

NOPE.

Bradley gets up early and drags Mandy out of her blankets and tries to pull her up the stairs but fails because she's strong.
Eventually everyone's wakes up and gets ready for the day.
Kimmy and Mandy in onsies of course.

INDIAN FOOD!!! [FINALLY/YUM]

Then, Saturday market!

Mandy drug (dragged?) Samuel around and made him look at rings for forever.

Mandy bought elephant ring.
Kimmy met up with a Portland friend.
Bradley was upset about Mandy buying the scarf he wasn't holding and never mentioned that he was planning on buying. Haaa.
Jake had the best churro he's ever eaten.
Road band played Home.
Headed to the coast.

Spent the beautiful evening on the beach at Seaside.

Clam chowder and a burger for dinner.
Drove back to Portland.
Slept.

OCTOBER 16 2011

Kimmy's car = dead battery.
Thanks for the ride, Trevor!
Church in Portland.
Very kind people.
Bradley and Mandy smiled and made faces at the kids one row up the whole time.
Jaked hated at the kids one row up the whole time.
[Jake = Going to be a horrible father.]
Packed at the house.
Crammed into the car.
Ate farewell lunch/breakfast with Trevor.
Bradley was informed by the waitress that mother's pick up their children's food off the floor and put it back on the plate = why Bradley should not eat from stranger's plates.
Kimmy and Samuel concerned about football.
Jake fake concerned about football.
The sun came out for the first time our whole trip and said "Please stay!"
Kimmy, Bradley, Jake, Samuel, and Mandy said "WE WANT TO SO BAD, BUT WE HAVE SCHOOL AND WORK TOMORROW :(((( WAA."
Drove the pretty stretch home.