Common Sense Cafe

2009-01-03T11:53:00.000-05:00

POOF!

Congratulations President-elect Obama

2008-11-13T13:01:00.003-05:00

It has been at least 6 years since I felt this emotion. I'm almost not sure what it is. I described it to a friend and she called it optimism. Who knew such a thing could penetrate my cynical heart.

I, like many of you, worked hard with the Obama campaign right down to the wire. I didn't finish canvassing on election day until 7:15, or 15 minutes before the polls closed for those of you wondering. For the first time in a long time I felt as if I could make a difference, and I guess I did.

But I don't think for a moment that the mere presence of hope can move this country forward. The real work now begins, not just for President-Elect Obama, but for us all. We will have to sacrifice and toil to dig ourselves out of the hole created by the Bush administration. If you believe America is worth anything, you will quit your whining and get on board!

My first step was to e-mail the Obama people and ask them, "What can I do to help?" I'm not being a smart ass or anything. I really want to know how I can help. I am hoping that the internet continues to be an instrument to inform the people of what the Obama administration is doing. But I also want it to continue to mobilize the people, to tell us what is expected and what we can do to make things better.

Please, People, do not think one man can do this alone. The true American dream (before it was corrupted to be that all Americans are entitled) was that with hard work and determination, anyone could achieve greatness. With any luck, we will return to the real spirit of this country.

Vroom

2008-11-13T12:44:00.002-05:00

Should we bail out the big 3? Quid pro quo, says I. They want help? Well they can't have it if they continue to do what they have been. Did you know that car manufacturers actually lose money by making SUVs? Even when they are selling. So why do they make them? Their answer is that the American people want them; that the fuel-efficient cars they offered weren't selling. I say out of sight, out of mind. Don't offer them and no one will buy them. The government should help the auto industry by:

Not allowing auto makers to send their factories overseas. That closes down our factories and loses our jobs. This should just be obvious.
Offering help to those car companies which move from huge gas guzzlers to smaller, fuel-efficient cars. This will mean a new direction for factories---existing factories that will need to be refitted which will generate jobs. And since the rest of the world has higher admission standards than we do, we will actually be able to sell our cars in other countries.

It's a mere 2 steps to create jobs, help our economy and save the enviroment.

It's just common sense.

A hockey mom is a soccer mom in a cold clime

2008-10-15T12:32:00.002-04:00

If you have ever read my blog (and I know you haven't) you know I hate soccer moms.

Who in their right mind would let a soccer mother be president?

They are always late. They always take their brats side, even when their brats are obviously at fault, thusly raising more inconsiderate jerks. They are wasteful. They act like they are better than others and somehow entitled to...well, be jerks. They don't care about anything but themselves. They suck!

Down, down, down with soccer moms and their cold climate counterparts, hockey moms.

2008-10-01T17:14:00.001-04:00

Please, People. Don't make us suffer through another 4 years. I can't do it. I won't do it!

5 days left to register.

2008-09-19T17:02:00.002-04:00

Plastic smile on my plastic face
Like an old whore I am
Faking this emotion.
Oh. Oh, Baby.
Gutted like a fish,
I am devoid of all sincerity.
I am masterful.
Completely fabulous.
The newest in animatronics.

Out in the parking lot
Re-blacktopping
I'm right here
But I'd rather be shopping

Barbie under glass
With a cheap price tag.
There's always a new, shiny, pink accessory
And I crave.
Sawdust sustenance
Washed down with Postem---
If only you could find that one thing
You'd no longer be hungry.
I know.
I've seen you looking, too.

The more things change...

2008-09-09T14:29:00.002-04:00

It is true that wealth has been greatly increased, and that the average of comfort, leisure and refinement has been raised; but these gains are not general. In them, the lowest class do not share...This association of poverty with progress is the great enigma of our times...There is a vague but general feeling of disappointment; an increased bitterness among the working classes; a widespread feeling of unrest and brooding revolution...The civilized world is trembling on the verge of a great movement. Either it must be a leap upward, which will open the way to advances yet undreamed of, or it must be a plunge downward which will carry us back toward barbarism...

This is as true today as when it was first written by Henry George in his book Progress and Poverty, published in 1879.

A NEW HOPE. For real.

2008-07-31T17:07:00.002-04:00

WE ARE LIVING IN A VERY EXCITING TIME. A TIME IN WHICH WE THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO CHANGE A CORRUPT, SOILED GOVERNMENT. THIS IS WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS FOUGHT FOR. WE CAN PUT A MAN INTO OFFICE WHO OWES NOTHING TO ANYONE, A MAN WHO JUST WANTS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

BELIEVE!

http://admin.brightcove.com/

Make up your mind already!

2008-07-17T14:44:00.002-04:00

John McCain, you can't have your cake and eat it, too.

I'm going to use small words so you will understand what I am telling you. See, you say you are for the environment, and yet you want more oil production in this country (so we can stop depending on foreign oil).

Now, this is where it might get a little complicated for you, Senator.

For the United States to produce more oil, we would need to drill in Alaska or take part in off-shore drilling. Both of these options are harmful to the environment.

So what's it going to be, McCain? Because you can't have it all.

Greedy bastard.

Who are the adults?

2008-07-14T14:53:00.005-04:00

I love it when a bit of my faith in mankind is restored. I wish it would happen more often.

A few days ago, two kids (18 and 19) came to my door canvassing for Ohio Citizen Action. They were awesome!

And while I lament that far too few of the big kids want to do something, it seems to me that a large group from, say 17 to 22 are seeing far enough into the future to realize that change must be made. Or else.

So check out the documentary. It's on YouTube. And their website at:

http://www.ohiocitizen.org/campaigns/isg/documentary_videos.html

Three cheers for California!!!

2008-07-04T14:53:00.002-04:00

Good for California! I hope the number of same sex marriages grows and grows and no one can do anything to reverse them.

Of course, the ignorant are allowed to speak their minds. That's their first ammendment right. But, as they are ignorant, they continue to not understand the meaning of marriage. They strictly define it as a union between a man and a woman. How closed-minded.

When two businesses combine their forces, we say they are married. Do companies have sex?

In the restaurant industry, combining two bottles of ketchup is called marrying. Oh, no! They are both ketchups!

Nope. Marriage is simply a union between two things. Could be any two things.

When marriage between heterosexuals results in an amazing 65% divorce rate, who are they to tell anyone what marriage is. Gay marriage hurts no one. Not even your fragile "family." Hell, if your family is strong enough, nothing can hurt it.

What are they really afraid of?

been a little busy,here

2008-06-16T19:37:00.001-04:00

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Put that in your SUV

2008-05-17T22:50:00.004-04:00

I don't understand why people think that just because they were born in America that they are somehow entitled to things. American Entitlement Syndrome (I just coined that) is a major contributing factor to why Americans are not liked outside the U.S.

There are three things the preamble to the Constitution entitles us. Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. Just the pursuit. There is no guarantee that you will be happy, but you can pursue it.

So I'm just going to be blunt. Stop acting like assholes!

You are not the center of the universe.
You are not better than those around you.
You aren't always right.

And, yes. I am talking about George W. and his administration.

Who is John Galt?

2008-05-15T14:34:00.002-04:00

The time has come for the people to rise against the dirty corporate machine that seeks to destroy the middle class and add to its own coffers. If something is good for a corporation, it is bad for the people.

EX: The federal government bailed out the airlines using taxpayer money. The people can barely afford to go across town, but the airlines made crazy profit.

EX: American companies go overseas for cheap land and labor. They are even given tax breaks for doing so. As a result, Americans lose jobs, their homes, families are torn apart---basically we're f***ed.

EX: Oil companies...okay. I can't even think about it without wanting to snap a neck.

GOOD FOR A CORPORATION=BAD FOR AMERICANS

WE DON'T NEED TO PUT UP WITH ANY OF IT! There are more of us than there are of them. What do you think would happen if the movers and the shakers of the world, the people who really make things happen, were to strike against those who merely profit from the hard work of others.

WHO IS JOHN GALT?

check it out

2008-05-15T14:18:00.003-04:00

http://www.truemajority.org/dontbombiran

2008-05-06T17:11:00.002-04:00

I am amassing an army.

I've been really concerned that, with all the problems of the world, with all the lies our government has handed us and with all the rights they have sought to take from us, still no one is protesting. No one is doing anything. Some may grumble, but that's all. And I am one person. Can you imagine what would happen to one person trying to have a sit-in at the White House? Nope. No one seems to care. Or maybe they are too lazy. We are Generation X, after all.

So I am amassing an army of 18 year olds. You see, last night one of our 18 year old friends came over and was talking about voting in his first election. Unfortunately, he doesn't know much about politics, the issues, the candidates, etc. He had a lot of questions and I had answers. The more I told him about our insidious current government, the angrier he became. He couldn't believe no one was doing anything. (We also discussed Vietnam and the activism of that time.)

That's when I realized I needed an army of 18 year olds. Anytime I talk to kids from 18 to 20, they want to do something, but they don't know how to go about it. They need someone older to lead the way.

So I am amassing an army of 18 year olds.

Apply within.

Where to buy your gas

2008-03-23T19:14:00.002-04:00

Last Thursday I filled up at 325.9, that day the barrel of oil went to over 100 and the next morning the same gas was 329.9, interesting how that works.

PLEASE DON'T SUPPORT OUR ENEMIES WHERE TO BUY YOUR USA ~ GAS THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON--

Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor. An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS. Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis. I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil. These companies import Middle Eastern oil: Shell.......................... 205,742,000 barrels Chevron/Texaco..........144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil...............130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway...117,740,000 barrels
Amoco.........................62,231,000 barrels
Citgo Gas comes from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. Do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (Oil is now $90-$95 a barrel)

Here are some large companies that DO NOT import Middle Eastern oil:
Sunoco.................. 0 barrels
Conoco................ 0 barrels
Sinclair................ 0 barrels
BP/Phillips........... 0 barrels
Hess................... 0 barrels
ARC0. ............... 0 barrels
Also: Pilot, Flying J, Love's, RaceTrac, Valero

All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.

I took this mostly from an e-mail my best friend sent me (taking out the chain letter parts). Now you have the information. Send it along.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

My mind's made up

2008-02-19T14:28:00.003-05:00

The Clinton's have put me off. It's politics as usual. And sometimes Hillary scares me. I think she's a great woman---strong, intelligent, a real model for a generation of girl's who have only had Paris Hilton to emmulate. But even though she wants to do things for good, she will need to take away (and is willing to take away) our Constitutional rights to carry out her plans. Facsism is facsism no matter what.

I'm hoping for a McCain/Obama matchup. It would be exciting. Yet with Romney out of the picture, I think most of his votes will go to Huckabee. Then the GOP will have no chance and thank the gods for that one!

Once you get passed all the lies on the internet about Obama, you should be able to see why so many are comparing him to JFK. He is really the only candidate that might possibly be able to bring about this change stuff we've been hearing so much about. He stands by his convictions. He was one of the few senators who voted against the Iraq war, and that took courage.

My indecision over the Democratic contender and McCain (the one Republican I thought may be worthy) finally ended. McCain wants more war. I can't understand how someone who spent 6 years as a POW in one bullshit war would want to not only continue a second bullshit war, but also wants more bullshit wars.

BULLSHIT!!!!!

And McCain doesn't lift the spirits, either. He tells states like Michegan and Ohio that the jobs are gone and they aren't coming back. Why not just tell them to roll over and die? I don't see any reason why jobs can't come back to the American people. If McCain can, well, I guess he doesn't see the American people. http://lessjobsmorewars.com/?utm_source=rgemail

So, I've decided. Obama is the man.

http://www.barackobama.com/

The exception to the rule

2008-02-04T16:37:00.000-05:00

I'm all about buying American, buying locally, keeping jobs in America.

Except...

DON'T BUY AMERICAN CARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

American car makers can't even sell their cars in other countries because the emission standards in other countries are too high. Cars from other countries are more fuel efficient and better for the enviroment. Thusly, they are better for everyone.

If we tell American car makers we aren't going to buy their product unless they get with the program, they will get with the program. Toyota and Honda lead in car sales. If they continue to take away business, the American car companies will have no choice.

Did you know that by 2009 your tv will be obsolete unless it is HD? The television companies will make a fortune. So why can't the car companies see that if everyone's car is outdated that they will reap the benefits? And why don't they realize all the jobs they could provide by improving car standards? Old cars will need re-outfitting. New jobs will be created because the demand for better cars will be great. It's a win-win.

So fuck Ford and GMAC. Save the kiss for when they deserve it.

A little dose of guilt

2008-01-28T15:48:00.000-05:00

Someone random says to me, "So, we're positive about this global warming stuff, even the president has said it's true, right? So, why isn't anyone doing anything about it?"

Good question.

During the second world war, people gave up rubber, nylon, steel---whatever was necessary. Their sugar, butter and eggs were rationed and everyone did it because it was for the greater good.

During the seventies we had the fuel crisis and car companies abandoned those gorgeous muscle cars for more fuel efficiency.

In the eighties, we learned what the Cfc's in aerosol cans was doing to the ozone and every aerosol can was changed.

Now, here we are in a real crunch. In your lifetime, you may not have fresh air to breathe. In your lifetime, you may not have clean water to drink. In your grandchildren's lifetime, the earth may not be able to sustain life.

What are YOU doing?

2008-01-16T16:46:00.000-05:00

I find every problem the world encounters stems from overpopulation. If only there were less people. Especially if there were fewer solipsistic, stupid people.

Check out the movie idiocracy from Mike Judge. We are heading for that reality.

Should you ever meet me, don't be fooled. I may be charming and you may like me, but I am a misanthrope. I wasn't always, but people have a way of not letting me down because they will always let you down. I have, perhaps, a half dozen friends---a word I believe people bandy about too freely. It doesn't at all bother me to have so few friends. I know I can count on them for anything. These few would never let me down; would always be there for me.

How many out there can say the same?

Resolutions

2008-01-01T18:15:00.000-05:00

I think in the upcoming year I'm going to be more subversive. I've been holding back out of fear. Now it's time to really speak my mind.

I told that to a friend yesterday and he said he wasn't sure if he'd be able to associate with me one the FBI started looking at me. I told him they've been looking at the both of us for years, so why end such an amicable relationship.

It's time for people to wake up and realize drastic change is needed. I won't lie, it's going to be hard. We'll have to change our sedentary way of life and sacrifice and work hard. But I believe the continuation of the human race on the planet Earth is worth it.

I hope the rest of you do too.

Viva la Revolution!

2007-12-20T14:54:00.000-05:00

Take a look back at my last post. We are becoming a nation of servants. But there is no reason for that to happen. Take arms, Brothers. The time is near.

http://warongreed.org/?utm_source=rgemail

There are more of us than there are of them. The poor get poorer because they are exploited by the rich. The rich get richer because they screw the poor at any chance they get. Aren't you mad? Don't you think it's, not only unfair, but just plain wrong that those with money can get away with anything they want? Don't you think they should have to answer for what they are doing?

Get mad, People! The time to stand up for what is right is now. Quit whining and start to take action.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!!!!!

The New American Slaves

2007-12-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

So many people can't see what's going on in front of them. They aren't getting the big picture. I'm going to break it down for you.

A large corporation sends its factories to another country (Coca-Cola, Nike, Kimberly-Clark, etc.). They claim, since the labor is cheaper, they can pass the savings on to you. They don't. They keep all that extra money for their own greedy little selves. Meanwhile, they have taken jobs from American people. These are skilled laborers who used to be making enough money to live and support their children.

Where are all these displaced workers to go? There is really only one place: the service industry. They won't be making anywhere near what they used to. They won't be able to support their families on what they make. But they have no choice. They have a skill they can no longer utilize.

Now, those corporation suits, their profits are up and they have it all at the expense of the American people. Do you see what they are doing?

They are turning us into a nation of servers! That one percent of the population that controls ninety-five percent of the wealth is forcing the rest of the population into servitude.

Don't stand for it, People. You have to fight the power, rage against the machine. If you continue to give money to those who would enslave you, then you will only deserve what you get. But if we stand up against The Man we may continue to be the land of the free.

How safe are your children?

2007-11-29T16:14:00.000-05:00

That's how they get you to watch the news.

So. Those plastic toys your kids want all the time are made in China and could be toxic. Whatever shall we do? And how dare those Chinese!

Think about it. If you were making $0.67 a day to make toys for spoiled American children who will have become bored or have broken said toy in a week or less, would you care that much in your work? More likely, your mind would be on your own children and whether or not you would be able to feed them.

http://www.walmartmovie.com/?successMessage=Welcome+to+the+Revolution!&key=24660500&message=Successfully+updated+Supporter+information

Re-evaluate your lives. You don't need more. Your children have too much already. They will learn to appreciate what they have if you stop handing them everything they ask for. They might even learn how to earn things they want and become better people.

Let's face it, kids born after 1980 are rotten, solipsistic, mean-hearted, spoiled, whiny cry babies with very few exceptions. Maybe it took poisonous toys to save humanity.

Tis the season

2007-11-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

Now that you are all safely tucked into your turkey-induced comas after celebrating the holiday invented by Lincoln to try and reconcile feelings between the North and South by reminding them to be thankful by commemorating the murder of the indigineous people and the stealing of their lands, you will be able to get plenty of rest for the big day of shopping you have in front of you.

Sales start at 4am. That's for all of those who can't get up at 5, but have no problem staying up until 4. Before you set your alarms, ask yourself one question: Do we really need it? I've been making my gifts for the past 10 years. Everyone appreciates my presents more than all the store bought crap combined. I spend a fraction of what everyone else is spending. And people aren't stuck with more useless junk.

The gross commercialization of the holidays has destroyed what the season is about. For me, it's about hope. The Horned God is dead, but the Green Mother holds his life in her womb, ready for rebirth in the Spring. If you're a Christian, then shame on you for taking all the pagan traditions, using them as your own and, eventually bastardizing them into what they have become.

Remember, we have only one planet and it has finite resources. Perhaps instead of buying your brats 47 new plastic toys that they won't appreciate in 2 weeks time, you could teach them some real values. Teach them that this time of the year is supposed to be about helping, sharing and giving. Not about how much you can accumulate under a synthetic tree.

Lost Respect

2007-11-04T14:53:00.000-05:00

It can be difficult holding tight to you principles. It may mean giving up certain things. It may mean struggle. But without your principles, you are a mere puppet. Do you really want to be a yes man? Can you respect yourself if you cave?

The commercial for the new Eagles album tells you that it is available only at Wal-Mart. If you're still shopping at Wal-Mart, you shouldn't even be reading my blog. If you are one of the smart people who can see all the problems Wal-Mart causes, you may have a decision to make.

In all honesty, I don't want the new Eagles album at all. I know people who do, though. People who have stopped shopping at the Mart and are torn as to whether or not they should purchase the album. Does it count if you have someone else go in and get it for you? Yes, it does. When I saw that the album was available exclusively at Wal-Mart, I lost all respect for the Eagles. Even if I wanted the album, I wouldn't buy it. Even if it became available somewhere else.

To me, that is sticking to your principles. If I can't get it somewhere else, I sure as hell am not going to buy it at Wal-Mart.

And shame on the Eagles for striking a deal with the devil. Apparently money trumps integrity every time.

Favorite Things episode 1

2007-10-30T17:36:00.000-04:00

I started a new job and have time for nothing else. Unfortunately, I am working for the man. You know the man. The one that has money to burn but doesn't use it for anything productive or helpful. I hate him, but I do have bills to pay.

Whenever life gets you down, say, for instance, when you find yourself feeling debased by doing what you have to to get by, then you should take a lesson from Julie Andrews and remember some of your favorite things. Here is one of mine:

Forbidden Zone. Starring Herve Villechaize and Susan Tyrell, Forbidden Zone is probably one of the best movies EVER!!! Remember the 80's band Oingo Boingo? This is the movie from which they took their name. With its cast of zany characters, this Richard Elfman film has it all. Sex, violence and people periodically breaking into song. The music was all composed by Danny Elfman who also plays Satan.

So, say you've had a trying day and you feel you might do bodily harm to someone. Stop. Get out your copy of Forbidden Zone and watch your stress away. I guarantee it'll work

Duck and cover

2007-10-19T22:46:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this PSA where sweet, innocent children ask their parents if maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to have a plan in case of a terrorist attack? It sickens me. It's government propaganda meant to scare us so we won't question the all the things that the government is doing to screw over its own people.

Back in the fifties, at the height of the Cold War, students were treated to Duck and Cover movies. The government told the population that, if a nuclear bomb were launched, you could save yourself by simply ducking down and covering your head. I think we all know that that would never work. But it kept the masses appeased.

Why have we become such pussies? Oh, I'm scared. Someone might attack me. Toughen up, kids. Because if you don't, when and if an attack does happens, no amount of planning will save you.

And to the people who conceived and carried out this PSA, how dare you frighten people for your own ends? You make me sick.

It's about time I said something about Wal-Mart

2007-10-13T16:27:00.000-04:00

But what can I say that hasn't already been said?

I worked at K-Mart while I was in college. It was fine. Then, in the mid-nineties there was a huge controversy with the mart. It seemed that the company was firing its older employees just short of retirement to keep from having to pay out pensions. Well, people were outraged. It was a prime example of the man sticking it to the little guy. The masses boycotted the store. Revenue fell. The reputation of K-Mart was that of mud.

K-Mart heard the cries of the people and they changed their policies. And while there are fewer K-Marts now than in the 90's, they are still there. The fact that they are dwindling in number is most likely due to the competition of Wal-Mart and Target, not because they gave in to the people.

What does this anecdote teach us? It teaches us that if we band together we can make a difference. We have the power. All we have to do is use it.

http://walmartwatch.com/

Let Them Eat Cake!

2007-10-09T12:52:00.000-04:00

"In a way, the world-view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully realized the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested throught the body of a bird." 1984-George Orwell

I've spoken before about the fact that the government has pretty much taken over the main stream media. Anyone who watches The Daily Show will have seen them take a recent soundbite and compare it to an older one showing that the powers-that-be keep trying to rewrite history so they don't look like a bunch of stupid despots, which is, in fact, what they are. And while ignorance is bliss, do you really want to pretend that the terrible things in this country aren't happening? Will you sit idly by and wait for society to crumble?

In Robert Graves' I, Clauduis, we are shown Rome shortly before its fall. It is a government full of solipsistic, self-aggrandizing crooks who believe that, as long as the people have bread and entertainment, they will let those in charge do whatever they want, regardless of the welfare of the masses. Are we so willing to let ourselves be mollified by cheap goods and reality television?
If we are then maybe it is time for this "great experiment" to end.

At the risk of sounding trite, the truth is out there. And if you are reading this, you have the key. There are so many alternative news sources available. Not to mention that you can get other countries take on our policies by reading their newspapers.

Please, expand your minds. Look for the truth. And don't allow corporations, politicians and the idle rich to ruin your home.

God(s) Bless America.

Back off, Born-Agains!

2007-09-28T21:58:00.000-04:00

Back off, Born-Agains! I had to say it again because, maybe if you Christo-Facists had gotten it right the first time around, you wouldn't have to be born again. And these people scare me.

In the name of Christianity they seek to destroy freedom, liberty and truth. There is no acceptance with these folks. You are either one of them or you need to be saved. They wage war against anyone they feel is not Christian or not Christian enough.

You may disregard their rhetoric as just words, but don't be fooled. They need to be taken seriously. Jews, homosexuals, artists, liberals, Hindus, African-Americans, immigrants, scholars, scientists, Muslims, pagans and women are all targets. I for one do not want to end up barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Not when so many women fought so that I could have the same rights (or at least similar rights) as men.

They prey on the desperate, using thinly veiled hate. They claim that democracy is the enemy of faith. They say God will provide. Well, guess what? He won't.

The Christian right has already infiltrated our congress, senate and Supreme Court. Even our highest official is born again.

Look. Don't let narrow-minded people tell you what is moral. You should know what is moral. You should make your own decisions. That is why god gave you freewill.

By the way. If you commit an evil to make the world a better place, you are still committing evil.

Another Fine Mess

2007-09-24T16:35:00.000-04:00

Once again it's time for elections. And once again all of the candidates possess a fatal flaw too large to ignore.

We've devolved into a two party system where both of the parties are exactly the same. You know it's true. The only difference is are they up front about the fact that they are going to screw us over or do they lie about it.

So, why do we keep voting either Democrat or Republican? Are we just that lazy? You know, there are no longer Whigs because they went out of favor and the Republicans haven't always been around. We could easily affect a change in this rotten system of ours if we just opened our minds to the possibility of a third party who might actually make a difference.

Take the Libertarians. They want a smaller federal government. They think people should take personal responsibility instead of leaving it to the government. Their website includes a short quiz which will tell you if are a Libertarian. They take all the guesswork out of it. Couldn't be easier. http://www.lp.org/

Then there is the Green Party. I know, they're all a bunch of hippies. But at least they don't want to rape the enviroment, take over the world or get rich at the expense of the American public. http://gp.org

Look, there are a lot of political parties out there. Instead of blindly following the masses, look into other possibilities and make an educated choice. It's your future.

http://www.cpusa.org
http://www.usmjparty.com
http://www.reformparty.org
http://www.americanpatriotparty.org/
http://www.sp-usa.org
http://www.thelaborparty.com

(I do or do not approve of these parties in varying degrees. This is only a small sample of what's out there, so go and find them.)

The Second Ammendment

2007-09-18T14:08:00.000-04:00

I believe in the Second Ammendment. I own guns. I love my guns. But I don't understand the controversy guns cause.

The real problem is that people don't seem to see the 2nd Ammendment for what it is. It is not really about your right to own guns, it is about your right to protect yourself. Our forefathers wrote this in the midst of a revolution and its aftermath. People lived on the frontier, in the wilderness. There were wild animals and those pesky Native Americans. People should have the right to protect themselves.

The issue gets cloudy because some people don't use guns for protection. If you use a gun to harm someone, you have forefeited your rights. I think that's only fair. You couldn't be responsible, so now you have to go into timeout.

And why can't you wait a couple of days to get your firearm? I'm sure if you are in that much danger, someone will be willing to protect you until your background check is done. If you haven't already used a gun innappropriately, you have nothing to worry about, do you? Just chill.

Also, do we really want crazy people to have guns? If someone is talking to God and God tells them to kill...well, you see the problem.

The point I'm trying to get across is, the NRA is a bunch of loonies who just won't bend or compromise. That goes double for those damn hippies. As with everything, there is no black or white.

Common sense. Get some.

A little common courtesy, please

2007-09-11T15:29:00.000-04:00

I had prepared something deep for today, but something happened on my way to the forum. As it seems to be an epidemic, I must address it.

Your turn signal is not only meant for turning. It is also to be used when you change lanes. This is more than common courtesy, though plenty of people out there could use a dose. If I don't know you're coming over, I could easily hit you. That shouldn't be my fault--- I don't read minds, especially those of people in other cars. But when the cops come, I'll probably be blamed.

Now this particular asshole was doing about 65 in a 50. He was behind me and coming up fast. He got into a turn left only lane and then cut right back in front of me with no warning (although, I'm not stupid. I knew that was going to be his intention). And he came pretty darned close to hitting the front of my car.

I did what anyone would have down and honked my horn.

All that speed and rudeness, for what? He got to be the first one at a red light! So I gave him the thumbs up. Good for you, Buddy.

And he flipped me off.

He does wrong and I get the bird? No, really, sir, I insist. I applauded him.

So he decided to wait until the light turned red to go through it. He obviously doesn't know me. I had already ascertained no cops around and followed him through the red light.

He decided he would drive 25 in the 50.

This really tickled me. He had been in such a hurry. Now, he was willing to slow to a crawl to try and ire me. When other cars started to pile up behind me, he made a show of PUTTING ON HIS TURN SIGNAL and pretending he didn't know where his turn was. (It was the area college. I knew he was a little spoiled bitch driving his parents' car.)

His ploy entertained me so much, in fact, I started to laugh. Then, to laugh harder. Soon, I was laughing so hard my sides split and found myself pointing at him and laughing at him.

You see, I had nowhere to be but here. And I had all day. I didn't care that he wanted to be in front of me. I only wanted for him to realize he is not the only person on the road. I was there and you almost hit me because you couldn't be bothered to check your blind spot, signal and give me space. Prick.

I know it's contrary to popular belief in this country, but THE WORLD DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND YOU. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND THEY CAN ONLY TREAT YOU AS GOOD AS YOU TREAT THEM.

KARMA

Today's thought

2007-09-06T18:39:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time everything was lovely, but that was before I had to deal with people.

Henry Stack Sullivan

Well, Oprah said it was good.

2007-08-27T18:58:00.000-04:00

I read. I know it's not the most popular pasttime nowadays, but I enjoy it. Aldous Huxley said, "Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify the ways in which he exists, to make his life feel free, significant and interesting." I agree. (I also share Huxley's disdain for pop culture.)

There is a cable channel specifically for children 6 months to 2 years. Does this sicken anyone else? What happened to reading to our children? To playing with them? The television is more than a babysitter. It has become the parent. It's no wonder our children have no imaginations. It's obvious why the test scores of our children have fallen so low. We have no one to blame for other countries surpassing us academically other than ourselves.

I worked in a bookstore and people would come in and say, "I'm not a reader, but..." How could you admit that? And in a bookstore no less. All of us who worked there had a love/hate relationship with Oprah Winfrey. At least she was getting people to read, if only because she said so. In the summer of 2005, Oprah recommended 3 books by William Faulkner: The Sound and the Fury, A Light in August and As I Lay Dying. They are all amazing stories, yet no one asked us for any of them. That same summer she had on that Million Little Pieces or whatever it was called. Not 30 seconds (that is no exaggeration) after the show was over, there was a deluge of phone calls asking for that book. No one wants Faulkner, a Pulitzer Prize winning author (1955 A Fable and 1963 The Reivers), but they'll go out of their way to find a book that turned out to be one big fraud. Serves them right!

Read, People, read. If you have children, read to them. There are worlds waiting for you inside books that you will never get from television. The movies will never be as good as the books! They can't be. Things have to be taken out to make the book fit into a 2 hour format. Those things are often quite important. Also, the movie forces me to see the vision of the movie makers. What's in my mind is always better.

A friend sent me this: http://www.strike-the-root.com/4/jacobs/jacobs14.html. I'm not the only one who sees the importance of reading. This site may just be the eye opener some of you might need.

Our First Ammendment Rights

2007-08-17T19:29:00.000-04:00

I started to write a blog based on one of my favorite rants in the real world and suddenly had to stop because I realized that the powers that be may not like what I had to say. I thought about how we all know we're being monitored just in case we're terrorists and realized The Man might think I was seditious and come a-courtin'.

So here's what I am going to write instead:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (1), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech (2), or of the press (3); or the right of the people to peacefully assemble (4), and to petition the government for a redress of grievances (5).

We are not all Christians. Why do Christians feel they have to convert everyone? Especially those wacko Born Agains. People are so afraid of Fundamentalist Muslims when the ones they really need to fear are those Fundamentalist Christians!
Remember the beginning of this blog? Beware of what you say, Folks.
Most of the press is in the pocket of the government. If they don't print what they're told to print, they just won't get to print anything at all. How liberating.
We have that right, to assemble peacefully. So why aren't we?

Most of us (except that top 5%) have plenty of real grievances we'd like to redress. And you may redress them by calling (202)456-1111. That's the number for the White House switchboard.

Once again, that number is (202)456-1111. A very nice lady will send you, basically to voicemail which is listened to daily. Use your voice! Call them once a week. Hell, call them once a day. They'll love hearing from you!

Our apologies, Miss Whitney

2007-08-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

Moments ago I was behind a car with a Bush/Cheney '04 sticker, an anti-abortion sticker and a Christian sticker I found extremely offensive. The stickers taken one at a time angrified me, but taken all together made my blood boil. The car was driven by a woman.

What is wrong with this women? The Bush administration has set the women's movement back half a century. We are losing control of our own bodies. And fundamental Christians want women barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. How could any woman support views that would make her a second-class citizen?

I am calling for all women who know that they are strong. Those of you that can be real role models for our girls. Speak out. Let the boys know you are there. If we don't exert ourselves soon, we are going to find ourselves covered in cloth from head to toe, forced to keep out of sight.

The suffragettes at the turn of the last century and those ladies in the seventies who tried to get an equal rights amendment passed didn't think they were doing so in vain. Yet, here we are, giving up our rights.

Eli Whitney didn't invent the cotton gin. His sister did. But women weren't allowed to hold patents and so we don't even know her name. Please join me in ensuring we don't have to live like that again.

If it all seems to difficult, remember that women used to be revered. They can carry life. Early man looked on woman as miracles. And we are. Without us, there would be no future. I'm pretty sure, though, that if need be we could do without men altogether.

So, with apologies to my husband (who treats me with the respect and reverence usually reserved for a goddess), women rule and don't forget it!

Click this, Bitch!

2007-07-28T12:23:00.000-04:00

Yesterday at work a couple of the girls were talking about seat belt laws. They both knew of at least one person whose life was saved because they were NOT wearing a seat belt.

My husband, in fact, was in an accident where he would have been killed had he been wearing a seat belt. Now he refuses to wear it, ticket be damned.

You've all seen the commercials. Click it or ticket, they say.

My favorite commercial is the one where they tell you that police officers are trying to save your life. Bullshit! The seat belt issue is about revenue. Your state wants money, so they'll just whittle away one more wee bit of your freedom to fill their coffers. Anyone who believes otherwise is deluding themselves.

I know there may be a risk if I don't wear my seat belt. There may be. I'm an adult and I'll take that into consideration. Then I will make up my own mind. After all, who gets hurt if I am in an accident without a seat belt? I do. Well, maybe I do. Or maybe by not wearing one my life is saved.

I wear my seat belt only to avoid a ticket and I resent it. People may think that this law doesn't matter much. Just shut up and strap yourself in, Missy. Fine. But remember this...every time you let the government tell you how to live your life, every law they pass and make us conform to is just one more step towards fascism.

Are you prepared?

People that Have To Go!

2007-07-23T18:59:00.000-04:00

This feature feeds my fantasies in which great portions of the population disappear and always for the better.

For the introductory issue I have chosen...soccer moms.

Gods, how I hate them.

While it's admirable to take an interest in your children and to allow them their own interests, everything about soccer moms bothers me. Starting with their kids. If someone had told me that one day I'd be saying, "These kids today..." well, I wouldn't have believed them. Your children ARE NOT your friends. They are children and they need rules and boundries. Instead parents lets them do whatever they want. They have no respect for anything or anyone.

Also, you soccer moms need to let your children fail and be criticized. You keep telling them how perfect they are even when they aren't and what will they do when they get out into the real world? We now have generations of soft, lazy morons who don't know how to take responsibility for anything. Good job.

Of course, the most important prop of the soccer mom is the SUV. Do you really care about your kids when you're so obviously willing to destroy any future they may have by polluting the enviroment with vehicles that use up so much fossil fuel? No wonder your kids are selfish and think of no one other than themselves. They have learned by example.

And every soccer mom in her monstrous truck, which she really can't handle, has a cell phone in her hand. Thank you for taking my life into your hands. Why don't you just grab a cocktail and we can have the trifecta of dangerous driving situations.

The sweater sets, the personalized plates, the manicures, the total disregard for anyone outside of their own pathetic family. For these and a hundred other reasons, the soccer mom MUST GO!

2007-07-19T21:51:00.000-04:00

Suggested Reading:

It Can't Happen Here-Sinclair Lewis
Brave New World-Aldous Huxley
1984-George Orwell
the Handmaid's Tale-Margaret Atwood
The Plot Against America-Philip Roth
The Door into Summer-Robert Heinlen
Martian Chronicles-Ray Bradbury

Does anyone sense a pattern? If so, I want to know you!

Suggested Reading will be a recurring feature. More than likely it will list only a couple of books, but these books together are so ominous I couldn't resist. As a bonus, here is a non-fiction that has ties to above listed eight.

American Facists-Chris Hedges---"Tolerance is a virtue, but tolerance coupled with passivity
is a vice."

2007-07-12T16:27:00.000-04:00

I know how to solve the world's problems!
Does it amaze anyone else that governments can't seem to get it together when they are composed of mature adults with advanced college degrees and real world experience? One might think that those charged with running the world should be able to agree on a plan of action that will fix what is broken. But that doesn't seem to be so.
Now, when I was in the 4th grade, I was asked to join the PAT. That stands for Program for the Academically Talented. Once a week we were let out of regular classes and we did mindbenders and minute-mysteries.
In the 5th grade, PAT introduced Future Problem Solving, or FPS. The purpose of FPS was to teach us to think in the abstract, to think in broader terms and to solve the problems of the future. We would be put in groups of 5 or 6 and would begin by reading the problem aloud. Next, we were given a half an hour to brainstorm. After our papers were filled with ideas, we would share them and pick the best. Finally, we were to go into detail about how to implement our plans.
I think FPS allowed me to learn how to see the bigger picture and I am able to imagine several outcomes instantly. FPS was fun and educational and I never knew anyone who didn't feel the experience enriched them in some way.
It doesn't take a genius to see that if 5th graders can work together for a mere 5 hours and solve the problem of starving children in Ethiopia that our government officials could use the same techniques successfully. Since no one will suggest that they are only given 5 hours, they will have the advantage of time. With their greater education they will know facts off hand that we could only suppose. And they will have far more resources than than we ever did.
Of course, it would probably be more successful if we let the 10 year olds do it themselves!

2007-07-10T15:54:00.000-04:00

I'd like to express my proclivity towards language from the very beginning of this blog. I adore words. When 2 words are synonyms, their meanings may still be very different. I love the way words and language can be subtle or in your face.
I not only love the words themselves, but also the way words work together. I am a grammar fanatic. You won't catch me dangling a participle, ending a sentence in a preposition or using an adjective when I clearly meant to use an adverb.
It's unfortunate that when people communicate by computer they use all sorts of vulgar shorthand. When correspondance was solely through letters, people wrote properly. Even though writing by hand is far more tiring, the writer still managed to write in complete sentences. I see this as just another step in our trend towards laziness.
I will strive, within the confines of my blog and without, to always be proper and correct in my musings. I promise. And, if anyone else wants to bring back the art of language but has forgotten just how to do so, may I suggest reading Eats Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss. It is both educational and entertaining.
While you're at it, read her amusing Talk to the Hand.

My First Riff on Responsibility

2007-07-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

I often wonder where that old American can-do spirit went. My guess is that it left along with the concept of responsibility. Nothing is anyone's fault nowadays. They have a disease or a syndrome or it is just plain someone else's fault.

We make choices. That is what freedom is all about. You make a choice. If it doesn't turn out to be a good choice, then that's on you. Accept it and move on with your life.

My mother teaches nursing and has been a pediactric nurse for 37 years. She sees a lot of women who have chosen to be mommies without daddies. And that is fine. I know lots of women who do it successfully.

There are those, however, who use single motherhood as an excuse. They can't make classes or turn in an assignment or get any real study time because they have a child. Bullshit!

In the early 1980's my father was laid off from his job. There was still the mortgage and my ballet lessons and my brother's hockey. To pay all the bills, my mother worked the night shift.

The night shift, you say? So?

Every night Mom tucked us into bed. Then she worked the 11-7 shift (on top of her regular part-time shifts). She would get home after 7, take a bath and put on her pajamas---as if she had been in bed all night. She'd get us up and make us breakfast and get us off to school. As far as my brother and I were concerned, it was business as usual. I wouldn't even find out how close they came to losing the house until I was 30.

Now I agree, it was easier for her because she did have a supportive, loving partner. So, let's look at what she did when Dad was working. My mother was at the hospital 3 days a week. She also gave tours of the facility, taught Cpr and first aid classes and was the president of her nursing school alumni. She took on both cub scouts and girl scouts at the same time. She was always our roommother at school and was the president of PTA while we were in elementary, junior high and high school. As a nurse, she was always asked and always accepted to chaperone fieldtrips. She spent 12 years getting a second Bachelor's in education. The house was cleaned once a week, but always looked like it had been done that day. Dinner was always on the table at 5:30. All while raising 2 children who turned out pretty good.

All I'm saying is, it's hard but it can be done. If you are willing to take the responsibility of your choice and put in the work it can be done! If your not willing, maybe you should think twice before...well, conceiving.

2007-07-07T16:44:00.000-04:00

Bought my soul at Goodwill for a dollar ninety-eight.
Spread it on the ground for a picnic;
Knocked over a bottle of wine.
Stuffed it in the washer; stuffed it in the dryer.
It shrank two sizes.
What the hell, I wore it anyway.
Dude burnt a hole in it with a cigarette.
Threw it in the trunk and forgot about it.
Found it later, wrinkled and dirty.
Got it stuck in the door and it tore.
Stained, shrunk, burnt, wrinkled, dirty, torn.
Looks like it's time to buy a new soul.

I don't know about you, but my soul's not disposable. I've tried to live my life by looking at the larger picture. It's been lonely. What I 'd like is a community of people who can see there are problems and want to fix them. I need people who don't think they are the center of the universe.
Let this be a forum for politics, the enviroment, education---indeed for all those things we've broken and need to repair if we are to have a future.
I don't know where we're going to start, but the suspense is killing me!