which is the #1 book in the nation.
Liberty and Tyranny is still #1
John Hawkins of RWN interviews Mark Levin about Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, which is the #1 book in the nation.
which is the #1 book in the nation.
PJTV: Interview with AlFonzo Rachel
I interview AlfonZo Rachel, host of PJTV's Zonation on how he became a conservative Republican musician, why conservatives should be happy warriors and how conservatives can break into the media, Hollywood, and public institutions. We also discuss why it's important not to give up fighting the liberal establishment. Plus, clips from his new Zonation video.
You can watch the show here.
You can watch the show here.
How to end self-sabotage
Many times I notice that people become depressed over concerns of failure or just plain inertia. I am reading a good book about how to overcome those obstacles called, Get Off Your "But": How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself.
The book is written by Sean Clinch Stephenson who is one of the leading authorities on the deconstruction of self-sabotage (what he calls getting people off their BUTS).
Stephenson was born with brittle bones disorder (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) that kept him wheelchair bound, so he understands what adversity is. He offers six lessons throughout the book beginning with simple ways to connect with others and make ourselves human. He also says to connect with oneself and has an interesting section called "words can heal, and words can kill." I was a bit skeptical of this approach as it seemed extreme but his reasoning made some sense. He makes the point that for some people, the inner voice gets so hurtful that they believe that the only way they can shut it off is by taking their own life.
After reading some of the comments on my PJM suicide and men column from yesterday, frankly, I believe Stephenson is correct--the way we talk to ourselves can harm or even kill us. The way one talks to oneself can be changed and with that change, life can improve.
Other wise advice, the book says, is to choose your friends wisely, own your life--the good and the bad, and become responsible for how you act in response to abusive or negative events in your life right now. It seems to be a decent book for those of you who may want to get some advice on how to end self-sabotage. And this is as true for men as it is for women.
The book is written by Sean Clinch Stephenson who is one of the leading authorities on the deconstruction of self-sabotage (what he calls getting people off their BUTS). Stephenson was born with brittle bones disorder (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) that kept him wheelchair bound, so he understands what adversity is. He offers six lessons throughout the book beginning with simple ways to connect with others and make ourselves human. He also says to connect with oneself and has an interesting section called "words can heal, and words can kill." I was a bit skeptical of this approach as it seemed extreme but his reasoning made some sense. He makes the point that for some people, the inner voice gets so hurtful that they believe that the only way they can shut it off is by taking their own life.
After reading some of the comments on my PJM suicide and men column from yesterday, frankly, I believe Stephenson is correct--the way we talk to ourselves can harm or even kill us. The way one talks to oneself can be changed and with that change, life can improve.
Other wise advice, the book says, is to choose your friends wisely, own your life--the good and the bad, and become responsible for how you act in response to abusive or negative events in your life right now. It seems to be a decent book for those of you who may want to get some advice on how to end self-sabotage. And this is as true for men as it is for women.
Small business prepares for battle with the administration
It seems that many small businesses are bracing for a tax battle, according to this Washington Post article (via Newsalert):
A nurse turned entrepreneur is used as an example of how much the extra tax would cost, to her pocket book as well as her ability to expand and hire:
My prediction? More and more businesses like Johnson's will decrease hiring and expansion, and/or "go John Galt." People will wonder why their opportunities are drying up and look to the government for help, not really understanding that the government created the mess to begin with.
Business groups say they're bracing for even more battles with the administration.
"They're desperate for revenue. And therein lies the concern of the broader business community," said R. Bruce Josten, chief lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
"We're going to be a permanent target, and we understand that," added Catherine Schultz, vice president for tax policy at the National Foreign Trade Council. "The way they see it, corporations don't vote."
A nurse turned entrepreneur is used as an example of how much the extra tax would cost, to her pocket book as well as her ability to expand and hire:
The accountant, Carroll Hurst, said Johnson is unlikely to owe any federal taxes this year due to accounting changes that confer a one-time tax benefit. But in a typical year, he said, Johnson and her husband earn about $515,000 from various entities related to the schools. They claim around $90,000 in deductions -- much of it contributions to charity -- reducing their taxable income to around $425,000. Johnson said the sum they take home in wages is "substantially less."
In a typical year, Johnson's federal tax bill would be about $120,000. But starting in 2011, the higher marginal rates would add about $13,000 a year, Hurst said. Capping the value of itemized deductions at 28 percent would add another $10,000, for a total increase of $23,000.
And Johnson's tax bill stands to grow dramatically if Obama were to revive a plan to apply Social Security tax to income over $250,000 instead of capping it at the current $106,800. Because Johnson is an employee and an employer, she would have to pay both portions of the tax, Hurst said, tacking another $30,000 onto her bill.
Johnson said such an increase would force her to consider scaling back operations.
My prediction? More and more businesses like Johnson's will decrease hiring and expansion, and/or "go John Galt." People will wonder why their opportunities are drying up and look to the government for help, not really understanding that the government created the mess to begin with.
Ask Dr. Helen: Suicide, men and money
My PJM column is up:
You can read more here.
How do we help husbands and fathers whose financial angst has brought them to the darkest place?
You can read more here.
Thoughts on health care
It seems that a shortage of doctors will be an obstacle for the Obama administration, according to this NYT's article:
I have a few thoughts. First of all, who the heck wants to be a doctor anymore? The regulations and bureaucracy are stifling. Perhaps making practicing medicine less onerous would be a good step in putting more doctors to work, but that's hard to fathom, given the push towards nationalized health care and even more regulation.
Second, it is a concern that more nurse practitioners and physician assistants would be used. While they are often good, they should not substitute for a doctor in many instances. I spoke to a radiologist recently who said he was slowly getting out of the field and that the coming trend would be for nurse practitioners and others to fill in and that soon, that is mainly who patients will be seeing. Those of us with complicated medical histories should be concerned, if not alarmed.
Finally, many people have no idea what they are getting into here with the push towards nationalized health care. Most people have never really been sick, and haven't experienced what it is like to have to wait for care, be seen by those who are incompetent or inexperienced, or who are rushed and unable to find the time to sit down and figure out what is going on medically with a patient. It is about to get a whole lot worse with more government intervention, not better. But at least some people can feel good about themselves, and tell themselves that at least all will be covered--and a Utopian ideal can be marked off the wishlist.
Obama administration officials, alarmed at doctor shortages, are looking for ways to increase the supply of physicians to meet the needs of an aging population and millions of uninsured people who would gain coverage under legislation championed by the president.
The officials said they were particularly concerned about shortages of primary care providers who are the main source of health care for most Americans...
To cope with the growing shortage, federal officials are considering several proposals. One would increase enrollment in medical schools and residency training programs. Another would encourage greater use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. A third would expand the National Health Service Corps, which deploys doctors and nurses in rural areas and poor neighborhoods.
I have a few thoughts. First of all, who the heck wants to be a doctor anymore? The regulations and bureaucracy are stifling. Perhaps making practicing medicine less onerous would be a good step in putting more doctors to work, but that's hard to fathom, given the push towards nationalized health care and even more regulation.
Second, it is a concern that more nurse practitioners and physician assistants would be used. While they are often good, they should not substitute for a doctor in many instances. I spoke to a radiologist recently who said he was slowly getting out of the field and that the coming trend would be for nurse practitioners and others to fill in and that soon, that is mainly who patients will be seeing. Those of us with complicated medical histories should be concerned, if not alarmed.
Finally, many people have no idea what they are getting into here with the push towards nationalized health care. Most people have never really been sick, and haven't experienced what it is like to have to wait for care, be seen by those who are incompetent or inexperienced, or who are rushed and unable to find the time to sit down and figure out what is going on medically with a patient. It is about to get a whole lot worse with more government intervention, not better. But at least some people can feel good about themselves, and tell themselves that at least all will be covered--and a Utopian ideal can be marked off the wishlist.
Gift or Burden?
The Guardian has an interesting article about a woman who gave her husband a gift of sex every night for one year and then wrote a book about it entitled 365 Nights: A Memoir of Intimacy:
What do you think, if your spouse offered you sex every night for a year, would you take it or leave it?
When her husband turned 40, Charla Muller couldn't decide what to give him, so she offered him guaranteed sex every night for a whole year. Could they manage it? And what would be the effect on their marriage?
What do you think, if your spouse offered you sex every night for a year, would you take it or leave it?
"When people are suicidal, their thinking is paralyzed..."
I often reflect on why people take their lives for financial or even job-related reasons. While waiting at the doctor's office yesterday, I read Reader's Digest and came across this quote from April 1930 entitled, "On Keeping Perspective:"
The quote made me think about the recent death of David Kellermann, acting chief financial officer of troubled U.S. mortgage giant Freddie Mac, who may have taken his life (a medical examiner is looking into the death). Often, like the quote above, people think that it is loss of money or perhaps, shame that causes people to kill themselves but it is much more than that: the way that people construe events can lead to a person taking his (usually) or her life.
Kay Redfield Jamison, in her book, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide
makes some good points:
Which is why it is so important to get someone who is suicidal help to change their cognition. Change in thinking patterns can lead to a change in behavior.
There is something about the possession of wealth which is not good for the soul, perhaps. It places artificial value upon secondary things. A man losing a million metal tokens will put a revolver to his temple and pull the trigger. But he has lost nothing but money. He has deprived himself of life because misfortune has deprived him of luxuries.
--Clarence Budington Kelland, The American Magazine
The quote made me think about the recent death of David Kellermann, acting chief financial officer of troubled U.S. mortgage giant Freddie Mac, who may have taken his life (a medical examiner is looking into the death). Often, like the quote above, people think that it is loss of money or perhaps, shame that causes people to kill themselves but it is much more than that: the way that people construe events can lead to a person taking his (usually) or her life.
Kay Redfield Jamison, in her book, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide
makes some good points:Psychological pain or stress alone--however great the loss or disappointment, however profound the shame or rejection--is rarely sufficient cause for suicide. Much of the decision to die is in the construing of events, and most minds, who are healthy, do not construe any event as devastating enough to warrant suicide. Stress and pain are relative, highly subjective in their experiencing and evaluation. Indeed, some people thrive on stress and are at sea without it: chaos and emotional upheaval are a comfortable part of their psychological lives....
In short, when people are suicidal, their thinking is paralyzed, their options appear spare or nonexistent, their mood is despairing, and hopelessness permeates their entire mental domain. The future cannot be separated from the present, and the present is painful beyond solace.....People seem to be able to bear or tolerate depression as long as there is the belief that things will improve. If that belief cracks or disappears, suicide becomes the option of choice.
Which is why it is so important to get someone who is suicidal help to change their cognition. Change in thinking patterns can lead to a change in behavior.
Meet the protesters
I interviewed some Tea Party Protesters on homeschooling and their feelings about the government last week that are now up.
Harvard's "dirty little secret"
It seems that Harvard students are having to learn how to handle rejection (via Newsalert):
I have known quite a few people who have graduated from Harvard who had a hard time getting or keeping a job. When competing in the real world, an ivy league education is nice, but other skills and the ability to get along with others is often more important.
The dirty secret is out. Harvard students fail sometimes. They are denied jobs, fellowships, A's they think they deserve. They are passed over for publication, graduate school, and research grants. And when that finally happens, it hurts. Big time.
To help students cope, Harvard's Office of Career Services hosted a new seminar last week on handling rejection, a fear job-seekers are feeling acutely in the plummeting economy. The advice from panelists could have come from a caring, patient parent. No rejection is the end of the world, they said, even though it might feel that way at the time.
I have known quite a few people who have graduated from Harvard who had a hard time getting or keeping a job. When competing in the real world, an ivy league education is nice, but other skills and the ability to get along with others is often more important.
The joys of hate mail
Amy Alkon on hate mail:
Yet another writer-ninny, female of course, whinges about the horror of getting hate mail. I get it all the time. So do male columnists. I think my hate mail is funny, and when it's really good, it's hilarious. I see it as one of the perks of doing my job, and one of the signs I'm doing a good job (if you aren't pissing people off, maybe you're putting them to sleep?) If I couldn't take it, I'd work at the Humane Society.
Does anyone have a 12% good growth mutual fund?
I must say as I watch the stock market dive today, I am really glad I got out of mutual funds completely a little over a week ago. I was sick of the ups and downs in my portfolio and the lack of control I had over my financial future. I realize, given the current administration, that my control is still limited--at some point, we may be forced to turn our SEPs and IRAs over to the government. But until then, I like the feeling of being invested in CDs, bonds and cash. "Stupid move," some experts or others might say--but sometimes a feeling of control is more important than money.
I have started watching Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover,
at the suggestion of some readers and he has some good general advice. However, I have to ask, "where are all those 12% good growth mutual funds that Ramsey is always harping about?" I have invested in numerous mutual funds but never gotten returns like that. Last time I heard about anyone getting returns that good, they were victims of the Benie Madoff scandal. I have been in many mutual funds over time (some as long as 13 or more years) and never had returns this good that lasted. Has anyone out there? Is so, tell us about about it--no need to tell us the names or any details, just whether you have made a killing in any "good growth mutual funds." Maybe my picks are just poor.
I have started watching Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover,
at the suggestion of some readers and he has some good general advice. However, I have to ask, "where are all those 12% good growth mutual funds that Ramsey is always harping about?" I have invested in numerous mutual funds but never gotten returns like that. Last time I heard about anyone getting returns that good, they were victims of the Benie Madoff scandal. I have been in many mutual funds over time (some as long as 13 or more years) and never had returns this good that lasted. Has anyone out there? Is so, tell us about about it--no need to tell us the names or any details, just whether you have made a killing in any "good growth mutual funds." Maybe my picks are just poor.
What could you and 25 "friends" accomplish?
I remember a while back, I read in a women's magazine about political activists who were out "saving the world." What struck me was something one of the activist's said: "I found out that me and 25 friends could make a difference in changing politics." I never forgot that. We often think it takes a big majority of people or a huge group to make a change. I think that's wrong. Most people don't care about politics and the truth is you and 25 friends can make a difference.
Take for instance, the Tea Party protests. Pajamas Media has the tally of attendees at over 600,000 and counting. How did all those people get there? Word of mouth but also friends bringing friends. When Glenn and I interviewed people at the Knoxville Tea Party, many said that their friends and family were there to support them. I remember how I felt last Wed. at the protest, like I was among friends, like-minded people who I didn't have to explain myself to. I felt the same way at CPAC --the crowd was accepting, kind and understood the concepts of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Contrast that to the real world. Conservatives and sometimes, libertarians are often considered pariahs, not worthy of presenting their worldview without resistance. David Horowitz, author of numerous books, including One-Party Classroom: How Radical Professors at America's Top Colleges Indoctrinate Students and Undermine Our Democracy,
described his need for a bodyguard now when talking to groups on college campuses.
Our society allows liberals to treat conservatives like second class citizens because our culture and the media encourage it. But the culture is us and we accept it also. As Horowitz points out, conservative students will not fight back because they are too decent and tolerant. However, they are also afraid--that they will lose their ability to get their degree (I have seen this happen), their standing in the community and their privacy. How do we change this?
I'll start with a couple of suggestions. Get some of your friends and acquaintances and fight back--starting with the schools--those institutions that indoctrinate our students with liberal ideology, often with downright disregard or by simply omitting other points of view and information. Get a half dozen friends and attend your local school board meeting. These meetings are often on your local cable channel and the school board members are often sensitive to what is on there since the whole community can view it. If you notice things wrong in your school, speak up and tell them.
Call out the school board members by name and ask them what they are going to do about it. One example I heard recently was from a banker I know whose daughter was asked to attend an anti-war protest (it was in a college) to learn about political activism. His daughter did not want to go. The father went to the professor and told her to provide an alternative--a paper or something that did not require one to attend something against their will. At first, the professor refused and then relented, saying that she was just trying to teach about political activism. "Yes, but only about left-leaning politics," the banker said. The professor realized that this was true. Many professors won't be as flexible but pressure can help.
Another suggestion: show up at your Congressman's local town meetings with a half dozen friends and ask tough questions. He or she will notice or at least be uncomfortable.
That's a start in the fight against the culture of intolerant liberalism that only has room for one view. What other ways of changing the culture do my readers suggest?
Update: I added quotes around friends in the title to indicate (as commenter Ken Kraska did) that few of us have 25 actual friends. I sure don't as I am an introvert. However, I can round up people for a cause--I got over 500 to turn out for my film opening and hundreds for a local book signing. Perhaps the word friend here should be changed to acquaintances or like-minded people who believe in a similar cause.
Take for instance, the Tea Party protests. Pajamas Media has the tally of attendees at over 600,000 and counting. How did all those people get there? Word of mouth but also friends bringing friends. When Glenn and I interviewed people at the Knoxville Tea Party, many said that their friends and family were there to support them. I remember how I felt last Wed. at the protest, like I was among friends, like-minded people who I didn't have to explain myself to. I felt the same way at CPAC --the crowd was accepting, kind and understood the concepts of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Contrast that to the real world. Conservatives and sometimes, libertarians are often considered pariahs, not worthy of presenting their worldview without resistance. David Horowitz, author of numerous books, including One-Party Classroom: How Radical Professors at America's Top Colleges Indoctrinate Students and Undermine Our Democracy,
described his need for a bodyguard now when talking to groups on college campuses.Our society allows liberals to treat conservatives like second class citizens because our culture and the media encourage it. But the culture is us and we accept it also. As Horowitz points out, conservative students will not fight back because they are too decent and tolerant. However, they are also afraid--that they will lose their ability to get their degree (I have seen this happen), their standing in the community and their privacy. How do we change this?
I'll start with a couple of suggestions. Get some of your friends and acquaintances and fight back--starting with the schools--those institutions that indoctrinate our students with liberal ideology, often with downright disregard or by simply omitting other points of view and information. Get a half dozen friends and attend your local school board meeting. These meetings are often on your local cable channel and the school board members are often sensitive to what is on there since the whole community can view it. If you notice things wrong in your school, speak up and tell them.
Call out the school board members by name and ask them what they are going to do about it. One example I heard recently was from a banker I know whose daughter was asked to attend an anti-war protest (it was in a college) to learn about political activism. His daughter did not want to go. The father went to the professor and told her to provide an alternative--a paper or something that did not require one to attend something against their will. At first, the professor refused and then relented, saying that she was just trying to teach about political activism. "Yes, but only about left-leaning politics," the banker said. The professor realized that this was true. Many professors won't be as flexible but pressure can help.
Another suggestion: show up at your Congressman's local town meetings with a half dozen friends and ask tough questions. He or she will notice or at least be uncomfortable.
That's a start in the fight against the culture of intolerant liberalism that only has room for one view. What other ways of changing the culture do my readers suggest?
Update: I added quotes around friends in the title to indicate (as commenter Ken Kraska did) that few of us have 25 actual friends. I sure don't as I am an introvert. However, I can round up people for a cause--I got over 500 to turn out for my film opening and hundreds for a local book signing. Perhaps the word friend here should be changed to acquaintances or like-minded people who believe in a similar cause.
Is Obama the new FDR?
I sure hope not after reading a new book that just came out this week entitled The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Great Depression and the New Deal. 
The author, economist Robert Murphy, notes that government intervention prolonged the Depression and explains through the use of historical facts and information why this is so. Adding to this, he states that much what is written in textbooks on the Depression is false (no surprise there) and politically correct, making it seem like government saved the day. With Obama trumpeting himself as the new FDR heading a government "lending a helping hand," Murphy says this is no cause for celebration. Instead, we might have similar problems (or even worse) then we did in the Depression: double digit unemployment, arbitrary policies toward businessmen resulting in net investment of less than zero, and big government policies that stifle liberty.
Anyway, if you are interested in the topic, read the book, it's easy to get through and digest, even for those who are laymen in economics.
The author, economist Robert Murphy, notes that government intervention prolonged the Depression and explains through the use of historical facts and information why this is so. Adding to this, he states that much what is written in textbooks on the Depression is false (no surprise there) and politically correct, making it seem like government saved the day. With Obama trumpeting himself as the new FDR heading a government "lending a helping hand," Murphy says this is no cause for celebration. Instead, we might have similar problems (or even worse) then we did in the Depression: double digit unemployment, arbitrary policies toward businessmen resulting in net investment of less than zero, and big government policies that stifle liberty.Anyway, if you are interested in the topic, read the book, it's easy to get through and digest, even for those who are laymen in economics.
Are you a terrorist?
Are you wondering if you are a terrorist according to the Department of Homeland Security? I found out the answer was "yes" after taking this handy quiz at Reason.
"Going Galt" continues...
Tom Blumer at PJM: Tax receipts plummet as Americans "go Galt:"
Yes, lower tax receipts might be a result of the economy but they are just as much psychological. No one knows what to expect from this administration. Why invest and risk growing a buisiness if much of it might be taxed or regulated away?
But then in mid to late June, along came the POR (Pelosi-Obama-Reid) economy. The Democratic triumvirate�s intent to starve the nation of energy, regardless of the consequences, and newly minted presidential nominee Barack Obama�s designs on punitively taxing 5% of the nation�s most productive in the name of redistributing money to everyone else, both became crystal clear. As a result, paraphrasing what I wrote at the time, businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs responded to the trio�s total lack of seriousness by battening down the hatches and preparing for the worst.
Yes, lower tax receipts might be a result of the economy but they are just as much psychological. No one knows what to expect from this administration. Why invest and risk growing a buisiness if much of it might be taxed or regulated away?
Nashville protesters don't feel stimulated
Reader Trey emailed some great pictures from the Nashville Tea Party. Here is a sample: 
Update: More pictures from DADvocate and Jungle Jim.
Update: More pictures from DADvocate and Jungle Jim.
PJTV Tea Party Coverage of Knoxville
Here is video of the tea party coverage of Knoxville, including some interviews.
Tea Party coverage
Remember that today is April 15th and PJTV has all the news on the Tea Party protests. Glenn and I are covering the Knoxville event at the World's Fair site. Hope to see you there!
Update: Just got back from the Tea Party--it was amazing with what looked like 2000-2500 people in the World's Fair Amphitheater. People were calm, having fun and dressed in all types of costumes. Many mothers were there pushing their children in strollers to listen to the speeches and stopping to talk with us about why personal responsibility is important, the Fair Tax, homeschooling and much more.
Update: Just got back from the Tea Party--it was amazing with what looked like 2000-2500 people in the World's Fair Amphitheater. People were calm, having fun and dressed in all types of costumes. Many mothers were there pushing their children in strollers to listen to the speeches and stopping to talk with us about why personal responsibility is important, the Fair Tax, homeschooling and much more.
New blog with a Galt theme
I just read at Michelle Malkin's place about a new blog called Galtslist.com that is definitely worth a read. I like the idea for a protest sign for tomorrow's Tax Day Tea Parties. Take a look. But if you carry one, make sure to watch out for the Department of Homeland Security --they might just be looking for you.
Tea parties, "going Galt" and Atlas Shrugged
The Atlas Society has an interesting post on "going Galt":
Read the rest here.
And don't forget that tomorrow is the big Tea Party day. Join one in your area. Glenn and I will be at the Knoxville event covering it for PJTV.
�Tea parties.� �Going Galt.� You�ve probably seen a growing number of references to these in the media, online, and on signs at rallies reacting to new government spending and controls.
The Boston Tea Party was a rebellion against excessive government. Today�s �tea parties� say �no� to spending without limit and the government takeover of our lives.
�Going Galt!� If you�ve read Ayn Rand�s Atlas Shrugged,you appreciate the parallels between today�s disintegrating world and the events depicted in that prophetic novel. Atlas Shrugged is the story ofhow productive people went on strike, withdrawing their services in protest against a society that damned them for being productive and expropriated the fruits of their labor.
The ideas in Atlas Shrugged
What is �Going Galt?�
* �Going Galt� doesn�t simply mean getting angry. That would be �Going Postal.� It means having righteous indignation at the injustice of a political system that bails out individuals and institutions for irresponsible behavior and at the expense of those like you who prosper through hard work and personal responsibly.
* �Going Galt� means asking in the face of new taxes and government controls, �Why work at all?� �For whom am I working?� �Am I a slave?�
Read the rest here.
And don't forget that tomorrow is the big Tea Party day. Join one in your area. Glenn and I will be at the Knoxville event covering it for PJTV.
Men dropping out of the workforce at greater rates
Forbes:
Men are not merely becoming unemployed in greater numbers than ever before. They are actually dropping out of the labor force at greater rates than before, which is different....
In March 2009, the BLS reported that 1,162,000 women and 1,238,000 men had shifted from "looking" to "stopped looking" in the preceding month. So not only are men and women now exiting the labor force at roughly equal rates, but if current trends continue, men will start doing so even more. The increase in the number of women dropping out from December 2007 to March 2009 was 38%. The increase in the number of men dropping out was 90%.
Comments worth reading
If you haven't done so already, take a look at the interesting comments in the "Gotcha pregnancy" thread, they are worth a read.
Gadgets that work
I was home alone last Friday afternoon when I heard a loud man's voice blaring away over and over. At first, I thought someone had broken in the house but the voice sounded so authoritative, I figured it had to be something else. It was this device--the MIDLAND WR300 Weather Radio--
that Glenn had purchased a while back letting me know about a tornado warning. I kind of laughed about the device when he bought it but I must say, it came in handy. It gave the exact time the tornado might hit and what towns it might come through. I was able to get on the phone and warn a friend coming into town to watch the weather and pull into a shelter or safer area than the car, if it got too bad. After seeing in the news that two people--one an infant-- had died during this tornado, I wished that they had been using this device. It might have saved their lives--although the news story said they were in the hallway, perhaps the best place they could find.
that Glenn had purchased a while back letting me know about a tornado warning. I kind of laughed about the device when he bought it but I must say, it came in handy. It gave the exact time the tornado might hit and what towns it might come through. I was able to get on the phone and warn a friend coming into town to watch the weather and pull into a shelter or safer area than the car, if it got too bad. After seeing in the news that two people--one an infant-- had died during this tornado, I wished that they had been using this device. It might have saved their lives--although the news story said they were in the hallway, perhaps the best place they could find.
Drudge linked to a Rasmussen report today with the headline: "Just 53% Say Capitalism Better Than Socialism." Frankly, I am amazed that so many people think that capitalism is better. That's a good sign. Also, I wonder if most Americans, especially the younger ones could even give an adequate definition of socialism and capitalism. Perhaps they just hear the buzzword, Socialism, and say that is better, like some kind of trained parrot. No surprise there, with what they learn in many schools.
PJTV: Gotcha pregnancies and men's rights
Amy Alkon and I discuss women who accidentally get pregnant on purpose and whether men have any rights in this situation at all in this week's segment on PJTV.
You can watch here.
You can watch here.
New book on boys
Author and boy advocate, Michael Gurian, has a new book out entitled The Purpose of Boys: Helping Our Sons Find Meaning, Significance, and Direction in Their Lives.
A review from Publisher's Weekly states:
Gurian is indeed a terrific advocate for boys, Glenn and I interviewed him for a podcast here (from 2006) if you would like to know more about his work.
A review from Publisher's Weekly states:The author offers practical suggestions for helping parents address boys' needs, tackling such issues as sexuality, work and overuse of electronic media. Particularly useful are Gurian's boxed questions for discussion, which will help parents and educators communicate directly with boys themselves. He also includes suggestions to help boys succeed in academic settings, for example, using movement, project-driven curricula and debate. Gurian's team approach to raising a son gives parents the tools and encouragement they need to help boys find direction and fulfillment.
Gurian is indeed a terrific advocate for boys, Glenn and I interviewed him for a podcast here (from 2006) if you would like to know more about his work.
Amazingly, Britain will cut off funds to domestic violence shelters that don�t help male victims. An article in the Telegraph states:
Good, maybe once the money dries up to these places, they will re-think their sexism towards men.
Many charities have been told that they must extend their counselling and outreach services to men because of new equality laws which require local authorities to ensure that services do not discriminate on grounds of sex.
Fiona Mactaggart, the former Home Office minister, said an "unintended consequence" of the law has meant some domestic violence services have lost grants or contracts for refusing to do so.
Good, maybe once the money dries up to these places, they will re-think their sexism towards men.
"We are now a Nation filled with overgrown adolescents used to getting whatever we desire."
Says blogger Shrinkwrapped in an insightful post on Narcissism, Ideology and Mass Murder:
Read more here.
People with Narcissistic pathology never recognize their own culpability for problems. It is too painful and intolerable. The Narcissist has a damaged self. When the environment (esp other people) support his self esteem, he does relatively well. He may be charming and charismatic and appear to be self assured and in command of himself. However, should the other fail him the pain of the assault on his self esteem is destabilizing. The Narcissist reacts to failure with terrible shame which evokes rage. The rage, if held within, leads to despair; suicidal depression is a danger at those times. When the rage is directed at the object who is imagined to have caused the humiliation (or has actually caused the humiliation, as by a lover's rejection) the outcome can be murderous. Often enough the rage is inchoate and the objects include those who have caused his pain (America, the Jews, women, and the police as symbols of the frustrating society) and murder-suicide is the outcome.
Read more here.
John Hawkins: 50 things every 18-year-old should know. Add to the list if you have other suggestions.
Narcissism and victimhood: A deadly combination?
Apparently, America was not such a great place for rampage killer Jiverly Wong:
Other reports (via Michelle Malkin) say he wanted to assassinate the President--Bush or Obama? No one knows at this point.
I do wonder how much a sense of entitlement (these types of killers often display a sense of narcissism) combined with continued coverage of how bad America is played a part in contributing to this killer's distorted thinking process? Psychologists and experts often find that in mass killers:
In America, we continue to teach people to be more and more reliant on government and in a sense, never grow up. How will a nation of victims play out over the coming years? Will we see more of this type of violence? Mass killings are rare but what are the other repercussions that a lack of personal responsibility combined with a sense of entitlement will bring?
Jiverly Wong was upset over losing his job at a vacuum plant, didn't like people picking on him for his limited English and once angrily told a co-worker, "America sucks."
It remains unclear exactly why the Vietnamese immigrant strapped on a bulletproof vest, barged in on a citizenship class and killed 13 people and himself, but the police chief says he knows one thing for sure: "He must have been a coward."
Jiverly Wong had apparently been preparing for a gun battle with police but changed course and decided to turn the gun on himself when he heard sirens approaching, Chief Joseph Zikuski said Saturday.
"He had a lot of ammunition on him, so thank God before more lives were lost, he decided to do that," the chief said.
Police and Wong's acquaintances portrayed him as an angry, troubled 41-year-old man who struggled with drugs and job loss and perhaps blamed his adopted country for his troubles. His rampage "was not a surprise" to those who knew him, Zikuski said. ...
Back in New York, he worked at the Shop-Vac plant in Binghamton. Former co-worker Kevin Greene told the Daily News of New York that Wong once said, in answer to whether he liked the New York Yankees, "No, I don't like that team. I don't like America. America sucks."
Other reports (via Michelle Malkin) say he wanted to assassinate the President--Bush or Obama? No one knows at this point.
I do wonder how much a sense of entitlement (these types of killers often display a sense of narcissism) combined with continued coverage of how bad America is played a part in contributing to this killer's distorted thinking process? Psychologists and experts often find that in mass killers:
..."the central role of narcissism plainly connects them. Only a narcissist could decide that his alienation should be underlined in the blood of strangers..."
Psychologists from South Africa to Chicago have begun to recognize that extreme self-centeredness is the forest in these stories, and all the other things-- guns, games, lyrics, pornography--are just trees. To list the traits of the narcissist is enough to prove the point: grandiosity, numbness to the needs and pain of others, emotional isolation, resentment and envy...
Freud explained narcissism as a failure to grow up. All infants are narcissists, he pointed out, but as we grow, we ought to learn that other people have lives independent of our own. It's not their job to please us, applaud for us or even notice us--let alone die because we're unhappy...
A generation ago, the social critic Christopher Lasch diagnosed narcissism as the signal disorder of contemporary American culture. The cult of celebrity, the marketing of instant gratification, skepticism toward moral codes and the politics of victimhood were signs of a society regressing toward the infant stage.
In America, we continue to teach people to be more and more reliant on government and in a sense, never grow up. How will a nation of victims play out over the coming years? Will we see more of this type of violence? Mass killings are rare but what are the other repercussions that a lack of personal responsibility combined with a sense of entitlement will bring?
Complex analysis: Men are slobs!
Reader Jeff emails an interesting story about Australian men being sexual turn offs to women:
The author of the article concludes that it is not women's fault, but men who are "going to seed:"
Women are generous in praising men's virtues? Men are cocooned in marital bliss? What crack has this woman been smoking? Male bashing is alive and well and women are the majority of complainers when it comes to being disgusted with the opposite sex. Women may not be totally to blame when it comes to lack of desire, but to say that men are just unattractive slobs is hardly a suitable answer either. The author talks about a lack of complexity of human responses and then gives a simplistic answer to the problem herself. Maybe she needs to take her own advice but that would require actually treating men as human beings, a trait she obviously lacks.
Australian men are complaining of a lack of sex. Could they be the problem, asks Wendy Frew....
As sex therapist and social commentator Bettina Arndtexplains in her book The Sex Diaries, many men - though otherwise happily married - are starved of the sex and affection we should all expect from our relationships.
Low libidos, long working days and onerous household chores have been cited - among other things - as reasons why some men want it more often, only to find their women cringing at their creeping hands in the bedroom.
In 2007, Arndt asked 98 "ordinary Australian couples" to keep a diary for six to nine months. They were meant to confess the very personal issue of how they negotiated sexual relations with their partner...
But somehow in the ensuing debate, the complexity of human responses has been ignored when it comes to apportioning blame. It seems it's all a woman's fault.
The author of the article concludes that it is not women's fault, but men who are "going to seed:"
Let's face it, many men lose their attractiveness.
Cocooned in married bliss, well fed and watered, with someone else changing the sheets and washing the towels, they quickly go to seed. Their beer bellies swell, body parts droop, and their breath goes sour, and don't they get all of us in the mood.
How many men fret about their wardrobe? How many take particular care with personal hygiene? Many men think three days of facial growth is sexy, far more than for whom it actually is. They think an old Rolling Stones T-shirt is chic, when it's just plain shabby. And most wouldn't be seen dead in a gym, claiming it's too metrosexual, too homosexual or anything but the truth: it's just too hard.
Most women are generous in praising the virtues - physical and mental, if not emotional - of their menfolk [my emphasis]. Few women would demand their partner visit an Ashley & Martin hair-loss clinic, for instance. Hair loss is a natural, if unwelcome, process and bald men can look hot. And which woman would insist on their fella dyeing his hair or having pec implants?
Women are generous in praising men's virtues? Men are cocooned in marital bliss? What crack has this woman been smoking? Male bashing is alive and well and women are the majority of complainers when it comes to being disgusted with the opposite sex. Women may not be totally to blame when it comes to lack of desire, but to say that men are just unattractive slobs is hardly a suitable answer either. The author talks about a lack of complexity of human responses and then gives a simplistic answer to the problem herself. Maybe she needs to take her own advice but that would require actually treating men as human beings, a trait she obviously lacks.
Knoxville Tea Party
Knoxville will be having a Tea Party protest on April 15th. Glenn and I will be there covering it for PJTV. Here's the website for those who are interested.
PJTV: Some non-PC advice for Obama's Council on Women and Girls
Amy Alkon and I have some advice for Obama's Council on Women and Girls in today's PJTV segment.
You can watch the show here.
If you have some complaints or comments for Obama's Council, you can go here to the Office of Public Liaison.
You can watch the show here.
If you have some complaints or comments for Obama's Council, you can go here to the Office of Public Liaison.
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