Post contributed by Leonard Phelps
Owning your own business sometimes isn’t all it’s cracked up to be but all in all I’d say it’s a pretty good way to earn a living. My husband and I have our own specialty cheese shop right in downtown and I love being able to go into work everyday knowing it’s going to be with something I know I like to do. I couldn’t take one more day of spreadsheets! It took a lot to get the place off the ground and we spent over 6 months just renovating the shop itself. We went to http://WWW.TotalAlarmSystems.com, hired a guy to come fix the broken AC system and even someone to plant some really pretty boxwoods out front the window. IT’s been quite the journey but business has actually been great and we’re really starting to integrate into the neighborhood like I imagined we would! I love my husband and it’s really great being able to go into work every day and hang out with him and play with fresh, homemade
cheese!
Tired of all the political correctness? Just wanna say it like it really is? The truth is good and questions are even better.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Love don't pay the Edison bill...
Folks on another forum are encouraging a gainfully employed person, living in Denver, to quit his job and move back to Michigan. Chance are the person will NOT find a job in the very near future, and will be moving back in with his parents since he will have NO income other than a savings.
The questions were asked, "What is $ when you have family close to you?"
And "Family and Michigan, what more do you need?"
This was my response---
May be an income? A means of supporting yourself rather than sitting on momma's couch watching Transformers and mooching pizza from your friends and daddy?
I mean, family is great, but there comes a time in every human's life that they have to start their own life. Sometimes we don't get to chose where that is.
Not sure what vast job opportunities are available in Michigan, but my family and friends tell me there aren't many. The wind turbine business is VERY slow in getting off the ground and now King Richard is said to be destroying much of the fabric that made life in Michigan good. Though I hear Snyder is poised to take down those "evil, nasty, vile" unions that brought prosperity to millions of folks in the 1950s and 1960s.
Seems the companies are now dealing with employees fairly and unions are dinosaurs. Isn't it just wonderful that billion dollar companies FINALLY respect employees and pay a fair and living wage without the negotiations and backroom dealings with a union?
I hear there are several hundred jobs coming soon. Will these positions be filled with company people who transfer from out of state? More than likely they will be filled by desperate people who need income (because family and Michigan [or any state] isn't always enough to pay the bills) and minimum wage is looking really good when your kids are hungry, Edison wants their $500 payment on that installment plan because last winter's gas bill averaged $700 a month and it had to be put on it's very own revolving credit account. $7.50 is darn good, it is almost what unemployment paid 3 years ago when the company laid everyone off to move to Mississippi or Mexico.
Some will still hold the unions to the light and claim there is nothing but despair and corruption running through its heart. BUt think about this, who is getting the millions that the company is earning? Does it get reinvested? Oh contraire, it goes into the CEOs pockets while the company is run into the ground (because the tax breaks will end and the company will move at that time) so if anyone has to benefit, let it be the CFOs and CEOs. The employees will finally learn what it means to be grateful they have a job and might even gravel and turn on each other--doing ANYTHING to keep it.
So why not move back home... tell the country that $ doesn't matter. Americans do not need to be financially content, because we now have family to support us, because this generation no longer needs to rely on government entitlements because we are too proud for that--besides mommy and daddy is just letting loose of our inheritence a bit early--it's not a handout, it's a handup...
The questions were asked, "What is $ when you have family close to you?"
And "Family and Michigan, what more do you need?"
This was my response---
May be an income? A means of supporting yourself rather than sitting on momma's couch watching Transformers and mooching pizza from your friends and daddy?
I mean, family is great, but there comes a time in every human's life that they have to start their own life. Sometimes we don't get to chose where that is.
Not sure what vast job opportunities are available in Michigan, but my family and friends tell me there aren't many. The wind turbine business is VERY slow in getting off the ground and now King Richard is said to be destroying much of the fabric that made life in Michigan good. Though I hear Snyder is poised to take down those "evil, nasty, vile" unions that brought prosperity to millions of folks in the 1950s and 1960s.
Seems the companies are now dealing with employees fairly and unions are dinosaurs. Isn't it just wonderful that billion dollar companies FINALLY respect employees and pay a fair and living wage without the negotiations and backroom dealings with a union?
I hear there are several hundred jobs coming soon. Will these positions be filled with company people who transfer from out of state? More than likely they will be filled by desperate people who need income (because family and Michigan [or any state] isn't always enough to pay the bills) and minimum wage is looking really good when your kids are hungry, Edison wants their $500 payment on that installment plan because last winter's gas bill averaged $700 a month and it had to be put on it's very own revolving credit account. $7.50 is darn good, it is almost what unemployment paid 3 years ago when the company laid everyone off to move to Mississippi or Mexico.
Some will still hold the unions to the light and claim there is nothing but despair and corruption running through its heart. BUt think about this, who is getting the millions that the company is earning? Does it get reinvested? Oh contraire, it goes into the CEOs pockets while the company is run into the ground (because the tax breaks will end and the company will move at that time) so if anyone has to benefit, let it be the CFOs and CEOs. The employees will finally learn what it means to be grateful they have a job and might even gravel and turn on each other--doing ANYTHING to keep it.
So why not move back home... tell the country that $ doesn't matter. Americans do not need to be financially content, because we now have family to support us, because this generation no longer needs to rely on government entitlements because we are too proud for that--besides mommy and daddy is just letting loose of our inheritence a bit early--it's not a handout, it's a handup...
Saturday, May 21, 2011
When does the snark ever slow down?
Only when we get over whelmed and seem to have 2000 and 12 things to do. We have been slacking with our responsibilities on the Snark site and it has been showing. Between a few sites / blogs and our infamous vehicle dilemmas, we almost missed the 6:00 pm rapture and the news of Da' Donald's untimely withdraw from the presidential race. Undoubtedly the withdraw was caused by Palin's desire to have Bristol Tippacanoe and baby too run for Arizona representative...As soon as the loop hole is closed that allows represenatatives to remain in office after an attempted assination while they FIGHZT for ANY recovery...
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Can you hear me?
Every now and then, I get to participate in some good old fashion social intercourse. You know the kind, where all you can do is scream. It is almost painful, but you don't want it to stop. But if it goes on much longer you just know you're going to pay for it later...and aspirin is not going to help with the pain...
Tonight I engaged in just such a conversation. I immediately screamed at the computer when the person sent what I knew was a redundant question. One I had answered most clearly almost a year ago. In very great detail I might add. Surely I left NO doubt as to what it was we had shared--even though we had never met, nor had we experienced the event together at the same time and space.
Over the couse of the year, I followed their discussion on the internet. All the while wondering if this person was actually capable of empathy. I knew we had shared the same city growing up, different high schools, but I was confident we knew the same people--at least I knew the people they knew--it was doubtful they knew the people I knew on the other side of town. We probably even attended the same middle school ( they were junior high schools in the 1970s).
I tried to guess who this person was. They did not sound like anyone who would come from the same environment and end up as a scientist in the engineering field. Then leave that for education? They also would be at the same school I had taught at 8 years prior to their arrival.
Tonight they were on line at one of the forums I snark on. They PM me about a reference I made to a place near DTW. They ask if it is XXX crappy school. I say yes and name a few idiots that work there. They write back and say, OMG, when did you work there?
Silently screaming and pounding the keyboard, I ask them if they remember ANYTHING that is more than 24 hours old. I wonder if they remember their phone number, the names of their kids, their dog, or if they even know they have a dog and that they need to feed the dog.
When the guy asks if you can hear me now, it isn't a matter of having a good connection, it is a matter of comprehension and focus...Can that be any clearer?
Tonight I engaged in just such a conversation. I immediately screamed at the computer when the person sent what I knew was a redundant question. One I had answered most clearly almost a year ago. In very great detail I might add. Surely I left NO doubt as to what it was we had shared--even though we had never met, nor had we experienced the event together at the same time and space.
Over the couse of the year, I followed their discussion on the internet. All the while wondering if this person was actually capable of empathy. I knew we had shared the same city growing up, different high schools, but I was confident we knew the same people--at least I knew the people they knew--it was doubtful they knew the people I knew on the other side of town. We probably even attended the same middle school ( they were junior high schools in the 1970s).
I tried to guess who this person was. They did not sound like anyone who would come from the same environment and end up as a scientist in the engineering field. Then leave that for education? They also would be at the same school I had taught at 8 years prior to their arrival.
Tonight they were on line at one of the forums I snark on. They PM me about a reference I made to a place near DTW. They ask if it is XXX crappy school. I say yes and name a few idiots that work there. They write back and say, OMG, when did you work there?
Silently screaming and pounding the keyboard, I ask them if they remember ANYTHING that is more than 24 hours old. I wonder if they remember their phone number, the names of their kids, their dog, or if they even know they have a dog and that they need to feed the dog.
When the guy asks if you can hear me now, it isn't a matter of having a good connection, it is a matter of comprehension and focus...Can that be any clearer?
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A personal driveway moment.
If you listen to NPR with any regularity, you are familar with the "driveway moment."
It is when you park you car, but the story on NPR is too good to leave, so you sit in the car to finish the story. I used to have such moments all the time. Then I seemed to forget where NPR was on the radio dial.
Maybe the memory started to go bad when I came across an NPR table one night in Detroit. WDET was set up for First Friday at the Detroit Institute of Arts. First Fridays started as a way to bring folks back into the museum and soon became an every Friday event at the DIA.
I stopped, chatted and signed up to volunteer for some activities with WDET, the Detroit affilate of NPR run by Wayne State University. I went home and waited for a phone call to tell me about the next great opportunity with WDET.
I waited. And waited some more..no phone call. No contact. At least not to volunteer. WDET did contact me via the United States Postal Service asking for monetary contributions. They sent me a LOT of these, but not ONE request or inquiry about volunteering...
Besides, the news was becoming depressing. I heard stories for which NO ONE else seemed to care about. Important stories that were being ignored by mainstream society. I shared news tidbits that my friend would hear about weeks later. And I was laughed at as a conspiracy nut.
Today I found myself listening to NPR here in North Carolina. For some reason my wife had it on her radio--91.5 here in the Triangle area. Lead story was Microsoft buying Skype for $8 billion, the largest purchase to date by Microsoft.
I turned the radio dial to some country music thinking the SKYPE news was another great story that will be ignored by mainstream society. I think the song was blue eyed devil in jeans...what was it Microsoft had done?
It is when you park you car, but the story on NPR is too good to leave, so you sit in the car to finish the story. I used to have such moments all the time. Then I seemed to forget where NPR was on the radio dial.
Maybe the memory started to go bad when I came across an NPR table one night in Detroit. WDET was set up for First Friday at the Detroit Institute of Arts. First Fridays started as a way to bring folks back into the museum and soon became an every Friday event at the DIA.
I stopped, chatted and signed up to volunteer for some activities with WDET, the Detroit affilate of NPR run by Wayne State University. I went home and waited for a phone call to tell me about the next great opportunity with WDET.
I waited. And waited some more..no phone call. No contact. At least not to volunteer. WDET did contact me via the United States Postal Service asking for monetary contributions. They sent me a LOT of these, but not ONE request or inquiry about volunteering...
Besides, the news was becoming depressing. I heard stories for which NO ONE else seemed to care about. Important stories that were being ignored by mainstream society. I shared news tidbits that my friend would hear about weeks later. And I was laughed at as a conspiracy nut.
Today I found myself listening to NPR here in North Carolina. For some reason my wife had it on her radio--91.5 here in the Triangle area. Lead story was Microsoft buying Skype for $8 billion, the largest purchase to date by Microsoft.
I turned the radio dial to some country music thinking the SKYPE news was another great story that will be ignored by mainstream society. I think the song was blue eyed devil in jeans...what was it Microsoft had done?
Monday, May 9, 2011
With 23 school days left, thinking about education...
Each day we read that another governor is attempting to dismantle education and or labor unions.
Typically both are targets when talking education. Unions killed the Big 3, ruined smal business and is doing the same to education.
Education is no longer about knowledge, learning or fun. Education has become an experiment in sociology (NOT socialism) and mass conformity. Society has been told that education HAS to be measured by some set standard. That standards will be the only mean by which we can acurately judge success of students and teachers.
Only today, the failure sems to lie with just one party. Since we cannot fire students and since they are all so competent, itr has to be the FAULT of teachers! We can fire them. They work 180 days and are paid more than the average person makes working year round. It is easy to create resentment and prejudice against a group once you instill the idea that the majority are suffering for the few.
The politicians are all about vouchers and charter schools. Give the public choices; let them seek out better schools that teach what the parents want their children to learn, not the socialist rhetoric being taught in public schools.
But wait--where did the current curriculum come from? Politicians elected by the PUBLIC to serve in state legislature! If they wrote this current TOXIC curriculum, surely they can edit and amend it?
Somehow the politicians have been able to convince the community they have nothing to do with curriculm and that it is BEYOND their control.
When will we wake up and see that the king has no clothes on? That the career politicians have taken this country and its Constitution hostage and we pay a hefty ransom EVERY day we refuse to hold them ALL accountable.
Want to talk salary? Who has life time health insurance, retirement after serving 1 term (80% of salary after serving 2 or more terms) and VOTES their own pay raises? TEACHERS?
Look around America and answer the phone--it has been ringing for a long time...
Typically both are targets when talking education. Unions killed the Big 3, ruined smal business and is doing the same to education.
Education is no longer about knowledge, learning or fun. Education has become an experiment in sociology (NOT socialism) and mass conformity. Society has been told that education HAS to be measured by some set standard. That standards will be the only mean by which we can acurately judge success of students and teachers.
Only today, the failure sems to lie with just one party. Since we cannot fire students and since they are all so competent, itr has to be the FAULT of teachers! We can fire them. They work 180 days and are paid more than the average person makes working year round. It is easy to create resentment and prejudice against a group once you instill the idea that the majority are suffering for the few.
The politicians are all about vouchers and charter schools. Give the public choices; let them seek out better schools that teach what the parents want their children to learn, not the socialist rhetoric being taught in public schools.
But wait--where did the current curriculum come from? Politicians elected by the PUBLIC to serve in state legislature! If they wrote this current TOXIC curriculum, surely they can edit and amend it?
Somehow the politicians have been able to convince the community they have nothing to do with curriculm and that it is BEYOND their control.
When will we wake up and see that the king has no clothes on? That the career politicians have taken this country and its Constitution hostage and we pay a hefty ransom EVERY day we refuse to hold them ALL accountable.
Want to talk salary? Who has life time health insurance, retirement after serving 1 term (80% of salary after serving 2 or more terms) and VOTES their own pay raises? TEACHERS?
Look around America and answer the phone--it has been ringing for a long time...
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Detroit is alive and well, if you are a politician.
There are almost a million less people than there was in the 1950s. 200,000 less than 10 yers ago.
Yes the city has some fabulous areas. (How many rock stars, athletes and CEOs live in the city limits?) Even DAve Bing had to MOVE into the city to run for mayor..
But there is nothing (ok, very little) opportunity for the people who live in the city to make a living, shop at a real grocery store, or pick up a few quick items at Wally World. Because there are NO name brand franchise stores in the city. Not really sure why that is.
There was a time when Wally World offered classes at one (maybe more) Detroit high school teaching the skills needed to be a greeter or some other great position at Wally World. Problem is, there are no Wally Worlds in Detroit. So these Wally World students have to get on a D-DOT bus, take it to the city limits and either jump a SEMTA bus to the northern or southern burbs for a Wally World. They CANNOT get a bus to Livonia WAlly World because the good folks of the wonder bread capital USA voted to kick SEMTA out so that "those" people would not ride into LIviona via I-96 to shop at Meijers or Wally World.
ILlich has been allowed to use imminent domain to build his empire on Woodward which includes the FOX Theater, Comerica PArk and Hockey Town. Now he wants to force more landowners to goie up what is theirs and give it to him to relocate the hockey arena near the Illich compound.
So even the hard working folks in Detroit can lose their property to PROGRESS for pennies on the dollar--but hey--it's not like anyone else is wanting to but them, right?
And those who do live in one of the mansions that line certain areas (where are those?) pay a tax rate that amounts to extortion (but everyone pays that high rate, not everyone gets the services) for fire and police coverage. Because a house outside the covenanted mansion row will burn to the ground, or be burgled 5x faster than one on mansion row. But even a mansion has the chance to burn on a bad day.
Folks use the term GENTRIFICATION when talking about Detroit. Maybe that is an appropriate term? I see it as the powerful and influential feeding off the folks who are working themselves to death to pay taxes, get to a decent grocery store, and buy clothes so they MIGHT be able to get a ride, gas up the car and drive into the burbs to try and find employment. When that fails, well it usually ends up on the news as some hyped up lead story of how the citizens of the city have turned to self-indulgent acts to satisfy their cravings..
So is it the worse in the world? Doubtful. Have you seen any city India? Any city in Mexico? Central America? China? Detroit is far from the worse in the world.
What it is one of the worse at is allowing politicans and elected officials, from the school board to city council and all the Kilpatricks that have been and are yet to come, to run roughshod over their right to a humane existance and convincing the citizens they don't need no accountability or responsibility from their officials because "We are all in this together.' only when the city starts to stager, the officials are the first out with their war chests and the citizens are worse for the wear...
Yes the city has some fabulous areas. (How many rock stars, athletes and CEOs live in the city limits?) Even DAve Bing had to MOVE into the city to run for mayor..
But there is nothing (ok, very little) opportunity for the people who live in the city to make a living, shop at a real grocery store, or pick up a few quick items at Wally World. Because there are NO name brand franchise stores in the city. Not really sure why that is.
There was a time when Wally World offered classes at one (maybe more) Detroit high school teaching the skills needed to be a greeter or some other great position at Wally World. Problem is, there are no Wally Worlds in Detroit. So these Wally World students have to get on a D-DOT bus, take it to the city limits and either jump a SEMTA bus to the northern or southern burbs for a Wally World. They CANNOT get a bus to Livonia WAlly World because the good folks of the wonder bread capital USA voted to kick SEMTA out so that "those" people would not ride into LIviona via I-96 to shop at Meijers or Wally World.
ILlich has been allowed to use imminent domain to build his empire on Woodward which includes the FOX Theater, Comerica PArk and Hockey Town. Now he wants to force more landowners to goie up what is theirs and give it to him to relocate the hockey arena near the Illich compound.
So even the hard working folks in Detroit can lose their property to PROGRESS for pennies on the dollar--but hey--it's not like anyone else is wanting to but them, right?
And those who do live in one of the mansions that line certain areas (where are those?) pay a tax rate that amounts to extortion (but everyone pays that high rate, not everyone gets the services) for fire and police coverage. Because a house outside the covenanted mansion row will burn to the ground, or be burgled 5x faster than one on mansion row. But even a mansion has the chance to burn on a bad day.
Folks use the term GENTRIFICATION when talking about Detroit. Maybe that is an appropriate term? I see it as the powerful and influential feeding off the folks who are working themselves to death to pay taxes, get to a decent grocery store, and buy clothes so they MIGHT be able to get a ride, gas up the car and drive into the burbs to try and find employment. When that fails, well it usually ends up on the news as some hyped up lead story of how the citizens of the city have turned to self-indulgent acts to satisfy their cravings..
So is it the worse in the world? Doubtful. Have you seen any city India? Any city in Mexico? Central America? China? Detroit is far from the worse in the world.
What it is one of the worse at is allowing politicans and elected officials, from the school board to city council and all the Kilpatricks that have been and are yet to come, to run roughshod over their right to a humane existance and convincing the citizens they don't need no accountability or responsibility from their officials because "We are all in this together.' only when the city starts to stager, the officials are the first out with their war chests and the citizens are worse for the wear...
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