Indiana

At work, I have commandeered all the bulletin boards in the main hall. There are 4 of them, each one is 3 ft. x 4 ft. Previously, they were filled with stupid crap that nobody cared about or grade school decorations. It drove me nuts! 
Now, one of the of the boards has actual, useful information on it. Things like, big events downtown that are going to effect traffic when you leave; how your time off is accrued; birthdays this month; things that are happening this month; retirement notices; the cafeteria menu this week, State holidays, etc. 
One board is filled with "company" information. Things like, who to contact for what, in HR; the mission statement; pertinent information about specific departments. 
One board is filled with numbers...metrics, quality, and shout outs to staff that have met their goals. 
The 4th one, I had removed. I replaced it with a smaller cork board and a white board. On the white board, I write positive messages. You know how I am :-) This month though, I've been putting things about Indiana on it. Like Indiana trivia. There are A LOT of things people didn't know! 
For instance;
The first train robbery in the nation, happened here.
Indiana is home to the first "theme park" in the country.
Colonel Sanders was actually from Indiana.
The last concert Elvis performed was in Indianapolis.
Raggedy Ann dolls were created by woman in Indiana.
Van Camp pork and beans was created by Indianapolis grocer, Gilbert Van Camp.
The very first professional baseball game was played here, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
14 State Capitols, the Empire State bldg, Rockefeller Center, the Pentagon and many others, were built with Indiana limestone.
The Coca Cola bottle was designed by a glass company in Indiana.
The inventor of the first real gasoline pump was Syvanus F. Bower, from Indiana.
Lewis and Clark started their expedition from Fort Vincennes, which later became part of the state of Indiana. 
It turns out, there IS more than corn in Indiana!!

more tax greed!

Have you ever wondered what the tax rate is in other countries? Well I have!

First off, if you ever wanted to live in Denmark, forget it!! Switzerland is the place to be!

Denmark
Practical tax rate: 56%
Average pretax salary: $64,310
Average post-tax salary: $28,227
Sweden
Practical tax rate: 52%
Average pretax salary: $46,804
Average post-tax salary: $22,410
Belgium
Practical tax rate: 45%
Average pretax salary: $47,674
Average post-tax salary: $26,221
Germany
Practical tax rate: 30%
Average pretax salary: $42,369
Average post-tax salary: $29,658
Canada
Practical tax rate: 28%
Average pretax salary: $48,688
Average post-tax salary: $35,299
Ireland
Practical tax rate: 25%
Average pretax salary: $56,787
Average post-tax salary: $42,322
Greece
Practical tax rate: 22%
Average pretax salary: $19,189
Average post-tax salary: $14,967
Australia
Practical tax rate: 21%
Average pretax salary: $46,804
Average post-tax salary: $22,410
New Zealnad
Practical tax rate: 19%
Average pretax salary: $44,636
Average post-tax salary: $36,283
United States
Practical tax rate: 18% (but our corporate tax is 35%!)
Average pretax salary: $64,154
Average post-tax salary: $52,344
Russia
Practical tax rate: 13%
Average pretax salary: $9,720
Average post-tax salary: $8,456
United Kingdom
Practical tax rate: 13%
Average pretax salary: $46,252
Average post-tax salary: $40,169
Mexico
Practical tax rate: 13%
Average pretax salary: $9,812
Average post-tax salary: $8,537
China
Practical tax rate: 12%
Average pretax salary: $8,250
Average post-tax salary: $7,247
Japan
Practical tax rate: 10%
Average pretax salary: $39,089
Average post-tax salary: $35,279
Switzerland
Practical tax rate: 2%
Average pretax salary: $85,718
Average post-tax salary: $84,006
India
Practical tax rate: %
Average pretax salary: $1,670
Average post-tax salary: $1,670

taxing greed

Did you know, the median home price in Seattle is $777,000? I read that last week when I read an article about Seattle wanting to impose a "head tax" on big companies. Seattle has a lot of problems. More than they're saying, that's for sure. Anyway, yesterday I saw this followup article and I was just flabbergasted! I'm not 100% pro Amazon and I don't even drink Starbucks, but this seems wrong. It says that the city spent $68 million on homeless services last year. Now they're going to get an additional $48 million. But nobody is asking what the plan is. They say there are 10,000 homeless people in Seattle. I see the biggest problem...greed. The city could have put a cap on rent years ago. But they didn't I bet, because they didn't want tell someone how to run their business or how much they could make. Greed. Greed. Greed. They'll just tax them instead!

Seattle OKs tax on companies like Amazon to help homeless

PHUONG LE

    

PUBLISHED: MAY 15TH, 2018 - 8:51AM (EDT)

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle's largest businesses such as Amazon and Starbucks will have to pay a new tax to help fund homeless services and affordable housing under a measure approved by city leaders.

The City Council unanimously passed a compromise plan Monday that taxes businesses making at least $20 million in gross revenues about $275 per full-time worker each year — lower than the $500 per worker initially proposed. The so-called "head tax" would raise roughly $48 million a year to build new affordable housing units and provide emergency homeless services.

The debate over who should pay to solve a housing crisis exacerbated by Seattle's rapid economic growth comes after weeks of tense exchanges, raucous meetings and a threat by Amazon, the city's largest employer, to stop construction planning on a 17-story building near its hometown headquarters.

Amazon, Starbucks and business groups sharply criticized the council's decision after Monday's vote. They called it a tax on jobs and questioned whether city officials were spending current resources effectively. One state Republican leader said he would seek legislation next year to make clear that a city tax on employees, wages or hours is illegal.

Seattle-based Starbucks had harsh words for its hometown leaders. It accused the city of spending without accountability while ignoring that hundreds of children sleep outside.

"If they cannot provide a warm meal and safe bed to a 5-year-old child, no one believes they will be able to make housing affordable or address opiate addiction," Starbucks' John Kelly said in a statement.

But worker and church groups and others cheered the tax as a step toward building badly needed affordable housing in an affluent city where the income gap continues to widen and lower-income workers are being priced out.

"People are dying on the doorsteps of prosperity. This is the richest city in the state and in a state that has the most regressive tax system in the country," said councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who wanted a larger tax but called the compromise plan "a down payment" to build housing the city needs.

For Seattle's liberal City Council, the discussion Monday centered not so much on whether there should be a head tax but how big it should be. Four bill sponsors initially pitched a tax of $500 per full-time employee a year but a compromise proposal emerged over weekend after they couldn't muster the six votes needed to override a potential veto by Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Councilmember Lisa Herbold, a bill sponsor, said the revenue isn't enough to fully address the problem given the city's dire needs and human suffering but it was "the strongest proposal" they could put forward given the veto threat.

Proponents of the tax say too many people are suffering on the streets, and while city-funded programs found homes for 3,400 people last year, the problem deepens. The Seattle region had the third-highest number of homeless people in the U.S. and saw 169 homeless deaths last year. The city spent $68 million on homelessness last year and plans to spend even more this year. The tax will provide additional revenue.

"This legislation will help us address our homelessness crisis without jeopardizing critical jobs," Durkan said in a statement.

Other cities have implemented similar taxes, but critics say Seattle's tax could threaten the booming local economy and drive away jobs.

Nearly 600 large employers — roughly 3 percent — would pay the tax starting in 2019. Amazon, the city's largest employer with 45,000 workers, would take the biggest hit.

Amazon Vice President Drew Herdener said in a statement Monday that the company was disappointed.

While Amazon has resumed construction planning on the downtown building, he said "we remain apprehensive about the future created by the council's hostile approach and rhetoric toward larger businesses, which forces us to question our growth here."

He noted that city revenues have grown dramatically and that the city "does not have a revenue problem — it has a spending efficiency problem."

Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez shot back that she was "equally disappointed" in Amazon's reaction to the council's vote and said she thinks "their tone in this message that is clearly hostile toward the city council is not what I expect from a business who continues to tell us that they want to be a partner on these issues."

Before the vote, she said the city "has an obligation to take care of the people who are surviving and suffering on our city streets."

Shannon Brown, 55, who has been living a tiny home at a south Seattle homeless encampment, said there's simply not enough housing for the city's poorest people.

"I live in a little shed, but it's better than living in a tent or in a sleeping bag on the street," she said. "There's no away I can afford to live in Seattle. I don't understand why businesses think it's wrong to help."

John Boufford with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades said he didn't understand the rhetoric against Amazon, which he noted provides good jobs for thousands of people.

"They're driving this economic engine," he said. "I'm confused about why the city of Seattle is fostering an adversarial relationship with businesses in this city."

Happy Monday...

Because it's MY blog! :-)

                            

Cultural Appropriation

What the hell is that anyway? 
I've heard the term before. I never really paid attention to it though. It just seemed like another made up thing for millennials to be angry about. I was more interested in it this week though, when I saw the story about the Utah high school senior who wore a Chinese style dress to her senior prom. 
You can find the story here; 
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Style/teen-defends-chinese-prom-dress-sparked-cultural-appropriation/story?id=54866211

I read a couple different versions of the story but I still don't get what some people were pissed off about. 

The dictionary says, the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that  you understand or respect this culture:
OK, so I think I understand what the term probably originally meant, but now like everything else it's being used in a haphazard way just to create conflict. I'm pretty sure that originally, cultural appropriation was taking some important/meaningful facet of a particular culture and turning it into something unimportant/common. I can't think of what that would be for me personally though.

Anyway...back to the girl in the dress. I don't think THAT was cultural appropriation. And if that's how we should be made to think about it, then I would say it's cultural appropriation for an African American to dye their hair blonde. If you are not of Polynesian descent and you attend a luau, isn't that cultural appropriation? How about celebrating cinco de mayo if you're not Hispanic? Or wearing a cross if you're not Christian? Or buying a kimono robe if you're not Japanese? Diana Krall is an amazing Jazz singer, but she's white. Shouldn't she find another career? What about food!?!?!?!? If I fix my own Americanized version of tacos, isn't that cultural appropriation? Oy!

Honestly, we don't need to worry about the government taking away our freedoms...we're doing a fine job of it all by ourselves!

Whaaaaat!?!?!?

What's next?!?!?! Is my mom going to tell me I'm adopted!?!?! Is my brother really from outer space??!! Will I live to be 150 because I'm fat?!?!?! What other lies have I been told!!!!???  
:-)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/smart-living/50-facts-you-learned-in-school-that-are-actually-lies/ss-AApHLqK?li=BBnb7Kz#image=1

Does that affect you?

Does the news affect you? What exactly is important news to you? And do you feel like it's credible? You know by now that I don't watch the news on television anymore. I do however, peruse the headlines every morning, online. But even that isn't satisfying anymore. The headlines lie about what's in the article. Also, most articles are filled with words like; perhaps, potential, could be, mostly, possibly, nearly, might, maybe, speculation. All of those words mean the same thing...not fact. I would say that the news reports about 1/2 and 1/2, fact and not fact. And of those factual things, do you really care? For instance, today in the news, USA Today says...

Of all those things on their home page, do any of them affect you? Is any of it something you need to know? Do you care that GQ called the Bible, foolish? Or that the world isn't ending today? What's interesting to you? Is there anything there that you feel passionate about?

FOX News says,

There are a couple things I would click on, here. But again, how much of this affects you? 

I guess that's why I don't watch/listen to the news. I get tired of the opinions of people I don't have any respect for. I don't care about the lives of celebrities or athletes. I'm not a sports fan. What does that leave?? I'll tell you...not much! Oh, the weather. 

I guess I would want to know if there is a serial killer on the loose. I want to know about Amber alerts. I want to know about credible and/or real security threats to the world I live in. I want to know what I can do to help keep the air I breath and the water I drink, clean. I want to know about new laws that actually do affect me. There are probably a couple other things but in general, that about covers it. Really, is there enough news every day to warrant a 24 hr news station?!!?!?! Ummm...no. No wonder we're such an angry nation! 

I thought about all that because there's a new (cheesy) country song out that has this line in it;

I believe if you just go by the nightly news

Your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose.

That's a good line. And it just made me wonder about all the things we don't need to know.

interview skills

I was thinking the other day about an ad I saw, declaring that they could teach you how to be a good interview, when job searching. There are a lot ads like that. But there aren't any ads aimed at employers on how to conduct a good interview. There should be. I've had some seriously wacky job interviews! Some of them were so bad that it took everything I had not to tell them what a jerk they were!! 

For instance, there was the job interview with a woman who asked me what the last book I read was. Then she asked me if I was a fan of Stephen King and proceeded to tell me all about her reading habits which included making her husband sleep on the couch when she wanted to read in bed. She could probably detect the "are you nuts" look on my face...I didn't get the job.

Then there was the interview for a company who wanted me to answer a 300 question psychological test before the interview. I told the receptionist I would do it after the interview if it were necessary and that I didn't appreciate not being told that this interview was going to take hours because of this test. Yep, didn't even make it to that interview!

Or, the one where I showed up to an interview for an Admin position and they wanted me to interview for an accounting position. After they figured out I wasn't going to do that, they said the person hiring for the admin. was out to lunch. I'd never heard of a bait and switch tactic for hiring!!

And my favorite bad interview, was a 2 parter. The first part, with the woman who I'd actually be working with, went so great. She even walked me around afterwards and introduced to me to everyone in her department! The 2 part was with one of the owners. He was a complete asshole. Oh, I should say that a head hunter contacted me about this job. So, this jerk was pissed off that his assistant hired a head hunter to find someone for this position. Mostly because he was going to have to pay them a fee if I was offered and took the job. She hired a head hunter because she wanted to interview qualified candidates. Anyway, he proceeded to tell me all about the last couple of people in that position and how awful they were. Blah, blah, blah. Finally, after he told me again, how unhappy he was with going through a head hunter, I told him that that didn't have anything to do with me and he should take that up with his assistant, but that I was worth it and how unfortunate it was that he would never know that and that I was sorry he wasted both our time. Yeah, didn't get that job either. Thank heavens, because really, maybe they were awful because he was such a jerk!!

Live Entertainment

My man and I were talking about some of the concerts we've to, some that are coming up and the way back. It made me feel like I need to update my list!

Bobby Sherman (1970) my very first concert. thanks mom!
Andy Williams
Rod McKuen
Paul Anka
Liberace!
Sonny and Cher
Sammy Davis Jr.
The Guess Who, my first concert w/out an adult 1974
Mac Davis
Edgar Winter & Peter Frampton
Led Zeppelin, I paid a scalper $20 for that ticket
Yes & The Doobie Brothers
Yes & Kansas
Cat Stevens
Elton John
Neil Diamond, twice (1976)
Jethro Tull
Hall and Oats
J. Geils, Golden Earring, Johnny Winter
Black Sabbath & Blue Oyster Cult
BTO
Shawn Phillips
Aero Smith, 3 times
REO Speedwagon, 3 times
The Eagles
Chicago
America & 3 Dog Night
Pink Floyd
***that covers my tween and teen years***
The Bee Gees, at Dodger Stadium
Joan Armatrading
The Pretenders
Kenny Loggins
Bonnie Raiit
Alabama
Kenny Rogers w/Sawyer Brown and Lee Greenwood
***and that about covers my 20's***
Harry Connick Jr. (3 times)
Robin Trower
Guitar Masters, Eric Johnson, Andy McKee and Peppino D'Agostino
Foreigner & David Lee Roth
Yanni (3 times)
Vince gill
Neal McCoy
Ricky Skaggs
Earl Scruggs
Sam Bush
Glen Campbell
Debby Boone Marvin Hamlish
Michael Fienstien
Earth Wind and Fire
The Time Jumpers w/Vince Gill
Trace Adkins a Christmas Show
Brooks and Dunn w/Lonestar
Brook and Dunn Neon Circus w/Toby Kieth, Montgomery Gentry, Kieth Urban
Brooks and Dunn w/Big $ Rich
Brooks and Dunn w/Alan Jackson and Jake Owen
Brooks and Dunn w/Rodney Atkins and Jame Otto
Brooks and Dunn last concert
Alan Jackson, 3 times
Brad Paisley w/Dierks Bently
Brad Paisley w/Brantly Gilbert
Garth Brooks, 4 times!
We're All For The Hall 2013:
Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Tim McGraw, Rosanne Cash, Jessi Colter, Montgomery Gentry, Billy Joe Shaver and Hank William Jr.
We're All For The Hall 2014
Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Brantley Gilbert, Brett Eldredge, Carrie Underwood, David Nail, Deana Carter, Kacey Musgraves, Kip Moore, Lee Ann Womack, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Darius Rucker

And last but not least, musicals, comedians & magicians;
Jesus Christ Superstar w/Ted Neeley
Annie Get Your Gun w/Debbie Reynolds
Odysseus w/Yul Brenner (at the Kennedy Center)
Rock of Ages
Jersey Boys
Lord of the Dance, 3 times
River Dance
Menopause the Musical, 3 times
Chicago, the musical
Wicked
Robin Williams
Bill Cosby
Jay Leno
The Smothers Brothers
Dennis Miller
Cheech and Chong
Trans Siberian Orchestra, twice
Straight No Chaser, twice
Rudoph, the musical
Doug Henning

I've seen a lot of shows, multiple times. I should stop doing that and see other things instead. I'll keep that in mind...unless it's Garth Brooks :-)

If I were a man...

...I would be SO confused. Hell, I'm a woman and I'M confused!! I want him to say I look pretty but if he does, does that make him a sexist. If she dresses like this;

  
...clearly she's wants attention. But now, if he looks at her longingly, he's a predator and a pig. 
I thought I would have a lot to say about this, but it looks like it's all being covered, from every angle.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/echoes-of-the-mommy-wars-in-metoo/552830/


https://www.vox.com/2018/4/5/17157240/me-too-movement-sexual-harassment-aziz-ansari-accusation


http://www.newsweek.com/after-metoo-international-womens-day-most-pivotal-ever-834309


https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/03/metoo-campaign-women-isolated-at-work/

Privacy

Can you really have a conversation about privacy without saying first, privacy is an illusion. 

People think that they can guard their privacy. Some of them go to great lengths to do so. Honestly though, you would have to live completely off the grid, from day you were born, to have privacy.

The definition of privacy is;
1. the state of being apart from other people or concealed from their view
2. the state of being free from unwanted or undue intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs
3. freedom from damaging publicity, public scrutiny, secret surveillance, or unauthorized disclosure of one's personal data or information.

Ohhhhhh...look at #3! Hmmm. This is where it gets tricky, right? Facebook is in big trouble right now for not keeping their user's personal information, private. I think FB is pretty intrusive. When I set up my FB, I lied or omitted almost everything they asked for. Turns out, that was a pretty good idea. FB is sneaky. Really sneaky! And controlling. Wow! But people will get over it. FB will say they're going to do better and people will say, ok, and forget all about it. 

Just like Amazon Echo/Alexa. At first, people were a little freaked out about that whole "always on" technology. Then Amazon explained how it works and people said, oh...ok. 

But if you have a computer/laptop/tablet/smart phone, you don't have any privacy. 

I suspect that people aren't really concerned so much with privacy as they are with HOW someone is using their personal data. That's really what it comes down to, isn't it? If they use it to target what kinds of ads you see online, is that alright? How about if they arbitrarily decide if you're a liberal or conservative and then target you with specific political ads. Or, how about if they use or health care data to determine if you're an insurance "risk"? There are so many other examples it's mind boggling.

Technology is really still so new. It's hard to tell how it's affecting us. Is it good for us? Bad? People argue against too much of  it, while others embrace it. I wonder all the time, what it will be like in another 50 years. Will my great grandchildren rely so much on social media? Will they value their privacy? Or will the media in general control every aspect of their lives.

History

I know a lot of people loved the subject of history when they were in school. I wasn't one of them. Not that history isn't cool! I just didn't like school in general. Anyway, now that I'm old(er), I think American history is so fascinating. 

Right now, my fella and I are watching a series on the History Channel called, The Men Who Built America; Frontiersmen. The first episode was about Daniel Boone. Daniel Boone was so badass. Seriously. Not a thing like Fess Parker!! One of the stories they depicted of him, told about his escape from the Shawnee. He ran 150 miles in FOUR days, to warn his fort that the Shawnee were coming, on British orders, to destroy the fort. Think about that for a second. Here's the comparison I made; There is also a show on the History Channel called, Alone. It's about a bunch of people dropped off in different parts of a remote location and left to survive, alone. It's interesting. But they get to bring some supplies with them. The last season, they dropped off teams of 2. So they weren't really alone. But, they dropped them off in different spots, so they had to find each other. While one was trying to make a "camp" the other was hiking through the underbrush to get to them. The hiker has to travel approximately 10 miles. It took them an average of NINE days to go 10 miles. Yep. NINE days, TEN miles vs FOUR days, 150 miles. Granted, they had 50 pound packs to drag along...but come on!!! Daniel Boone had on moccasins. This completely freaked me out!

The 2nd episode was about Lewis and Clark. Hopefully, everybody knows this story. The narrator said one thing that really struck me though. We knew more about the moon before we headed into space, than they did about the American wilderness before they headed out. 

Imagine. It really gives you a whole different perspective about what bravery and courage really is.

free money!

What do you do with free money? For instance, if you have to work overtime does that extra money get absorbed into the budget? Do you put it towards a bill or in savings? Or do you just spend it frivolously?! Same for your tax returns. What about gift cards? Do you get something you need or something you just want to have? I know, when you don't have enough earned money, free money gets tagged for responsible things...if you're a responsible person.

I love free money. I love gift cards too. 
If it's a lot of free money, vacations or home remodeling jobs happen. Both are very exciting! If it's a little free money, maybe a nice dinner out or new shoes. 
Gift cards are great because obviously, you can get what you want. 
Amazon gift cards are the best! For several years now, whenever I get an Amazon gift card, I try to spend it on learning something new. Once, I bought a wood burning kit and a book. Another time I bought crochet needles and a book. Another time I bought a kit for doing Pisanki - look it up. Oh, and once I bought a couple books on knots and macrame and some cord. It's fun to learn new things! It's even more fun when you get to do it for free!

Acts of rebellion

Isn't that what protests are? Acts of rebellion?

Today, at approximately 10:00am, one month after 17 lives were ended at a high-school in Florida, thousands of students all over the country will be walking out of their classrooms. They're doing this for a myriad of reasons;
To honor those 17 people
To raise awareness about issues regarding school safety
To demand that Congress act to end gun violence
To say simply, I've had enough!

Good for them. I'm so excited to see where this will lead. I love this. Why? Because young people grow up to be voters. Because the passion, conviction, exuberance and rebellion of youth can not be contained. Because teenagers don't let things go. Because they haven't lived through a couple of decades being told how to be pc. They aren't yet jaded. They're still idealistic and naive. Because teenagers demand attention. I hope they don't let go. There are still so many conversations to have. I'm rooting for them to affect change.

Many years ago, long before the movies, I read the Hunger Games series. When I read the first one, I remember thinking, imagine-the courage of one young woman started a revolution. All it took was for one person to make a stand. Even when hundreds before her had done so, the timing was perfect this time. Had I actually been a teenager when I read it, I would have been so inspired by her!

Raise your fists young people! Make the world a better place!!

here we go again!

Because we are now officially in daylight savings time, you know I have to say this;

WE DID NOT GAIN AN HOUR OF SUNLIGHT!!!

OMG! What is wrong with people?!?! We get the same amount of sunlight today as we did 2 days ago! We did not magically get a 25 hour day! I hate daylight savings time. 

There is no law requiring a state to institute DST. Hawaii and Arizona don't bother. You know why? Because it's aggravating! 

In 1966, the Uniform Time Act only standardized DST, so if a state chose to participate, they had to do it at the same time everyone else did. It lasted 6 months. In 1986, it was extended to 7 months. In 2007, it was extended again, to 8 months. Essentially, we change our clocks for 4 months out of the year. WHY does that make ANY sense?! Grrrr.

OK, rant over - until November