Opinion

Let me just start by saying that I love finals like a fat kid loves broccoli.I know everyone just wants them to be over with,but I want Taylor Swift’s hairstylist for Christmas and we all know that ain’t gonna happen.It’s the time of the season to whine about impending doom for sure,but since you guys got tips on surviving next week on Tuesday,I thought I‘d provide the inspiration.

The streets of San Francisco may become costly for drivers. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority recently released a study concerning the implementation of a congestion pricing plan in high-traffic areas.If put into action,the plan would charge drivers a$3fee for driving in and out of the city’s congested areas during weekday peak-hours.

After hearing the word “terrorism“ leave the mouths of presidential hopefuls exclusively and plentifully for a goodfew months,it looks like that “change“ thing inherent to our system is steering us toward a new period of terror in the headlines,atleast for the business quarter.

This column is a good-bye to Jdimytai Damour,the34-year-old temporary Wal-Mart employeewhowas trampled to death this past Friday in Long Island. Trampled to death! What the fuck! That‘s how Mufasa died! Trampled by wildebeests that didn‘t know any better.I suppose there‘s no real difference between the mindless animals inThe Lion King and the stampede of people bum rushing a Wal-Mart at five in the morning.I know times are tough but,shit,you just killed a man! All to get the latest PlayStationfor a bargain price.Picture this guy up at5a.m.to face the insanity and chaos that is middle America‘s dealing with the economic recessionand he ends up paying with his life.Hah,how ironic.

Every year retailers across the country hold sales the Friday after Thanksgiving(“Black Friday“) in order to usher in a new year of profitability. This year was much the same,except forJdimytai Damour,34,a temporary worker at a Wal-Mart in Long Island who was trampled to death by rabid,greedy consumers.

In the wake of our current financial crisis,the American public’s desire to finger the guilty party resembles a poorly played match of Milton Bradley’s “Clue.“

In2004,the Bush Administration strengthened the Cuba embargofirst put forth in1963.The2004ban was focused on higher education:Study abroad trips shorter than10weeks were declared illegal because they did not provide opportunities for genuine academic study or exchange of ideas about democracy,according to a report from the U.S.State Department.A group of academics had challenged this ban,which was recently upheld by a federal appeals court.

Breaking free of the quarter‘s strong current,nearly at the surface,your lips can almost taste the freedom‘s fresh air.But before you can even take a half-breath,you are jerked back beneath the waves. ThanksgivingBreakwas just a decoy.

One of my items under the proverbial “Things to do Before I Die” list is to get into a fight.And I mean a real good fight,maybe in a bar,with broken beer bottles,a “What the f*ck did you just call me?!”,lots of punching and hopefully a few gashes on the arm.I want my fight to basically have everything that makes a fight awesome (except hair pulling,kiddy pools filled with chocolate pudding and bikinis,those are no-nos).

Maybe it’s just my mom’s sensibilities being passed on to me, but I’m a firm believer that not only is there a bit of good in everyone, but everyone is good at something. Nobody’s stupid or useless. Maybe that’s the reason some recent McDonald’s ads have gotten under my skin. If you watch TV regularly (or watched any football on Thanksgiving) you’ve probably seen the ads I’m talking about. There’s one for men and one for women.

When it comes to giving thanks on Thanksgiving, most people I know focus on the big things in their lives. While I cannot even begin to give enough thanks for all of the wonderful things I have in my life, I have decided that this Thanksgiving I will really try to pay attention to all the little things that make every day worth getting up for.

That’s it.I can’t go another week without asking.How the hell are we allowing this to happen? Slice by slice,the American pool of taxpayer cash is being doled out to billionaire boardroom sops while those of us not belonging to the wealthiest1percent watch gas prices baffled and count up our expenses with increasing worry.