Cinderella's Pumpkin Recession

What does Cinderella, pumpkins and the recession have in common?

Cinderella is fantasy-and involves a pumpkin. Canned pumpkin was supposedly scarce due to a crop shortage  and Nestle's brand "Libby" is raising the cost 20 cents a can to offset losses, increasing the cost for a 15 ounce can to 1.79 and 2.59 for a 29 oz.can.

The average pie takes 2 cups of pumpkin or 1lb. So in order to make a pie you either use less with their 15 0z.can-or buy an extra can -with leftover pumpkin to deal with--think that was an over sight on the Libby/Nestle part?

The declaration by prominent economists that the recession ended June 2009, could be called a fantasy depending on where you get your misinformation. But it doesn't involve a pumpkin - or does it? Maybe like Cinderella -at the end of the story- we are the ones being taken for a ride in a pumpkin carriage.

And who are these prominent economists anyway? They tell a story that sounds like a confused fairy tale.

 According to the National Association for Business Economics -a survey of prominent economists found that 80% agreed the recession was over in June of 2009. At rock bottom then, we have slowly been creeping forward ever since. These economic forecasters are the money weathermen who's predictions of " chance of showers"  means it may -or- may not rain. One even went as far as to say "what it doesn't mean is that everything is good again." What they are saying is this recession has ended- but a new one could take it's place becoming the new recession. "May-hap will, may-hap won't" from the wordsmiths that gave us "stagflation."

Better stock up on canned pumpkin before it runs out before Thanksgiving- At least that's what Nestle/Libby would recommend.They want to re-assure you there will be plenty to go around-at an inflated price.

Just like Cinderella-Libby brand has wicked step sisters. Nestle owns Libby brand and Nestle is owned by Nabisco who is owned by Conagra who is owned by Philip Morris who is owned by Altria Group, and Altria is Latin for "High".

One wonders where they came up with "high" to describe their company-maybe a secret additive in cigarettes-or canned pumpkin? Maybe that explains the canned pumpkin hoarding stories going around.

So what do any of these three stories really have in common? Nothing and everything. They could be true-depending on your own ability to "suspend disbelief". Or they could be fairy tales- I guess it depends on your own gullibility factor, especially when expert testimonials are involved.

Experts are bad storytellers, and they seem to think they can tell a pretty good story, but  their fairy tales are badly written- more designed to confuse than to inform. 

No wonder people just want to get altria ( high ) and eat pumpkin pie while watching Cinderella.

Just make sure your pie is homemade from a pumpkin grown in your own garden-not one of those corporate food conglomerate creations made by wicked step sisters.

ickenittle

The Empty Pledge From The Party Of Stale Goods

Now that the Republican party's contract for America is well past it's expiration date- they now offer us

 

The Pledge To America.

But I think they are trying to sell us some stale goods re-packaged as fresh.

Here are a few less than tasty crumbs they coughed up;

An unchecked executive, a compliant legislation, an overreaching judiciary have combined to thwart the will of the people and overturn their votes and their values, striking down long standing laws and institutions and scorning the deepest beliefs of the American people.

An unchecked executive? ( birthers rant )  overreaching judiciary ( Citizens United ) thwarting the will of the people and overturning their votes.

Striking down long standing laws ( Arizona's racist immigration law for example?) scorning the deepest beliefs of the American people. (Racism does run deep,as well as the military hatred of gays.)

An arrogant and out- of- touch government of self appointed elites makes decisions, issue mandates and enacts laws without accepting or requesting the input of the people.

An arrogant and out -of -touch government (arrogant? out of touch? from the party of "no") Enacting laws without the input of the people ( which people-the faux people of corporate person hood?)

Rising joblessness, crushing debt, and a polarizing political environment are fraying the bonds among our people and blurring our sense of national purpose.

Rising joblessness ( No jobs bill-from the party of no) crushing debt.( brought on by the party of "spend") Fraying the bonds( tell your tea party buddies to STFU then) blurring our sense (wake up- this is not a white man's only club anymore)

of national purpose. ( not everyone believes in plunder and wars for oil )

The American people are speaking out, demanding that we realign our county's compass with it's founding principals and apply those principals to solve our common problems for the common good.

Founding principals( you mean go backward-to the good old racist days?) solve our common problems for the common good.( common good for corporations) I dare you to name one thing the Republicans plan for the common good-(plunder social security maybe?)

We pledge to make government transparent-honest in its dealings.

That's so funny I can only cry- to think of how transparent the Bush dictatorship was-and honest? (war for oil?)

Honor families, traditional marriage, life and private and faith based organizations that form the core of our American values.

Honor families( by sending their jobs abroad ) traditional marriage ( ban divorce as nontraditional )
life ( abortion protection- till born then kicked to the curb) faith based organizations (anything but Muslim) that form the core of our American values. (insert Republican values only) And by the way that core you speak of - is rotten.

Read the entire thing if you have nothing better to do-just make sure you have a strong stomach. How this should have been titled is A Citizens United Pledge To Itself.

If nothing else choose the lesser of two evils-stale bread or baloney.

Too bad the two can't get together-might actually be edible.

ickenittle

There's A Spider In The Bathtub

"Our Favorite Sociopath" is how Newt Gingrich's staff lovingly called him when he was House Speaker.



Now every one's favorite is back ready to inject some more fear into the American landscape. Where everything else fails to get you the attention your ego needs -scream- "There's a spider in the tub!"


Newt's spider is once again islamaphobia. This time the new spin is the "Sharia menace" which is coming soon to your state - if you don't watch out. At the Values Voter Summit Newt warned conservatives,"We should have a federal law that says Sharia Law cannot be recognized by any court in the US."

Speaking in July at The American Enterprise Institute Newt spoke of " Sharia menace being part of a stealth campaign to impose Islam on all of us. Stealth jihadis use political, cultural, societal, religious, intellectual tools ; violent jihadis use violence." Gingrich says," but in fact they're both  engaged in jihad and they're both seeking to impose the same end state, which is to replace Western Civilization with a radical imposition of sharia."

Sharia loosly translates to mean "path" Newt Gingrich is on his own form of "sharia" one of fear mongering and bigotry. He is in his own words a "menace" seeking to "engage" a " radical campaign" of fear"on all of us."

When there isn't a threat he is compelled to invent one- like a little boy with an over active imagination telling tales of invisible spiders plotting against our freedom- stealthily crawling out of the drain to overtake us-implementing their arachnist agenda- seeking to impose their spidery jihad on us all.

Truth is Muslims equal less than 2% of the American population, whereas Christians are at 77%  down from 86% in 1990 - No wonder with people like Newt on their team. Thank goodness the constitution was designed to protect us from people like him.

He is scarier than a whole bathtub full of spiders.

But at least spiders are beneficial

                                

ickenittle

Just Say No To Thugs

Thuggery is rampant.

It comes wrapped in the American flag - dressed in its church going Sunday best.

The thugs want to criminalize you if you are gay in Montana and destroy your honorable military career.  Thugs don't care if you are poor or hungry or homeless.They don't bother to think of your child with a pre- existing condition. They want you to pay for their tax cuts with stimulus money set aside for infrastructure jobs. They blame you for being unemployed yet deny you work to pay for their free tax ride.

Jesus has an evil twin - a doppelganger that is the epitome of evil. The mock Jesus encourages greed and heartlessness toward his neighbor- this vengeful Jesus mimics values while committing sin. He is is a Frankenstein's monster created by corrupt politicians and corporate masters, and an Americans for Prosperity - prop, borrowed by  Values Voters- passed around at Fox News.

The Walmart Jesus is new and improved - designed to fit a plutocrat's agenda. The old Jesus is as obsolete as an old pair of running shoes, with a tired message of kindness and charity of brotherly love. This old Jesus just had to go.

" Look out Jesus there's a new God in town. He's vengeful- he's tired of poor people -he's sick of the sick,  he will only protect you before you are born - then kick you to the curb - it's dog eat dog in new Jesus land - where the powerful can plunder and purge your vote. Where Well point insurance denies coverage to  children as a means to by- pass the law requiring insurers to cover children with preexisting conditions. It's a loathsome dirty trick done by greedy thugs.

 Once upon a time when greed was a sin God would punish the sinners to an eternal life in Hell. Now with new Jesus in charge the opposite is true - greed is God and his followers pray at the church of money.

It's no wonder the number of atheists is growing.

Where's Jesus?

I want the old Jesus back,

and miss his real followers- hello-anyone home.





ickenittle





The Reptile Rapture Express

Dear God please protect me form your values voter followers.

The values voters summit sounds like something you would find at Walmart. "Attention Republican voters we are offering a rollback on health care for all Americans" "If you suffer from a pre-existing condition well toooo- bad. No health care for you!" Just use your values voter super savers card to cut welfare, unemployment benefits - food stamp programs - Obama care- Social Security- education - infrastructure spending -job creation- minimum wage and all other "entitlement" programs.

 Also "Values Voters don't forget you 10% discount coupon for your seat on the Rapture express, ( a $666.00 value)

The Rapture Express is where the Values Voters will be heading once they have done their Christian doody on America.

In Oligarchy We Trust- values voter Mike Pence won the straw poll held at the value voter's summit and he vows to bring Obama care down.(along with all of the people with pre-existing conditions and people who can't afford health coverage.( lot's of us) Can you feel the love?

Mike Huckabee ( ordained Baptist minister Mike) compares pre-existing conditions with trying to buy home owners insurance after you house burns down. Imagine Jesus turning away the already sick-in favor of people who might get sick. If Jesus held the values voters morals there would no helping the poor-no healing of the sick-no love thy neighbor.

So what are the values these values voters hold so dear? Just look up their biggest political contributors-Mike Pence- the wanna be Pres. gets his from Blue Cross Blue Shield-Banks and investment firms.This explains his rhetoric. He is corporate owned as are most Republicans and Tea Buggers. The values they preach are ones of de-regulation- capitalist greed-blame and division.

Profit - profit - profit is their prophet. Greed is their God. In Oligarchy They Trust. Jesus is just bait to lure in the fishes.

So if you believe that money should always trump humanity- join the values voters- they are looking for a few more souls to corrupt.

PS - don't forget to book you flight early on the Rapture Express - seats are available for a limited time only.

ickenittle

Some Of My Best Friends Are Billionaires

Why do Americans have such adoration towards billionaires?

The days of the Robber Barons are long gone where millionaires were all the rage. At least the filthy rich in those days actually did something for the common good- creating jobs- building industry-hospitals-railroads-even though much of their wealth was acquired by ill gotten gain- they took their lumps and paid taxes without whining about it.

Today's billionaires are a bunch of whiny cry babies, and would leave a bad taste in the mouths of their predecessors.These reptiles share no interest in the common good and are nothing more than plunderers.

Wall street plunderers have used and abused bailouts and tax breaks to line their greedy pockets.

Corporate plunderers send your jobs to foreign counties where they exploit the poor-making you poor.

Banking plunderers steal your homes, ruin your retirement investments exploit you with high interest credit card fees. One hand giveth (the home equity loan scam ) the other ( real estate devaluation ) taketh away.

Americans are under the influence of a delusional fantasy called "I could be rich someday too." This spell has been cast by the corporate media tycoons who want you to believe the myth that capitalism means freedom.

They convince you not to question their authority of "We got rich-and so can you." All the while they stick pins in the voodoo doll called the middle class. Under the spell- many Americans feel better about their lives convincing themselves that "If only I work harder - If only I run faster-  If only I do more I can get there too." And they don't  take a good hard look at the monsters who are leading them.

The goal is to win - get rich then abandon the America in which you truly live- the America of "We the people"not "We the corporations."

When you do make to the top 1% will you be the same as you were before? Will your life be consumed by the unending need for more? Will your new pursuit in life be to manage what you have as you transform into Gollum-protecting your"precious" from others who you fear will take it all away?

What will "precious" turn you into - as you hunger- starving inside - as you plunder your way through the forest- cutting and uprooting those who were once like you. Will you look down from Olympus on all the little people as you and your new found elitist buddies snicker at the lazy poor-the unemployed-the homeless- made that way by you.

The robber barons had class compared to today's billionaires.They had it hard - they worked for their riches from the ground up. You guys are wanna be's who didn't have the stuff of the barons. You guys gotta get yours the dirty way-by stealing from your fellow citizens-who are a thousand times better than you.

It's time to slam the lid on the America's cookie jar-You have enough cookies-no more for you- and pay back all of the cookies you have stolen. Pay your taxes and quit crying over spilt milk.

ickenittle

What Does Middle Class Mean? Ask A Fourth Grader.

Currently, there are 43.6 million people living at or below the poverty rate.

In 2009 the poverty threshold for a family of four was 21,954.00. For a single person under 65 it's a whopping 11,161.00 over 65 even less at 10,289.00

These figures seem to be based on living on either minimum wage or Social Security.The median income level is now 49,727.00 but they don't consider this to be the middle class - in fact no matter where you search you can't get a definitive answer to this simple question; what exactly is the middle class?

Seems that shouldn't be such a difficult question to find an answer to, but no one seems to know. Some say the middle class income bracket is determined by location.Take living in an expensive area like New York versus living in humble Mississippi.The middle class in one state would mean being rich-or poor- in the other.

Another argument is income versus assets. You can have a lousy income-but own property-or a stock portfolio and be considered rich. But if you make good money-are paying on a home that has lost it's value-have lost your portfolio-pay child support- are in debt up to your eyeballs from school loans- you are also considered wealthy

Maybe we need to consult a fourth grader to resolve this.Take all of the income before taxes and deductions and divide by 2 and the answer is there-in the middle-hence term middle class- But that would never wash with big economic reptiles who always have to complicate even the simplest things. They are all too busy trying to out smarty pants each other.

These reptiles must come up with a new way to describe something simple.

There is no- new- anymore. No - new art - no new music - no new ideas that haven't come from something in the past. What we call new is just a different take on what -has come before. So can't we just value what was- if it worked- like simple division? And stop trying to re-invent the wheel?

 Maybe the reason behind all the confusion as to who is the middle class- is because there isn't one. Saying people who make less than 250.000 a year middle class- is confusing. 250 divided by 2 = 125  which would be the middle, anyone above would be upper middle class anyone below lower middle class. Is that so freaking hard? Maybe calling the 250 club middle is to hide the fact that the divide between rich and poor is enormous-so much so -they are afraid we will all invest in pitch forks.

 Capping the so called middle class at 250 should mean everyone above should be considered wealthy. But the rich don't want to admit they are rich because someone is always richer. So they pretend to be the middle class. And the really rich claim to not be so-because they aren't as rich as the mega rich, and so on. The only people who get defined in hard numbers are the poor. It's a cagey game of "who's richer?"

Bottom line is- if the rich can pretend to not be rich then they won't be called -elitist- which means they think they are better than us- which most do-they just hate admitting it. Imagine if the poor acted like the rich -pretending not to be poor- because someone else is poorer.

Pretending is a luxury for those who are trying to hide something. Poor people don't have to hide anything because the elitist rich have stolen everything one way or the other-be it their job-their home-their retirement. Even their middle class status. It's all a bunch of baloney this so called middle class.

         If my baloney had a first name
                                                    it'd be called the middle class 

ickenittle

The Ten Letter Word That Starts With M.

Some People just have to throw God into Everything.

That's OK if you are Christian having a conversation with another Christian- you would expect this.

My objection is hearing about a certain Tea Party candidate's views on masturbation. According to old footage from MTV this goody goody was (probably still is) against masturbation based on yet more Biblical scripture condemning something else a "sin" The Sin of Lust- in the heart-which means (to her)  masturbation.

What is lust precisely? The word gets used to describe too many things. You lust for that juicy cheese burger. You lust for that hot car. You lust for some peace and quiet.You lust for your new Amazon order.Political candidates lust to get elected.

Republicans lust for power .Democrats lust for popularity among the people. Every one is lusting after something all of the time.

If to lust is to sin - cut and dry- no exceptions- than why isn't it wrong to lust after your husband or wife.

If it were- wouldn't Christians who have sex with their spouses in a lustful way - be sinners. I can't think of a better marriage killer than to extract lust out of a relationship because love and lust go hand and mouth.

If a sexual relationship is based on love alone- you know the 'I love yous" the cuddling - the baby talk, and all the little nurturing things that your mother gave you then I guarantee someone isn't getting what they want. 

 Might as well be rubbing each other's feet-instead of each others - something else.

Leave masturbation alone- please. It belongs where it belongs - in private. It has been around since the dawn of time and will never- ever- ever go away.

Some people just have to get their hot little fingers into every body's business.

Ickenittle

The United States Of Me.

My Country "Tis of me" isn't the correct rendition to this time honored tune. Neither is the new interpretation of- "We the People" as "Me the People". Bad grammar aside- it's the assumption behind the idea that America is all about you.

 Like spoiled children some Americans stomp their feet like babies-their enraged little faces screw up as the wail- "Not in my America you won't" and "Not in my America you don't"   Nononononono-no!

 These kind of declarations are the kind pre-school teacher's hear everyday,"That's my toy!" (insert America) "That's my blankie!"( insert country) .Me-me-me-mine-mine-mine- is the new meme.

Maybe it's time to redo  America the Beautiful

My America the Beautiful

O/ My beautiful spacious skies

My amber waves of grain

My purple mountain majesties

Above My fruited plain.

My America! My America!

My God shed his light on ME.

And crowned my head with brotherhood (la-la-la?)

From Me to shining Me!

You get the drift-the rest is too long.

If you are in a relationship and your partner always uses "me" terms for shared belongings like "my couch"-or" my television"-chances are things aren't good. These are telling clues to a troubled marriage.

Seems America has a bad relationship with itself.

Maybe it's time for therapy- but I don't think anyone would go.

ickenittle

Everything Is Something Else.

Nothing is as it seems. We live in a parallel universe where what is supposed to be-isn't. People aren't what they appear to be. Words don't mean what you hear. Everything means- something else.

Reading between the lines is an acquired gift. Some people are better between readers than others- some are illiterate betweeners. Those of us who understand that what is there- isn't, need to become interpreters for the the poor readers, and blinded viewers that surround us. The watchers of Fox News and listeners of folks like Rush-Sarah- and Glen. They believe what they witness. Like monkey see- monkey do they have lost their ability to understand what isn't there.

When something is not there, it means that something really is-you just don't see it. Chances are you used to be able to see what wasn't there-but all the misinformation has made you illiterate. Like an under-trained athlete you have gone to flab losing that edge you once had at speed reading between the lines. Ever catch yourself saying "where have all the years gone?" or "How could today have gone so fast?"

Time is the same as it ever was- just like when you were a child and a day could seem like an eternity.

What has happened is your ability to reflect and recognize nuance has been disabled. There are too many little reptiles inside your head. The little guys are ideas put there by the big guys.They scurry around making so much noise you can't concentrate, making it impossible to read between the lines.

The space between a thing is as important as the thing itself. For example: the spaces between the branches of a tree out line the branches against the sky. It's called negative space. If you couldn't see the spaces-separately- it would all be a fuzzy blur of sky-branch-tree, and you would have no idea of what you are looking at. Try it for yourself.

Your mind has been hi-jacked by all the false information-opinions-rhetoric-and speculation fed it- by the reptiles who want you confused and anxious and easy to manipulate. Is it no wonder why so many people these days support ideas against their best interest? Because they only see one interest-that of the one telling them to ignore their own. They have lost the ability to see-between the branches- where their interests are.

Hard to wrap your mind around? It can seem that way at first-but practice makes perfect. It's like learning a new language-only this one you already know.

You just forgot how to train.

ickenittle

Don't Look Inward-It's A Mess In There

When was the last time you took a good hard look at your-insides. You know-  that place where your conscience and common sense lives .It may like a shriveled pea by now from neglect .But if you get a flash light and a good magnifying glass and really search you may find it- still intact.

Chances are it is hidden in the muck behind the confusion - underneath the criticism - stuck behind the finger pointing.
At first you may not recognise it since you haven't gone there in so long- but it will remember you.

Like an old childhood friend you haven't seen in twenty years, your inner self might seem unfamiliar at first. Maybe a little tarnished with a little less sparkle- but still part of you just the same.

Your inner you is not like that forgotten piece of brie mouldering in the fridge-or that long dead over watered plant. Your inner you doesn't ferment or curdle-or grow mold. With the smallest bit of attention Your inner self springs back to life eager to serve. Ready to replace all the junk the world has fed you. Scrubbing clean your grubby conscience from thoughts put there by Rush or Sean or Glen.

Suddenly you will think "Hey I don't even know any Muslims- so why do I hate them?" or "Why am I so angry at poor people?" or "Why should I care about corporations that want to screw me?"

Like a great weight lifted-your heavy heart will soar, free to feel for itself. Your mind once cluttered with other peoples opinions will fly-free as a bird. Your new mantra will be-

I Can Think For Myself.

 If you believe in Jesus you will receive his true message.

If you are republican you will see the fraud and abuse condoned by your party

and fearlessly you will speak out. ( OK- that might be a stretch) But you might at least think it.

And if you are a progressive you will find renewed hope and will not be fooled again.

So sit back-reflect-and take an imaginary ride on a bicycle with yourself.

ickenittle

Debbi Does 9-11

The media is calling today the Anniversary of  9-11. What does calling it this- represent? Wouldn't calling it a memorial day be more fitting-or are they giving us a preview of coming attractions? meaning : every year- we will be reminded - forced to relive- the drama like some dreadful movie sequel where they ( the media, and opportunistic politicians) will profit on the hype like some porn king-pin does on tired re-makes of Debbi Does Dallas- Call it what it is- it's Tragedy Porn.

 The Porn peddlers don't lurk in dirty book stores or back alleys in the wrong side of town anymore. They come into our homes where we welcome them with open arms.

The new Porn Kings offer us war, tragedy and death. It's on the menu of our favorite channel and we gulp it down with gusto-further confusing our once discerning minds.We used to know the difference from good and evil- and would recoil from the nightmare. Once we used look away out of respect for the victim- allowing them a moment of grace- giving ourselves time to reflect.

Those golden moments have been stolen from us.We have traded them in for crisis.

 We have become Pavlov's dogs- our humanity trained out of us as we eagerly lap up the porn.

Americans have become Crisis Junkies and we seriously need an intervention.

 Don't turn to Brand A religion for the cure because that brand is part of the problem.Brand A is the commercialized religion- the one sold to you on TV. The one owned by  the ultra-righteous. The ones who know God better than you.

Brand B is a better choice-you won't find it placed at eye level in the grocery store.It's the generic brand that doesn't cost a dime and is far more nourishing to body and soul. Brand B lives in those who have retained empathy. Brand B is still alive in you and me and it's waiting to for us all to step back from the edge. It knows we are tired and beaten down- confused by all of the madness. Brand B belongs to all of us not just the few- no corporation will monopolize it's patent. Though some have tried.

The next time you feel empty, hungry or alone, don't be tempted by of  the dealers of brand A, because all they really have to offer-is a lot of empty calories.

ickenittle