Get to the MONKEY!!!

I watch a lot of videos on YouTube. 
Painting tutorials, political things, stories about people finding their way out of religion. Lots of content, all free. It's amazing to be able to find so many things so easily.

One of the things I watch (because I'm always working even when I'm not at work) are craft videos. The people who are content creators are generally trying to make money off their videos, so they want to maximize engagement. That's understandable, but it causes me a great deal of impatience sometimes.

A person will be showing how to make something and you'll get 30 seconds of their hands, pointing and/or moving while they talk. Not always about the project, either.

A project will need 20 of something glued on. Instead of gluing one or two to give the general idea, they painstakingly glue on all 20 little baubles or whatever. I usually watch them on double speed without any sound. I end up skipping to the end quite often, too.

I don't want to hear about your trip to the beach or why this craft reminds you of your great uncle Henry.

Move on, willya??

It's usually necessary to mute anyway, as for some reason, they think we want to hear some tinkling, annoying, strident "music", too. Sets me on edge every time.

It annoys the CRAP out of me, in case you wondered.

And let's talk about cooking websites, too.
I do not want to hear about how your grandma moved West via covered wagon and wore gingham until she died at 107 and you still have the beat up old bowl she used. I mean, that's great for you, but I do not care. At all.

Skip to the ingredients. Now.
I scroll a lot.

I used to say, "GET TO THE POINT!" until several years ago, when my son sent me a link to this video.

The point of the video is aggravation about going to the King Kong movie (hey, this is an old video) and having them tease and not quite show the big ape until well into the movie.

Get to the goddamn MONKEY!!



I find myself saying it a lot right now as I take the art project and science experiments and other things I've harvested over summer and rewatch and try to get them into some kind of order for the school year.


Don't click on this video (it's actually audio only) if you're offended by profanity.

It's not about politics. It's about morality.

 I never liked Trump.
And after the disastrous job he did, I still don't.

And after you watch this guy, spend a little time reading this: Project 2025
Remember that the Republican candidate straight up claimed that he doesn't know anything about this.
I'm skeptical about that.

I found the following at this link.

CNN reported earlier this month that their review found that at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration were involved with Project 2025, including six of his former Cabinet secretaries. One of those people, Russell Vought, Trump’s former Director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote a chapter of Project 2025’s “Mandate for Leadership,” which focused on how the president should wield power in office. Vought was also appointed by the Republican National Committee and the Trump Campaign to be the policy director of the committee that wrote the new GOP platform.

Another is Paul Dans, the director of Project 2025 and an editor of the “Mandate for Leadership,” who told a right-wing radio host last year that “Trump’s very bought in with this.”

It’s no surprise Trump has sought to feign ignorance about Project 2025, given the extreme policies laid out in it, including a nationwide ban on medication abortion, eliminating the Department of Education, and abolishing climate protections.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What really gets me is that a LOT of people don't know anything about this, either. I think it's important to make sure people at least get a chance to find out what they want to do to our country.

I usually feel like there is not a candidate I want to vote FOR, but there's always at least one to vote against.
I'll be voting against the felon and the shillbilly.

Stranger Danger

We were on the playground the second week of school.

Eating snacks outside is a great way to keep stuff off the floors.
And cleanup is a breeze... there's even a trash can on the playground.

It was a warm afternoon, a little breeze was blowing and the air was clear.
Everyone was sitting around and chit-chatting and snacking.

My assistant isn't someone I know well, so I was not sure how closely she monitored activity around us, but I heard a guy yelling. The yelling got louder, which let me know he was approaching. He came into sight at the end of our field, outside our fence. He was swearing loudly and waving his arms. When he saw us, the volume increased. I started being able to understand his words.

I nudged my assistant, said, "We need to get inside."

The guy started screaming, "Is there a teacher? Is there a fucking teacher out here? There better not be a fucking teacher!"

Strangely, the kids still hadn't noticed him.

I was glad they hadn't.

Then he dropped his filthy, baggy sweatpants and still shouting, started waving his junk around. Just what we needed.

So I started trying to hustle the kids indoors. We had not yet done an 'evacuate the playground' drill, and several of them didn't know me well. I didn't know them, either.

So they wanted to question me.
"Why are we going in?"
"We just came out!"
"How come we have to go inside? I don't want to go in already!"

I couldn't take the time to explain, he was getting closer. So I put on my grumpy face and said, "You can't argue with me right now. GO!"

I told my assistant, who has a badge that gets us into the building, to "Go! Just go! Take them up the stairs." I pointed at the doors two flights up.

In a situation like that,  I am last in the door so that I can make sure all the kids get in safely. I have to count them as they go in and if they're not all with us, I will have to find the kid(s) and get them into the building.

My intention was for her to get them up the nearest staircase, away from danger.

The guy was still heading toward us on the sidewalk, although he'd put his, er,  hose away. He was still ranting.

And my assistant, who had never worked with school aged kids before and never worked outside a day care center took them back toward the building by going down the stairs and onto the sidewalk where our weirdo was now caught up with everyone.

He didn't make a threatening move toward any of the children, but he was still swearing. Unfortunately, they heard him now.

Two teachers were leaving the building as my assistant reached the doors, and they both put their bodies between this nut and my kids. The male teacher had a bicycle, which he also used as a barrier. He shouted over the guy and told him, "You need to leave. You can't be here on this side of the street!"

He pointed and miraculously, the guy crossed the street. Still yelling.
There were no stragglers, and everyone was fine. We got indoors safely.

No point in being mean to my assistant.
It wasn't her fault and she didn't know what to do.

She didn't know her way around the building, did not know which doors have a badge window (not all of them do) and she was just trying to get the kids off the playground as fast as she could.

It was lucky the guy wasn't violent, just noisy and gross.

So after we got indoors and things calmed down, (I called the school office and let them know what had transpired and the police non-emergency line where I was on hold so long I gave up) I explained to the kids what had happened. I told them that we didn't know what was wrong with the man, that he was having what we call a breakdown or crisis, and that when people are in that state, they're unpredictable and not safe for us to be around.

That in the future, if I say, "Evacuate the playground!" or "Get indoors now!" there will be no discussion until after we're inside safely.

"As soon as everyone is safely inside, then you can ask me all the questions you want, and I'll answer them until you're done asking. But don't ever argue with me when I tell you it's an emergency situation, it's my job to keep you safe."

I also had a talk with my assistant. Told her that if we ever need to evacuate again, both upper doors from the playground are accessible with our badges. And to, "Get the kids inside as fast as you can, I will bring up the rear. Do not stand with the door open after you have all the kids, I have a badge, too, and I'll get in. You need to take them as far away from danger as you can, as fast as you can. I will make sure they're all off the grounds and then I'll join you."

She felt that she had acted incorrectly, but I told her she really hadn't. She knew that her badge would open the door closest to our classroom and she immediately took the kids there, which, under the circumstances, was the right thing.

"What if you'd taken them to a door that didn't have a badge window? You'd have been stuck outside the door and had to take them all to a different entrance. This is only your second week here, and I haven't ever given you a tour. We got them indoors, no harm was done to anyone, and we learned from it."

I had to notify all the parents of what had occurred, too. I didn't make light of it. I let them know that there were teachers on site who had stepped up to protect the kids and that we had stayed indoors for the rest of the afternoon as we were unsure about where the guy had ended up.

I am willing to step between a child and someone who would harm them, but I hope it's not something I ever have to do.


I hope that guy got some help.
And I hope we never see him again.

IANAL

Don't get too excited there... simply means I Am Not A Lawyer.
Do you need to be one to have a good bullshit detector? I don't think so.


I've spent the month since the election reading everything I can get my hands on. Not only things that say what I want, either. I've read a great deal from the other side, too.

I see why they think they're right, but I don't agree with them.

Trump lost. There was a huge uprising among the voting public after four years of the most appalling and crazy shit most of us have ever seen from a president.

Like the photo below, where he mocked a reporter with a disability.

More people voted against him than for him. That's it.


Serious question here... can't trust:
Media.
ALLLL the poll workers and observers and hired election officials.
Can't trust the 'deep state'.
Can't trust ANYONE who says the election was fair.


Who can we trust?
Ohhh... only Donald and his assclown parade.
Yeah, that's not a problem at ALL.

Okay, so here's what happened.
More than six months ago, Trump started bleating about cheating.

Claiming far in advance that he wasn't going to lose 'unless the other side cheats'.

He went on and on about how unsafe it would be to mail your ballot in.
Unsafe to vote early, too!
Wait until Election Day!!

All his little criminal friends who constantly surround him and lick his butt boots pushed the same narrative.

Trump and Lindsey Graham, enjoying a moment

And his cult followers obediently said, "I shall not vote by mail, Sir."
Of course ignoring the fact that Trump himself was planning to vote by mail.
And that voting by mail has been going on for a long time without issues.

Then he hired big donor DeJoy to run fuck things up at the post office.

He would have succeeded, too, but too many people talked about what was going on. Decommissioned sorting machines and a deliberate slowing of the mail didn't do as much damage as they'd planned.

Many Republican states made rules that the mail in/early ballots MUST NOT be counted until after the election.

So you know all those people who waited in line for hours and hours and hours to vote early? They weren't waiting in line to vote for Trump. It's a pretty safe bet that most of the mail in ballots weren't cast in Trump's favor, either.

So the Trumpkins voted on election day.
The mail in/early votes in many states weren't counted until the next few days. Which is why it looked like Trump was winning. Until the ballots which were overwhelmingly Democrat were counted and then, well, then he lost. Because more people voted for Biden. Simple arithmetic.

He and his minions have filed all kinds of cases in several states. Which is what he does... he litigates when things don't go his way. It's how he's done things his whole life, why would he change now?


Now we have BILL BARR saying there is no evidence of election fraud.
Trump's good buddy BILL FUCKING BARR. (Trump is considering firing him, I read yesterday. He does that when people don't agree with him.)

There are people making death threats to election workers who are just doing their jobs, too.

And the milquetoast fuckweasel Republicans who are saying nothing... they're complicit when something bad happens to one of those people just doing his/her job.

Sure, if there is legal proof that something happened, then for goodness sake bring that proof out in court. But over 50 cases later, there's been hearsay,  conjecture, grandstanding, "hearings" which aren't legal hearings. They're theater, held in hotel conference rooms.

So far, zero real evidence has been presented IN A COURT OF LAW.

Lining up a bunch of idiots to 'testify' in hotel conference rooms is completely meaningless.

Just thinking it happened because Trump said so or Melting Rudy 'just has a feeling' is not evidence. And the continual, "We have LOTS AND LOTS of evidence" and "many people are saying"  but it's never shown in court... well, that's not evidence either.

When they allege fraud outside the courtroom for the cameras, then very carefully do NOT allege fraud in the courtroom, that should be telling even the most ardent skeptic something.

When in court they are only trying to toss the votes that didn't go along with them winning. And mysteriously aren't arguing with the people elected down the ballot, only disagreeing with a few counties in a few states that didn't go their way in the presidential election.

They took it all the way to the highest court, where people Trump put there through abuses of presidential power (solely for this purpose) didn't support his attempt to steal the election.

And no, there were not two 'dissenting opinions'. He's a graceless clod. Burning down the country on his way out.

He's putting himself first, whining about losing. He can't admit that there were more people who wanted him out than those who wanted him to continue not doing his job for four more years. He has done nothing for the country he claims to love since the election, just thrown tantrums and caused more deaths.

I don't understand it.

The 'dead people' who voted? No one has proven anything of the sort.
Likewise the 'millions' who voted "hundreds of times".
NONE of these things have been proven and no real evidence has been shown.

The link leads to a clear, straightforward discussion of each of the pieces of 'evidence' as they call it. It is worth reading.

Oh yeah, all those 'sworn affadavits'... none of those were brought to an actual legal court hearing, either. Why? Because as a lawyer, you get in trouble for shenanigans like those in a real court of law.

Trump failed to act when we were hit with the pandemic, instead turning masks and caution into political statements, mocking people who took those measures and now nearly 300,000 people are dead.

He refused to listen to the experts.
He set a shitty example, and so did his family.

I can't say he's done anything worth a shit as president, but throwing up his hands and repeatedly saying, "We're turning the corner!" sure as fuck didn't do anything to help.

The superspreader rallies he held while he was hoping people would elect him again and the ensuing infections/deaths? I don't understand how his cult still followed him after that.

He's taken in millions and millions for his PAC since the election, too. And a cursory reading of the fine print should have let people  know that almost zero was going to any attempts to steal the election, instead going into the pockets of the morally bankrupt family instead. But no, he keeps getting money. Which is why he won't admit he lost the election.

The same kind of people who send money to televangelists are sending money to Trump. Easily duped and weak minded individuals.

I *am* a little tired of the self-serving whining about how Trump hijacked the GOP, though. What really happened is that the GOP created the conditions that made it possible for the shitbag to con his way into the office in the first place. And fuck those people like Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz who hated Trump, spoke out against him (look up what Trump said about Teddy's wife!!) and now have somehow have flipped their allegiance and act all sanctimonious and self-righteous while they kiss Trump's ass.

I've been ready for things to be over for a long time.

As a country, we need to address the extreme amount of time between election and the start of a new administration. We're no longer dependent on people carrying messages by horseback, we can do things a lot faster.

He needs to be gone. He has killed enough.

Desperation

In the State of Oregon, when you buy a soda or bottled water or Gatorade or some other drink in a returnable container the vendor charges you a 10 cent per container deposit at the purchase point.

When you take them to the bottle return, you get that dime back.

For a few weeks (a shorter time when we have a houseful of people) we toss our returnables into a green bag that's hanging in the laundry room.
Every once in awhile, we scan our little keychain barcode at the grocery store kiosk and get a little printed ticket that takes 20 bucks or so off our grocery bill.

It feels like savings, although of course it's not.

We paid that money out, it's just being returned.
When we moved to Oregon in 1989, the bag boy (yes, it was always a boy) in every grocery store we patronized had to personally count them. We'd go to the back of the store, usually a dimly lit and stinky area that felt like a stop in another dimension and press the customer service button.

(And why do they call it customer 'service' anyway? Asking for a friend...)

Eventually a kid would show up to count the cans.
One.
At.
A.
Time.

He usually wore latex gloves, but sometimes did it bare-handed. A really shitty job to have to do. Then he grabbed a pen with his sticky fingers and wrote a little ticket to take to the checkout. Fun times. And all we got was a nickel for each one back then, didn't go to 10 cents until 2017.

Next technological leap was a kiosk outside the stores. It was filled with constantly jammed machines and was another big pain in the ass.The kiosks were a stinky, cramped and crowded mess shoved off in some forgotten corner outdoors or in an open-to-the-outside alcove on the exterior of the store. When we had cans to bring back, we'd usually have to wait for someone to finish counting their cans so we could have a  machine to feed them into.

If it was winter, we'd have to stand in the wind and rain.
In summer, there were hornets buzzing around. All that sugar everywhere, I guess.

The machines were constantly jamming or full and unable to accept more cans/bottles.

Then you had to push a button. Over the store's PA system you'd hear, "Customer service at the bottle return." Sometimes that button would be pushed multiple times and NO ONE CAME to help.

It was frustrating and we finally got tired of the bullshit and started tossing our returnable cans and bottles into our bin at curbside.

Most weeks a little old man came and went through our recycling bin about 5 AM on Friday mornings and took them all. We figured that at least the stuff was getting recycled and that we were doing the guy a favor.

Going through the inconvenience of trying to return them just got to be too much.Not sure when, probably in the early 90s, the state 'improved' things by opening bottle return places.
Bottle Drop they call it.A roll of 10 Green Bags costs $2.00.
Then they charge 40 cents for every bag you drop off to be counted.

When we go in to get bags, they print stickers for us, too. Then when we take them back, they go into a little door on the side of the building and someone there scans the tag, runs the items through a machine to be counted and the money just shows up in our account. We scan our keyfob at the store and get a little paper ticket with a dollar amount. Present it when we check out and just like that, a big 20 or 30 dollars off the bill.

Since the plague hit, the lines at the place are all the way along the edges of the parking lot. There's no place to park. It's like an anthill.
They're practicing social distancing, but from the time it opens in the morning until it closes at night, there are people in line. Every time I've driven by since mid-March, the line is alllll the way around the parking lot and down the little drive into the industrial area that's behind the little plaza. There are at least 40 people in line at all times of the day.

So there are people asking on Facebook for anyone who is willing to donate their cans. People are willing to go stand in line for two hours in the heat to get their ten or twenty bucks.

Once in awhile someone offers some cans and bottles and there are 10 to 15 people wanting to come get them almost immediately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And our "representatives" can't decide how much money to give to corporations and their big campaign donors.

When this all started, they added a bit to people's unemployment benefits, which kept the economy going a little.

Not everyone got the extra. Some didn't get any help at all.
Which has led to people lining up to get a little bit of cash at the bottle return.

It's awful.

Think about how much worse it would be if they didn't even have that.

I'm scared for the direction this country is headed.

The moratorium on evictions is about to expire.
People have no money.
Many are hungry.

And the people who are supposed to be representing all of us are wrangling over stupid shit. I noticed that they managed to agree not to shut government down... meaning that they get to keep their gold-plated benefits and big salaries, and of course keep all the money given to them by their corporate bosses.

I'm starting to get more than a little angry.

I can't see that voting for one candidate over another is going to do a fucking thing, either. Since it IS both sides fucking off and doing nothing to help.

Medical 'Care'

This is what I wrote up for my review of Providence's 'care'.
Exciting epilogue... I had chest pain and some pretty interesting stuff going on AGAIN at 3:30 this morning so guess where I went AGAIN?

I did learn that if you present in the ER with chest pain they bump you to the head of the line, though. Expensive fucking lesson, I'm sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some waiting area staff were not good at observing safety protocols. Security guys sitting in the corner at their station, masks dangling from one ear, heads two feet apart as they looked at stuff on a phone, laughing and chatting.

A woman came and talked with them awhile, she also did not have a mask on.  All three of them had a lengthy conversation, punctuated with laughter and hearty voices. All unmasked.

Since they're on the front lines, as they say, it seems to me that the possibility of them spreading Covid-19 even though they were not displaying symptoms, is bigger than average.

Most of the people in the waiting room were there because they were ill in the first place, so I can't understand the logic of sitting unmasked and exposing the general public to still more pathogens.

Upon my arrival I saw a person sitting to the right in the broad entry walkway  a little to the side. She was in a wheelchair, bent over at the waist, completely passed out, head lower than her knees. A white garbage bag full of her possessions and a purse were on the floor in front of her chair.

A puddle of unknown substance was slowly spreading under her chair.
I observed several Providence employees walking past the puddle, adjusting their route to avoid stepping in it.

So yes, they saw it.  But chose not to see HER.

No one stopped to check on the person who was not in a safe position, unconscious. Providence personnel came and went from the triage rooms, passed within a foot of her MULTIPLE times and didn't see her.

I finally pointed her out to a woman who was doing triage. She looked carefully at the unconscious person, said, "Well, that can't be comfortable,"

She got reinforcements who gloved up and went to move the patient. They tried to get her to sit up, but she was in very poor condition and unresponsive. They wheeled her away. The puddle of liquid was left on the floor. No one came to clean it up, although I noticed hospital staff still walked around rather than through it.

Another person was in one corner of the waiting area vomiting loudly and constantly for approximately 45 minutes.

Who knows what pathogens the unmasked Providence personnel (and already compromised patients forced to wait in the same area) were exposed to? I do understand the purpose of triage and that many patients were waiting, but it seems that one of the factors involved in triage is assessing the risk to others in the vicinity of the ill person and that someone who is projectile vomiting is not only in dire straits, but the people around them are at risk of getting whatever contagions they're spewing into the air.


I went to the ER because we have been working to get my blood pressure under control and failing.

We've tried several different medications and I've had some interesting side effects. I pay close attention to how I am feeling, take daily BP measurements and monitor myself.

The medication I had been taking was making me very ill, was causing horrendous spikes in my readings and instead of lowering my readings, had raised my blood pressure to dangerous levels, so I was in the process of weaning off the medication. It's dangerous to completely stop the medication all at once, so I was following the protocol set forth by my doctor.

As I was getting ready to go to bed on Thursday night, I suddenly became very raspy-voiced as my throat started to feel closed. My breathing was working okay, but a deep breath caused me to feel something like sand swirling in my chest and my throat and made me cough.

I began being dizzy. I became weak-kneed and sweaty. The cough and sandy feeling worsened.

Those are not good symptoms, and coupled with the discontinuation of the medicine, made me decide I should seek medical attention.

I'm not sure I could say I actually received medical attention, but that was the goal. I feel confident that during the entire time I was there, no one actually listened to me.

They sort of listened to my *words* but clearly attached their own meaning to them.

I felt dismissed and patronized.

I do understand that the people who work in the conditions of an emergency department see a very broad picture of society and various amounts of lunacy in an unpredictable and sometimes shocking manner. And that ER medicine is not a clinical atmosphere. Had I not been dealing with the blood pressure issues and medication-go-round, I wouldn't have even considered visiting an ER.

I repeated several times to the various staff that NO I was not in pain, I was having something like glass in my throat. That and the extreme high blood pressure and dizziness were my symptoms. I did NOT have a 'sore throat' which was mentioned by each staff person I encountered.

They did check my blood pressure, I suppose.
So there's that.

What 'worry' looks like with my folks

I didn't add my mom's current physical condition to my last post.

After the fall that broke her back, she started bending over a little. And then a little more. And more. Now, after so many years of incorrect posture, more falls, refusal to take care of herself,  she's bent at the waist like she's walking along looking for bugs.

She can't stand up straight and hasn't been able to for many years. Between the damage to her body from all the falls and osteoporosis, she is really in sad shape. She has refused to use a walker indoors Oh there isn't room with my furniture... You know, instead of MOVING THE DAMN FURNITURE.

The refusal to use a walker or cane has exacerbated her condition(s) according to her physical therapists and doctors. Not that it's changed her mind. For whatever reason, it was just too much trouble to use a cane or walker to get around and now it doesn't really matter after the cumulative effect of so many years.

Add to that her sense of purpose. She pays zero attention to where she's putting her feet and doesn't bother to look ahead to plan the route she's going to take from point A to point B. She just... decides to go, jumps up and goes as fast as she can. She frequently trips, crashes into walls and furniture like an old drunk, and yeah, falls now and then, too.

About 10 years ago I was visiting them just 'cause.
We were all set up in the front yard with tables and buckets and gloves and doing a little tie dye.

We had brought a hammer out with us because not only was the deck built by amateurs, it was getting old and it wasn't unusual to see a nail sticking up an inch or two while one was walking along. Four or five times I'd grabbed the hammer and smacked a nail back down to avoid tripping or my mom falling.

Mom was doing her usual headlong dash along the deck to get something (I'd already told her twice to STOP DEADHEADING THE FLOWERS FROM THE DECK DO YOU WANT TO FALL AGAIN?!?) when she tripped over a loose board and crashed to the deck.

My dad, who's a worrier, reacted in his usual kind and solicitous manner. While trying to yank her up off the boards by her arms, he snarled "What the fuck is wrong with you?" yankyank "Goddammit, Sally, I should take this hammer," yankyank "And bash in your fucking head!"

yankyankyank

"Dad. Dad. DAD!!!"

He blinked at me and temporarily stopped yanking on Mom's arms. Then went right back to it.

yankyankyank

"DAD! STOP!!!"

"I have to get her up!"

"Here. Let me help."
I moved the sturdy kitchen chair I was sitting on over where Mom was still flopping around on the deck. Sat back down in it.

"She has to get herself up, Dad, it's easier. Believe me,  I know." I kept my tone calm more for my mom's sake than anything. She was upset enough.

To Mom I said, "I will sit in the chair so it won't tip. You can use it to pull yourself up when you're ready."

It took a few minutes, and I had to tell my dad to, "Leave her alone, she can manage!" when he tried three more times to just go yank her up with brute strength.

He's not a great listener.

Well fuck a goddamned duck.

I messed with the settings on my blog ages ago and made it less easy to search. Back when those shitbag comp lawyers were reading it. Although that was sort of silly, I guess, since I specifically wrote many posts for them to read. Dumb shits.

So that heading,'Fuck a goddamned duck' may not attract a lot of notice, which is fine. I write for me.
(It's fine for you to read, too...)

On the other hand, I may attract some kind of weirdo after all.
Who knows?
::shrug:::

Wait... raise your hand if you're weird.
:::waiting:::

Ah yes, I see you over there in the back. And you, halfway up the aisle, feet hanging out into the walkway. And you, groping your neighbor.

Huh. I guess there are more of you than I thought.
I can't see the point in worrying about weirdos now.

Yep, this IS one of you. I think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So my principal talked to me a few weeks ago. He said that the district was going to send out a survey to parents in the district to find out their feelings and wishes about childcare being offered in each school. At that time he assured me that he'd already let the district know that he was quite happy with the care already being provided in our school and that there was 'nothing' to worry about.

I worried. He told me to tell parents that it was 'just a survey' and that no one was planning to change our arrangements. I still worried, but didn't say much about it. What could I say?

So then, one of my parents came in and said that she'd received the survey and it was about the SUN program. Which, in my opinion, is a terrible program. The people who work in that program do not have to pass a licensing inspection, they get around that law as well as others through some legal but shady maneuvering.

I have seen several of their programs in action. None of them were programs I'd ever trust my child(ren) with. Appalling is just one word I'd use. Ugh.

So I told her that our principal had assured me that everything was fine, that our program wasn't going anywhere.

I actually believed it.
Until today.

Today our principal stopped by to tell me that the district is 'probably' going to have THE COMPANY I USED TO WORK FOR!!! (aka Assholes Inc, not the SUN program) come into our district and run programs before and after school.

"But of course we'll take steps to ensure you remain the site coordinator here. Apparently they usually hire the people who are working in the current programs."

I smiled at him.
"Um. I used to work for them. That's where I was just before I got here. I will never work for them again. They're horrible individuals and a terrible company to work for."

He told me, "Well, don't worry about it yet, I am going to a meeting tomorrow and I'll learn more about what's going on then."

Have you ever worried? And had someone suggest to you that you not worry?
Were you then magically able to stop worrying?

Yeah, me neither.

Now if it *does* happen, I won't work for those awful people again.

I doubt they'd want me anyway, although I didn't use words like fuck and shit or phrases like up yours, I still did a pretty good job of burning bridges. I heard through the grapevine that some of what I said was useful in termination of the Big Fish, too. Not sure about that, but if it was, yay. At any rate, they wouldn't want me back and they couldn't pay me enough to even consider it. No fucking way.

They pay shit wages and not only do they treat their employees like crap, they're very disrespectful to the children stuck in their 'care'. It's only gotten worse since I left with the whole 'one art project every 10 days' and 'let's do school after school' stuff.

So I did my afternoon shift today with a big lump in my heart. The principal told me that he is to attend a meeting tomorrow in which more discussion will happen and that he'll have some better information for me tomorrow.

Now if it does happen, and I have to leave, I won't lose my job. The company I work for is always hiring. And opening new sites. They already know that I'm good at what I do, that I am able to form relationships with school staff and that I take the job seriously. I'm sure there's a place for me.

But goddamn it.

I don't want to start over again.

Fuck a goddamned duck.

::flop:: drive::: flop:::zzzz

That's the sound of me, falling down with the weight of TIRED.
Often.

It's official.
Made it through my first full week of the new school year.

I am exhausted.
Five AM is early.
I appreciate the opportunity to get a nap in between shifts, but Bob is here visiting until the 22nd so I have been shorting myself on naptime.

I've also been waking up several times during the night.
Pee.
Start thinking.
Lie awake for a half hour.
Repeat.

But I'm ready to go back in on Monday morning with a cheerful attitude.
Or what passes for cheerful in my world.
I wake up with my face all smooshed, stagger into the bathroom, turn on the water and get into the shower as fast as I can.

While I use the wall for support and let the hot water beat down on my head, I ponder about what would be a good activity for the day. Ordinarily I have plans made well ahead of time, but I didn't have all the things I needed for that until this week when my manager person brought some more boxes out of storage for me.

Things are starting to take shape, though. This is the third time I've moved in two years. I packed up a lot of stuff at my old job to bring with me, although I left quite a bit behind, too.

I had a designated space in my new school, and brought in a ton of things only to learn about six months in that my space would be bulldozed at the end of that first year.

If I had known, I wouldn't have worked so hard at making it a wonderful space. It would have still been nice, but I would not have brought in ALL the things.Our little room AND the gym were in the 'footprint' of the new building and had to go. Guess that's why they weren't terribly concerned about the leak in the roof over the supply room.

::sigh::

I packed up again and my stuff was stored at the school for the summer. I had to figure out how to run a program the next fall without a lot of help from my employer. I really needed some portable carts with big cubbies. I asked for them when school got out. They ignored me. Instead, thanks to a supportive custodian, I got some of the school's cast off furnishings. I managed.

And at the end of the school year (June 2018) again had to pack up everything because the whole school was razed mid-summer.

This time all my stuff went to our company's storage facility. I didn't want it to go there, I wanted them to rent a unit out this direction. I even offered to pay for it myself. They weren't having it. I told them that I have some personal items mixed in, although most of the stuff I brought for my program I considered donations. "So I don't really have time to go through everything I have at the school and run a program at the same time. I will need some help with that."

"Oh that's okay, pack it all up together. We'll store it."

The way this company operates, it wouldn't have been the least surprising to find all my things gone through and half of them missing forever. So I put bright orange signs on all my stuff, wrote the name of my site and 'personal items mixed in'. I didn't want anyone taking things I need to run an effective program. I didn't trust them enough to believe that my stuff would be left alone without all the labels.

Then one of the upper management people toured the storage facility and got all pissy about 'why are we storing personal property' and I was told that I couldn't have personal things at work anymore.

I'm pretty sure my manager person didn't adequately explain why things were labeled the way they were, but I don't care anyway. She's very nice. She's not stupid. She's definitely not an asshole like Fluffy was. But she's not exactly an advocate for me, either. How could she be? She doesn't even know what I do!

So 'no more personal items for you at work' they said. They made me sign a piece of paper. Assured me like six times during the course of the conversation that I wasn't 'in any sort of trouble'. Which I already knew.

Not that I listened, one of my bins of LEGO is there, as are the Bionicles and a few little things. A ton of art supplies and specialty scissors and games and little things... doesn't really matter. Much of it came from Goodwill. Other things donated by friends and family. It all helps me do my job better and makes a place for the kids that they look forward to.

I really believe that if a kid has to be in day care, it needs to be a decent place.
They need good books to read, real art supplies and things to create with, and someone who cares about them. They need as many choices as I can provide so they can learn what makes them happy. Exercise their creativity

I won't worry over any of it, if I were to make a decision to leave in the future, it would be a simple matter to take my LEGO and the Bionicles with me. The rest belongs to the kids as far as I'm concerned. I thought that in the first place, so it's not a big shift in attitude or anything like that. And I don't plan on going anywhere for awhile.

And seriously. My employer has very little idea of how my program runs. I still have never had a site visit. My old employer used to monitor their programs every few months. After Fluffy joined the club, the educratic bullshit was pretty disgusting, but they did at least act like they were making an effort to run something that looked like a quality program. Obviously appearances were important to them, even if true substance wasn't.

Annddd once again, I am starting to digress.

My employer told me week before last that I 'don't need so much stuff for such a small program'. The gist of the conversation was that my program has so much stuff and the kids are so happy to be there that when they're stuck going to summer program or some of the other programs, the parents aren't happy.
I know that at least two parents have called to question why other programs aren't as... well-stocked as mine.

I fucking HATE being called into a conference and not being ready with answers... "Really? So kids who attend smaller programs shouldn't have many choices and a good time while they're in program?" Isn't that a great answer? I didn't have it ready on time, though. And didn't say it.

I also would have told them that they really should be trying to figure out how they could add things to the other programs so they start looking as good as mine.

I would have asked them why they care what I bring in, since none of them have ever seen my program in operation. This is my third year with the organization. A term that I use loosely.

Instead, I signed their stupid paper. Added 'I will give you a list of what I've contributed' and handed it back to them.

"We want you to know that you're doing an amazing job. And that your dedication hasn't gone unnoticed."

Okay. But now you don't want me to be *too* dedicated?

AND. I am now driving to the office every Thursday to pick up four pieces of paper. They talk about conservation of our funds (even though we're a non-profit).

Okay, so it's 22.8 miles from my school to the program office. I am being paid from the time I arrive at my school until I get to the office. Unless I pick up snacks... then I have to drive them directly back to my school because I don't have room for all that stuff in my refrigerator. So it's another 22.8 miles.

They're paying me 54 cents a mile. So I am making 22 bucks in mileage reimbursement to drive to and from the office. And being paid my regular hourly wage (which just went up... again) to drive to the office. And if I have snacks on board, paid to go back to my school afterward.

And I'm tired.
Did I mention that?

Yeah, but it's only dogs...

So Show Dogs is being re-edited to remove the scenes that were causing the public outcry. I suspect money is really the cause of the changes, but I don't actually care, I'm glad that kids aren't going to be watching a movie where a character works really hard to overcome his aversion to someone touching his private parts. And finds joy in his head as he checks out and just lets it happen.

But I also have a sense of humor.
I found a couple of the comments hysterically funny.

'Roland Tembo ' said, "If the “talking dog farting in a bathtub” movie can’t maintain it’s narrative integrity without including a scene that inadvertently endorses the methods of child sex predators, as a society I think we’ve probably hit a wall in terms of visual storytelling"

And 'Pinkie Fisticuffs' added, "Seriously, people, who hasn’t felt uncomfortable when dog show judges are examining your testicles? You may get used to it and even enjoy it eventually, but that first half-dozen times . . . it just feels weird."

And this one, from "mexican blade runner' Look, the whole movie isn’t 100% realistic but we worked hard on getting the ball rubbing scene just right."


If you find you've a little time on your hands, I encourage you to go read the article.

The article was removed...

Maybe there's an innocent explanation for why the article was taken down. No idea. But I had a feeling that might happen, and I'm accustomed to listening to my feelings. So I copied the entire article.

Under fair use, here is an excerpt.

"

What could have been solely a fun movie for kids that would get my highest recommendation is damaged by a dark and disturbing message hidden, not so subtly between the fluffy dogs and glamorous parties of the show dog lifestyle.  As part of any dog show, contestants are judged on their abilities and physical attributes.  One part, in particular, is the inspection of the dog's private parts.  Being that Max is new to competing, he needs to learn the process so his partner, Frank, along with a former show champion work to get him ready for the final round of the competition.  Since the inspection of the private parts will happen in the finals, Frank touches Max’s private parts to get him use to it.  Of course, Max doesn’t like it and snaps at Frank for him to stop.  Max is then told by the former champion, who has been through the process before, that he needs to go to his “zen place” while it happens so he can get through it.  More attempts are made by Frank to touch Max’s private parts, but Max is still having trouble letting it happen and keeps snapping at him. 

The day of the finals come and if Max doesn’t let his private parts be touched, he may lose the competition and any hope of finding the kidnapped panda.  It all rests on his ability to let someone touch his private parts.  The judge’s hands slowly reach behind Max and he goes to his “zen place”.  He’s flying through the sky, dancing with his partner, there are fireworks and flowers-everything is great-all while someone is touching his private parts. "

Edited to add:
The article is back up. Apparently one of the sponsors of the website didn't like the review. After some back and forth, the website decided that the review was more important than what the sponsor liked or didn't like.

I corresponded a bit with the author of the piece and learned a little more.

So here it is, and you can share on the book of Face if you're there, instagram or Twitter, too.

Almost Speechless.

You MUST go read this.
Then tell me why this was ever allowed to be filmed.
Why it's being promoted.
What the hell is wrong with people?

The person who wrote the review is a mom and a survivor of childhood abuse. And she thinks it's a good idea to show this movie to your kids as a way to open a dialog. To show them what to watch out for.

I disagree so strongly that I don't even have words.

Have we not learned any lessons from history? From RECENT history!

This is shameful.

What's best for children.

So Carey, one of my co-workers, is working elsewhere for summer. For some hypothetical company, of course.

Fluffy and Fluffy Jr. shit on her regarding hours, so she found a summer job and told them that she wouldn't be able to work for them this summer.

Here are two completely simulated photos of where Carey might be working.

It's completely appalling. If I were a parent, and I went and scoped out that location, there is no way in hell that I'd take my kid there. And it's ridiculously expensive to do so, too. The simulation looks like a refugee camp. What a pit. Embarrassing.

The kids would be bored out of their minds if this were the place they were attending.

Gee, I wonder why. Hm.

I can't imagine that anyone can look at this and say that this is what's best for children... but what do I know, I'm just a babysitter.

But you know, I've been supplying my own site for a long time. We all do it, because if we don't, we have bored and unhappy kids. And it makes our job suck donkey balls.

Do they reimburse people for their expenses?
No.
No they do not.

In fact, they threaten people with disciplinary action when they spend their own money on their programs. The amount of bullshit they give people for supplying stuff for their own programs is truly ridiculous.
Do they appreciate the contributions of their dedicated employees?
ANY of them?
HELL no.

They also expect people to earn money for the company and then they fail do the whole equal pay for equal work thing.

Shit wages paid to the people who do the actual work.

So this morning, Carey stopped by and I loaded her car up so she could do her damn job over summer.

She could not have been more grateful.

I figure it helped me because now I don't have to haul it all to Goodwill.
And a bunch of bored kids will now be entertained. Win/win.

Can't change anyone's mind

I am horrified by the events of this week in which still another crazy person decided the best thing to do would be to shoot a bunch of other people. Although I am sorry for his family and the people who loved him, I am glad we're spared the expense of a trial and subsequent incarceration. And glad that he's no longer a threat to anyone.

Of course his actions were not legal.
That didn't stop him.

Making more laws aren't going to fix the problem. Laws that make it harder for people to legally obtain a firearm will just cause people to obtain them illegally.

Not exactly the same, but how many of you think a restraining order will solve domestic violence issues?

We will always have crazy people.

It makes more sense to me to be able to do something in one's own defense.
Hiding in a classroom and locking a door, arming yourself with staplers and other office-type supplies isn't going to help, either.

Instead of the exercise in futility that is making more laws, why don't we make sure our gun-free zones are secure places? Or put some armed people between us and them?

The shooting at Reynold's high school was stopped by armed men. The messed up kid who decided that killing a bunch of people was a great solution ended up dead himself, with a minimal loss of life. Because armed people were on the spot almost immediately.

I know that I won't be able to change anyone's mind. It's why I'm staying out of the debate on Facebook and with people I know.

Many of my online acquaintances have exquisite reflexes... causes them to knee jerk.

Guns are scary! They make me uncomfortable! BAN ALL THE GUNS! OMG OMG!!!

I understand their fear. But when your fear makes you completely irrational and unable to see reality, making new laws isn't going to fix YOU, either.

Having a bunch of fucking politicians decide who's capable of owning a firearm and who is not is a shitty idea, too. Consider the other decisions they have made against for us.

Dear Fred Meyer,

I'm pleased that I can find most of what I need with one stop. Groceries, socks, a bicycle tire pump, maybe a new toilet seat or a birthday card or a toy to take to a birthday party.

Hell, you even have small appliances, bedding, home decor and furniture.

But why does my shopping experience have to be so damn loud?

No, I am not talking about the fact that there are 500 people in the store, many of them children. Those are ordinary noises. They don't make me crazy.

I'm talking about the "music" you're playing.
It's obnoxious. Even when it's something I'd ordinarily like to hear, I don't want to hear it while I'm grocery shopping.

I particularly don't appreciate having to pause and stand under a speaker while I'm choosing between three types of aspirin or feminine products.

And we really don't appreciate the shouting over the store's PA system.

Today we were assaulted by some maniacal bitch shouting about the Halloween costume contest. I can see making an announcement on occasion, but every five minutes at top volume edges into the goddamn ridiculous.

Also, you have a couple managers who, in their quest to look self-important, forget that there are people in their path. They need to be taught that it's rude to jump in front of someone with a fully loaded shopping cart. Our own innate courtesy makes it an automatic reaction to try NOT to run over the idiot. So far, we haven't. But I'm about to give up trying to stop instantly because Mr. Strutty or that bald fuck suddenly appears in front of the cart.

So let me sum up.
Turn off the music. If we want to hear music while we shop, we can wear a headset.

Stop haranguing us. We're not interested in the 'today only' deal on mops or plants or cinnamon pine cones. We're also not interested in your communication with your employees. They all have walkie talkies. Use them.

STOP THE FUCKING YELLING!!!!

What an Asshole!

I worked a little today and decided to stop by Goodwill on my way back home. Wandered around a bit. My attention was caught by a young-ish dad (30s?) and his two little boys. One was about 3 or a little younger, sitting in the seat of the cart, and the other maybe 5. He was riding on the front of the cart. Both kids were talking constantly while their 'father' tried on some shirts.

He kept telling them to hush.
Be quiet.
Stop talking.
He got stern with them and threatened to 'beat their butts'.

Then he moved the cart a little and parked next to a display that included some fuzzy, furry jackets.
And said to the littlest one, "DO NOT TOUCH."

Well of course the little guy was curious and touched the fuzzy coat.
The dad turned around and saw him and slapped his arm.
It sounded like a pistol shot.

The little boy began crying.
He sounded utterly devastated.

I was standing right there next to them and couldn't control myself. I exclaimed, "Jesus Christ, Buddy!!"

He whirled around and glared at me.
Snarled, "Fuck off."
Turned away, pushing the cart, and left the store.

And after a moment of surprised quiet from most of the other people in the store, life just... went on.

I hope that little boy is okay. Slapping a child on the arm isn't considered abuse in this state, although it's a mean and shitty thing to do.

I still can't believe he parked that little boy next to something so tempting and expected him not to touch! He's a baby! That's what they do.

:(

What a piece of work.

Unlabeled

I was reading Joanna's blog today.

Click on the link if you'd like. (trust me, you'll like her blog...) She's been blogging quite awhile, and I think I've been reading there since the beginning, too.

The post I linked to is talking about the people she sees in her area of Los Angeles. All dressed in designer clothing, fancy cars, jewelry... and that's just to go grocery shopping or to get gas. Her neighbor has a designer CAR parked in front of the house. How bizarre is that?

I have to admit that I'm not label conscious at all. I don't care if it came from a designer as long as I can get it at Goodwill, it's made of 100% cotton, and doesn't bother me when I wear it.

It has to be able to be tossed into the washer and dryer. If it needs ironing, I won't buy it, either.

I iron by taking the wrinkled items and throwing them into the dryer for about 20 minutes and hanging them up. Well, usually. Sometimes I toss them in the dryer and then forget I did it. And the next day I open the dryer and go, "Oh. Shit. I forgot." And start the dryer again. I admit there has been more than one occasion that I did that repeatedly. I think four times is my record. Perhaps I should be ashamed, but there it is.

I know I have a couple expensive label jeans in my closet, but they came from Goodwill. $90.00 on the website. Way too much if you ask me. They're DENIM for goodness sake!

So I will wear a label, but not because of the label. I will wear it because I found a good deal at Goodwill.

It's pretty rare for me to buy new clothing at a retail store. And if I had to tell the truth (mostly I try to) I really don't need to buy anything new for a long time. I have a lot of clothes. More than I need. I'm in the process of weeding them out, actually.

I feel like the people who buy things because of a label are being duped. I can't imagine why anyone would pay the prices they pay for things. Even if I had a lot of money (and believe me, I do not. I'm lucky if I'm able to pay all the bills on time... sometimes I can't) I would not buy expensive things to wear.

Wouldn't you have to leave the price tag on if you wanted to impress your friends anyway? And if your friends are the type to be impressed by a label or what you're wearing, do you think you might just be a teeny bit shallow?

This week KATU featured the spring/summer fashion show in Paris or Milan or something... not sure. The models all looked angular and harsh and anemic. So did the clothing. A lot of flesh colored stuff with lace and shredded edges. I did see a couple things I'd consider wearing if I dyed them first. :)

So what do you think? I'm guessing that most of the people who read here are completely outside that nutty world of labels and obsession with brands.

Can you imagine what you could do with the kind of money it takes to buy one of those 'summer wardrobe' items?

Crabby as fuck.

I can't even tell you why everything is pushing my buttons right now.
I know that when I am having pain, it magnifies the things that are bothering me, and my knee is now waking me up a couple times per night.

There are reasons I don't care to go into on my blog, but I canceled the Thursday appointment and am seeing someone on Monday. I am hopeful (even though it's not realistic) that there isn't any structural damage, but I've been through this enough times that I have a sinking feeling.

Because it's not enough for MY knee to hurt, Eric has hurt his. HIS is nasty painful, keeping us both awake for a long time at night last night and ending sleep for the day at 4 AM. Yippee.

Will Eric go to the doctor? Oh hell no.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My company has decided that we all need to wear a uniform shirt. The argument that 'everyone will know you're with company F when you wear it at work' is a crock. "They" know we're with company F because we're the ones in the cafeteria with the kids running the damn program five days a week. Not to mention we wear big assed name tags on a lanyard. And that this is my 5th year in this location. I'm a fixture.

All of that is moot, though, because they are half polyester. I can't wear it. It makes my skin break out in this fine, bumpy little rash. Contact dermatitis. The same thing that causes me trouble with the adhesive in bandages and wool and nylon. It's a bitch to find bras I can wear. I have to pay attention to the socks I buy, too. Most are a poly blend, so I have to make sure the inside of the sock is cotton. Otherwise, my feet itch.

So I let them know I am allergic to polyester. (And you thought I wore 100% cotton because it takes dye!!) The first suggestion, that I wear two shirts!!! was not well received by me. First of all, you don't tell a woman who's having hot flashes on a semi regular basis that she should wear two shirts. Second... no. Unless everyone has to wear two shirts, I won't do it.

So I did some checking. I'm actually covered under ADA because what happens with the fabric allergy is an immune system response. So they need to provide me with an option I am able to wear.

I don't mind wearing a uniform shirt at work, it's part of the job. But I think it's reasonable to ask for the allergy accommodation.
And I will not wear a uniform shirt while out and about, grocery shopping or stopping at goodwill or whatever.
That's MY time.
Unless they want to pay me to advertise elsewhere, it's not happening.

So now they want a note from my doctor.
Okay. Fine. I have an appointment for that.
It sort of pisses me off, but fine. I'll get them their note.

Meanwhile, my knee hurts, Eric's knee hurts (and how cute... it's HIS left knee, TOO!!) and I'm tired.
And crabby as fuck.

Speaking of fucks. I have a letter sitting here to sign for a small settlement that's two fucking years late. I still haven't decided to sign it. I want to talk to my attorney about it before I make a final decision.

So I'm taking my grumpy self off to brush flush and wash and then hope I can sleep at least a little while before poor Eric wakes me up with his pain or I wake up with mine.

Aren't we a pair?

I'm no masterdebater.

The whole discussion started because F was so discouraged that two Colorado legislators had been recalled for screwing the electorate. The responses I didn't make and sort of wish I had are in blue.
F: Well, to be honest, nearly everyone had a gun before; this is the the West.The measures passed weren't restrictive at all. Now politicians will be afraid to vote for even mild restrictions on guns.

Isn't it about time for politicians to start listening to the people who (pretend with me, won't you?) ELECTED them?? Not restrictive? Of course that's your opinion.

B: No guns allowed in this Texas home. But, we are definitely a minority household. Eww! Guns are all.. icky and stuff!! She later commented about having had to take a gun from one of the people she counseled and how horrid it was to ::shudder::: touch one!

F: We have a shotgun somewhere, that my husband has used once to go skeet shooting. I grew up in rural Idaho. Everyone had guns, but they also had common sense.

A: I live in the country and we have guns - I don't even pay attention to what we have. A shotgun and rifle maybe? I know there's a little pistol somewhere. They're for snake and harmful critters only - but I hope I never am here by myself and have to use one because it'd be like Barney Fife! I hope I'm providing a good visual for ya'll!!

F: The shakiest gun in the West?

A: let's just say it would probably be entertaining to anyone watching! Including the rattlesnake!

T: We have one, home protection only. We don't carry it anywhere and since we don't have kids we don't worry too much about it. When the niece and nephew (3 years old) come to visit we lock it up!

A: ^^ absolutely. We never have kids out here anymore, they're all grown up. I know, F. There's just no getting the right wing out of their delusional bubble....and we have to live with them. I just about have a stroke every time I hear their silly screams about "outlawing guns" "taking our guns away"....Jeez - if they could get a passionate about an issue that IS true and that DOES hurt our people...too much to ask of them.
How stupid do you have to be to think that this issue is a 'right wing' thing? I believe in our rights, but I'm not a right winger. Dork.
Mental: I know I'm in the minority regarding this group at least, but I don't care. It is not the business of any branch of the government to regulate what firearms I do or do not have. It is personal business. When a legislator oversteps his or her bounds by voting however the fuck they want instead of doing what the majority of their constituents want, they are not doing their job and need to get the hell out.

F: The government regulates all sorts of industries and products in the interest of public safety. Guns should be no different.

Mental: When they get guns away from criminals with their 'common sense' laws, you might get some agreement from me. But did you know that people who have had depression or have had any anxiety medication are precluded from owning guns in several states, and that in California those are grounds for confiscation? That's not 'in the interest of public safety'. And I really don't care to argue gun control, my point is that when a legislator no longer votes the way his or her constituents want, they're not representing them. They need to be recalled and get their arrogant asses handed to them.

F: There will always be legislators that vote in a way that some of their constituents don't like in a two more party system. Recalls are meant to deal with fraud or corruption, not general dissatisfaction.
Oh, you're the arbiter of why people should or should not recall an elected slimeball! If they're not doing the fucking job, they shouldn't be collecting the salary or having the perks that go along with it. Dumbass.

Mental: I disagree. When I have an asshole working for me (or in this case against me) he or she needs to find a new job. Abridgement of my constitutional rights, however, is fraud. As they swore to uphold that same Constitution. You know, that pesky 'shall not be infringed' part.

F: So no one that disagrees with you is allowed to hold office? Dafuq??? What? Huh?????
Mental: I just scanned everything I've said. This, "So no one that disagrees with you is allowed to hold office?" was not there. When the majority of a legislator's constituents say 'here is how I want you to vote' and that legislator doesn't represent the majority, he or she is not doing the job. The legislators in many states who have decided to go with the current fashion statement of wiping their asses with the Constitution of the United States should not be allowed to hold office. This applies to the euphemistically labeled 'gun control' as well as many other examples. They're not representing anyone but themselves in many cases, they're being paid to do a job they're failing to do. Whether they disagree with me has no bearing on what they've sworn to do.

F: In the case of the Colorado legislators, they were representing the majority that elected them. Sure they were. That's why they were recalled. Because the majority liked them. Uh huh. They were doing everything just right. They were GOLDILOCKS legislators!
Mental: Well, if they're being recalled, evidently they were mistaken about what the majority wanted.

F:How is representing those who voted for you in any way fraud?
Or not doing what they were elected to do?

Mental: The fraud is voting to infringe the Constitutional rights of the Americans they were elected to represent. They weren't elected to take away people's rights.

And here's the funny thing. I don't even HAVE a gun. Don't have a need for or want one. But when they take an oath to uphold the Constitution, they probably should do exactly that.

A: I just have never seen anything in any legislation that makes me in any way whatsoever concerned that anyone is even trying to pass a law that would outlaw or collect my guns. I just haven't. Even assault rifles - yes, limiting access to those, but not even trying to collect the ones out there. I know very well someone who has one of those, and even though he's a good friend of ours, I do have to say when he gets drunk and his real feelings come out - he scares the crap out of me. Mental- I hear what you're saying, but a question I wrestle with is the issue of where one's rights end because they infringe on someone else's rights. For example, I do not, capital do not, want to have people walking down the isle at the grocery store, movie theater, any public place with a rifle strapped over their shoulder. I will leave that area immediately and that infringes on my right to buy groceries, go to a movie, whatever. I don't know that this guntoter is sane and just has to feel macho and carry his gun around ( small dick ) or if it's a crazy person about to go off and start shooting people. If they are all over the place, no one will know. No one will know when to run and hide. Texas just passed a new law that lowers the hours of training requirement for getting a concealed carry license from something in the high teens to only 4, so I'm getting a little concerned about all of the concealed guns out there, too, which I never was before. They are making it easier and easier for any nutcase out there to buy and carry guns. I do find this trend disturbing. I'm not rabid about it - yet -but disturbed.
The argument that the lawful types who carry guns want to be able to protect us if some crazy opens up. Right. That's what I want - crossfire from people with 4 hrs of gun training and cops showing up and having no idea who the bad guys are and who the good guys are. Huge ass recipe for disaster here. And further limits my right to come and go in public because I will not be able to recognize if a threat is there. It will always look like a threat is there.
And my understanding is that there are no qualifications whatsoever for rifles and such, not even 4 hours of training.
Granted, Texas has turned into one big open-door insane asylum, so some paranoia is a good thing. New law: a gun license counts as voter id, but not a university student ( or I'm sure faculty) id. Now that's seriously screaming red fucked up!

T: I agree with the constitution. Anyone that wants to own a musket or join the military should be allowed to!
Oh and don't forget, even blind people are getting guns! Nothing can possibly go wrong here, right?
http://www.cnn.com/.../09/08/us/gun-permits-blind/index.html

Mental: As I said, I am not interested in debating gun ownership. Don't want one? Don't get one. It's none of your (generic you) business what other people are doing. The Constitution says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Period. I don't give a rat's ass what kind of guns they had then or what kind they have now.

A: got no problem with them either.....as long as they are members of- the very first words- "A well regulated militia"...... I wonder, would a well regulated militia in today's world be like the Texas National Guard? I wonder if police forces are considered militias? Kind of a different subject, but I'm curious! I don't consider those "Patriot" militias to be "well ordered", but maybe they would count. Don't know.

Mental: And since we're splitting hairs, the well regulated militia were people who were standing up against a tyrannical government that no longer represented them. Get a bunch of people together who are tired of being shit on and they'll regulate themselves pretty well. Become that militia. Which they have every right to do.

A: Oh, I was referring to assault type weapons. I guess if I was a fly on the wall it'd be pretty amusing ( in a sick way ) to watch a bunch of people calling themselves a militia take on the American marines, special forces, seals, Navy,Army, Air Force....that'd be about a 5 minute fight, at best. I just don't see that argument at all - as a reality, instead of theory/principal....

T: Mental, if you are talking about people rising up against our government there's a lot easier and safer way to do that. No guns even involved. The wonderful democratic process. If you need guns to do it, like in Syria, Somalia, etc. Because you surely won't be "free" if that's your plan. Folks thinking they can take out our government with an AR15 are smoking something serious. 'Err one knows what AR15's are for......mowing down citizens in theatres and 6 year olds in school.

This is where I should have just stopped trying. Anyone who really thinks this way doesn't respond to reason and logic. And I fucking know that!! WHY did I keep going? The wonderful democratic process. Jesus wept.
Mental: The 'wonderful' democratic process where only the wealthy can run or ever have a chance to be elected? Where not one of those rich people has ever had to choose between buying a box of tampons or a gallon of milk or trying to pay for the medicine for the baby's ear infection two days before payday?

The 'wonderful' democratic process where the results of the election have been announced before the people in my state have had their votes counted?

Yeah, fuck that.

T: So your answer is to form a militia and shoot them all?
Look, no one said it was perfect by any means but if we fall to the point of killing people we disagree with we are literally (and I do mean literally) another Syria.
FUCK! Jesus fuck!! NO! Did you study to become this stupid? Where do you even come up with a twisted dumb fucking thing like that??
But no. I kept trying to reason with this person. I suppose at this point we could start considering that I'm the idiot here. ::sigh::
Mental: No, that's not my answer. That is the reason a militia could be formed. I don't plan to shoot anyone. I look at the fucks running this country and wish things upon them like penile erosion and hope they end up looking like the picture they hide in the attic ala Dorian Gray. I don't wish violence on any of them. Mostly I try to dismiss them from my universe, sort of the same way I've been dismissed from them.

T: OK, good because for every citizen killed by assault weapons there have been 0 politicians killed by them (horribly inefficient). A militia for any other reason than national defense is a fairy tale, won't legitimately happen. But meanwhile civilians dying everyday. Back to square 1 on this topic.

J: I wish there were no guns, no war, no fighting...that is the vision I hold for the world I want to live in....maybe not in this lifetime, but I believe...
Aww, isn't that cute! If you just wish/believe hard enough... And lollipops! And unicorns! And let's be all hopey changey!!

Mental: Civilians are dying in huge numbers from medical errors, car wrecks, cirrhosis, heart attacks, cancer, electrocution, falling... whatever. (People DIE... ALL. THE. TIME. It's sort of inevitable.) Of course you're conveniently leaving out the fact that most upper level politicians are protected by layers of armed guards.

My favorite example of "Look at what a fucking moron *I* am" is the fairly recent bullshit from Joe 'buy a shotgun and fire two blasts' Biden.
Mental: I love the way ol' folksy Joe's handler is nearly shitting a brick at his remarks.

Buy a shotgun!

T: "Of course you're conveniently leaving out the fact that most upper level politicians are protected by layers of armed guards. "
Actually Mental, I am not leaving that out at all. That is EXACTLY what I was referring to above when I said militias serve no purpose for taking out our government. Won't happen. The only purpose for assault rifles is to kill innocent civilians.

Yes, that's what happens ALL. THE. TIME. I wonder if this person has ever considered how many guns are out there vs how many are used to commit any sort of crime. And hey, doofus, the AR-15 is quite often found in the hands of law enforcement. They need them to use in their continuing quest to kill innocent civilians.
Mental: The purpose of what you're calling an assault rifle (consult teh google to learn about what's out there, the nomenclature, and the purposes of the different varieties) is self protection. I doubt seriously that waving a piece of paper at a criminal bent on destruction "You can't shoot me!! Your gun is ILLEGAL!!!" is going to stop him. Or them. But you can sure as hell take them out in your own defense if you're armed. Remember, when seconds count, law enforcement is only minutes away.

T: Uh, Mental I never said you have to wave a piece of paper.....where did you get that? I even acknowledged above we have a gun here at the house for defense. You can bet someone breaking in here won't be getting paper.

Mental: " The only purpose for assault rifles is to kill innocent civilians." I'm assuming you mean AK-47. (And I deliberately made that error. I know what an AR-15 is, and that's the one that scares the hell out of people. I made the error on purpose to see if the people I was talking to actually had a clue. They did not.) Which does not fit the definition of 'assault rifle'. And I'm glad you're prepared to defend yourself, everyone should be. But if it's more than one person and they're hopped up on something, good luck stopping them with only a few shots. (That's theoretical, of course, I have no idea what you're packin' )

But the current crop of gun control legislators has NO clue about guns, they don't know what they're defining, they base their knee-jerk reactions on the fact that some guns LOOK scarier than others, and it's still NOT THEIR BUSINESS what I have or do not have.

T: I'm not into the technical definition of what an assault rifle is and isn't. Yet you are willing to infringe upon the Constitutional rights of the citizens of the United States when you don't even know what the fuck you're talking about? I could probably side the the President Bill Clinton definition when he signed the last assault weapon ban. I really agreed with that! (I really agreed with something I have NO FUCKING IDEA about! But it was like, really awesome and stuff!! And Bill Clinton had a BUDGET SURPLUS and he was like, dreamy!!)

An aside about that budget surplus thing that has always just bugged the shit out of me. Some people actually believe that it means that the government was running in the black! Out of debt! When you point out to these folks that 'budget surplus' simply means that for one golden moment in time they spent less than they stole from us, they stubbornly and obtusely deny it. Still T talking here: I have a S&W .38 revolver. It would put anyone except Superman on his ass. No worries at my house! My concern is for innocent civilians in movie theaters and children in schools. I mean why draw the like at assault weapons? The constitution doesn't say anything about machine guns either....machine guns ok? Where is the line?

Mental: Why aren't we PROTECTING our children? Instead of making schools into shooting galleries?

T: I agree! Protect them by banning assault weapons? Have a better idea?

Mental: Yes. I do. Since it's already illegal to SHOOT CHILDREN and other defenseless humans and the fucking criminals and insane pieces of shit who've done it DID IT ANYWAY. Had someone fired back, those cowardly turds would have STOPPED SHOOTING CHILDREN. Yes. Arm people and let them defend those they're charged to protect.

T: So.....after he fires off a couple rounds (which on an assault rifle can be done in less than 1 second) someone pull their own gun and shoot the person with the assault rifle? Ok so between the bad guy shooting, the crossfire, the chaos, the cops possibly getting confused on the actual bad guy, how many dead? SMH.

Mental: Oh, I'm sorry. By all means, let the shooter continue his rampage through the school building, shooting at everything that moves as long as he has ammo. Silly to try to stop him.In fact, let's just put the weaker children in his path. Save him the trouble.

T: Or just ban his gun.

Mental: Sure. Let's ban it. Like drinking and driving. Let's make a law about that, too. Oh, and the cowardly piece of shit responsible for Connecticut did not even use his "assault rifle". While we're at it, let's make laws against robbery. And stealing stuff from people's houses. And rape. I think for sure we shouldn't have that anymore. Let's make it illegal to use a blowtorch on your neighbor or his house. Let's make a ton of new laws. Utopia!! It's coming soon!! All due to the magic of democracy!!!

T: Anything that can take out 20 kids in minutes with no reloading should be banned. There are already laws against those other crimes. Maybe I was referring to assault rifle too generically.

Mental: It's against the law to shoot children, too. At least where I live.

T: It is everywhere

Mental: And I would like to point out that you can take as long as you like to reload when the people you're shooting at are unarmed and cowering.

T: Or they could run.

Mental: uh huh.

Let's have a race. You hand me an unloaded gun and the bullets, then you take off running away from me. I bet when I fire at you, the bullet is faster than you are. Okay. While I am shooting at the guy who's killing kids, I'll stop when he's about to shoot your child. "I'm sorry, but your mommy wants you to run away, she doesn't want me to protect you this way."

A: From what I've seen, I haven't seen anyone banning anything at this particular time. Tightening purchasing background checks and such, yes. But I could be real wrong - it varies from state to state, right? And no - I'm not deluded - banning any weapon that's made is not going to keep every single lunatic from getting his hands on one. I really think a whole lot of this whole "banning " debate is propagated by the NRA for gun manufacturers - like the bullet scare - makes people run out and buy them so guess who makes lots of money. Mental - please believe I'd be right with you if they were actually every going to try to confiscate guns. You and I are a little apart in our view on this, but not as far as our rhetoric makes it sound.They ARE confiscating guns! They're taking them from law abiding citizens in a lot of places. California has some pretty amazing shit going on right now. Ever been on an anti depressant or anti anxiety medication? They have funded a task force to come and forcibly take your guns from you!

Mental: I'd like to say, however, that I appreciate the civil conversation.
I don't agree that the debate is manufactured since many of our elected officials, they themselves protected literally by an army, have said that is their goal. I'm trying to recall where the article was, but it was a breakdown of which horrendous mass killings were perpetuated by "people" who would have passed a background check.

And making something illegal will not make people stop doing it. Never has, anyway.

There are a lot of people in charge who believe that all animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others.
I think I'd add to that that everyone is a target, but some are easier targets than others. And I'm really, really tired of the shit that happens because people are literally not allowed to defend themselves by fighting fire with fire.

T: where are people not allowed to defend themselves??? Like A said I'd be standing up against that! The NRA has so many people convinced this administration is out to confiscate guns.....I haven't actually seen anyone even broach the topic but that hasn't slowed the rhetoric. FYI making something illegal does in fact make people stop doing it. Drunk driving laws are a perfect example. The rates of drunk driving has dropped dramatically.

Mental: People in schools aren't allowed to defend themselves against a gunman. In the county I live in, they've decided that no one can carry a loaded weapon. Not that it's stopping the gangs and other criminal assholes. But law abiding citizens aren't allowed by this new law to be able to carry a loaded weapon. I know several people personally who are ignoring that, of course. As they should, since county government doesn't get to trump federal law. Drunk driving laws are a joke. There are people who've been caught 20 times who are out driving again... suspended license, no license... whatever. The sister of one of my friends was killed a few years back at 10 in the morning the day before Thanksgiving by a guy who'd been caught and convicted for drunk driving eleven times.
Rape is illegal. Theft is illegal. Murder is generally illegal, unless you ask Jesse Jackson, then it's just 'frowned upon.' Those crimes happen with regularity every day. Making something illegal does not make people stop doing it. At least on my planet.

Lurkypants: "At least on my planet"? What the HELL, Mental? Is this what you consider a civil tone? Because it just sounds shitty and nihilistic to me.
Lurky, you may want to look up 'nihilist'.
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Mental: Making something illegal does NOT make people stop doing it. Asserting that 'making something illegal does in fact make people stop doing it' isn't factual, and although I knew better, I attempted a dialog. I don't really care if you like my tone, that's more your problem than mine.

Lurkypants: I only mentioned a civil tone because you thanked everyone upthread for keeping a civil tone. So I figured that it was something of a priority for you. No worries. Carry on.

We interrupt this thread to show how reasonable we're being and how you're not. Nanny nanny boo boo.

Perky: I'm reading this discussion and getting more than a little uncomfortable. I have a question for Mental, whom I know personally and understand her sarcasm, if not her cynicism. Mental, let's look at the logical conclusion of your argument: I want to buy a rocket launcher. I want to set it up at a 90% angle, with a trajectory that goes directly through my neighbor's bedroom window. I like the way it looks in my back yard, and if I want to can switch it around to face.... oh, how about that elementary school directly adjacent to your house. I can stockpile shells for it. i promise, officer, I will never use those shells. I can't imagine why my neighbors and the school children's parents are so upset. After all, it's my Constitutional Right to own this weapon, the corresponding shells, and to aim it wherever i damn well please.

Mental: What? Rocket launcher, huh? Okay, I am officially done.

Rocket. Launcher.
Jesus H. Christ.
I did give up. When I said I was done, I stopped responding. And then I left the group because I was stupid to allow myself to be added in the first place. The person who added me to the group stumped for John Kerry and his smarmy smirking sidekick in the 2004 election. She got all starstruck and giddy. I think she had the screaming thigh sweats, personally. And he lost. And she was so devastated that she did not leave her house for a week. Of course she's not going to be logical. And she will surround herself with other illogical people. It makes her feel more...normal? I really have no idea why she invited me to join the group, really. I am not one of them.

I just don't have the patience or pain tolerance required to continue banging my head against the bricks.
It gets me nowhere.

Although parts of the discussion were temporarily amusing, it mostly left me feeling hopeless.

These people and their clones are running the country right now.

Perky:  Im not being an ass. I'm asking -- just how far does this go? What if YOUR house was the one adjacent to the guy with the rocket launcher, and it was aimed at Alyssa's window. Would you not be freaking upset?
 why "done"? It's a serious question. I'm not being a jerk. I'm trying to understand the perameters of your argument. I think instilling fear in other citizens needs to be addressed. Because seeing these guys walking around with machine-gun capability, just because they darn well aren't gonna let the gubmint tell them what to do... that (I believe, understandably) frightens the shit out of me. What's the difference between a rocket launcher and an assault weapon? Because you're suggesting that a right to bear arms shall not be infringed.

Suggesting? Are you fucking kidding me?? The Constitution of the United States of America is NOT a suggestion. 

But clearly, at least to me, there are most certainly instances when it's in the citizens' best interest to be protected from someone who believes they can own any weapon they want, and can do with it what they want (including, apparently, scare the heck out of other law-abiding citizens) without being held accountable for the fear he's instilling. Here's my take on this. All straw arguments aside, when the Constitution was written, the intent was to allow citizens to keep weapons (18th century weapons) and assemble to fight whatever tyranny might come their way. Throughout our country's history, ordinary citizens have owned and used firearms to protect, to defend, to shoot threatening critters. There was no overreaching fear in the masses of those weapons nor their uses. But in the past, oh..... 5 years, the fear has become whipped into a frenzy. It's ridiculous. And it's scary, far-scarier than the threat of a lone gunman going berserk. It's overkill (no pun intended).
And have you given any thought to exactly WHO is whipping up that frenzy? Who's spouting the rhetoric and taking advantage of every crime that fits your standards to push your bullshit agenda?
T: I noticed the tone too. Thank you. I kept it nice anyway because, well, that's who I am. Oh yes. You're just a peach. You're so sweet that I bet you don't even eat sugar. Perky, I specifically asked Mental about machine guns and didn't get a reply. I specifically did not reply. Because it was a stupid fucking question and had nothing to do with what I was talking about. I mean, rocket launchers and machine guns were about as common as nukes back in the days the Constitution was written. Should we all be allowed those too? I still stick with my first comment, anyone that wants a musket should be able to have one. Two even! Mental, making something illegal does in fact make people stop doing things. Otherwise why have ANY laws at all? No drunk driving laws, no murder laws, no laws at all. I mean what's the difference?

Perky: I understand Mental's comment, in that those of us who are law-respecting citizens will follow the laws, but those who aren't law-respecting citizens won't, necessarily.

T: But is that not in fact the way it is with ALL laws?