New Year party items.
When I was a child like many, I viewed the turn of the century with awe. As a teenager, I could hardly wait for it was expected to be “so much better”. When the turn of the century finally arrived, one year after 2000, I looked around and thought, “Is this it?” All the anticipation for “different” and “new” left me with a twinge of disappointment upon 2001’s arrival. I did not notice as many changes as was expected.
Well, over the past eleven years, there have been noticeable cyber technology changes that would have left someone in the twentieth century full of awe. Our laptops hold more data than the PC’s of the 1990’s. Online we can do much more in comparison to the old dial-up where one waited and waited and waited before doing one thing online. Today, we have instant gratification online by being able to “hook-up” with the Internet within two minutes or less.
Cell phones have also come a long way from the larger do not fit in your hand pre-2000 versions. Today most have a cell phone. Some only have a cell phone; no land-line because they like the cell phone package deal their cell phone telephone service provider gave them. There are many in Sulphur, Oklahoma who are like this. How do I know? They are my neighbors. I am a rare breed of cat, because I do not own a cell phone.
In 2010, it was leaked via the news televised broadcasts the CIA and FBI could locate anyone through the signal their cell phone releases when they make a call. Hmmmm…..I regard this an invasion of my privacy and the right to be not found if that is my choice.
Well, I am not your ordinary American either. I still expect the US Federal Government to adhere to its social contract with me (The US Constitution). I applaud the Tea Party Movement for their stand about this. Our Founding Fathers did not create the US Constitution so the government could ignore it on behalf of the “general welfare” in order to implement socialistic progressive measures that helped create the trillion-dollar plus deficit. No, I’m not a member of the Tea Party; merely a sympathizer for their movement.
Today, January 4, 2010 while reading the Daily Oklahoman, I read an article about strict adherence to the US Constitution and how the Republicans who are the US House of Representatives Majority are insisting on making certain all the US government budgets into its budget is constitutional. I am delighted to see this. President James Madison who wrote the US Constitution would probably weep with joy for he fought for this over and over and over and over…….. Bet the budget is much smaller and the deficit lowers once the federal government complies with the US Constitution; quits sticking its nose into State’s business under the guise of “general welfare”. Amendment 10 prohibits this.
Well, we still do not have the flying cars and machines that make our food for us. No starships with the ability to travel in “warp drive” or go faster than the speed of light by employing a quantum system. No Moon Base, either, how very disappointing. I sure would have loved to visit the moon or been allowed to travel the galaxy. That teleport Gene Roddenberry cooked up for the Star Trek series sure looked like it could work – too bad its fiction still too.
In spite of not yet having what we see in Science Fiction TV programs and movies, the “green” technology we are creating and do have is a step in the right direction. We need to have healthier ecological technological advances. Oil is filthy. Oil creates many negatives in an ecological impact. The leak in the Gulf of Mexico proves my point. Louisiana still is suffering from the oil’s toxicity. The negative impact of that oil leak will be felt for many more years. How come actors are giving their money to foreign countries when they could be helping the state of Louisiana who desperately still requires aid? Why do the wealthy actors feel it is more humanitarian to assist foreign people instead of their fellow countrymen? I think these well-intentioned actors like George Clooney need to open their eyes and look around their own country which happens to be the USA. We have people in need here. There are people for many reasons who require humanitarian assistance. Not all states are extremely wealthy or can care for their citizens. Look around people!
Apple and Microsoft continue to surprise us with their smaller and smaller versions of a Laptop or PC. Those DVD’s are much better than the old floppy disk of the twentieth century. They hold much more, including video and sound recordings! Hey, we have the ability to have pictures on our computers and share them via an email with others. They could not do that in the twentieth century!
No twentieth century President would have taken as long as President Obama did to sign the paperwork necessary to help those who were affected and afflicted by 9/11. No President before the twenty-first century would have forced Health Insurance on Americans. Back then they had choice to have it or not. Psst, the USSR did force people to have their version of Health Insurance in the twentieth century and look, it did not make it into the next. It went bankrupt and dissolved. See where socialism gets a government? Non-existent, my friend.
Oh, the USSR did not wither away into a true communist state. Karl Marx was wrong with his theory of economic evolution. Thank Earth’s lucky stars! There are no rights and liberty in a pure communist state. Everyone becomes exactly like everyone else for the good of the economic system. Personally, I like my individualistic tendencies. I would not fit in a true communist state. I prefer to think for myself.
We do have much to be thankful for. Better Alternative Medicine, medical emergency assistance, and the average median for lifespan is much higher than in the twentieth century. Some reports have the average in the 90’s. There are people over 100 still living! That truly is awesome. As for me, I am hoping to beat the average by many many many years.
Happy New Year! Enjoy 2011 and may it be your best year ever!
Cheers,
Alicia Rose
Alicia Rose at WordPress 