Can We Just Do the Right Thing? Can We?

I attend the University of Denver. It's a private university, and tends to be more expensive than public ones. An undergraduate degree (without textbooks) costs over $75K.

I receive tuition assistance from my company. Full-time employees are entitled to $7K a year for undergraduate programs, and $10K a year for individuals pursuing graduate degrees. Since most full time employees don't attend school full-time, the assistance is usually plenty to cover the costs of most programs. It's a pretty sweet deal, and just one of many reasons why I think my company is a decent employer.

So how does the current GI Bill compare? Pretty fucking poorly, in my opinion.

First, you have to pay to play. A contribution of $1,200 from the service member is required to participate. And then once you're out and ready to "cash in," the maximum benefit is $9,306.00 a year for four years for full time students. Part time students (such as myself) receive a maximum of $275.25 a month. That's $3,700.00 less per year than my private company provides me, and I'm not getting shot at.

Pretty fucked up.

Enter James Webb, Senator from Virginia, who we're keeping an eye on.

On February 28th, Senator Webb introduced the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act” S.22. This bill is an effort to allow our veterans to really go to college on Uncle Sam's dime, to make a life for themselves after they risked everything in Kabul or Baghdad. It's provisions would allow a veteran enough financial help to cover the full cost of the most expensive public institution in any given state, including tuition and a stipend for books and subsistence.

This is similar to the kind of help received by our World War II era veterans, which ushered in a substantial middle class and an age of prosperity unknown in this country. The WWII bill (the Servicemen's Readjustment Act) was a visionary piece of legislation, and guess what? It was also the right thing to do. When men and women agree to sacrifice everything in service to their country, the correct response is not "kthxbai."

Hence S.22.

But there are those who think the bill is too "generous." And you'll never guess who. Not the Dems. Not the Republicans. Wait for it...the Department of Defense.

That's right, the DOD is concerned that the passage of such a bill, and the subsequent benefits, would cripple their retention efforts. Because clearly, all those multiple deployments to a war zone, food stamps and stop-loss threats were really doing the job before. Asshats.

The cost of the bill is estimated at $2 billion.

The proposed 2009 budget for our country is $3.10 trillion. Surely there's enough there to do the right thing by our veterans. Surely.

I'll be writing my Senators and Representative today, and I ask you to do the same.

Chick Stuff - Score!

So my Smart Man and I went to the Outlet Mall yesterday to do a little shopping. All he wanted was a new pair of Columbia boots and some socks from the Columbia store, but I had other plans.

::Rubs hands together gleefully::

First stop was the Coach store, where I picked up the brown bag above. I love Coach. I love bags. I love Coach bags - on sale! This one was on the "Take an Additional 40% Off at Register" rack.

After dinking around for a bit longer, I finally got a chance to repair my impaired religiosity with a spiritual experience at Cole Haan's. I love that store. Like Mason in Der Waffle House, I could live there. Luckily they had a nice bench where my Smart Man could wait comfortably while I wondered around like a drooling idiot.

They didn't have the boots or bag I found on the Cole Haan website, but since it's an Outlet store, I wasn't surprised. Instead I headed for the back of the store, where the "40% off last marked price" and "50% off last marked price" racks were available.

The shoes I found on the 50% rack. The black bag was 50% off list at the front of the store.

Overall, I paid 38 cents on the list price dollar for these three items.

SCORE!

Once we were done, I bought my Smart Man a Philly Cheese Steak, for being such a patient guy while I was shopping.

And the best part? I stayed within my budget.

Now I just have to decide how long to use the Cole Haan bag before I switch to the Coach.

Decisions, decisions...

White House Easter Egg Hunt

I'm off to the Outlet Mall with my Smart Man today, so enjoy this oldy but goody while I'm gone.

Hope versus Cynicism

Inspired by a conversation with my Smart Man last night, I've been thinking about this year's Presidential election.

As you all know, I support Barack Obama. Everything I've read about him indicates he's a highly intelligent person of integrity, who understands where the country is, and where it needs to go. Information available to date suggests he's who he represents himself to be. He appears to be treating the general public as thinking, sophisticated members of society, capable of understanding complex issues and making value judgements about them. I believe his ability to compromise and build consensus gives him a better chance of leading a successful administration than the other candidates.

And yet...and yet.

There is no guarantee that once in office, he won't be completely ineffective, for any number of reasons.

There is no guarantee that once in office, his "true colors" won't come out, and we'll find he wasn't as honorable or ethical as we'd thought.

There is no guarantee that once in office, he won't lead the country in a direction we didn't anticipate.

There is no guarantee that once in office, he wouldn't turn into a crazed, megalomaniacal nutjub. And if you think that couldn't happen, I refer you to Cheney, Dick.

So I'm trying to maintain some level of cynicism, as armor against disappointment.

And yet...I hope.

Who Cares? Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 13

Robin Williams' wife Marsha files for divorce! Is Robin off the wagon? Who Cares!

Chick Stuff - Outlet Shopping!

First, the nod to the guys (and some of the girls).

This is Blueberry Wine & Son. Blueberry Wine is a retired PBR (Professional Bull Riding) bull, who earned "Bull of the Year" honors multiple times. He's also a favorite of my Hot Mom, who is a big PBR fan.

Onto the Chick Stuff.

My Smart Man has agreed to go to the Outlet Stores with me this weekend. There's a Cole Haan store in the ones near our house, and I've been wanting to go there for some time.

I love Cole Haan, especially the shoes that use the "Nike Air" technology that make wearing heels less an exercise in torture and more something that you might actually want to do.

I'm hoping that this boot is available there in my size. I wear a lot of jeans (since I work from home and don't leave the house much), and these would work just fine.

I've also got my eyes on these pumps. I really don't have anywhere to wear them (see aforementioned lifestyle), but who doesn't need a good, comfortable pair of black pumps?

That's a rhetorical question, by the way.

Because the correct answer is no one.

I also want this bag. I've been carrying a Coach for several years, but I'm about ready for something new. Not that the Coach has worn out or anything - I'm just ready for a change.

The "Janiece" fund can only support one or two of these items, though. Decisions, decisions...

We now return to your regularly scheduled program.

From the "No Shit, Captain Obvious" Files

This morning, I read over on MSNBC that "U.S. military leaders told President Bush Wednesday they are worried about the Iraq war's mounting strain on troops and their families...The chiefs' concern is that U.S. forces are being worn thin, compromising the Pentagon's ability to handle crises elsewhere in the world."

No shit, Captain Obvious.

I'm not sure what the administration thought was going to happen. With the current level of intellect in the White House, they probably thought getting involved in an occupation in a region that has simmering, then boiling, then simmering again for thousands of years would be a breeze. After all, peoples from other areas of the world are simply wannabe Americans. Inst-Americans! Just add freedom! Because once we Americans come in, with our cape flapping behind us, then the local populace will simply thank us as their liberators, forget all about any disagreements they may have, and go about creating a mini-America. Mission accomplished!

The sad part of this sarcasm is that the deluded asshats who thought this way are not the ones paying for their ignorance and short-sidedness.

But as Dick Cheney says, "So?"

This lack of thoughtfulness, complete ignorance of other cultures, and contempt for the American public is just one more yardstick I will use to measure future political candidates.

January 20th can't come soon enough for me.