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

It's all Relative?

I have No Excuses

I've been a bad girl, and I'll take some well deserved wet noodling. I just haven't been in a blogging state of mind lately and each time I think of something to blog about someone has been using the computer. How dare they?

I've mentally written over the past few weeks at least 5 posts that I can recall, but can I remember them now? Duh, of course not! Well maybe one...

I did see something the other day that gave me pause. It was a bumper sticker that to me at least posed a question, is truth relative? What kind of truth; historical, which depends greatly on geographic location? For example if you're a kid in Mexico reading about Santa Anna and the Alamo, the story will certainly differ from ones taught in our history books, and vastly different from the watered down story found on the Texas state website.

All three stories speak something of the truth and all are relative to where you live. Take the Palestinian and Israeli conflicts, both are relative to their personal perspective. Regardless of what the UN did and did not do, both firmly believe that particular swath of land belongs to them alone, which is at the heart of the issue. Victims of crime will often give conflicting stories of how such crime was committed and that is totally relative to their personal life experience. For example an off-duty police officer, if they happened upon a robbery, would likely provide a more detailed description of a perpetrator than other bystanders because of their training.

I hesitate to bring this up, and in fact have taken several days before hitting the publish button and the only reason is where this is heading. I do believe everything is relative, to your generation, place, status, age, everything. I had firm beliefs as a child that as an adult I no longer prescribe to. It's no big deal unless you're talking about religion. This brings me back to to the bumper sticker that started all this. It read simply Truth is NOT Relative and there was a cross on it. Religious symbols aside, obviously this has meaning to the person that placed it on their bumper but I have wonder if they really understand what it means. How can anything not be relative even religion? Different churches have different beliefs or interpretations of the Bible but there is something arrogant about this bumper sticker that bothered me. It was screaming to me what they believe is the truth and whatever everyone else believes is wrong.

Speaking of Relatives

It needs to be said that I have a strange family, half of whom are ultra liberals and ultra conservatives, and all of them are not that bright. They believe any bit of what I would call tabloid mentality that seems to bolster whatever side they believe. Ultimately the topic of the budget comes up and the dreaded earmark talk is engaged. They say 1.7 million dollars for bees in Texas or something like that and I sigh. Out of the whole budget 2% makes up earmarks, it's not that I don't think it's important but I just don't think it's that important in a Trillion dollar budget to worry about 1.7 million dollars for bee farm or factory or whatever it is. It's like spending a hundred bucks on groceries at the store and worrying about a candy bar. However the bee thing had them seeing red. So, I said, well bees are important. They scoffed.

I explained I learned the importance of bees last year when my apple-pear tree yielded no fruit because when it bloomed, the weather turned to rain and there were no bees to pollinate it. Bees are dying and no one can really explain why; are they getting some weird bee disease, are they being killed off by insecticide, or global warming? No one knows, they do all seem to agree that bees for whatever reason are on a decline, unless something is done. Now think about all the fruit and vegetables that are dependent on bees for pollination. We're not just talking about bees anymore we're talking about survival. There is already a grain, rice, and water shortage though the mainstream media is careful not to discuss this. This is not good people and frankly has global implications far more vast than our own backyards.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Outsourcing Oscar and other Random Stuffs

The Oscars

The Oscars, at least to me, used to be exciting, I normally would make an effort to see the movies nominated, the pop some corn, and watch with bated breath to see if my picks won. Later it would be Oscar parties. We would get dressed up, have a fake red carpet, and drink shots of whiskey. A shot was drunk anytime someone mentioned something...a political statement, god, told their kids to go to bed, over thanked (meaning they talked over the music).

In later years, the Oscar show has taken on a new meaning to me, no longer do I make an effort to see a movie just because it was nominated but instead wait for the show, and see the clips. Then I would start a list of movies that might look interesting. If a film is nominated for several different categories, you can end up seeing several different clips, giving you a better idea about the film than the standard movie trailer. However not this year. This year instead they had other actors talk about it seemed whatever they damn well pleased. Some talked of past movies, some of the present, some seem to ramble, and while I'm sure it was nice to individually recognize them; it just didn't help me. I hadn't seen the movies and they talked as though everyone had seen them. To me, it should be about the current movie their nominated for, not all the great movies they starred in, in the past, some which they had won for, or not.

My other huge complaint was when they showed the people that had passed on...I didn't need to see the person singing during that...hearing her voice was enough, I wanted to see better who they were, what they did and why they were being mentioned. Instead I saw a smallish picture, and nothing more...it was sad and honestly insulting.

So in my opinion it's all official, Hollywood is in a serious recession, they couldn't afford clips of the movies nominated and I hated it. If it continues like this I suspect a tradition will slowly die, much like the Miss America Pageant. As for the big winner Slumdog Millionaire, I still have no clue what it's about. Pity, I thought about renting it, but probably won't bother now.

Some States Do the Darnedest Things

While the State of Oregon contemplates closing schools to cover budget deficits for the currant school year, the state legislators in all their wisdom decide now might be a good time to raise the beer tax. Now, I know before you groan and say I don't care about beer, just listen to this...say you make something and your business is taxed for every 1000 you make you pay three dollars. What would happen if your state government told you instead of paying 3 bucks you'll now have to pay $59.60. Seriously, how would that impact your life? Now it is true different states charge different amounts, and close border states charge anywhere from 3-7 bucks per barrel of beer made, this jump Oregon is currently discussing puts them at the top, above Alaska and Alabama for the highest beer tax in the country.

Just another beer fact, Portland Oregon has the most breweries in the country and the statewide beer industry employs around 5300 people. This is all despite the fact there is a world wide grain and hop shortage. Nothing like kicking an industry in really hard economic times while they're already down.

In Other News

Last weekend Pissboy as part of a school project was to bring home a baby. Not a real one but one of these...He did but it didn't work right. The caregiver is supposed to wear a wrist strap, with some sort of device on it that sends a signal to the baby when it cries. The idea being that it knows it's caregiver is there and taking care of it. Otherwise it just cries, then stops. Then cries again. This can continue until it registers 12 hours of neglect (failing to do anything) and then it shuts down.

As luck would have it Pissboy's baby had the wrong wrist strap, so it never worked. 12 hours later it shut off, I guess others weren't so lucky, their babies didn't shut down after 12 hours and continued crying all weekend.

We're trying it again this weekend. Wish us luck.

Stimulous Part Two

To Simulate or Not to Stimulate....that is the Question

It just aggravates me to no end when either party has control and feel it's okay to bully the other. This doesn't work because it just causes the other party to dig in their heels and make life miserable. It doesn't work in business, it doesn't work on the playground, and when it's our Federal government the American people end up the losers. Take the latest stimulus package, the democrats added in a bunch of pork to show how great it is to be the big shots on campus, and it caused the republicans to dig in their heels and whine to anyone that would listen.

It's not that the republicans whining is not without merit, but they also seem to forgot that when they were control the democrats and the American people were forced to eat their pork. It also needs to be said I don't care much for pork especially fatty pork and both sides have their history of fatty pork padding. John McCain said he hated republican pork as much as democratic pork, but he voted the republican pork filled bills.

Yesterday and Today

No, I'm not talking about Y&T, but literally lets leave yesterday to historians, and worry about today and tomorrow. The bill the democrats support is full of pork, some fatty, and some lean but pork has no business being in this particular stimulus package. I have to wonder what would the Republicans had said if the bill had been pork free. However we'll never know because the Democrats screwed up a big chance to show the American people that they truly care about these difficult times. Now it appears the Republicans are the caring ones but the truth is they really don't care. I don't think either side does since they have no worries about being laid off.

They need to start acting like neither side has a majority and think about what is best for the American people. Historically speaking when the congress is more narrowly controlled by one side or the other, they are forced to work together more. When one side has a overwhelming majority they become drunk with power and pass whatever they like. If the president happens to be on the other side, then he will become an insignificant president, but if the president happens to be on leading side, then he has big problems.

I think this president is in trouble because the higher they are, the further they will fall.

The Politics of Being Political

I can't be a democrat or republican, because I have to watch both sides closely and listen to what they are both saying. Some of the infrastructure spending is a good thing but I don't think it's enough nor do I think it will solve all our economic problems. Lowering taxes on businesses will help the businesses but I really don't see them expanding much as a result of this. When times are hard people hold onto their pennies more, and it's true for everyone. I don't think a business is going to look at their lower taxes and say let's expand. They are still going to be uncertain that their business will even be around in a few months with or without lower taxes.

It's all a gamble, with the Republicans wanting to fix everything by just cutting taxes alone and the Democrats wanting to spend their way out. Tax cuts for businesses and wealthy people sounds great on the surface but it doesn't wash with the middle and lower middle class people, since with them lies most of the spending power. We already know that alone doesn't work, it hasn't worked for the past 8 years. If a business large or small gets a few paltry tax cuts, but people still don't feel comfortable enough to buy their goods, their business will fail. If the government puts lot of money into infrastructure, which would create jobs, but if people still don't feel comfortable they still won't spend money and businesses will still fail.

I think what bothers me the most is the Republicans are just standing back, saying it won't work and seriously hoping things will just fall apart.

What They Aren't Saying..

I was watching Bill O'Reilly's show after the President spoke and he was talking with Dick Morris, who explained that the Japanese in the 1990's tried to spend their way out of their big recession...both of them and subsequent guests just threw up their hands and said it didn't work. The problem is they didn't mention that the Japanese also cut 2 trillion in taxes too...and it didn't help them in addition to their big spending. What the Japanese did have going for them was the fact they saved their money roughly 13% of their income goes into savings. Roughly 1% of the average American's income goes into savings.

The problem is I don't think either has it right...you can't cut taxes to get out of a recession (at least it's never worked in the past) and you can't spend your way out of it. The only thing you can do is curb your spending, save as much money as possible, and hang on because I think the only cure for a recession truly is time. When goods and services get too expensive too fast recessions are useful. When the stock market starts to nose dive they call it a price correction--over-inflated stocks come down in price more in line with their true value. When houses dropped they called it bubble and the effect is the same, prices came down to where they probably should have been had the boom not occurred. Now the whole economy is going through the same thing. It's going to take a long time but I believe things will get better--it will just take time and probably more time than the next couple presidents will have. And yes you did read that right. We're talking 8-10 years people!

I believe if Obama's stimulus goes through as planned, we will benefit from it but I'll be very surprised if it's within the next four years. If the next president doesn't try to undo everything, then perhaps during that term things will start to turn and they can take credit for it. If they do try to undo everything, then we'll sink deeper but still eventually things will improve. The question is would things improve without all this on it's own in the same amount of time.

That too, I believe is possible, but try to convince Washington of that.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Another Year

I Just Shake My Head

Israel and Palestine are at it again, and I know we're all bored with the economy, but Jett Travolta is the is the big story?! Let me just say that it's deplorable, I watched for roughly a couple minutes of the so-called interview with the EMT that was there and I don't mean this figuratively, but actually it turned my stomach. We're talking about a family that is going through a level of personal hell that few could appreciate and the press is clawing for every little detail. And this idiot seeking his own fame, or money is dishing it out.

My heart goes out to Jett Travolta's family. I don't need to know the details about his death, hearing of it is painful enough. I don't need to dwell on the so-called religious issues or non-issues because it's none of my business or anyone else. I don't need to know about his medical history or what the autopsy says or doesn't. The way the media has hijacked this story is opprobrious and inexcusable.

I know flashing bombs also makes for big news, and we're all bored with Iraq so I imagine from a media perspective the latest Israel skirmish is news worthy but why should I care what Roseanne Barr or whatever she calls herself has to say about the conflict? Good ol' Bill O'Reilly thinks I should care; I see whatever her comments are about as useful as a turd in a punchbowl. I don't give a...Well you know.

Any Feel-good stories out there? Hackers broke into Obama's Twitter account, okay that was worth a chuckle, they also hacked into Britney Spears account. And wrote to everyone that CNN's Rick Sanchez was "high on crack and not coming into work today" Maybe I should check my Twitter account? Heh.

Much Ado

It's award season and everyone is talking about the Dark Knight flick and I'll admit I haven't seen it but I also have to believe that if that actor hadn't died no one would still be talking about it. They would be talking more about Grand Torino, or Milk (both movies I haven't seen but the latter I do know something about). I honestly as a former San Franciscan, have no desire to see the movie Milk, well, maybe I'll rent it. Harvey Milk was gay, and yes he was completely out of the closet, and did something for gay rights in The City, but I was living there at the time. His biggest claim to fame that has catapulted him to superstar status was being shot by Dan White. And he wasn't shot because he was gay, he was shot because he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dan White (aka the twinkie defense), intended to just kill Mayor Moscone but Milk was in his office at the time so they both were killed. Like I said I haven't seen the movie but had Milk been killed because of what he did for the gays in SF, then it would be more compelling otherwise to me it's a sad footnote.

Well it's Tuesday and yes the kids finally went back to school yesterday and yes, I celebrated. Well I didn't really celebrate, I mean I didn't get rip-roaring drunk or anything, but I did a brief happy dance. My knee is much better but I still don't have all my cool Elaine dance moves back.






Like I said, it will take a while.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Mixed Bag

This and That

It appears the body of Caylee Anthony was found yesterday, I mean what are the chances that it's not? I guess it's possible but I doubt it. I've been thinking a lot about the grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony and how badly I want to smack them. On Wednesday night they appeared on Larry King professing their daughters innocence, what about their granddaughters innocence that was taken much too early? People say they're in denial but that's just an excuse. Cindy Anthony has made excuse after excuse for her psychopathic daughter from day one and I'm tired of it.

She reminds of Scott Peterson's parents saying Scott was framed. By who? Well who knows maybe the satin worshippers that took Lacy also took Caylee...it's as good as a defense as anything. I don't understand a parent that is that so completely blind to the facts that show their child did the unthinkable? I can say if it were my child and I heard all that evidence I wouldn't be saying a word. I'd be mourning, wondering where the fuck I went wrong. I sure as hell wouldn't be telling the press they were wrong. I think in all this there is a much bigger question, if it is the body of Caylee, what will Nancy Grace have to talk about now? Maybe she'll rehash the whole Auruba thing again for a ratings boost.

DOA

At least for now the senate has voted down the Auto Bailout. I'm mixed about this revelation, as I wrote in a previous blog, I hate seeing any company fail and people lose their jobs, but the idea that something is too big to fail is just wrong. We cannot continue to hand out blank checks. Maybe it's time for the auto industry to merge, get the union under control. The truth of the matter is we are capitalists, part of capitalism is that business must evolve to stay competitive. If they don't stay competitive they fail. We can adapt the notion that some companies are too big to fail but honestly is our fault they continued making a product no one wanted to buy? It doesn't matter if it's microwave ovens or cars, if you can't sell it, you shouldn't be making more.

Will a Tree Fall on My House if I Clean it?

Today we're supposed to get our first blast of winter, in the form of wind and rain. Beyond our back yard stands around 20 or more 100 foot plus cedar trees. I worry about them falling on my house so I have this thing I do...I clean my house from top to bottom before the storm hits. I don't know why I do this, but I do. Oh and by the way there is only 13 more days until Christmas.

I was taken aback when I realized it. There is so much still to do and not a lot of time to get it all done, for example I need to pick up a few more things for my mother-in-law, one more thing for father-in-law, write and send christmas cards, mail the pictures to my grandmother in California, and I really should take a few more to send to her.

My card list has been cut waaaaay down to a scant few family members and close friends we actually see or hear from during the year. Everyone else I'm basically cutting out. The only time I hear from these people is when the holidays roll around and while it's nice, I also don't really care. It's not like they say anything, they just sign their name. Some don't even do that, they send out one of those letters that explain why they were too busy all year to pick up a phone and call or send an email or whatever. Everyone must get at least one of those; it's the one with the small picture in the upper corner or as part of header with them all standing in front of a Christmas tree or snowman, wearing matching clothes, holding some sort of prop like a cup of hot cocoa. I know I sound jaded and cynical but I don't care anymore. Just like the people that never bother to send out cards (I'm not talking about people that are older and can't), they've been cut from our list too. So, my list that used to be around 70 long is now dwindled to around 15. That's quite a change.

I guess I'm also a bit homesick.

For Your Viewing Pleasure:



© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Black Friday, Karma, and Random Fluff

When Did it Start?

I mean the whole referring to the day after Thanksgiving as Black Friday come from? In the 80's there was a black Monday when the stock market slid like a 500 points or something and markets around the world did the same--not really a good thing. I know some retailers have acted as though the day after Thanksgiving is the most important day for their whole year. But the day after Thanksgiving has also lost it's own magic. It used to have meaning but now it's, I guess just about money. When I was growing up, yes the day after Thanksgiving we'd all pack into the car and head Union Square in San Francisco, where cops would be there directing traffic. However, we were not there to shop, we were there to see all the Christmas decorations. I specifically was there to see Santa. My favorite place was Emporium Capwell's winter wonderland display. To me it represented Christmas with the nut crackers, trains and of course Santa in his own holiday shoppe.

Later when the shopping malls took over, the day after Thanksgiving still held the same meaning, as it was still a time to get your first injection of Christmas. Not to clean up on some good sales, and yes while there were sales, the main focus was going with the family. Not mom or dad, waiting in line all night long trying to score a big screen TV. Maybe I'm just sounding cynical, old and jaded but I don't care for this shift.

Is Black Friday So Important?

75% of people could have gone to the mall the day before Thanksgiving and stayed home on Friday, at least that's what surveys say that most people just look for a bottom bargain and will actually leave the store if they don't find one they wanted, empty handed. However, the weekend before Christmas is the BIG shopping weekend in fact it's the biggest of the season and that is the real crunch time for retailers.

That's the one where you can smell the desperation on people and they no longer care about price, they just want something to put under the tree. Which could explain how I ended up one year with artichoke plates. Or the other year I ended up with fluorescent green hat, scarf, and glove set that were horribly itchy and basically unusable. I won't continue to bore you through the past 24 years of bad holiday gifts. Though, last year my husband did come through with an iPod Nano, but with that said, he does hit the target occasionally. But, you'll just have to trust me that I do know something about the weekend before Christmas; I've got a closet full of bad gifts to prove it. Well that sounded ungrateful, and even a bad gift can be nice, right? The artichoke plates might be used one day.

Karma

Rainbird spent most of the time before Thanksgiving bitching about it, and believe me, I tried using the word complaining but it's just not strong enough. He bitched, everyday, to anyone that would listen to him. He had to deal with his parents, make the stuffing (his family recipe), make the brine (which I could have just as easily did but he figures that's *his* job). And with each task no matter how far in advance he made them, he bitched and moaned.

Then after those tasks were done he started whining and complaining about actual day, making the turkey and planning everything else. I politely reminded him with the exception of putting the bird into and taking the bird out of the oven, his work was done and the rest of the day is mine to deal with. I peeled the potatoes, cooked and whipped them, cleaned and halved the Brussels sprouts then baked, make sure the bread was cut and on the table with butter, cook the stuffing....I also had to set the table, and make the gravy. Now it also needs to be said that since we have just one oven, all those things were done after the turkey was out of the oven.

Ah, but what about that turkey? Firstly it needs to be said that cayenne pepper is NOT the same as paprika. And though he was told several times I was afraid the temperature probe was on the fritz, and he repeatedly informed me I was wrong about that. End result...The turkey was dry. I mean....DRY. Of course it was the probes fault and had nothing to do with his Freudian slips. Though seeing that dry bird placed a lot of pressure on me NOT to screw up the rest of the meal. Which came out darn good.

Friday came with me cleaning the kitchen, a fridge full of left-overs and then annual impending doom of decking the halls. I arranged for Pissboy to drag the box out of the loft area, the big box labeled, Holiday Crap and I dove in. There is something of an art to decorating for the holidays, anyone can just throw more stuff out but I'm a firm believer not doing that because for me, I start feeling claustrophobic. So, I have to decide what stuff gets put away, what stays and where everything else goes. It's a process that takes roughly a whole day, combined with other wifey tasks that need completing, like laundry, general cleaning, menu planning and the like. By Saturday I was left with just cleaning up and moving newly filled boxes back into the garage, but on Saturday I was feeling lazy, so those things were put off until Sunday. Sunday also included the rest of laundry, changing of sheets, washing of towels, folding and putting away and watching the customary chick flick on TV while doing said tasks. It's a time saver for me because it keeps the men away.

Name That Tune

I haven't done one of these for a while so I figured it was time.

What song by the Beatles was the very first that featured George Harrison playing the sitar?

First to answer correctly wins bragging rights and maybe a prize.


© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Bailing Out The Big Three

$2 5, 0 0 0, 0 0 0, 0 0 0.00

That's really a lot of lettuce and that's what the big three are asking for, of course they showed up for their second senate hearing day in separate private jets. I know it seems picky but the senators asked them point blank, if they were willing to give up their jets to help save the companies. None of them said yes. They released a statement saying that the CEO's travel by private plane for "security reasons." I'm surprised they're allowed to sit next to each other during the senate hearings. Perhaps the cited "security reasons," have nothing to do with each other, but instead have to do with other competitors. Of course everyone knows that first class on commercial airlines is just a breeding ground for espionage; is there a fear of them being kidnapped and tortured until they give up secrets for failing? Is someone that works for Toyota or Honda, going to beat the crap out of one them, asking repeatedly, "I want your secret for making cars that don't sell!"

Maybe not.

Here I go Again

I'm getting all nostalgic and reminiscent with not so warm and fuzzy memories of the 1970's, specifically the gas shortage. Some of you might remember only being able to buy gas on certain days based on your license plate, even or odd numbers indicated the days you could buy gas, if there was any to buy. You might recall long lines while waiting to buy gas. People screamed for more fuel efficient cars then, which is why Toyota saw America ripe for the picking. Of course Ford answered the call by giving us the Pinto, which had this nasty tendency to explode when rear-ended. Then people screamed they wanted economical and safe cars to drive however by the time that happened, the gas crisis was over and Americans being a fickle bunch forgot. I still recall hearing Walter Cronkite saying that by the early 1980's American made cars will be getting 20 miles to the gallon. He was being clearly optimistic because not only did that not happen, we're still struggling with it today. The average car (I won't use the term American made), built by the big three gets around 13 MPG and there it stayed until 2004, when the average started to rise to around 20 MPG. However during that same time foreign companies (Toyota, Honda, etc) were getting on average 18 MPG, and now hover somewhere around 25 for their larger cars and trucks. Smaller cars do better.

The Big Three want people to believe that the credit crisis has brought them down but it's not the only reason. The main reason is their resistance to change, they believed if they could make a big SUV and sell it for less (a few thousand) than say Honda, Joe consumer would just buy theirs because it was cheaper. But somewhere along the way, Joe consumer got smarter and realized that he would spend a little more on buying a competitor and save money at the pump, maintenance and everything else that goes along with car ownership. Joe the consumer could also keep the vehicle longer. Joe consumer demanded that cars be reliable, economical, and safe. The Big Three answered with cars that were cheaper than their foreign competitors but also lagged behind in safety, and mileage. They continued with brands that wouldn't sell, like the Impala, hoping their SUV sales would make up the difference. It worked for a while. During the mid part of this decade, when everyone wanted an SUV to feel important--okay that's not exactly true...

The SUV Boom

For a while it seemed dealers couldn't keep SUV's in stock and it didn't matter who was making them, it was about a self serving self importance that drove the sales, I also believe it was the fact people were tired little cars with nothing around them but other cars on the road. Now in some mountainous regions an SUV or other four wheel drive vehicle makes sense. But lets also admit for a moment they looked darn nice parked in front of the new house. It seemed to go along with the new lifestyle people were being told they had. The Big Three will tell you that people can afford their cars because repossessions aren't climbing to the levels that the banks are seeing with homes. Home foreclosures are HUGE in most areas around the country but lets be honest, most people realize that if they can't afford to make their mortgage payment to the tune of $5000 a month, not making their car $400 payment isn't going to help. Generally car payments are MUCH smaller, therefore people are more likely to continue making those payments because they NEED a car, they didn't need that 6 bedroom 6 bath house, with the gourmet kitchen and media room in the suburbs. People wrongly blamed the SUV drivers in the increase in gas consumption, but that's just not the whole story, blame also falls on the Big Three for not making those SUVs more fuel officiant when they had the chance.

The REAL IMPORTANT PART

When Clinton was president the Japanese Government gave their auto makers money to develop what we would call now hybrids. Our government answered in 1993 with the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles or PNGV for short, the government gave the Big Three somewhere around 1.5 billion dollars to invest and develop hybrid technology. Each of them actually produced a hybrid car but did little else. In 2001 the Big Three appeared before the republican congress asking them to repeal the act because it was too difficult. Naturally with an Oil president, vice president, and congress deep in the pockets of the oil industry it easily passed. A huge opportunity was missed, and the Japanese got more than a decade head start on hybrid technology and making it useful.

Too Big To Fail or Just Too Big?

I know, but what about the jobs? I don't want to see anyone lose their job. Especially in this economy. But that said something needs to be done. Maybe it's time for the Big Three to merge, and restructure, to rebuild themselves and remake their reputation. Its hard to let that dream die, especially since we're the ones that invented the auto. However we have to be pragmatic, today cars are lasting longer, people when times are good are more likely to replace their car because they've grown tired of seeing it, than to replace it because it stopped running. The Big Three cannot continue the way they have, jobs will be lost, dealerships will close or merge with others, things MUST change. I doubt 25 Billion will be enough. If the money is given, more money will likely follow and I seriously doubt it will change the outcome.

© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

While the Country was Distracted

As the Stomach Turns

Since I've been so preoccupied lately with my financial health and well being I've realized I've missed quite a bit of celebrity gossip. Like Madonna and her kept man, er ah, director husband are divorcing. Nancy Reagan was hospitalized after breaking her pelvis, which forgive me but she's so frail looking (and has looked that way for decades) I'm surprised she didn't break in half. Dick Chaney was in and out of the hospital also yesterday for his atrial fib.

The big shocker though to me was this little article about Ryan O'Neal and his son Redmond, who is also the son of Farrah Fawcett, were arrested for possession of meth. I always knew Ryan, Tatum, and the whole O'Neal clan are just train wrecks but I never imagined Meth, hell I was surprised to read he was still alive.

It's All Over

At least the debates are, the final debate between McCain and Obama was last night, and I don't think there was any "winners" however that said, I think both candidates did a better job than the last debate. Both sides said some things that I found rather humorous, like when McCain said that Obama has spent more on his political ads than any other candidate in history. Why did I find this funny? Because to me, it's a big duh...no kidding. Airtime isn't free, they pay to have the commercials made, they pay money to air them. I'm sure they cost more now than they did 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, or 28 years ago. It's kind of a no brainer and if McCain hasn't raised enough money to pay for more ads, tough luck. Half the time he sounded a bit whiney about this issue, as though he expected Obama to apologize for having more funds.

McCain did score some points by pointing out he's not Dubya, but his plan is very much like a Dubya plan, though it has been tweeked. He did finally broach the topic of William Ayers, but I think it was too little too late for that. Obama said what I expected regarding Ayers. McCain brought up ACORN, but I don't see how Obama is responsible for the actions of that group. This is a group that paid people based on how many they registered to vote and it's not the first election this has happened during, it happened in 2000 and 2004. Yes the numbers are incredibly high this year, but isn't that more of an economical issue? If people weren't feeling so desperate for money, the incentive might not have been so great to lie. Again this already been covered to the hilt by the media and has nothing to do what people care about, their money, their jobs, their very way of life.

McCain said something else that I think he might have bit his tongue afterward, when talking about the bloated federal goverment, he said that in the past 8 years the goverment has expanded, and the democrats have been in control 2 of those years. That made me shake my head, and yell....what??????? Does that mean the republican party is solely responisble for the 6 years that preceeded that? Interesting. I don't understand what point he was trying to make because I don't think he really meant to say it like that. I was surprised Obama didn't jump on that later on, but again, maybe Obama is for bigger goverment so he didn't care.

I would have liked to see Obama defend the three million (the number keeps changing), to purchase an "overhead projector" for a Planetarium (a dreaded earmark). This brings up an image of that antiquated piece of equipment used in schools but that's not what it was. It was in fact a "smart board" which is cutting edge technology. If you want children to become more interested in science then why put in something where they can touch a "planet" and learn all about it. A computer generates images on the wall that children can touch and learn more about what they see. It's an amazing learning tool that eventually will make its way into every classroom in the country. Then again, maybe it's better Obama didn't say anything because it's likely McCain wouldn't have understood that new fangled stuff, since the man can't use a computer or even understand how to send an email. Of course it's entirely possible that Obama doesn't understand it much either.

On Abortion, neither did really well, but on health care Obama really poked holes in McCains so called plan to give everyone a 5000 dollar tax credit so they can buy their own health care. And McCain really looked like he was just taking up space. I don't think McCain understands what a crisis the health care industry is in, probably because his health care is great. Especially with the pre-existing condition clause so many families face daily. McCain was so focused on picking apart Obama's health care plan, he lost focus on his plan and nor did he refute the fact that he'll tax the money employers spend on their employees health care. I don't know if it's true or not, but he didn't say it wasn't. That could force employers to stop offering health care to their employees and force more people to go without.

On the general economy both candidates failed miserably and I don't think either of them understand or comprehend how bad it is or what to do to fix things.

On education, McCain said they should spend money to find out what causes Autism. Now as a mom of an autistic child, you'd think I'd be jumping up and down but honestly, I would like to see No Child Left Behind fixed so that schools are left holding the bill for things they can't afford to provide and more money spent on special education. Finding out what causes Autism is like finding out what causes cancer or multiple sclerosis, or MD and I think it should be left to the private sector, spend the government funds on ways to educate these children so the government can really say that no child is left behind. Obama brought up NCLB, but I don't think he was strong enough.

Enviromental issues Obama did well but I would have liked to have seen him spell it out even simpler. We consume 20 million barrels of oil a day, more than half of which are imported from other countries, primarily Saudi Arabia. There is enough oil in the US, including areas of North Dakota, off shore, and Alaska (if we had access to it today) to sustain us for roughly 10 years at our currant rate of consumption. Then what? That said I do have to take McCain at his word that he would invest in other forms in energy.

A final point about Joe Plumber

Here is the complete context of the Plumber verses Obama, so you can decide for yourself. I had to weed through literally 50 different youtube posts to find one that didn't show the "Fox News commentary." Or Joe's opinion of Obama's Socialist view and if he believed that he had the opportunity to say it to his face instead of claiming it in his 15 minutes of fame to Neil Cavuto on Fox News. Unfortunately thanks to McCain, his 15 minute will probably last longer.



© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Sound of Silence

Free Falling

It's scary out there, the Dow has dropped a couple thousand points in the last few days, the Government just gave AIG even more money despite reports they took their executives to a spa. I guess they needed massages after all that work they did screwing up the company. I'm sorry, they said that company was too big to fail? They couldn't let it happen, yet they let Lehman Brothers down without a second glance. What the hell is Paulson doing anyway, the government approved the "bail out" but as of yesterday he has yet to spend any of it.

I don't care how bad things get, I will NOT shop at Wallmart.

Now that I got that off my chest, I can go back, remember that boring post a few weeks ago about the subprime mortgages. Well, during the debate on Tuesday, McCain said something that interested me, he mentioned that the government should buy people's mortgages, and sell them back to homeowner at what their house is currently worth. Sounds like a plan doesn't it? The question is, is it a good plan, and let me say, some will benefit from this but I'm afraid that it just won't work for most.

Remember that senerio involving the person making 60K qualifying for a loan amount of around 450K to buy a drastically overpriced house? Okay let's revisit it, and lets say for the sake of argument, he recieves a call from McCain, since McCain considers everyone his friend McCain tells him, "My friend, I'll buy your house, and sell it back to you at it's currant value." Houses in his area are now selling for around 350K, naturally he has no money to put down, so he'd be financing the whole amount, which puts his payment around 2100 a month. Just his payment, even if they waive the PMI, and insurance...and remember he makes $4600 a month before taxes. Based on that information he might make it if he foregoes doing anything else. This person will be existing to pay their mortgage which will still be over half of his take home salary.

So what would it take to make this work? That's even more scary.

To make this work, an appraiser would need to appraise his house and all the houses in the neighborhood at far less and how is that fair to everyone else that played by the rules and bought a house they could afford. To work for this individual the appraised amount would have to come in at around $275K...that's down from the orginal price of 480K or a $205K drop in value! Let's not forget he owes a bank far more than that because he's paid only the interest for several years.

Is it fair that my property values should drop because some asshole felt entited to buy a house he couldn't afford in the first place and now can't afford?

Short answer no. Long answer is...longer. Four years ago, we paid a good price for our house, actually an excellent price, just as the market here started going up. Today houses in our neighborhood are worth roughly $200K more and that's in a slow market. In order for some of these people to stay in their homes their values would have to be reduced to a price less than what we paid for our house, effectively wiping out my equity. Now we're lucky that we haven't taken out a home equity loan. But what if we had? Our kitchen and bathrooms do need some attention, so say we had taken out a home equity loan for 50K, since we're handy we did the work ourselves.

Under the adjusted amounts so that asshole could keep his home, we would then owe more than our house is worth, which does figure into your FICO score and our credit would take a serious hit for that. Our interest rates would go up, we'd pay more for insurance, and we couldn't qualify for another loan if we needed it.

Wall Street Blues

Let's face it, i'ts a mess out there but have we hit bottom; I'm thinking we're close but not yet. One would think it's a great time to buy, but the problem is there isn't enough buyers and that drives stock prices down further. Coupled with the S&P downgrading companies left and right, which I think just further complicates the healing process. I mean would invest in a company that's just been downgraded? Probably not, and if a company you invested were downgraded you'd think of selling. It's a natural response. Today the market went down to below 8000 but now is back up to around 8500. It hasn't closed yet so we don't know what will happen. Overnight the Japanese stock market tanked, as did the Ausrailian.

Banking Woes

Banks around the world are in trouble, lets face it, Americans are to blame for it, we can't lend money to other banks overseas, in return they won't lend to us, or anyone else, out of fear. This leads to a shutdown of the global banking markets. Our government's idea is to privatize banks, taking their cues from Europe, now some think this is unheard of but it's happened before in the 1930's during the great depression.

What about Gas Prices?

Oil is like anything else, people will pay only what they will pay. Its true with anything, you're not going to pay six dollars for one piece of fruit, if you can get the same peice of fruit somewhere else for six cents. It's not about bargains, it's about common sense. Housing is another example, someone attaches personal memories to the price of their house, under the idea they will 'not give it away,' and the problem is the same, the house will not be sold.

Compettive pricing is essential, oil prices have dropped because the oil buying counties like this one are going through hard times. Things aren't that rosie in India and China, the two other huge oil consumers, as well as Canada, Europe, South America, Japan, Austrailia are all having financial problems. Once the markets and banks start improving in these countries, oil prices will again go up. Stockpiling oil isn't the answer because right now few companies can get the credit to do it.

It's all about banking.

A friend has said to me that if the United States Sneezes the world gets a cold. Well the US has a bronchitis and the world has gotten pnuemonia.

© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

At the Risk of Sounding Xenophobic?

Since I'm So Freaking Busy These Days

I don't have the time to a real formal post right now so I'll just pose this question for anyone to answer. With all the problems recently involving imported toys from China, and another toy added to the list, should we stop having toys manufactured overseas? Is there any way that we can effectively know for certain all goods shipped from China are safe, let alone not constructed with the sweat of children? Given the problems that Mattel and other toy companies have had and frankly I don't give a shit if they were subcontractors or the actual manufacturers in China...to me that doesn't matter because no one is watching them. Not even our government. Well until now...but then I read this....

Read this and then tell me what you think.

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

A Few Good Rambles

All About The News

Ever notice on the local and cable news channels when there is something big going on (or they feel it's big because it's only thing worth talking about at the moment) they give it a terse title, like "Killer Bug"? Killer Bug of course refers to the staff infection, which caused several schools back east to be closed and scrubbed down. Now I'm not trying to downplay this, since one student, apparently healthy at that, died, but still, I'd hardly classify it as an out and out epidemic of biblical proportions. Is it really worth the Killer Bug tagline?

Is The War To Blame?

With everything going on in the world, with Iraq, the lackluster economy, people losing their homes in foreclosures, which are all real issues, does the media seem to go out of their way to talk about non issues. Is that why Ellen and Britney seem to grip the headlines? Britney loses custody of her children (again) and they interrupt with that bit of breaking news. I was watching a cable news channel, and they were discussing all the foreclosures when the Britney's news broke, and the newscaster (I use that term lightly) actually asked the person she was interviewing what he thought about that. Who the fuck cares? The media seems though to glob onto every single non-story trying to blow them up into something bigger…is it because they're bored with the current news? Maybe.

Okay I admit it, I'm tired of the war, I'm tired of Iraq, and I'm sick to death of Iran, North Korea and now I might be ready to add Russia to that list, well at least Putin. I'm tired of the election and I'm almost to the point that I don't care who gets elected because I just see the whole thing as a sham anyway. And I'm tired of Ellen and the dog, Britney and the kids, and I don't want to hear anything about Lindsay, Paris or anyone that has gotten famous because of the sex tape release.

It's Only Because I Love You

Why is it that some men insist on growing a mustache that resembles dirt on their face? Today I lunched with a dear friend, and finally after being mesmerized with his upper lip, gathered the courage to ask him if he had a dirty Sanchez. My friend glared at me from across the table and explained he doesn't do that and finally offering that it was indeed a moustache, to which I laughed. While he didn't find the comment funny, later when I ran into him at local market, he was there buying a roasted chicken, I did notice he shaved. I didn't bother telling him that the chickens at that particular market are really tasteless. He'll find out that on his own.

Okay, maybe I should have told him about the chicken and left the condition of his upper lip alone.

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Back To Normal

What I Missed During My Summer Vacation

Today is Wednesday, the kids have been in school for just over a week now and I'm beginning again my weekly mom movie night or MMN. I started this earlier this year, completely by mistake when I accidentally rented a 'chick flick' from Netflix. A movie I knew my husband and now teenage son would have absolutely zero interest in watching and rather than live through their ridicule, I watched the movie myself and returned it to the mailbox that evening. On Thursday the mail was picked up, and by Friday it was back at Netflix, and new movie was being mailed to us.

Since the turnaround is normally a day, we had a new movie to watch on Saturday, a movie much more to their liking. Thus began my MMN and each week I would become excited at the drippy movies I'd get to watch all free of testosterone riddled complaining. Then summer came along and MMN was suspended because the boys were up almost every night and this was supposed to be about my time. I've been looking forward to resuming it all summer, and lined up all the usual suspects of Doris Day movies, and musicals to watch.

Tonight's offering is Fiddler on the Roof a movie I know husband and kids will have no interest in watching (even though my husband is a huge closet fan of the Sound of Music). Their movie for the weekend will likely be something like The Italian Job along with whatever else that was delivered.

It's my special way to relax to watch a movie I don't have to discuss afterward or defend, I don't have to think about the plot because it's well defined yet rather simple. I don't have to worry about being scared to death, or feeling my blood pressure rise. I can just lay on the sofa, or in bed, and just watch.

Do I Really Need to Comment?

Is anything I can add to the latest train wreck evidence that Britney Spears career is on a downward spiral? Can I add constructively to any of the drama surrounding the VMA performance? Maybe. Okay, although, I have no complaints about her overall appearance, and didn't think she looked fat, I will say the performance on the whole resembled a bad SNL sketch. She appeared stiff and out of sorts, as though she knew what she was supposed to do, but not well enough to appear comfortable. Almost as though she were auditioning to play the part of Britney Spears.

Everybody Sing!

Rosie O'donnell Wrote a Book, E I E I O
And in this book she slammed Donald Trump E I E I O
With a bad hair here, An asshole there, Here a rug, there a rug everywhere a bad rug
Rosie O'Donnell wrote a book E I E I O
And in this book she slammed Barbara Walters E I E I O
With die old bitch here, and a retire while you can there…

Oh hell you get the idea.

She also offered excuses why she's so messed up; something about beating herself with a baseball bat. Very telling.

But really does anyone care anymore? Probably more garbage about how fire can't melt steel. *Yawn*

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Back To The Grind

What I Did On My Summer Vacation


Yes, I decided to take a little time off. It's been over a month since I last posted in that time we went on several weekend excursions, plus a little camping trip. Camping in the forest below the ominous Mount Hood was interesting and very cold. Too cold for my tastes, and tent camping isn't the great fun it used to be. I guess I am getting old.

I got to sleep in, and not that piddly-hit-the-alarm 5 times but really not set it at all and sleep in. Most days I wasn't up before 9 AM! Most nights I was awake until after midnight, which is about the same as now but now I'm up at six. Strange, but I still recall vividly the days when getting up at 6, was sleeping in.

Did I Miss Anything?

Nicole Ritchie went to jail and served a few hours before being released, Lindsay Lohan was arrested and went into hiding—possibly into rehab, maybe a real one this time. Whoppie Goldberg joined The View and offered her opinion why Michael Vic was involved in dog fighting. Britney was cleared of being a bad parent and OJ's book, If I Did It, or How I Did It was scheduled then unscheduled for release. Denise Brown went on a rampage trying to stop the Goldman family from publishing the book after they won the rights to do so. Denise's reason was because she didn't want her niece and nephew hearing about this or becoming upset. I'm sorry but aren't they in college now? Haven't they heard all this already? I'm sure their father has done a good job of brainwashing them or they have forgiven him, which ever is the case I don't care. I wouldn't read the book, but I might check it out of the library.

Not to mention we had to relive the whole Death of the People's Princess and all things royal was new again. I especially enjoyed the commentary of the Mohammed Al Fayed former publicist talking about the conspiracy surrounding her death. Included of course were the obligatory comments about her so-called pregnancy, and imminent marriage to Dodi Fayed. None of which are true but are a lot of fun, I suppose to repeat and equally fun is the talk now legendary white car that was never found. I guess we must rehash something. I'm surprised Katie Couric wasn't sent there, or maybe she was. I don't watch CBS.

And this was on the heals of anniversary of Elvis' death which included numerous interviews with Pricilla talking about her early involvement with the King at the tender age of 14. People were really different then. As I watched her talk about it, I felt creepy. I never thought of Elvis as being a pedophile. Wonder if he'd be arrested today?

He's Baaaack

Bin Laden has released a videotape in these days just before the 6th anniversary of 9-11, which shows him sporting a new beard or at least a dyed one. I wonder if the black beard is a secret call to unleash hell or at the very least the hounds? I did enjoy the commentary about the beard and it's significance on all the cable news media shows. Maybe it's taped on and they couldn’t find a grey one? Maybe next he'll show the hemorrhoids on his ass and people can surmise if it's a call for solidarity?

Maybe they should concentrate more on his words, but of course the news media is on that one too. Asking every "expert" I've never heard of; what they think about what he said as though they have an opinion that I care about. It kind of makes me nauseous to think about Bin Laden, so I'll stop talking about it. But I still ponder sometimes that we should pull every soldier out of Iraq and put them into Afghanistan and vow not leave until every hole and the space beneath each rock is checked for him.

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Worthless Observations by a Ranting Fool

Whats in a Name?

Yes that would be me and I'm saying goodbye to Lady Bird Johnson who died Wednesday at the age of 94. Now out of all the first ladies, she had without a doubt the most interesting name. Lady Bird. Her real name was Claudia Alta Taylor not nearly as interesting as the nickname given to her by her nanny as a child who said she was as pretty as a ladybird. The name obviously stuck because I never knew her to be anything else but Lady Bird. Johnson as some might recall was the unfortunate fool to be vice-president when JFK was assassinated in 1963. He finished that term and served another full term as president. He was also known for escalating the Viet Nam war…Oops I mean police action--but that's another issue entirely.

Here We Go Again

Special thanks to Bumble for bringing this to my attention. I blogged about this case before which you can read here.

Georgia Prosecutor released the sex tape that put the 17 year old behind bars. Just to recap, he's serving a mandatory 10 year sentence for child molestation. He was 17 and the girl in question was 15. That's just two years apart in age. I'm really confused on this, was he convicted because he had oral sex or made the sex tape? Why is this kid still in prison?

The sex tape helped convict him, but can we really blame kids for doing what everyone else in Hollywood has done since Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee? Kids have been copying what other stars have done since my dad was a teen and got an Elvis haircut, or my grandmother fainted straight away when Frank Sinatra walked passed her. Okay someone at the party recorded him, but are we forgetting the big issue? He's in prison! He'll have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life for doing something that teens do! Georgia has changed the law because of this kid!

Now everyone is upset that the video was released and saying it's child porn or something. Who cares???? Some fear support for the kid will diminish. Are we living in such a politically correct society where this kind of tripe matters a whit when put against plain old right and wrong? Kids will have sex.

The issue is the states attorney doesn't want this kid out of prison because he's afraid 1300 other molesters will also be released. HUH? You have 1300 kids in Georgia prisons, wrongfully convicted of molestation, who were just having teen sex????? That's about the only group that this would apply to.



© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Weekend Wrap-up

Not with a Bang but a Whimper

No, I'm not talking about Paris Hilton going back to jail but instead the Soprano's series finale. I imagine everyone has heard about what a disappointment it is and I'd like to thank those people for spoiling it for the rest of us that refuse to pay for HBO. Now I have to wait months for it to come out on DVD to add my voice to the chorus, but by that time, no one will care. I'm also confused about the Soprano's season 6 DVD which says it's 6 Part 1, yet I'm watching interviews with the cast saying it's season 7. So will the next DVD set be Season Six Part 2 Or Season 7? If it says season 7, then what about season 6 Part 2. Maybe that cast just doesn't know which season they are working on since they had to keep so quiet on the bad ending.

Can You Believe They're Appealing?

No, not Paris Hilton, but the prosecutors in Atlanta, GA say they're going to appeal the decision handed down by a judge today letting a 19 year old free after serving only 2 years of a 10 year sentence for child Molestation. Before you start saying right on, the guy was 17, and the girl was 15. I'm sorry but when I was in high school I dated guys that were 17 and I engaged in sexual activity with them. As if this wasn't bad enough the guy wasn't screwing the girl but going down on her. Yes! They were engaged in oral sex.

Had he just screwed her, he would have been charged with a misdemeanor but instead he was charged with FELONY molestation because he was engaged in oral, and she was 15. Remember he's only 2 years older than her and never been in trouble a day in his life. Can you imagine having to register for the rest of your life as a sex offender for going down on your girlfriend? The law in Georgia was even changed because of this case so it can't happen to another kid and YET the prosecution wants to appeal the judge's decision? This pisses me off even more than the Paris Hilton crap.

Sister Paris?

Yes, about Paris Hilton, who was heard screaming Mom, Mom, Mom, when they judge ordered her back to jail, finally got a responsible driver in the back of a LA county Sheriff, who took her back to jail, while she sobbed. Now, she's had an epiphany and vows to be a better person, and that her time in jail has changed her life. Wonder if she got a refund on all the party supplies that will have to wait until her real release? Wonder if she'll become a nun? Sister Paris? I think if you look closely her booking photo, there could be a halo.

What amazes me is that she cries for her mom and whole media who before was ready to hang her by her well-manicured rich thumbs, did a 180 by saying how unfair the judge was? What? She claimed she didn't know her license was suspended, she at first tried to get out of appearing all together at her sentencing and then showed up late so yeah, and had a big blah attitude as if saying, "this is so not hot." Finally lets all understand that under California state law, she faced up to 90 days in the clink and already got off easy with 45.

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

And Justice For All?

Did You Hear the World Wide Groan?

Widely reported yesterday, Paris Hilton's exodus from jail and just as widely, further reports that she must appear before the sentencing judge at 9 AM Pacific Ranter Time today. One can only hope that the judge has good sense that God gave a goose and will remand her back to Los Angeles County Jail to continue her jail time. It turns out the California State's attorney is more than a little peeved that she was released so quickly and why the Sheriff seemingly decided this single-handedly.

I don't completely agree with Al Sharpton's assertion made yesterday when he said,

"I think that it's both another glaring display of how race and money seem to get different treatments. There seems to be a different criminal justice system for some than others," Sharpton said.

While I do agree there does seem to be two different systems of justice, one for the wealthy, and one for the rest of us poor slobs, I don't believe race is the issue, after all we can't forget OJ. Or the slap on the wrist other rap musicians have gotten when involved in serious crimes. And lets not forget the sports figures that beat their wives, participate in dog fighting, drunken driving and a host of other crimes.

How Much Justice Can You Afford?

Clearly it's about money and the level of fame that separates us from the elite that seem to get away with everything. Sports figures often get away with more than the average person would because of their importance to the team or game they participate in--not to mention the fans allow it, as though it's a 'boys will be boys' mentality. Even Mike Tyson got a rather slap on the wrist when he committed his crime that was supposed to keep him from ever boxing again. They let a convicted rapist and psychopath like Tyson box, yet Pete Rose is denied being part of the baseball hall of fame because he gambled? Does anyone else think this insane?

How is that we live in a society that thinks nothing of paying thousands of dollars of a picture of Nicole Richie eating a hamburger, yet doesn't care about illegal immigration? Everyone waits with bated breath to hear what Sean Penn will say about Iraq but they don’t listen to the people who might have valid opinion on it. They'll listen and cheer with a mob mentality when Rosie spews her hostile, antagonistic, ill-informed opinion of September 11, yet refuse to give equal time to people that know what the hell they are talking about. I'm sick of this! I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

Justice is supposed to the great equalizer, regardless of ability to pay, everyone is entitled to a defense. In theory everyone faces the same rules and requirements, yet for some reason those who have a truckload of cash seem to the rules are just suggestions for them to follow or not. Clubs should allow Lindsay Lohan into their establishments because she'll bring other famous people to their club and not famous people to gawk. Never mind she's not even 21 yet, the rule doesn't apply and everyone looks the other way, even when the pictures are plastered all over the tabloids of her partying with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other (California has a strict no smoking policy in any public establishment). No one thinks to ask why. Yet in a regular bar, if someone underage is caught drinking alcohol, the bar faces steep fines and the underage drinker goes to jail. Lindsay Lohan doesn't go to jail; she goes to some holistic rehab. The same place that believes there is no alcohol addiction, and once she's cured, she'll be able to drink like a normal person. Right.

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

What Is and What Should Never Be

The Whine Heard Round the World

"I can't be here, I'm famous and I had PMS, then I got killer cramps," Paris Hilton exclaimed between sobs to her shrink as she scratched herself raw and mumbled incoherently about the damned spots. Yes, she's been released to mansion and must wear an ankle bracelet for the next 40 days. Isn't that terrible? Party at Paris'! BOYB. Members of the Press Welcomed!

I'm really beyond annoyed by this "mystery illness" that doesn't require hospitalization and yet does require immediate release from the LA County Jail to the comfort of her mansion. I suppose the next complaint will be that the ankle bracelet she's supposed to wear for the 40 days will amount to cruel and inhumane punishment because it causes chaffing.

The reality is EVERYONE in the LA County Jail will be released and sent home with ankle bracelets, in fact, and the jail closed. Oh that's not going to happen? Only the uber wealthy Paris gets to go home? No surprise there I guess though I can feel the tremors from defense attorneys with clients in the County Jail all filing papers that their client suffers from the same mystery illness.

It's amazing what whining, coupled with pseudo fame and a shit load of money will get you.

Yes, I want to be convicted of reckless driving, then have my license suspended, get caught later driving, complain that I didn't understand the rules and no one explained to me that meant I couldn't drive, and then get a slap-on-the-wrist sentence, and finally whine until they release me to comfort of my own mansion. Wait, I don't own a mansion and I wouldn't be arrested for reckless driving, and I certainly would understand what the words "suspended license" means—and most of all I lack the money and mansion--I know I already said that last bit about the mansion, but bears repeating. What a big fucking waste of the California tax payers money! Maybe everyone should be released and sent to Paris' mansion for "house arrest."

BE A FUCKING MAN

If the real reason that dumb bitch was released is because the sheriff couldn't handle the constant calls and paparazzi stalking the jail, and disruption to regular prisoners, then SAY THAT MOTHER FUCKER. Don't say that she's released for a mystery illness that NO ONE is going to fucking believe anyway! For that she'd better have the same highly contagious, drug resistant TB!

Waaaaa Waaaaa

Famous people shouldn't be given a walk that the rest of us would NEVER get and frankly I'm tired of the shit. I'm tired of hearing about how they're hiding in rehab for this or that, and then hear about the plans for the big birthday blowout at some super hot nightclub. Sorry if you're an alcoholic or addict days after you get out of rehab isn't the time to hit a club. I'm seriously missing the easy breezy 90's when all the stars were coming out of the closet and saying they were gay. Even if they changed their minds when the novelty ran out—somehow I found it easier to understand.

© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved