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This is so I remember to read this. But I invite you to do so, as well. I’m a big AJE and other international news sources. Tend to be a lot more objective and truthful than are bland domestic news. AJE (Arab), Haaretz (Israeli), YNetNews (Israeli), Der Spiegel (German), etc. Check em out sometime. You’ll get such a better view from the outside (and sometimes from within, but just another angle).

“Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40 percent of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty.”

Only 40%? That seems horribly low. The 65> demographic includes about 39 million, of which 40% is 15.6 million – a sizable number of Americans. But what about the other more massive group of 23.4 million elderly?

Don’t forget: “poverty” is defined arbitrarily. It’s simply a number the government comes up with. How many of those 40% are living just above the line of poverty?

I don’t know the reasons why only 40% are helped (I should probably finish reading the article). To me, however, there is no reason it should not be higher; much closer to %99.

Then again, who knows how much we’d all be taxed. What services would have to cut in order to fund such a vision.

Logical Liberal, coming into play.

Perhaps at least 60%. 75% would be a great achievement. Any amount where at least over half of the demographic is kept out of poverty.

Just don’t see how 23.4 million Americans, elderly at that, end up in poverty in this country. I thought we were better than that.

And that’s a problem for me.

I am known to excise people from my life with astonishing frequency and speed. I moved a lot and subsequently changed schools often, so I had to learn how to deal with it. All it takes is for me not to see you. I suppose that’s any friendship for most people. But I do it with little remorse and emotion. If I no longer find you interesting, you’re gone. I don’t see you anymore? Forget about it. No good reason other than I’m done? Goodbye. Even with Facebook, and Twitter, and texting — in our connected world that’s becoming smaller each day — I’ll party with you one day, the next, I may never talk to you again.

But there are those people that I just can’t seem to get rid of. Hold on, hold on. I’m not actively trying to excise anyone at this point. I’m good with all my friends right now.

That, and I have so few these days, that if I cut anymore threads, I’ll be, as the Reddit saying goes, forever alone. I tend to be a loner and value, highly, my personal alone time. But that doesn’t mean I want to be the proverbial mountain hermit. There’s a reason why I still have a Facebook, even though I hate it so. To stay connected to the social circle. There’s a reason why I have a Twitter; so it’ll seem like someone out there cares. There’s a reason why I still touch this blog; maybe someone will read it.

But cutting so many people off or even letting friendships attrition leaves me with relationships, that sometimes, I’m not sure are healthy or even what I want. I’m very passive with my friendships. It’s uncommon for me to initiate conversation or even plan an event. I’ve always been of the mentality, “you want to be my friend, therefore, you should put in at least 80% of the work, and I’ll do the rest.”

So long as those people keep me around, want me to be around, I’ll be there. However, when the day comes that you stop trying, well, it’s been fun. Sayonara.

When I was a kid in school, everyone wanted to be my friend. For no good reason that I have ever ascertained. On the playgrounds, kids want to play with me. In middle school, everyone knew me. Even kids a grade higher than me, would say “Hey Giles!” to me. I didn’t know who these people were. I was on good terms with the “popular kids,” but I didn’t run in their circles. High school was the same way, although it started slower. But by graduation, I knew a good chunk of my class and they knew me. I was pretty active in high school though. Even in college, at least at UIC, people just seemed attracted to me and knew who I was. Probably because I was over 21 in the dorms and could by booze. But whatever, they would talk to me at parties or at the bus stops, but I didn’t even know their names.

I don’t say all this because I’m trying to be snobby. I say this because it actually affects me now. I don’t know how to make friends. I can’t just strike up conversation with a random person. At least when I’m not drinking. Which of course is a huge problem. I found that out when I went to a Kappa Pi Beta fraternity party at another college a couple hours away. I drank and I talked with all sorts of people. The next day, on the drive back, I was silent. No clue what to say or talk about.

So here I am, with the few friendships I have left, yearning for something new, something different. Yet I don’t know how to reach out and get it. There’s a wall around me. A walled garden, that I can’t escape.

Again, I am happy, for the most part, with the friendships that remain. But I just wish it was different. I need to hurry up, too, and make this happen. I’m not getting any younger (not that I’m an old man or anything), and it seems to be getting harder.

Forever alone? I sure hope not.

/whining

1. Rule No. 1: You can never get drunk/trashed/unconscious at your own party.
2. Rule No. 2: You can never get drunk/trashed/unconscious at your own party.
3. Rule No. 3: You can never get drunk/trashed/unconscious at your own party.
4. Be cognizant enough to take care of your guests should they become drunk/trashed/unconscious.
5. If guest need a place to sleep, don’t offer your own room, especially if they’re of the opposite sex and their interest in you is questionable.
6. Always be abreast of what is going on in your house and with your guests.
7. Always be prepared for the worst.
8. Always be prepared for things to get broken. Especially glassware. Never use glassware. Unless it’s super cheap and you really don’t care. Even then, inadvisable.
9. The possibility of people vomiting, especially when alcohol or whatever is involved, is very real; plan for this.
10. The possibility of people wanting to crash, especially when alcohol, drugs, or it gets late, is very real; plan for this.
11. Did I mention Rules No. 1, 2, and 3: You can never get drunk/trashed/unconscious at your own party.
12. If you cannot follow the above rules, or feel that you cannot (while you’re still sober), then do not host a gathering.

After the Ames Straw Poll last weekend, all the buzz has been about Michelle Bachmann and 2nd place finisher Ron PaulRick Perry, who did not even run in the straw poll. Not that it matters all that much, because it’s a straw poll amongst a very specific group – Tea Party Conservatives. Hardly tells anything about a how potential nominee will do against the general electorate.

But the media seems to be taking Bachmann and Perry pretty seriously. Even Mitt Romney, who probably stands a better chance amongst Republicans-as-a-whole and Independents, isn’t getting as much airtime. Much less Ron Paul who “lost” to Bachmann by a slim margin. But whatever, it’s just Ron Paul *sarcasm*.

Naturally, as the current front-runners (Who knows what will happen come January, when shit gets real), questions are starting to arise about whether Bachmann or Perry will even appeal to the mainstream Republican or Independent. Their message and image is so tailored to the Tea Party and Social Conservatives that I’m not sure they even know how to break into the mainstream. Perry’s “Day of Prayer” (a complete bomb) and Bachmann anti-Obama/Democrat/EPA/etc. message only appeals to that specific segment of the population. A fraction of a fraction, so to speak. And that’s all they’ve done since even before this whole media circus called Iowa has begun. Neither want to reach across the aisle. If it’s not Republican or Tea Party, it’s no good. Futhermore, they’re so anti-establishment. Which is strange, considering that Bachmann is part of said Washington, D.C. establishment. At least Perry has never held an office on the national level.

They live in their Tea Party fantasy land, thinking that everyone agrees with them when, logically, that’s not the case. Tea Party candidates may have swept in November (the “shellacking” as President Obama so aptly called it), but already there is “buyer’s remorse” not even a year in. One need only look at Wisconsin (Gov. Scott Walker), Ohio (Gov. John Kaisch), and Florida (Gov. Rick Scott – who has some of the lowest approval ratings in the country). Even now, a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center finds that “29% judge the impact of Tea Party supporters as mostly negative compared with 22% who see their impact as mostly positive.” That’s pretty bad.

So while Bachmann and Perry are the heroes of the Tea Party, that’s all they are. They don’t necessarily have support of Republicans as whole, nor the group that actually matters: Independents. I don’t see how either of them can become the GOP candidate. Neither have real plans or messages, other than “Screw Obama,” which is hardly a message that reverberates amongst the economic-battered and no-jobs-weary general electorate. Sure, it’s several months before Primary/Caucus season begins. But if either hope to secure the GOP nomination or even the Presidency itself, they need to stop pandering to the Tea Party.

Furthermore, I’ll say this, and I’m just one person. When George W. Bush was in office, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t have minded sitting down with the guy and having a beer with him and picking his brain (I was 17 when he was elected to a second term). But our Tea Party darlings? Keep them away from me. I want nothing to do with either of them.

If Republicans want to stand a chance against Obama, they had better pick a more reasonable and moderate candidate. And I’m sure they will.

But not tonight. And, honestly, only a handful of times over the summer. But it’s those nights that I live for.

Over a year now since I moved back from the Windy City and I’m still adjusting. Last weekend, I made the 8-hour trip to Chicago see friends, get some Italian Beef (not a gay reference. If you’ve never had one, you’re missing out), and get drunk. No joke. Seriously, do you expect anything less?

Anyway, in the three days I was there, I hung out with more people — both new and familiar faces — than I have since I’ve been back at home. I don’t mean to make this a “Ugh, I’m so depressed I’m in Chicago” post. I’ve done enough of those. Honestly, I don’t even know if I’ll ever move back. I had the chance this summer to do so and had to — in deference to my wallet — turn down the offer. In the end, I was completely comfortable and confident in that decision. I knew it was the right to do.

But I want to have what I had there, here. Why can’t I have the life I lived in Chicago, here? The city was the city, and it was pretty cool. But it was the people that made it what I was. Without the people, I would have been miserable in Chicago. Adrift in a sea of people, some 3-9 million people, would have been worse than being in KC with at least a small circle of friends.

So my goal for the upcoming academic year is to meet more people, or at least hang with people other than my “group” (which currently consists of four drinkers and as many non-drinkers [SQUARES]). I’ve done a decent job already, thanks to the Coach herself. I need to get out more and break out of my shell as I did in Chicago. Just because this places sucks doesn’t mean I have to live a boring life, confined to my room.

I say this every year, but it means more than ever. I’ll do it. Meet people at class. Hang out with my co-workers. Use my friends to meet people (lol).

And then one fine night…those five chairs will not be empty.

Then you have the gall to ask “are you mad at me?” when we get home. Damn, bro, I thought you were smarter than that.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had to actually assume the role of “Older Brother” as opposed to “Advice Giver.”

I suppose I’m the older one for a reason.

Intense negotiations.

There’s a post stewing in my head, and my fingers are just ready to set this keyboard on fire.

Eh, maybe later. Tiring week. Fun, sociable, but tiring.

Yeah, I’ll come up with something…

/Deuces, *with the peace sign sideways, across my chest*

(Or so my friend is starting to say/do…Trying to get her to stop this madness)