Joolez Talk

Debt Trap?

After reading this article in the NYT The Debt Trap ... I was a bit flummoxed. I just don't get it.  One thing I want tomake clear right away, although this article is about americans, to me the country is really interchangeable.

What really beats me is HOW can ANYBODY spending more money than they have think it is NOT their own fault? Excuse me was there anybody close by pointing a gun to your head? Making you spend money - you don't have, none the less!

Are there really people in this world who think that it is their RIGHT to own and have everything they think they should have, even if they can not afford it? So when finally they are disowned they actually believe somebody else than them is to blame for their misfortune?

HELLO? WAKE UP CALL!

You can only spend money you have on things you think you need. And by that I mean: actual needs first and everything after that is luxury. Please repeat: LUXURY!
Be it a cigarette, a muffin, a computer, a TV, a car, a house, a boat, an airplane ... whatever!

As much as you like you don't NEED a house, you can rent an apartment. Even a very small one. Depending on where you live: do you really need a car? Maybe there is public transportation. Yes, not as convenient, not as flashy, but doable. Buying on QVC? We are talking crappy stuff nobody actually needs. Can't resist? Watch another programme. Still can't resist? Read a book instead (get it from the public library and return it on time, save a whole lot of money as compared to buying it), preferrably one that not only entertains you, but maybe even teaches you something. And I am NOT talking about all that "The secret of a successful and ginormeously rich life". Only the outhors of these books get rich for a whole lot of "hot air".

And if you ever have to borrow money - putting it on a credit card, a mortgage and so forth is nothing else - than never borrow more than you can possibly repay next month.

Buying a house without putting down any money of your own at all is simply stupid. You don't know if you get to keep your job, you don't know if you are going to always stay healthy. If you have no security in your back at all, you need to be either THAT lucky or win the lottery! Which basically is the same.

Yes, sometimes in life one has to take a risk. But make it a risk that you can control. One that gives you more than one option of a way out!

It is very symptomatic that today everybody thinks they need to have everything. Big surprise: you can't, and you don't need to. As unfair as it is: it is life. And it certainly doesn't change when you spend more than you can. In the end you'll just end up having even less than you could have had if you had spent your money wisely and saved and you are even more miserable. You have won nothing, but lost all.

And it doesn't take a doctoral degree to know that.

Failure?

What happens, when you insert "FAILURE" in Google and press "I'm feeling lucky" ?

I tried :-)

Enough is enough

I've just about had it with television.

TV Documentary To Seek Volunteers To Decompose On Camera I thought I was joking, when some months ago I wrote in my blog, that in the following of reality tv shows - the next thing we were about to watch would be a live broadcast suicide.

Well, with this, we are not too far away.  Right? I mean why commit suicide off camera and then decompose, if you could do it on camera too.  So if you sucked during your life time why not become famous afterwards.  Now, ain't that a hell of a story?

Please, spare me. I thought this was a joke when I read about this tv format in the new column of journalist and writer Barbara Wenz  when browsing her blog. But then I searched for it on the internet and was shocked - to put this mildly - when I read the a.m. article. I am seriously appalled.

Sorry everybody

Found at Cook Sister! The site Sorry everybody com. You gotta check out the gallery!

Can't rembember where

I found this. It was in a weblog alright, but I don't recall whose (I am very sorry, I would have credited you for it gladly). Anyway it is pretty funny (sarcastic too).

Condoleeza Rice

My condolences madam! I saw your interview with Sabine Christiansen on TV the other night. Lady, I didn't think I'd ever say that in these words: I have never seen anyone so full of shit! Do you even believe in what you are saying? I don't think so, because you did not sound like someone who believes in what (s)he is saying.

I don't believe everything our chancellor tells us, and I don't believe everything the rest of our government is trying to make us believe. I know that there is probably not ONE government in the whole world that is ever telling their people the whole truth. And that is a shame. And there probably isn't only ONE truth in the world, maybe truth is something that is multi-faceted. And looks different from different angles. But with everything I have heard, read and seen in the last couple of months what Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Powell, Rice ..... are trying to tell not only their own people but trying to make the rest of the world believe in, I have to say this is a very poor show you are laying on there guys. I know you can do better. But then again I have never seen any president as incompetent as Bush.

I am very sorry, I think it is high time you take your hat and make a smooth exit and leave the mess you got - not only - your contry in to somebody else who is either able to handle it or if not, you can at least try to "look good" when blaming this person that they did it all wrong. Isn't that what governments usually do? Blaming the ones that came before them and after them? That's no big surprise and nothing new.

A real surprise, even mind-boggling would be the idea that politicians - regardless of the party they belong to - would actually try to work together for the good of their countries, maybe even out of their countries. Instead of trying to "look good". I doubt I'll ever see that day.

But really, Ms. Rice, the way how you constantly tried to emphasize the "United States", "we", "the americans" only gave away the naked truth about the fact that the only thing you can do now is try to manage the amount of harm done and try to keep it to a minimum and try to make some good PR. Unfortunately it didn't really work out. Sometimes confessing to the truth is doing a better job in giving you clout and credibility instead of denying it. Maybe I live to see THAT day.

For the good of all people involved in this mess, and I am not talking politicians now, but those people who have to live the horrors every day. All Iraqui people, all soldiers of any country I hope that there is some way to keep the damage under control and maybe even find a solution and a good way out. That is what I really hope for. That the word "peace" really can live up to it's meaning.

Grand Prix d'Eurovision

After years and years of not watching this "spectacle" today I did. From beginning to end, because I really liked the german song. We finished 8th. Not great, not bad either.

What really struck me is that all former Yugoslavian states - despite the fact that just a couple of years ago they hit each other in the head and killed their neighbors - now had nothing better to do than to see to it that their neighbors now got as many points as possible. Now I am not saying that some of the songs weren't good, but watching the votes this hardly seemed to be the reason for the exceptionally good votes.

Same thing with other countries, it didn't amaze me to watch them to give the highest ratings to their immediate neighbors. Now why are they doing that?

Also watching some of the contestants and their weird attire, moves and "shows" made me wonder what this contest is about. Songs or which countries women know how to dress like a flake (to put it mildly). Poland was merely wearing a light touch of "nothingness", as far as I am concerned.

There were some good songs. I thought. Strangely those didn't really hit it off. Well, I am not surprised. This is not the first time that my taste is obviously completely different from the mainstream.

Some good talents. Namely the 16 year old gilr from Zypres and another 16 year old girl from some former yugoslavian republic ( I forgot which one). But most countries sent men. The winning song I found repulsive. It awfully reminded me of "Dschingis Khan". The name of the sond "Wild Dance" or something, and that was about the only thing they did. I have no memory of the song at all. I just remember it being terribly bad. Spain sent a Ricky Martin-copycat and strangely managed to finish 9th (or 10th - I believe).

Well, I just know I don't agree. Turkey for instance I thought was pretty good, but didn't get as high a rating as I expected. But they did get a good rating. No doubt about that. Ah, well. I still thin kthe ratings were not the way they should have been. But who cares. Not me, I am going to bed :-) Bon nuit et douce points pour le sofa.

What were you thinking?

Mr. Bush? When you decided to invade Iraq? Haven't you got any idea of fundamentalist? After all you really should have! What were you thinking? That the Iraqi nation was waiting for you to march in and "free" them from their dictator? Applauding you to throw your moral, christian and whatever values at them? Maybe some people were happy. But were you out of your mind that day you made that decision? Have you not given the fact that these people have a different religion, different values, any thought? Did your common senses take a day off and went fishing that day you made that decision?

Did you not hear what the United Nations said? Did you not hear what the american people said, did you not hear what most of the world said? Do you hear your poor soldiers scream now? On your ranch in Texas, on your easter vacation? Do you at all see or hear any of the things that happen to PEOPLE? Soldiers are people, they are not THINGS!

I heard Colin Powell, on the news today, say that he did not expect things to turn out that bad. He is surprised that shiites and sunnites may even unite in their common attempt to fight back.

Where were you Mr. Bush, today, when some kidnappers got hold of one of your soldiers exclaiming they will smash his head, when another group claimed to have 30 hostages that they will happily mutilate and abuse. Good Lord, you had no idea what you were doing at all, and you still don't have. Those fundamentalists may not have your "power", tools, strategy, fine suits and weapons. But they have one thing that you don't have: their belief. Their belief that they will be rewarded in the afterlife, their will to do anything and everything that needs to be done. Their will to die for their believes no matter what. And they know this country. They know all the nooks and crannies and they are not afraid of anything or anyone. These people are different from you. Very different. And they hate you. They hate you and your nation more than you can imagine. And this is not some strategy board game. You are dealing with people here. Real people.

I am not a fan of Hussein, and I am certainly not a fan of barbaric and horrible measures taken to make it clear to you that these people want you out. But I am not a fan of you and your measures either. Do you even realize how similar you and your archenemy are?

I know, I am german, and therefore persona non grata, since our government decided not to follow you without asking questions, or in the way you expected us to. I don't claim to know more than you do. But I am really wondering if you know what you are doing. And I am certainly curious how you are expecting this to go on, better: to end.

I have the terrible feeling your rushing in head over heels might have been a little premature and not thoroughly planned through. And maybe you have made a terrible mistake. And of course neither a president like you, nor "God's greatest nation" could possible admit that.

There is many things about your country I like, and many things I don't. Just the same as I do in Germany. Because there really isn't anything that is perfect. But every so often I am really pissed off with you. And I dearly hope that you will come to your senses and my biggest wish is that this thing you have going on there will come to a good end. But you have no idea how mad I am sometimes with your arrogance and plain stupid decisions. Not that I really think our chancelor is such a superior "leader", but right now: I am happy to be german and to live here. And I am really curious if you still think that all your decision were so "right". Just take a look at the polls and read the newspaper when you get a chance, will you? And please try to make it a newspaper that doesn't only cover local politics. Make it one that covers world politics. If you can find something like that around there somewhere. And with a little luck it's not propaganda, censored or "colored", I am sure there must be some media out there that is stilll trying to be objective. I know: hard to find. But hopefully it still exists.

Now, if you please excuse me Mr. President, I have to go to bed and worry about myself, because all of the above really causes major stomach pains. Even if it's "none of my business". Good night.