Come up and see me sometime...

So, as result of having a lazy day basking in the success of yesterday's post, as well as an extended nap it's now two and a half hours before this one is supposed to publish.  All I've done today is ponder my navel.  As far as bellybuttons go, it's a fine innie and a perfect spot to store my lint collection.  I'm sorry to announce I've found the remains of the missing spelunkers though.  (Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.)

So, you guys like, um...stuff?


The potential for an earth shattering epiphany (not really, I can dream big though, right?) is plastered over the desk top with about 15 digital sticky notes.  I just don't want to mess with them at all tonight.  So, I'll just Ramble a bit more, or less, bat my pretty dark green/brown/hazel eyes, shake my lard ass, ample booty and show a little leg.  Once I start in with the silky smooth baritone/bass country accent, y'all  will soon forget why you're here and forgive me the nonsense.  (Probably not, I can still dream though, right?)

Is anyone surprised by Donald J. Trump saying,  'I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier.' or that political reporters at The New York Times "don't know how to write good." or maybe how his campaign is blaming the current administration and a change in the rules of engagement for the death of US Army Captain, Humayun Khan on June 8th, 2004.  Hmmm, howzat work again?  Doesn't the twenty-second Amendment to the Constitution, ratified more than 65 years ago nix that idea? 

Aiiiit.  I gotta quit. Politicin' ain't good for my blood pressure or what little mental stability I have remaining.

Thanks for coming along.  Wink, wink, bat, bat...

See you tomorrow...

So (expletives deleted) close.

So much for diligence.  So much for the unbroken six months.  They could have waited 5 working days.  Five days.  RAT BASTARDS!   Five working days would have gotten me through June and six continuous months.  A hundred and thirty-five posts, sometimes with just minutes to spare, but 135 of them, in a row no less.  Ugh.

So, now it seems I have to push it to December to make it to beat my record.  Double ugh.  Rat (expletives deleted)  bastards.  Have I said that yet?

Granted, it's not entirely their fault.  Had I not been pushing deadlines and kept the buffer zone safety margin minibar stocked the problem would never have been spotted on the back end.  We should probably have that checked out, no one wants to sit on a problem on their back end.

Nine-thirty in the AM, last Friday morning we broke up our bundle and changed our cable/satellite TV provider.   Let the pissy, revenge games begin.

In cancelling the TV, the person with the nuclear codes pushed the "wrong" button and wiped out the TV and though it was made clear we wanted to keep it, the internet as well.

"Oh, we'll get right on that.  You're service will be restored between 5 and 8 this evening." 
Except it wasn't.

"Oh, sorry bout that.  The system needs to reset."
Except it didn't.

"Oh, sorry.  That modem is no longer compatible, it's too fast." 
Really?

"Can you come down to the store tomorrow (Saturday) and pick up a brand new compatible modem?"
except, it wasn't.

"Sorry, that serial number isn't registered as one of ours."
Brand new, right out of the box, with the company logo and name clearly printed on both the box and the router modem.

Does anyone else see a pattern here?  Or is it just grumpy old curmudgeonly me?

"Okay, we're having another one shipped in.  It'll be here on Tuesday."
Well, this time they were right.  Then it took more than three hours to get it to work properly, read that as AT FUCKING ALL.

Needless to say, as soon as an install date for a new ISP gets here, this current one will be headed to the curb.

Okay, rant switch to the off position.

Thanks. 

See you tomorrow.  Unless of course the ISP provider who must remain nameless screws the pooch exiling  me to the outback of the Wastelands again...



 

Profiled...

Yeah, I know.  First world Caucasian problems.  As insignificant as it may be, it is really the only way I am able to relate in being typecast. 

Last week I went in to renew my ID.  I fully expected to stand in a couple of DMV lines for hours.  To my surprise, the place was nearly empty.  Cool, no wait, no muss, no fuss.  In and out in record time.  Groovy.  Awesome, right until I handed the clerk my renewal notice and the first words out of the young man's mouth, and I kid you not; "Is this for a Concealed Carry Permit?"

I think I've been profiled...

Seriously, is the a photo of a man looking for a CCW permit?   What is with this world?  An innocent, peace-loving, old, almost hippy is automatically assumed to be packing heat.

What's next?  Law Enforcement officials targeting people based on the color of their skin, or bathroom police demanding to see your junk before allowing you to pee?  I suppose religion, sexuality, gender and gender identification are on the list too.  Punk rockers, Emo-kids, Goths, Renaissance fair junkies, Anyone who wears mis-matched socks because it's cool?  Fat kids, Skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks.  Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chickenpox.

It isn't much, but I'm still an ally...


Thanks for coming.

See you on Monday.  Peace.

Not Qualified?

I hear it from both sides of the political isle and from every point between.  Including the numbskulls who have no clue,all  harping on the "Qualifications to be President."  There are a lot of numbskulls, idiots and Trumpeteers here in the wasteland.

Really? Did I miss something in high school?  Actually, now that I think about it, it would have been junior high.  Yes, I'm that old. I went to a Jr. high and not a middle school.  Although I transferred to a different school system between the 8th and 9th grades.  With the transfer, 9th grade was a part of the high school.  One room school house, 12 miles to school and back every day. up hill both ways.  Yada, yada, blah, blah, blah...

I digress.  Anyone surprised?  Thought not.

Article II

Section 1

 "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

Amendment XXII

Section 1 

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term."

Granted, I'm not a Constitutional expert, but aren't those the only real qualifications?  Hellsbells, even I meet those requirements.  No, I don't want the gig.  Don't ask.  I'll make my own Shermanesque declaration.

  "I will not accept if nominated 
and will not serve if elected."

William Tecumseh Sherman 

 
Sure, we want the leader of the free world to be smarter than a box of rocks, a lot less racist, misogynistic, hate filled and more capable than an angry orange bully troll.  Someone who can deal with everything she'll have to without throwing a narcissistic, egomaniacal hissy fit, crying about how small his hands are and how 'well endowed" he might be. 

Any similarities to persons real or fictional is purely intentional.

As always, thanks.

See you tomorrow.

Brace! Brace! Brace!!!

The bugler is rehearsing "Taps" and the fat lady is warming up her vocal chords.  No entry yesterday.  That means I'm only 6 days in front of this one posting and 12 days ahead of making it until June. Though with Memorial day and a birthday in those 12 days I might 'legitimately' be able to skate through those.  Not that I need a reason to slack off.

Well, the GOP Clown car has spit out everything but the angry, dangerous, orange clown.  People, wake the fuck up.  This is not what we're about.  He is not 'for' you, the middle and lower classes, women, people of color, veterans, active duty military.  If you're not a rich, white man he is not for you.  He is NOT for America.  Period. Full Stop.  Period.  Drumpf is in this only for himself, to feed his narcissism and his ego.  He only wants to make Trump great again.  He doesn't give one rat's ass, flying fuck for us.  Elect this fool and we'll be paying for it, financially, socially, economically and in global relations for a century or more.

Yes, it is your vote, and yes, I still very much care how you choose to exercise it.  There are too many family members, friends, persons of ALL races, colors and creed that I care about, here and world wide.  There is too much at stake, now, and for the future.

It still isn't much. but it was the best I had for today.  We're still clearing the trees, barely.

When this thing finally gives up flying we may not know whether I crashed and burned due to pilot error, augured in and buying the farm in a CFIT, (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) incident, or if this blog was not airworthy and unsafe for flight operations.

As always, thanks.

See you on Monday.  Peace.

This is Spring?

Here it is the first Monday in May, and it's colder here in the wasteland than it was in mid-February.  Cloudy, damp, rainy and cold.  Cold enough I'm considering turning on the furnace.  It's also 9:30 in the pm and the temperatures are set to rebound into the upper teens (C°) and upper 60's (F°) tomorrow.  So much for global warming, thanks Obama.

No, I'm not serious.  Global climate change and mankind's involvement in it are real, and major concerns for all of us.  Deforestation, habitat and wetland loss, sea-level rise, carbon emissions and the loss of biodiversity as we kill off more species of the flora and fauna of the planet is going to come back and bite us in the ass, if it isn't too late and Mother Nature hasn't yet started nibbling. 

 "Heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd 

Nor Hell a fury, like a woman scorn'd."

The Mourning Bride.

William Congreve.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and big mama Earth will heal herself at our expense.  A species level mass extinction might not be the best thing for humanity, but the planet would be better off.  Barring any cosmic disturbances in the Force, asteroids, comets, near earth supernovae, and any additional involvement by us, the planet has about 7.5 billion years left before it gets eaten by Sol.   If we leave her to it she'll be a nice place to visit again.

"Nature is trying very hard to make us succeed,  

but nature does not depend on us.  

We are not the only experiment." 

R. Buckminster Fuller.

As always, it still isn't much, but I have managed to keep the parakeets in birdcage lining for at least one more day.  Thanks.

See you tomorrow.

 

Rat (expletives deleted) bastards.

There are a few people ID10T's out there who are lucky they weren't within reach last night.  Had I gotten my hands around the pencil necks of the program directors for NBC sports network, Fox Sports MW, and of course CenturyLink Prism I may have committed atrocious bloody murder. 

BUCKING FAT RASTARDS! 

No jury of my peers, in this case peers would have to be hockey fans would convict me.  A national network, NBCSN carried the game, the listing on the channel guide confirmed it.  They decided to broadcast English Premier League soccer instead.  Soccer is a great sport I'm sure, as far as sports things goes, and enjoyed by people world wide.  But here in the wastelands, in lieu of an intense rivalry, in game seven of the first round of the playoffs, ummm not so much.  The scrawling crawl across the bottom of the soccer game told me I could find the Black and Blue game 7 on Foxsports Mid-West.

Fine, groovy.  I'd rather watch it there anyway.  Except it wasn't there.  One FSMW channel broadcast a rerun of a UFC event from November 2014.  Really?  18 month old ancient history fights in which two people attempt to beat the living crap out of one another.  Seriously?  The other FSMW had Royals Baseball.  I get it, baseball is America's pass time, and the Royals are the world champs, whose boring, long-assed season is just beginning.  But a tough playoff game seven with the Blues trying to break a 3-year 1st round curse and the defending Stanley Cup champs trying their best to defend it.

RUCKING BAT FASTARDS!

Okay, plan "C".  I can tune in online to a StL. radio station I know will be broadcasting.  Except, due to the other previously mentioned circumstances everyone and their uncles were eating up bandwidth forcing some major buffering issues.  Ugh.

Plan "D".  NHL.com will have a live audio feed of the game, with Chicago broadcasters, from a Chicago station.  Ugh.

Fox Sports did finally pick up the game when the fights were done, at the top of the final period.

UCKINGFAY ATRAY ASTARDSBAY!

On the plus side, I'm still here and ahead of the pack.  You won't have to put up with my ranting about hockey for a few days.  Until Round 2 picks up against Dallas that is.

On the down side, I'm still here and only barely ahead of the pack.  You may very well have to put up with more inane, insane ramblings though.

As always, thanks for your time.

See you on Monday, I presume.  Peace.

I haz questions.

During the disasters that were games 5 and 6 for the St. Louis Bluenotes a particular commercial advertisement caught my eye and piqued my curiosity.  In it, Lincoln Motors is trying to sell me a new car SUV thingy.  One of the selling points harped on in the voice-over is that the hatch, lift gate remembers your height. 

Really?  Why?  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?  

To prevent your College bound basketball star son from helping bring in the groceries?  To shelter you from inclement weather?  Because it's nice to know your car cares and remembers you?  Gimme a break.  Can anyone enlighten me?

How much R&D and production money has the Ford Motor Corporation poured into this little gem?  And how much does that option cost the consumer?  FoMoCo couldn't put that cash to better use, I don't know, say safer vehicles, better fuel efficiency or alternative energy sources altogether?

Innovation boys and girls.  Volvo is striving for Fatality free cars by 2020.  From CNN Money.  Tesla is charging (intentional) the electric car market.  Self-driving cars are already proving their worth.  And Lincoln is touting this marvel of modern engineering?  

It's the 21st century dammit!

Where in the Hell is my flying car?

     

For what it's worth, I've managed to pad my lead a little.

Thanks.

See you when I see you, probably tomorrow if you're lucky... 

First impressions?

Okay, I get it.  I'm a middle-aged Caucasian male, not only born in the wastelands of mid-America, but I continue to dwell here.  I get it.  I'm not hip enough, or young enough or cool enough.  But, (there's always a but isn't there?), a very large component to the first impression I take from an encounter is speech, how one uses one's words.  I may very well form a strong opinion, however, (see, no but here), it's not likely to be positive first impression if words such as these are our first encounter.

"The hate is real ctfuuu! 

(Cheer/cracking the fuck up.  I had to Google it.) 

Nobody even really kno me to throw shade in my direction! 

Never bothered by what nobody got to say bout me cuz imma real one! 

It's a given my name gonna b in ppl mouth? 

But how it taste? Good right!? Hahahaha"
(Direct quote, copied and pasted.)

I still get it, I'm not hip enough, or young enough or cool enough. but, (there's another of those buts again), to my ears this screams either certain level of illiteracy or just pure, unadulterated laziness.  I'm not a grammar nazi nerd, as evidenced by my use of words here in these pages. I hope at least I'm moderately well spoken, and present it to others.  Yes, improper usage of their, there, they're drive me up the proverbial wall.  Yes, language and the use of words are important to me.  They have been for as long as I can remember.  Grammar and punctuation, the difference between knowing your shit, and knowing you're shit.  One should know the difference between helping your friend Jack, off the horse and your friend jack off the horse.

"You never get a second chance

to make a first impression."

So, in answer to the question; "But how it taste?" I can safely say that your words have left an unpleasant taste in my mouth.  You might be a wonderful person.  but, (yeah, I know), STEEEE-rike ONE!  Oh-oh, I made a baseball analogy.  I don't like boring-assed baseball, you knew that right?

I have had this discussion with a niece when she was very much younger than she is today.  I'm proud of the way she uses her words today.  She too is well spoken.  I'm happy to have had a hand in teaching her to use her words.

Okay, rant switch to the O-F-F position.

Thanks for sticking around.

See you on Monday.  Peace.

Give me your hungry.

So, Friday here in the wasteland.  Friday and I haven't written one of these since Monday.  I think I may have found out where the padded buffer zone disappeared to.  Not much doubt there, though.  There are/were still 3 weeks of entries waiting  in the wings.  Just how many will be ready in 3 weeks of wasteland time is anyone's guess.

As I mentioned yesterday, this part of the wasteland held it's primary election.  I couldn't do it, I wasn't able to fight down the bile at the very thought of voting for Cruz.  I couldn't bring myself to ask for a Republican ballot.  So, I groped the Bern.

I'm still avoiding the whole news and politics thing that "Damages my calm." (Reference),  Evidently, Drumpf and Clinton won here, and the chat-bot Rubio has packed it in.   That leaves 3 in the clown car.  I'd like to say that it is your vote and I don't care how you use it, so long as you USE IT.  I'd like to be able to say it, but I can't.  I do very much care who you vote for.  I care for my friends and family who will be marginalized, persecuted and demonized because of who they are, the color of their skin, their genders and gender identification, their sexual preferences, their religion or lack thereof.  I care about who you choose to send to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  I care for all of us and all who will be marginalized, persecuted and demonized because of who they are, the color of their skin, their genders and gender identification, their sexual preferences, their religion.  This fucked up GOP scares me.  I don't want to be part of that America.  I don't want to be part of the hate.

"Give me your hungry, your tired, your poor I'll piss on 'em
that's what the Statue of Bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death
and get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard."

Lou Reed, 'Dirty Blvd.'  

Thanks for your time.  Peace.

See you tomorrow, maybe.

A Piece of PI?

Today is Pi day.  That means tomorrow is Priday, Primary Election day here in the wastelands.  I'm still undecided on how my vote will be cast.  In November, I know regardless of the office they seek, from the top down or the bottom up I will not be voting for any of the GOP candidates.  Period, Full Stop, Period.  However, tomorrow is another story entirely.  In an attempt to derail the hate I am still considering a strategic vote against the Toxic Orange troll with the angry, funky-assed hair.  This in itself presents a dilemma.  That would mean voting for the only other person who may have a chance to win the primary here.  As much as I want the Drumpf to go away I find the idea of voting for the Texas zealot to be morally, ethically, philosophically and socially repugnant.  Just thinking about it makes me throw up in my mouth.

My first choice would have been O'Malley.  Number 2 is The Bern with Hillary coming in a distant third.  One Kennedy would have been enough, one Bush was enough, one Clinton was enough, one Obama is enough.  Of the other two examples that come to mind the Adams boys are really ancient history and the Roosevelts were ideologically different.  I don't like dynasties.  Dynastic succession, monarchy, dictatorships are all just different words for the same thing.  That's not what we're about.

We need to abolish the flawed two-party system.  And this insane primary election thing.  The early voting states influence the votes of the rest of us.  If my candidate of choice can't show well enough early, I don't get a chance to vote for them here.  It's broken, it doesn't work anymore.  If I'm still writing these in November you may hear me bitch about the Electoral College as well.

I've said it for years, and much to the dismay of my Constitution loving friends.  I think we need to be a Parliamentary Democracy, but that will never fly in my lifetime.  Automatic voter registration, easier voting, better scheduling, Saturday voting, Maybe 30 days?  Let's throw in No Confidence votes and easier recall elections.

Politicians need to remember who they work for.  From your local dog catcher all the way up through the ranks to POTUS.  These elected officials are EMPLOYEES, our employees.  If I don't do my job my boss can hand me the pink slip and you can almost bet that it won't take two, four or six years to escort my ass to the door.

Aiiiit.  My rant's over, this time.  I'm still four weeks timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly in front or behind you.  I can never keep that straight.  At any rate, this one is done and loaded.  The Hockey thing happens tonight, I might get motivated enough to do another while the game is on.

As always, Siyabonga dudes.

See you tomorrow.

Supreme Court Justice Judith Sheindlin?

From the news desk today.

CNN reports that one in ten college graduates believe Judith Sheindlin, aka Judge Judy, is a member of the United States Supreme Court.  What in the actual FUCK?  From middle school and junior high to high school, if you are a civics, government or history instructor teaching impressionable young minds and 10% of your students believe this,  you are NOT doing your job.  Teach them or fail them.  There are no excuses.  If you allow just one your charges to leave your classroom with this belief you are part of the problem and need to find a new line of work.
"Would you like fries with that?"

Yeah, I get it, you're under-payed and overworked.  You have to spend your money for classroom supplies.  Kids don't want to learn, or won't pay attention.  Helicopter parents won't let you fail their children, school districts won't let you test your students.  Tough shit.  Teach them or move aside.  Why did you become a teacher?  It certainly wasn't for the money. The long summers off?  I doubt it.  Why did you become a teacher?  The awesome retirement benefits?  Why did you become a teacher?  Then  teach.

I can hear you from two months in the past.

"Chip, it's not that easy.  We have a curriculum we have to follow,   My State (enforces or bans) common core.  My students should have learned this last year in Mister Smith's class, They'll learn it next year with Mz Jones."  yada, yada, yada... Don't care.  If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.

*Postscript.  This was written some time before the death of Associate Justice Scalia.  Now, Judge Judy has her chance.

Terrible weather, decent day.

Monday in the Wastelands and an ill wind doth blow, chilling the hearts of men.  

I suppose it had to have happened sooner or later.

"The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory" for this part of the wastelands  Sleet, freezing rain and snow moving in tomorrow.  Yay.  Two to four inches of fluffy white snow shit.  Winds 6-10 gusting 20.  Double Yay.  Currently, -8°C (-13° windchill).  That would be 17° and 8°F for the rest of you.  It was bitterly, read that as angry witches and pissed off brass monkeys cold yesterday.  My day to get out, and do something,  (How was that for a segue?)

Evidently the last Serenity game was enjoyable to one and all, including yours truly.  Things have really turned south for the protagonist characters, I cranked the heat up to about 11 or so.  What started as a simple heist to relieve the Feds of a few unguarded medical and emergency supplies turned into an ambush and slaughter of a squad of purple bellies and the hijacking of enough VZ CN25 Tritium polychlorium, to contaminate a small city with the very potent and lethal nerve agent.  Now instead of just thieves, they're now Browncoat terrorists.

"I don't know what was in the truck, but you've hit a hornet's nest with the same stick you've just poked the bear with,  Every Fed in the Verse is hunting you.  The planet is blockaded, the city is under martial law, and every civilian boat in the docks has got a land-lock on it.  Lay low, we're working on an exit strategy."  

...Tune in next time I said...

Regardless of the genre, I almost always try to end a gaming session with a cliffhanger.   The Players often whine about it, yet, they keep asking for more.  Suckers...


It's dinner/supper time and nearly time for frozen-rubber-disk sports thingy tonight, the Blues are trying for 3 in a row, and still without six key players lost through injury. 

Let's Go Blues!

Thanks for your time...

See you tomorrow.

 

News from the Wastelands.

News from the wastelands, right.  No news, as always.  It's early Lanuarius, the month of Janus here in the wasteland time zone.   Rainy and  7°c / 45°f .  Snow, bloody (expletives deleted) snow predicted for Saturday, and frigid sub-freezing (expletives deleted) temperatures for Sunday.  Are we having fun yet? 

I'm a curmudgeonly old fart with cold weather exacerbated aches and pains, seseasonal and other depression issues and I hate the cold.  It's my blog and I'll piss, moan, whine, whinge, kvetch, and complain if I want. 

In other news from the wastelands, still nothing new...

Gentlemen, I do appreciate your service to the country.  You answered a call, either voluntarily or because your number was drawn from a bingo machine.  But really?

"Housekeeping to the Outpatient Laboratory.  Housekeeping to the Outpatient Laboratory waiting area.  The waiting room is full of shit."

Loud, obnoxious, bigoted, ignorant BULLSHIT!.

"LOOK AT THAT RAGHEAD GOAT FUCKER.  A .270 WILL SHUT HIS MOUTH..."
(for the uninformed, a .270 is hunting rifle used frequently here in the wastelands.) 

It's no wonder my blood pressure always runs high when I'm at the VA clinic. It's bad enough that it's higher than it should be, factor in lab coat hypertension and idiotic Trump chumps and it's a wonder I haven't exploded, much like an over engorged tick when placed in a microwave...

POP!!!

ding...

Ewwwwwwww, I ain't cleaning that up.

So, how about dem St. Louis Bluenotes?  He asks facetiously.  Dayum guys, did I fall asleep and Rip Van Winkle my way to playoff season, where the Blues typically pack it in and head for Disneyland?  They're still in the mix but have lost the last 4 in a row.  Four games they should have won, and probably would have won had they played all 60 minutes.  Another reason my blood pressure sucks.

I know it isn't much, but thanks for your support.

See you tomorrow.

Imma ba-ad man....

Today, I've been a bad man, well even more so than is normal.

It's been a good day.  The Bluenotes played well last night and won, snapping the slide.  I managed to get an almost proper normal amount of snooze time.  I only had to migrate to the couch once.  Elvis (still the big white dog), only harassed me a little, curling up on the couch with me, snoring and farting.

Now for my wicked, wicked ways.  A few days ago I posted about ignorant Opinions and how I would probably call you out on them.  Today, I have expanded my role. 

Today, I've been a troll, a terrible, terrible passive-aggressive internet troll.  It's pretty easy to do here in the wastelands.  Tea-party republicrats, Trumpsters and 'Muricans'  make it really easy.  I know I should be more understanding and that I shouldn't make fun of their mental disadvantages, and their atrocious use of the English language.  

It started with a tea party Trumpster trying to defend the Donald's plan to ban all Muslims from entering the country.  Note; names have been omitted to protect the FUCKING STUPID. 

One of us based her argument on a widely circulated,

totally false and an absolute bullshit proganda internet meme.

One of us countered with fact checking.

Betcha can't guess which side I was on?

I know I shouldn't gloat, but it made me feel better.  Who knew? Trolling Tea-Party Trumpsters trumped today's depression.  Yes, yes I know; alliteration.  Sue me...

More trolling fodder coming, I've got a visit to the VA on the horizon.  Wasteland waiting areas in the bible belt are full of material. 

As always, Thanks...

See you tomorrow. 

Numbers to Ponder.

It's Thursday at both ends of this entry, it will publish on the 11th of February and I'm writing it on December 3rd, 2015.  More on that later.

I've mostly taken the past two days off from trying to produce content, mostly.  There was a feeble, half-assed entry I wrote on Tuesday evening.  It may or may not be revised before today, (your today, not mine).  I did write and publish a little something  yesterday.  December 2nd, 2015.  The 336th day of the year 2015, the same day that the U.S.A. experienced it's 355th mass shooting of the year. 2015 mass killings.  A mass shooting is defined here as incidents excluding domestic and gang related violence, when at least four people are killed or wounded and may include the gunman.

Think about that a minute, in 336 days, there have been 355 incidents of gun related violence in which at least four persons were killed or injured.   As of today, that's 462 persons killed and another 1312 wounded.  That's more than five persons per day.   As of today; I don't have the news on.  As far as I know number 356 could be ongoing as I write.

As I write this there have been more than 12,000 firearm related fatalities in the USA in 2015.  This includes all sources; homicide, suicide, accidental, self-defense and officer involved law enforcement.  As of October 1st, 2015 more than 48,331 have been injured.  Source Gun Violence Archive.   

Let's put that in perspective, during the three peak years of the Vietnam War, 1967-1969 American casualties numbered more than 40,000.  Only 1968 produced more fatalities. 16,899.   In 2015 there have been more firearm fatalities in the U.S than were suffered by American forces in Southeast Asia in either 1967 (11,363) or 1969 (11,780).  Source National Archives.

Now, before you get your panties in a wad, I'm pro 2nd Amendment, always have been.  But. responsible firearm owners, you need to step up to the table, put aside the NRA, gun lobby rhetoric and sit down and start a conversation.  The tide of public opinion turns against us.  If we don't open a dialogue we will lose the war, and if it comes down to it, they will pry your guns from your cold dead fingers.

I'm not talking about taking your hunting rifles, shotguns and most handguns,  I'm talking about high-capacity magazines, better mental health screening, closing loop holes...sensible regulation.

I know it's wishful thinking, but maybe, just maybe we can get through the rest of  the year without hearing about

Another Goddamned Mass Shooting.

I'm going to close a little differently than normal... 

 


...Peace... 

Opinions???

"You have to respect my opinion."

o·pin·ion
/əˈpɪn yən/
noun
1. A belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. A personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3. The formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second medical opinion.
4. Law. the formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5.  A judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone's good opinion.
6. A favorable estimate; esteem: I haven't much of an opinion of him.

Actually, aside from opinions of the court I don't. I may respect your right to have an opinion, even if said opinion is idiotic, asinine, misinformed, uninformed, ignorant, totally baseless, unsupported by facts or empirical evidence, passed on through FOX news or internet memes and even if you heard it from a friend of a friend of someone who may know someone who might know your great-uncle's fourth cousin three times removed.

I very well may call you on your idiotic, asinine, misinformed, uninformed, ignorant, totally baseless,  unsupported by facts or empirical evidence opinions.  Vani, David Wolfe, anti-vaxxers, climate change deniers, creationists, science deniers, anti-GMO's, evangelicals, all Tea Partiers and most republicans...

    

  See you tomorrow...

 

It's rantin' time.

I think Social Media sites need a no stupid shit filter.  The developers, based on our choices, create algorithms to tell us what we might like, why can't they write code to help us with the garbage we don't?

I don't mean the ads, advertisements pay the bills.  It's all the other nonsense that people think is worth sharing with their 'networks'.  If I hide your stupid, cutesy animal video I shouldn't have to see it from your three hundred and ninety eight friends who have also decided to share your little gem.  If I hide enough posts about funny cat videos, the algorithms should kick in and hide all funny cat videos.   

I don't care about your local traffic, or your local news and weather.  In fact, if it's not worthy of national news coverage I couldn't care less about 99% of the crap people feel like sharing.  Tell me about you, what's happening in your life.  Quit eating up bandwidth and spamming everyone with click bait articles, and quizzes.  I don't care about the dumbass memes, cutesy babies, and adorable animals.
the inspirational, motivational constipational chain letters, misinformed, uninformed, unsubstantiated rumors and pictures of cats.

Hey, if one of our mutual friends shares something, it's probably a safe bet she/he/them/they have shared it with me as well.  I really don't need to see it again.  Think before you click Share...

I think I need to create an anti-social network. 

Rant switch off...

See you tomorrow... 

D-D-D-Danger!

Another one of those days...

I'm tired, stinky, in pain and pissed off.  S'cuse me while I exercise my kvetch, bitch, whine, whinge, piss and moan, curmudgeon complaint genes.

Yeah, I know, sucks to be me, boo fuck'n hoo, suck it up buttercup, yada-yada-yada. 

Three weeks ago I had an OP surgical procedure done on my back.  Nothing too serious, but as a result I have an open wound that needs dressed daily.  Remove the dressing, irrigate the wound, extract the gauze that was packed in the hole yesterday, which until recently was the thrill of a lifetime, if you're a masochist.  Repack the hole with fresh gauze, the second great adventure of the day.  Yes, until recently it was a whole lotta fun.   Nothing to it now, I'm either healing or dying.  The problem here, it's hard to sleep and the nurse for my adventures shows up at about nine, 0900 for you twenty-four hour clock types.   Being a nocturnal, vampire -like night guy, nine o'clock in the a.m. comes way too early.  Hence being tired.

Stinky, That's easy to determine the cause of.  Open wound, can't get it wet.  Hot, de-caf shower lites are not an option as the steam loosens the adhesive on the dressings.  That leaves me with the proverbial sponge bath, and I can't even do that properly right now.  More on that later.

Pain.  Surprisingly enough, the now not-so-deep open wound that is healing nicely is not the source of the pain.   The source of the pain is a case of severe tendonitis in my wrist.  I've lost grip strength, can't hold anything and any weird movement sends adventure-time pains shooting through my arm.  Hence, the inability to take a proper sponge bath.

Okay, next item in the list; pissed off.  That's a combination of everything here.  Sleep deprivation, sick and tired of being in pain.  Four and a half months of constant, sometimes intense pain added to my normal aches and pains has wreaked, wrecked, smashed, trashed and slashed what little mental stability I might have had.  A hot shower sounds absolutely FUCKING ORGASMIC right about now.   At this point in my day, I might consider an offer of amputation.  Okay, probably not, but I'm tired of this SHIT!!!

Alright, piss, bitch and moan switch to the off position. 

I'm going to go play the Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation game. 

Fine, fine television viewing options.

Once again I get to rant about quality American television programming.  Once again an old favorite adds to my disgust, forcing me into a drastic decision.  I'm giving up on the history channel.  Discovery and National Geographic aren't far behind.

The History Channel has announced not one, but two new Pawn Stars shows.  For cryin' out loud.  I could almost forgive one, but now three?   It's still not just The History Channel,  Discovery, National Geographic and even Animal Planet are just as bad.  Now you can find crab fishing, lobster fishing, swordfish fishing, giant river monster fishing, hillbilly hand fishing, at least two versions of shrimping in the Gulf of Mexico.  

By my count, there are at least three and possibly four television shows about repossession agents and staged repossessions on anything from pinball machines to airplanes.  Truck driving, truck driving on ice, truck driving on stupid ass, narrow, dangerous third world roads.  Auctions of delinquent storage units.  Gold miners in Alaska, gold miners in the Bering sea.  Asshole roughnecks in Texas.  More pawn shops.  Oh, how could I forget Swamp loggers, American loggers and Axe men.    Oh and feral hog hunting,   Weed wars and Moonshiners. Cops, Border wars, Bait car and Alaska State Troopers.  I will admit to watching the first season of Flying wild Alaska, I'm a sucker for airplanes.  This season, not so much. 

Do people actually watch this shit?

I  guess I'll go back to the SYFY channel...