I must have missed this memo

Okay so I must be a little late in getting this, but when did we become a society of "help me or else"? Never in my life have I ever seen so many people adopt this mindset with regards to others around them. It actually scares me more than anything else because who's to say I won't agree with the crazy standing in front of me saying "help my cause or else" and when I kindly reject he pulls out a Glock and potentially try to end my life for not helping his cause. (for the record this isn't an anti-guns, anti-second amendment post just fyi) I realize that's an extreme example, however with the direction people have turned in this world, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

There's a company in my hometown that had a possible funding on the November 2008 ballot, it ended up failing by only a few votes so no additional funding. So in retaliation, the company is now cutting back the services it provides while shaking their finger and the citizens saying, you should have passed it (inside note there was a separate vote for the city proper citizens and county citizens, city passed it overwhelmingly, county was the Nov 2008 vote). The most amazing part of it, the employees of the company are saying, once the voters see what a difference we make in the community, they'll vote it in next time around. So they're counting on the citizens who are about to be burned when the company makes its cutbacks to come back in larger numbers when it comes time to decide as a city if they want to support giving them more money. The kicker on the cutbacks this company is doing is they're cutting services that are used regularly so as to make the impact of the cutbacks further felt instead of trying to do as the rest of America is currently doing and cinching our belts and "sucking it in" trying to make sure ends meet at the end of the month. So in other words, the bridge needs repairs, so instead of both of us doing them, one side does what they can, and only part of the other side comes out, when they see only part of the other side came to help, they burn the bridge down, then come back saying, hey if you really want that bridge back just get us this funding and we'll rebuild the whole bridge. (if you followed that I'm sure you're in the minority but congratulations you're officially inside my head, hold on tight and enjoy the ride lol) Call me crazy but I'd rather keep a bridge that needs some work but still functions just adjust the rules or requirements for using the bridge so those that need it still have it available. But no, they decided to just take it out, I mean no sense in it being there if it's not able to be used at full capacity right? (makes confused look). 

Now I realize for some it sounds like some coded message, and if that's the case for you, I apologize however, I do want to keep some anonymity with those involved and I hope you understand. 

Maybe it's just me and maybe I'm just tired of playing these games with people because they didn't support my idea, so now I must get them back, or they're not the same style as me so we have to go get them before they get us. I remember back in middle school we had a program called RAPP which was Resolving All Problems Peacefully, and it was designed to get people who had differences (usually some kind of physical conflict) to talk it out and explain to the other why they disliked this aspect of the other person and what made them react so crazily. Where's the RAPP for America at? Where do those who oppose what's going on go to get to express why they feel so strongly against it. Where's the forum for the taxpayers, who helped out A.I.G. when they were "too big to allow to fail",  to express their disapproval of A.I.G. receiving all that bonus money and I know people who have worked for years and not gotten a bonus, nor have there been raises at one particular company 4 of the last 5 years. But not only that, where's the forum for people to ask, why or how is a company able to become "too big to allow to fail"? I say if a company gets as big as A.I.G. did and fails, there's a very logical reason for it: someone in the company was not working to their full 100% efficiency. (see yesterday's blog entry) Just as your home every few years needs to be checked for efficiency, so do companies. If your windows are allowing too much air through the window sill, guess what, time for new windows that will probably end up saving you on your heating and cooling bills because of their increased efficiency. Wait a minute, you mean something with a higher efficiency rating can save me money?? Same with your car; at optimum efficiency your car can get 25 miles per gallon of gas, but in reality with stop and go traffic and sitting at stop lights, and just "real use" you only got 22.5 miles per gallon when you first got it. But now that car is 7 years old and if you are given a running 60 mph start you'll get 20 miles per gallon on the highway, normal conditions you're getting anywhere between 15-18 miles per gallon. What's changed? The efficiency of the parts inside. Imagine if everyone at your company worked at even just 90% efficiency what a difference that'd make to most companies. 

Well that's my rant for tonight, more tomorrow I'm sure.