Ok, let me start off by saying that most political and economic arguments drive me bat shit crazy and I usually just try to avoid them at all cost. But there is something I just don't understand, any way I look at it, and I would like someone to explain it to me. Basically what I am not getting is when people say they want the president/government to create jobs or do something about unemployment or fix the economy. Meanwhile, they are also saying that they want an unregulated market, that the government needs to stay out of private business matters, that any regulation would be socialism, etc. Ok..... So then..... What?....... Either you want the government to do something about the shitty economy or you don't, and we're sitting here focusing on taxes, and the budget, and the mexicans, and guns, and religion, but honestly, what does any of that have to do with whether or not the private sector is creating jobs and whether or not they are paying their employees well?

I had to take a few economy classes in college. They bored me. But pretty much I learned two things.

1) Our current system is pretty much based on a trickle down model where if the people at the top make more money, then the excess profits will trickle down to the general population in the form of either job openings, increased wages, or lower costs for goods. Politicians say this about it -> The belief that the money will trickle down means that the system will take care of itself without government intervention.

2) The whole point/goal of any business in a capitalistic society is to maximize profits. Politicians say this about it -> Maximizing profits is good. It's good for the economy and the country. And you deserve those profits. It means you worked hard and deserve your prize.

Ok, fine.

My problem is, I don't see how these two beliefs are supposed to go hand in hand ever. If profits trickle down, you're not maximizing your profit. If you are maximizing your profit, then it is not trickling down. You can't have it both ways.

So the way I see the current economy, is that profits are being maximized. They are being maximized by keeping wages low, getting the same job done with fewer workers or with machines instead of people who need to be paid, keeping the price of goods high, and when all else fails, hiring an illegal who will work for $3 an hour, or, if you need someone with more technical skills then the average Guatemalan can provide but don't want to pay a U.S. citizen with a degree what they should be paid, then shipping that job off to china where someone with a degree will be willing to do it for $3 an hour.

So now what we have is a population consisting of low wage workers (who for the most part, don't pay many taxes), laid off, out of work people (who also don't pay many taxes), the people who have and always will be lazy regardless of the economy (who live off the taxes), a few middle class/upper class people who are still managing to get by (and pay the majority of the taxes), and the very wealthy (who have the money to pay the lawyers/accountants who will get them out of paying taxes).

And so now the government (who has money managing issues to begin with) has even less tax revenue coming in to cover it's ridiculous costs and everybody panics. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and the you end up with politicians claiming that financial aid and grants for school are a type of welfare handout for lazy people who just want to live off the government, and we must put a stop to this before the mexicans take over. Yeah, ok then.)

Soooooo, that's how I see it, and if this really is the way it is, I see no solution to the problem. We are capitalists. Capitalists maximize profit. What do you expect the government to do about it? 

Basically what I'm getting at is, I don't see how solving the government's financial/budget issues is going to fix the economy for the rest of us. So someone please explain it to me.

I have been meaning to get off this stupid computer for hours now and am finally done uploading the website. (One thing, my goal of making an events website for J-Town is now interfering with my other goal of being invisible to every one in the town). (Other thing, speaking of invisible, I saw him today, with her, we pretended not to see each other, as usual, and I think the fact that I forgot to mention it to anybody I spoke to after this sighting says a lot about me officially being over this nonsense (maybe not completely over, I did spend the 10 minutes immediately following the sighting standing in a Wal-Mart refund line trying to figure out just why she gets to have him, why they're still together, and why he was able to pull his shit together and act like he's freakin ready to settle down and get freakin married and play house all for her, but I wasn't good enough. Lucky for me, that wore off pretty quickly and balance was once again restored to the universe, like I said, I think it's safe to say I'm pretty much over it).

I actually got some exercise today. Go me. And what awesome exercise it was. Paddle boarding down the Loxahatchee (gotta love SoFla, 6:30 in the afternoon in the middle of december and I'm barefoot in boardshorts going down the river/intracoastal on an over sized surfboard.) First time on one of those, and I did not fall off. Goal for tomorrow: Finally learn to surf, if I didn't fall off the paddle board, I now have a new found confidence in being able to accomplish the surf thing. But back to the exercise part. Exercise is awesome if it isn't something mundane and repetitive (I could never get into those gym type workouts. which is probably why I sit on my ass all day seeing as how my bike tires are flat and my ankle has been bugging me too much to get on the skateboard.) I'm going to start doing this more often seeing as how I worked my flabby arms, muscleless back, and cellulite filled thighs all at once (yeah I'm ridiculously out of shape, so sue me, plus I've been told exercise wont exactly take care of cellulite, that has to do with genes and diet, grrrrrrrr). Plus I love the water and had a great time.

Speaking of diet, got on the scale at work today and weighed a glorious 121, that's a new record (ok, I might have had my over sized jacket, skateshoes, and walky talkie on, so I might actually be somewhere around 116, but I'm gonna stick with 121, cause like I said, no scale has ever said that to me, so that is what I am choosing to be for the night). My ribs are still showing though, I hate that crap, but whatever, having a butt isn't a bad thing. What I don't get though is how my sister who is only an inch shorter than me can weigh 107 and still look thicker than me (least on the top half, I definitely got more butt. =]).

Speaking of weight, I am going on a "No Taco Bell Diet" for a month. That stuff is crap and I'm going to destroy my innards eating it day in and day out. Nevermind that it's the closest thing to home and ridiculously cheap, that nastyness stops now. I mean, Pollo Tropical is just across the street from there and it's definitely healthier, so I'll stick to that. I'm probably the only underweight person in this town who's gonna die of high colesterol. Speaking of gross shit, I laid off McDonald's for close to three months then had it again the other night and my stomach spent that night and all of the next day trying to make me dead. Just goes to show what's in that crap, once your body stops being used to it it has a panic attack once it's gotta deal with it again. I mean, don't eat carrots for a year then start eating them again and I doubt your innards will complain much. Yeah, definitely no more McDonalds. Ever.

I forgot where I was going with all this so I'm gonna stop now. I gotta go shower, get dressed, and go take pictures of two bands (and stop at Pollo Tropical along the way for some glorious rice and beans).

Oh and I also need to lay off the left over Halloween candy. All of that crap is gonna rot my teeth then make me break out even worse.

Ok I'm done. Bye.

Sooooo according to the Psychological Association of America, if you are chronically sad or depressed you can be found in the great big book of psychological disorders (AKA the DSM IV TR) and therefore need some form of therapy/treatment/medication to make yourself "normal" again. This is even more so if there is no real reason for your sadness/depression. If you are sad or depressed without a "legitimate" reason, you are then said to have a "chemical imbalance" (AKA "you are crazy") and therefore by all means definitely need to be pumped up with the happy pills.

But what if it is the opposite? What if you have been chronically joyous for some time now without any rhyme or reason (or at least for what America considers rhyme or reason)? For I have been feeling this way for some time even though I am completely and utterly broke, don't know when I will be able to pay my amounting bills, am drowning in debt, can't find a job even though I have a master's degree, can't seem to make any form of relationship with a significant other work, can't keep up with the house, my car and my life are a complete mess, and I would like to be able to see my grandparents more often as they are getting up there in years please and thank you.

But, I'm still happy, hopelessly and irreparably happy. Everything I try to do doesn't work out, but I'm still thrilled with life at the end of day.

So what it comes down to is this.... If your life really really really sucks, your dog died, your mother hates you, you can't pay the rent, your car wont start, Susy broke off your 10 year engagement because that dude over there has a better body, you haven't eaten in days and you can't seem to stop crying about all of this... According to the powers that be, there is something psychologically/mentally/chemically wrong with you and bring on the therapists/medication!! You are NOT allowed to be sad about any of this beyond what someone has decided is the correct period of mourning (2-3 weeks I believe, give or take, but I could be wrong on this). We here in the U.S. do not take very well to sad people, we have pills for that, so please take some and forget about Max the Golden Retriever and all the lovely times you shared already, we don't like that. Seriously, go, get a prescription for Zoloft, stop the whining already.

However, being ecstatic for no reason, that's fine. We like you people, there should be more people like you in the world, so what if there's starving children in Africa and the bank wants to take away your family's house due to inability to pay? Life should still be fabulous!!!

Not that I'm complaining, by no means, I'm happy, what do I have to complain about? I mean what? Am I expected to be upset about this and desire feeling depressed or sad by all that is going on around me? Why would I want that? I'm HAPPY!!!

I just think it's funny when someone points to me and uses me as some example and says "SEE she has all these problems and look at her!! SHE'S HAPPY!! So quit crying about your entire family dying in some horrible freak accident involving a plane a raft and a mule".

Nice to know that I'm the normal one you know?? I'm not in the great big book of mental disorders, there's no "chronically happy for no apparent reason must be a chemical imbalance somewhere in that head" diagnosis for me. No sir!!

Thoughts anyone??

EDIT: For all of you that didn't get it, this post is a sarcastic, satirical view on american society. Yes I am happy/content with my life. Why? Because I understand that there are millions out there who have it a lot worse. I have food to eat, a place to live, family and friends. Yes I know depression exists (at no point did I say it didn't) and no this post is not meant to be used as a diagnostical tool.
No I am not manic because manic does not mean happy for no reasons (plus I have plenty of reasons, for one I'm still alive and have all my limbs and am not physically ill). Manic means you are so far beyond happy that you are doing things that will negatively affect and endanger your life (ie: believing yourself invincible to the point you think if you jump off the roof you'll be fine, a less extreme example is someone who maxxes out all their credit cards then quits their job because they don't feel anything bad will come of it).
And for the record, there are plenty of "doctors" out there who will prescribe you pills at the drop of a hat, Come into their office, sit down for two minutes, tell them you're feeling blue, and you'll walk out of there with a prescription without them even bothering to ask you if there is a reason behind your sadness. Why? because there is money in it. Lots and lots of money.
I once went to see the nutritionist at school because I wanted to gain weight. She asked me if I was stressed. I said of course I'm stressed, I'm a junior in college taking 18 credits and finals are coming up, why wouldn't I be stressed? She sent me down the hall where a psychiatrist handed me a prescription for the happy pills... I don't think I need to explain the ridiculousness in this. I threw the prescription in the garbage. Sorry, but I don't think I need to medicate a normal, rational, emotion considering the situation I was in. Once finals were over and done with, I'm pretty sure my stress levels would solve themselves.
This is where I am coming from. For those of you that can't seem to get sarcasm and want to take everything too seriously, guess what, there's probably a pill for that too. (I kid I kid. =))