How the West was Lost

In my Colorado History class, my teacher asked the question, "how could we have done things differently?" We were talking about the early history of Colorado and how there was often conflict between the Natives and European settlers (or Americans moving westward). In the spirit of my new senior philosophy (to really see how far I can push things before getting reprimanded), I answered the question with a question. To what ends? Now because I am a cowardly lion, I hid it a bit and answered with the requested 3 paragraphs, but what can I say, I was having a moment of brilliance, and did not want to taint it with my youthful rebellious desires.

So to answer the question of "What could we have done differently?", we must find what we want the situation to present. Our current world is the product of Southern Slavery, Western Genocide of American Indians, and a certain disliking of all foreigners. Nasty stuff, yes. But if you like the world today, and I mean in general, then those things were necessary. Remove one element, lets say southern slavery, and our world is far different. I wont transplant things into your imagination, ill let you picture the world where American history was not full of the sin of slavery (for sakes of argument, Racism and segregation still existed).... What would that world look like, what would it be like?

Also think about this. Instead of exterminating the Jews, imagine that the Nazis added them to the war effort. Another 6+ million lives in the factories and fields of war, soldiers would not have to tend the camps, and thus could fight. If that happened, what would 2011 look like.

How about if the United States had opted to not drop the bomb on Japan. What would things be like. Could we be all dead from apocalypse, because we never saw what these weapons could do before it was too late?

Those are some of the negative unintended consequences of "what if we had acted differently." Now that are as many negative unintended consequences, as positive ones available to reshape our world. As there are an infinite number of universes, then there are an infinite number of consequences for each action.

So when we ask, what we could have done differently, we must ask what kind of world we want. If we want to keep our current world, well then nothing, we could have done nothing. If we want a world where American Indians werent hunted like animals, then we need to change how we treated them.

Thats my bit of wisdom for the day.

Now, with my internship, Last week I got to sit in on the Committee for Senate Bill 18, which was an interesting experience, however 3 senators who are the pawns of a political agenda, were incapable of thinking for themselves and voted the measure down, which required proof of citizenship in order to vote. Im just glad Ill get to stand right behind of those under paid, un-taxed, illegal immigrant gardener while Im waiting to vote, then knowing that the system doesnt give two shits about the people it is supposed to protect. But thats my opinion, and im a wee bit angry right now so meh. No internship tomorrow, as the senate is closed and Denver is being cryogenicly frozen so that it may survive the next apocalypse.

Warrior Dash Training: Does playing kinect count as training? Im working my butt off? Maybe?.... well I was gonna actually go skate some suicides this morning, but it decided to be freezing cold and snowing so no go. I shall get on the horse eventually!!!!

School: yeah, im feeling done already.....

Good News thought, the federal government just gave me a big old tax refund, which im oddly putting into savings.... Take that Governmental Overlords!!!!!.... but dont worry, ill spend it eventually....

and even more good news, a Federal Judge ruled Obamacare unconstitutional!!!!! Yay!!!

Thanks for reading, and my the force be with you!!!!

PS! this Feburary, will the 150 years since the Colorado Territory was formed

Week One of Internship, Taxes, and a Book Review

To start out, id like to apologize about my last blog post, that was blogging for the sake of blogging and I'm not too big on that. so, I am very sorry for my pointless post.

Now, with week one of my Internship at the Capitol Building. It was a slow week, and my head is very full of information, I can tell its going to be a blast when things pick up. Ive met tons of people but beyond that there wasnt a whole lot for me to do. In the coming weeks however, I have no doubts that it is going to pick up. My left shoe is killing me, but beyond that no complaints. My Senator and his Aide are great and very smart people and I feel lucky to be given the chance to learn from and work with them.

So now lets chat taxes. Well I just did my taxes (or rather they did me) but luckily I'm getting a solid refund. Even being a college student with no investments and a very "meh" part time job, I see the vast complexity of the Tax system. Deduct this, add that, subtract -.274 percent, then add 3/10s of a hundred dollars. After all that, you just move on to the next category. When you are all done you have committed about 50 errors that will cost you tons of additional money in fees and other oppressive IRS punishments. Now onto the book review

The Fairtax book. This was a fantastic read, and a quick one to boot, a little less than 200 pages, it reads very quickly and easily. Its designed for the People, unlike the multi-kazillion page tax code that is law. It starts out with the history of the income tax, details the specific problems of the current system, brightly announces the details of the proposed new tax system, and addresses many of the concerns of the critics of the plan and even those who flat out lie about what it would do.

The new system sounds beautiful, and our current system is so twisted that an experiment would be an excellent test for our country, based on some of the assertions made in the book. Honestly the road we are on is already going to lead us through several Chinese prison camps, so why not take a left turn at Albuquerque and see what happens. The authors state at the beginning that it is not about Republican or Democrat or Liberal or Conservative, but its about whats best for this country. Some points their political beliefs do bleed through, but hey, the writers are human too. And I'm sure that my specific views aren't a secret here either. The book addresses many concerns, and there is a sequel that addresses concerns not yet. But given that it is the first fourth of the year, which is really tax time, its a solid read for this time of the year.

Now to other things

Still havent started Warrior Dash training, but I still really want to do it

Im also planning a series of blogs on how government ought to run, 9 parts, during the month of feburary.... nothing special about feburary, but since its coming up I figured why not.

Also im thinking about posting a few of my class papers this semester, just to see how im sticking it to the man.... or woman, depending on that class...

Happy Readings!

And Here We Go.... Again

This is the big one.... 15 Credits and My Internship.... after this ill have a grand total of 12 credits until graduation... Im not really sure how I feel about going back to the daily grind.... the past week and a half, despite having to go to work, ive still had quite a bit of free time, which has been most pleasurable... and ive accomplished so very much.... Classes officially start in a little less than two hours, which Ill be able to access my Colorado History Class which is all online, depends on if I wanna stay up that late. should be cake, right... My Internship starts tomorrow, I will be waking at 6am for it, but im really quite pumped, but in a month, ill probably dread having to be up so early. Who knows, maybe ill love it so much, that ill never leave. the rest of my classes are the usual, and there is no reason why I shouldnt knock them out of the park.... Im thinking about blogging sometime this weekend with my experience with Days 1 & 2 at the capitol and some political issue that I will draw out of a hat.

Good Luck, and God Speed

PS. My Warrior Dash training was supposed to start on the 26th of December, Havent done a thing for it yet.... its not fun unless you have to come from behind