Was reading in the paper this morning that there are protests in California to raise taxes (or at least keep current tax rates) rather than cut education spending again. In typical fashion, the article paints the teachers (and parents) as being the greedy ones who are always looking for another buck to better educate their children - the bastards!!
But it did point out an interesting statistic - approximately 80% of the spending on education goes to salary and benefits. This is the same as it was about 8 years ago. But, to quote the Wall Street Journal, "more and more tax dollars are being diverted for teacher benefits. The Lost Angeles Unified School District is paying 11% more for teacher health benefits than it did two years ago."
My question - why?? Are LA's teachers getting 11% sicker now than they were two years ago? Or, as I suspect, have we simply given the insurance companies and healthcare companies a pass on being able to charge whatever the hell they like, with no explanation necessary.
Folks, we can keep going around and around on this issue and blame high taxes on everything from the cost of pensions to the possibility that the world will end on May 21 (more on that later), but the reality of it is that until we get our hands around the issue of healthcare, and the outrageous costs associated with that, we will never win the public-funding arguments. We NEED to start demanding that our elected officials start asking the tough questions of executives at these companies, and start doing something to start bringing these costs back in line. Reduce health care costs and you WILL lower local taxes, that I promise.
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$85 million dollars. I keep saying the number to myself because I almost can't believe it. $85 million dollars. That's how much the chairman of Viacom made LAST YEAR! Himself! $85 million dollars!!
I spent a long time in the private sector before jumping to public education, so I do support the free enterprise system, but I guess I also have a conscience. $85 million dollars seems like crazy money to me for one man (or woman - no discrimination here, although I don't see many women on this highest-paid list. Ladies, where is the outrage??).
All this talk about how rich we have it in the public sector by those that work for companies like Viacom. They complain that we have health benefits. They complain about how we have pensions. We don't have that, they cry. Why should you??
Hey, idiots, wake the hell up. You HAD all of these things and you gave them up for 401(k) plans - a bad bet if ever there was one. And while you toil and work for no raise and pay more and more of your health care costs and fund your own retirements, your chairman is making - get ready - $85 million!! Why don't you storm your own company's annual meeting and give him the same hell that you've been giving the teachers, firemen, policemen and other public workers. Ask him how many houses he needs, or cars, or planes or whatever the hell he's buying.
Just imagine if he took, oh I don't know, $30 million LESS and put it all into employee health care. Imagine how little YOU'D be paying.
Private sector America, it's time to pull your heads out of your own asses and start asking questions of your own corporate chiefs!!
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I hear there's a bunch of religious zealots who are saying that the world is going to end on May 21. Does that mean I don't have to do lesson plans for the following week??
I'm a little skeptical, but just in case, I'm moving my math test to May 20. I need the grades!
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Was listening to the Led Zeppelin album "Houses of the Holy" just a little while ago and had these two thoughts:
1. This is a great album. How I regret not being "into" Led Zeppelin during my younger days - I missed out on a lot of good listening. If you haven't heard it, buy it (don't steal - it's not nice) and really listen to it and tell me it isn't one of the most timeless rock and roll albums of all time. Who's doing this kind of stuff now??
2. If Led Zeppelin tried to release this album with this album cover today, they'd be accused of child pornography and the album would be released in a plain brown bag. I really don't understand what the cover art has to DO with the album, but in my opinion, it's essential to this album.
Give it a listen.
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So Ashton Kutcher is going to be the new man on "Two and a half Men" this fall. And I keep asking myself - is there anyone luckier in Hollywood than Ashton Kutcher??
Good for him. Let's hope the show continues to be as funny as it has been. Choosing Ashton should almost ensure that.
