The Panda Bear is not happy about the way the US Congress threatens to hurt the little person when discussing the US budget and the debt limit ceiling. The Congress is scaring people by threatening not to pay people on social security or in the military who have not personally caused the budget problems. Why shouldn't the first thing not paid if US cannot meet its monetary obligations be Congress's paycheck? Also the Panda Bear is upset that foreign aid and foreign wars aren't under closer scrutiny by Congress. The US is not now in a position to solve the world’s problems.
The Panda Bear was also upset about the Congressional bailout of the financial industries. Here the leaders of financial institutions that caused the nation's problems were being bailed out by Congress and were being called "indispensible" to the financial management of the US. Some of these people seem to be doing better than ever as the rest of the US suffers. However, the Panda Bear wants to put in a good word for some smaller banks and credit unions. She heard this weekend that they were prepared to cover overdrafts of social security recipients and military personnel if they occurred because the government not issuing these people their expected checks. The Panda Bear thought this was highly commendable and civic minded of some profit making instructions.
Also, the Panda Bear is also upset about her stalled daytime career. She feels the managers of her present job have no intention of promoting her though she has gotten good performance reviews. She feels she may have to look for advancement at another company which she would not mind except that it would mean that she would go down on vacation time. This year for the first time in over fifteen years she will have enough vacation time to take three weeks off-she has not be able to do this for over twelve years. However, if her current employment stalemate continues she feels she will decide that since the bulk of her time is spent working she would be better off in another company and give up her vacation time.
However, the Panda Bear has just got an e-mail stating that she should take a more positive approach to life. The Panda Bear is glad she has a job and is not actively suffering now when so many people are. She can be proud that she is not part of the ruling elite that seem bent on ruining the US. She feels by her blog she can contribute a small voice urging people to demand social change and greater accountability of US leadership.
The Panda Bear this weekend finished reading Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest" . She enjoyed "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" while not feeling crazy about the two sequels.
Part of the problem was that the Panda Bear kept on hearing the book discussed on various shows on NPR. She knew too much about the heroine Lisbeth Salander.
However, many of the NPR commentators kept stating the series contains important messagesfor our times. The novels are very cynical about the Swedish welfare state. The Panda Bear remembers g taught that Sweden was a model country in having this extensive welfare system. The novels also make Sweden seem very capitalistic while being very cynical about big business. The Panda Bear is also becoming cynical of big business and big government.
The Panda Bear thinks that part of the Millennium’s series success is that it is easier for Americans to see and discuss problems in Swedish society than in the US,
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