Don't feed the animals - they might multiply!

I'm not sure why I'm posting so many political statements lately, but I suppose it may have something to do with the time of year.

Or the fact I can't post it to Facebook 'cause I'm in the middle of a job hunt and wouldn't want to offend any hiring managers. But I digress....

Today's rant/point of emphasis lies with the theory that all people were created equal. And there is no way you can "catch" what they have - all you can do is continue to dehumanize and demean them. Which I suppose might make some people feel better. But to me that just sounds petty, rude, and misguided (to put it lightly)

What pray tell has my ire today? The growing trend of criminalizing the act of helping the poor. Specifically, it is now illegal to feed the homeless in many places of our country. But don't think this is an isolated case - new laws banning the feeding of the poor are being passed across our country as we speak.

Why?

Because lawmakers apparently feel that we might somehow be encouraging them to continue being poor. Like they CHOSE to be homeless, to live off handouts. Although I've been very fortunate in my life, I do know what it is like to go without. And just about everyone I've ever talked to who is homeless is not proud of the situation they are in and would do just about anything they could to improve their lot in life. To contribute to society.

But I suppose that might be part of the problem. I actually take the time to talk to the homeless, to treat them as people.

Maybe people will recognize the idiocy of these laws when nuns start getting arrested....

OK, that last comment was merely inflammatory - violators get tickets and pay fines, not go to prison.....

Unfetter health insurance from employment

I just came across the story of Yovany Gonzalez, a former mortgage consultant with Wells Fargo. According to a lawsuit he filed, he was fired because his dying daughter Mackenzie needed expensive cancer treatment and the company did not want to pay for the procedure. Wells Fargo got their wish. Not only did the hospital cancel the surgery because Mackenzie longer was covered by health insurance, but she also soon died of cancer.

I'll warn you that I haven't done any fact checking (while I do like watching the Young Turks, they tend to be partisan), but  it appears on the surface to be true. I suppose more details will come out at the trial, but I don't think this will help the image bankers or the finance sector....

Link to the original story below.

I'm going back to the start

Anyone who knows me knows I love music. And that I live life on shuffle - always open to whatever comes next. Part of what I love is not knowing what's coming next, but a bigger draw for me is placing an old song in a new context. Drawing deeper meaning or making new connections on something that I thought I knew so well.

Today, I heard a song I've listened to a thousand times before, but suddenly gained an insight about my next career move. Although not the original intent of the song, I realized that

Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard Oh, take me back to the start I was just guessing at numbers and figures Pulling the puzzles apart Questions of science, science and progress.... I'm going back to the start

Sometimes the best things in life start with a fresh start. Now if I could only wrap up this damn manuscript before I leave....