Author: Y C

Random thoughts

This is a beautiful story. History and learning from its unforgiving mistakes is all too lacking in today’s society. See Fighting Hate, Across Cultures and Generations

Woo wee! This is cold stuff eh? NYC Weather report

Hurray, hurrah! About time some one important went to jail. Former Enron executives agree to plead guilty I think Elliott Spitzer is my Man of the Year. Spitzer’s the guy who’s looking out for the little guy cleaning up all the corporate disgrace. Corporate misdeeds run amok, just like our “MBA President”. Birds of a feather, flock together.

Marriage is good but uhhh … Bush Plans $1.5 Billion Drive for Promotion of Marriage ? According to the article, aimed to promote marriage in low-income couples? I don’t think that’s the problem here. How about using some of that money to invest into the US economy and education? Or, if truly targeted “to help couples develop interpersonal skills that sustain “healthy marriages.”, then make mandatory counseling. That will cut down on divorces. You get a lot more divorces when you get power couples like Howard Dean and Dr. Steinberg. Each one its own captain. Eventually, the partnership will be split in two and the kids get screwed. Everyone thinks that divorces can fix your mistakes and everything will go fine. No, it just makes it worse. If divorce is an option, then don’t get married. Period. There was a pointed satirical article about conservatives and marriage a couple of months ago. I am sorry I didn’t save it.

#Rant off

=YC

Flashpoint for women’s issues

Very interesting article in the NYT (Dean’s Wife Shuns Politics) about Dr. Steinberg, Howard Dean’s wife, during all his campaign efforts. It seems to me that the writer was drawing attention to how strange it seemed that a wife could be so removed from such an important part of a husband’s life.

Lots of issues abound here.

1. It’s a blow for feminism. Great that a woman can be successful career mom and mother. Does that mean a wife couldn’t also support her husband’s goals. He’s running for the President of the US and is the leading Democratic nominee for crying out loud.
2. Blow against traditionalism. How is it that a woman balancing personal, professional life can not also support her husband’s personal and professional goals? Dr. Steinberg is quoted: “I think a lot of couples are like us, where they have two career-couples, and both careers are very important to the individuals,” Dr. Steinberg, 50, said in an interview this fall. “Each individual has to do what works for her. What works best for me, and what I’m best at, is being a doctor.”

Yes, but the perception is there is no visible support for Dean’s husband’s presidential efforts . How does that play out when you’re asking voters to support Howard Dean but his own wife stays at home? See John Kerry and Terry Heinz. Slate had an article questioning why Heinz wasn’t supporting her husband financially when he was trailing so badly in the polls. Seems like a case of too little too late for them now. Kerry is going down like a Gore, career politician going down and who will never be president.

In today’s age, balancing two careers, family and personal needs is really hard (I think life has gotten a lot more complex than past generations). I think this is an example of the balance being out-of-whack. Dr Steinberg comes across the article as overly self-centered on her own needs. Being a politician and running for office, this she-goes-her-way, I-go-my-way doesn’t fly well. It’s a big sacrifice for everyone and everyone needs to be on the same wagon pulling the same horses.

Latest polls claim that Clark and Dean are neck and neck and both liked by the Dems. We’ll see how it goes. Looks like the Dean express has hit some bumps. Clark is becoming a viable candidate and alternative to Dean who still comes across to me as being too slick and untrustworthy.

=YC