BBBS

Are any of the readers/commenters/lurkers also Big Brothers or Big Sisters? I have an interview today and I'm very excited about the prospect of becoming a Big Sister. If you have a Little Sister/Brother, what are some activities that you have done with them in the past? If you're not one and have time, would you consider joining? If not, would you consider donating to the Obama campaign? (lol, okay the last thing had nothing to do with BBBS!)

What your girlfriends think...

So many moons ago I agreed to go a date with this one guy, we'll call him Java. I wasn't completely attracted to him; however, he cleaned up nicely and his conversation was engaging. He was perhaps the first guy that I went on a date with after I broke up with THE EX. We had a really nice time; however, I was still in love with the EX and once I realized this I more less cut-off communication with Java.

I ran into Java when I was out with a few girlfriends. He approached and said something to the effect of, "Hello stranger." My girls beckoned for an explanation. I told them that we went out on a date. They giggled, looking at him being less than 6 feet tall, and a bit of this that and the other. Because I valued their opinions a bit way too much, I joined in on the giggling.

Fast forward current times. Well, Java found me on facebook. He's rather aggressive...or rather assertive. I've been hanging out with him a little bit. Nothing too heavy or nothing to write-home about; however, I will say that I genuinely enjoy his company. And to think, I had let the girls that are still single and continue to be single to influence my perception of him. He wasn't the physical prototype per se; however, WHO THE FUCK IS?

I'm glad that I met him second time around when I am no longer dealing with that group of women. I've grown a lot and learned a lot from that experience (which I will say time and time again). I do have a mind of my own; however, I admit to insecurities at times. Sure I want to walk down the street with a man that people sit back and think, "wow they're an attractive couple." I think they played into that insecurity. I suppose that I fell into the trap of being an insecure single woman instead of a secure single woman. I choose the later.

Really it only matters that I find the person attractive. And for me, attraction prevails only after I see a person's inner spirit. I don't care that he's a little shorter than the desired standard, 'talks white,' or dresses in button ups and khakis all the time...he stimulates my brain and makes me feel beautiful.

Catholics - How are you coping with this election?

I recently read a painful article in which a Catholic was denied communion due to his support of Obama.

These actions underscore my apprehension toward Catholicsm. It appears to the one popular sect of Christianity that is furthest from the foundation of Christianity principles: LOVE.

That is simply my opinion, and I realize my opinion could be offensive. But after reading something like this...I just shake my head.

Confession re: Patriotism

I'm headed out to Ireland and Spain in less than 72 hours. I'm ashamed to claim that I am American right now. I'm aiming to pick up an Irish accent so that when I get to Spain, people will not be able to detect that I'm American. I'm not comfortable with it right now. Not only that, but I'm vetting Europe to see if I could realistically live there for a short period of time in the event that McCain/Palin win. Next year, I'll visit England and Italy to see what I think of those locations.

*note that I'm being a bit sarcastic and extreme; however, these are random thoughts of mine*

Is that bad?

Just say no...or maybe not?

I had dinner last night with one of my friends who I love because she is so atypical. She's traveled the world, she marches to the beat of her own drum, is gorgeous, and has a very diverse social circle. In a nutshell, the second you think you have her pegged, she surprises you with something new.

So last night she was casually telling me a story. As a part of the story she casually revelas that she's done lines of coke.

Had she said weed, I wouldn't have flinched. But the only white powdered substances that I've ever seen are sugar, salt and flour. She said it so casually that I had to interrupt her and ask her more about her 'recreational coke' use.

I passed no judgement cuz to each their own. I just hope she's safe about it. She's by no means a drug addict, she said it's just something that if it's there and somebody offers, she won't necessarily say no. I just found it fascinating.

Do you use white-substance drugs? Do you have friends that do so? It's so foreign to me. As ignorant as it may sound, I imagine coke to be some hollywood white person drug. (and perhaps the drug of choice for the Browns/Houston household).

BAP

So on one of my favorite discussion boards the holier than thou converter posted a subject title called, "Have you "renounced the hidden things of shame" in your life: Have you "renounced the hidden things of shame" in your life— the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it as soon as it comes to mind— renounce everything in its entirety until there is no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1 Peter 4:1-3 ). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises in your life that would cause you shame.


My response?

I couldn't support this assertion in practice...because a lot of people feel shame due to societal standards and not because of their love and relationship with God.

I don't fall in line with the typical BAP that roams the streets of Atlanta. If I suppressed my thoughts, reactions and actions to be more in line with what I consider to be these BAPs...I wouldn't be me. And I love me. (not that I don't love BAPs).

When I read other's blogs and their reservations to just live life...I realize, I'm no BAP. And I'm SO okay with that.

A game for any readers/lurkers/commenters...

From where did I obtain the following points:

- a sudden, severe rise in unemployment
- Although the times appear on the surface to be a prosperous time, income was unevenly distributed
- wealthy made large profits, but more and more Americans spent more than they earned,
- U.S. stock market downturn, which ruined thousands of investors and destroyed confidence in the economy
- businesses and banks closed their doors, people lost their jobs, homes, and savings
- While businesses showed remarkable gains in productivity, workers got a relatively small share of the wealth this produced....At the same time, cuts were made in the top income-tax rates

A) A CNN article published on September 15, 2008 describing the current economic environment
B) Encarta encyclopedia article on the Great Depression
C) Huffington Post article cynically comparing the Great Depression to the current economic environment
D) My ass

Tim Wise on White Privilege

*As many of you who direct link to this article, I'm surprised that there are no comments*


This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise
9/13/08

For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a “fuckin’ redneck,” like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll “kick their fuckin' ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don’t all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you’re “untested.”

White privilege is being able to say that you support the words “under God” in the pledge of allegiance because “if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it’s good enough for me,” and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the “under God” part wasn’t added until the 1950s--while if you're black and believe in reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school, requires it), you are a dangerous and mushy liberal who isn't fit to safeguard American institutions.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.

White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto is “Alaska first,” and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she’s being disrespectful.

White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you’re being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college and the fact that she lives close to Russia--you’re somehow being mean, or even sexist.

White privilege is being able to convince white women who don’t even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because suddenly your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a “second look.”

White privilege is being able to fire people who didn’t support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.

White privilege is when you can take nearly twenty-four hours to get to a hospital after beginning to leak amniotic fluid, and still be viewed as a great mom whose commitment to her children is unquestionable, and whose "next door neighbor" qualities make her ready to be VP, while if you're a black candidate for president and you let your children be interviewed for a few seconds on TV, you're irresponsibly exploiting them.

White privilege is being able to give a 36 minute speech in which you talk about lipstick and make fun of your opponent, while laying out no substantive policy positions on any issue at all, and still manage to be considered a legitimate candidate, while a black person who gives an hour speech the week before, in which he lays out specific policy proposals on several issues, is still criticized for being too vague about what he would do if elected.

White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God’s punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you’re just a good church-going Christian, but if you’re black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you’re an extremist who probably hates America.

White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a “trick question,” while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O’Reilly means you’re dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.

White privilege is being able to go to a prestigious prep school, then to Yale and then Harvard Business school, and yet, still be seen as just an average guy (George W. Bush) while being black, going to a prestigious prep school, then Occidental College, then Columbia, and then to Harvard Law, makes you "uppity," and a snob who probably looks down on regular folks.

White privilege is being able to graduate near the bottom of your college class (McCain), or graduate with a C average from Yale (W.) and that's OK, and you're cut out to be president, but if you're black and you graduate near the top of your class from Harvard Law, you can't be trusted to make good decisions in office.

White privilege is being able to dump your first wife after she's disfigured in a car crash so you can take up with a multi-millionaire beauty queen (who you go on to call the c-word in public) and still be thought of as a man of strong family values, while if you're black and married for nearly twenty years to the same woman, your family is viewed as un-American and your gestures of affection for each other are called "terrorist fist bumps."

White privilege is when you can develop a pain-killer addiction, having obtained your drug of choice illegally like Cindy McCain, go on to beat that addiction, and everyone praises you for being so strong, while being a black guy who smoked pot a few times in college and never became an addict means people will wonder if perhaps you still get high, and even ask whether or not you ever sold drugs.

White privilege is being able to sing a song about bombing Iran and still be viewed as a sober and rational statesman, with the maturity to be president, while being black and suggesting that the U.S. should speak with other nations, even when we have disagreements with them, makes you "dangerously naive and immature."

White privilege is being able to say that you hate "gooks" and "will always hate them," and yet, you aren't a racist because, ya know, you were a POW so you're entitled to your hatred, while being black and insisting that black anger about racism is understandable, given the history of your country, makes you a dangerous bigot.

White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism and an absent father is apparently among the "lesser adversities" faced by other politicians, as Sarah Palin explained in her convention speech.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because a lot of white voters aren’t sure about that whole “change” thing. Ya know, it’s just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.

White privilege is, in short, the problem.

Bush / Palin supporter.

This is what I imagine every McCain / Palin supporter to look like.

This pains me. I'm going to go donate.

On Health

Full Disclosure.

When you have two alternatives, you must make a...

Woah

Is when you run into a LOT of people that you know at the local spot to be at

Is when you dance your heart out

Is when you have a great time and hear songs you haven't heard since '97

Is when you cap the night off with a good dude and good waffle house food

Is when your ex calls you 6 times and texts 3 times in 10 minutes

Is when you get home at 4:30 am and your ex is waiting for you.

Anxiety disorders..

I think I might have one which is being triggered by this presidential election.

My chest (heart) was tight for a solid 3 days. During these 3 days I had been inundating myself with political banter. Hearing people supporting McCain/Palin and that they were up in the polls.

That shit literally makes my heart hurt.

Like can you imagine the USA under another 4 years?

Complete recession...perhaps the GREATEST depression. People lose jobs, their houses, their savings. We're at war with 3 countries at a time. We start getting attacked on our soil more frequently. Because we're at war with 3 countries, our national debt increases and we start allowing foreign investors to rescue us because we can no longer survive on our own. Abortions are outlawed, single mother rates increase, health-care is terrible. The death rate increases. Crime goes up as gun laws are completely relaxed. We start a draft because nobody really supports the war; however the Bush Doctrine is finally understood by Palin and enforced. She is president b/c John McCain has passed away. Race relations deteriorate. Economic disparity increases.

That gives me heart pain.

Prediction: SNL 9/14/08

Obama is supposed to be on SNL this weekend.

I'd like to predict that in a skit they will give him the opportunity to really put lipstick on a pig. (And perhaps have Tina Fey put lipstick on a pitbull).

How funny would that visual be?

Just to make sure you are aware. You know that Wissila was the only municipality in Alaska that charged the cost of rape kits to the rape victim.

Random thought re: Brazilian Wax

So I've now been getting Brazilian waxes for a little less than a year. The spot I go to is up and coming and has changed quite a bit. They've evolved from having a mostly Brazilian staff to mirroring the ATL population...white and black. Instead of playing Brazilian music...it's now Top 40 music. However, I still love it.

Mary is my new waxonista. She's fun...well as fun as a waxonista can be. She suggested that I do a sugar scrub to prevent in-grown hairs. Not exactly knowing what that concoction was mixed of...I asked, "How would I go about making a sugar scrub?"

Mary: Oh, sugar and oil.

SunFresh: Like, Olive oil?

Mary: Yes, that'll work. But olive oil can get expensive.

SunFresh: Well, it sure beats Crisco oil. I'd come out tasting like fried chicken for sure.

Mary: bwhahahah.

Silently I thought...well with a sugar and olive oil sugar scrub to prevent in-grown hairs "down there," I'd walk away making a fried chicken and koolade meal out of my lady parts.

Any other scrub suggestions for lady part area?

I want to save the world this weekend

I'm a lazy weekend type gal. I'm not the type to want to run around mad. Matter of fact, I usually do cleaning on Monday nights b/c I am already conditioned to loathe Monday...so ad in some extraneous chores and it suits my general distaste for Monday.

But I'm going to Ireland and Spain for two weeks starting on September 19th. I HAVE to get ish done this weekend. As I sit here I come up with things that I'd like to do, but first and foremost, my schedule will revolve around participating in a VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE.

1. Voter registration
2. Buy things that will make traveling to Ireland/Spain easy and stylish.
3. Wash clothes to take on the trip
4. Inundate myself with political media
5. Finish reading Al Greenspan's, "The Age of Turbulence."
6. Do Yoga
7. Dance
8. Go on at least one date
9. Catch up with Miracle Man, who has been sick.
10. Locate a Nintendo Wii (altho' the guy I went out with last night offered to get me one).
11. Go to AAA to get a triptick for Ireland/Spain. (Are there any black people in Ireland?)

What is on your agenda?

I have been MIA on this blog. For some reason, I'm feeling more private with my thoughts / daily life. And aparently I'm supposed to join the masses and be scared to talk about sex. Despite this whole Vow 08 thing being a real challenge and me wanting to think outloud via the blog. I by no means want to just go have sex. I'm craving a connection, a connection with depth. The real challenge is trying to change my thought that sex is the physical manifestation of what you feel for a person. Most men don't see it that way. So clearly there is a disconnect. I was going to post about my trials and tribulations with Vow 08...but nawwww.

Hurricane Schmurricane.

Well, the wedding venue truly canceled the wedding; however, the wedding coordinator and the hotel worked absolute Magic to deliver a beautiful wedding to a beautiful person.

I'll edit at some point tomorrow to talk about the best man smashing the bride's cousin. My embarrassing morning. The renewing of the vows. How I might be THE CHAMP when it comes to laser tag and air hockey. Hair and make-up. Ode to the Green Machine, a 1991 Honda Accord that still rolling at 188,000 miles. The 12/13 year old boys that were spitting game to me. Lessons learned for my future wedding.

Blogging from the airport

Please forgive any typos and short hand typing, I dont have spell check and u know its not comfy typing on these pdas.

1. I took Marta, cuz u know its smarta. I got on the plane kinda jiggy in my work clothes and sexy hot shoes. Immediately, 3 men offered me their seat. I graciously said thank you and announced, "they dont do that in new york!" Which got a giggle out of those around me and generated some chatter.

2. What would u do if u were getting married and the venue called u 2 days before to cancel? Hurricane, schmuricane. So my bffs wedding is cancelled at the chrysler musuem and the alternatice is the marriott hotel. I hope this is not a precursor to their relationship.

3. I think that I will start a seperate blog for my political banter. I want to link certain people in, but I dont want them all extra in my bizness. Sure they could find this blog on their own; however im not inviting them.

4. How ironic that im eating wendys before i go to the 757. Which successfully upset my stomach. Erg, i hate fast food like that...but those damn fries will make me a large lady one day.

5. Miracle man has been entertaining. In the words of TIH, that is all.

What can we do?

I hope you are as offended by Palin's speech as I am.

I'm offended on many levels. First that you think that I'm too stupid to see through the Republican Rhetoric. Obama is going to raise taxes? I'm sorry, I'm in the 80%majority of people who would actually benefit from his economic. Who are you speaking to? Ohh...that's right, your constituents.

I'm offended MOST by her belittling Obama's community organizing experience. One person came to mind, don't know if you've heard of him: Martin Luther King. She invalidated him. Martin Luther King was a community organizer that was a great speaker who was motivated by a dream...a hope...a vision.

The hypocrisy makes me heart hurt. Seriously y'all my angst with her words have seeped into my physical being. My heart literally hurts.

The sad thing people is that there are millions of 'small town,' Americans that will eat this rhetoric up. They probably laughed heartily at her zingers and started to question their support of Obama.

I want to talk to these people. To ensure that they know the facts. Unlike Barack, I won't take the high road and not question the hyporcrisy. Unlike the Media, I will call John McCain out for leaving his disabled wife for a younger rich trollop/cunt. I want to GO IN. How can we do this?

Serious Question: Where would you be?

How do you think your life would be different if your mother chose her career over family?

In college, I used to truly believe that I could do it all. People saw me, a young woman who was involved in volunteering, Supervisor of a campus job, NABA Vice President, and Student Council Representative...and assumed that I'd aspire to become a C-level executive of some Corporation. And I blieved that too.

Until I got into the working world.

I was exposed to the type of women that were top executives of the Company that I worked for. They did not resonate with the woman that I aspired to truly be. Who is this woman?

My MOTHER.

My mother is Ivy League decorated. Her peers are amongst the best & brightest at NY Times and NBC. But you know what? They don't have children. They opted to pursue their career over a family life. To each his/her own; but observing that left a strong impression on me.

My mother was the REAL soccer/basketball/piano/gymnastics/PTA mother. When I cried, she was there. When I got caught up in bad things, she was there. When I laughed, she was there. When she took me to the gynecologist who asked if I was sexually active, she left the room to put my health and safety above Jesus Christ (yes, I said it). I then immediately told her the truth that yes, I was 17 and sexually active and she immediately put me on the pill. But she was THERE.

You know where she was not?

In some board room parenting a business or the government.

I have no clue where I'd be without my mother. And I really ponder in light of Palin. What mother with 5 children, one having a disability opt to parent the government over her own children? That is the antithesis of family values.

Women, if you had 5 children, including a new born with downs syndrom...would you accept the position as CEO of your Company...or the top role that you could possibly achieve in your desired field? Is there a proper time in life to do such things?

Are you dating a loser?

Good Read

90210 :-) Yea!!!

The inner 16 year old in me is so pumped. I tried to watch the RNC to feel well balanced. But I couldn't do it, it was too lame.

OMG - Shannon, the guy from the Pit. OMG OMG OMG. This is AWESOME. Kelly!

There's even a black person on the show in a permanent role.

I'm taking shots for every black person I see at the DNC

I am sober.

3 shots. (Actually, I'm not...but I thought it'd be a great drinking game).

This tells you a LOT about how out of touch the Republican Party is with America. It looks like a party of exclusion. Like a KKK rally.

To Summarize...

Because it's hard to keep up with all of the Palin news...

1. Palin belonged to an Alaskan seccionist independent party for approximately 2 years. In laymen terms, this party believed that Alaska should, "seek the complete repatriation of the public lands, held by the federal government, to the state and people of Alaska in conformance with Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, of the federal constitution. And, "to prohibit all bureaucratic regulations and judicial rulings purporting to have the effect of law, except that which shall be approved by the elected legislature."

2. Her 17 year old unmarried daughter is pregnant. She is an ultra-conserative, Pat Buchanan republican who thinks that abstinence is the best message to deliver in sex-ed and is also anti-abortion. Choice = Have the baby and get married to the man. Is that what the 17 year old child wants to do? We'll never know b/c we're not allowed to ask.

3. She was almost recalled as Mayor

4. She directed fundraising for indicted Ted Steven's 527 group.

Those are the major items. I'm sure you've found some other highly questionable activities about her. The culmination of this information PISSES ME OFF. John McCain is an idiot and those voting for him are idiotic. Period. I could respect a person's choice to not vote for Obama; however, the only intelligent alternative is to abstain from voting.

Campbell GOES IN:

Apples, Trees, and Dates

1. Sarah Palin's first son, Track Palin, was born on April 20.

2. Sarah Palin was married on August 29, 1988. She eloped.

3. 38 weeks is the typical human pregnancy.

4. 38 weeks before her son's birthday, April 20, 1989, is July 28, 1988 - i.e., that would be the hypothetical day of conception.

5. If this data is correct, that would mean that Sarah Palin eloped four weeks after her son's conception.

6. Sarah Palin's son could still be legitimate if he was born four weeks premature, AND if he was conceived on the night his parents eloped.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. See the StorkNet Due Date Chart and see what your conclusion is. Unless the first baby was a premmie, fo' sho' she conceived the child out of wedlock.

Palin demonstrates the push-pull relationship behind women's rights and family.

A while ago I posted a Confession that I'm anti-feminist as I believe that it is impossible to be a uber-successful woman and a good mother.

Raising a family is perhaps one of THE hardest tasks that God graced humanity with. Hard, yet fulfilling and wonderful. Raising a great child far exceeds any monetary bonus that a CEO could receive.

I feel like Palin demonstrates best how being a 'successful' liar woman compromises having an active role as a mother in a family.

Rationalization behind voting for McCain

I know some of you are asking the same question that I ask. How in de hell could somebody vote for McCain. Well, I've done some research and figured it out...and I too am going to vote McCain because I agree with how he has voted in the past. I too, am a disgruntled HRC voter. Because she didn't win, the MOST logical thing for me to do is abandon the issues that caused me to support her in the first place and vote for the Maverick, whose stance on the issues are in line with what HRC said...

-McCain Opposed Equal Pay Bill for Women, Said They ‘Need Education and Training’ Instead. (Women, except Sarah Palin are generally pretty stupid. They just need to get smarter if they want equal pay).

-McCain Voted Against Increasing Benefits For Children With Special Needs In The Social Security Act. (Doesn't Palin have a Downs Syndrome child? Guess being a rich woman is so wonderful such that you don't have to care about the mother that can't afford to financially set their downs syndrome child).

-McCain has voted consistently against women's health, and he supports overturning the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Roe v. Wade. (I LOVE it when men get to dictate what I do with my body! I mean, it was the act of him dickating me that got me preggers in the first place!)

-McCain opposed spending $100 million to prevent unintended and teen pregnancies. (What? Teens never have sex.)

-McCain opposed legislation requiring that abstinence-only programs be medically accurate and scientifically based. (The bible says to abstain from sex until marriage. Why aren't you following that rule?)

-McCain Voted Against Allowing Uninsured Parents To Enroll In The Same Plans As Their Children. (I mean, why can't they afford it on their own. Cheap skates!)

-McCain Voted Against Providing Tax Credits to Small Businesses That Offer Health Insurance To Employees. (Ehhh, you're not worth saving until you're big business.)

-McCain Has Voted To Cut, Restrict, And Underfund Medicaid At Least Seven Times. (Give me an 8th time to do it)

-McCain Voted To Cut An Estimated $72 Billion From Medicaid As Part Of The FY 1997 Budget Resolution. (Geez, it's a budget, some things have to go!)

-McCain Voted Against Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage At Least Twenty-Eight Times. (I'm a Rich man whose wife stole from her non-profit to support her drug habit. Stealing is MUCH easier than providing coverage, get with the program!)

-Voted NO on $52M for 21st century community learning centers. (Ha, let them suffer!!! bwhaha, Oh I mean, it's just too expensive).

-Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (I'm Republican, no WAY I'd shift money from Corporations to education. That way I get to keep 'my people' in power).

-Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (Because you know, a low-income mother has the time and money to hire a private tutor).

-Voted NO to elminate tax breaks for oil and natural gas companies. (I mean, it'd be hard to post record after-tax profits if you didn't get a break. Good for my fellow rich investors. I don't care much about those that can't drive to and from work, I'm a Republican).

-Voted NO to protect workers’ overtime rights. (Slaves didn't get paid overtime, neither should you).

-Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Ehhh, you signed up to fight, go and be merry for 13+ months. We'll just send care packages)

-Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (I mean, terror businesses do have a LOT of money, why deny them access to us?)

-Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (I mean, you could over-hear some sexually explicit talk...that could be entertaining!)

-Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (I want my gun and I want it NOW!)

-Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (If you want a gun, it totally makes no sense to have restrictions. I love it when unstable people get guns, it makes for interesting news...like Va Tech).

-Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (If you buy a gun, clearly you intend to kill. Why have a lock?)

-Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border (We don't want you here.)

-NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation (Ehh, if you hate 'em, it's okay to kill them).

-YES on limiting death penalty appeals (because the legal system is fair and innocent are NEVER executed).

-McCain opposed requiring insurance coverage of prescription birth control. (After I take my Viagra, which is covered, I'm going to go populate Alaska).

-McCain Voted To Cut, Eliminate, Restrict Health Insurance Coverage for Low Income Children and Pregnant Mothers At Least SIX Times. (None of my friends are low-income and always practice safe sex. Only stupid people are low-income and get pregnant out of wedlock).

-McCain Opposed Extending Coverage To Uninsured Children. (This is my alternative to my pro-life position. The uninsured child might not get enough coverage to erruhh...live).

Partying like it's 2004

Yea! Unexpected visitors. Partying like it's 2004. Ohhh the yesteryears. Ha, Nerual u know what's up :-).

Okay, we can act like it didn't happen.

*smooches*

My mom ROCKS and inspires

So this morn she casually mentions that she got invited to the White House. THE WHITE HOUSE.

Even tho' I hate him, he's still the President Bush is giving a speech on Volunteering.

Good golly, I want to be like her when I grow up!

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power

Bill Clinton delivered what I believe to be the best speech thus far.

Football Season :-)

And not just on ESPN and ABC, but in real life!

Anybody in ATL interested in joining a flag football league? The games are on Sunday afternoon inside the perimeter, but on the east side of town. Let me know by September 3rd.

Point of Clarification

The 08 in my url address refers to the fact that it's 2008. I'm not affiliated with a sorority. Which one is the 08 sorority?

This PSA has been brought to you on account of CaliSlim :-)

A brief lesson in financial statements

So many people have NO clue what I do, or rather what I did working at a public accounting firm.

Do you either directly or through your retirement fund own shares of a Company? Essentially you provide a Company equity (funds) in consideration for the expectation that management will take those funds and create value, or rather provide you with a positive return on your investment. Well, how in de heck does one create value? What does value even mean?

Basically a share represents the value of a Company divided amongst many owners. There are several sophisticated methods available to assign value to a Company; however, what one really needs to know can be derived from the three basic financial statements:

The Balance Sheet: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. This is at one single point in time. Similar to your monthly bank statement.

The Income Statement: Revenue - Expenses = Net Income. It shows activity over a period of time. This would be like compiling all of your monthly bank statements for the year to see how much money was deposited (revenue) and how much money you spent (expenses) over the entire year. If at year end you have a net loss, your overall equity decreases; however, if you have net income, your overall equity increases. Equity can be akin to savings.

Statement of Cash Flows: Shows how cash was provided used. The difference between this and the income statement is that due to accounting rules, there are several non-cash related transactions. For example, when you buy a car you pay $25,000. The second it drives off the lot, it's worth $20,000. Your cash flow was limited to an outflow of $25,000; not $20,000. The income statement would take into account this phantom $5,000 difference ($25k-$20k=$5k); whereas the statement of cash flows would not.

For publicly traded Companies these financial statements, along with notes to the consolidated financial statements, are required to be 'fact checked' by an independent party (aka the Auditor, aka ME).

Value is created when a Company makes a dollar out of 15 cents. You give a Company funds and it improves effectiveness and efficiency of operations resulting in greater productivity. The more they produce, the more customers buy. Essentially the goal is to improve effectiveness and efficiency in such a way that it takes less to produce more.

The Company has an incentive to overstate assets/revenue and to understate liabilities/expenses because it wants to appear as attractive as possible to attract your hard-earned (or McCain's easy come easy go) money. My job as an auditor is synonymous with building trust. For example, the balance sheet may indicate that a Company has $1,000,000 worth of cash. Well, how does the investor trust that the Company is not making this amount of cash up? As an FYI, having excess cash can tell you quite a bit about a Company's goals. An increasing cash account may indicate that a Company intends to make acquisitions to grow their business...which could be risky if not adequately managed. Having too much cash can also mean that management is not adequately managing your invested money to create wealth. Anywho - back to the $1 million. My job entails directly contacting the bank to confirm that the Company, in fact, had $1 million in its account. That's like if you told me that you had $5,000 in your account. Instead of asking you twice about it, I'd simply directly call your bank. Now in real life this wouldn't work b/c I don't have your passwords; however, the beauty of being an auditor is that I can see and ask whatever the hell I want to!

One of the goals of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), Securities Exchange Commission (SEC, not that unstoppable football division) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) is to create guidelines and standards that ensure that financial statements are comparable. Like if you pick up the financial statements of Kraft, will the information be relatively consistent with the financial statements of General Mills? It should be. These regulators also aim to ensure that financial statements are transparent. Enron essentially painted a false picture of its financial condition. In a nutshell, Enron created 'off-shore' entities that it excluded from it's reported financial statements, so investors did not know about debts. That's like me entering a marriage, but not telling my fiance that my credit score is 1. I become a liability to him upon our union (okay, love yada yada yada, you get what I'm saying).

As easy as all that may sound, it requires critical analysis of the facts before you, which may or may not be obvious. Furthermore, the guidelines and standards are principle based, rather than rules based. Instead of saying, you CAN'T do that, the guidelines would say, "the goal and essence of this transaction should be xyz. But have you considered these factors?"

Any questions? lol

I am LAME for writing that. But I'm smiling :-) Being a CPA makes me happy.

August 26, 1920

88 years ago women were granted the right to vote.

I sit here and ponder, would McCain voted for or against this? Given his piss poor record on women's rights, I wholeheartedly believe that he would have voted against this constitutional amendment.

Pause and give thanks for those that came before us.

Also, Happy B-Day Babs. You're a phenomenal woman!