Everything is amazing right now, and nobody’s happy. Like, in my lifetime, the changes in the world have been incredible. When I was a kid, we had a rotary phone. We had a phone you had to stand next to, and you had to dial it. You don’t realize how primitive – you’re making sparks *pffdtdt* in a phone – and you actually would hate people with zeros in their numbers because it was more, like “ugh, this guy’s got two zeros. Screw that guy.” And then if they called and you weren’t home, the phone would just ring lonely by itself. And then, if you wanted money, you would had to go in the bank for – when it was open for like three hours – you had to stand in line, you had to write yourself a check like an idiot, and then, when you ran out of money, you just go “well, I can’t do anymore things now”. That wasn’t it, and even if you had a credit card, they – they guy’d go “ugh,” and he’d bring bring out this whole *shunk shunk* and he’d write – and he’d have to call the president to see if you had any money. Well, yeah, ‘cause now we live in an – in an amazing, amazing world, and it’s wasted on the, on the crappiest generation of just spoiled idiots that don’t care – because this is what people are like now: they got their phone, and they’re like: “…uugh! It won’t…” Give it a second! Give it – it’s going to space! Can you give it a second to get back from space? Is the speed of light! I was on a, I was on an airplane, and there was Internet – high-speed Internet on the airplane – that’s the newest thing that I know exists. And I’m sitting on the plane, and they go, “open up your laptop. You can go on the Internet.” It’s fast, and I’m watching YouTube clips – I’m in an airplane. And then it breaks down. And they apologize, “The Internet’s not working.” The guy next to me goes “psssh, this is bullshit.” Like, how quickly the world owes him something he knew existed only ten seconds ago. Flying is the worst one because people people come back from flights, and they tell you their story. And it’s like a horror story. It’s – they act like their flight was like a cattle car in Germany in the ’40s: that’s how bad they make it sound. They’re like “it was the worst day of my life… first of all, we didn’t board for twenty minutes, and then we get on the plane, and they made us sit there! On the runway! For forty minutes! We had to sit there.” Oh, really? What happened next? Did you fly through the air incredibly, like a bird? Did you you partake in the miracle of human flight, you non-contributing zero? That you got to FLY?? YOU’RE FLYING! It’s amazing! Everybody on every plane should just constantly be going, “OH MY GOD! WOW!” You’re flying! You’re sitting in a chair in the sky. New York to California in five hours. That used to take thirty years to do that. And a bunch of you would die on the way there and have a baby. You be a whole different group of people by the time you got there. Now you watch a movie and you take dump and you’re home.

— Louis CK “Everything Is Amazing And Nobody Is Happy”

(via Some guy on Tumblr)

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Synopsis:

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Foreword:

This book is a direct result of the recession. I could feel the walls closing in I could feel the walls closing in on my family and I knew I had to do something so we wouldn’t be casualties. I work a 9-5 like many of you but I know that in this economy, money isn’t enough. I thank God for my job but I know so many who have been laid off or have lost their jobs I know people who have lost their home or are on the verge of losing everything because of this recession.

Some Feel the recession is a curse but it is my blessing. The recession had me cornered so I decided to take a chance and pursue my dream. Originally, I planned on producing a cooking show, but my best friend (who I owe my life, I love you JR) insisted that I write a book. I came up with the idea for my novel and started writing in February, finishing in July of 2009. If you have a dream, pursue it because now is the time. So many people have offered their support and the same can happen for you. This is not a selfish project at all. I have included local entrepreneurs and artists in my story so they can gain exposure as well (please support them). This recession is not going to beat me and I claim that it won’t beat you. Peace and blessing to you all. Enjoy!

Synopsis:

Mia Nickole Rose is a beautiful, full-figured, witty, aspiring songstress who feels stuck in her unfulfilling life. A struggling artist in Washington D.C.’s metropolitan area desperate to make ends meet, Mia’s life spirals horrifyingly out of control, deep into a world of insanity and murder when she is invited to a party that she will never forget. She is offered an ultimatum and, in exchange for her life, takes on a job working for a serial killer hell-bent on vengeance. Mia’s struggles with her finances and self-esteem become minute, while she focuses to stay sane, unharmed and alive.

Dear Friends,

President Obama is trying to reform our broken health care system, which has left more than 45 million Americans uninsured^[1] and millions more with insurance that won’t provide the treatment they need.^[2]

Some in Congress are with Obama. But the insurance industry, with help from Republicans^[3] and so-called centrist Democrats,^[4] is leading the charge to kill a key part of his plan — a government-run insurance plan that would increase the number of Americans covered, called the “public option.” Industry groups are spending millions — $35 million in lobbying costs alone^[5] — to convince people that they won’t be able to choose their doctor, that government will be making their medical decisions, that they’d be forced to take the government’s plan, and that the plan is part of some socialist plot — all lies. In reality, the insurance industry is trying to protect its enormous profits on the backs of everyday people.

For Black folks, the stakes couldn’t be higher: we are twice as likely as Whites to be uninsured, we have more than double the rate of infant mortality, we face more than twice the rate of diabetes-related deaths than Whites — and the list goes on.^[6]

While the fight rages in Washington, our voices are simply not at the table. That’s why I’ve joined ColorOfChange.org in telling Congress that every person in this country should have equal access to affordable health care, regardless of race, income, or any other factor. Will you join me? It only takes a moment:

http://www.colorofchange.org/health/?id=1620-132658

Americans understand the idea of the public option and overwhelmingly support it — three out of four people want the federal government to offer insurance coverage.^[7,8] But powerful lobbying groups like America’s Health Insurance Plans, Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, and the American Medical Association — representing the insurance industry, the drug industry, and doctors — are doing everything in their power to maintain the status quo.^[9]

Several organizations have pushed back, including MoveOn.org — a key partner of ours in this fight — but it will take all of us standing up if we want to win.

A public option makes sense for the country as a whole, and it makes particularly good sense for Black folks. Many of us make too much to qualify for Medicaid but either aren’t eligible for or aren’t adequately covered by private, employer-based plans. Overall, 21% of Blacks are uninsured, compared to 12% of Whites.^[10]

We need a public insurance option, but that’s not the only thing we should be fighting for. We need to push for equity in all aspects of our approach to health care. Every community deserves quality medical treatment, research and resources. That’s not what we’re getting now, and the numbers prove it:

• 22% of Black women say cost keeps them away from the doctor’s office, compared to 15% of White women ^[11]
• Black women have the highest rates of new AIDS cases, cancer mortality, obesity and low-weight infants of any ethnic or racial group ^[12]
• There are 13.6 Black infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 5.7 White infant deaths per 1,000 live births ^[13]
• There are 47 Black deaths from diabetes-related illness per 100,000 people, compared to 22.5 White deaths per 100,000 people ^[14]
• There are 60.1 new AIDS cases per 100,000 people among Blacks, compared to 6.7 new cases per 100,000 people among Whites ^[15]

Our opportunity to address the disparities that keep too many of us from enjoying long, healthy lives is now.

Please join me in telling our lawmakers that the first step toward improving our health care system is including a public plan that makes good health something everyone can afford:

http://www.colorofchange.org/health/?id=1620-132658

Thanks.

References:

• 1. http://www.kff.org/uninsured/7806.cfm
• 2. http://tinyurl.com/n2f3k7
• 3. http://tinyurl.com/l4ndwv
• 4. http://tinyurl.com/m5h8y7
• 5. http://tinyurl.com/m59ur5
• 6. http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/7633-02.pdf
• 7. http://tinyurl.com/mpo97j
• 8. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/19/opinion/polls/main5098517.shtml
• 9. http://tinyurl.com/lxpm3v
• 10. See #6
• 11. http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/7886ES.pdf
• 12. Ibid.
• 13. See #6
• 14. Ibid.
• 15. Ibid.

Additional resources:

• http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/us/politics/14cong.html?_r=1
• http://www.slate.com/id/2220534/pagenum/all/

ColorOfChange.org.