Thanks to some lonely, socially inept Nigerian, there has been a flood of news stories on Yemen. The US gov't has apaprently decided to double aid to the country, and we're assisting the Yemeni government fight Al-Qaeda.
What a waste of money. Ok, so let's say we effectively wipe out the Al-Qaeda leadership. According to some dude at Princeton, we nearly did that after 9/11, but from about 11/03 onwards we stopped paying attention to Yemen, and the government there had other pressing concerns. Consequently Al-Qaeda grew again. Umm, and that's not going to repeat itself??
I love Yemen, and think it has some of the friendliest people in the world. The hospitality I experienced there has only been surpassed by Bangladesh (funny how the two poorest countries I've been to have also been the most hospitable, but I digress). That being said, there is a lot of sympathy for Al-Qaeda and a TON of Islamic fundamentalists. Yemen, in some ways, is basically the Afghanistan of the Arab Peninsula. Sure, there are plenty of people that support the West and have beliefs that you and I can relate to BUT they are a minority. The vast majority would not be considered "enlightened" by most Westerners.
In short, we're just going to stir up a bee hive there. It might secure the country one iota in the short-term, but long-term? No. We're just pissing money down the drain (again).
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The big storm and my apartment
So I have an apartment now next to Meridian Hill Park. Pretty sweet location. So what is good and bad about my apartment?
Pro:
1. I have a view of a medium sized park.
2. It is in a diverse neighborhood, and the building reflects that diversity. One neighbor is a 20something white dude, black couple is across the hall, and some spanish-speaking family is on the other side of me.
3. I can walk to 3 cool neighborhoods (Adams Morgan, U St., Columbia Heights)
4. Commute is 40-45 minutes tops.
5. I only pay electric.
6. pretty spacious 1 bedroom. I don't feel cramped, that's for sure.
Con:
1. I don't control the heating. I have a window open at all times. Otherwise the place becomes an oven. Yes, even when there is a big ass snow storm outside.
2. Paper thin walls. That's why I know there are Spanish speakers on one side of my apartment.
3. No A/C.
Anyhoo, a big ass snow storm came through here Friday night and left this morning. I was planning to move all my stuff there, but due to the nasty weather, I only was able to get most of my clothing there. Oh, I did manage to get my dresser and file cabinet in before the snow storm arrived, so woo hoo, go me.
here are a couple pics taken from my apartment. One is obviously the day of the storm, the other is the following one.
Pro:
1. I have a view of a medium sized park.
2. It is in a diverse neighborhood, and the building reflects that diversity. One neighbor is a 20something white dude, black couple is across the hall, and some spanish-speaking family is on the other side of me.
3. I can walk to 3 cool neighborhoods (Adams Morgan, U St., Columbia Heights)
4. Commute is 40-45 minutes tops.
5. I only pay electric.
6. pretty spacious 1 bedroom. I don't feel cramped, that's for sure.
Con:
1. I don't control the heating. I have a window open at all times. Otherwise the place becomes an oven. Yes, even when there is a big ass snow storm outside.
2. Paper thin walls. That's why I know there are Spanish speakers on one side of my apartment.
3. No A/C.
Anyhoo, a big ass snow storm came through here Friday night and left this morning. I was planning to move all my stuff there, but due to the nasty weather, I only was able to get most of my clothing there. Oh, I did manage to get my dresser and file cabinet in before the snow storm arrived, so woo hoo, go me.
here are a couple pics taken from my apartment. One is obviously the day of the storm, the other is the following one.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
State income tax
Today my boss asked me where I was living. When I told him that I am currently in Arlington, but planning to move to DC next week (probably), his response was, "Ohhh, higher income tax!" While I had a hunch that would be the case, his response made me wonder how much higher I'd be paying.
So I looked up the income tax rates in DC and VA. The annual difference? 186 dollars, which means I will be getting about 8 dollars less/paycheck. Not exactly a deal breaker. Next year, however, when I get a pay-raise, it will make more of a difference: $500/year. Perhaps I should look at moving back to VA at that point? I kinda doubt I will, but we shall see.
After doing that research, I decided to look up CA income tax. If I made the same salary there, I'd be anually taxed $1600 MORE than I will be in DC. For once I feel better that I live here than in CA.
So I looked up the income tax rates in DC and VA. The annual difference? 186 dollars, which means I will be getting about 8 dollars less/paycheck. Not exactly a deal breaker. Next year, however, when I get a pay-raise, it will make more of a difference: $500/year. Perhaps I should look at moving back to VA at that point? I kinda doubt I will, but we shall see.
After doing that research, I decided to look up CA income tax. If I made the same salary there, I'd be anually taxed $1600 MORE than I will be in DC. For once I feel better that I live here than in CA.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Update on my life and my new job
I haven't written on this thing in ages. First the update:
1. I was back in CA for November. I worked at my old company. I spent most of the time working in one of their warehouses, helping process orders. Pretty dull stuff, but it was nice to see old co-workers that I hadn't seen in 2+ years.
2. Had a great Thanksgiving. Weather was beautiful, ate a ton, and was nice chilling with family and friends.
3. I've been apartment hunting. I've submitted applications to two places. I'm leaning towards taking the more expensive one that overlooks a park. Its a 10 minute walk to the metro, and nearly equidistant between Columbia Heights and the U Street area. Adams Morgan is also walkable. In short, I'll be in a pretty cool area. I'll know for sure if I'll be living in either one by Wednesday or Thursday.
As for my job...
1. I will be working on the budget for "Con Air" although no one in the Marshal Service refers to it that way.
2. It looks like I will be going to KC on a quarterly basis. Kansas City, woo hoo.
3. I really don't know how this is going to go.
1. I was back in CA for November. I worked at my old company. I spent most of the time working in one of their warehouses, helping process orders. Pretty dull stuff, but it was nice to see old co-workers that I hadn't seen in 2+ years.
2. Had a great Thanksgiving. Weather was beautiful, ate a ton, and was nice chilling with family and friends.
3. I've been apartment hunting. I've submitted applications to two places. I'm leaning towards taking the more expensive one that overlooks a park. Its a 10 minute walk to the metro, and nearly equidistant between Columbia Heights and the U Street area. Adams Morgan is also walkable. In short, I'll be in a pretty cool area. I'll know for sure if I'll be living in either one by Wednesday or Thursday.
As for my job...
1. I will be working on the budget for "Con Air" although no one in the Marshal Service refers to it that way.
2. It looks like I will be going to KC on a quarterly basis. Kansas City, woo hoo.
3. I really don't know how this is going to go.
Monday, October 12, 2009
I'm a snob
A girl just told me her favorite tv shows are: amazing race, survivor, bones, law & order, house, cops, and America's Most Wanted. That makes me want to run away.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Life is funny like that
My background investigation continues. Consequently I have been looking for temp work. Well, today I got some. I was offered a $10/hr job with a non-profit in downtown DC. And I'm a bit excited about it. Rather sad. If you would have told me at the beginning of this summer that I'd be unemployed and excited about a data entry position that I'll be doing for a couple weeks, I would have thought you were full of shit. Alas, you never know what will come in life.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Yes
Today a couple friends and I went to a couple fair/festivals in DC. We saw many anti-health reform protestors and were stuck with them on the metro ride back home this afternoon. This comment from someone on sfgate.com sums up my frustrations with these protestors pretty well:
"Where, oh where, were all these right wing crybabies when gov't spending on the Iraq oil war topped $150 billion a year? Or when gov't spending on the military, in general, began gobbling up over half the entire national budget?
Where were they when our massive, growing road network began to consume another $150 billion a year?
Where were they when suburban sprawl began to receive additional billions of dollars in gov't subsidies that all but destroyed inner cities and mass transit?
Why aren't they complaining about all the extra fire and police protection, parks, libraries, sewers, streetlights, sidewalks, water delivery and garbage pickup for their far-flung, single story suburbs, when high density, multistory urban centers would be a far more efficient and affordable way of delivering these services?
Oh, that's right. It's only socialism when it helps the poor and working poor, not when it helps wealthy, white, conservatives."
"Where, oh where, were all these right wing crybabies when gov't spending on the Iraq oil war topped $150 billion a year? Or when gov't spending on the military, in general, began gobbling up over half the entire national budget?
Where were they when our massive, growing road network began to consume another $150 billion a year?
Where were they when suburban sprawl began to receive additional billions of dollars in gov't subsidies that all but destroyed inner cities and mass transit?
Why aren't they complaining about all the extra fire and police protection, parks, libraries, sewers, streetlights, sidewalks, water delivery and garbage pickup for their far-flung, single story suburbs, when high density, multistory urban centers would be a far more efficient and affordable way of delivering these services?
Oh, that's right. It's only socialism when it helps the poor and working poor, not when it helps wealthy, white, conservatives."
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