Beneath the Wraps

                         In November I had never heard of an oligopoly before.   I knew what they were, but until this last class I had (in economy) I didn't realize they had a specific name. I'm not saying all companies that happen to be in the Oligopoly or monopoly stage are necessarily bad companies.   The truth is the founder of the company may well have had extremely valid intentions (other than become a successful money maker who cares only about money) and may not even be involved with the company anymore as many founders are eventually kicked out of their own company (that doesn't seem right) but I am saying that there are many who make decisions, advertising for instance, that are done in a deceptive way.   Many businesses seem to get "too big for their breeches" that they have lost vision of what made the corporation great in the first place.   By the...

                        As I have mentioned in my online-themed posts, there is a daily checkpoint question given each day.   For the most part the questions will be on the class subject of that particular week. The basic classes (the ones given to brand new students) will often throw in questions about finances and career choices. The economy class I had recently taken was/is a basic class.             I had originally decided to approach my assignment from a different angle as I had asked my instructor about non-profit organizations during one of the lectures.   I had wondered it any would be considered oligopolies and so had pulled up references for that.   I had actually tried three or four approaches before I had about 20-30 references.   I knew I would not end up using them all and actually ended up go...

          I have now completed my economics course.   My instructor has completed grading all of my work, and so I will go ahead and share what I have turned in.           On my first post this month I shared a video of a phone service parody.   This is the discussion that went with it:       "How many of my classmates remember the landline and payphones? Funny how perspective changes from being a child to being an adult. Our responsibilities are not the same, and therefore we view the world in a different way. For example, I never personally had to wait for AT&T to come out and install or repair a telephone, but my mom did. Back then we didn't have the option of cell phones or even provider plans for that matter. The Bell System had a monopoly all across the nation with its "Bell" trademark on every phone booth. Every household that had a phone receiv...

            About a year and a half ago, I was on facebook checking out their statistics, though I generally don't put a lot of stock in what results are given.     According to facebook, my husband Roland and I are the most opposite of me and any of my facebook friends.   I can believe that.   According to facebook, my soul mate is Carolyn - who I had known less than a year.   I've now known her for almost two.   The more time I take to get to know her, the more it feels like we have in common.   I guess facebook was right.             Not only that, but every time I added a family photo, facebook will automaticlly tag the pictures and actually get most of them right.   But every time my mom is in the photo, facebook puts Carolyn's name on the photo instead of my mom's. I guess there is a resemblance.   I do see more betwee...

          The tax proposal didn’t pass in November.   It wasn’t so much because people were opposed at having or keeping the library – they’ve just been opposed to paying for it.      On March 30, the Myrtle Creek library closed its doors.   They remain locked as some of us continue to fight for the cause.   I don’t know who is responsible for establishing the group, or just where everybody came from.   It was announced that a group would be forming for a non-profit organization which we had yet to name.           The first four meetings or so took place at the school part of the Nazarene church.   There were over 30 people who attended.   Where were they when the library was looking for a new board member to replace Marilyn?   The only ones I recognized were those on the library board – and though it appeared some were on this new-founded...

       I remember walking out to the playground to assist Miss Shelly and Miss Lynda as they were supervising the 15-18 preschools that happily buzzed around running here and there;   I swear that the amount of preschoolers had doubled.   They were everywhere!   And yet none still enough to be in one place too long.   It was overwhelming - I thought.   How in the world were Miss Shelly and Miss Lynda able to do it?          I was reminded of the innocence and each taking a turn in the spotlight and how none of them felt they were superior or inferior to one another.   They were just happy and played well together.   Each one encouraging the other.        We've had a few really hot days and tons of rain.   Now there's the combination of "preschoolers in the spotlight" as each element takes its turn to be on stage - all present at once, and yet...

            There is a small group of us who meet at the local coffee shop once a month as we wait anxiously await for the pool to open for the summer so that we can get in our water aerobic workout.   This morning someone had made a comparison of rounded mountains compared to jagged mountains (I personally refer to the rounded as hills and the jagged as mountains) and how different the landscape appears from inside of a helicopter.             Michaela had come out to clear the dishes as we were taking and casually joined in our conversation.   17 years ago she had been living in the bay area and got to be pretty good at driving around Oakland and San Francisco.   She delivered documents and had earned quite a reputation for her ability to have her deliveries made on time.   But over the years she realized that she was bothered by th...

            We live in an area that was highly productive in logging and timber.   There is still production in some cities such as Riddle, but I don't think there are as many employed in the entire logging/timber industry as there had been 45 years ago.   That is when Myrtle Creek Saw Mill closed from what I understand.             I did not understand why it had closed down, or why the entire operation seems to have dwindled and why the railroads have almost a deserted feel.   As we were visiting with a native Oregonian who had remembered generations of her family living in Myrtle Creek though she now lives in Winston.               She had remembered a time when the community thrived and when there had been more logging and timber related jobs.   I've actually met others who ...

Happy Star Wars Day I'm not actually an avid Star Wars fan, but I have relations who are.

                Roland had asked Troy if he would like to earn some extra money by cutting the grass on our hill.   What a chore!   Troy came by about 9:00 the other day and Roland showed him what we were attempting to do outside.   Troy said he could return the following morning to remove the debris so that we can continue our garden.                 So yesterday, Troy showed up with his wheel barrow and worked hard.   Fortunately the sun was not blazing yet.   Troy is a good worker.   He was the most productive yesterday.                 Ike is a retired electrician but had told Roland he would come over to check out some sensitive spots that we would like to change.   I had been on the computer attempting t...

          As a child, I can remember my dad planting a garden each year - not that any of us were avid gardeners mind you.   I don't even know where his interest had come from as it didn't seem as if his family had gardened.   Perhaps it came from his grandparents or church.   I'd never even thought about it until now.           Dad was not one to express emotion.             I honestly don't know if he felt joy with planting a garden, apprehension, pained, or what.   I never questioned it.   Perhaps my mom did, but I hadn't connected the dots and perhaps was not aware of expression.   I think Kayla and I perhaps express more emotion than our brothers, but not much.           Take Saturday, for instance.   Roland has wanted to plant a garden every year...

    Shortly after I finished my last post on this blog, I decided to get a jump start on this week's discussion post (for class) which I posted this morning.  I remember hearing this song parody on the radio.  This was my inspiration: