What’s Different?
Didn’t watch much of the recent Winter Olympics. Not much interest in winter sports, and NBC’s archaic time-delay policies pretty much eliminated any suspense in the competitions.
Did see this photo of the U.S. Bobsled Team circulating the internet the last couple of days though. It’s been kinda hard to miss.
We’ve done our fair share of bobsledding. We hit the local faux-Swiss alps regularly and catch sight of the Yeti now and then. But somehow our post-ride team photo looks a bit different.
Maybe we need to get suspenders?
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Admin Day
Doing the first of the month chores for the practice, and tweaking the backend of the photo gallery for the sites here. Zen Photo put out an upgrade that’s working nice and smooth, and allowed for a new template that I’m really loving. Nice to have a bit of freshness in place as we head into spring.
I haven’t shared that much here recently because life’s been a bit slow. Winter, even a So Cal winter, can get me that way. Spring will be here soon enough though. Looking forward to some short trips and some sunshine to get me out of my current rut.
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It’s very rare that family law brightens my day. The hearing results made it better than most other interactions with those projects, but it certainly doesn’t turn winter into spring.
On another note, looks like I spoke too soon on the upgrades. NOW they should be working. My apologies for any ugliness on the site this afternoon.
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What Kind Of A Planet Do We Live On?
Neither of us are even in AARP yet, much less ready for Social Security. I have to admit I’m not really expecting much to be left of Social Security by the time I get there, if I get there, in 20 years or so.
[via Towleroad]
It’s not just about that particular benefit though – it’s all the benefits of marriage and equal treatment under the law for everyone.
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The record should reflect that the fact pattern presented does not accurately describe where the discrimination in fact lies.
If the couple had both been working and paying FICA their entire adult lives (posited here to make them seem more sympathetic) and the decedent dies just prior to retirement, then there would be no survivor benefits to deny the widow — only PREMATURE death leads to survivor benefits.
The real discrimination lies in SPOUSAL benefits, which is an entirely different ka-ching, in which one spouse (historically the wife) never paid into the system at all but still receives significant retirement benefits based on the other spouse’s FICA taxes.
But again, “I never paid a penny into the system, but I still want my ka-ching just like the breeders get” wouldn’t have had the same dramatic impact, would it?
Solution: Overlay the more discriminatory impact onto the less discriminatory fact pattern, substituting emotion over fact.
“What planet am I on?” indeed.
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Actually, I think the record is obvious that the piece is a dramatic representation of a philosophical point and not necessarily an accurate representation of the current U.S. social security system or the benefits it might provide if it still exists in 20 years or so. Any difference in any federal benefits, rights or responsibilities based purely the gender of the spouse is wrong.
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And Where Do I Get Hay For My Horse?
Out and about this morning I pulled into a local Mom & Pop gas station to refuel my little car. My card didn’t immediately work in the pump, so after a few choice words I went inside, and spoke to a smug little woman I assume to be the Mom.
We don’t take cards anymore.
I pointed out the numerous signs indicating, even advertising, otherwise, and the presence of the card readers in the pumps, but she was “oh, we’ve ordered new signs” as if that explained it all. I figured discussion was futile, and had other things to do with my morning, but as I drove away questions kept popping into my mind. Do they think paying with cards is a fad who’s time has passed? Are they making some kind of a moral stand against big banks, or against a particular big bank that’s cut them off for some reason? And more to the point I guess, how long until there are a new Mom & Pop on that corner that understand commerce in the 21st Century?
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The only thing I can figure is that they’re getting killed by merchant fees and they assume that most of their regulars pay cash. It’s gonna suck to be them.
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I agree that’s a possibility, but if so think it’s a horrible decision. I’m guessing, even though I’ll probably never know, that their processor cut them off for whatever reason.
We didn’t watch the Olympics much, either. But if the bobsled teamed had dressed like that during competition, I’m sure we would have made a stronger effort to watch.
I think we would have made a stronger effort too. To bad NBC didn’t use more photos like this to promote the coverage before the events.