What On Earth?-Column #34, March 2005

Well, here we are in March, my birth month, the month where we celebrate St. Patrick's Day (and this year, Easter), and obviously, the month where we mark a somber moment, 2 years in the making.

Obviously, this month marks the 2nd anniversary of the war in Iraq. We've had countless casualties, and at the same time, we're working with the Iraqis in forming their new government (all coming up on the heels of their elections 2 months ago).

At the same time, we're also having to deal with President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. HE says it's in a crisis. WE say, "What crisis? There IS no crisis!" There's another reason on why I voted Democrat. Another reason is FDR, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only President to serve more than 2 terms in office. Now, while I support the Democratic Party due to that fact, AND due to his success in office (not to mention the handful of anti-Bush and anti-Republican reasons I have for opposing the Republican Party), The BIG reason to support the Dems, was that FDR helped bring Social Security to life, after the Great Depression era during the Herbert Hoover rein. Now, obviously, Hoover promised us "a chicken in every pot". We equate that to money in every account, except Social Security. Now, Bush wants us to have less than those chickens in those pots, or he wants us to have quarter chickens or half chickens. Well, I'm a Democrat, and I deserve a whole chicken in my pot, as do all people, not just the Republicans and their special interests!

Now, obviously, this is St. Patrick's month. Irish-born and Irish-descented people celebrate this annual tradition. Many of you don't know that St. Patrick WASN'T Irish. He was probably Welsh. But he went there as a slave. And the people wear Green, because the Ireland hills are so green.

This is also Easter month (now it depends on when the first full moon occurs). The day is always on Sunday, and it comes a week after Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, which culminates on Good Friday (so called, because many people thought of all the "good" Jesus Christ gave to us when he died at the cross, and then was resurrected). People celebrate by coloring or filling up plastic Easter Eggs, and placing them in baskets with chocolate bunnies and other sorts of candy, but there's importance to each of these symbols. The egg means the beginning of a new life, as does a rabbit (or hare). The holiday can come as early as March 22 or April 25. As you know, there are also Easter egg-coloring kits, and the most popular is the PAAS kit, which you can learn more about at PAASEastereggs.com. The most popular Easter candy treat is the Cadbury Creme Eggs that come in Creme, Caramel, and Chocolate Creme Fillings, all covered in Milk Chocolate. You can learn about these at Cadbury.co.uk. They make other chocolates, too.

Well, this is also my Birthday month, as I turn 22. One year ago, on my B-day, I officially became an Albertson's cashier/courtesy clerk. However, as you can imagine, they haven't been needing me since! It seems like many full-time jobs are now part-time, and part-time workers haven't been needed, all because of competition from other stores like Wal-Mart and Target. This means, I'll probably have to wait till either there are sone new openings, or until the Democrats win again, to help me, and many other unemployed Americans get jobs!

And that's a wrap! This is John Lee saying "Go HOME!