On Turning Sixty

Yes I can't believe it. Now they are announcing that the very first baby boomers will be turning 65 on January first. This is kind of funny because they have been talking about the whole topic of baby boomers being retired since the Democratic convention of 1996 nearly fifteen years ago. It's all a conspiracy to make us think we're older than we really. We are now in the fourth year of this Bush - Obama recession. Still looking for that recovery. Even in the area of finance and the stock market the Dow Jones Industrials is only back to 11,500 or so, when the high is at 14,000. It can be argued that untill we exceed our old highs we are still in a recession. Now they are talking about the ninety-niners as far as unemployment insurance is concerned. These are people for whom their unemployment has run out. Recent action by congress did nothing to help these people. There are all these varying regulations of state and rules as to just how much these people are helped out by the federal government. Unemployment is at 9.8% and nobody expects that rate to drop, but as I have hinted before the reported rate might actually climb, as those who have given up work reenter the labor market. Happy hunting.

The Senate fillibuster continues to be the fixture in politics. Nicole Sandler says that the fillibuster was used more in the year 2009 than in the whole 1950's and the 1960's combined. Johnson only had a bit problem with the filibuster once. It is noted that the Constitution only spells out five occasions where a two-thirds vote is required. One is to amend the constitution. Another is to impeach a President or Chief Justice. Another is to expel a member. While another is to ratify a treaty with a foreign country. Some on the radio have suggested we make reforms in how the filibuster is used. Two factors that come most immediately to mind is that we should actually make these senators talking and debating whatever bill they are opposing while the American public shouts "The whole world is watching". And secondly they should have an attendance quarem they can not fall below, or else the filibuster immediately ends. You see although legeslation was passed this year, it was weakened from what it should be. A lot of good bills were passed in the house but never even made it to the floor of the Senate for debate. And of the bills that were passed, sure we had financial reform, but not the needed breaking up of the Big Banks. We had unemployment but no help for the ninety-niners. We have a form of a health bill but no public option or single payer. We have a tax giveaway to the rich rather than fiscally sound tax reform. This is the congress we have to live with. And on January 5th of nest year we have two years of gridlock to look forward to, barring any "executive orders", which worry me because you don't know what they might do, with no referendum vote.

I am turning sixty. Just to mention it, this is the first photograph I have used in a blog that was taken with my new camera. Note the detail. I think of that Star Trek episode where that guy Dianna Troy's mother was dating was due to report to the disintigration chamber after being wined and dined for his achievements first. I guess I have about two days left. In the Chinese callendar it is the sixty year grand cycle of the year of the Metal Tiger. Venus as you know traces out a pentagram in the heavens. And if you were to do a Chinese pentagram and label it properly you would have to shuffle the five elements of metal, water, wood, fire, and earth- - -because if you traced the line the pentagram made it would skip over every other element. Of course I talked to my Mom today and she asked what I was going to do on Newyears Eve, which is also my birthday. I just wish they had the New York ball dropping live, that's all I cam say. We go to bed with the chickens around here and more often than not get up with the milkman. Of course for a lot of us they give us sleepy time medication in the evening. I might even sleep through the fireworks and honking of horns. I've done that before while living here. One friend has chronic pain problems and I heard him say something about marijuana the other day so I asked about it in more specificity. He says he could marijuana for $25.00 dollars a joint. I asked how the market could support such a price and he just said, "People pay it". I saw my psychiatrist today and he refused to cut my main anti psychotic medication, Resperidol. I said "I think I'd be a more incisive thinker without it". He said "This drug should be helping you". He asked how I was doing and I said "Just fine" and for him that proved it. The drug is working. It's like the saber tooth tiger charm. And someone says "But there are no saber tooth tigers around here" and the first guy says, "You see, it's working". Lord spare us from circular reasoning.

Then we have Kayla dropping the Bomb on Days of our Lives at the end of today's episode. NBC had already announced that the secret of "Parker's" paternity would become public soon, and at a church service of his baptism. Kayla's mother Caroline went to the church to pray and Kayla followed her, as if the Lord needed reminding what to tell her. And a door opened and all these people were staring at Kayla as she said "Daniel is not the father of Parker". Oopse! So now the lives of two married couples plus one engaged couple, not to mention the infant son, will be ruined all because Kayla couldn't control her impulse tword honesty.