The continual snow storms, drifts, shovelling, slick roads and cold weather have had me feeling more melancholy than usual. I sat here this morning feeling like I should apologize to Roz and the kids for being so grouchy, and then it occured to me: Why not apologize for everything I could think of?
To start, I would like to apologize for being somewhat of a facebook snob. I know sometimes I dont fertilize your crops very often of farmville and I dont always respond to things you guys post. I havent posted much in the way of rants lately because I've been EXTREMELY busy. Now, that I have that out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks:
I would like to apologize to the chicken I shot with my b.b. gun when I was 4 or 5. I would like to apologize to Mark Karcher for teasing him about being fat when I was about 5 or6. I would like to apologize to Eric Miller for teasing him about his glasses. It seems I now have glasses(contacts) and a spare tire. Hmm.
I would like to apologize to old Mr. Bowermaster for kicking his dog in the teeth, even though it tried to bite me. I would like to apologize to my first few dozen goldfish for killing them. I would like to apologize to Angie DeWitt for blowing up her bag of chips in 2nd grade. (you know- squeezed it til it popped?) I would like to apologize to Dawn Bishop and Jennifer Cullison for spitting a stream of obscenities at them in grade school for taking my hat. It was the first time I'd remembered cussing and I just couldnt stop. I would like to apologize to Chris Colvin for kicking him in the nuts and trying to strangle him(separate occasions). I would like to apologize to anyone I teased growing up(in a mean way) because frankly, you probably didnt need it or deserve it. I would like to apologize to Jennifer Cullison again for being such an ass at times and driving a wedge between us. In a related note, I would like to apologize to my Dad for tearing the transmission out of the truck on prom night and Mom for lying about denting it.
I would like to apologize to Mrs. Loughry(neighbor way-back when, not Jen L.) for staring at her boobs when she sunbathed. (top fell off, oops) I would like to apologize to the cat that Dewey and I put in a Dominion Post bag and swung in circles. I would like to apolgize to the hundred or so salamanders, birds and anything else that got in the way that I slaughtered with the previously mentioned b.b. gun. I would like to apologize to the old man and woman I met at a rest stop on the interstate 25 years ago, for not knowing why they had numbers tattooed on their forearms. That one still haunts me, almost every day. I think of them often, even though I only knew them for about 20 minutes.
I would like to apologize to any teacher I lied to about anything school related, I would also like to apologize for cheating. Trust me, I did it several times. I would like to apologize to Bev Foreman for lying about kissing her at a football game. I was in a full-leg cast, had to be the waterboy(make fun here) and lied because I thought she was hot. I would like to apologize to the future Mrs. DeWitt for destroying a school book and making her upset(Dewey helped). I would like to apologize to Mike and Dewey for not always being there when they needed me.
This brings me to about the end of high school. I would like to issue a general apology for not being a great friend when I should have been, only a good one. Oh, I would also like to apologize to Kim Casteel for staring at her ass every..single..chance...I...had.
I would like to apologize to the girl I met in college(cant remember her name)(yes, it was before Roz, no it's not what you think). She knows why. I would like to apologize to that guy in basic training for the blanket party we gave him. He was useless and a piece of crap, but he didnt deserve the beating he got. I would like to apologize to the guy we apartment sat for while we were in Germany. Yes, I'm the one who blew up your Nintendo. I plugged it into the 220 wall outlet without the adapter. I would like to apologize to the old German man that I asked if he was a Nazi. I hadnt learned the word for soldier yet. By the way--soldat. Again, I would like to apologize to any German or Frenchman that I met along the way and accidentally offended by my poor use of their languages.
I would like to apologize to the guy I never finished paying for the piece of junk truck he sold me(knowing that the rear-end and the four wheel drive were coming out). I would like to apologize to all the stray cats that Ihave used as target practice over the years. I would like to apologize to old man Summers for not collecting the charge accounts from dead beats that we allowed to happen. I would like to apologize to Gary Cale for making fun of him cross-dressing and being different. I would like to apologize for fudging my mileage to the IRS so my taxes would work out in my favor. I would like to apologize to my old and new friends for being distant sometimes.
I would like to apologize to all of you that I have ever slighted, ignored, teased, been jealous of, been angered by and then been snippy, made fun of because I felt down and needed a scapegoat, or that I have in any way made to feel "less".
I would like to apologize to my parents for lying about whatever it was at the time that got me out of trouble. I would like to apologize to any relatives that felt lessened or slighted by my actions. I would like to apologize to any woman that I have ever taken more than a glancing look at your boobs or your ass and then looked a couple more times. P.S.- if you dont want us looking, quit wearing low-cut shirts and tight pants. I would like to apologize to the Kingwood parks and recreation for all the times that we snuck over the fence to swim in the middle of the night. I would like to apologize to the person that lied and deceived me, almost at the expense of my marriage and family, for allowing them to continue and not telling them what they were doing to people, not just me.
I would like to apologize to Roz and the kids for every time I was short with them, lost my temper over something else and was cross with them for it, made them feel slighted or generally got so caught up in myself I made them feel bad. I would like to apologize to the dog for smacking the crap out of her for eating my stuff from work. I would like to apologize for ever using a racial epithet or degrading slow or retarded people. I would like to apologize to God for all those jokes I blasphemed her name in. I would also like to apologize to mother earth for not taking better care of my part of her.
So, now that I have cleared as much of my soul as I remember, I hope I can start feeling better about the weather, my daily life and such. If there was something I missed and it related to you, let me have it. God gave me big shoulders and I can take it. I have often thought of the phrases: You get what you give- and- what comes around, goes around. I have had a blessed life, with good family, good friends and good luck. The bad things that have happened have often felt like they were possibly derived from never having made amends for the little and big things I did over the years.
All of us have the so-called "skeletons in our closets" but it's how we have handled them that defines us. We've mostly all done things similar to what I did, we filed them away and sometimes, we try to forget them. I think somehow, those events that bug us, stick with us, affect our actions subconsciously. One misery leads to another, so to speak. I dont expect to miraculously be lifted from the drudgery of every day life, or to levitate above you all and emit a soft glow. I just wanted to feel a bit of the weight of the years drop away, maybe to unburden my soul for the next 40 or 50 years. I hope you guys have gotten the point of my little exercise today, maybe it doesnt apply to you. Maybe those of you with a grasp of your religion dont need this kind of "confession", I hear it's good for the soul, though.
Oh, I'd like to apologize to a certain Hardees store(not Kingwood) for what Dewey and I did to your bathroom. More specifically, the guy that had to clean it. My soul is much cleaner now. I feel better. I think I can handle the rest of winter and maybe the rest of my life without the burden of years resting on my shoulders.
Now its time to pile some more on, right? LOL Look out world, here comes Scott!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
88 Rat In a Cage
My recent absence from the rant has been largely due to the subject of today's rant: all of the above. LOL, I know, you have to look at my wall on facebook to get that. Seriously, I have been occupied with preparations for college, regular job duties and my supervisory capacities with the Census. Yes, they pulled a regular government snafu and hired moi as a crew leader.
My rage at the confusion and unpreparedness of the people that are above me have in no small part, caused me much stress in preparing my employees for their duties. Whether I want to or not, I have also experienced jealousy at not having the job of Field Operations Supervisor. I was within tolerance of their testing(ahem, above;) )but I was about one college degree short. What a bummer.
Really? I was just trying to illustrate, however mildly, how we entwine some baser emotions in our everyday lives. I have said before that we are generally over-stressed as a society, but I find it somewhat fascinating that we often jump to extremes over minute issues. I have done it, you have done it and probably most of the people you know have done it.
We know people that are ignorant of a given situation or issue and they still insist on flying into a fit of rage, sometimes at the expense of family and/or friends. They will speak of things that they are only mildly aware of, or are making false assumptions of, and they wind up hurting those around them. I dont think I need to be specific or give examples, most of you have experienced this.
What about jealousy? We're all jealous of something. We get jealous of someone better looking, wealthier, more powerful or sometimes someone that is just plain luckier than we are. We want better, or at least what WE see as better. We want more. We want nicer. It's perfectly natural, what defines us is how we present it. We can think it, but if we act negatively on it, it compromises something. I get really jealous of the jackass that is driving what should be MY Dodge Challenger up and down the road, but I dont drag him out of the car, a-la Grand Theft Auto and beat the snot out of him. I may voice it inside the car and again at home and maybe again with my buddies, but I dont ACT on my jealousy.
Grief can often be so overwhelming, it causes people to over-react to a word, a gesture, an event. It twists us, crushes us and causes fits of rage, fits of jealousy and causes us to misconstrue things and hurt those around us. Grief must be dealt with but it is almost impossible to get some people to not use that grief as a weapon. I know for a fact we've ALL seen that.
Sometimes we use the best emotions in the worst way and the baser emotions are even more susceptible. I dont think we all have to be zombies. We are not Mr. Spock, we DO have emotions. That's part of what makes life interesting. Often, someone around us is twisted by rage, grief, ignorance, whatever and we hesitate to say something to them. We are afraid to cause more trouble, often knowing they will over-react and cause even more emotional pain and stress.
So, what do we do? I say: Say what's on your mind. Tell them they're over-reacting. Tell them they need to think about what they're saying, what they're doing and maybe consider what they're doing. If that fails, smack the bitch up. You'll feel better, because really, isnt there some satisfaction to be had from putting someone deserving, in their place? They're probably not going to listen to you or anyone else. They're at a point where they're too convoluted by emotions to be rational and are often leaning toward the violent anyway. They WANT confrontation. They WANT someone to rattle their cage because they WANT to feel SOMETHING. They're not going to listen to reason, so give it a go. Maybe they'll come around, maybe you'll get to smack a bitch down. Go curb-steppin. Get your Mojo workin'. Or maybe you'll get your ass handed to you. Either way, you'll both feel something. Isnt that what most of us want? To feel something? Right now I feel like sleep, so until I can post again: Dont smack anyone or anything that can get you put in jail, unless they deserve it. Oh, dont tug on Superman's cape, dont spit in the wind. You dont pull the Mask off the old Lone Ranger and you dont mess around with Jim........yada, yada, yada.
My rage at the confusion and unpreparedness of the people that are above me have in no small part, caused me much stress in preparing my employees for their duties. Whether I want to or not, I have also experienced jealousy at not having the job of Field Operations Supervisor. I was within tolerance of their testing(ahem, above;) )but I was about one college degree short. What a bummer.
Really? I was just trying to illustrate, however mildly, how we entwine some baser emotions in our everyday lives. I have said before that we are generally over-stressed as a society, but I find it somewhat fascinating that we often jump to extremes over minute issues. I have done it, you have done it and probably most of the people you know have done it.
We know people that are ignorant of a given situation or issue and they still insist on flying into a fit of rage, sometimes at the expense of family and/or friends. They will speak of things that they are only mildly aware of, or are making false assumptions of, and they wind up hurting those around them. I dont think I need to be specific or give examples, most of you have experienced this.
What about jealousy? We're all jealous of something. We get jealous of someone better looking, wealthier, more powerful or sometimes someone that is just plain luckier than we are. We want better, or at least what WE see as better. We want more. We want nicer. It's perfectly natural, what defines us is how we present it. We can think it, but if we act negatively on it, it compromises something. I get really jealous of the jackass that is driving what should be MY Dodge Challenger up and down the road, but I dont drag him out of the car, a-la Grand Theft Auto and beat the snot out of him. I may voice it inside the car and again at home and maybe again with my buddies, but I dont ACT on my jealousy.
Grief can often be so overwhelming, it causes people to over-react to a word, a gesture, an event. It twists us, crushes us and causes fits of rage, fits of jealousy and causes us to misconstrue things and hurt those around us. Grief must be dealt with but it is almost impossible to get some people to not use that grief as a weapon. I know for a fact we've ALL seen that.
Sometimes we use the best emotions in the worst way and the baser emotions are even more susceptible. I dont think we all have to be zombies. We are not Mr. Spock, we DO have emotions. That's part of what makes life interesting. Often, someone around us is twisted by rage, grief, ignorance, whatever and we hesitate to say something to them. We are afraid to cause more trouble, often knowing they will over-react and cause even more emotional pain and stress.
So, what do we do? I say: Say what's on your mind. Tell them they're over-reacting. Tell them they need to think about what they're saying, what they're doing and maybe consider what they're doing. If that fails, smack the bitch up. You'll feel better, because really, isnt there some satisfaction to be had from putting someone deserving, in their place? They're probably not going to listen to you or anyone else. They're at a point where they're too convoluted by emotions to be rational and are often leaning toward the violent anyway. They WANT confrontation. They WANT someone to rattle their cage because they WANT to feel SOMETHING. They're not going to listen to reason, so give it a go. Maybe they'll come around, maybe you'll get to smack a bitch down. Go curb-steppin. Get your Mojo workin'. Or maybe you'll get your ass handed to you. Either way, you'll both feel something. Isnt that what most of us want? To feel something? Right now I feel like sleep, so until I can post again: Dont smack anyone or anything that can get you put in jail, unless they deserve it. Oh, dont tug on Superman's cape, dont spit in the wind. You dont pull the Mask off the old Lone Ranger and you dont mess around with Jim........yada, yada, yada.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
87 Nettiquette 101
WELL, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT WHEN I TALK TO YOU LIKE THIS? DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE? DOES IT MAKE YOU WONDER IF I'M BEING HELD HOSTAGE OR MY TESTICLES ARE CAUGHT IN A VISE? Yes, I know, TMI. I know a lot of people arent sure about how to write on the net and no, everyone doesnt have to be the same. You have to admit though, when someone posts in all caps, it is a little irritating. Frustration, sorrow, anger, joy, all these can be expressed by writing a few words or a sentence in all caps, but for the love of God, dont tell us your entire day's history in 12 sentences, all in caps. We appreciate that you TOOK YOUR GARBAGE OUT, DID DISHES, PUT LITTLE BILLY ON THE BUS, WENT GROCERY SHOPPING, GAVE THE GOLDFISH A FLEA-DIP AND PAINTED YOUR BATHROOM, TOILET AND ALL, BUT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, QUIT YELLING IT.
When you put something in all caps, it is generally accepted that it is being stressed, nay, shouted in frustration, anger or joy. When you use the caps all the time, it loses something and becomes quite irritating. We all appreciate your emotion, whatever it may be, but trust me, most of us on the 'book dont want you to shout continually for 420 characters. Let me stress this again(and illustrate it): DONT USE CAPS ALL THE TIME!!! BE SPARING, USE THEM ONLY FOR EXTREME EMOTION OR TO STRESS ONE OR TWO PARTICULAR WORDS. Thank you, your compliance would be greatly appreciated. I said: YOUR COMPLIANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!
Now, I have also been noticing that many of you will post, rather should I say, repost stuff without checking the source. I have been guilty of this myself. Recently, Facebook put a rumor out just to see how many people would repost it without stopping to question why. Facebook friend Sharon recommended using Snopes.com to check your facts and you could probably google something if it sounds a little fishy or far-fetched. Seriously, it's the same as those news rags that see Brad Pitt walking into a club or something in the vicinity of a good looking woman and they start screaming that his marriage is over. It's not like the net is a treasure-trove of facts. We all should realize that anything you see on here should be taken with a grain of salt.
Look at my rants: mostly my opinion, salted with info I pick up through various media sources, friends and family. I know enough not to repost a blurb about little Sally being kidnapped and we should repost this as much as possible. Little Sally may HAVE been kidnapped, but if I dont see it on a "reliable" news source, I dont think I'm going to repost it.
I cant really think of all the specific ones, but lately we've been seeing a lot of weather-related posts. Although close, none usually are the same, but wait: weather men are usually wrong anyway, right? There's also the "oh-shit" factor. I dont really WANT to hear about the weather right now. I've had enough weather for the rest of the year. I've had enough of my kids being tired of being home and frankly, I've had enough of them being here period. Yes, I love them, no, I dont want them around me 24-7. So stop re-posting those damned school closings. P-county people: the school calls us all, dont remind us that we will have another and another and another day at home trying to entertain the young-uns.
So, some of us are tired of weather, some of us are tired of having kids up our rear-ends, some of us are tired of shovelling, some of us are just tired. So when you post and repost stuff, especially things that may or may not be true, it makes some of us WANT TO USE CAPS ALL THE TIME. WE'RE TIRED OF BEING TIRED. WE WANT A BREAK IN THE WEATHER. WE WANT A BREAK PERIOD.
I know, I know: this has been a rambling rant, raving about remedial writing and reposting, but it does add to the misery. People are jumping at each other anyway, we dont need MORE reasons.
I have to get off here a little early today, I still have quite a bit of snow to shovel so we can MAYBE get mail today. Oh and feel free to remind me if I repost too much. Or use caps too much. I have big shoulders, I can take it. CAN YOU?
When you put something in all caps, it is generally accepted that it is being stressed, nay, shouted in frustration, anger or joy. When you use the caps all the time, it loses something and becomes quite irritating. We all appreciate your emotion, whatever it may be, but trust me, most of us on the 'book dont want you to shout continually for 420 characters. Let me stress this again(and illustrate it): DONT USE CAPS ALL THE TIME!!! BE SPARING, USE THEM ONLY FOR EXTREME EMOTION OR TO STRESS ONE OR TWO PARTICULAR WORDS. Thank you, your compliance would be greatly appreciated. I said: YOUR COMPLIANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!
Now, I have also been noticing that many of you will post, rather should I say, repost stuff without checking the source. I have been guilty of this myself. Recently, Facebook put a rumor out just to see how many people would repost it without stopping to question why. Facebook friend Sharon recommended using Snopes.com to check your facts and you could probably google something if it sounds a little fishy or far-fetched. Seriously, it's the same as those news rags that see Brad Pitt walking into a club or something in the vicinity of a good looking woman and they start screaming that his marriage is over. It's not like the net is a treasure-trove of facts. We all should realize that anything you see on here should be taken with a grain of salt.
Look at my rants: mostly my opinion, salted with info I pick up through various media sources, friends and family. I know enough not to repost a blurb about little Sally being kidnapped and we should repost this as much as possible. Little Sally may HAVE been kidnapped, but if I dont see it on a "reliable" news source, I dont think I'm going to repost it.
I cant really think of all the specific ones, but lately we've been seeing a lot of weather-related posts. Although close, none usually are the same, but wait: weather men are usually wrong anyway, right? There's also the "oh-shit" factor. I dont really WANT to hear about the weather right now. I've had enough weather for the rest of the year. I've had enough of my kids being tired of being home and frankly, I've had enough of them being here period. Yes, I love them, no, I dont want them around me 24-7. So stop re-posting those damned school closings. P-county people: the school calls us all, dont remind us that we will have another and another and another day at home trying to entertain the young-uns.
So, some of us are tired of weather, some of us are tired of having kids up our rear-ends, some of us are tired of shovelling, some of us are just tired. So when you post and repost stuff, especially things that may or may not be true, it makes some of us WANT TO USE CAPS ALL THE TIME. WE'RE TIRED OF BEING TIRED. WE WANT A BREAK IN THE WEATHER. WE WANT A BREAK PERIOD.
I know, I know: this has been a rambling rant, raving about remedial writing and reposting, but it does add to the misery. People are jumping at each other anyway, we dont need MORE reasons.
I have to get off here a little early today, I still have quite a bit of snow to shovel so we can MAYBE get mail today. Oh and feel free to remind me if I repost too much. Or use caps too much. I have big shoulders, I can take it. CAN YOU?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
86 White Out
As I walked in the door, I was informed that school has been cancelled for P-county tomorrow. They, the mysterious they that we have bitched about so much this winter, have had the decency to cancel well in advance this time. Normally we have gotten last minute notices, cancellations on do-able days, school on horrid days or "they" send them to school and then send them home after lunch so they can count it as an instructional day. Whew. Now that I'm off my band wagon, let's get to the weather.
I asked about the snow I knew was supposed to be coming and if you ask three different people or watch three different channels, you'll get six different answers. The general consensus is we will get anywhere from six inches to seventeen feet of snow between now and saturday. It may or may not pass us with the bulk, but we will soon feel the wrath of the bastard son of "snowmageddon" that just passed us, dumping 3 feet of misery on PC and wreaking havoc on the East. So, as it looks, we will be enjoying our children's company for the rest of the week. Maybe until May.
This all brings me full circle, to the problem at hand: people that I have raved about time and again. People that have lived in PC for all or most of their lives. Honestly, if you've lived here even a few years, you should be used to the exteme weather we get. You native sons and daughters know: 2 inches in Morgantown means 6 or 8 in Kingwood and 10 or 12 in Terra Alta. If you drive and you have to drive THROUGH here on a regular basis, you should know what it's like here when the precipitation gods get pissed at us. Snow here is an animal. It lives, breathes and is unmerciful in its pursuit of the prey it desires. It hungers for domination and destruction while it yearns to stay free, moving about without thought for the other denizens of the land.
Those of us with a modicum of common sense know to drive slower if there's snow and/or ice on the road. Slow, but not too slow. Too slow, I am convinced, also causes problems. Little old men and ladies that are too lethargic or advanced in years, should not be on the roads in times of emergency.(snow). Call someone to take you to your appointments. If your body has atrophied to the point that you can no longer see over the steering wheel or you are statutorially deficient(short), maybe you should ask your relatives or neighbors for a little assistance. Screw pride, you are eventually going to cause an accident. We appreciate your age and the contributions that you have hopefully made to society over your vast lifetime, but we respectfully ask you to STAY THE HELL OFF THE ROADS! We're tired of following you.
Those of you that are too stupid to realize there's a difference between slick roads and dry pavement, you should probably be retested for your driver's license as well as your mental abililty. I think you're the worst. You drive your 43,000 dollar, 4 door, 4 wheel drive, long bed truck with the Calvin-pissing-on-the-other-brand sticker in the window at speeds that would make a Nascar nut proud. You frequently have to call someone on your cell phone, but its okay because the law doesnt apply to you. You have a truck/suv and your call is more important than the rest of us. You're too cool to have to obey stupid things like traffic laws, especially at the times that they're needed the most. I would like to say that you and the suv driving soccer moms that feel they are invincible in their vehicle and cant be bothered by other, stupid drivers trying to get home or to work safely, should be dragged out of your fancy vehicle, have your cell phone that you cant stay off of long enough to drive- shoved up your rear-end and be beaten until motionless with a baseball bat. There is no excuse for you people that feel traffic laws dont apply to you and road conditions are irrelevant.
I understand that when the roads are icy, it is very irritating to have to drive on them. It is tedious and is only compounded if you have to go any distance, not that short drives are much better. When people drive like they dont have any sense, it multiplies our frustration. How many times have you had a near-miss with some idiot careening around a turn or through an intersection? Makes you furious doesnt it?
I will offer no apologies: I usually hope for you to wreck unless I see you have a defenseless passenger. Teenagers are often just as guilty. I have seen them (usually a boy) in parking lots, doing doughnuts and spinning tires. I have no problem with this if it's an empty parking lot, as I've done it myself many times. The difference, I feel, is that I had enough sense NOT to do it when there were other people around that could be hurt. Again, I would really like to drag you out of your vehicle and smash your stupid head in with a brick or other such dent-causing object. I understand the need to have a little fun and let off some steam, but someone along the way should have taught your ignorant ass when to have fun and when to be responsible. You want to see retribution? Hit me and/or my family while you're acting stupid. Kathy Bates in Misery? Not even close.
I liked abandoned parking lots and back roads when I was learning to drive. Get a clue, save a life. It could be yours if you act stupid and I get ahold of you. You adults that are above the rest of us: If it wasnt for your wife/kids/husband, I would like to see if you can float with the ice that is floating down Cheat river.
As long as I live in this God-forsaken, yet beautiful country, I will never understand why people are either oblivious to the dangers that go with the beauty of this place, or just dont care. Some of you I think, didnt have enough brains to pay attention to whatever upbringing your parents tried to pass on to you, some of you are just too damned dumb. Maybe we should ALL have random testing, just to remind us of what we're SUPPOSED to be doing. If we had a bigger police presence in the county, maybe they could respond quicker to reports of erratic drivers. I do realize PC has a lot of roads. None of this makes it any less irritating for those of us just trying to get from point A to point B.
Just as an added incentive, maybe they should pass a law allowing us to ram erratic drivers off the road when they're obviously endangering others. I say " sacrifice a couple vehicles to save a thousand". It works for armies, why not drivers? It IS almost a contact sport or roving battle. Just remember that if you see me, there might be a ball bat and length of logging chain behind the seat, and there might not. Is that cell call really worth all that? Is your trip really that much more important than the rest of us? Hmm. Oh, before I go: Those of you that feel it is an absolute necessity to go to the bar when there is a state of emergency or even just icy roads, you're lucky. Facebook Friend and police officer Root says there's no law allowing them to shut down bars due to weather conditions. I think such a law would make sense , but then, how many of you ever get pulled over after you've had your drinks anyway? Maybe the icy, slick roads will just cancel out your drunk driving.
My frustration is apparent, yes. It's too bad that it's illegal to dole out retribution for idiots being idiots. Of course, that would open the door for lesser offenses like pudgy red-heads writing insane rants on everyday subjects, right?....
I asked about the snow I knew was supposed to be coming and if you ask three different people or watch three different channels, you'll get six different answers. The general consensus is we will get anywhere from six inches to seventeen feet of snow between now and saturday. It may or may not pass us with the bulk, but we will soon feel the wrath of the bastard son of "snowmageddon" that just passed us, dumping 3 feet of misery on PC and wreaking havoc on the East. So, as it looks, we will be enjoying our children's company for the rest of the week. Maybe until May.
This all brings me full circle, to the problem at hand: people that I have raved about time and again. People that have lived in PC for all or most of their lives. Honestly, if you've lived here even a few years, you should be used to the exteme weather we get. You native sons and daughters know: 2 inches in Morgantown means 6 or 8 in Kingwood and 10 or 12 in Terra Alta. If you drive and you have to drive THROUGH here on a regular basis, you should know what it's like here when the precipitation gods get pissed at us. Snow here is an animal. It lives, breathes and is unmerciful in its pursuit of the prey it desires. It hungers for domination and destruction while it yearns to stay free, moving about without thought for the other denizens of the land.
Those of us with a modicum of common sense know to drive slower if there's snow and/or ice on the road. Slow, but not too slow. Too slow, I am convinced, also causes problems. Little old men and ladies that are too lethargic or advanced in years, should not be on the roads in times of emergency.(snow). Call someone to take you to your appointments. If your body has atrophied to the point that you can no longer see over the steering wheel or you are statutorially deficient(short), maybe you should ask your relatives or neighbors for a little assistance. Screw pride, you are eventually going to cause an accident. We appreciate your age and the contributions that you have hopefully made to society over your vast lifetime, but we respectfully ask you to STAY THE HELL OFF THE ROADS! We're tired of following you.
Those of you that are too stupid to realize there's a difference between slick roads and dry pavement, you should probably be retested for your driver's license as well as your mental abililty. I think you're the worst. You drive your 43,000 dollar, 4 door, 4 wheel drive, long bed truck with the Calvin-pissing-on-the-other-brand sticker in the window at speeds that would make a Nascar nut proud. You frequently have to call someone on your cell phone, but its okay because the law doesnt apply to you. You have a truck/suv and your call is more important than the rest of us. You're too cool to have to obey stupid things like traffic laws, especially at the times that they're needed the most. I would like to say that you and the suv driving soccer moms that feel they are invincible in their vehicle and cant be bothered by other, stupid drivers trying to get home or to work safely, should be dragged out of your fancy vehicle, have your cell phone that you cant stay off of long enough to drive- shoved up your rear-end and be beaten until motionless with a baseball bat. There is no excuse for you people that feel traffic laws dont apply to you and road conditions are irrelevant.
I understand that when the roads are icy, it is very irritating to have to drive on them. It is tedious and is only compounded if you have to go any distance, not that short drives are much better. When people drive like they dont have any sense, it multiplies our frustration. How many times have you had a near-miss with some idiot careening around a turn or through an intersection? Makes you furious doesnt it?
I will offer no apologies: I usually hope for you to wreck unless I see you have a defenseless passenger. Teenagers are often just as guilty. I have seen them (usually a boy) in parking lots, doing doughnuts and spinning tires. I have no problem with this if it's an empty parking lot, as I've done it myself many times. The difference, I feel, is that I had enough sense NOT to do it when there were other people around that could be hurt. Again, I would really like to drag you out of your vehicle and smash your stupid head in with a brick or other such dent-causing object. I understand the need to have a little fun and let off some steam, but someone along the way should have taught your ignorant ass when to have fun and when to be responsible. You want to see retribution? Hit me and/or my family while you're acting stupid. Kathy Bates in Misery? Not even close.
I liked abandoned parking lots and back roads when I was learning to drive. Get a clue, save a life. It could be yours if you act stupid and I get ahold of you. You adults that are above the rest of us: If it wasnt for your wife/kids/husband, I would like to see if you can float with the ice that is floating down Cheat river.
As long as I live in this God-forsaken, yet beautiful country, I will never understand why people are either oblivious to the dangers that go with the beauty of this place, or just dont care. Some of you I think, didnt have enough brains to pay attention to whatever upbringing your parents tried to pass on to you, some of you are just too damned dumb. Maybe we should ALL have random testing, just to remind us of what we're SUPPOSED to be doing. If we had a bigger police presence in the county, maybe they could respond quicker to reports of erratic drivers. I do realize PC has a lot of roads. None of this makes it any less irritating for those of us just trying to get from point A to point B.
Just as an added incentive, maybe they should pass a law allowing us to ram erratic drivers off the road when they're obviously endangering others. I say " sacrifice a couple vehicles to save a thousand". It works for armies, why not drivers? It IS almost a contact sport or roving battle. Just remember that if you see me, there might be a ball bat and length of logging chain behind the seat, and there might not. Is that cell call really worth all that? Is your trip really that much more important than the rest of us? Hmm. Oh, before I go: Those of you that feel it is an absolute necessity to go to the bar when there is a state of emergency or even just icy roads, you're lucky. Facebook Friend and police officer Root says there's no law allowing them to shut down bars due to weather conditions. I think such a law would make sense , but then, how many of you ever get pulled over after you've had your drinks anyway? Maybe the icy, slick roads will just cancel out your drunk driving.
My frustration is apparent, yes. It's too bad that it's illegal to dole out retribution for idiots being idiots. Of course, that would open the door for lesser offenses like pudgy red-heads writing insane rants on everyday subjects, right?....
Saturday, February 6, 2010
85 Snow Job
I sat here this morning, debating on what to do inside. Roz brought up the point that if we didnt shovel the foot and a half or so of snow that was already there, we'd have ANOTHER foot or so to shovel later on top of it. We suited up, went out, well, shoveled our way out the door(that almost wouldnt open) and spent 2 hours shoveling cars out and along the road. The city guys have no time for mercy, when they eventually get around to plowing, if we havent shoveled the "wedge" around the driveway, they WILL plow it shut.
The kids followed us out and we all took turns shovelling. We spent about equal amounts of time jumping in the snowdrifts and throwing snowballs as we did cleaning the driveway and the mailbox. I know, the mail probably wont run til next week, but it made me feel better. Anyway, since the kids are well on their way to being "grown up", it was really a special way to spend the morning. Many of you with older kids will appreciate and attest to this. This was one of the rare occasions that they actually wanted to spend time with the "old people". When they're little, they watch you with wide eyes and usually dote on everything you say and do. When they open the hormone valve, they usually spend as much time as possible avoiding contact with their embarrassments, I mean, parents.
So, today will go down in the Book of Scott as one of the better ones. We didnt spend any money and we had fun, nobody argued about girlfriends, homework or housework and I came in the house warmer than when I went out.
Love is a much abused word. You say it a lot with someone special, you say it a lot when your kids are little(they dont usually want to hear it when they hit puberty, at least boys dont) and you use it around your older relatives because, frankly, you know they're not going to be around forever.
Love is what you feel on days like today, even though(with the BOYS at least) I didnt need to say it. If you raised them right, they'll know it regardless, right? Women are bred with an insatiable need to hear it. From birth there is an incessant yearning in their bodies to want to hear those 3 harmless/harmful little words. Mothers, much as Roz, need to hear it from their kids at every opportunity and wives(most of you that I"VE seen) need to hear it every other sentence out of the husbands cake-hole. Not saying it like it is punctuation at the end of a sentence, to most of you, constitutes us not loving you anymore. I'm not sure why it has to be such a frequently used word. Possibly because you think if we're not constantly saying it, we MUST be saying it to someone else. Possibly because it's just part of the mothering instinct that you all have. You know, the "nesting" thing? Snug as a bug, safe and warm, raising a litter and feeling secure?
You do have the other part of the equation: people, generally jerk-weed guys, that will say "I love you" to a girl just to get what they want. Some people will say it just to placate you, some will say it because they dont really know what it means and they use it like we say "Have a nice day".
I would like to say, on behalf of most other husbands, if we dont say it often or (some of us) at all, it does NOT mean that we dont care about you. Guys generally get frustrated saying it all the time, they dont need constant reassurance that things havent changed. We are not ALL like rutting dogs, we do have the ability to maintain faithfulness, caring and love without verbal reassurance every five minutes and before and after leaving the house/area around you. If we're still with you and the kids, paying bills, maintaining things and not running around partying without you, then chances are we still love you and in the immediate future, we are not planning on leaving.
Your kids, particularly boys but not limited to, do not usually want to tell their Moms, let alone their Dads, that they love them. I know my soon-to-be-18 year old cares about us, though he gets frustrated with us so often. They want their own lives, their own rules by this time and the last thing they want is to acknowledge that we're still there. After all, they had to put up with us for almost 2 decades.
So, if you dont have any suspicions of your mate cheating or just not loving you anymore, try not to bug them too much. I know that most hated of all manufactured holidays is coming up, but dont put too much into it if he doesnt run out and buy you chocolates, jewelry, flowers, a new cadillac, a maid and a card. The damned cards are just tooooooo sappy. Dont make us pick those stupid, empty sentiments out. 750,000 women all over the country will get that exact same card and swoon, thinking "Oh my god, he still loves me, just look at that sentiment! It's all about me and him and how we still connect!" Seriously, if you have to have the card after we buy you all that other crap, there's something wrong with the relationship anyway.
This rant has started with a happy way to spend a day as a family and now it has degenerated to the point that I almost started another rant about idiotic manufactured holidays and now it's almost about spotting relationship problems. WHEW. I know, it's all connected, but I wanted to kinda touch on the whole--why we're-saying-I-love-you, not-saying-I-love-you thing.
For the record, Roz will NOT be receiving a new cadillac or a maid, although I will try to do more housework this week and next, and she will definitely NOT be getting more jewelery or candy. Flowers may be in the cards(pun intended) and of all things, I will NOT be buying a card. Wait, I cant lie. If she's reading this, I know I WILL be buying a card, so I suppose the greeting card industry wins this time. No empty sentiments just because of a holiday. She knows I still love her after 21 years, although I know she still wants to hear it. Every. Five. Minutes....
The kids followed us out and we all took turns shovelling. We spent about equal amounts of time jumping in the snowdrifts and throwing snowballs as we did cleaning the driveway and the mailbox. I know, the mail probably wont run til next week, but it made me feel better. Anyway, since the kids are well on their way to being "grown up", it was really a special way to spend the morning. Many of you with older kids will appreciate and attest to this. This was one of the rare occasions that they actually wanted to spend time with the "old people". When they're little, they watch you with wide eyes and usually dote on everything you say and do. When they open the hormone valve, they usually spend as much time as possible avoiding contact with their embarrassments, I mean, parents.
So, today will go down in the Book of Scott as one of the better ones. We didnt spend any money and we had fun, nobody argued about girlfriends, homework or housework and I came in the house warmer than when I went out.
Love is a much abused word. You say it a lot with someone special, you say it a lot when your kids are little(they dont usually want to hear it when they hit puberty, at least boys dont) and you use it around your older relatives because, frankly, you know they're not going to be around forever.
Love is what you feel on days like today, even though(with the BOYS at least) I didnt need to say it. If you raised them right, they'll know it regardless, right? Women are bred with an insatiable need to hear it. From birth there is an incessant yearning in their bodies to want to hear those 3 harmless/harmful little words. Mothers, much as Roz, need to hear it from their kids at every opportunity and wives(most of you that I"VE seen) need to hear it every other sentence out of the husbands cake-hole. Not saying it like it is punctuation at the end of a sentence, to most of you, constitutes us not loving you anymore. I'm not sure why it has to be such a frequently used word. Possibly because you think if we're not constantly saying it, we MUST be saying it to someone else. Possibly because it's just part of the mothering instinct that you all have. You know, the "nesting" thing? Snug as a bug, safe and warm, raising a litter and feeling secure?
You do have the other part of the equation: people, generally jerk-weed guys, that will say "I love you" to a girl just to get what they want. Some people will say it just to placate you, some will say it because they dont really know what it means and they use it like we say "Have a nice day".
I would like to say, on behalf of most other husbands, if we dont say it often or (some of us) at all, it does NOT mean that we dont care about you. Guys generally get frustrated saying it all the time, they dont need constant reassurance that things havent changed. We are not ALL like rutting dogs, we do have the ability to maintain faithfulness, caring and love without verbal reassurance every five minutes and before and after leaving the house/area around you. If we're still with you and the kids, paying bills, maintaining things and not running around partying without you, then chances are we still love you and in the immediate future, we are not planning on leaving.
Your kids, particularly boys but not limited to, do not usually want to tell their Moms, let alone their Dads, that they love them. I know my soon-to-be-18 year old cares about us, though he gets frustrated with us so often. They want their own lives, their own rules by this time and the last thing they want is to acknowledge that we're still there. After all, they had to put up with us for almost 2 decades.
So, if you dont have any suspicions of your mate cheating or just not loving you anymore, try not to bug them too much. I know that most hated of all manufactured holidays is coming up, but dont put too much into it if he doesnt run out and buy you chocolates, jewelry, flowers, a new cadillac, a maid and a card. The damned cards are just tooooooo sappy. Dont make us pick those stupid, empty sentiments out. 750,000 women all over the country will get that exact same card and swoon, thinking "Oh my god, he still loves me, just look at that sentiment! It's all about me and him and how we still connect!" Seriously, if you have to have the card after we buy you all that other crap, there's something wrong with the relationship anyway.
This rant has started with a happy way to spend a day as a family and now it has degenerated to the point that I almost started another rant about idiotic manufactured holidays and now it's almost about spotting relationship problems. WHEW. I know, it's all connected, but I wanted to kinda touch on the whole--why we're-saying-I-love-you, not-saying-I-love-you thing.
For the record, Roz will NOT be receiving a new cadillac or a maid, although I will try to do more housework this week and next, and she will definitely NOT be getting more jewelery or candy. Flowers may be in the cards(pun intended) and of all things, I will NOT be buying a card. Wait, I cant lie. If she's reading this, I know I WILL be buying a card, so I suppose the greeting card industry wins this time. No empty sentiments just because of a holiday. She knows I still love her after 21 years, although I know she still wants to hear it. Every. Five. Minutes....
Friday, February 5, 2010
84 How Appropriate (If I were Orwell)
Many of you wanted to hear about the idiocracy that is our local government, particularly the Board of Ed. I think I have something that may interest you almost as much.
Last night on my media staple of late night talk radio, I heard a very prominent Phd that used to work for the government, speaking of how the government uses various ways to monitor and control us. I know, I know, another conspiracy nut. This gentleman worked on the Apollo missions and developed technology for various other government agencies such as the CIA. He worked in electronics most of his life and has various degrees from prominent schools.
First, he began talking about spy satellites, like we all dont know about them or havent heard about them, right? The technology has become so sophisticated (as per the good DR.) that they can pick up an individual's thought signals, much the same as an EEG works. The premise was that they can fix your personal pattern in a crowd and then narrow it down until they can physically fix your position, i.e.- get a visual. I can believe this in a way. The big brother stuff fascinates me, so I suppose I'm a bit jaded. We already know that high resolution cameras placed in orbit can literally read a license plate on a car or they can pull a signal from a handheld device and transfer it quite clearly anywhere in the world.
Next, he spoke of implants. No, not the good kind. No double DD's here. He was somewhat involved with the companies that are co-owned by Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. One of those companies developed the popular flu drug- Tamiflu. He claims that they now have nano-technology that has enabled grain-sized tracking devices that have been injected through flu shots, specifically Tamiflu. The first generation devices were more wire-like or pill-like and were injected through other means, namely, kidnapping, drugging and subcutaneous placement of a device. He also claimed that some of the research companies had funding for brothels, through which they carried out the kidnappings. They would sell drugs, namely LSD derivitives and then monitor the results through the tracking devices. Devices were generally placed in the neck, arms, legs or back. I have stated in a previous rant that I refuse to have a flu shot and I havent let my family take them, unless they felt they needed to. (they havent). Not because of this, but I just dont trust the government all that much. Many things have gone on that we all know are kept secret. People are generally denounced as "KOOKS" when they try to raise awareness of an event or events, so there is little credibility about government cover-ups and conspircacies.
I'll give you a useful one- Aspartame. One of his side-degrees happens to be related to the drug-field. He has recommended many people to lay off the sweetener as well as plain old sugar. You'll never hear it from a drug company, but aspartame consumed on a regular basis can cause depression and most often, does. He noticed a lot of people that were "dieting" regularly, eating things laced with this sweetener, labeled "diet", were having bouts of depression. He began experimenting and when someone got away from it, they got better. (my disclaimer: I know not all depression is caused by this, you have to use your head) He claims there are many additives that are used through manipulation down through the government-to companies chain, that cause various mood altering bouts or allow for a subtle control of things.
People go to DR.s and get prescribed medication for various physical and emotional/mental ailments. Guess who benefits? He noted that many Dr.s have commented that when they tried to prescribe less meds , they would be contacted by the drug companies and be demanded to push their various pills. I have always thought that many ailments, even moderate ones, could be controlled or reversed through other means: diet, excercise and sometimes, herbal/homeopathic means, or a combination. I have personally seen people throw away meds and control their ailment through such means. I'm sure most of you could agree that just like big oil, big pharma controls the medical industry. Push those pills boys~!
He also mentioned what would amount to hand-held devices that would influence certain thought processes, effectively causing the victim to behave in a certain way. If you watch discovery/history t.v., you may have seen the sonic "guns" that induce vomiting and will stop a charging rapist in his tracks. It would be somewhat similar to this, point and shoot, victim goes ape-doo doo.
I'd like to get back to the sugar thing: most parents know enough to keep their little ones' sugar intake at a minimum and you tend to have a lot less hyperactivity. Some choose to medicate their kids and some are just too lazy to care, so they do nothing except scream more at their kids. A few weeks ago, I cut out sweet tea, 2 gallons a day for 4 people was getting ridiculous. Roz and I also cut out pop(no, I wont call it soda), the kids havent had pop since june 1998. We have felt a lot better, dont get as snippy and have noticed improvements in , shall we say- digestive issues. Most of you, if you would compare next time you go to the store, would notice that it is cheaper to eat junk food than it is to eat healthy. I wonder why? Why does your car still run on gas instead of ethanol? Not blended fuel, ethanol. South American countries have used straight ethanol for a while now and their fuel costs less than a dollar a gallon. Hmmmm... Sugared food is cheaper than healthy? HMmmmm...
If nothing else, the things I have mentioned above should at least get you thinking about taking more responsibility for yourselves. Put it this way: It's quicker, easier and cheaper to eat grease-laden(YES, another mood alterer), sugar laden, processed food than it is to make healthy meals EVERY meal. A lot of folks dont have time and/or money to grow/purchase healthy food all the time. Kids and adults alike develop ailments/mental/physical problems-A.D.D., obesity, sugar, heart trouble, migraines, what-have-you...and then they "need" medication for said ailments. Instead of changing their habits and their lives, they go get their pills and a bunch get their "check".
This whole mess kind of goes along with my rant about fiscal responsibility. It's basically the same- we want the fun stuff, the best stuff, the good stuff, but we want someone else to take the responsibility. It's easier for some folks to sit on their ass and take pills than it is to eat a little better, a little less and move around a little more. This is the biggest reason I related this story to you today. I know a lot of you and from what I've seen, most of you do your best to avoid these things. Take the so-called "diet" crap though. How many of you ladies insist that "diet" this-or-that is better for you because it doesnt have the sugar? You tell yourself that it's better than getting fat drinking regular Dr. Pepper( my biggest weakness, by the way), well, I'm here to say that for years, I've said the "diet" stuff was worse for you. The good Dr. last night just gave me another, more definitive reason to protest it.
I wont bore you too much more, suffice it to say that you make your own choices. If you (and I KNOW the majority of you think it) want to lose that "X" number of pounds, consider the info I've given you today. If you dont mind being on the grid, which we all are, then keep using your credit/debit card, cell phone, facebook account. :) If you have some health problem that you even suspect is diet/lifestyle related, by all means, dont work on it, keep taking pills. I really would love to see us take back America, folks. I want us to learn to live without all this "extra" crap they keep shoving at us. The choice is yours, the truth is out there, make the most of your life by doing what you believe is right.
Now, if I can manage to stay out of the brothels and not take LSD, my tinfoil hat should keep those bastards from reading my thoughts as I write tomorrow's blog.
Last night on my media staple of late night talk radio, I heard a very prominent Phd that used to work for the government, speaking of how the government uses various ways to monitor and control us. I know, I know, another conspiracy nut. This gentleman worked on the Apollo missions and developed technology for various other government agencies such as the CIA. He worked in electronics most of his life and has various degrees from prominent schools.
First, he began talking about spy satellites, like we all dont know about them or havent heard about them, right? The technology has become so sophisticated (as per the good DR.) that they can pick up an individual's thought signals, much the same as an EEG works. The premise was that they can fix your personal pattern in a crowd and then narrow it down until they can physically fix your position, i.e.- get a visual. I can believe this in a way. The big brother stuff fascinates me, so I suppose I'm a bit jaded. We already know that high resolution cameras placed in orbit can literally read a license plate on a car or they can pull a signal from a handheld device and transfer it quite clearly anywhere in the world.
Next, he spoke of implants. No, not the good kind. No double DD's here. He was somewhat involved with the companies that are co-owned by Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. One of those companies developed the popular flu drug- Tamiflu. He claims that they now have nano-technology that has enabled grain-sized tracking devices that have been injected through flu shots, specifically Tamiflu. The first generation devices were more wire-like or pill-like and were injected through other means, namely, kidnapping, drugging and subcutaneous placement of a device. He also claimed that some of the research companies had funding for brothels, through which they carried out the kidnappings. They would sell drugs, namely LSD derivitives and then monitor the results through the tracking devices. Devices were generally placed in the neck, arms, legs or back. I have stated in a previous rant that I refuse to have a flu shot and I havent let my family take them, unless they felt they needed to. (they havent). Not because of this, but I just dont trust the government all that much. Many things have gone on that we all know are kept secret. People are generally denounced as "KOOKS" when they try to raise awareness of an event or events, so there is little credibility about government cover-ups and conspircacies.
I'll give you a useful one- Aspartame. One of his side-degrees happens to be related to the drug-field. He has recommended many people to lay off the sweetener as well as plain old sugar. You'll never hear it from a drug company, but aspartame consumed on a regular basis can cause depression and most often, does. He noticed a lot of people that were "dieting" regularly, eating things laced with this sweetener, labeled "diet", were having bouts of depression. He began experimenting and when someone got away from it, they got better. (my disclaimer: I know not all depression is caused by this, you have to use your head) He claims there are many additives that are used through manipulation down through the government-to companies chain, that cause various mood altering bouts or allow for a subtle control of things.
People go to DR.s and get prescribed medication for various physical and emotional/mental ailments. Guess who benefits? He noted that many Dr.s have commented that when they tried to prescribe less meds , they would be contacted by the drug companies and be demanded to push their various pills. I have always thought that many ailments, even moderate ones, could be controlled or reversed through other means: diet, excercise and sometimes, herbal/homeopathic means, or a combination. I have personally seen people throw away meds and control their ailment through such means. I'm sure most of you could agree that just like big oil, big pharma controls the medical industry. Push those pills boys~!
He also mentioned what would amount to hand-held devices that would influence certain thought processes, effectively causing the victim to behave in a certain way. If you watch discovery/history t.v., you may have seen the sonic "guns" that induce vomiting and will stop a charging rapist in his tracks. It would be somewhat similar to this, point and shoot, victim goes ape-doo doo.
I'd like to get back to the sugar thing: most parents know enough to keep their little ones' sugar intake at a minimum and you tend to have a lot less hyperactivity. Some choose to medicate their kids and some are just too lazy to care, so they do nothing except scream more at their kids. A few weeks ago, I cut out sweet tea, 2 gallons a day for 4 people was getting ridiculous. Roz and I also cut out pop(no, I wont call it soda), the kids havent had pop since june 1998. We have felt a lot better, dont get as snippy and have noticed improvements in , shall we say- digestive issues. Most of you, if you would compare next time you go to the store, would notice that it is cheaper to eat junk food than it is to eat healthy. I wonder why? Why does your car still run on gas instead of ethanol? Not blended fuel, ethanol. South American countries have used straight ethanol for a while now and their fuel costs less than a dollar a gallon. Hmmmm... Sugared food is cheaper than healthy? HMmmmm...
If nothing else, the things I have mentioned above should at least get you thinking about taking more responsibility for yourselves. Put it this way: It's quicker, easier and cheaper to eat grease-laden(YES, another mood alterer), sugar laden, processed food than it is to make healthy meals EVERY meal. A lot of folks dont have time and/or money to grow/purchase healthy food all the time. Kids and adults alike develop ailments/mental/physical problems-A.D.D., obesity, sugar, heart trouble, migraines, what-have-you...and then they "need" medication for said ailments. Instead of changing their habits and their lives, they go get their pills and a bunch get their "check".
This whole mess kind of goes along with my rant about fiscal responsibility. It's basically the same- we want the fun stuff, the best stuff, the good stuff, but we want someone else to take the responsibility. It's easier for some folks to sit on their ass and take pills than it is to eat a little better, a little less and move around a little more. This is the biggest reason I related this story to you today. I know a lot of you and from what I've seen, most of you do your best to avoid these things. Take the so-called "diet" crap though. How many of you ladies insist that "diet" this-or-that is better for you because it doesnt have the sugar? You tell yourself that it's better than getting fat drinking regular Dr. Pepper( my biggest weakness, by the way), well, I'm here to say that for years, I've said the "diet" stuff was worse for you. The good Dr. last night just gave me another, more definitive reason to protest it.
I wont bore you too much more, suffice it to say that you make your own choices. If you (and I KNOW the majority of you think it) want to lose that "X" number of pounds, consider the info I've given you today. If you dont mind being on the grid, which we all are, then keep using your credit/debit card, cell phone, facebook account. :) If you have some health problem that you even suspect is diet/lifestyle related, by all means, dont work on it, keep taking pills. I really would love to see us take back America, folks. I want us to learn to live without all this "extra" crap they keep shoving at us. The choice is yours, the truth is out there, make the most of your life by doing what you believe is right.
Now, if I can manage to stay out of the brothels and not take LSD, my tinfoil hat should keep those bastards from reading my thoughts as I write tomorrow's blog.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
83 You Hear that You Pogue?
As a young rocker, hell bent on pizza, women, music and pizza, I loved listening to all things rock and roll. Remember that? Back when you could say: "That's rock and roll" or " That's pop music" or "That's country"? That doesnt happen any more. Those were the 3'd glory days of rock.
Way back when the Fathers of Rock started turning folk songs and blues into Rock and Roll and parents, pundits and preachers were denouncing their sins, a glorious thing was born. It lead to a movement of the youth culture, self discovery and a wonderous expansion of young minds during the 60'd and early 70's. That's when we had our first hiccup. Folk music begat soft rock and sex and drugs begat disco. Disco stifled rock for a while and thank the gods, disco is dead. The 80's lead us to Springsteen, Van Halen, Foreigner, Bob Seger, Tom Petty, Meatloaf and about a thousand Hair Bands. Yeah, I know, the older guys have roots in the 70's but that stupid disco movement kinda overshadowed it for a while.
The absolute Gods of Rock(besides Elvis or Little Richard WERE born out of the 60's and 70's movement: Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones-all were and are, inspiration for generations of bands. I know, Dewey, I left out countless lesser-known bands, but in the interest of space(and I had to give you something to comment about) I shortened the list.
The mid to late 80's gave rise to pop. Boy George, the Go-Gos, Prince and....well, The Symbol is a good place to stop there.
The greatest time for me was the metamorphosis that came about from about 1990 on. Grunge was born, rock was both mainstream and edgy again and metal transformed into something that made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Pearl Jam, Niravana, Chili Peppers and others have moved up and on and mother rock has birthed us the likes of Korn, Linkin Park, Staind and so many more. These have now given rise to a couple good mainstreamers: Cage the Elephant, Silversun Pickups and a few others that have gotten their own sound instead of copying somebody good.
For many years I asked myself: "Where is Lita Ford?" "Why can we not have another Rock Goddess like her or Joan Jett?" Enter the new centuries' answer: Evanescence. Little woman, big voice. She had a sound of her own, little Amy Lee. Not just another cookie-cutter pop-tart. Its seems like "mainstream" music has become a plague, a pestilence on the music industry. Most country, pop, and what passes for plain rock have all morphed into some techno beat, whiny, synthesized crap that Milli Vanilli wouldnt even be tempted to lip-synch. Well, if half of Milli wasnt six feet under. He probably still wouldnt do it.
It's all about the marketing, the image, the computer generated sound. How many of those mainstreamers play their own music? Right. You see real rock bands in videos, still playing their own instruments. How many pop tarts do you see playing anything except maybe in a pool or with their back up dancers. It amazes me how most of these kids play into it, but they do. I suppose every generation's parents have wondered how their kids listened to "that crap" but this feels different. Kids(and us) have instant, free access to any music that you want. I know. "I would never download illegally". Yeah, right. Keep telling us that. I have a pretty decent library of music that I never paid a penny for. Artists have seen a huge drop in the CD revenues due to music sharing and my guess is that's why they have to be packaged into something every teeny bopper wants to be and every creepy old guy like myself wants to...well, let's just say.."Dear Penthouse".
So, they over-produce everything, basterdize several different genres of music so they sound the same and market the hell out of something that is remotely catchy so they can still milk dollars out of us.
It's hard to lose sight of the great mainstream bands that DO exist amidst all of this market saturation of post-music channel glam. I say that because it's so hard to find a music channel that actually plays music. Teeny's, Tweeny's and Twenty-somethings are seemingly into this "reality show" bullcrap, it seems that's why they have glutted the market with shows. Personally, I never got into the crap. Real life is interesting enough for me, I dont need to see a bunch of 20 year olds that are self-centered and dont want to grow up. So, sometimes, in the middle of the night, I get to watch some videos. YouTube is good for that too. See? The internet stealing TV and the music industry's thunder. Same reason music sales are dying. Why buy a cd when you can burn a custom one at home for pennies?
We have great concert bands like GreenDay and like them or not, Nickelback and a host of others. Last year I took the family to a couple concerts as it had been about 20 years since the last one. I had forgotten how a good band performed on stage, without all the computerized crap. Oh, they still had light shows and giant screen coverage, but they PLAYED music and SANG. Dewey will back me up on this one: a lot of the modern, mainstream wanna-be's sound good on VH1 but suck on a stage, that is, unless they're lip synching. I was personally unimpressed with Hinder for example. They sounded flat and didnt have much of a stage presence.
So, here we are again. Waiting for the next great rock and roll revolution. Like I said, it's hard to remember what we have now when they media pushes packaged crap down our throats, so take a minute and search your soul. It's okay to like some kicky be-bop from Lady Gaga, but dont make me gag-gag: you know rock and roll gets your blood going. Ladies: a well toned, shaggy singer, belting out a tune in his black t-shirt and 5 o'clock shadow gets your juices flowing, I know this. Guys: the manly, thumping, grinding beat makes you feel like a rock god yourself for 3 and a half minutes. Dont lose hope, these cruddy, canned, painted mannequins usually pass as another rock movement grows. In some ways the music always comes full circle. It doesnt always sound the same, but the messages come back and the feeling you get from the SOUL of it is always found again. The words dont matter as much as that feeling of soul, of the roots of it.
I cant bring myself to mention rap, r and b and whatever they call it now, other than to say I just never could get into it. I have heard some catchy ones now and then and I have fallen prey to them, but thank goodness, it was short lived.
Music is in the human soul. It's probably as old as sentient thought itself. Whatever kind of music you like, it's still a part of all us. Some people are hardcore country, rap, rock, punk, jazz, r and b, soul, adult contemporary, mainstream or what have you. I just think you have to have some kind of music to complete yourself. How many people do you know that dont listen to music? Yeah, me neither. Even old folks listen to one of the crappy local stations we have here. Sorry facebook friend Kim, your Dad's format just isnt for me, that's all.
Now, as this is the first time I've covered this vast subject, I sit back and wait, because I know a certain orange-haired music nut that will be sure to leave feedback as soon as he's out of his class for today. For the record, I will NOT be illegally downloading music today, just listening to it. Rock on.
Way back when the Fathers of Rock started turning folk songs and blues into Rock and Roll and parents, pundits and preachers were denouncing their sins, a glorious thing was born. It lead to a movement of the youth culture, self discovery and a wonderous expansion of young minds during the 60'd and early 70's. That's when we had our first hiccup. Folk music begat soft rock and sex and drugs begat disco. Disco stifled rock for a while and thank the gods, disco is dead. The 80's lead us to Springsteen, Van Halen, Foreigner, Bob Seger, Tom Petty, Meatloaf and about a thousand Hair Bands. Yeah, I know, the older guys have roots in the 70's but that stupid disco movement kinda overshadowed it for a while.
The absolute Gods of Rock(besides Elvis or Little Richard WERE born out of the 60's and 70's movement: Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones-all were and are, inspiration for generations of bands. I know, Dewey, I left out countless lesser-known bands, but in the interest of space(and I had to give you something to comment about) I shortened the list.
The mid to late 80's gave rise to pop. Boy George, the Go-Gos, Prince and....well, The Symbol is a good place to stop there.
The greatest time for me was the metamorphosis that came about from about 1990 on. Grunge was born, rock was both mainstream and edgy again and metal transformed into something that made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Pearl Jam, Niravana, Chili Peppers and others have moved up and on and mother rock has birthed us the likes of Korn, Linkin Park, Staind and so many more. These have now given rise to a couple good mainstreamers: Cage the Elephant, Silversun Pickups and a few others that have gotten their own sound instead of copying somebody good.
For many years I asked myself: "Where is Lita Ford?" "Why can we not have another Rock Goddess like her or Joan Jett?" Enter the new centuries' answer: Evanescence. Little woman, big voice. She had a sound of her own, little Amy Lee. Not just another cookie-cutter pop-tart. Its seems like "mainstream" music has become a plague, a pestilence on the music industry. Most country, pop, and what passes for plain rock have all morphed into some techno beat, whiny, synthesized crap that Milli Vanilli wouldnt even be tempted to lip-synch. Well, if half of Milli wasnt six feet under. He probably still wouldnt do it.
It's all about the marketing, the image, the computer generated sound. How many of those mainstreamers play their own music? Right. You see real rock bands in videos, still playing their own instruments. How many pop tarts do you see playing anything except maybe in a pool or with their back up dancers. It amazes me how most of these kids play into it, but they do. I suppose every generation's parents have wondered how their kids listened to "that crap" but this feels different. Kids(and us) have instant, free access to any music that you want. I know. "I would never download illegally". Yeah, right. Keep telling us that. I have a pretty decent library of music that I never paid a penny for. Artists have seen a huge drop in the CD revenues due to music sharing and my guess is that's why they have to be packaged into something every teeny bopper wants to be and every creepy old guy like myself wants to...well, let's just say.."Dear Penthouse".
So, they over-produce everything, basterdize several different genres of music so they sound the same and market the hell out of something that is remotely catchy so they can still milk dollars out of us.
It's hard to lose sight of the great mainstream bands that DO exist amidst all of this market saturation of post-music channel glam. I say that because it's so hard to find a music channel that actually plays music. Teeny's, Tweeny's and Twenty-somethings are seemingly into this "reality show" bullcrap, it seems that's why they have glutted the market with shows. Personally, I never got into the crap. Real life is interesting enough for me, I dont need to see a bunch of 20 year olds that are self-centered and dont want to grow up. So, sometimes, in the middle of the night, I get to watch some videos. YouTube is good for that too. See? The internet stealing TV and the music industry's thunder. Same reason music sales are dying. Why buy a cd when you can burn a custom one at home for pennies?
We have great concert bands like GreenDay and like them or not, Nickelback and a host of others. Last year I took the family to a couple concerts as it had been about 20 years since the last one. I had forgotten how a good band performed on stage, without all the computerized crap. Oh, they still had light shows and giant screen coverage, but they PLAYED music and SANG. Dewey will back me up on this one: a lot of the modern, mainstream wanna-be's sound good on VH1 but suck on a stage, that is, unless they're lip synching. I was personally unimpressed with Hinder for example. They sounded flat and didnt have much of a stage presence.
So, here we are again. Waiting for the next great rock and roll revolution. Like I said, it's hard to remember what we have now when they media pushes packaged crap down our throats, so take a minute and search your soul. It's okay to like some kicky be-bop from Lady Gaga, but dont make me gag-gag: you know rock and roll gets your blood going. Ladies: a well toned, shaggy singer, belting out a tune in his black t-shirt and 5 o'clock shadow gets your juices flowing, I know this. Guys: the manly, thumping, grinding beat makes you feel like a rock god yourself for 3 and a half minutes. Dont lose hope, these cruddy, canned, painted mannequins usually pass as another rock movement grows. In some ways the music always comes full circle. It doesnt always sound the same, but the messages come back and the feeling you get from the SOUL of it is always found again. The words dont matter as much as that feeling of soul, of the roots of it.
I cant bring myself to mention rap, r and b and whatever they call it now, other than to say I just never could get into it. I have heard some catchy ones now and then and I have fallen prey to them, but thank goodness, it was short lived.
Music is in the human soul. It's probably as old as sentient thought itself. Whatever kind of music you like, it's still a part of all us. Some people are hardcore country, rap, rock, punk, jazz, r and b, soul, adult contemporary, mainstream or what have you. I just think you have to have some kind of music to complete yourself. How many people do you know that dont listen to music? Yeah, me neither. Even old folks listen to one of the crappy local stations we have here. Sorry facebook friend Kim, your Dad's format just isnt for me, that's all.
Now, as this is the first time I've covered this vast subject, I sit back and wait, because I know a certain orange-haired music nut that will be sure to leave feedback as soon as he's out of his class for today. For the record, I will NOT be illegally downloading music today, just listening to it. Rock on.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
82 Cheat Sheets
I would like to kill two birds with one stone. FB friend Jennifer mentioned how much she hated cheaters, as in married people cheating. That sounded like a good one. I also have become incensed about the AIG idiots and the gummint cheating us out of our hard earned money. So, if you're of a mind to, we'll talk a little about both today.
Jennifer was watching the show "Cheaters". I have never had the priveledge, but I can guess: they probably show trendy couples behaving badly, and not with each other. Big whoop. Reality is far worse, oh and trust me, those stupid shows are anything BUT reality. I have seen countless couples our age, fed up with one thing or another, call it quits but only after (gasp) flying in the face of convention and running to the arms of another. I must say that during a stressful time in our lives, I confided in someone, spilling my guts about all the stress we were under, only to be beguiled and bamboozled about my future. Nothing improper happened, but I still should have talked to Roz and not someone else. The problem I faced was the same as so many others: we had a source of stress in our lives and instead of dealing with it, I looked for an escape. I was fortunate. I feel I kept some semblance of morality throughout the experience. So many fail to even try. They look for escape through a physical relationship. It is so much easier to go to a bar, "hook up" with someone or worse, start a relationship with someone elses' partner. Roz and I had so much stress in our lives from various events, it seemed like the only way out was to get out. We still cared for one another and nothing was ever said to the contrary. Within a couple weeks, we laid everything out, talked about it and made decisions to correct the problems. One of our biggest was not focusing on us. We spent many years focused on everyone else, trying to help family and friends and rarely having any "us" time. It leads you down a path of much stress and loneliness, you forget why you are together and then everything is a problem, no matter how big or small.
We worked it out relatively easy because we knew we still cared for each other and we both knew we had gotten married for a reason. We also knew that we had kids that we WANTED, we PLANNED and we wanted to raise together. Many people we have known have had kids just to stay together and when they divorced, guess who suffered? Not the two selfish people that had to have an excuse to stay together to begin with or were too selfish to compromise, no, the kids almost always suffer. I tell you all this because I'm sure at one time or another, most of you have had stress in your marriage. Many of you have worked it out, some couldnt. Many times there IS one partner willing to work on it, but in the end it takes two. Everyone has stress in their lives, you just cant be selfish with your partner and you have to TALK. That and you cant be narrow-minded. If you cant do these simple things, you probably shouldnt have gotten married to begin with. Oh, and for the love of Pete, dont take to people-hopping unless you're single. I've seen too many of them do it. You wont get any real satisfaction out of it, only more heartbreak.
Now, my favorite kind of cheaters to hate: big business and big gummint. We all know about the idiots in office giving the idiots in "too big to fail" companies ungodly amounts of money for them to stay in business. AIG promptly paid their execs bonuses amounting to the budget of a small country. Now they are handing out more exorbitant bonuses. My question is "Why did the government not step in and say NO?" I remember them griping about it and saying they were going to make some top execs pay back a percentage of their bonuses, but it still went on. Who's to blame? Us for electing one idiot after another? Them for giving companies that cut their own throats money to stay afloat when they should have failed? The companies for having the audacity and the F*ck You attitude to pay exorbitant bonuses in a tanked economy that they created? Yes. All of the above.
What happened to the "You made your bed, now lie in it" mentality? When our small business failed(during the time gas rose to almost $4 a gallon, mind you) where the hell was my stimulus? Not to make this just about my business, it should have been about ALL small businesses. WE should have been the ones getting a hand from government, not some gargantuan company that manipulated tax laws and their books to prop themselves up until the toothpicks holding the battleship up started to break. Many small businesses shuttered their doors during that time because people couldnt afford to do much more than buy food, shelter and go to work. Hell, I didnt need billions, a paltry mil or two would have been great.
I could have paid my exec(Roz) a bonus equal to a hundred times her salary and then you could have been griping about me. Instead, we closed our doors and moved on. I have ranted several times on these behemoths that should be dead in the water. GM getting hundreds of billions so they can still claim they're "Like a Rock", AIG in its ragged Armani suits begging for a few hundred paltry billions, credit card companies that extended credit beyond the means of even Hugh Hefner getting money so they can keep issuing cards to college students who are mostly too dumb to know how to use them and the list goes on.
What to do, what to do? I know: lets take the money back, let the businesses that created the mess fail if they're going to and then LOAN the money to any small business that shows REAL and LASTING promise. Help them hire experienced workers first, from the large, failed companies. Look to existing small businesses that are strong and honest and see if they could use a boost. While we're at it, look at single parent families and lower income families not already taking assistance and see how they can be helped.
Where the Hell are checks and balances in this country? I have seen a few of the Senators and Congressmen that seem to have some sense and at least some semblance of a conscience. The problem is there just arent enough of them. Wouldnt it be something to at least have a feeling like Americans used to talk about having? What was it? Pride, Accomplishment, Righteous Might? Wouldnt it be wonderful not to have the sword of Damoclese dangling over our heads?
The world is changing and we must change with it. India is on track to become a major player economically, China will be if they can shake off the communist yoke(they already have the largest standing military) and if the EU ever gets their crap together they may well challenge the rest of the world in manufacturing. One of our biggest failings is buying vast amounts of inferior products from China and having it pushed down our throats because we wont work as cheap as they do.(yeah, I know,slave labor) Build American, buy American, employ American. Take care of your house first, then you can help others. That's what I learned from 21 years of marriage.
I am waiting for more people in "power" to raise their voices over this obvious waste of taxpayer money that's going on, but it doesnt look like enough of them will. I think maybe I should start another business and then immediately apply for stimulus money. How many of you would like to be executives at my company? I thought so. I believe there's a senator somewhere that could use a little "grease" to get the wheels turning. What the heck, if you cant beat 'em, join 'em , right?
Jennifer was watching the show "Cheaters". I have never had the priveledge, but I can guess: they probably show trendy couples behaving badly, and not with each other. Big whoop. Reality is far worse, oh and trust me, those stupid shows are anything BUT reality. I have seen countless couples our age, fed up with one thing or another, call it quits but only after (gasp) flying in the face of convention and running to the arms of another. I must say that during a stressful time in our lives, I confided in someone, spilling my guts about all the stress we were under, only to be beguiled and bamboozled about my future. Nothing improper happened, but I still should have talked to Roz and not someone else. The problem I faced was the same as so many others: we had a source of stress in our lives and instead of dealing with it, I looked for an escape. I was fortunate. I feel I kept some semblance of morality throughout the experience. So many fail to even try. They look for escape through a physical relationship. It is so much easier to go to a bar, "hook up" with someone or worse, start a relationship with someone elses' partner. Roz and I had so much stress in our lives from various events, it seemed like the only way out was to get out. We still cared for one another and nothing was ever said to the contrary. Within a couple weeks, we laid everything out, talked about it and made decisions to correct the problems. One of our biggest was not focusing on us. We spent many years focused on everyone else, trying to help family and friends and rarely having any "us" time. It leads you down a path of much stress and loneliness, you forget why you are together and then everything is a problem, no matter how big or small.
We worked it out relatively easy because we knew we still cared for each other and we both knew we had gotten married for a reason. We also knew that we had kids that we WANTED, we PLANNED and we wanted to raise together. Many people we have known have had kids just to stay together and when they divorced, guess who suffered? Not the two selfish people that had to have an excuse to stay together to begin with or were too selfish to compromise, no, the kids almost always suffer. I tell you all this because I'm sure at one time or another, most of you have had stress in your marriage. Many of you have worked it out, some couldnt. Many times there IS one partner willing to work on it, but in the end it takes two. Everyone has stress in their lives, you just cant be selfish with your partner and you have to TALK. That and you cant be narrow-minded. If you cant do these simple things, you probably shouldnt have gotten married to begin with. Oh, and for the love of Pete, dont take to people-hopping unless you're single. I've seen too many of them do it. You wont get any real satisfaction out of it, only more heartbreak.
Now, my favorite kind of cheaters to hate: big business and big gummint. We all know about the idiots in office giving the idiots in "too big to fail" companies ungodly amounts of money for them to stay in business. AIG promptly paid their execs bonuses amounting to the budget of a small country. Now they are handing out more exorbitant bonuses. My question is "Why did the government not step in and say NO?" I remember them griping about it and saying they were going to make some top execs pay back a percentage of their bonuses, but it still went on. Who's to blame? Us for electing one idiot after another? Them for giving companies that cut their own throats money to stay afloat when they should have failed? The companies for having the audacity and the F*ck You attitude to pay exorbitant bonuses in a tanked economy that they created? Yes. All of the above.
What happened to the "You made your bed, now lie in it" mentality? When our small business failed(during the time gas rose to almost $4 a gallon, mind you) where the hell was my stimulus? Not to make this just about my business, it should have been about ALL small businesses. WE should have been the ones getting a hand from government, not some gargantuan company that manipulated tax laws and their books to prop themselves up until the toothpicks holding the battleship up started to break. Many small businesses shuttered their doors during that time because people couldnt afford to do much more than buy food, shelter and go to work. Hell, I didnt need billions, a paltry mil or two would have been great.
I could have paid my exec(Roz) a bonus equal to a hundred times her salary and then you could have been griping about me. Instead, we closed our doors and moved on. I have ranted several times on these behemoths that should be dead in the water. GM getting hundreds of billions so they can still claim they're "Like a Rock", AIG in its ragged Armani suits begging for a few hundred paltry billions, credit card companies that extended credit beyond the means of even Hugh Hefner getting money so they can keep issuing cards to college students who are mostly too dumb to know how to use them and the list goes on.
What to do, what to do? I know: lets take the money back, let the businesses that created the mess fail if they're going to and then LOAN the money to any small business that shows REAL and LASTING promise. Help them hire experienced workers first, from the large, failed companies. Look to existing small businesses that are strong and honest and see if they could use a boost. While we're at it, look at single parent families and lower income families not already taking assistance and see how they can be helped.
Where the Hell are checks and balances in this country? I have seen a few of the Senators and Congressmen that seem to have some sense and at least some semblance of a conscience. The problem is there just arent enough of them. Wouldnt it be something to at least have a feeling like Americans used to talk about having? What was it? Pride, Accomplishment, Righteous Might? Wouldnt it be wonderful not to have the sword of Damoclese dangling over our heads?
The world is changing and we must change with it. India is on track to become a major player economically, China will be if they can shake off the communist yoke(they already have the largest standing military) and if the EU ever gets their crap together they may well challenge the rest of the world in manufacturing. One of our biggest failings is buying vast amounts of inferior products from China and having it pushed down our throats because we wont work as cheap as they do.(yeah, I know,slave labor) Build American, buy American, employ American. Take care of your house first, then you can help others. That's what I learned from 21 years of marriage.
I am waiting for more people in "power" to raise their voices over this obvious waste of taxpayer money that's going on, but it doesnt look like enough of them will. I think maybe I should start another business and then immediately apply for stimulus money. How many of you would like to be executives at my company? I thought so. I believe there's a senator somewhere that could use a little "grease" to get the wheels turning. What the heck, if you cant beat 'em, join 'em , right?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
81 Love's Labours Lost
Again I am of a mind to bring some enlightenment to the subject of living beyond your means. Going somewhat with the theme of yesterday's rant, I would ask you to ask yourself if you are worried about your finances. Are you having trouble making payments? Are you struggling to just get by? I bet many out there are. Most people dont like to admit they're having trouble because it makes them feel "less". You feel inadequate because it seems like a personal failing, so, you go on, using credit cards, borrowing and sometimes, doing without.
People put themselves in this situation by living beyond their means. You see Joe-Bob getting a new house or car or a boat, four-wheeler, tv or some other such luxury and then you want one. You stew over it for a while and then, sooner or later, you either borrow the money, use the hated card or take money from somewhere else and go do it. It's okay for a while and then, just like last year, hours are cut, jobs are cut and then you have the same amount of payments and less income. Sometimes there are unforseen bills that pop up like medical bills, car repairs, shoes for the kid. You know? Stupid stuff. Well, you've created a bill for yourself by wanting something nicer. In a way that's okay, in a way, it was stupid. You could have put a little money in your old house or your old car and not had to have that bigger, better deal. You have the bill now and you are facing losing that house or that car. For a while you can stem the flow, cutting back, spending savings and using the card, then, eventually, it catches up to you through other, unforseen circumstances. Credit's shot, life feels like it's in a shambles. I've said it before- people are afraid of change. They are afraid to take a job making less because it will make them look weak or they will feel like they failed. That's stupid. I always said I'd shovel crap in a barn if it meant feeding the family and keeping a roof over their heads.
A few rants back, fb friend Sharon said she was fed up seeing people at the store using their food stamp card to buy a cart full of meat when her working rear end and her working husband had to splurge to buy meat. It is a shame that folks abuse the system, but it is a fact of life. I have raved time and time again about the changes that are needed. Until that time we must watch as people that are lazy and ignorant abuse programs that were meant for the down-trodden. When you see something like this, it makes you want things even more. It's a shame that what you want sometimes is something as basic as a better dinner for your family.
I've also stated before that I witnessed folks that I knew to be on "assistance" blowing their entire "check" in one of the many "hot spots" around the area. They left their kids( app. 7 or 8 yrs old) in the car while they gambled. Every so often, the guy would grab a handful of the "free" snacks that they place out for the gamblers and go out and throw them in the back seat, much as if they were feeding a dog. We were so pissed we called someone in authority and were told if they werent abusing them, there was nothing to be done. Wasnt that neglect? Wasnt it a waste of taxpayer money? Oh, yeah, that's not a crime. Welfare pukes do it and so do congressmen so it's okay. I sometimes wonder why these people are allowed to remain breathing. As usual, I must say that I have no problem with legitimately injured or infirmed people using a program, it's the abusers that get my goat.
So, we have people using taxpayer money to buy luxury items and waste as they see fit, we have working folks wanting something better and being allowed to extend themselves too far to get it and now, for all our troubles, we have a financial crisis that is teetering on the brink of full-blown depression. What next?
There are so many things wrong with this country, I fear the only way to fix them is to wipe the slate clean and start over.
What about people that have kids just for the sake of having them? As mentioned above, abusers of the system often have kids just to up their check and their foodstamps. They get abused quite often, dont they? You've all seen it. 350 pound mother and father, waddling through the chip and soda aisle, the kid asks for something and is immediately screamed at to shut up. As far as that goes, I've seen working class people that treat their kids about the same. Everyone loses their temper once in a while or you have a bad day, but why in the name of heaven, did you have those kids if you dont want to raise them? The "sit down, shut up" mentality died a long time ago, didnt it? Most of us talk to our kids, teach them what we can and love them so they can grow up and have a life of their own. Again, in a previous rant, maybe some situations would call for people to NOT be allowed to have kids.
You probably think I sound like a communist or a nazi. Well, whatever it takes. Maybe when we see someone abusing their kids, we should step in. It IS up to the parents to discipline their kids,yes. It IS up to the parents to decide what the kid should or should not have, but it makes my blood boil to watch obvious abuse or neglect. My guess is, none of us will interfere without some obvious physical contact. That's okay too. I suppose I just get too emotional about these personal issues. Some of you will say it's none of my business, but as long as I am blogging, my job is awareness. It may be my twisted, convoluted view, but it is still in my blood to at least give you an idea, a more solidified point of view of your own by at least raising the subject.
So now, by my calculations, we are at a crossroads. We must figure out which long road to go down: complete economic and governmental reform? Economic reform with minimal effect on social programs? Governmental reform as per pork spending and bailout reform? No reform at all, putting our head in the sand and hoping it will work out for the best in the long run? And the list goes on...
Every cell in my body knows what to do, and many others out there will agree if I were to write it down, but I dont want to go to jail. The question is how to get a handle on ourselves, our government and the politicians that are using it, I mean running it. How do we get folks to take responsibility? How do we find moral people that will not be self-serving to act on our behalf? How do you keep from punching some guy in the face when you see him buying a hundred dollars in scratch-off tickets when you know his kids need cereal? The law is on his side. Punch him( or her) and go to jail.
So, until enough people are fed up enough with enough situations, we will get up every day, do our thing and take care of our families as best we can. As for whether you get steak tonight, well, c'mon over, we have some deer meat in the freezer, will that do? Oh yeah, there's still some bear meat left, just give me some warning, I have to get the gas tank filled for the grill.
People put themselves in this situation by living beyond their means. You see Joe-Bob getting a new house or car or a boat, four-wheeler, tv or some other such luxury and then you want one. You stew over it for a while and then, sooner or later, you either borrow the money, use the hated card or take money from somewhere else and go do it. It's okay for a while and then, just like last year, hours are cut, jobs are cut and then you have the same amount of payments and less income. Sometimes there are unforseen bills that pop up like medical bills, car repairs, shoes for the kid. You know? Stupid stuff. Well, you've created a bill for yourself by wanting something nicer. In a way that's okay, in a way, it was stupid. You could have put a little money in your old house or your old car and not had to have that bigger, better deal. You have the bill now and you are facing losing that house or that car. For a while you can stem the flow, cutting back, spending savings and using the card, then, eventually, it catches up to you through other, unforseen circumstances. Credit's shot, life feels like it's in a shambles. I've said it before- people are afraid of change. They are afraid to take a job making less because it will make them look weak or they will feel like they failed. That's stupid. I always said I'd shovel crap in a barn if it meant feeding the family and keeping a roof over their heads.
A few rants back, fb friend Sharon said she was fed up seeing people at the store using their food stamp card to buy a cart full of meat when her working rear end and her working husband had to splurge to buy meat. It is a shame that folks abuse the system, but it is a fact of life. I have raved time and time again about the changes that are needed. Until that time we must watch as people that are lazy and ignorant abuse programs that were meant for the down-trodden. When you see something like this, it makes you want things even more. It's a shame that what you want sometimes is something as basic as a better dinner for your family.
I've also stated before that I witnessed folks that I knew to be on "assistance" blowing their entire "check" in one of the many "hot spots" around the area. They left their kids( app. 7 or 8 yrs old) in the car while they gambled. Every so often, the guy would grab a handful of the "free" snacks that they place out for the gamblers and go out and throw them in the back seat, much as if they were feeding a dog. We were so pissed we called someone in authority and were told if they werent abusing them, there was nothing to be done. Wasnt that neglect? Wasnt it a waste of taxpayer money? Oh, yeah, that's not a crime. Welfare pukes do it and so do congressmen so it's okay. I sometimes wonder why these people are allowed to remain breathing. As usual, I must say that I have no problem with legitimately injured or infirmed people using a program, it's the abusers that get my goat.
So, we have people using taxpayer money to buy luxury items and waste as they see fit, we have working folks wanting something better and being allowed to extend themselves too far to get it and now, for all our troubles, we have a financial crisis that is teetering on the brink of full-blown depression. What next?
There are so many things wrong with this country, I fear the only way to fix them is to wipe the slate clean and start over.
What about people that have kids just for the sake of having them? As mentioned above, abusers of the system often have kids just to up their check and their foodstamps. They get abused quite often, dont they? You've all seen it. 350 pound mother and father, waddling through the chip and soda aisle, the kid asks for something and is immediately screamed at to shut up. As far as that goes, I've seen working class people that treat their kids about the same. Everyone loses their temper once in a while or you have a bad day, but why in the name of heaven, did you have those kids if you dont want to raise them? The "sit down, shut up" mentality died a long time ago, didnt it? Most of us talk to our kids, teach them what we can and love them so they can grow up and have a life of their own. Again, in a previous rant, maybe some situations would call for people to NOT be allowed to have kids.
You probably think I sound like a communist or a nazi. Well, whatever it takes. Maybe when we see someone abusing their kids, we should step in. It IS up to the parents to discipline their kids,yes. It IS up to the parents to decide what the kid should or should not have, but it makes my blood boil to watch obvious abuse or neglect. My guess is, none of us will interfere without some obvious physical contact. That's okay too. I suppose I just get too emotional about these personal issues. Some of you will say it's none of my business, but as long as I am blogging, my job is awareness. It may be my twisted, convoluted view, but it is still in my blood to at least give you an idea, a more solidified point of view of your own by at least raising the subject.
So now, by my calculations, we are at a crossroads. We must figure out which long road to go down: complete economic and governmental reform? Economic reform with minimal effect on social programs? Governmental reform as per pork spending and bailout reform? No reform at all, putting our head in the sand and hoping it will work out for the best in the long run? And the list goes on...
Every cell in my body knows what to do, and many others out there will agree if I were to write it down, but I dont want to go to jail. The question is how to get a handle on ourselves, our government and the politicians that are using it, I mean running it. How do we get folks to take responsibility? How do we find moral people that will not be self-serving to act on our behalf? How do you keep from punching some guy in the face when you see him buying a hundred dollars in scratch-off tickets when you know his kids need cereal? The law is on his side. Punch him( or her) and go to jail.
So, until enough people are fed up enough with enough situations, we will get up every day, do our thing and take care of our families as best we can. As for whether you get steak tonight, well, c'mon over, we have some deer meat in the freezer, will that do? Oh yeah, there's still some bear meat left, just give me some warning, I have to get the gas tank filled for the grill.
Monday, February 1, 2010
80 Thwack, Thwack, Thwack
Do you hear that? It's me, beating a dead horse. Well, sort of. Someone asked the other day what my thoughts on the upcoming 2012 "Doomsday" was. I hit this one before from the talk-radio standpoint of the Mayan doomsday prophecy and the whole planetary-galactic-alignment. This time I have little different take.
First, I really think that on December 22, 2012 we will wake up and go about our routines the same as any other day. The exception is this: if you look at the trends in the economy and you listen to independent economic forecasters(not the paid douchebags you hear on the news), the current, small upswing is only temporary. A year ago, gas was an average of 1.90 in our area and we're where now? Yeah. about a dollar more. Anywhoo...I've listened to a few and read a couple reports and by most accounts there will be a couple of these upswings but we will have another, sizeable downturn.
I have several reasons I believe this. Every one of you reading this is aware of the rampant spending that has been going on. We have watched as the government has bailed out companies that should have been allowed to fail. There is no "too big to fail". I say a company that big that fails would be covered by other, upstart companies, probably several of them as they are smaller. The employees will be rehired for the most part by the suddenly more profitable companies and any that were close to retirement will probably do so and in a way, they will open up more jobs. As decadent americans we are seeing people putting groceries on their credit cards(among other day-to-day items). What does that say? It says we're spoiled, we're greedy and we are impatient. If you're buying groceries on credit(NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU PEOPLE THAT DO IT FOR CONVENIENCE AND THEN PAY IT OFF PAYDAY) you're in trouble. Put your house payment on the card? Yep. Screwed. We've spent the post-Clinton years buying crap and McMansions and lattes to escape the horrific debt mounted by an idiot president (elected once, served twice) and ignore as much as possible the 2-front wars, real threats like Iran, Syria, North Korea and China and the catastrophic corruption within our government.
One point six TRILLION. That was the estimated deficit as of today. I suspect that is a low estimate. I have pointed out time and again some suggestions from a lay-man's point of view that may help reverse our disturbing trend. In the interest of time and me not being a business person, lawyer, trend forecaster or politician, my opinions I will keep to myself...psssst....(they're on a previous rant).
I know a lot of time, I'm all doom and gloom. No different today. I would suggest to you to learn how to be more self-sufficient. Learn how to repair things, save things, plant a garden and keep it alive, live without things that you think you cant, stuff like that. Call me looney if you must, I dont think it could hurt. You might not think it could happen but I believe it did happen here about 80 years ago. Our local economy hasnt held up terribly, unless you count the loss of around 700 jobs in the last 18 months. Most of those folks have moved on to other jobs and it seems people have stayed in the area. I really could see it happening again, though. Massive unemployment, devalued dollar, political upheaval....hmmm, we're already at 2 out of 3. 10 percent unemployment, dollar's in the tank, that leaves the most important one of all.
Can no one else see the problems with the people we put in these offices? We let them feed us lies, we elect them and then they shuffle laws, bills and our very integrity in the name of power, in the name of money. I know I've really gotten out there today, I havent given as many specifics as I would have liked, but I just cant say enough about needing change. We let Obama sell us on change and he has been cut off at the knees every time he tries something. We sit back and let them do it and then wait for the next election to put them right back in. Our house must be cleaned, rid of the vermin that infest it.
The United States has always been a place that those without hope look to, desirous of having a chance here. We have become a mockery of what we once were. Men died to create a nation free from tyranny, they died upholding us to ONE nation, they died keeping the world free from dictators and despots and now they are dying to stem the flow of terrorism , although I fear we are either limiting ourselves too much or perhaps we should be stemming it at our borders. The people we are currently fighting will wait one year or a hundred until we leave and then they will go right back to killing each other. They've done it for thousands of years and nothing we do short of killing every single one of them will stop it now.
So. You want me to predict the end of the world? Here it is. I think that if we let the current system of curruption continue, the brow-beating, the back-biting, the stalling, we will be put in a depression far worse than the crash of '29. When our economy finally tanks, many large economies around the world will follow. We saw the large hiccups when our sham of a housing market failed. When the worlds biggest powers are in chaos, the real chaos will begin. Wars on a scale never imagined in our modern world will be fought over (Probably) oil, then food, then water, then the right to live. You wont have to worry about your text messages, ebay biddings and setting your DVR anymore, you'll have enough to worry about keeping food on the table and keeping your family breathing for another day. I sound crazy? I hope. I think the reality could be much worse than I'm making it sound.
There is a little hope though. Grassroots folks have been pushing "green" technology for a long time. Necessity may well force us into an accelerated program of freedom-from-non-renewable energy sources. I foresee more folks(non-city) growing and raising more of what they consume and folks are already learning that they dont need a new car, they dont need a big tv, they dont NEED many of the things that are shoved down our throats by the wicked little box before you now and the one on the stand over there. You dont need a lot of things we've been told that you have to have to "keep up with the jones'". Facebook friend Jen Stanford's parents are off or mostly off the grid: she posted pics of their windmill and solar panels. I'm jealous. I dont know if these idiots on city council here will approve me a permit for one. Trust me, if I thought I could, I would. You know? Something that makes sense? People in power approving it? Unheard of. HA. Seriously though, you all know things you can do in your lives that would ease the problem. It may be as simple as fixing something you have instead of throwing it out and buying new. It may be as hard as getting someone into office that you know has a conscience. Someone that would raise a voice, hopefully a knowledgeable voice, to get something done.
Change and sacrifice are hard sometimes. I preach that enough. Raise your own voice. Dont be afraid of ridicule or being berated. I hope we see effective, positive change soon. I hope for our childrens' sake that we stifle our urges of "gimme, gimme" and look to the future, not the now. As usual, I have a smart-ass quip to end with, but no, you dont want to hear that I'm going to go watch a DVR'd movie on my big flat screen tv, do you? Allright. I wont tell you that. I'm going to go recycle some coffee, right through my gullet. See you tomorrow?
First, I really think that on December 22, 2012 we will wake up and go about our routines the same as any other day. The exception is this: if you look at the trends in the economy and you listen to independent economic forecasters(not the paid douchebags you hear on the news), the current, small upswing is only temporary. A year ago, gas was an average of 1.90 in our area and we're where now? Yeah. about a dollar more. Anywhoo...I've listened to a few and read a couple reports and by most accounts there will be a couple of these upswings but we will have another, sizeable downturn.
I have several reasons I believe this. Every one of you reading this is aware of the rampant spending that has been going on. We have watched as the government has bailed out companies that should have been allowed to fail. There is no "too big to fail". I say a company that big that fails would be covered by other, upstart companies, probably several of them as they are smaller. The employees will be rehired for the most part by the suddenly more profitable companies and any that were close to retirement will probably do so and in a way, they will open up more jobs. As decadent americans we are seeing people putting groceries on their credit cards(among other day-to-day items). What does that say? It says we're spoiled, we're greedy and we are impatient. If you're buying groceries on credit(NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU PEOPLE THAT DO IT FOR CONVENIENCE AND THEN PAY IT OFF PAYDAY) you're in trouble. Put your house payment on the card? Yep. Screwed. We've spent the post-Clinton years buying crap and McMansions and lattes to escape the horrific debt mounted by an idiot president (elected once, served twice) and ignore as much as possible the 2-front wars, real threats like Iran, Syria, North Korea and China and the catastrophic corruption within our government.
One point six TRILLION. That was the estimated deficit as of today. I suspect that is a low estimate. I have pointed out time and again some suggestions from a lay-man's point of view that may help reverse our disturbing trend. In the interest of time and me not being a business person, lawyer, trend forecaster or politician, my opinions I will keep to myself...psssst....(they're on a previous rant).
I know a lot of time, I'm all doom and gloom. No different today. I would suggest to you to learn how to be more self-sufficient. Learn how to repair things, save things, plant a garden and keep it alive, live without things that you think you cant, stuff like that. Call me looney if you must, I dont think it could hurt. You might not think it could happen but I believe it did happen here about 80 years ago. Our local economy hasnt held up terribly, unless you count the loss of around 700 jobs in the last 18 months. Most of those folks have moved on to other jobs and it seems people have stayed in the area. I really could see it happening again, though. Massive unemployment, devalued dollar, political upheaval....hmmm, we're already at 2 out of 3. 10 percent unemployment, dollar's in the tank, that leaves the most important one of all.
Can no one else see the problems with the people we put in these offices? We let them feed us lies, we elect them and then they shuffle laws, bills and our very integrity in the name of power, in the name of money. I know I've really gotten out there today, I havent given as many specifics as I would have liked, but I just cant say enough about needing change. We let Obama sell us on change and he has been cut off at the knees every time he tries something. We sit back and let them do it and then wait for the next election to put them right back in. Our house must be cleaned, rid of the vermin that infest it.
The United States has always been a place that those without hope look to, desirous of having a chance here. We have become a mockery of what we once were. Men died to create a nation free from tyranny, they died upholding us to ONE nation, they died keeping the world free from dictators and despots and now they are dying to stem the flow of terrorism , although I fear we are either limiting ourselves too much or perhaps we should be stemming it at our borders. The people we are currently fighting will wait one year or a hundred until we leave and then they will go right back to killing each other. They've done it for thousands of years and nothing we do short of killing every single one of them will stop it now.
So. You want me to predict the end of the world? Here it is. I think that if we let the current system of curruption continue, the brow-beating, the back-biting, the stalling, we will be put in a depression far worse than the crash of '29. When our economy finally tanks, many large economies around the world will follow. We saw the large hiccups when our sham of a housing market failed. When the worlds biggest powers are in chaos, the real chaos will begin. Wars on a scale never imagined in our modern world will be fought over (Probably) oil, then food, then water, then the right to live. You wont have to worry about your text messages, ebay biddings and setting your DVR anymore, you'll have enough to worry about keeping food on the table and keeping your family breathing for another day. I sound crazy? I hope. I think the reality could be much worse than I'm making it sound.
There is a little hope though. Grassroots folks have been pushing "green" technology for a long time. Necessity may well force us into an accelerated program of freedom-from-non-renewable energy sources. I foresee more folks(non-city) growing and raising more of what they consume and folks are already learning that they dont need a new car, they dont need a big tv, they dont NEED many of the things that are shoved down our throats by the wicked little box before you now and the one on the stand over there. You dont need a lot of things we've been told that you have to have to "keep up with the jones'". Facebook friend Jen Stanford's parents are off or mostly off the grid: she posted pics of their windmill and solar panels. I'm jealous. I dont know if these idiots on city council here will approve me a permit for one. Trust me, if I thought I could, I would. You know? Something that makes sense? People in power approving it? Unheard of. HA. Seriously though, you all know things you can do in your lives that would ease the problem. It may be as simple as fixing something you have instead of throwing it out and buying new. It may be as hard as getting someone into office that you know has a conscience. Someone that would raise a voice, hopefully a knowledgeable voice, to get something done.
Change and sacrifice are hard sometimes. I preach that enough. Raise your own voice. Dont be afraid of ridicule or being berated. I hope we see effective, positive change soon. I hope for our childrens' sake that we stifle our urges of "gimme, gimme" and look to the future, not the now. As usual, I have a smart-ass quip to end with, but no, you dont want to hear that I'm going to go watch a DVR'd movie on my big flat screen tv, do you? Allright. I wont tell you that. I'm going to go recycle some coffee, right through my gullet. See you tomorrow?
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