In honor of Election Day

I shy away from posting about politics. Although I do have my own views, I hate getting into political discussions, so I avoid them. But in honor of Election Day, here are a few political topics that came to me while staring into space, waiting for the phone to ring, while covering for the receptionist at work.

• The greatest gift to lazy people like myself is Permanent Absentee Voting. It true, you can vote right from your armchair, on your own time, at 3am if you want to. As long as you get the ballot turned in on time. And it comes with free postage. No longer do I have to stand in line and show 5 forms of ID. I can't extoll the awesomeness enough! Google it and find out how to do it in your state.



• I would totally move to Sweden if I could. Yeah, they pay tons in taxes, but their social policies rock- months of paid maternity leave, state sponsored child care and well paid teachers, nationalized health care, paid vacations even for Stay At Home Mom's, EU grade regulation of chemicals, pesticides, GMO's. But it's so damn cold there.



• Republicans- they want less government regulation and government out of our personal life and family life. But yet they are OK with the government regulating what we can personally do with our bodies (ie abortion and right to die issues)? What about allowing big business (ie health care organizations) determine health care policies instead of letting us make our own care choices*. How can they be OK with regulation in some areas but not in others? Isn't that kind of hypocritical?
  


• A's workplace union just had a vote on whether to agree to concessions on their contract to keep the company afloat. There was much debate about this on the pilot's forum and in pilot conference calls. It passed with something like 60% of the vote. I wonder, did people vote along traditional party lines for this vote? Did the democrats vote in favor of taking less money for the good of the company and the republicans vote against it with the rationale of "full pay to the final day. no one is taking away the pay raises we earned"? Have votes historically gone this way?

• If I could have my way, I'd change two things. One, disallowing bill riders that have nothing to do with the bill they are attached to. So much crap is hidden in those that the public has no idea about. And two, paid lobbyists. Politicians should listen to their constituants and vote based on how things will effect their area of representation, not based on the nice dinner they got on behalf of the XYZ industry who has views opposite of what the populace wants.
  

*Interesting info on how insurance companies are influencing hospital policy and the health care we receive related to some of my favorite topics in this book, this book, this film, this book and the whole mandatory HPV vaccine mess.

Great moments in Parenting

Awards I should receive based on my some of my finest hours:

Meanest Mom/Parenting with Balls Award- For a week we were after Kidzilla to clean up his room. All week we told him that if his room wasn't clean by thursday night, he would not be trick or treating on friday and that we would take care of his toys for him if he wouldn't do it himself. Of course it came down to thursday evening and he flat out refused to do it. Was yelling "you can't make me" and all that other classic stuff. So we said "ok, you have made your decision. You understand what is going to happen tomorrow right". "I don't care".

So friday (which I happened to have off work), Kidzilla came home to a completely barren room. He had several books, a few math/puzzle workbooks, two pencils, a stuffed puppy and a foam headrest thing that A brought home from the hospital this spring. He cried and carried on, but accepted his decision. We stayed home and handed out candy to the 4 trick or treaters that came by and he even told A- "I made a bad decision".

I was pleasantly suprised that he did not end up pestering us to play with him all weekend, but managed to entertain himself with the meager offerings in his room. At one point he was wearing rain boots and playing soccer with the foam headrest- creativity at it's finest! I'm inspired to get rid of a bunch of toys, except that when I add up how much money was spent on them, I can't bring myself to do it. He's earning the toys back slowly, but really hasn't asked for too much yet. And he did get to do a bit of trick or treating at the Zoo the next evening.

The Oh No She Didn't Award- Kidzilla lost a tooth on friday afternoon. Of course I was completely unprepared and didn't have anything to leave as the tooth fairy. I don't know why I didn't plan ahead, it was obvious that the tooth was going to come out soon... So that evening, we told him that the Tooth Fairy probably already had her route planned out and that all orders had to be in by noon for pick up that day. She'd probably pick up his tooth on Saturday night instead of friday. It worked, he believed it and wasn't too heartbroken when she didn't come. Saturday was a busy day and neither A or I had an opportunity to stop by the bank or post office to pick up a gold dollar coin. So I put Kidzilla in the tub and while he was splashing around A raided his piggy bank for the gold dollar from the last time he lost a tooth. We found it and it did it's job. Kidzilla was happy and all was good. It's all about Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at our house...

Naming Genitalia Award- A and Kidzilla are quite creative in naming their boy parts. I swear, every day they've got some new term. Bazonga, beziner, walnuts 'n almonds, lollypop and jellybeans... Everytime I think I've heard them all, I hear a new one. I think it's a boy thing, because I don't remember being like this.

Identifying Hypocrisy Award (AKA pointing out things they don't want to hear award)- I gave A a deadline of Nov. 1 to get his Xmas list to me. I don't like waiting until the last minute and usually have all shopping done by Dec. 1. Today is the 3rd and I don't have it yet. I told him I was going to cancel his Christmas since he didn't meet the deadline, much like we had canceled trick or treating. What's good for the goose is good for the gander right?

Lies in the name of love told recently in our household

Me to Kidzilla- "sure, I would love nothing more than to spend time with you and take you to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua."

Me to Kidzilla- "wow, that sure was a great movie. I'd love to reenact it with your stuffed puppies."

A to me- "Honey, I don't mind that you spend $600 on shoes this week. I know how much you wanted some new shoes."

Me to A- "That 6 hour training that starts at 8am on Saturday will be totally worth the effort. And much better than taking 3 6 year olds roller skating."

Kidzilla to me- "Mom, I got you this candy. And look, one for me just jumped in my hand too."

Thinking of others today

Today is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day- http://www.october15th.com/

One and a half years ago we suffered from our own loss. So to those of you out there- I hear you, I know what it's like, the pain will lessen one day, even if it never disappears.

Other parenting tidbits to share:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/circumcision/circumcision.html

http://www.literarymama.com/oped/archives/002158.html

http://www.workingmother.com/?service=vpage/106

News on my mind

Ohhh, aviation news in MY part of the world!

http://www.news4jax.com/news/17716851/detail.html. Not sure what to think of this yet- legit or slow news day? We have an aquaintance who does ATC at this center. Have to ask my pilot's opinion of the whole incident.

And also, we have heard that the government plans to auction off take-off and landing slots at ERW (Newark, NJ) due to overcrowding and constant delays. Which will in turn spell the end of RJ's at that airport and probably disaster for a few small airlines. Big airlines aren't going to fork out massive amounts of money just to have small airplanes fly in, they are going to want the most bang for their buck. And the reduction in flights on small planes will mean the reduction of service to smaller communities.

Oil prices have come down again to the point that if A's branch of his airline had not folded, they would have been making money (the break even point we heard was about $110/barrel). It's a shame they couldn't have held out a few more months until the price of oil fell again. I wonder if the CEO thinks the same thing...