INFLATION!!

I told you this would cause a problem, I told you! But noooo...we are just going to ignore inflation. How long have I been saying this now? Definitely for several weeks when the first bailout was doled out. Well, here you go; now, the world market is fearing US inflation after we pumped in over $1 TRILLION to buy government bonds. Another moronic decision by the Fed (with the help of Congress). Thanks again guys!

"World Markets Mixed on Worries About US Inflation" - Yahoo!Finance, March 20, 2009

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090320/world_markets.html?sec=topStories&pos=2&asset=TBD&ccode=TBD

Thanks Congress!

Once again, Congress has been spot on. They find something they don't like, then they just pass a bill to tax the hell out of people who they think make too much money. In this case, they decide to pass an ex-facto tax bill to tax AIG executives who received a bonus 90%. For those who think this is fair, because they didn't deserve that bonus, then consider this.

AIG is obligated, under contract, to pay out these bonuses. These contracts may have been signed several years ago before the problems of AIG and the economy were known. How can you pass a bill that will tax 73 people, even though they were due those bonuses? This may be the downside of capitalism, but the government cannot pass a bill after the bonuses have been paid and decide to tax it 90%. You all wanted change from Obama? Well, you are getting it.

Obama and Congress is set to take all of your money if you make too much money in your eyes. They push the Fed to buy $300 billion in Treasury bonds; what a horrid idea. The government is just as bad at being short-sighted as the typical American. Does anybody ever think about a large spark in inflation? We are so wrapped up in deflating prices, that the government is overcompensating by keeping interest rates ridiculously low while flooding the market with cash. What is so difficult about simple economics? Why are we so narrow-minded and short-sighted when trying to fix the economy?

The way to fix the economy is to let the market work itself out. It may take 2 years for this to happen, but what Congress is doing is preparing us for another economic downfall by flooding the market with cash. All we have to do is suck it up for a while, and work to build the industry that will define the United States in the future. The government needs to focus on reworking some regulations that will prevent economic meltdowns like we are currently experiencing. If we don't learn from our mistakes, then we will be right back here again in several years.

Another suggestion: stop bailing out financial institutions and automakers. If these businesses cannot run on their own, then let them fail. Stop using the excuse "they are too big to fail." Maybe if they weren't wrapped up in unprofitable ventures and were not taking extraordinary risks, then they wouldn't be in this mess. Does the government help other businesses who are failing? No. But if you stick out your hand and whine for a bailout, you will probably get one. Just look at the automobile suppliers; they received $5 billion in bailout funds, regardless if they go bankrupt. What crap! Screw Obama's and Congress's thoughts of a trick-down effect. If American automakers are making horrid cars and vehicles, how will additional, cheaper parts help? Maybe they should focus on more fuel efficient cars instead of hoping for a bailout. The government has already handed out more than $1 trillion in cash. $1 TRILLION!!

Americans should stop whining about these corporate bailouts, and should focus on the wasteful spending of Congress. So, learn your economics, stop listening to media pundents, and think for yourself. You weren't whining about bonuses before, so don't whine about them now. Worry about how money is being spent freely by the government, throwing our deficit into a deep hole.

Frustration

Frustrated, as usual. Frustrated with myself and with things that must be done. Renee and I have a presentation to give tomorrow night for class, and I am making the thing more difficult than it should be. Not only that, but I need to finish another paper for my Organizational Behavior class. I don't mind the work so much, but I'm just just tired of school.

I mean honestly, who really wants to do a presentation that was only assigned because the professor does not want to teach the topic himself? Do you know a professor who asks you to put together a "portfolio" with glossary terms and article critiques? I remember who asked me to do that last...my sixth grade teacher. The man actually expects that we will keep these binders filled with crap and reference them after we have completed the course. I don't know who the hell will, but I know that as soon as he hands mine, it is going straight to the dumpster. Maybe I will light it on fire, then throw it away (outside, of course). What a complete waste of time. It is nice not having to take any exams in the class, but when you are assigned busy work in its place, it sort of pisses you off. Sometimes you just want to say, "why don't you take the binder and shove it up your ass??" I'm surprised I haven't snapped yet at Okoboji University. This stuff is just a waste of time, but I don't think the professors care. The only saving grace is knowing that I will be done in May, so I can stop complaining.

Pet Peeves, Part III

One thing that really pisses me off are people who do not call you back. I'm not talking about when you call someone, but don't leave a message when they don't pick up. I'm talking about when you leave a voice mail, and then person doesn't return your phone call or reply with a text message.

Lets say that wanted someone to hang out with you that evening, but they couldn't come out that night. I understand that, because people have plans. But when people do not call you back, and you know they are not preoccupied, then that is really irritating. Even if you do not want to come out, that's fine, just say so. At least have the common courtesy to call back and let you know. It really isn't that much to ask; just return the message.

The Worst Holiday of the Year

Tomorrow is my birthday. Though I am turning 24, I almost forgot it was my birthday. I have been so wrapped up with school and work, that I haven't even given the day much thought. Then again, I don't really expect much on my birthday. My parents keep asking what I want to eat on my birthday and what to buy me. But really, there is no reason to do any of that. I know they are being nice and I should enjoy the day, but for some reason it is just another day.

Which leads me to my point: the holiday I hate the most. That holiday, of course, is Christmas. Something about all of the holiday cheer and excitement just rubs me the wrong way. It has nothing to do with the materialism, I just can't stand 2 months of excitement prior to the actual day. Granted, I also had an unpleasant experience 3 Christmases ago where I wrecked Christmas for my family. But it is usually not a good thing when I get let out 3 hours early on Christmas Eve, but I stay at work until the end of the day just to avoid our Christmas Eve party. Things like this have led to my nickname at work: Christmas Hater.

I don't think there is any time I dread more than Christmas. It sticks around for so long, and just refuses to go away. I don't like receiving gifts, because frankly, I can buy whatever I like. I like buying gifts for others, but I really don't need anything. I am satisfied with what I already have. Other people like Christmas, and that's fine. I am going to go out of my way to wreck their Christmas spirit. I just wish people who be respectful enough to let me ignore the holiday.

Is it Christmas yet? Thank god no...I still have 9 months left until that wretched holiday returns. It feels like I'm expecting Freddy Krueger to come and haunt my nightmares. The only difference is I know when he will arrive. I just wish I could sit at home and enjoy a nice sunny day (without snow) and pretend it is just any other day, except I don't have to work. So, let's just enjoy the "holiday" by not celebrating it? Then again, we would be forgetting about Jesus's birth, but we can still go to church on the day. Oh well, enough of this...

When education is a waste of money...

I am currently finishing up my MBA at, what I will call, the University of Okoboji. Ever since my third semester of graduate school, I have felt that the college curriculum is easier than my core undergraduate classes. If I really wanted to take classes that were as easy as my undergrad program, than I would have gone back and gotten another undergrad degree. Okoboji only requires 12 classes to graduate, thus making the program feasible to earn a degree in a short period of time. The only reason I attended Okoboji is because the other colleges were too far away; even the tuition at Okoboji is outrageous for a private school. I am paying, out of pocket, while working full time, $20,000 to get an MBA that has the value of BS in Business.

How frustrating is it knowing that you are getting little out of the program when you are shelling out that much money? I could have transferred schools if I wanted to, but by then I have already wasted by money, since none of the credits will transfer. So, now I'm stuck in a program that offers classes such as statistics and economics which are easier than my core undergrad business courses. How are there still people that don't know what the mean of a list of numbers is, even after covering it for an entire week?? The only useful classes that offered some value were the capstone class and the marketing class. Other than that, it has just been an absolute waste of time and energy.

I know the college is catering to older students who are in their 40s, but there is no reason to dumb down the education and not make it applicable to today's business world. I really don't think it is too much to ask to make things relevant and valuable to furthering our education. If you compared the curriculum of the college to other local colleges, you would see that every other program is set up in tiers, where you are placed in a certain tier based upon what your undergrad degree was in and when you completed college. It allows students who have been out of college longer to get the additional courses they need, then start the real program. Instead, everything at Okoboji is watered down so that everybody can take the same classes.

I shouldn't complain, since an MBA will help me later on. But I can't hold back the fact that many professors have no outside knowledge outside of an academic setting. How can any of us learn anything useful if we can't apply it to anything?? In the end, I have not given positive reviews to my friends who are thinking of applying to Okoboji. If you want to spend $20K on an undergrad education, then Okoboji is for you!

Pet Peeves, Part II

I didn't think I would get to Part II so quickly. However, I got really pissed when 3 people decided to jay-walk across 4 lanes of traffic during rush-hour in Mentor. Granted, Mentor is not a huge metropolis, but it is one of the biggest Cleveland suburbs. How can anybody think it would be smart to jay-walk across 4 lanes of busy traffic, especially when the crosswalk is only 50 feet away? Stuff like that just really pisses me off, especially when people have no regard for traffic. So, of course, I yelled out the window "Learn to you the fucking sidewalk!!" and gave all three of them the finger. Next time, I'm speeding up the car...(just kidding)