AveMaria22's Blog

Just wondered how you guys felt about the news item that indicates troubled and failing Washington Mutual's CEO of 18 DAYS will be leaving with 13.65 MILLION DOLLARS in severance?  Reckon he's a member of the old boy's club?  Thoughts?

Just saw the headlines on the internet news page.  Were you aware that you and I have just backed a 25 million dollar loan to the auto manufacturing industry?  I didn't know that I agreed to that.....you?  I thought we were bailing out bad decisions and loans in the banking industry regarding mortgage loans etc......  I don't know about you guys, but when the buzzards come back for more, do you think someone might say to the execs, "Hey....this money is to make you strong and well, and to give you time to re-negotiate some bad mortgages into good loans with lower interest rates for people......hmmmm.  I guess that was not the purpose of the 700 BILLION dollars....guess that's part of the 1.5 TRILLION dollars in.....what was it, now???? Oh.  The SEVERANCE packages.....I get it now.......do ya think the auto industry execs will get their severance packages on their way out the door, too???? Well, they'd better hurry up while the banking industry has some fast dough in their pockets...OUR dough.

Hmmmm.  The pundits are now saying that they are not sure we should be "doing this."  It seems the CURRENT 1.5 trillion dollar bail out is deemed to have been caused by overly zealous profit driven BUSINESS as opposed to simple overextended citizens.  This means that you and I are giving those buzzards more money than they have already stolen in excess profits on credit cards etc.  The one thing that they all seem to be in agreement about is that we will NOT know if the fix is in and working until January or February....I guess by then they will all know if they need some MORE of our hides.  As soon as this election is over, our taxes are going to skyrocket.  Watch.

I'm sure each of you are concerned about the economic future of this country right now.  After listening to all the pundits I came away with the bejesus scared out of me.  I am not a financial guru, and, perhaps that is why I am so concerned.  I have come away with soundbites such as, "If we bail out FannieMae, FreddieMac, AIG and "world markets" that we will BE, forever, a Socialist nation."  "If we do not bail them out, we will plunge into a deep, deep depression unlike anything known to mankind." I hear two presidential contenders arguing about something that neither are experts about.  I do not understand why they don't EACH say, "This economis crisis is being addressed by the brightest minds in this nation.  It is not appropriate to second guess their recommendations until we hear what they have to say."... but neither can do that....fools that they are.  Also, does anyone understand why we are "bailing out WORLD MARKETS?  Now, don't tell me that, "Well it's the new world order" because I, personally, don't give one whit about the new world order...I am just deeply concerned about this poor, unstable, crumbling nation.  On top of this depressing mess, McCain says he will cut social security benefits in half when he is in office.  Most people barely receive enough money to stay alive on social security NOW.  Also, pundits are saying that it makes no difference WHO is president... there will be no money for health care or anything else....it is all in the bail outs which have just begun.  Nice.  Your thoughts on this mess?

I am a writer, and often find myself in peculiar circumstances...and, sometimes, places.  I know that others must find themselves to be much like me.  I recently related one extremely interesting incident that happened to me back in December 1990 to a friend and she asked if I had followed up the incident with reliable research.  Of course, I had not, but her words tweaked my curiosity.  I've spent the better part of a week uncovering interesting "stuff."

I was traveling through the Asuncion, Paraguay airport with my two year old son.  I carried one carry-on and had checked one bag.  The airport was jammed with people and as I chased my wayward toy car carrying son in high heels, I was rapidly wearing down....and the plane was two hours late.  There was no place to sit down.  At that time I was a smoker and found a reasonably clear space near the sand urn where my son could play safely and I could prop against a large pillar.  I noticed a man with brown-black hair salt and pepper hair, wearing a business suit, and rimless glasses smoking beside me.  He placed a paper bag onto the concrete floor...inside was a large bottle of Jim Beam and an open carton of american cigarettes.  Two packs of cigarettes were missing from the carton.  As I chased after my son, he watched my carry-on.  He noted my high heels and picked up my son and said, "Let's have a soda at the bar and you can get off your feet in those heels."  The bar was an open-air bar and it seemed safe enough to accept this man's suggestion.  Once at the bar area, I noted that it was a zoo...filled beyond capacity.  The stranger lifted his hand and the bartender raced to our side and chased away everyone seated at a large table nearby...no one asked questions...they simply scattered.  My son and I order a coke and the stranger ordered a beer.  We were treated like royalty.  Within an hour the plane began to board.  We noted the long line and the stranger suggested that we wait to board.  When the line was down to two or three people I reached for my son and rose to my feet.  The stranger threw his head back and laughed, saying "You don't really believe this plane is going to leave without us."  I laughed and said, "Yep...they surely will."  He rose to his feet, picked up my carry on and we walked slowly to the boarding gate.  Once on the plane he asked where I was sitting and I showed him our boarding passes...pretty far toward the rear of the plane.  I noted that he held seat number 2....first class.  He walked us to our seats, raised his hand in the air toward a stewardess...and she removed our neighboring passenger....the stranger took her seat.  He sat until the plane was ready for takeoff, then left us.  When the plane was in the air he returned, the stewardess brought a silver tea service and china cups...and we had tea.  We talked a bit and I learned that his name was Chuck Ramos, Venezuelan born, married with a daughter.  He was a charming, magnetic man, extremely bright, and quietly commanding.  He reached across me to touch my son and his arm brushed across my breasts...it was no accident, and I felt a white heat through my jacket.  We talked about the new president of Paraguay...Rodriguez...and of his recent coup.  Soon it was time for "lights out" as occurs on all international flights.  He returned to his seat, and my son and I settled in to sleep.  Upon arriving in Miami, my son and I were the last two off the plane.  I took him by the hand, picked up my carry-on and we found a cart.  I put my son in the kiddy portion and carry-on in the bottom.  As I approached the carousel, one bag remained...mine.  As I reached for it, a hand reached out and lifted it onto my baggage cart.  It was the stranger.  I thanked him and worried that I might have a problem with this man, here in the deserted Miami Airport, at 3:00 in the morning.  As I headed for Customs, he was right behind me.  He once again, raised his hand into the air as customs officials waived us through, checking nothing.  The stranger walked with me to the front of the airport, hailed a cab, handed me his business card, closed the door and waved goodbye.  I placed the card into my purse.  Approximately two years later I was watching TV one day, looked up to see the face of Chuck Ramos....I was very excited at seeing my friend again.  Then, I learned as I watched the program....that the man's name was Carlos Ramirez...or, "Carlos the Jackal."  I was stunned.  I watched the entire program, hanging onto every word.  I felt a strange sort of loyalty to this man, in that I never told a single soul about the event....I immediately understood that I was his cover....there is none better than a man traveling with his "wife and small son."  Even a woman sitting behind me on the plane made a chatty comment about my handsome "husband." I may still have the business card that he gave me, with a soft smile, and a knightly  "If you ever need me....you can always reach me at the number on the card that I gave you." I've often wondered why he was in Paraguay, which was not a great place to be in the late 80s and early 90s...troops were on the streets with automatic weapons and machine guns...scarey for the average citizen.  I took my friend's comments to heart and googled "Carlos the Jackal."  I learned that he is in prison in France now, with a life sentence.  He married his lawyer...she fell in love with him when their eyes met.  You see...I told you he was magnetic.  It seems he loves to read all the books that have been written about him.  In one, a book of fiction, he is called "Ramos."  That was the name he gave me and that was written on his business card...Chuck Ramos....Chuck is short for Charles, or Carlos in spanish...Carlos Ramirez is Chuck Ramos.  I studied his most recent photos and see that we are eighteen years downstream and his hair is very grey to white.  His body is the same, perfect.  His dark eyes are not accented by brown brows...they, too, are grey to white.  If this man had not taken a road that I do not understand...the road of terrorism...I would say that he is the most perfect man I've ever met.  He is truly magnetic. I cannot imagine a more frightening event than to be in the company of an international terrorist, in retrospect.  He, however, was completely in control at the time...I have never felt so safe.  I know that we all have had moments in our lives that have left us feeling separate from the rest of society.  I'd love to hear your stories....please tell me.

Spoke with my mom the other day.  She indicated three (3) families in her general vicinity had had burglaries....the items stolen are unusual.  It seems someone(s) is/are stealing home canned (frozen) freezer contents.  It is the season for the purchase of peas, butter beans, okra, squash and corn...as such, freezers are stuffed to the gills....with expensive (as much as $30 per bushel) and time consuming (peas and butter bean shelling/corn husking and silking) veggies.  Many times, the elderly spend much of their social security checks on summer vegetables for their winter tables.  It is interesting that they are NOT taking jewelry or cash... only food in the freezer.  This is sad...are we at that point that we have to leave an armed guard at our homes at all times to protect....GROCERIES???

Well, guys.  I don't know about you, but I just have to shake my head and whimper.  For the first time ever, the television was on Cox Channel 8 when the news came on.  My attention was drawn to the comments by the reporter stating the law passed over a decade ago regarding the barring of aids carriers from entering the United States was being repealed.  The bill is being presented to the House, I believe, and Bush has indicated that he will sign it.  Part of me feels we should care for the sick....but the logical part of me recognizes that our poor, overburdened health care system cannot handle an influx of aids patients.  It seems to me that the law was passed when boatloads of Hatians with high numbers of aids came here to escape Aristide and his death squads...they were sent back supposedly because aids was found in 90% of the boat people.  My question is...If they had aids THEN....they still DO....and since we have found medications  to extend lives at this point, can we, american citizens, afford a potential influx of aids patients who would be glad just for the opportunity to have their lives extended? By doing away with this law, are we opening the door to sick people who cannot be productive members of society?  Is this a further burden on a dying system now?

Fabulous news for Hillary supporters.  It seems there are lots of blog sites and other internet sites that are demanding a floor count at the convention for Hillary et al.  The corrupt DNC buzzards, Dean and Leheay are in a bit of a twit....they should be FIRED by their constituents and never allowed to run for ANY office...not even critter catcher.....EVER AGAIN.  I vote YES, we want a nomination and a floor count at the convention and "UP" the DNC's nose!  Let's see some HONESTY out of the corrupt DNC for a change.  Wouldn't it be great to have such an exciting convention that OPENS the door to a party BY the people, FOR the people and OF the people????  The crooked buzzards would not know what to do....YES.....we want open nominations and a FLOOR COUNT.

Hey...see the news today folks?  Seems Obama has stated that when Americans travel outside the U.S. that we are an embarrassment to him because we don't speak other languages.  I guess he thinks we only visit Mexico because he says we should all learn to speak Spanish. Caramba!  Senor Osama...er uh Obama es muy loco in la cabeza. Pobrecito.......I wonder how many black americans have the time and inclination to rush out and take Spanish classes?  Or us "whiteys"...or other working stiffs?  Unfortunately, that buzzard does not have to work for a living...the rest of us DO.  This is what happens when fools begin to believe their own press.

Well, my fellow Americans, within the next ten years we may not be able to communicate outside our front doors.  My mother INSISTS on referring to "zucchini" squash as "zusheenie."  A first cousin is named "Cheryl Ann," and my mother has called her "Shirley Ann" for ten years, now...no one knows why, but when we attempt to get it straight with my mother, she says, "Well, I like my words...not those others that you say." So...with this small example, we sigh and allow her to have her own names for people and things....starting with, "Podge a hole in that....hammer that stob (staub...post)...turn yonderway (whichever street THAT is)...ya'll coming for dinner? (lunch)"   ...and the proverbial explanation for a fender bender, "Well, I put the dingus in reverse, wham, hit the side of the house, and  Claude's mad as hell."  Aren't these moments the best of humor...but the worst of the english language? Your family have folks like this?   Bet they do!

Well, folks, this country is just about as looney tunes as it can get.  According to the news, in Los Angeles, there is a lawsuit to open the airport terminal to gun toting....yep...it is thought that we should all be allowed to carry guns up to the gates.  I envision a batch of terrorists finding MORE victims available in the terminal area at one time than on a plane. DUHHHHH. When I read something like this I have to control myself or I will begin to foam at the mouth......we HAVE lost our minds. 

Well, today I read an article in Time magazine wherein the writer, a man, who declared that he felt air conditioning should be cut out....at the very least we should raise the temperature in homes to 75 degrees or better.  As a woman who went through menopause some years ago, the one thing that has never left me has been hot flashes, and a dangerous disposition when the temperature goes above 60 degrees.  My husband and son know the dangers of tampering with the thermostat in our home....if they are cold, they know to put on a sweater.  I've often wondered how women survived before the advent of precious air conditioning.  I am still turning over a just and painful punishment for the Times writer who would cast me into the pit of hades at more than 60 degrees.

Guys...I am speaking to Fox5 Guys....I heard one of you repeat several times yesterday...the word "authentification"....which is NOT a WORD.  Please, please, please...ask Mr. Webster before going on the air and using made up words. The word is "AUTHENTICATION" ...there is NO "FI" in the word.  This is the nation's capitol and everyone sooner or later visits here...and they watch the news.  It is VERY important that you speak well.

The strains of "I feel the earth move under my feet; I feel the...." Did any of you feel the earth move from the Annandale, Va. source? Well...I didn't either, however I have noted a faint bouncing occasionally when sitting on the floor with the pups....and they are sleeping. It has happened before (the bouncing)....once when Japan had an earthquake and once when California had one...but today's quake, supposedly centered in Annandale here in Virginia, is a complete surprise.  Did any of you take note when it happened???

People...I know that everyone has to work...but why can't we work together on doing something about these gasoline prices?  It IS possible for Americans to take control of the insanity of gasoline prices.  I am convinced that if we would ALL, NATIONWIDE, park our cars on the same day... say, Mondays for one month, that enough gasoline would accumulate in tanks all over this NATION that prices would begin to drop.  You have to remember that these bustards are the same ones that told us twenty years ago, that there was a SHORTAGE of gasoline...we sat in long gas lines to gas up...and there WAS NO SHORTAGE.  We need to wise up and simply begin a BOYCOTT one day a week.  Would you support a nationwide boycott???