Things that make me go...hmm...

So in an effort to continuously educate myself, I looked up the "Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938" which is Act that first establishes Federal Minimum wage. I thought this paragraph for why Congress decided to pass such an Act was interesting...

The Congress finds that the existence, in industries engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, of labor conditions detrimental to the maintenance of the minimum standard of living necessary for health, efficiency, and general well-being of workers

From Investopedia:

What Does Standard Of Living Mean?
The level of wealth, comfort, material goods and necessities available to a certain socioeconomic class in a certain geographic area. The standard of living includes factors such as income, quality and availability of employment, class disparity, poverty rate, quality and affordability of housing, hours of work required to purchase necessities, gross domestic product, inflation rate, number of vacation days per year, affordable (or free) access to quality healthcare, quality and availability of education, life expectancy, incidence of disease, cost of goods and services, infrastructure, national economic growth, economic and political stability, political and religious freedom, environmental quality, climate and safety. The standard of living is closely related to quality of life.

From Investopedia again:

What Does Living Wage Mean?
A theoretical wage level that allows the earner to afford adequate shelter, food and the other necessities of life. The living wage should be substantial enough to ensure that no more than 30% of it needs to be spent on housing. The goal of the living wage is to allow employees to earn enough income for a satisfactory standard of living.

So back to the Department of Labor's website about Minimum Wage:

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Many states also have minimum wage laws.

So simple math here: $7.25/hr x 40hr/week x 52 weeks/year = $15,080 per year before taxes

So using the Living Wage Calculator provided by Pennsylvania State University, I plugged in a couple of locations to see what it costs to actually LIVE in these places and you can go to their website to see where they got their numbers. (Note: Based on minimum estimates for a low wage family, not to maintain a middle class family):

Bristol, TN: One Adult = $7.12, One Adult & One Child = $14.69

Virginia Beach, VA: One Adult = $9.30, One Adult & One Child = $16.93

Atlanta, GA: One Adult = $9.04, One Adult & One Child = $16.48

Boston, MA: One Adult = $12.17, One Adult & One Child = $20.75, Minimum Wage in Boston is $8/hr

Leavenworth, KS: One Adult=$8.56, One Adult & One Child = $16.12

Pine Ridge Reservation, SD: One Adult=$6.28, One Adult & One Child = $12.80

Los Angeles, CA: One Adult =$11.20, One Adult & One Child - $19.96, Minimum Wage in CA is $8/hr

San Francisco, CA: One Adult=$12.65, One Adult & One Child - $21.82, Minimum Wage in SF is $9.79

Now, I just picked a couple of places to get an idea for the feel for the US overall, and basically, in most places if you are making minimum wage, you better be able to live with someone else who can share the expenses of living. If you're a single parent earning minimum wage, forget it, you're just screwed in ALL scenarios, but you MIGHT be able to get by with working 2 to 3 minimum wage jobs. But the fact that you ARE working, well, you don't qualify for any help. You better get crackin'!

Now my father said to me that Minimum wage is pretty much only for people starting out and teenagers and that through time and skills that they would get salary increases.

I think that's a bunch of crap, as I personally know many people who have been loyal workers who are still making minimum wage. In fact, my closest friend has been working for the same employer for over 3 years and makes minimum wage even though he depends totally on her to run his business. But, ok, let's say well it's due to working for a small business to be reasonable, but I'm going to double check with some of the folks that I know who work for a fast food chain to see what they're making.

So some questions that I like to ask people...

-If a company makes MILLIONS of dollars in Profit, and their lowest "unskilled" worker makes less than a living wage, do you find that morally acceptable?

-What about million dollar bonuses for Upper Management, instead?

Now the typical answer I get from people are that CEO's "DESERVE" their million dollar bonuses. And when I ask them a follow up questions, "So you're saying that the people who work for them DON'T DESERVE to make a living wage?" they usually change the subject or walk away or say "You just don't understand."

As an engineer, I like things SIMPLE, cut away all the fat and give me the essential information. So this is what I see:

Minimum Wage of $7.25/hr

Average Living Wage based on the 5 cities above that were using $7.25/hr as their minimum wage standard: $8.06/hr

Person considered "wealthy" in the US (Annual income $250,000+)=$120.19+/hr

Hmm...what would a morally responsible company do? 

Well, let us get a quote straight from one CEO's mouth...

"My moral responsibility is to protect and grow the investment of shareholders." - T.J. Rogers, CEO of Cypress Semiconductor in the article "Why CEOs Can't Stand Obama."

Apparently, it's true, I really don't understand.

Run for Congo Women

The other day, I was listening to NPR's show On Point, and they had a show called, "Saving Women in Congo." I was absolutely inspired by Lisa Shannon, who was so motivated to help the women of Congo, that she created a fundraising program called "Running for Congo Women" which raises money for a wonderful organization called, "Women for Women International."

What I really liked was the fact that she combined her passion, Running, with her passion to help the women of Congo. Now that's something I can fully and whole heartedly support, a person using their passions to make the world around them a better place.

I checked the website and the closest event is in Conover, NC, on November 6th. I'm signed up to walk and am looking for donations. I picked a target goal of $360 because that would support 1 woman for 1 year to get medical attention, psychological help, food and training to help EMPOWER her and her family. Let them know that there are people out there who care about her and want her to succeed.

So far, I have $30 raised and I'm hoping that there will be others out there who will feel empowered to walk with me or donate money to help the women. Clicking on the banner below will take you to my fundraiser page and from there you can join the team as well if you are in the area. We would love to have you!

For more information about what is going on in Congo, here is a video clip from PBS's Newshour.

The Story of Generose is who I will share here but there are many more women's stories you can read at Lisa Shannon's website:

Generose has lived through some of the worst violence I ever heard about. As part of an attack, a militia cut off her leg. But when I met her, I noticed she had painted the toenails on her prosthetic leg! This woman is all spirit and heart. She has built a business which makes $70/ month and two employees in an area where most families are living off of $20/ month. She's sending her kids to school, owns her own home, and lives in a safe neighborhood. One of the most resilient women I've ever met!

I had read in an article was that Generose was raped by the militia, who then cut her leg off and forced her children to eat her leg. Her 8 year old son refused and they murdered him in front of her.

That is what the media doesn't tell you. My heart cries to think of all the women being tortured and who are suffering and I just wonder, what can I do? And then I think of Lisa and a story that I heard once:

There was a terrible storm on the coast that washed millions of starfish onto the beach. A man was watching this other man who was walking along the beach throwing the starfish back into the ocean. The guy walks up to the other guy and ask him, "Why bother? There's millions of starfish and only one of you, it's not going to matter." The other guy picked up a starfish and threw it back into the ocean, "It mattered to that starfish."

Woah it's been a year already?

Talk about a wild little ride this year has been!

Yes, I've not posted my pictures and what not of my Dalai Lama Trip, but on the other hand, I have given a talk about it to the local Metaphysical Group. Soooo...I guess I can say "Stay Tuned..."

Last year, I got the joy of my life, little Min-Jee (민지), which is Korean for "Clever Wisdom" and doesn't she look a bit like Yoda? haha

We figure that she's roughly 3 years old and she's definitely got Chihuahua in her but not sure what the other one is...doxie? I'm thinking maybe a Chiweenie, but no way of really knowing. She's REALLY smart though and really lazy too. ha She makes me giggle every morning when I'm trying to get her to get out of bed, she's worse than I am, which is saying something! ha

I guess the saying is true, you didn't rescue the dog, the dog rescued you. ;o)

I'm getting back into it and will write more in the next few days. Yippie!

The Greater Good Network

I had originally wrote this as an e-mail to my friends and I just thought it was appropriate to share with those who also read my blog. -J

=============================================
Just thought I would let you all know about the Greater Good Network when you're considering your Christmas Shopping. By making a purchase at one of their websites, you are not only purchasing a gift for someone, but you are also helping the world.

Purchases made at the Hunger Site will contribute cups of food to help feed people, not only throughout the world, but here in the United States as well.

Purchases made at the Breast Cancer Site will contribute a portion of your purchase to help pay for a mammogram.

Purchases made at the Child Health Site will contribute money for provide health care for a child.

Purchases made at the Literacy Site will contribute money to provide books for children.

Purchases made at the Rainforest Site will contribute money to purchase Rainforest land and for its preservation of the land and also to help other wildlife preservation.

Purchases made at the Animal Rescue Site contributes money to help Animal Shelters with food and supplies, not only here in the US but in other parts of the world.

What I do is try to buy an item in each store (by clicking on the above tabs) in the area that I know that the gift recipient is interested in. So I would buy something for a Pet Lover at the Rescue Site, and then buy something else for a friend who is supporter of Breast Cancer from the Breast Cancer Site.

And I also try to buy from "Global Girlfriend" which in addition to supporting the various charities, they also provide women in 3rd world countries an opportunity to make products to help EMPOWER women by giving them a chance at having Financial Stability.

So in the card that I give to people with the present, I also list all the things that their particular gift has provided to the world. Like, "Your gift provided 14 cups of food to starving people, and gave a rape survivor a chance to gain back her dignity." I just feel like it's a feel good way to spread the joy and to remind people how really connected we are to people in the world through indirect means.

Anyway, if you think of it, take a look at it (you can get to the other sites by clicking on their tabs):

http://shop.thehungersite.com/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Trip Itinerary - Switzerland

For those who might not know, I am going to be spending a week in Switzerland for my birthday. As fate would have it, I was sitting at my desk listening to WBUR, my favorite NPR station, and they mentioned if you donate, you could get a ticket to the Dalai Lama talk in Boston. Well, that got me really excited as I have been wanting to go hear the Dalai Lama talk...that's one of my "Things to do before I die" list. Last year when I checked his website out, he had no travel plans on the agenda so after I heard he was going to be in Boston, I headed to his website and lo and behold a packed calendar! I quickly scanned the dates and noticed he was going to be talking ON MY BIRTHDAY! Sweet! And then I saw it was going to be in Switzerland...not so sweet...especially after I took a look at my budget.

Seeing how I have strong Badger energy, well, I immediately started digging. After all, how often does one have something on their "Things to do before I die" list pop up on their birthday? So, after doing some digging, turns out I could do this trip for approximately $2,000...including a round trip plane ticket...but I'd have to camp, which was all set to go as one of my friends was going to go with me to help split the costs. Yippie! So I buy the plane ticket and then turns out that she couldn't go with me. Waahhh!

Well, I've already got the plane ticket, so I was going to go. I figured, if I could travel around Japan without knowing ANY of the language except "Thank you" and "Goodbye" that I could make it in Switzerland...I do know a little bit of German after all. VERY little, but more than what I know in Japanese anyway. haha So I'm good and then my sister and my other friends are freaking out because I'm going to go by myself and then out of the blue, my friend TE, calls me up to catch up. We have dinner and I let her know about my trip and she wants to go with me, so now I have a traveling companion and everyone is all relaxed again. ha!
The other night, TE, goes riding and meets this guy from Australia and turns out he lived in the city where the Dalai Lama is going to speak. So he kindly gave us a lot of tips and after we got to know him a bit he offered to call his friends that still live there and see about putting us up for the time we are going to be there because it was Black Fly season and we would be eaten up if we camp. Wow, now talk about a small world huh? Anyway, we're waiting to hear from him to see how this will go.

As my friend, MS, said, "It should all work out, either way; fate smiles down on an open-minded traveler! =)"

So here is the plan for my most awesome world adventure!

Saturday arrive in Geneva, Switzerland. Explore the city and try really, really hard not to go to sleep until 10 pm to help with the Jet Lag.

Sunday make our way to Lausanne via train, to either the camp ground or to the Aussie friend's place.

Monday we have to explore Lausanne, hopefully go to the Swiss Army Knife Store. I want their motorcycle knife. :o)

Tuesday & Wednesday - the Dalai Lama!! Yippie!
 

Thursday & Friday - ride motorcycles through the Alps.

Saturday, fly back to the US. :o)

No worries, I will be picking up cowbells for everyone. ;o) haha Except for my sister who gets Kinder Eggs. haha And yes, I will be taking loads of pictures.

 

Catch you all in a week!!

Oh my gosh! I'm 7 again!

haha I was surfing You Tube and I came across...

VOLTRON! Defender of the Universe!

I can recall my sister and I rushing home from school so we could watch VOLTON! Defender of the universe!

Wee! What fun! haha

Drumming

Does it seem like I'm spamming now? haha Like the moon, I have my periods of creativity and then of nothingness, so bear with me. ;o)

On the spur of the moment, I was invited by my dear friend SW to go to a introduction to Drumming in Asheville. So I happily accepted her offer and went with her.

Larry, the guy running the drumming tent, offers free drum lessons at the French Broad Food Co-op on Monday nights in Asheville and I think he also spearheads the Friday night Drumming Circle downtown Asheville. Really cool guy. He's the one with the cowboy hat.

Look at me, so very intent on making sure I was maintaining the beat. Which worked...until I started thinking. Which, as everyone knows happens to me all the time. So yes, I was very aware and so were the poor people around me as to how unable I was to keep a steady beat. haha

Anyway, it is a bit difficult to describe drumming so I went through the trouble of uploading a video clip on to You Tube of the Women's Drumming Troupe in Asheville called "Wild Bodema." Who performed for us in between drumming workshop demonstrations.

You want to talk about people having FUN! These women most definitely ARE! See, this is what happens when you have rhythm and practice a lot. And if you don't THINK. haha

If your drumming becomes too bad, they carry you off stage like this poor guy... ;o)

Remember to smile and laugh. Life doesn't have to be so serious. :o)