Note to self... get back up on the ball and dance!

Seems like the Federal Government is out of control, and throwing money everywhere but at me, oh, they did send me an Economic Stimulus check, but it doesn't sound as good as the deals they have been doing on Wall Street. I didn't ask for it, I didn't feel I was going into bankruptcy and I don't think I stimulated very much with it. How does the government get it so wrong? I thought government managed economies were a mark of Communism, Socialism was government managed economies for power, water, education and health care, Democracy was government management of nothing but Law and Defense - with universal participation of responsibility for everything else to do with government - you know "of the people, by the people and for the people".

Well, there are troubles enough in my home that I need not worry about the government. Jury duty continues without a court, judge nor trial yet. My wife's medicine costs a lot of money, but we got it at a discount because of our medical insurance - she has three different ones, I only have two (yes, health care providers/insurers) - and am sure the entire health care crisis is because one has to fill out forms every time one gets a new benefit, doctor, procedure or illness.

Why do I need to get on the ball and dance? well, because for a comparative short life line span of remaining time I need to clean up the messes I have stuffed onto and inside the procrastination pile, I have been having way too much fun. In that I seem to be very like the Federal and State governments, way over my limit of credit (comfort level, not real dollars owed), way behind in maintenance of assets (looked at the local street and highways systems closely lately?), way behind in improvement of my wife's life and her pursuit of happiness (just know the government isn't working on that either, although I have heard politicians and media pundits proclaim such).

I don't really think our lives are the responsibility of the government, and we do pretty well on happy, if we heard more from people we care about - that never seems to be enough. Still during the current crisis (which one? well, if the media couldn't find something for me to worry about they would invent it - Global Warming, anyone? or pig's with lipstick? Did ABC post the entire Gibson/Palin interview?). Just the ramblings of a quickly aging old fellow, time for breakfast of gruel and then exercise before cleaning up for the Jury Room and hopefully a court or dismissal. I am so glad the rest of the nation is holding back the flood of terror and disparaging damages to America, I am so weak.

A great 'never to be accomplished' idea - the money used to buy into the AIG, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, came from the Social Security Trust Funds, and so now the Social Security Trust Funds actually own something better than Government bonds? I know, go get your jogging shoes on and do something better for the world than think like a fool. Remember, if you think the Federal Government being in charge of your life is a good thing, you must want to be an American Indian - the original Native American indigenous.

Shhss!!! Library at work...

Yesterday the Chain came in, new inmates from other institutions, rotating because of... custody level, security or preference -- they get to move. Shackled in chains, on a bus that rattles with its own ills as well as those chains, with tiny windows that you can't pop out in an emergency nor look out as you are locked in until you arrive somewhere new and less confined. Rumor among the inmates is that there are two of the vehicles, the regular one to your next facility and the special that never unloads -- the really bad guys get on it and it only stops for refueling along the way and to load another guy somewhere else (no one ever gets off and they are never heard from again!).

When the Chain comes in and unlocks and unloads the institution is at peril, periods of transition are always the best time for attack, escape or insurrection and so security must be higher. After processing and the departure of the Chain bus things will go back to normal, well, a prison normal. In the library suddenly five to ten extra men will show up outside of the movement period and from the wrong units, their explanation: I wanted to get something to read.

Male voices are loud, deep and carry well - some of the inmates have trouble making anyone believe them unless the volume is overwhelming. So inmates from the chain are quickly establishing their rights, priviliges and collecting debts or establishing threat levels they can survive with (pecking order). Old buddies from county lockup two years ago, old buddies from criminal enterprises, old school buddies and of course the old drinking buddies.... re-establishing the connections, telling the stories and asking the questions. The noise level builds as the TRUTH is always LOUDER than fiction... unfortunately, I have good inmate library clerks, which along with their other duties show off their positive customer service skills by getting just as loud or better and shouting across the library to get information to that table in the corner. Lovely and lively here, sigh.

I am a guy, I understand and I listen for the mellow in the bass booming broadly by... situtation normal, no threats nor fears funded here, the Library is at work and the beeps of the computers scanning barcodes count the time. Still the noisiest Library in the planet, have to be first at something.