Where's Your Shame?

You've Left Us Up To Our Necks In It

I have come to the difficult conclusion that neither sides knows what the hell they are doing anymore, and I am now convinced everyone should directly tell their politicians that we're mad as hell and not going to take it any longer. Since Obama took office our spending is out of control, now I knew this would happen, because often you have to spend money to make it. I knew it was going to suck regardless of who the president was. I am not convinced McCain would have done any better and who knows maybe worse. Under Bush we watched almost helplessly as our surplus dwindled, mostly under the guise of national security and the federal government grow to nearly epic proportions. The only reason I say 'nearly' is because under Obama we've now it grow to epic proportions to the point where other far more liberal countries are shifting uncomfortable in their seats saying, "Um, are you sure you want to be doing that?"

We are in the lending business, the business of underwriting mortgages, the general banking business, the automobile business and let's not forget everyone's personal business more than ever. They [the government] is trying to force feed us national health care at a time when our economy is on shaky ground. I'm sorry but if the company you work for has their choice between group A, and government run group B, and group B is cheaper, and your doctor isn't part of group B, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR DOCTOR, because your company will switch to group B to save themselves a few bucks. That is economics 101! Our taxes (collectively) are already too high, too much of the money being wasted on crap no one cares about. For example I reside in the Pacific Northwestern US, do I really give a shit about a road being paved in the central valley of California? No! Yet my tax dollars are paying for it. Yes, it is a small percentage but when you put that together with every other state that has a pet project they want to fund, it adds up.

Yes, I know how earmarks work, yes I know it makes an unpalatable bill more palatable for some, but really, shouldn't it then not be offered?

How much does it cost a government (i.e., local, county, state, federal) to introduce a bill? They never talk about the cost involved to just introduce a bill to congress, or a state legislator? You can't convince me this is free, they need it properly written, so they must pay a lawyer, then photocopying all the pages and then someone needs to talk about it. If it proceeds they have to debate it, and that takes time. I was raised to believe time is money and how much is your time worth? For example, I hire a gardener to mow, pull weeds, and trim the landscape this is because I hate gardening, and if I didn't my front yard would look like hell. I would do a half-assed job, and it certainly would never be done each week during the summer. I would be lucky to get my ass out there once a month. So, I pay them to do it for me. It saves me the time and hassle. That is what my time is worth. I make that choice. Of course, if I couldn't afford it, I wouldn't. Period.

Yet our government has no qualms about introducing a bill they know won't pass. This isn't just about Fed it's also state governments that do this and sometimes they will even do it as a joke.

Ch-Ch Changes

What can we do about this? Well, I think we need to let them know where it hurts the most. This is not done by writing your congress idiot. I say make them sweat a little. Change your political party! Register as a third party, and it doesn't matter which one. Since the Republicans have shown they cannot be trusted and the Democrats are no better, let's all just jump ship, dump them all and scare the crap out of them.

I've given this a lot of thought, and for many years now a proud member of a third party. I can't register as a democrat because I don't agree with half of what they talk about and the same goes to republicans. I do not want to be quoted from bible scriptures, or told how to live, or how to have sex, I also don't want to be protected from everything bad for me. Yes, I know, moderation is not my friend but I'm learning in my old age to cope with that without any interference from the government. All I want some fiscal responsibility. I know it's asking a lot but I really think we can do this. Jump ship, drop them all and then we can really start over.

I know people are talking up Palin saying how smart she is for quitting but I'm sorry she was hired to a job by the people of her state. I don't care how many sued her and I don't care about the reasons, it does not change that fact that she has cut and run to make money selling books she has yet to write. That is certainly NOT the kind of person I want in the White House or living in the house down the street. Life is messy, and no one has ever said it will be easy. I'm sorry but I expect more from my politicians. I expect them to do the job they were hired to do, that goes for everyone from the mayors right up to the white house!

To Mr. Obama,

Suck it up, make the hard choices no one wants to make, stop playing politics, or passing the buck; it is time to do what you are being paid to do. Yes, you will piss off people, even in your own party but if they're not pissed off, I don't believe you're doing your job. Don't pander to any party but do what's right! Not just for some, a few or the disenfranchised, but for all and always remember that above all else, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and you're only as good as your next election. Stop playing nicey-nice with Pelosi, and grow a pair!

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter

All Rights Reserved

But I'm Near The End...

...And I just can't find the time...

And I'm wasted and can't find my way home...

Freedom's Just Another Word

Another Tricky Day

You Can't Always Get it, When You Really Want it

Boredom has set in at Casa De La Ranter, but it's to be expected. While half the country has had nothing but rain, we've had sun and it's warming up. Today we nearly hit a hundred, tomorrow we might pass it. I know I haven't blogged for a while, I'm not sure why except nothing to say.

The country is still messed up, economy wise no better really. Tarp is a joke; no surprise Obama's golden boy image is wearing thin. Iran re-elected a nutjob, oh well that's the way the cookie crumbles. Michael Jackson died. Now that gave me pause. Wacko Jacko is dead. He was 50. And everyone now loves him, or trying to grab their last shot at 15 minutes of fame at his expense. If I have to hear one more person speak about his drug use, I'll scream. In fact I'm tired of coverage. Yes, he was weird, odd, guilty of at the very least being inappropriate with young boys, I don't know if there was anything more than that. He was also a magnet for any type of lawsuit. I don't know. I kinda think he was asexual. I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out that eventually that the kids were by donor sperm. I just can't imagine him jerking off in a jar.

I will freely admit that if his death, again at the age of 50, is drug related, then something needs to be done about celebrities hiring their own doctors. And, really think about it, a man with a doctor with him nearly 24 hours a day, and he's dead. What hope is there for us? Naturally a "yes man" with a prescription pad can be deadly, we saw it before with that young Batman actor Heath Ledger, and even the train wreck life that was Anna Nicole Smith. We also saw it 30 years ago with Elvis, and still we do nothing. We sit in our complacent world and say things like, "I don't cry for pedophiles." The press condemns and we sit nodding our heads mindlessly barely blinking to the magic box that tells us what to think. I'm tired of it.

I have arrived but to one conclusion, life remains a delicate tapestry, and therein, I believe, two sides. One side, often called positive, is brilliant, vibrantly colored, but without the fine detail of the interconnecting threads. The negative side is dull somewhat, yet the image though reversed is clearly visible and there you notice the way the threads connect and interact with each other. The positive and negative sides of things require both to exist. The human nature and order of life often uninspired can easily breed contempt as well as beauty.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter

All Rights Reserved

Her Mind is Tiffany-Twisted

Wake You Up In the Middle of the Night...

I've often thought my process of thinking is slightly off from what others would think in any given situation. Often I exist, mentally speaking, in a vacuum between laughter and tears. Clearly I'm an either/or kind of girl. It's my nature.

Last month as the family was driving through the downtown area, Rainbird behind the wheel of the mom wagon, we noticed people waving tea-bags. I knew of course about the tea parties but remained silent as we wove our way through the area. Then suddenly my 15 year old son, formally known within these pages as Piss-boy, made a lewd comment about teabagging. This threw me off kilter, he clearly understood what teabagging was.

I always considered myself to be advanced, but I didn't know about that until I was in my 20's. I'm sure some people that read my blog, might even run to the Urban dictionary to define it for them. Perhaps it's just something that guys know about. Rainbird laughed. Somehow it left me feeling a little sad. When they (who ever they is) say that kids grow up fast, they aren't kidding. I thought I grew up fast but...just a few short years I had the kid completely convinced at age 10 that Santa was completely real. Fast forward five years, and the kid is talking about teabagging.

What should I have done? Should I have been embarrassed by such language, or his knowledge? Should I have said something to him about it not being appropriate or should I feel grateful that he is comfortable enough to say such things around his mother? I know if his grandmother were in the car he would have kept his mouth shut, so he does have common sense. Maybe his edit is just shaky.

Words Small Enough to Hide

The English language is full of words, lots of words that have similar meanings. For example if you go to thesaurus and look up a word you might find another 20 words that have similar meanings or connotations. For example the word Torture which at worst can mean impalement, and at best, abuse with words like misery, pain, persecution, etc., has many such meanings. We tend to dumb-down words and meanings. For example a child that repeated used as an ashtray and made to eat their own vomit, might be called abused...I dunno it seems like torture to me.

I'm torn about this when I read about Water-boarding of prisoners. Surely our government the pinnacle of good, wouldn't knowingly torture people in an attempt to extradite information, right? We are the country that gets on the asses of countries that do that; I mean look at China and their human rights violations. Yet it seems so. We have people with varying opinions on the subject, most claiming it isn't torture. Oliver North was heard on Fox news that he was water-boarded as part of his training. The implication is that it's not a big deal. Maybe not for him since he knew he wasn't in immediate danger.

One Thing Leads to Another

On one hand we have our President Obama, saying that water-boarding is torture and will NOT be done anymore. Then we have former vice president Cheney, going on about how we got valuable information that saved lives because of this. Saving lives: Good, Torture: Bad. This leads me to the question, how can something that did yield some valuable information, which may or may not have directly led to American lives saved; no big deal? If it wasn't a "big deal," then why would it yield any information?

So, let's say someone believes that you have information, could be a bus schedule, or something really important. You are kidnapped and kept awake for hours, which turn into days with very little sleep. Food is horrible and, you're mentally exhausted and don't understand the language. You are led into a room and likely handcuffed (if you weren't already), and made to lay on your back. Your feet are raised slightly, a blindfold is applied covering your eyes and plunging you into darkness. You can't see, you hear words you don't understand, people shouting. Then you feel water splashing against your face, up into your nose, into your mouth, you can't swallow, or breathe. You try holding your breath. You can't hold it that long, and inhale water. You feel you will drown. You swallow as much of the water as you can, your stomach aches and becomes distended adding to your overall discomfort.

It suddenly stops, you hear a voice in your own language, asking you a question you can't quite comprehend, then it begins again. The water coming quicker it seems this time, you struggle for breath, exhaling and inhaling. Drinking, and breathing in water. It again stops, you're coughing up liquid, and someone again asks, after you start to calm slightly, the same question. You know they really don't care if you live or die accidentally during this. Your mind isn't working, because you haven't slept or eaten anything you'd call food, you're exhausted and now you're scared. This treatment continues for as long as it takes you to give up the information, you urinate on yourself out of sheer fear and then humiliated for it, you can tell from their tone they are laughing.

You give up whatever information you can to make it stop and once you do your cleaned up, allowed to sleep and given something more decent to eat, while they check the validity of your information. You're not treated wonderfully, but it's a step up than before.

Some might think this is just the bleeding-heart liberal side of me coming out but this is actually from the account of Chase Nielson, when he testified in Shanghai China in 1946 about his 40 months of being a prisoner of war during WWII against his Japanese captors. He was one of eight captured during what was known then as the Doolittle Raid in 1942. Or maybe I should say he was one of the four that survived and were rescued when the war ended.

Not okay for the Japanese during world war two but alright today?

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter

All Rights Reserved