The benefits of looking before you leap

While it is practically impossible to account for or predict the litany of possible results of our decisions (ie, the butterfly affect), it is within our capabilities to approach a situation from the viewpoint of someone else's interest in the outcome of our decisions. This is why I rarely, if ever, watch news media programing or pay the slightest attention to any of the political rhetoric in any media form (aka propaganda). First of all, it is drivel. If you aren't intelligent enough to formulate your own opinions or logical enough to analyze information from a rational standpoint, then you most certainly should not be subscribing to such information circles in the first place. Secondly, you should come to realize that everyone, yes, everyone has an agenda, an ulterior motive, a modus operandi. Thusly, I quickly ascertained that CNN is in the "Romney camp" by watching a mere half-hour broadcast perpetrating itself as "news". A brief remark was made primarily about the recent leak of the Romney luncheon video (it was merely mentioned, not actually referenced) which had him purportedly stating that poor americans are lazy and rely too much on the government for help. CNN then really made a stretch by digging up some audio recording of the president from 1996 when he was still a senator, in which he made some remarks about *redistribution* of wealth. Then, CNN went on to play a video of Romney addressing a crowd and talking about (er, back-peddling) that he doesn't prescribe to the president's idea of redistribution, and would prefer to have the government help those in need. Come. On. Just how much of an idiot do you take me for, CNN? Unfortunately, it isn't me that these media giants are influencing, since I am almost 100% impervious to influence and opinion. Romney is the guy who was president of the Olympic committee, governor of Massachusetts (the state which, during his tenancy as head of state, enacted mandatory statewide health insurance, and passed a law allowing gay marriage. The latter of these political issues I am pro, the former I am against). If anyone has been paying even the smallest modicum of attention to the primaries for presidency, Romney immediately threatened to overturn Obamacare, despite having authorized universal health care in his gubinatorial state. Additionally, why on earth would a mormon, which Romney is, pass the premier legislation making it legal for homosexual couples to marry? It just doesn't add up. Not such a sheep am I. Now there are things in life that are reserved for adults only. Mostly, they are sinner activities such as drinking, gambling, smoking, etc. Voting is also reserved for adults because it requires a degree of critical thinking and decision making that is a cardinal requirement of adult behavior. What this entails is the courage and wherewithall to stand by ones convictions and decisions. One cannot live simply to be a people pleaser. There are tough decisions that must be made, otherwise everyone ends up running in circles while the man with the most money tries to make everyone happy and subsequently lines his own pockets with his constituents false hopes. Upon simple investigation, it is quite obvious that Romney does not have the courage to stand by his convictions. There are only two men at the very top that I honestly believe want to help people other than themselves: Bill Gates, and Joel Osteen. It was this news segment on CNN that got me to thinking about my personal situation. I had been to the bank several weeks earlier to discuss my pending inheritance with a financial advisor. He had steered me in the direction of renting before buying a home, but on further inspection of my instincts, I came to the conclusion that, since he is a banker, unapprised of my personal situation and interests, he was only doing his job. He mentioned the opportunity for better mortgage loans with concurrent rental history. But it is a buyers market for property right now, and why would I want to pay interest in a mortgage. Oh yeah. Because he works at a bank, and it is his job to make a profit for the bank. Moral of the story: always think about what someone else's interest in the situation is before acting on any information.

Rotten tomatoes

Every once in a while, I eat a salad. Granted, I should probably indulge in salad more readily than I indulge in ice cream... Nevertheless, I like to add things to my salads like most normal human beings. Chopped walnuts, avocado, dairy and soy bean oil free salad dressings, and, recently, tomatoes. I prefer the cherry (or grape, depending on which regional dialect you subscribe to) tomatoes in my salad over those larger, more granular, diced garden tomatoes. At the grocery store, I found a brand that I particularly like - Nature Sweet. On several occasions, I purchased this brand and did what I always do with fresh vegetables - I put them in the vegetable drawer inside the refrigerator. However, on the most recent occasion after purchasing these cherry tomatoes, I read an inscription on the container that said, "for best taste, do not refrigerate." So, I took them out. Usually, keeping them in the fridge has them lasting for as long as it takes me to use the entire container (typically two weeks), with nary a soiled tomato in the bunch. Several days later (perhaps two, possibly three), I go to make a salad. Lo and behold, at least three tomatoes had gone bad. No big deal, you say. Wrong. Had I stuck with my intelligent instincts, none of them would have spoiled. I promptly discarded the rotten ones, added some to my salad, and replaced the container in the fridge. Days later, the remaining tomatoes were still edible. It was then that I recalled the advisory message on the container and had an appalling revelation. The message was placed there for the sole purpose of misleading the consumer into leaving the tomatoes out in order that they would go bad, and the customer would have to purchase a brand new container, repeating the cycle. People, please use your instincts and keep harvested tomatoes in the refrigerator!