How Stupid do they Think I Am?

Ever since I've been a homeowner, I've been innundated with offers to refinance my home. I need to start off by saying that I originally bought the house when interest rates were very low, and I was wise enough to refinance when rates were at their rock bottom. Despite the fact that interest rates have consistently climbed since I refinanced, I am still barraged with "offers" from mortgage companies, where I am told that I can "save" money on my mortgage payment. How can they do this? It's easy, they're asking me to give up my low, fixed-rate mortgage and take on a variable-rate mortgage. In return, they'll give me a teaser rate for a few months, thus "saving" me money over the next few months, only to sock it to me later. How stupid do these lending companies think I am? Maybe a better question is, how many Americans really are stupid enough to fall for this sort of crap?

Idiocy and Lunacy Abound

Here are a couple of random thoughts for today.

Cynthia McKinney, the Democratic Congresswoman from Georgia who recently lost the Democratic Primary to her challenger, has just had her first news conference since losing. During this news conference, (according to the AP) she said that the black community needs to oppose electronic voting machines because they are designed to steal elections.
Ozzy's Two Cents: Ummm... maybe you lost the primary because of your whacky conspiricy theories, and/or because you smacked a cop! Basically, you're saying that your loss is everyone's fault but your own. This failure to take responsibility for your own thoughts, words and actions is a prime example of what's wrong with our government.

According to an article on ZDNet, Google is sending legal letters to media organizatons, telling them to quit using "google" as a verb.
Ozzy's Two Cents: Let me get a Kleenex to wipe my sympathy tears from my eyes as you try to Band-Aid this issue. You idiots! That's free advertising, quit fighting it.

And for my final factoid, it looks like Apple is really falling off of the cart. According to another article on ZDNet, Apple is sending a small business owner a cease and desist letter because her website and product have the word "pod" in it. A teeny excerpt from the letter from Apple to the business owner: "...Apple recently learned that you filed an application for TIGHTPOD ... Apple is concerned that the application for and use of the TIGHTPOD mark infringes Apple's trademark rights and dilutes its famous IPOD brand..."
Ozzy's Two Cents: What's next? Are you going to sue pea farmers? How about whales travelling in groups?

Random Thought for the Day

Cannibalism - Bringing a whole new meaning to "Buttering up the boss."

When the Student Defeats the Teacher

I've wrestled with my girls since they were old enough to walk. It started out with tickling them. When they got a little bigger, they started trying to tackle dad, and from there it became wrestling matches. I'd wrestle with both kids (at once) until they were tired, or occasionally, until one of them got hurt. As they got progressively bigger, more agile, more aware, and began picking up my moves, they'd ratchet up the intensity of the wrestling. For my part, there were several reasons for our wrestling around. It was partially because it was fun, partially because I don't want my girls treated like dainty, fragile little beings that will easily break, and partially because there's an aspect of self-defense in our wrestling around. We do flips, submission holds, and use pressure points.

Over the years, I've had to work harder and harder to make sure I walked away the victorious one. I've never had to give it everything I've got... in fact, I still "pull my punches" so they don't get hurt. Last night was a first though. They injured me. It's an inevitability of life that the young grow up and eventually become stronger than their parents. This weekend I began starting to see the signs of this happening to me. While wrestling around last night, they sprained my thumb. I didn't give in, but I did take the first opportunity to call it a draw. I'll be feeling this one for a week!

There's a teeny bit of injured pride here, but for the most part, I'm proud of my girls. I am watching them turn into confident, strong young women. Last night was a milestone... a little painful, but a milestone nonetheless.