Yahoo - Four for Friday!

January 23, 2009

Four For Friday
Q1 - Salary: Earlier this week, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum revealing his intention to freeze the salaries of approximately 120 senior White House staffers who make more than $100,000 per year, saving the government about $400,000 over the next 12 months. Ironically, President Obama currently earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 expense account, a $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and a $19,000 entertainment allowance (the same as President George W. Bush). Do you think the President of the United States should be paid a salary? Why or why not?

Well, that is interesting. I was still under the clearly outdated impression that the President of the United States only earned $250,000 - $300,000 a year. Nice to see they have brought it more in line with CEO type salaries. Of course he should get some kind of salary! What a bad deal that would be to do the world's most thankless job for no money!

On the other hand, if the salary freeze is good for the others, it is good for him, too. I like the idea overall. It beats not having a job. He should freeze the salaries of the Congress members, too. At least they might want to work for the money they currently earn.

I wonder about all those perks. Does the POTUS really need a $19,000 entertainment account? What for? I'm sure Netflix would send him movies. I'm sure his girls use the Internet. I wonder what happens if they were on Facebook? These poor kids won't have any normal and/or social life. But that is another subject.

Q2 - Murder: According to CBS News, 13,000 Americans are killed by drunk drivers every year. Authorities call it an epidemic. They say that despite all the publicity, all the education campaigns, and all the advertising over the past decade, the number of drunk-driving fatalities has not gone down. In New York's Nassau County, district attorney Kathleen Rice believes that if you want to stop drunk driving, you have to treat it as a serious crime with serious jail time, which in one recent case means prosecuting a drunk driver for First-Degree Murder. Related: A growing number of states and foreign countries have banned the use of cellular phones while driving automobiles. If an automobile driver kills an innocent person while talking on a cell phone while driving, do you feel they should be prosecuted for murder?

Yes, I do. Before you accuse me of being heartless, understand that you are asking a question to which I have posted the answer too many times on Blogger. As an EMT, I have seen drunk drivers, fatalities and cell phone users. When I first began riding in March 2003, that was the majority of accident calls. Now, in January 2009, all I see are cell-phone related accidents and in a state where driving while using a cell phone is illegal! And they all lie about it. But yes, I would completely stand behind that.

Q3 - Employment: If your employer told you the company was moving to a neighboring state and you had the choice to accept a 25% increase in salary and move with the company at the company's expense or take a severance package equal to 25% of your current salary with no opportunity to file for unemployment, what would you do?

Oh, boy. That is a question that I would hate to have to face in real life. Fortunately, I work for a 112-year-old establishment - it won't be moving. But I would be unfortunately jobless if that did happen. Much as I love my job, my house, my husband and his job (a small company in Montville, NJ) is here. He makes many times what I do, so the decision would be his more than mine. The ugly truth.

Q4 - Sleep: Studies show most people fall asleep within seven (7) minutes of placing their head to a bedroom pillow. Generally speaking, how long do you think it takes you to fall asleep, and, do you do anything special (e.g., take a pill, listen to the radio, watch television, read a book or magazine) to help you fall asleep?

Oh, another unfortunate question. I hate talking about this, but when has that ever stopped me?

I have a genetic ailment called myotonia dystrophia II, and one of the most common and debilitating side effects is an inability to sleep. Since I need to get my full 8 - 9 hours, I take medication on nights when I have work the next day. I try to avoid it on the nights I am not going to work the next day. It works, although it is not instant. It takes roughly 40 - 60 minutes to work its way into the system. And it is very effective for that.

Some funny things about it, though... there is a gap in time from when it begins to take effect to when it is really working where you cannot remember anything. Luis will ask me something and I give a normal complete answer but the next day I have zero recollection of the conversation.

Also, it is completely useless if you are undergoing severe emotional trauma. When both of my cats died, I was distraught to say the least. I took my meds and nothing happened. Nothing at all. Weird, isn't it?

Mostly, it does the job.

I used to read and I used to watch the telly before going to sleep, but my doctor mentioned that this is not effective for that. Books and television, no matter how bad the reading or viewing, stimulates the brain. So no more of that.