Because men are men, there will always be demand for flesh- and sex-related entertainment and jobs: exotic dancers, peep shows, dominatrices, pornography... and hookers.
Doesn't matter what you call it. Hookers. Prostitutes. Call girls. Escorts. Whatever. It amounts to the same thing: "dates" for money. These dates don't ALWAYS involve sex... but usually they do. It's funny how often you hear a woman say "not if you paid me" when referring to various men, suitors, what have you. And then you hear a commercial on the radio or see it on TV: bidding for dates.
I laughed the first time I heard it. The first one I heard was whatsyourprice.com. It advertised that ANY guy could guarantee a date with a "hot woman" simply by "bidding" for her affections. The site was advertised as "a site for generous men to find and date attractive women, guaranteed." It doesn't get any more blatant than that, and they were advertising on satellite radio.
There were a couple more I have heard over the past few months, which means that the success rate of one must have been high, and the demand had increased enough to warrant the creation of multiple site by enterprising young folk.
I find this amusing. Not only are guys hiring hookers online, they're VYING for them. Competing. WOW.
Are guys really that desperate? Have we become so far removed from interacting with each other that this has become the way to go for so many people? Kinda sad, but kinda funny all at the same time.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Suck
I lost another friend today. Not in the traditional we-don't-speak-anymore kind of way, but actually GONE. As in dead.
Alex has been sick for quite some time. Almost since I've known him, actually. It didn't start out that bad. Not really. You remain optimistic about things, regardless of what you hear, at least I do. You want to believe the world is an inherently good place regardless of what you see and hear. The thing to remember is that we're all somebody else to Somebody Else.
I met Alex in the summer of 2009 when I started working at Abatement Industries Group, running the warehouse in West Haven. Alex was one of two guys who were supposed to work for me. He had pretty much been running things as far as supply line and obtaining material and equipment, so he was a tad salty when I took over the position. Over a few weeks, though, he softened up a bit and gave the me the help I needed to get the hang of things. Once he realized the kind of person I was and the kind of supervisor I was attempting to be, things got much easier, and when I chose him to be my #2, everything was sealed.
In late fall 2009, Alex was concerned about a bump at the base of his skull, so he went to the walk-in to have it checked. The doctor wanted to do a full body scan, and found a tumor on one of his kidneys. They made arrangements for the surgery, and Alex was down. I went to visit him a couple times, and when Lucia first was admitted into the hospital, I would go see him while I visited her. Once he was able to move around, he would come see her, as well. She was appreciative, having met him when he was first diagnosed. We had gone out to dinner at Chili's and invited Alex and his girlfriend, Cindy, out with us.
When Alex came back to work, he covered for me when I would go to the hospital to see Lucia. He made sure the right people knew what was going on and where I was. He always had my back and defended me to the people who had issue with how much time I was spending away from the warehouse.
Alex didn't like where he was living in West Haven. Someone had died in the house and it was full of mold and other problems, and he was looking for a way out of there. A friend who had been living at our house had moved out, and I asked Lucia if we could help out Alex. She said yes, and Alex moved in. It was May 2010.
As Lucia deteriorated, Alex always tried to talk me up and keep me strong and positive. When I had my weak and dark moments, he gave me comfort and told me to stay strong, for her if not for myself. When she passed, he was home waiting, and he went and bought a new suit to wear for her service.
He helped me clean the house. He helped fix things. When the grief would hit hard, he'd lift me back up again. As with many other friends, he helped me work my way back to society and finding a way to continue with my life. When I met Erika, he encouraged me to pursue her, and he became very fond of her.
In late 2010, Alex became positive that my job was in jeopardy and that cuts would come into effect, so he took a voluntary lay-off to save my job. He started working for a friend, doing handy-man work and office work. As time went on and his illness becmae more and more apparent, Alex had less energy to work and was spending more time in bed.
He qualified for an experimental chmo study which lasted a little less than a year, and when they pulled him from the study he was brought back onto the older chemo. His strength began to deteriorate. He was weak and in pain, and was having a great deal of trouble breathing. In 2012, they put him on oxygen and he was declared Legally Completely Disabled. On a routine follow-up, the scans came back worse than expected. The doctors said it was "a matter of time."
He fought for months. Each hospital stay was longer, until a month or so ago when I received a panicked phone call from Cindy informing me they had taken Alex to the hospital by ambulance. Neither of them were optimistic about him leaving, and when I went to visit him, he was in fairly good spirits. They moved him out of ICU a few days later, and Erika and I went to see him. A few days after that, he was back home.
They gave him information about Hospice and sent a nurse over to get his info and explain things to him. He was home for a little less than a week as he grew weaker. Wednesday morning, he asked me to help him call Hospice to come and pick him up. He had to know his time was short. Over the weekend, they stopped his chemo treatments. They upped the dosage on his pain meds. This morning, Cindy called me and said he was on the way out. I left work, hopped in my car and headed up there, but by the time I arrived, it was too late.
He was gone.
He was pale. It looked as if he were sleeping. I held his hand. It was still warm. I spoke to him. I closed my eyes and thought to him. I thanked him.
I've been in this place before. It was different that time. I feel for Cindy, who has to go through now what I went through 3 years ago. The slow realization of what has occurred, trying to wrap your head around the reality. It's difficult, even years later. You can accept something and still not believe it. You can believe and not accept. That's where I am, again. It doesn't seem real. Another empty room, another person my boys will never see again. I feel for them. I feel for Bailey, who has already lost his sister recently and now must cope with this. Mostly I feel for Cindy. The newt few months will be very difficult for her, but she won't be dealing alone. This has affected more people than even I can know or account for. sadly, death has a way of bringing people together...and splitting them apart. You never know how people will react to a death, or what the coming days, weeks, months, and years may hold. All I do know is that everyone affected needs to be strong and look to each other for that strength and support. Even me.
Alex has been sick for quite some time. Almost since I've known him, actually. It didn't start out that bad. Not really. You remain optimistic about things, regardless of what you hear, at least I do. You want to believe the world is an inherently good place regardless of what you see and hear. The thing to remember is that we're all somebody else to Somebody Else.
I met Alex in the summer of 2009 when I started working at Abatement Industries Group, running the warehouse in West Haven. Alex was one of two guys who were supposed to work for me. He had pretty much been running things as far as supply line and obtaining material and equipment, so he was a tad salty when I took over the position. Over a few weeks, though, he softened up a bit and gave the me the help I needed to get the hang of things. Once he realized the kind of person I was and the kind of supervisor I was attempting to be, things got much easier, and when I chose him to be my #2, everything was sealed.
In late fall 2009, Alex was concerned about a bump at the base of his skull, so he went to the walk-in to have it checked. The doctor wanted to do a full body scan, and found a tumor on one of his kidneys. They made arrangements for the surgery, and Alex was down. I went to visit him a couple times, and when Lucia first was admitted into the hospital, I would go see him while I visited her. Once he was able to move around, he would come see her, as well. She was appreciative, having met him when he was first diagnosed. We had gone out to dinner at Chili's and invited Alex and his girlfriend, Cindy, out with us.
When Alex came back to work, he covered for me when I would go to the hospital to see Lucia. He made sure the right people knew what was going on and where I was. He always had my back and defended me to the people who had issue with how much time I was spending away from the warehouse.
Alex didn't like where he was living in West Haven. Someone had died in the house and it was full of mold and other problems, and he was looking for a way out of there. A friend who had been living at our house had moved out, and I asked Lucia if we could help out Alex. She said yes, and Alex moved in. It was May 2010.
As Lucia deteriorated, Alex always tried to talk me up and keep me strong and positive. When I had my weak and dark moments, he gave me comfort and told me to stay strong, for her if not for myself. When she passed, he was home waiting, and he went and bought a new suit to wear for her service.
He helped me clean the house. He helped fix things. When the grief would hit hard, he'd lift me back up again. As with many other friends, he helped me work my way back to society and finding a way to continue with my life. When I met Erika, he encouraged me to pursue her, and he became very fond of her.
In late 2010, Alex became positive that my job was in jeopardy and that cuts would come into effect, so he took a voluntary lay-off to save my job. He started working for a friend, doing handy-man work and office work. As time went on and his illness becmae more and more apparent, Alex had less energy to work and was spending more time in bed.
He qualified for an experimental chmo study which lasted a little less than a year, and when they pulled him from the study he was brought back onto the older chemo. His strength began to deteriorate. He was weak and in pain, and was having a great deal of trouble breathing. In 2012, they put him on oxygen and he was declared Legally Completely Disabled. On a routine follow-up, the scans came back worse than expected. The doctors said it was "a matter of time."
He fought for months. Each hospital stay was longer, until a month or so ago when I received a panicked phone call from Cindy informing me they had taken Alex to the hospital by ambulance. Neither of them were optimistic about him leaving, and when I went to visit him, he was in fairly good spirits. They moved him out of ICU a few days later, and Erika and I went to see him. A few days after that, he was back home.
They gave him information about Hospice and sent a nurse over to get his info and explain things to him. He was home for a little less than a week as he grew weaker. Wednesday morning, he asked me to help him call Hospice to come and pick him up. He had to know his time was short. Over the weekend, they stopped his chemo treatments. They upped the dosage on his pain meds. This morning, Cindy called me and said he was on the way out. I left work, hopped in my car and headed up there, but by the time I arrived, it was too late.
He was gone.
He was pale. It looked as if he were sleeping. I held his hand. It was still warm. I spoke to him. I closed my eyes and thought to him. I thanked him.
I've been in this place before. It was different that time. I feel for Cindy, who has to go through now what I went through 3 years ago. The slow realization of what has occurred, trying to wrap your head around the reality. It's difficult, even years later. You can accept something and still not believe it. You can believe and not accept. That's where I am, again. It doesn't seem real. Another empty room, another person my boys will never see again. I feel for them. I feel for Bailey, who has already lost his sister recently and now must cope with this. Mostly I feel for Cindy. The newt few months will be very difficult for her, but she won't be dealing alone. This has affected more people than even I can know or account for. sadly, death has a way of bringing people together...and splitting them apart. You never know how people will react to a death, or what the coming days, weeks, months, and years may hold. All I do know is that everyone affected needs to be strong and look to each other for that strength and support. Even me.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
One More Time...
I know I've said this before. I KNOW I have. I hate being grouped in with people. Singers. Actors. Jews. Fat people. Democrats. Liberals.
One of the issues that really got under my skin while Lucia was sick was the way the "care" staff treated her. It was like they had a rigid set of guidelines that was universal to all patients regardless of their life, lifestyle, or situation, and it bugged the living hell out of me when they tried to treat her like a cookie-cutter case.
EVERYONE is different. The ways may be subtle, but we all have our nuances. So, when people make comments about a specific group, it bothers me. Last year's election split the country in a way not seen since the Civil War. We're in another right now, although it's a Cold War. Since the shooting in Newtown in December, the issue of gun control has once again polarized the country. The decisions of the administration have polarized the country. Everything that is said or done splits us right down the middle, and people have a tendency to group everything in black and white. That's it. Black and white. Right and left. Right and wrong. WHAT. THE. FUCK.
I'm a liberal. I believe women have the right to control their own bodies. I believe a person in love should be able to spend their life with the object of their affection, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. I believe in legalizing marijuana. I believe ANYONE should be allowed to serve their country, regardless of race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
HOWEVER.
There are foggier issues. I don't have an answer to them, but I don't think that either liberal OR conservative sides are giving good responses, either.
GUN CONTROL: there is something wrong. I don't believe we should ban all weapons, as the conservatives believe the liberals are trying to do. The problem is not the guns that are available, although that's part of it. The issue is the guns that are already OUT there, the ones the bad guys already have and CAN get. The conservatives are right, regulating legally obtained weapons is not the issue, it's defending against the ILLEGALLY obtained ones. But how? Neither side has given an answer that to me is satisfactory.
OIL: Again, something is wrong. yes, we need to protect the environment, but we need to make it so we can afford to get to work, as well. $5 a gallon for gas is rigoddamndiculous. There's no reason for it. If we have it in this country, we need to be able to obtain it. Make it safe, make it friendly, and get it. You want to protect the people of this country? Prevent Big Oil from putting us into another Great Depression. ExxonMobil can buy Europe and North America four times over, but Joe Paycheck needs to sell a kidney to put 15 gallons in his tank. NOT. FUCKING. RIGHT.
TAXES: It's never gonna be right. Somewhere along the line between Washington and... I don't even know when, something got fucked up. Don't blame Obama, don't blame Bush, this shit was fuzzuckled before either of them. We're spending too much, but there are things we need to spend on: providing for our children AND our elderly, providing for our sick and disabled, education, defense... do I think everything should be free? of course not. I believe in working for a living and earning your keep. However, for those who are UNABLE to provide for themselves, or for those who NEED HELP, help must be provided. The elderly, children, veterans, those who have been injured or disabled in an accident, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE HELP. Addicts, lazes, people who keep pumping out kids because they're too stupid to do otherwise, THESE PEOPLE DO NOT DESERVE HELP, those who take advantage of the system. However, NOT EVERYONE WHO APPLIES FOR ASSISTANCE IS A SLACK-OFF DEADBEAT SCUMBAG. A lot of truly needy people apply for help every year, and because of a slimy minority number of bad apples, everyone suffers. THIS IS WRONG. Focus the money where it needs to go, not where the special interests, corporations, an those wealthy enough to fund an election campaign want it to go.
This is what I feel. This is what I believe. I don't have answers. I don't pretend to. I don't like some of the answers I'm hearing. Everything sounds too extreme, there's too much far left and far right. there need to be decisions made in the middle, but nobody is willing to talk, or more importantly, LISTEN. People need to stop saying NO to an idea simply because the other side said it. "Wow, the Red Sox played a good game tonight." "I don't care, THEY FUCKING SUCK." "Yeah, but they fought hard, their offense was flawless, and their defense was stalwart." "I don't care how many home runs they hit and how many batter sthey struck out, THEY FUCKING SUCK." Welcome to today's politics.
People need to learn to listen. listen to BOTH SIDES. Don't like what you hear? Tell me what works better. Explain it clearly and logically. When I ask why you disagree with something, give me facts and a logical reason why you disagree, not an answer like "because he's an asshole" or "he's an idiot." Explain to me why you disagree with it, and then give me a logical, thought out alternative. Be informed. Don't give me "They're trying to make it so nobody can legally buy a gun and then only the criminals will be armed and we'll have to rely on slow-responding police for defense" and when I ask what you would do tell me "put militias outside our schools, arm all the teachers, and allow citizens to carry M-60's in their SUVs." Know the proposed legislation and give me an alternative if you don't agree. Same with your opinions of other issues. Against same-sex marriage? Why? How does it directly affect you? Don't like the proposed budget cuts and spending measures? What would you do in the situation if it were your call?
Think. Listen. But know that not everyone is going to be the same on all the issues. Just because someone is liberal doesn't mean they agree blindly with everything being posed by one side. Just because someone is a conservative doesn't mean they're going to be all militant and hard-nosed.
LISTEN.
KNOW.
Generalizing is BAD. Grouping is BAD. We're different. All of us. MELTING POT. Remember that.
One of the issues that really got under my skin while Lucia was sick was the way the "care" staff treated her. It was like they had a rigid set of guidelines that was universal to all patients regardless of their life, lifestyle, or situation, and it bugged the living hell out of me when they tried to treat her like a cookie-cutter case.
EVERYONE is different. The ways may be subtle, but we all have our nuances. So, when people make comments about a specific group, it bothers me. Last year's election split the country in a way not seen since the Civil War. We're in another right now, although it's a Cold War. Since the shooting in Newtown in December, the issue of gun control has once again polarized the country. The decisions of the administration have polarized the country. Everything that is said or done splits us right down the middle, and people have a tendency to group everything in black and white. That's it. Black and white. Right and left. Right and wrong. WHAT. THE. FUCK.
I'm a liberal. I believe women have the right to control their own bodies. I believe a person in love should be able to spend their life with the object of their affection, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. I believe in legalizing marijuana. I believe ANYONE should be allowed to serve their country, regardless of race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
HOWEVER.
There are foggier issues. I don't have an answer to them, but I don't think that either liberal OR conservative sides are giving good responses, either.
GUN CONTROL: there is something wrong. I don't believe we should ban all weapons, as the conservatives believe the liberals are trying to do. The problem is not the guns that are available, although that's part of it. The issue is the guns that are already OUT there, the ones the bad guys already have and CAN get. The conservatives are right, regulating legally obtained weapons is not the issue, it's defending against the ILLEGALLY obtained ones. But how? Neither side has given an answer that to me is satisfactory.
OIL: Again, something is wrong. yes, we need to protect the environment, but we need to make it so we can afford to get to work, as well. $5 a gallon for gas is rigoddamndiculous. There's no reason for it. If we have it in this country, we need to be able to obtain it. Make it safe, make it friendly, and get it. You want to protect the people of this country? Prevent Big Oil from putting us into another Great Depression. ExxonMobil can buy Europe and North America four times over, but Joe Paycheck needs to sell a kidney to put 15 gallons in his tank. NOT. FUCKING. RIGHT.
TAXES: It's never gonna be right. Somewhere along the line between Washington and... I don't even know when, something got fucked up. Don't blame Obama, don't blame Bush, this shit was fuzzuckled before either of them. We're spending too much, but there are things we need to spend on: providing for our children AND our elderly, providing for our sick and disabled, education, defense... do I think everything should be free? of course not. I believe in working for a living and earning your keep. However, for those who are UNABLE to provide for themselves, or for those who NEED HELP, help must be provided. The elderly, children, veterans, those who have been injured or disabled in an accident, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE HELP. Addicts, lazes, people who keep pumping out kids because they're too stupid to do otherwise, THESE PEOPLE DO NOT DESERVE HELP, those who take advantage of the system. However, NOT EVERYONE WHO APPLIES FOR ASSISTANCE IS A SLACK-OFF DEADBEAT SCUMBAG. A lot of truly needy people apply for help every year, and because of a slimy minority number of bad apples, everyone suffers. THIS IS WRONG. Focus the money where it needs to go, not where the special interests, corporations, an those wealthy enough to fund an election campaign want it to go.
This is what I feel. This is what I believe. I don't have answers. I don't pretend to. I don't like some of the answers I'm hearing. Everything sounds too extreme, there's too much far left and far right. there need to be decisions made in the middle, but nobody is willing to talk, or more importantly, LISTEN. People need to stop saying NO to an idea simply because the other side said it. "Wow, the Red Sox played a good game tonight." "I don't care, THEY FUCKING SUCK." "Yeah, but they fought hard, their offense was flawless, and their defense was stalwart." "I don't care how many home runs they hit and how many batter sthey struck out, THEY FUCKING SUCK." Welcome to today's politics.
People need to learn to listen. listen to BOTH SIDES. Don't like what you hear? Tell me what works better. Explain it clearly and logically. When I ask why you disagree with something, give me facts and a logical reason why you disagree, not an answer like "because he's an asshole" or "he's an idiot." Explain to me why you disagree with it, and then give me a logical, thought out alternative. Be informed. Don't give me "They're trying to make it so nobody can legally buy a gun and then only the criminals will be armed and we'll have to rely on slow-responding police for defense" and when I ask what you would do tell me "put militias outside our schools, arm all the teachers, and allow citizens to carry M-60's in their SUVs." Know the proposed legislation and give me an alternative if you don't agree. Same with your opinions of other issues. Against same-sex marriage? Why? How does it directly affect you? Don't like the proposed budget cuts and spending measures? What would you do in the situation if it were your call?
Think. Listen. But know that not everyone is going to be the same on all the issues. Just because someone is liberal doesn't mean they agree blindly with everything being posed by one side. Just because someone is a conservative doesn't mean they're going to be all militant and hard-nosed.
LISTEN.
KNOW.
Generalizing is BAD. Grouping is BAD. We're different. All of us. MELTING POT. Remember that.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Of Cabbages And Kings
I'm a cynic. This shouldn't be news to anyone. I know the way the world works, I know we're all different and that a great many of us will connive and plot and lie and steal and cheat to get what they want. I also know that some things are inevitable, like love, hate, birth...death.
With these inevitable things comes what I like to call the Oh Shit Moment. See, sometimes we forget that we're all Somebody Else to somebody else. Some things, regardless of how commonplace and universal they are, seem so distant and impossible to us. Before certain events in our lives, we have that moment where our brains go Oh Shit, This Is Actually Going To Happen. It's that shocked, almost incredulous realization that regardless of how much an individual we are, we're just like everyone else in some aspects.
I've had several of these. Not as many as I expected, but a decent-sized handful. When I lost my virginity, I had one of those, looking at her body and feeling the excitement and feeling my heart race as she gave herself willingly to me. When I graduated high school, and later college, that feeling of accomplishment and pride as received that parchment. When I looked at my very-soon-to-be-bride at the start of our wedding, looking at the smile on her face and seeing the happiness in her eyes as we stood before family and friends. When that same woman was lying on her deathbed, as I watched the light in her dim and watched the clock tick down the final seconds. When my father walked into my job today and said he had forty-four more days until retirement.
That's a reality there. A nudge to the reality that time moves on, that people age. There's a reality that my father is NOT a young man anymore. In a way, he is, I'll give him that. He's in his late 60s, hair and beard full gray, the flesh below the fuzz lined and yes, weary. It's a reality that both he and my mother will someday be gone, leaving me the patriarch. I hope that day is decades away, I really do, because it's not a responsibility I want. I don't want to know that one day, my siblings and I will be the elders. I don't want it.
Reality sucks. It really does. But, it's reality. So what are we going to do about it? What can we do about it? Nothing. Can't change the channel. We just have to deal with it, because it's what we've got.
With these inevitable things comes what I like to call the Oh Shit Moment. See, sometimes we forget that we're all Somebody Else to somebody else. Some things, regardless of how commonplace and universal they are, seem so distant and impossible to us. Before certain events in our lives, we have that moment where our brains go Oh Shit, This Is Actually Going To Happen. It's that shocked, almost incredulous realization that regardless of how much an individual we are, we're just like everyone else in some aspects.
I've had several of these. Not as many as I expected, but a decent-sized handful. When I lost my virginity, I had one of those, looking at her body and feeling the excitement and feeling my heart race as she gave herself willingly to me. When I graduated high school, and later college, that feeling of accomplishment and pride as received that parchment. When I looked at my very-soon-to-be-bride at the start of our wedding, looking at the smile on her face and seeing the happiness in her eyes as we stood before family and friends. When that same woman was lying on her deathbed, as I watched the light in her dim and watched the clock tick down the final seconds. When my father walked into my job today and said he had forty-four more days until retirement.
That's a reality there. A nudge to the reality that time moves on, that people age. There's a reality that my father is NOT a young man anymore. In a way, he is, I'll give him that. He's in his late 60s, hair and beard full gray, the flesh below the fuzz lined and yes, weary. It's a reality that both he and my mother will someday be gone, leaving me the patriarch. I hope that day is decades away, I really do, because it's not a responsibility I want. I don't want to know that one day, my siblings and I will be the elders. I don't want it.
Reality sucks. It really does. But, it's reality. So what are we going to do about it? What can we do about it? Nothing. Can't change the channel. We just have to deal with it, because it's what we've got.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Right To Arm Bears
You can have my guns when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Ironically, that's the way it usually ends.
Don't get me wrong. I am NOT anti-gun. I'm also not PRO-gun. As with many subjects, I am pro-choice. I believe you should have the choice to live as you wish, which is one of the greatest things about this country. Religion: you're supposed to be able to worship as you like. Opinion: you should be allowed to think and speak as you like. Abortion: you should be able to choose as you like. Marriage: you should be able to marry the person you love.
The operate words here are SHOULD and SUPPOSED TO. These are very slippery slopes, as are all things associated with free will. The most frustrating and aggravating thing about free will is also the greatest: EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.
2012 was a very polarizing year, all the way to the bitter, heartbreaking end. A rash of shootings through the year brought the issue of gun control, security, personal safety, and school safety into question and into the forefront of national debate and discussion. Shortly after the movie theater shooting in Colorado, a New Haven lawyer was arrested for having a gun in a movie theater. He didn't brandish it, another patron saw it and panicked, calling the police. The lawyer had a permit, the gun was registered, he did nothing wrong. He was merely caught in the panic casued by a random act of violence on the other end of the country.
Fast forward a few months. Adam Lanza storms Sandy Hook Elementary and takes out a classroom full of first-graders and a handful of teachers and administrators. Again, the weapons used were legal and registered, and Lanza was educated in their use by his mother, who was also one of his victims.
So how do we stop this? There's a Consitutional amendment more than 230 years old that says we're allowed to own these weapons. One of the hottest debate points is the current validity of this amendment. It's a sign of the times, they say. However, specific amendments had to be made over the years to permit African-Americans to live in equality with caucasians, to allow women the right to vote and own property, to allow us to purchase and consume alcohol... the question that arises (and this is not the first time) is where do we begin and where do we stop? Do we really need to have EVERYTHING in writing? Do we need to have a black and white answer for EVERY possible issue that may arise?If there is a Constitutional issue, does every possible scenario need to be outlined and covered? Do you honestly think Jefferson and Franklin foresaw a young man barging into a school to wipe out a bunch of small children? Did anyone?
There has been past legislation concerning firearms. This is not a new issue. Every time a shooting makes the news, the debate is renewed. Here's the problem: most current control and legislation only goes back 30 years or so, back to the Brady Bill. There was a time you could walk into a store and buy not just one, but a carload of firearms at the same time. You could bring a gun on a bus, on a plane, anywhere, and not be hassled about it. It wasn't until terrorists started hijacking planes in the 70's that it became a clear issue. After the Reagan shooting, people went nuts saying it was too easy to get guns, that sometrhing needed to be done. It happened again in the late 80's/early 90's when a combination of "gangsta rap" and workplace shootings brought assault weapons into the public eye: you could just walk into the bait and game shop and buy an M-16 or AK-47 the same way you'd pick up a Winchester or a revolver. Questions began to rise, what could you possibly use a military-grade assault rifle for?
The gun lobby claimed sport and hunting. The liberals literally laughed at that, conjuring images of deer wearing bullet-proof vests and carrying high-powered rifles, cartoons of "Bambo" being published in newspapers. Ever since the inception of the Brady Bill, the gun lobby has tried to convince the public that "the government wants to take away your guns." As I said, it's a slippery slope. Are they trying to take your proprty from you? What is it the government is trying to accomplish?
What I want to believe is that they're trying to keep harmful things out of the wrong hands. The bigger question is, what constitutes the wrong hands and who decides it? There's new talk about arming teachers and arming pilots and having guards at schools. The first thing that popped into MY head was What's keeping the teachers or pilots or guards from snapping and doing the same thing these other gunmen are doing? Soldiers, marines, sailors, all trained and educated in how to properly use their weapons. Anybody besides me remember shootings on military bases?
It's a complicated thing. Legally, because of the constitution, you can't take the guns from those who legally obtained and maintain them. The problem is, you cannot foresee who will use a weapon for what. What about the guy who uses his for hunting? Or competition? Or just popping bottles in the backyard? What about the guy who has a collection he has never even fired? How can you differentiate between one of them, and the guy with a collection in his apartment planning on wiping out everyone at the local mall? What if that person, over time, obtained all their weapons LEGALLY, registered every single one of them, maintains permits for every single one of them... and then has a bad day and takes out everyone on the subway? This isn't a guy who went and bought his weapons in a back alley. I'm talking a legal gun owner, the same as Adam Lanza's mother.
Legislation may make it more difficult to get firearms NOW. What about the ones already out there, the legal and illegal ones? I'll give you an example of something. When I started working nights, my brother-in-law was uncomfortable with the idea of my wife being home alone in our house. He wanted to give her a gun to protect herself, just in case. It would be his, legally obtained, legally registered, legally owned. In HIS name. She refused, simply because she was uncomfortable with a gun in the house, and for good reason. Studies, stats, and records show that a gun is more likely to be used on its owner than on an intruder. Not to say it doesn't happen, but most often a gun owner will accidentally shoot themselves while performing routine cleaning rather than shooting an intruder or an intruder shooting them.
So what do we do? I don't believe legislation will solve the problem. I don't know what will. The problem is not the guns, the problem is US. It doesn't matter if a gun is "legal" or not. If someone's going to shoot another person, it doesn't matter if the gun is legal or not. It's human nature to destroy each other. Horrible, sad, frightening, but true. Cain killed Abel before there were laws regarding homicide. People have been killing each other since there were people, and I challenge anyone to find me the Sword And Spear Control Laws from medeival Britain. To quote Eddie Izzard, "Guns don't kill people, people do, but I think the gun helps. You're not gonna kill too many people just standing there going BANG!"
Ironically, that's the way it usually ends.
Don't get me wrong. I am NOT anti-gun. I'm also not PRO-gun. As with many subjects, I am pro-choice. I believe you should have the choice to live as you wish, which is one of the greatest things about this country. Religion: you're supposed to be able to worship as you like. Opinion: you should be allowed to think and speak as you like. Abortion: you should be able to choose as you like. Marriage: you should be able to marry the person you love.
The operate words here are SHOULD and SUPPOSED TO. These are very slippery slopes, as are all things associated with free will. The most frustrating and aggravating thing about free will is also the greatest: EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.
2012 was a very polarizing year, all the way to the bitter, heartbreaking end. A rash of shootings through the year brought the issue of gun control, security, personal safety, and school safety into question and into the forefront of national debate and discussion. Shortly after the movie theater shooting in Colorado, a New Haven lawyer was arrested for having a gun in a movie theater. He didn't brandish it, another patron saw it and panicked, calling the police. The lawyer had a permit, the gun was registered, he did nothing wrong. He was merely caught in the panic casued by a random act of violence on the other end of the country.
Fast forward a few months. Adam Lanza storms Sandy Hook Elementary and takes out a classroom full of first-graders and a handful of teachers and administrators. Again, the weapons used were legal and registered, and Lanza was educated in their use by his mother, who was also one of his victims.
So how do we stop this? There's a Consitutional amendment more than 230 years old that says we're allowed to own these weapons. One of the hottest debate points is the current validity of this amendment. It's a sign of the times, they say. However, specific amendments had to be made over the years to permit African-Americans to live in equality with caucasians, to allow women the right to vote and own property, to allow us to purchase and consume alcohol... the question that arises (and this is not the first time) is where do we begin and where do we stop? Do we really need to have EVERYTHING in writing? Do we need to have a black and white answer for EVERY possible issue that may arise?If there is a Constitutional issue, does every possible scenario need to be outlined and covered? Do you honestly think Jefferson and Franklin foresaw a young man barging into a school to wipe out a bunch of small children? Did anyone?
There has been past legislation concerning firearms. This is not a new issue. Every time a shooting makes the news, the debate is renewed. Here's the problem: most current control and legislation only goes back 30 years or so, back to the Brady Bill. There was a time you could walk into a store and buy not just one, but a carload of firearms at the same time. You could bring a gun on a bus, on a plane, anywhere, and not be hassled about it. It wasn't until terrorists started hijacking planes in the 70's that it became a clear issue. After the Reagan shooting, people went nuts saying it was too easy to get guns, that sometrhing needed to be done. It happened again in the late 80's/early 90's when a combination of "gangsta rap" and workplace shootings brought assault weapons into the public eye: you could just walk into the bait and game shop and buy an M-16 or AK-47 the same way you'd pick up a Winchester or a revolver. Questions began to rise, what could you possibly use a military-grade assault rifle for?
The gun lobby claimed sport and hunting. The liberals literally laughed at that, conjuring images of deer wearing bullet-proof vests and carrying high-powered rifles, cartoons of "Bambo" being published in newspapers. Ever since the inception of the Brady Bill, the gun lobby has tried to convince the public that "the government wants to take away your guns." As I said, it's a slippery slope. Are they trying to take your proprty from you? What is it the government is trying to accomplish?
What I want to believe is that they're trying to keep harmful things out of the wrong hands. The bigger question is, what constitutes the wrong hands and who decides it? There's new talk about arming teachers and arming pilots and having guards at schools. The first thing that popped into MY head was What's keeping the teachers or pilots or guards from snapping and doing the same thing these other gunmen are doing? Soldiers, marines, sailors, all trained and educated in how to properly use their weapons. Anybody besides me remember shootings on military bases?
It's a complicated thing. Legally, because of the constitution, you can't take the guns from those who legally obtained and maintain them. The problem is, you cannot foresee who will use a weapon for what. What about the guy who uses his for hunting? Or competition? Or just popping bottles in the backyard? What about the guy who has a collection he has never even fired? How can you differentiate between one of them, and the guy with a collection in his apartment planning on wiping out everyone at the local mall? What if that person, over time, obtained all their weapons LEGALLY, registered every single one of them, maintains permits for every single one of them... and then has a bad day and takes out everyone on the subway? This isn't a guy who went and bought his weapons in a back alley. I'm talking a legal gun owner, the same as Adam Lanza's mother.
Legislation may make it more difficult to get firearms NOW. What about the ones already out there, the legal and illegal ones? I'll give you an example of something. When I started working nights, my brother-in-law was uncomfortable with the idea of my wife being home alone in our house. He wanted to give her a gun to protect herself, just in case. It would be his, legally obtained, legally registered, legally owned. In HIS name. She refused, simply because she was uncomfortable with a gun in the house, and for good reason. Studies, stats, and records show that a gun is more likely to be used on its owner than on an intruder. Not to say it doesn't happen, but most often a gun owner will accidentally shoot themselves while performing routine cleaning rather than shooting an intruder or an intruder shooting them.
So what do we do? I don't believe legislation will solve the problem. I don't know what will. The problem is not the guns, the problem is US. It doesn't matter if a gun is "legal" or not. If someone's going to shoot another person, it doesn't matter if the gun is legal or not. It's human nature to destroy each other. Horrible, sad, frightening, but true. Cain killed Abel before there were laws regarding homicide. People have been killing each other since there were people, and I challenge anyone to find me the Sword And Spear Control Laws from medeival Britain. To quote Eddie Izzard, "Guns don't kill people, people do, but I think the gun helps. You're not gonna kill too many people just standing there going BANG!"
Monday, December 31, 2012
Dammit, I Thought I Was Done...
I AM DONE.
There, I said it.
Years ago, I joined an online community for People Of Size. I like my women a certain way, and I myself am a bigger guy. Always have been, never found myself attractive... then I found this group.
It was fun. There were people like me who liked people like me. It was strictly online (far as I knew) so I never actually got to MEET any of the people I spoke to. Well, once or twice, but nothing but friendship came out of those. By the time I finally attended a social function, I was already in a relationship and the non-social aspect of it never came into play.
Fast forward to 2010.
Everything changed. I was widowed, I was no longer in a relationship, but I wasn't looking to be in another one. I wanted to spend time with the friends I had made over the past few years and remember the woman I had lost. I didn't notice the people looking at me.
I went to every dance and function over the next 6 months. After the third one, I started noticing. I could feel the eyes on me, crawling over me like warm spiders. I could hear the murmurs and mumbles. In my younger days, I had fantasized about being the one sought after, of being the one that they fought over and that everyone wanted. When I felt it, it made my spine prickle. It felt predatory, it felt unwanted, and it felt like I was a slab of beef about to be thrown into the wolves' den.
In short, I knew how women felt at clubs.
It was around this time that I realized something had changed. Something was different. I'm not sure if it was because I was a single guy for the first time and was seeing it in a new light, or because I was there by myself, or if something really had changed. It was different than I remembered it. It didn't seem fun, it didn't seem right...
I don't really drink anymore. In college, hells yeah and I could put it away, too, but these days, hardly. I don't pick up women on the random. Never have, mostly because I never could, but honestly my brain isn't wired that way. I have no game, honestly, and though I exude confidence in certain aspects of my life, I could never successfully seduce a woman to bed with me for the night. I'm always in relationship mode, and if I'm not, I'm in friend mode. There is no in-between, it's always one or the other.
These days, nobody seems to understand that. You see the constant question, "Can A Man And A Woman Be Just Friends?" The answer of course is FUCKING YES!!! I don't see how it cannot. I have many many female friends I do not see in a sexual light. Do I think they are attractive? Yes. I tihnk my mom and my sister are beautiful, too, but we're not gonna go there. It's technically the same thing anyhow. I will admit that i DO have female friends I once tried unsuccessfully to date, which is why they are friends, but I also have female friends of whom I have NEVER had a sexual thought. It is possible for a guy and a girl to be JUST FRIENDS.
So, because so many new people and young people and just people in geneal seem to have forogtten that it all started out as a SOCIAL site. Just because you are involved does not mean you are looking for a date or a hookup or a booty call or a relationship. It started as a place where like-minded and like-bodied people could congregate and hang out. But it seems even "hang out" has developed a different meaning. I wish I could go and have fun. I wish I could bring my girlfriend along and we could have a great time, but the truth is that it isn't what is used to be. People can't just go and have fun without someone trying to cause trouble or some kind of drama being spread. It's not like a regular club, it's more like a soap opera or reality show. It's annoying, it's aggravating, and honestly, it's just not worth the time, so I have left. Once, everyone knew who I was. Now, I don't even know who still attends. I'm fine. I don't need to tell you when I'm gone, because obviously, you haven't noticed or cared, so neither do I. It was fun while it lasted, but I have a new life now, and you are not part of it. Seeya.
There, I said it.
Years ago, I joined an online community for People Of Size. I like my women a certain way, and I myself am a bigger guy. Always have been, never found myself attractive... then I found this group.
It was fun. There were people like me who liked people like me. It was strictly online (far as I knew) so I never actually got to MEET any of the people I spoke to. Well, once or twice, but nothing but friendship came out of those. By the time I finally attended a social function, I was already in a relationship and the non-social aspect of it never came into play.
Fast forward to 2010.
Everything changed. I was widowed, I was no longer in a relationship, but I wasn't looking to be in another one. I wanted to spend time with the friends I had made over the past few years and remember the woman I had lost. I didn't notice the people looking at me.
I went to every dance and function over the next 6 months. After the third one, I started noticing. I could feel the eyes on me, crawling over me like warm spiders. I could hear the murmurs and mumbles. In my younger days, I had fantasized about being the one sought after, of being the one that they fought over and that everyone wanted. When I felt it, it made my spine prickle. It felt predatory, it felt unwanted, and it felt like I was a slab of beef about to be thrown into the wolves' den.
In short, I knew how women felt at clubs.
It was around this time that I realized something had changed. Something was different. I'm not sure if it was because I was a single guy for the first time and was seeing it in a new light, or because I was there by myself, or if something really had changed. It was different than I remembered it. It didn't seem fun, it didn't seem right...
I don't really drink anymore. In college, hells yeah and I could put it away, too, but these days, hardly. I don't pick up women on the random. Never have, mostly because I never could, but honestly my brain isn't wired that way. I have no game, honestly, and though I exude confidence in certain aspects of my life, I could never successfully seduce a woman to bed with me for the night. I'm always in relationship mode, and if I'm not, I'm in friend mode. There is no in-between, it's always one or the other.
These days, nobody seems to understand that. You see the constant question, "Can A Man And A Woman Be Just Friends?" The answer of course is FUCKING YES!!! I don't see how it cannot. I have many many female friends I do not see in a sexual light. Do I think they are attractive? Yes. I tihnk my mom and my sister are beautiful, too, but we're not gonna go there. It's technically the same thing anyhow. I will admit that i DO have female friends I once tried unsuccessfully to date, which is why they are friends, but I also have female friends of whom I have NEVER had a sexual thought. It is possible for a guy and a girl to be JUST FRIENDS.
So, because so many new people and young people and just people in geneal seem to have forogtten that it all started out as a SOCIAL site. Just because you are involved does not mean you are looking for a date or a hookup or a booty call or a relationship. It started as a place where like-minded and like-bodied people could congregate and hang out. But it seems even "hang out" has developed a different meaning. I wish I could go and have fun. I wish I could bring my girlfriend along and we could have a great time, but the truth is that it isn't what is used to be. People can't just go and have fun without someone trying to cause trouble or some kind of drama being spread. It's not like a regular club, it's more like a soap opera or reality show. It's annoying, it's aggravating, and honestly, it's just not worth the time, so I have left. Once, everyone knew who I was. Now, I don't even know who still attends. I'm fine. I don't need to tell you when I'm gone, because obviously, you haven't noticed or cared, so neither do I. It was fun while it lasted, but I have a new life now, and you are not part of it. Seeya.
The Bug-It List
Everyone has their pet peeves. Everyone has stuff that bugs them. After reading stuff online and seeing what people post on Facebook and Twitter sometimes, I decided to vent out some of my angries.
1. Bigots. Speaking mostly about racists, homophobes, and anti-Semites. Few things mystify me, but these kinds of prejudices have never made sense. I don't get it. Thinking someone is inferior to you simply because of the color of their skin or the country from which they came? It's absurd. Ludicrous. Asinine. I also don't understand being "afraid" or "intolerant" of people with a different sexual prefernce. Does it affect you? Does in intrude on your personal space? NO. So who gives a flying fuck? People will love who they love and you can't stop it, you can't prevent it, so be happy that they've found someone to whom they give their heart. It's hard enough without some ignorant bastage shouting profanity at them and calling them names. As for the last one, though it is most often related to Jewish people, Semitic is ANY Middle Eastern-based faith, so that means being against Muslims, too. Not all Muslims are terrorists, people. We NEEDNEEDNEED to remember that. Oh, and by the way idiots, you know there's a different between Middle Eastern faiths and Indian faiths, right? How the hell do you mix up Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs? A turban does not a Muslim make. Seriously, stupidity is just...stupid.
2. Dead-beat dads. This one really boils me. My father worked his ass off to provide for my family, and I remember what things were like when he was working two jobs, nights and days, and slept all day on weekends when he could. I remember him riding his bike to the train station because he had his license suspended for speeding. I remember him not being around, but that was because he was doing his fatherly duty. One of the things he taught me when I was very young and asked why he was working so much was this: "A man will do anything he must to support his family. A man who does not support his family is not a man." I believe that, I truly do. If you're going to go out and have unprotected sex with someone, that alone shows a lack of responsibility. However, should that result in a pregnancy, take responsibility and be a fucking adult about it. Kids run away from their mistakes and fears. Adults face them and tackle them head on. Ignoring it won't make it go away, and this is a HUMAN BEING we're talking about. YOU made this. YOU created this. It takes two people to create a baby, it takes two people to raise one. BE A MAN. RAISE YOUR KIDS. Make sure they don't make the same stupid mistakes you did. THAT'S being a man. I may not have kids of my own, but I will make DAMN sure that the ones related to me are raised properly.
3. Ignorant, uninformed, judgemental blockheads. If I say something and it turns out I am misinformed or uneducated about the subject, I will admit it. If I am wrong about sometihng, I will admit it. I cannot abide by those who MUST BE RIGHT, people who THEIR WAY is the ONLY WAY. I cannot abide by people who make a judgement or a personality call about another person without knowing the person, meeting the person, or spending time with the person and simply going by what one person says about them. Like my mother used to say, "How can you know you don't like something if you've never tried it?" I've had people say things about me without ever having met me, and I didn't understand it. I've had people say things about my family, friends, or girlfriend without having spent time or met them, and it bothers me. If you've experience someone or something, you have the right to say you don't like them, but don't go sight-unseen or unheard and say you don't like someone. Never jump to conclusions, you could end up gong off a cliff.
4. Die-hard rabid supporters. This sorta goes along with the MY WAY OR DIE WAY people. I can't stand people who are contrary simply for the sake of being contrary. This is mostly in politics, but also happens with sports fans. I knew a guy in college who was such a die-hard local sports fan that he believed the only way you were allowed to be a fan of a team is if you were born and lived where the team was. For example, if you lived in, say, Connecticut, you had to HADTOHADTOHADTO be a fan of the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics, and NO OTHER TEAM. It didn't matter if you were born in CT and moved to Chicago, you couldn't like the Bears according to his logic. Ever seen the picture back in the 90s of the Flyers fans beating up the Devils fan? Like that. Hooligan-style fans. Yes, I am a fan of several teams, but I'm not going to stab someone because they're wearing colors that I associate with a rival team. That's gang mentality, attacking someone because their fashion sense is different from yours. The same thing goes for politics. It's one of the reasons I don't get into politics, because it's built on a belief system. A belief system is very hard to break or bend, and people defend their beliefs with an almost religious fervor. The issue is when people go the opoosite way against a rival party simply because they're part of the rival party. I'm not a fan of hypocrisy, so attacking a member of the opposing party for something when members of yours do the same thing aggravates me. It bothers me when members of one party say they are not going to help a member of the opposing party not because they don't agree with the policy but because the idea is coming from the opposite party. Partisan politics are aggravating and annoying and accomplish nothing but build contempt for the entire system. Whichever party does it may do it with the intent of making their opponents look bad, but they only succeed in making themselves look like idiots and unfortunately, neither side has figured this out yet. That, to me, is the most annoying part. Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing multiple times while expecting different results. That's where we're at, and people go out of their minds with anger defending these people Look at this year's presidential election. It was like a reenactment of the Civbil War, but with suits and ties. It was horrible. Yes, I have beliefs and standards, but if I believe someone has a good idea that seems feasible, I will admit that. People do not like to admit they are wrong or that someone else might have a better idea, and that, the inability to compromise or admit someone may have a better idea, staggers me.
Those are my top four. There's more, but I'm not gonna nitpick, not on the last few hours of the year. These are mine. I know you have yours, and you know what? Keep em. Share em. Doesn't mean I'm gonna agree with you.
1. Bigots. Speaking mostly about racists, homophobes, and anti-Semites. Few things mystify me, but these kinds of prejudices have never made sense. I don't get it. Thinking someone is inferior to you simply because of the color of their skin or the country from which they came? It's absurd. Ludicrous. Asinine. I also don't understand being "afraid" or "intolerant" of people with a different sexual prefernce. Does it affect you? Does in intrude on your personal space? NO. So who gives a flying fuck? People will love who they love and you can't stop it, you can't prevent it, so be happy that they've found someone to whom they give their heart. It's hard enough without some ignorant bastage shouting profanity at them and calling them names. As for the last one, though it is most often related to Jewish people, Semitic is ANY Middle Eastern-based faith, so that means being against Muslims, too. Not all Muslims are terrorists, people. We NEEDNEEDNEED to remember that. Oh, and by the way idiots, you know there's a different between Middle Eastern faiths and Indian faiths, right? How the hell do you mix up Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs? A turban does not a Muslim make. Seriously, stupidity is just...stupid.
2. Dead-beat dads. This one really boils me. My father worked his ass off to provide for my family, and I remember what things were like when he was working two jobs, nights and days, and slept all day on weekends when he could. I remember him riding his bike to the train station because he had his license suspended for speeding. I remember him not being around, but that was because he was doing his fatherly duty. One of the things he taught me when I was very young and asked why he was working so much was this: "A man will do anything he must to support his family. A man who does not support his family is not a man." I believe that, I truly do. If you're going to go out and have unprotected sex with someone, that alone shows a lack of responsibility. However, should that result in a pregnancy, take responsibility and be a fucking adult about it. Kids run away from their mistakes and fears. Adults face them and tackle them head on. Ignoring it won't make it go away, and this is a HUMAN BEING we're talking about. YOU made this. YOU created this. It takes two people to create a baby, it takes two people to raise one. BE A MAN. RAISE YOUR KIDS. Make sure they don't make the same stupid mistakes you did. THAT'S being a man. I may not have kids of my own, but I will make DAMN sure that the ones related to me are raised properly.
3. Ignorant, uninformed, judgemental blockheads. If I say something and it turns out I am misinformed or uneducated about the subject, I will admit it. If I am wrong about sometihng, I will admit it. I cannot abide by those who MUST BE RIGHT, people who THEIR WAY is the ONLY WAY. I cannot abide by people who make a judgement or a personality call about another person without knowing the person, meeting the person, or spending time with the person and simply going by what one person says about them. Like my mother used to say, "How can you know you don't like something if you've never tried it?" I've had people say things about me without ever having met me, and I didn't understand it. I've had people say things about my family, friends, or girlfriend without having spent time or met them, and it bothers me. If you've experience someone or something, you have the right to say you don't like them, but don't go sight-unseen or unheard and say you don't like someone. Never jump to conclusions, you could end up gong off a cliff.
4. Die-hard rabid supporters. This sorta goes along with the MY WAY OR DIE WAY people. I can't stand people who are contrary simply for the sake of being contrary. This is mostly in politics, but also happens with sports fans. I knew a guy in college who was such a die-hard local sports fan that he believed the only way you were allowed to be a fan of a team is if you were born and lived where the team was. For example, if you lived in, say, Connecticut, you had to HADTOHADTOHADTO be a fan of the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics, and NO OTHER TEAM. It didn't matter if you were born in CT and moved to Chicago, you couldn't like the Bears according to his logic. Ever seen the picture back in the 90s of the Flyers fans beating up the Devils fan? Like that. Hooligan-style fans. Yes, I am a fan of several teams, but I'm not going to stab someone because they're wearing colors that I associate with a rival team. That's gang mentality, attacking someone because their fashion sense is different from yours. The same thing goes for politics. It's one of the reasons I don't get into politics, because it's built on a belief system. A belief system is very hard to break or bend, and people defend their beliefs with an almost religious fervor. The issue is when people go the opoosite way against a rival party simply because they're part of the rival party. I'm not a fan of hypocrisy, so attacking a member of the opposing party for something when members of yours do the same thing aggravates me. It bothers me when members of one party say they are not going to help a member of the opposing party not because they don't agree with the policy but because the idea is coming from the opposite party. Partisan politics are aggravating and annoying and accomplish nothing but build contempt for the entire system. Whichever party does it may do it with the intent of making their opponents look bad, but they only succeed in making themselves look like idiots and unfortunately, neither side has figured this out yet. That, to me, is the most annoying part. Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing multiple times while expecting different results. That's where we're at, and people go out of their minds with anger defending these people Look at this year's presidential election. It was like a reenactment of the Civbil War, but with suits and ties. It was horrible. Yes, I have beliefs and standards, but if I believe someone has a good idea that seems feasible, I will admit that. People do not like to admit they are wrong or that someone else might have a better idea, and that, the inability to compromise or admit someone may have a better idea, staggers me.
Those are my top four. There's more, but I'm not gonna nitpick, not on the last few hours of the year. These are mine. I know you have yours, and you know what? Keep em. Share em. Doesn't mean I'm gonna agree with you.
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