Bullies

You know what gets me on the whole Phoebe Prince thing? Everyone being surprised that kids are so savage. Really? You didn't know that? PARENTS are surprised? What have YOU been doing instead of watching your kids.

"Lord of the Flies" wasn't just a fiction book. Children, left to their own devices, are savage little creatures. Reading any serious cognitive development time line would tell you that. WE were all little savages as kids. It's up to our parents to steer us in appropriate directions. Criminalizing a bunch of kids that are cognitively incapable of judging the long term effects of their current behavior is ridiculous. You educate these kids to show them the long term effects of teenage pregnancy, drunk driving, etc and yet they are supposed to be criminally responsible for not knowing the consequences of picking on people? That's just ONE thing wrong with the whole picture. You hold the school accountable, you hold the parents accountable, and may look into why Phoebe felt suicide was a more viable option than trusting her parents to protect her, even through removing her from school if necessary?

Some say what if this was your kid...well it was my kid. You do recall I homeschool right? That's one reason why I do so. My kid wouldn't suicide, she'd do exactly what she did: Tell Mom because mom would put it right, one way or the other. My kids trust me to defend them.

I know, intimately, the negative effects of bullying. TV has nothing to do with it. WE, not tv, but WE as a society, show our kids acceptable behavior. Society is not tv, society is a collective of individuals. TV should never be quoted as an excuse because if you taught your children properly the difference between tv and reality. They can watch all the violence they want and not BE violent. So easy to blame tv so we don't look to ourselves.

Bullying is done by our politicians, our religious, our scientific. We bully scientists into giving the results we want (or we'll yank your funding). We bully each other religiously (or you'll go to hell, lose your job, become a social pariah). We bully each other by class status and political belief, we bully each other constantly in the real every day world. Now I'm not talking about all laws, but the law is used to bully. Smoke and you get a ticket (it's still a legal activity and thus this is simply bullying, if you really cared you'd make it illegal). You do it when a democrat says "health bill or you don't care if people die". You do it when a Republican says "follow the bible or you'll go to hell AND you don't care about the US". You do it when you insinuate that you don't love children if you don't throw yourself wholeheartedly into whatever bullshit the media says about FOR THE CHILDREN. Hell, the US does it constantly as a nation. So many parents believe the US is the greatest nation ever and our kids see that and see our behavior, you can hardly fault them for emulating the greatest nation ever.

We are a society of bullies. We bully when we let our opinions over ride fact and then use whatever means to intimidate others into changing how they feel. Just as someone has said I must not care about the children or this girl's death because I don't think the other kids should be criminalized. Therapy, you bet your ass, criminalized no. The school definitely failed in their job and go after them with my blessing. It's not that I don't care, but I do think that bullying the bullies is hardly the correct response. They learned this is ok from somewhere, even if it was only their parents failure to instruct them. Perhaps it would be better if we all quit bullying each other and show our children better behavior?

Bassinet Recall

Read here


I used one for my 3 youngest, the oldest of which is 5. You aren't supposed to lower the flap with the bar there. If the flap is lowered the bassinet is supposed to be pushed up against your bed and the bar isn't supposed to be on the bassinet. Any of you read those instructions it should say the same. Mine was the Graco one, btw.

IMO, they weren't the irresponsible ones and it's a shame the babies were hurt and not the stupid parents.

And another pedo bites the dust

So yeah, I know, this a really unpopular opinion right now....and we all know how concerned I am with my popularity. But is there ANYONE else that's actually used logic and realized that we're probably down one pedophile in the world instead of hailing him as an American "icon"? Yes, I'm sorry, you don't just start being a pedo when someone accuses you, and Neverland preceded those accusations by MANY years.

And really, it's not like I just chose a side. I mean, I sat and thought this out years ago.

1. If the guy down the street with no children had opened a "private" theme park and invited ONLY your defenseless little boys over to play, are you really NOT going to think that's at least weird enough to choose "better safe than sorry"?

2. Are you aware that many men that have been accused of pedophilia AND PROVEN innocent still have their lives ruined by the accusation alone? But MJ's speshul cuz he made "Thriller".

3. The man had $20 million dollars to pay off in hush money AND one of the largest fan bases in the world, and what is the reason he believed that he couldn't ensure an accurate investigation?

4. The boys all looked amazingly similar, almost like...oh, I don't know..a profile....I mean, call me crazy but all MY friends don't look alike, yet all the men I have had sex with have shared many common traits. I'm just sayin'...

5. I really don't think a "deeply troubling childhood" excuses his behavior at all, any more than I think being famous does. I had a "deeply troubling childhood" and it doesn't excuse MY behavior.

6. The examination of his genitals came back with a conclusion of "highly accurate but inconclusive". Now, if it was a simple matter of "well the description is a very accurate one of ANYONE's penis" one would have thought that that would be what was said. Highly accurate is more than what I'd expect if the kid would have walked in on him in the bathroom. Acoording to police records there were some very incrimating matches found...Of course, the police were stymied when they tried to get his medical records and found that ALL OF THEM HAD BEEN RECENTLY REMOVED.

7. Why the need for a confidentiality agreement for "whatever went on while on Neverland Ranch" if it was all sweet and innocent? Guess what happens in Neverland stays in Neverland, huh?

8. Micheal's lawyer, who is well known for secretly taping conversations, did NOT tape the conversation with the little boy.....but I'm sure there's a completely innocent explanation for that....

9. I find it interesting how the things said on the Barbara Walters interview he and Lisa Marie did that he said a lot of things that the police and district attorney verified as inaccurate, and we're talking about the serious questions such as him being cleared and the photos of nude boys he claimed were not found in his home.

I could go on and on..but hell, "I'm a 35 year old man and like it when little boys sleep in my bed" would have me out the door of Neverland before anyone got their coats off.

The fact of the matter is, it points to guilty as hell. I personally think those that defended him are too star struck to get the facts and SEE the guilt. But for me it's easy, if this was ANY other grown man, what would I think? I would think he would be one who got shot for even looking at my kids. So tossing "but it's MICHEAL JACKSON" in there doesn't sway me.

I think he's guilty as guilty can get, I think the parents of these kids who would think "it's Micheal Jackson!!!" are also guilty as well. I think all of them belong in prison on the same charges. So, it's really offensive to be told how "he's an American Icon" by people who are all too star struck to separate his fame from the facts. And because of all that, everything he's ever done is invalidated. He's not an AMERICAN icon..if he's what represents us, we're in deep shit indeed.

Supreme Court disappointing

We've all heard about the Arizona girl who was strip searched over a single accusation of possessing Ibuprofen..you know, that dangerous drug that's been known to.....umm...ummm.....well you know, it's dangerous.

While she partially won her case in that the actions taken were wrong, noone's going to be punished for it. Because we know we all should reserve the right for school officials to strip our children at will. It's not like schools sometimes house sicko perverts...right? Right?

If I were this girl's parents the question wouldn't be "could I sue them"..the question would be "under which criminal charges can I charge them". That is, if there was anything left to sue after I beat the ever loving shit out of them. In my eyes, this is sexual abuse.

The Supreme Court's decision is disappointing in that the official receives no punishment. However, in all honesty I can't hold them solely responsible. The parents went the wrong route. The sexual humiliation of your child you want....money? No...you want jail time, honey. Who sues a fuckin' pedophile??? And while the principal may not be a pedophile...maybe...the idea is that his misuse of his authority permitted the sexual abuse of your child....that's jail time. I don't understand why he can walk, what was daddy doing? Maybe it's uncivilized of me, but a beating does leave a lasting impression. Ok, so *I* believe in a beat down, but really, what kind of parents want MONEY??????

Does anyone know if they tried criminal charges and maybe that route didn't work? I mean, then I could understand the money route..I mean the guy needs to suffer SOMEHOW....but only if they tried criminal charges first and those didn't work out. Although, it seems to me it'd be a landmark case. I mean, this isn't the first child to get strip searched by school officials. There was that gal who had to raise her dress during prom to make sure she wasn't wearing a thong (and didn't the teacher feel her up a little too?). Some kids were strip searched in a private school for $42. Hey, I got an idea! How about we waterboard the kids until they 'fess up!!??

So why didn't the school call the police and the parents...oh wait, she wasn't accused of a CRIME. So a strip search is justified how? The word of another 13 year old girl. ONE. That's it. No history of trouble, excellent GPA....and for what? Heroin? Crack? A gun? No, ibuprofen, that horribly dangerous substance you can't get unless you.....walk into a pharmacy with $10.

“My thought process,” Justice Souter said, “is I would rather have the kid embarrassed by a strip search, if we can’t find anything short of that, than to have some other kids dead because the stuff is distributed at lunchtime and things go awry.

Embarassed?? Embarassed??? Do you have any idea of the mental and emotional trauma related to this? Thanks for the next pedophile defense when they take naked pictures of children. I appreciate that. "Oh, the naked pictures don't HURT them, just embarass them a little..teehee". But hey, as long as they're school officials, they don't NEED a defense. They just have to pay a student $20 for a verbal accusation and they can ogle to their heart's content. Don't worry, you won't get in trouble.

One has to wonder how the result would have turned out had the girl gone to child services and said "my daddy strip searches me everyday".

The Age of Stupidity

Originally I was pissed about a new development in my game, where all the puritans have won the right to put some shorts over the Statue of David's penis. Realize that's an analogy, not exactly the truth. What it basically comes down to is "I don't want to see it and I have successfully made things change in a massive inconvenience to suit me". GO SL!!!

So I was off to rant on the whole puritan movement in my game, right up until I thought of the world today. Then I was pissed about the puritan movement in my world, until I thought a bit longer and realized that there is no age of science any longer, we have entered the age of fanaticism. It's not about puritans or even religion, it's about throwing yourself whole heartedly into a belief of any kind, without using any sense whatsoever. Intelligence is faked. Big words and an understanding of quantum physics does not make you smart. Just means you can memorize shit.

Take the smoking issue (and I swear to fuckin' god I will lose it if someone makes this all about smoking, you know you are Anon the Coward). There's this believe system that NOTHING good comes from smoking, yet it does good things. Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, focuses thought, a natural thing to turn to for those in psychiatric care. Don't get caught up in the smoking point, understand that there is NOTHING in this world that is all bad. NOTHING. Yet people have thrown themselves into this crusade without thinking about it and making that connection. Just a blind fanaticism. No thought behind it whatsoever. Then you go into the blind acceptance, no serious thought. A commercial or politician or something tosses out some tidbit and they latch onto it like rabid dogs and parrot it about. They don't read up on it and get the full story. Hell, just think about it. Arsenic, belladonna, bleach..all poisonous, yet they also do good things. It's hard to believe ONE thing has bucked the system.

Then there's the whole chastity ring thing going. What's that all about? I'd have more respect if someone had sex and then did the chastity thing, because they tried it out and said "hey, I don't need this right now". Yet instead, without investigating their options, these idiots have crawled all over this. No thought, no investigation, no anything. Just someone said "hey, do this" and a bunch of sheep said "ok". Just like that. No reading up on it, no nothing, just "ok".

And of course, you can't ever mention fanaticism without religion. I don't have to explain that one, do I?

I understand fads, but have you noticed all the new fads require a cultish devotion to something? I'm so fuckin' sick of Relay for Life. Yet if I point out that the majority of the money these people donate ends up in some jetsetter's pocket as well as politics and I refuse to contribute, I'M the asshole. So sorry for my investigations, maybe I'm not quite the fanatic you are. I like some thought with my coffee.

Are we regressing, or have we become that selfish? Is it just too hard to think anymore? It's hard to tell. Perhaps this has always been a part of humanity and I'm the outsider for not being a nutjob?

It seems to me a matter of selfishness. Oh don't get confused, I do hear their little justifications. "I don't want other people to get poisoned", "I only want to save your soul", "don't you want to cure cancer for the world". But y'know what I've found, in the end, it's always about THEM. "Your poisoning MY air", "I've decided God is the right one, so you must do as I do", "I lost my mom to cancer and I want a cure there when I get it". So it would seem that the new religion is "ME!ME!ME!" And really, since when do we look into the reasons for our own behavior? Are they all afraid to face the fact that what someone else wants may not be the supreme evil they want to paint it? Or maybe if they paint it as the ultimate evil, they don't see the damage they do? It's easy to close your eyes to what good there is to something when you're so bent on getting your way. So just don't admit there IS good. Sex is painted as some horrible evil (regression much), yet sex does so much good physically (and I don't mean just how it feels, but how it affecs the human mind and body) that I'm surprised doctors dont' prescribe it. Did you know that sex is actually good for certain back problems? That sex releases natural hormones that improve the mind in various ways? Hell, look at how happy some folks are who get it good! LOL

The point is, we seem to have re-entered the age before the age of reason. No one wants to read the science, no one wants to hear the truth, no one cares about you really. Just DO it, this way on this day at this hour in exactly this fashion. Your inconvenience, your feelings, YOU do not matter. If they really cared, they'd ask you what YOU wanted, they wouldn't tell you what they want.

Then again you could make a really good case for apparently the whole world no longer wants to use their brains. Isn't it easier when you have a preacher telling you how to behave and what to do and what to say? Life is always easier if someone else makes all the decisions and holds all the responsiblity. Then you can always get out of trouble with "I'm just following orders". Is the new religon "Blank brain"? Your preacher/politican/mechanic engineer tells you what all the bibles/scientific papers say and you just don't have to bother your pretty little head about it. Forget the fact that teen pregnancy and sexual diseases have been shown to soar when abstinence is the message. YOU don't want them having sex, so you just shake some papers on national television and lie about the conclusions.

I don't think that bothers me near as much though as the fact that it works does.

Politesse dear, always

Y'know, sometimes, ok, all the time, the sheer impoliteness of people drives me nuts. I mean, I know coming from Queen Asshole that's funny, but I may be an asshole but I'm a polite asshole. The thing is, my assholishness (yes I made it up) is just honesty that pisses folks off. So I'll tell you there's birdshit on your head, but unless you're making fun of someone's hat, I'll take you to the side to do it.

So I'm in this email group with other moms of gifted kids. One mom is, well, stuck up is the word I'd use. Her 14 year old spends his free time playing video games and wants to be a game designer when he grows up. I feel sorry for the kid, because his mother obviously believes that since SHE thinks so low of games then he should have higher aspirations and "quit wasting his time". Apparently she missed all the after school movies that show that parents like that drive their children away.

So anyhow, she writes in how this is what he does in his free time and how to make him stop because video games are immature and she knows of some adults who play and goes on to imply that adults who game are emotionally deficient and how worthless her son is going to be for making this his career. I do take offense at the attitude, but not her, I mean, how is she supposed to know I'm a gamer? So I sent in my two cents....it took me 2 hours, but I was pretty confident that I had come off as "you seem kind of misinformed, I'd like to show you the other side of it". I told her I was a gamer, I explained the intricacies, the studies. I promise, every line I wrote was combed over and over in order to inform and not sound rude. It may seem like a waste of time, but all I could think of was this poor kid being raised by a woman that tells him his dreams are worthless, which to a kid could imply that he's worthless for having such worthless dreams.

Now, I expected, as we're a polite group, maybe not agreement, but maybe a tone down of the immature, worthless gamER attitude. I mean, as much of a bitch as I am, *I* would have toned it down. Hell no, she writes this passive aggressive email back about how this is her opinion and reiterates over and over and over again how worthless and useless and he needs to stop. I mean, says it to the point where I know two things: 1. she's not interested in the other side, 2. this is a personal attack. So I write another email, changing tactics and focusing on the need to not let her personal opinion influence her treatment of her son and deriding his dreams. A sure fire way of installing a wall between them. Which was a lot nicer than the other response from another mom: "I feel sorry for your son for having you for a mother."

Which rates yet another PA email in which she relentlessly pursues the worthlessness and immaturity of someone who plays games. I quit at this point. Not because I don't want to give the poor kid a break, but hey, there's only so much you can do from email with a jackass and engaging in the "you're a cunt" fight accomplishes absolutely nothing for the boy. And quite frankly, here's my elitism showing, but she's obviously not sophisticated enough to engage in a conversation on a topic without letting her personal opinion permeate every inch of it. I mean, she won't get the larger point of "you're causing you and your child issues" because all she cares about is the topic itself "gamers are idiots".

How stupid can you be? I mean, look, I have a lot of opinions and many are set in stone. Not because I'm closed minded, but because I've thought long and hard about each of them. If anything directly proves them wrong, I'll change them, but as things stand, through much consideration, they are my opinions and I'm very vehement about them. However, your opinion on a subject cannot override the greater issues, especially if it's someone you profess to love.

This is a story I shared with her: I find sports fucking useless. I think players are overpaid and it's pretty sad to get paid so much for running around with a ball while there are men and women who work harder or contribute more to society that barely scrape by. I could go on and on in very derogatory terms that would make my opinion on sports crystal clear and make people who watch them feel like I personally think that person is useless for watching them.

One problem here: *I* dont' see the point. That doesn't mean that there isn't one. That damn sure doesn't mean that people I care about or know are useless over one thing *I* don't get. My husband LOVES sports, he's a jock through and through. To let my personal opinion override the big picture would cause our marriage issues. I know my husband isn't worthless. I know my friends are not immature and worthless. To define them over my personal opinion would be stupid. I'm very careful to keep my opinion out of his day to day ball games. The only time it comes up is if we're trying to find new ground, which has happened once. LOL

My husband feels the exact same way about my gaming. He thinks it's worthless and stupid. He also does not deride it, though I'm sure he wants to sometimes. We give each other shit sometimes, in joking. "ah, look, he's playing with the ballie again, another million!" or him: "Ooooo double experience weekend?" *orgasm sounds follow*. It's all in fun and we each try to make time for the other to engage in their chosen activity. He frequently heads out with his buddy to watch UFC pay per view fights at a bar, I try to leave him alone during important games. I get to play for a few hours while he takes over child care. For one, while he is a jock and I'm a gamer, these only define us to some extent, it isn't who we ARE. These things don't invalidate why we love one another. To let these opinions override who that person is, it would ruin our marriage. To be honest, no matter how much I don't like sports, I still love that part of him.

You can't let your opinion on something ruin something with someone you love. There are times when you have to set that to the side because to not do so would drive you apart. You wanna drive a wall between you and your kid, do it because he beats up old ladies or does drugs, don't do it over fuckin' video games.

This was a rant on politeness that turned into a rant over stupidity, but hey, you've read this enough, can you honestly say you didn't see the turn coming?

Gor: or you asked for it

"Gor" refers to the lifestyle some people have committed themselves to based on these books by John Norman. Go see Wikipedia, I haven't read them. I might, I have some friends who like this type of living, but I personally am not into anything that gives me a "master".

The basics, man is Man/Master, woman is slave, freewoman (not enslaved), or panther (won't happen except by force). Please understand I'm getting my info from Second Life, NOT from the books. Now, slave is slave. Easy to get, you want to please anyone free, particularly your master. Freewoman is a woman living by gor rules not enslaved, but if she acts in any fashion outside the rules, she becomes slave. By doing a slave activity, she can be enslaved. She has to be covered all the time. Panther is refusing to live by man's rules and lives outside the Gor society. Basic gist, it gets far more complicated than that.

What we are discussing is the slave aspect. Don't picture the panther, being brought in a kennel (yes you heard me) against her will kicking and snarling. No no, we have women who VOLUNTEER to be slaves. I've asked them why and there's this long discussion of "wanting desperately to please a man", of women already being slaves to men, or women not being slaves not living their full womanly potential. I'm picturing fundie women on crack here. None of this resonates with me, I don't get it. But hey, if you like it, more power to you. I have gor friends, masters/slaves/freewomen/panthers. If they like it, no issues. This isn't about Gors, there are some lovely wonderful people who RP or live gorean.

My problem lies with the fundie haters. Most of which are women who had a "bad experience" with Gor. I get it, something like this is frought with those who wish to take advantage of it. Men who overdo it. Yet, you VOLUNTEERED. Are you really stupid enough to think that men who choose this type of "life" are all decently wonderous men who only look to love a woman? I mean, it's OWNERSHIP, SLAVE is the operative word here. What the fuck did you think would happen? The men would give you cookies? If you go into something ASKING to be treated like an animal, how can you expect there won't be some with a distorted view of what animals should be treated like?

Yeah yeah, I've heard it. "You don't understand, it's a mental hold they get over you. They manipulate your emotions and blah blah blah". This is the same shit I have heard from abused women except one key part. Abused women don't hear a man hits them and say "oooo I want some of THAT". No no, the beatings are a SURPRISE. These women don't volunteer for the abusive husband.

These gor chicks ask for it. It's not like you can be enslaved at the grocery store. Now, get this, there's more. This isn't REAL LIFE, this is SECOND LIFE. In other words, you can teleport away and log out and bye bye gor lifestyle. Most of these men? Long distance. You might be from Maine and your "master" from France. In other words, he can't come get you. You don't even have to permanently log out on that character. You can do all the neat computer things that put him on ignore and he can't do anything to you you don't allow. He can grief you, but that's what landowners and Mentors are for. This isn't something that happens against your will, you have to approve of every thing he tries to do to your avatar. And don't give me that mental "he trapped me" shit. YOU have issues if you let a guy ONLINE control you and fuck up your self image. YOU need therapy. I'm not saying he doesn't, but this isn't about him.

So don't be surprised if the next time I say "gor" and you react negatively I tell you to get over it. YOU ASKED FOR IT, literally. I am completely unsympathetic to your bad experiences. You ASKED for it. You are the idiot who jumped in there, and I don't want to hear a damn thing about "he hurt me". Good, what the fuck did you expect? This isn't a set up for men worshipping women, this is women worshipping and being enslaved by men. That's what you volunteered for.

"Well, he said he'd respect me". Well, when I was in high school the guy I gave my virginity to said he loved me. Both of us were stupid, move on. The fact is, you cannot claim the abuse the married woman claimed. You ASKED for it. You said, "you're my master. I am yours to command as you see fit." How can you be surprised when he sees fit to mistreat you? An abused wife isn't looking for a master, she's looking for a husband. She can claim abuse. All you can claim is stupidity.

So, I don't care about your bad experience. I don't care about how he "abused" you. I don't care that you were looking for a nice master and picked the wrong one. I was looking for a good husband and have a divorce under my belt. Hardly a call for abuse, just picked the wrong one (the first time). If you want to cross me off your list because I have friends who live Gor and I don't tell them what to do or cut them off, good. Most likely you've been crossed off for being stupid, so we're even. Go take your sob story to some one who gives a shit.

*fires off the second shot*

You know, it's hilarous how the "season of peace" has spawned a war...

Let's bring in dear Senator Buttars...poor Buttars doesn't have enough to do with his day. Apparently ignorant of the war in Iraq, our new incoming president, AND the economic crisis, he got bored. He wants Utah legislature to declare it's opposition to the war on Christmas.

Obviously he's also ignorant of the First Amendment and history.

"It would encourage the use of 'Merry Christmas,'" Buttars said of the non-binding statement that is still being drafted. "I'm sick of the Christmas wars -- we're a Christian nation and ought to use the word."

Yeah, I'm sick of the "Christmas Wars" that the christians make up every single year too.

I don't know what's sadder, that it took a reporter and a lawyer to bring up the violation of the First Amendment or at how many Senators were asleep through history class. Maybe they didn't even bother to show up.

I get it, it's a resolution. It's really nothing more than a statement that "we support Merry Christmas". But it's also a statement that says "we don't recognize the Jews, Blacks, and others of our nation". You're putting Christmas ahead of Kwanzaa, Hannukkah, Yule, and those that actually do celebrate Festivus, and secular Christmas celebrators. So what, our beliefs are all secondary to yours? Once again a christian (and I mean that in the loosest possible terms) has made it abundantly clear that they will force us to face them whether we want to or not. Why? Why must you be in our faces constantly? The only problem with this thinking is that if we are forced to face you, then we have to do something about you.

This is also a government attempt to back a religion. Christians claim Christmas every year when they start this war on Christmas shit. If you're backing a religious holiday, then you're backing a religion. If you are backing Christmas to the exclusion of Kwanzaa, Hannukah, and Yule, you've tossed your hat in the Christian ring. Resolution or not, it's one that will be followed with lawsuits.

Don't even get me started on interfering with the free market and the irony of regulating businesses to say Merry Christmas while many christians condemn the same businesses for "commercializing" it.

This is getting beyond stupid. I read about a guy who was at a store and bought something and paid with his credit card. As the cashier held the credit card back to him she said, "Merry Christmas!" He says, "You too." She wouldn't relinquish her hold on the card and repeated "Merry Christmas." She thought she didn't hear him and said, "You too" again. She continued this behavior until he realized she wouldn't let go until he said "Merry Christmas" all the while glaring. He finally said it and was allowed to leave. I'd have said "oh you're not a christian either?" and reported her ass.

But the point comes to: Why are you such selfish little bastards? There's like a half dozen holidays in December and yours is ONE day. Diwali (I have no idea what that is), Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hannukah, Yule, and believe it or not, some folks DO celebrate Festivus. Hell, Hannukah lasts longer AND predated Christmas. Yule predated it too, in fact, they stuck Christmas in our Yule!

Also, Jesus actually celebrated Hannukah, you Christians are refusing to recognize the day that Jesus himself recognized! That can't bode well....

Sorry, got a little distracted.

Go victimized a christian, say "Happy Holidays" everwhere you go.

Black Friday (How stupid are you?)

I don't want to know which of my friends participated in Black Friday. I really don't. I don't want to know how many of you chose to participate in an event that grows more and more out of control every year. L, I would like to note this is not a response to YOUR post, but a response to the many others who have decried ANY responsibility on the part of the shoppers.

I know it's "IN" now to blame those nasty corporations. It's all their fault for everything. I'm not a real corporate friend myself. There's much they do wrong and Black Friday COULD be handled better. However, in our rush to blame everyone else, let's not forget to lay this directly where it belongs: on you. Every single one of you that participates in Black Friday, ie going to the store and waiting in line, have contributed to this man's death. I get a good deal, I know how it is, especially when you're poor. However, many of you participating are not. I know some folks that have plenty of money and buy things not only they don't need (I mean, they did not WANT these items until they saw the deal and do not use them), but also don't have them in mind as gifts. Really, what is the point in buy 6 of an item you know you will not use and don't know if anyone you know will use? Just because it's cheap? Really? You do realize that the $200 you just spent will now sit in your closet until it's obsolete? Gape like a fish, but you know it's true. Well, maybe not, some of you will not consider your friends on their birthdays in order to get rid of this stupid thing and justify your shopping. You will then tell yourself next year, "Well, I got rid of them all, everyone loved them!" Maybe, and maybe they are better friends than you are. Since you all chose to queue at the doors of stores like animals, you have told the corporation yet again, "do with us as you will".

But let's get back to the real point here. Are we adults or are we not? Are we the decisionmakers in life, or are we sheep steered hither and yon for the corporate cash box? Are WE in charge of ourselves, or are we nothing more than ignorant masses here to feed the corporation? I say this in all superiority because I STAYED HOME!! I shopped some awesome deals online at midnight Thanksgiving night and was in bed by 1 am secure that my shopping for the entire Christmas season was over. I was in my pajamas, at home, cigarette in hand, getting free shipping. I know, not everyone can do this sort of thing, but if you can and you didn't, then you are a problem.

*coughs* Sorry for the gloatfest, but I do so love shoving your stupidity in your face and grinding it in. It's orgasmic. Anyhow, the fact is, we are in charge of ourselves and our behavior. While certain blogs (which will remain linkless) will decry the corporations as it's the responsabilité du joure, let's not rule out free will. We all know the madness of Black Friday, provided you didn't crawl out from under a rock buried in the center of the Earth yesterday. We are all aware of what our needs and wants are. It's not that I wouldn't LIKE to participate. We aren't broke, but a good deal sure helps out. It's just that I don't let what I want overpower my decency. My decency says we do not contribute to the madness. My decency says as I could do just as well elsewhere and lessen one person contributing to the standard mob mentality that we allow to run our nation. Black Friday is not the disease, it's a symptom of us, the human disease.

Ah, that's not the right analogy, as we're not a cancer, mindlessly reproducing, ignorant of our effects...we just don't CARE. Look at the AP article.

Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers stepped over him and became irate when officials said the store was closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

Shoppers stepped over the man on the ground and streamed into the store.

"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling 'I've been on line since yesterday morning,'" she said. "They kept shopping."

How is Walmart responsible for THIS? How is any company responsible for the people who chose to continue shopping and whine because a man had the gall to die when they trampled over him in a rush to get to their "deal"? I get why not stop and help him, you surge forward or get trampled yourself, but to whine because the store is closing after you helped kill a man???? You want to blame the corporations for our "fellow man" (not mine) being so crass and having no decency? The corporations didn't foster this behavior. Something is seriously wrong with these people. If I hurt someone I will stop and try to help and suffer over what part I may have played. I DO NOT CONTINUE SHOPPING! You have decided a plasma tv is worth more than this person's life.

Look, it's bad enough to show up and later say, "I never expected this" after watching this shit on the news every fuckin' year. We'll just stamp "Retarded" on your head and put you on the special bus. But to then WHINE and continue shopping? You are a criminal. Not only have you possibly contributed to a wrongful act, but you have NO remorse. You're no better than a serial killer. I'm not exaggerating, you really are no better. If you want to blame the stores, the fundamental problem is not Black Friday, but YOU. You are trying to remove the blame that SHOULD cling heavily to your own shoulders. It doesn't matter that the corporations COULD find a safer way or better way to do this. This does not remove the responsibility for your actions and your behavior from yourself.

Are we human beings, theoretically capable of rational thought, or are we nothing but animals throwing feces? I can tell you what you damn well look like...

The True Dangers of Internet Porn

Wow. I'm not a big porn fan (hehe, I said big). While I'm a fairly lenient parent in letting my children view sex on tv provided it's in a context that they observe natural behavior in life, I do not subject my children to blatant sex for sex/entertianment's sake. We do not watch shows when there is no rational reason to throw a graphic sex scene in the middle other than to pull in the male viewer or titti-late. ;) While the Matrix 3 was not bad, I to this day do not see the purpose of tossing in Neo and Trinity's sex scene throughout the tribal scene. I do get the sexuality in the tribal dancing. One seemed sex for sex sake, the other was making a point of the culture. I can't explain it too well, but I get it.

So understand, I have a healthy view of sexuality in that I understand it's a fact of life and I'm no frigid virgin scared of a little willie (I know, I gotta stop that). I refuse to raise my children with that view myself. Now, going a bit further, if you're new to this blog, I'm a HUGE fan of personal responsibility. I tend to put a lot of people's behavior on their own shoulders. One should act, not react. If you choose to be reactionary, then you are choosing to give up responsibility of your behavior to your emotions.

Knowing all this, you can probably understand a few of the problems I may have with the above website. (Yes, I'm well aware it's selling a product, however, if you think this is the first time I've seen Vagina Madness, you're blind) If you click on the title you get taken to the Reefer Madness of Porn. I say this because this:

The price our young people pay is more often than not, addiction. The sexual images our teens view release chemicals in the brain (endorphins), our body eventually craves these feel good chemicals like alcohol or drugs--- serious problem though, the alcoholic can avoid the bars and situations… how do you avoid the images that pop into your head when you’re trying to study? When you see a new face at a party? You don’t, that’s why Internet Porn has been compared to crack cocaine– but worse!


sounds suspiciously like this:

At the heart of the campaign are two studies on the neurochemical effects of THC, marijuana's effective ingredient, published recently in Science magazine. The putative results: Marijuana is not only a "gateway" drug to heroin, but addictive in its own right. Just like alcohol and cocaine, marijuana is capable of "hijacking the brain's so-called reward system," Science reported, and priming it for future addiction.

Really? Seeing a penis is a "gateway" drug to donkey shows? Please say your fucking with me..please?

Internet porn is not a romance novel. It is not a sex education for beginners. In its simplest form it teaches a complete lack of intimacy—using another human being to masturbate oneself, and most often degrading the other.

Wow, and who would imagine that after thousands of years of some version of porn (do you really think there were no voyeurs in Ancient Rome? wrong) that the sudden slight convenience of internet porn verses mailed/cornerstore porn is going to ruin the view of intimacy, ESPECIALLY if the parents display a healthy view of intimacy? Now I'm not trying to be an ass, but if your kid is that stupid, the problem isn't porn. We have survived the advances of porn for thousands of years and, because of the internet, we are suddenly brainless monkies?

When viewing porn on the internet starts becoming an addiction, the viewer becomes obsessed with making/stealing time for this activity. He/she will turn down healthy invitations to social activities, preferring time with the computer, will find excuses to be home alone or locked in their room, etc.

Because no young boy discovers masturbation unless someone points it out to them, and they'd hardly disappear to the bathroom when they did find it. C'mon guys, admit it, for the first little while you did it a lot. I'm not giving you shit, but be honest.

Don Juan, move over—there is a new role model for young good looking guys—the predator! There is a generation of young men who think that sex is a game. They are the hunter and any girl is the hunted, the concept of relationship does not even cross their mind. They emulate the role models they see on porn sites, and strive to be like them.

And where the hell are you dad? While it's apparent that every generation would far prefer to lay the blame on something else, let's get down to brass tacks: Your fault. Now, it could be because we as parents do not get a handbook. We're flying by the seat of our pants here. However, at least admit you've made mistakes. We all have, nothing to be ashamed of. It could also be the example set by dear old dad. Dear old dad who divorced mom after 20 years because that hot thing on his arm is younger and prettier. Don't worry dad, mom does it too. You and your friends teach these boys where to get their ideas. Predators are glamorized as "playas" on tv yeah, but where the hell were you, from when he was a little boy? You obviously weren't teaching him proper respect for a woman. And the worse you treat women, well, the more he gets the idea that they aren't meant to be treated respectfully. Studies still show that the biggest influence on a child is his or her parents. So guess who's falling down on the job? The buck stops here, you are the weakest link, pick a phrase, but get it.

If you read "understanding your critical role" you see a ton of good ideas. I can't argue with any of these really. I suppose I could question just what exactly they mean by "protect" as it's constantly misused as "don't even let them know it exists", but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

I can't argue with "things you should know". Those ARE things you should know...if you're doing your job.

In the "6 Signs Your Kid Could Be At Risk" I have a problem with. At risk of what? A disturbing scene? Have you seen the NON-porn things these kids have sent to each other? What exactly is the risk here? Getting an idea? Knowing young men, they probably have already heard it from a friend and decided to accept/discard it. I'm really not sure what the risk is.

1. The family computer is conveniently placed in the basement, attic, back room
2. Your child has a computer with internet access in their room
3. Your child has their own laptop with internet access
4. You have not set parental controls on the computers that your children have access to
5. You never check the history on you’re computers browser
6. Your teen creates/finds situations to be home alone and on the computer

In other words, shadow your child constantly. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of supervision, but you have to learn at some point to start trusting your kid a little. If nothing else (especially if you're one of those constantly harping on what the "right" way to raise a child is), trust the method you used. Just as those who seek to be enlightened must maintain a state of unconscious wakefulness, you must maintain a state of watchful trust, tailored to your child. Some children need more watching than others, but they all need to feel that you believe in them to make the right decisions. By setting parental controls and checking their history and not leaving them alone, you show that you don't believe they can handle responsibility. This being the same little brat you bought a 2 ton metal machine that goes in excess of 100 mph. Wow, schizo much? You'll trust him to not run over someone and speed around (though it's been proven that damn near every teenage boy does) and yet can't trust him to not go into a sexual frenzy over the site of a vagina? Please be aware, this says a lot more about you than it does him.

The younger your children are when you start your action plan the less resistance you will meet; the following are the basic House Rules for all ages at all times.

Wow, David Koresh's guide to brainwashing: the sooner you can get them under your thumb, the sooner you can laze back and let the threat manage things. I'm not saying don't teach them young, but this phrase suggests making them malleable to better able to control them. Just remember, when you have made them so and are in control, you've left the back door open to everyone else that would like them malleable and controllable. Also, a sign that you're too lazy to BE a parent. As long as you maintain control over them, you don't have to actually teach them a thing, huh? What gets me is you treat them like little children as long as possible and then SEND them off to college. When the dean calls for the 8th time about Johnny's alcohol stash and Jenny's been busted blowing the football team again, you're surprised! Really? And it's all porn's fault, not yours for treating them like they're 5 until the day they moved out. You gave a 6 year old a credit card and now you're pissed because he spent 10k on toys.

Look, I see what it is. You're lazy. It only takes a village to raise a child when mom and dad don't want to do it. You have relegated the responsibility of your child to everyone else. The schools teach them sex, political views, acceptable behavior. The church teaches them values. The internet, the tv, the books must all be modified to suit what you want them to learn. What the hell do you do? Not a fuckin' thing. What gets me is you are the same lazy asses who get mad at what the schools teach them. "I don't want my kid learning that liberal bullshit/redneck religion". Well, they gotta teach them SOMETHING, you're damn sure not doing it. Don't bitch if you don't like it. You bitch, and yet you STILL don't take responsibility. You don't change it, you expect everyone else to change.

The buck stops here. We are the ones who CHOSE the responsibility of OUR children. I don't want to raise your kids. Chances are, I don't LIKE your kids. I may feel that some of the "child free" are some stuck up bastards but there's one thing they have right: They didn't choose to have children, YOU raise them. I didn't choose to have more children so what the hell makes you think I want responsibility for yours? If you want a village raising your kids, put them in a state home. Look how well that whole village thing is going for THOSE kids.

Homeschooling, unschooling and "Bad Parents"

There's this site called babble.com. Apparently they allow articles that go against the grain of standardized parenting. Some homeschoolers on there. Joanne Rudnall wrote an article on her first attempt at homeschooling. She has chosen to use an unschooling method. IMO, a perfect method at least to start with seeing as how her son is 5 years old. The article is fine, I'm sure we could find places to disagree were we to talk, but the article doesn't bother me. The comments, WOW. What a bunch of losers. What gets me is the hoops they jump through in their mind to justify their OMG reaction with.

1. The little boy gets the appropriate amount of sleep for a young child, he just stays up late. Why is it that everyone thinks that everyone else has to follow THEIR timetable? I'm sorry, I'm not a morning person. I get my energy and my drive after dark. Since we've started homeschooling the kids sleep as they wish. My older children are up at the butt crack of dawn, greeting the sun as it rises to the sky. Myself and my younger children come blearily stumbling through the house after daylight to find that my oldest children are eating breakfast and have already started on today's lessons. I would hardly find this abuse. Ok, so their lives aren't lived by bells and whistles, ordering them when to stay or go. They learn punctuality, as I'm a great believer in it. We have appointments just like any other family and those times are strictly adhered to. Just in the rest of our life, a clock doesn't run it.

2. She took him to a bar. OMGOMGOMG!!!!! Ok, not the bars YOU hang out in, but a family friendly pub type bar. She's English, as I understand it, that's normal. Where's the objection here? Is it the alcohol? If so, arrest any parent who's ever had a drink at home. I don't care if it's an upscale bar...it's not the dive we go to where there are fights every night, someone's always loudly sloshed, and the waitress has brained a guy twice with her tray because he can't keep his hands off her ass. He's not even getting alcohol, he's drinking cranberry juice. Get over it.

3. Why do people assume homeschoolers are some elite bunch with a ton of disposable money? I've never met or heard such a person. Sorry, but we make sacrifices to be able to stay home with our kids and teach them. We don't get Red Lobster every night, we don't drive a new car, we don't have a cool tv, our clothes are not in style (but they are comfortable). Every homeschool parent I know or have heard of barely make ends meet. We aren't taking advantage of a easy life, we are sacrificing for something we feel is more important.

4. A beer doesn't equal getting wasted. So if we get to have a beer or margarita at 2 pm at the playdate, that's no different than you coming home to your kids and having a martini in front of them. We don't assume YOU get roaring drunk, why do you assume we do?

5. The children were naked, playing in the mud. It seems if you're going to let kids play in the mud, nudity is the best option. Especially if you're riding a subway home. I get it, to you nudity means everyone is having sex. I'm sorry, not all of us tie sex to nudity. Some of us actually get naked for other reasons. I took my clothes off last week for a strange man, spread my legs wide open, and accepted his entry. He was my gynocologist. No sex involved...pervert. If you think those paper gowns mean anything except to make you feel better, you have issues. I mean really, they are up your cooch, is the paper gown really doing anything to keep him from seeing it? It's just there so you feel dignified.

6. She hasn't read the unschooling handbook. I find it amusingly strange that an unschooling parent has said that another unschooling parent is at fault because she didn't get information out of THE unschooling handbook. Waitwaitwait, you mean to tell me, the person who believes learning is best on hand and in the world (not from books) is telling another unschooler that she can unschool best if she gets it from...waitforit....a BOOK?????

7. He watched Juno. THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TV FOR A LITTLE BOY....Ok, YOU watch Disney every day. Who are you to say what's "appropriate" for a kid you haven't met? Ok, I get it, YOUR kid isn't smart enough to get it so other people's kids can't watch it. Why don't we tell all the kids who can read 4 grade levels ahead of their own that yes, I know you understand it and yes, the "baby" books are simple, but you are only 6 and so MUST only read the "baby" books. That's no different from telling an intelligent child he can only watch Sesame Street and Blue's Clues because it's for his "age group". You want to keep your kid limited, I suppose that's your business. MY kid however is going to be challenged at every opportunity. I think all the "oh so now your so cool because your kid can watch Juno" comments are jealousy because their kid can't UNDERSTAND Juno.

8. She's being arrogant? So are you, you are arrogant enough to think you know her whole life from an article. You are arrogant enough to think your method of raising children should override anyone else's. You're arrogant enough to think your rant should matter to anyone. She's ENGLISH. Different sense of humor, different way of talking, get over it.

9. Why do people think sending a child to school is the way to prepare a child for "real life"? I really don't know anyone who sits at a desk all day with only breaks for bathroom and lunch, calls his boss to get permission to use the bathroom, never talks to anyone, and listens to someone else lecture them for hours on end except for breaks on pre-made worksheets. No one, my husband doesn't know anyone either and he knows TONS of people. (My husband doesn't need a fave five, he needs a fave 60). We all know people who have to take responsibility for their own job, have meetings, take lunch and sometimes have lunch with a client, leave the office to go work on clients things, talk all day on the phone, and stop between clients to make sure their paperwork is filled out. They can take an hour off at any point in the day to go for a workout if they are stressed, accept phone calls from their wives (except during meeting times), and stop for a coke and a snack. If you're more working class (such as a roofer or welder) you definitely don't see a desk that day and you INTERACT (not merely in the presence of) with others. Oh wait, I DO know one guy who does that (except for listening to someone lecture him all day, he does do that part). He's a programmer and he has deplorable social skills. People consider him abnormal because he doens't talk to people much. Ok, so this situation is abnormal for adults, but acceptable for children because they are in the presence of 30 other kids they can't talk to? Wow, you're right, that's SO much better. Also, that whole segmented day thing, is your day segmented? I mean do you ONLY work on certain things at certain times of the day? What happens if something happens outside it's segment? Yes, I'm being deliberately obtuse, but really, you people SHOULD think about it.

Hell, you people should think, but I suppose that's entirely too much to ask.

Catch up on Kathleen

So, you all saw the motion to squash was granted and Shoemaker was ordered to show cause.

So now she has responses. I urge you to go read this mess, but I'll try to sum it up here.

1. She (Kathleen) doesn't agree with us, and that harms us. Lots of folks don't agree with me, I think it's a bit of a stretch to call it harm.

2. She used science and sense to prove us wrong, thereby making us look like we're wrong and forcing us to defend our science.

3. Her husband uses the wikipedia...oh the agony.

4. You have to post this verbatim:

Ms. Seidel states in her web site that others aid her, including her husband. That renders her activity a conspiracy to dissuade potential Federal litigants and their witnesses by intimidation and to penalize those who are not dissuaded by injury to their property interests, particularly their employment.

Others help her and somehow this turns into witness intimidation. I missed the part where it was proven she intimidated anyone. But then again, legalese confuses me.

5. My personal favorite. She claims to be a wife and mother, but she is so smart she must be getting help. Apparently us wives and mothers are entirely too stupid to look things up for ourselves and have good study skills.

6. She agrees with the pharma companies, so she MUST be getting help from them. Although you gotta love a man that puts someone else's opinion up as "beliefs" in quotes...as if they aren't real and poor little dumbass Kathleen, wife and mother, was led to a toxic well and dumb enough to drink. You guys know how much I hate pharma companies, but even I don't jump to this conclusion without a good reason.

You ought to go read this stuff..there's even testimonies as to how Kathleen's opposing viewpoint has harmed those involved. Quite frankly, if they were harmed it was due to their own behavior in objecting to having opposing viewpoints published. It's my understanding that this isn't the first time they've tried to use the courts to undermine science because they felt threatened that it didn't agree with them.

Neurodiversity

I'm not a legal person. Legalese tends to make me feel that my brain is going in circles and is not under it's own control ( can we declare legalspeak detrimental to one's health?). But this sounds like the worst kind of idiocy I've ever heard. Pretty much, this man's defense seems to be wives and mothers are entirely too stupid for this level of sophistication and there's some things I don't understand going on. Which says a lot more about him than it does about anyone else. He appears, in his response to show cause, using his own words, as a neanderthal and a whiner ("no one agrees with me, I"m going to squash opposing viewpoints so I don't look stupid"). IMO, he doesn't need outside help to look ridiculous, he does just fine on his own.

California's crackpots

I'ts been a few days since California ruled that same sex marriage is ok. The nuts have come out of the wood work like mad. If it's not christian "love" a la "kill all homos" (only the guy ones, you rarely hear diatribes against lesbians), it's how "unnatural" de gayznezz is, or it's how California has violated the will of the voters (amusingly enough, that's happened LOTS of times, but as long as it benefits them it's ok). They desperately grasp for any string that will pull the horses back. They swear in November it'll be different, or they threaten to overturn the state constitution.

Amazing, isn't it, how fast they turn on our US Constitution or their state Constitution when it doesn't do what they want?

Realize folks, if there had been a vote for interracial marriage the majority would have voted against it. If there had been a vote to allow women's rights, it would have been the majority against it. However, I now have the right to vote, marry a black man, or hell, marry a black woman. Get used to it. You keep pushing it and there will be an over turning of our Constitutions. The right to arms can be removed as fast as gays can be added. The right to freedom of religion can be removed as fast as same sex marriage added. You want to open this can of worms, go ahead. But realize, there are educated folks out there, that know that the right to bear arms is there to fight against tyranny, that freedom from religion serves both the atheist AND the christian, and that same sex marriage is a HUMAN right. You're gonna have to give up something, it seems you'd support same sex marriage because it's the least of your worries.


That and it's none of your fuckin' business to start with. I promise, I will be the first in line to vote against gay marriage if it passes and gay men show up to your house in droves to make you marry them. Somehow though, I don't think they want anything to do with your stuck up, bigoted ass. I wonder why?

Kids Cough Medicine; Or why you're an idiot THIS time

This isn't usually a problem I have myself, but atm, I DO have it. I foolishly took my son to the doctor (18 months) when he swallowed a very tiny fuse. The foolish part was taking him to the damn waiting room, where apparently we all caught a severe cold. (How do I know it was there? We hadn't left the house for a week except for the doctor appointment, how the hell else does the WHOLE family turn up sick on the SAME day? Anyone with more than one child knows if it's getting passed from child to child, each child generally turns up sick on a different day or a different time. Normally they don't all get sick at the same hour.) So anyhow, this is right after the big FDA warning: NO COUGH MEDS FOR THE LITTLES.

Naturally of course parents are now in the throes of the newest demand and so what you see online is "OMG, NO!! No cough meds!!!! IT'S THE DEATH!!!" And this classic suggestion from the apparently brilliant at CNN-massages and music....let's just sing the sick away...PRAISES...pray..er..sing the sick away...yeah....

Listen VERY carefully you morons-STOP GUESSING DOSAGE!!!! It takes 5 minutes to call the nurse, give her/him your child's weight and get a proper dosage suggested. If you don't (for some odd reason) have a doctor, you can also call the hospital and get someone to tell you (sometimes, they are so afraid of lawsuits. However, a nurse in a location not to be named did NOT tell my husband that sudafed is ok for pregnant women..get me? My doc's answering service was down). Also, why in the hell (unless there's some fever) would you give a child a dosage EVERY 4 hours just because the meds say so? How do you know if they are getting better??? ATM, my 3 year old is getting Motrin ONLY for fever, she has no cough, throat pain, congestion. Dosage naturally double checked since I'm not a complete moron. My 18 month old is getting tylenol cold and cough ONLY for sleeping. Not so *I* can sleep, I'm still not sleeping, but so HE can. Who doesn't know it's VERY important to get plenty of rest when you're sick? Hell, it's one of the things the doc ALWAYS says "drink plenty of fluids and get a lot of rest". If your body is wore out from lack of sleep, it's gonna be shit to fight off illness. So, except for nap and bedtime I leave him alone except to wipe his nose and check for fever. This also allows me to pay attention to his symptoms, so I can see if they are improving, worsening, or maintaining. If you're giving a child an anti-fever medicine, you're not gonna be able to tell if fever is a new symptom. (Yes, it does treat a symptom he doesn't have, however, he has all the rest). My daughter doesn't get her Motrin unless she shows signs of returning fever, not at the exact moment the medicine says so. Motrin says wait 6-8 hours, so I wait generally longer. If her fever isn't returning, kind of stupid to give her medicine for it, wouldn't you think?

Use a little common sense. You are all so quick right now to return to the methods of our grandmother's time. Some are great, I won't lie. My grandmother is one of the first I call too. But common sense applies. A tiny amount of whiskey and honey is suggested for over 1 year olds...that IS an old method, but not my idea of a GOOD one. Don't be so quick to throw out medicines. Remember, while some of these children's medicines haven't been tested on kids, neither has many of these home remedies. At least Robotussin has been on the market for 40 years and is something we can sue over if it's wrong. Yeah, echinacea has been around a lot longer, but my grandmother (much as I like to think she knows everything) does NOT know medicine. Also, what works for you not only won't work for others, but may prompt an allergic reaction. I'm allergic to belladonna, a staple in many natural sty remedies (and some pharma ones).

Look, I'm not a big one for meds myself. Quite frankly, except for yesterday I've been treating MY cold naturally. I had to finally take something to help me relieve my symptoms long enough to get some rest, just like I had to do for my son. But I'm for sure not stupid enough to throw out medicines that HAVE been tested publicly over 40 years just because you people are too stupid to give it properly. And I surely am not going to be shamed into letting my children suffer by a bunch of idiots who read a headline and start screaming like Chicken Little (or who are all too stupid to pay attention to their kids and the medicines they take).

As for the deaths that have occurred even when properly dosed...I believe it was 30 deaths in the last 40 years...not to sound too harsh, but really....there have been more deaths in the last 5 years from driving cars, we're not throwing cars out are we??

BTW, for those of you too stupid to pay attention, if your kid isn't improving after 3 days TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOR. I know some of you people are giving these kids this crap for a week with no doctor visit...that's beyond stupid. If my kids haven't improved by tomorrow morning they go to the doctor. I don't keep dosing them for a week. And if they are improving, they not only don't need a doctor, they don't need the damn medicine. You don't keep giving kids this shit for a week, that's just idiocy. That also includes home remedies...TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOR. Yeah, it may still be a cold, but if you're kid isn't improving, isn't it safer to be sure they don't have something worse than to wait and let it really settle in? You think a doctor visit is expensive, try hospital bills.

Observations of Hypocrisy: Or Nothing New Today

There was a huge outcry when the Iraqi war began. Bush said "You're either with us or against us". Republicans called democrats "traitors to America" for not supporting the war. Dems cried out that they weren't traitors, the war was wrong. Many were angered that their loyalty to our country was called into question because they felt the best thing for America was staying out of the Iraqi war. Dem's weren't "patriotic", they were supporting Osama, giving aid to the terrorists. Dems were, naturally, very upset over these accusations. As they should have been. t shouldn't be one way or the other. We should be allowed to hold opinions against something without having our loyalties called into question. And the dems said that.

But apparently, the dems don't see their own form of "you're with us or against us". Yeah, those dems have one of their own. "FOR THE CHILDREN". If you don't do what THEY think is best "FOR THE CHILDREN", then you obviously hate THE CHILDREN. You're not allowed to have general disagreements about an idea because it's FOR THE CHILDREN, so you HAVE to support it to prove you really love THE CHILDREN.

So, the dems have made it clear that they really ARE unpatriotic, traitorous supporters of Osama. Because if they want to hold the repubs to FOR THE CHILDREN, then we should hold them to "YOUR WITH US OR AGAINST US". It's only fair.

Lifestyle War

So here I am, chatting in the comments of Gas-doc's blog, when I make a statement that, after I typed it, made me jump in my seat. We are in a Lifestyle War.

Did I dare say it, yep, I sure did. Lifestyle War. We are in a battle to be left alone and live our lives in peace. I say this because there's the smoking thing, because apparently some people are too functionally retarded to see a Smoking permitted sign and go elsewhere...or shouldn't have to go elsewhere. Then there's the Obesity war...you do realize our government is declaring war on us, the citizens, on a fairly regular basis here lately, don't you? I mean, diabetics are assholes, smokers are assholes, fat people are assholes, mothers are assholes. We cause all the world's problems, so therefore we are going to be regulated. We are too fat, too sick, too ewwy. The entire basis of the smoking problem is based on "I don't like the smell". Fat people are gross. Diabetics cost too much. You realize Americans are being punished for 9/11? Yeah, our phones can be tapped without a warrant, we can see every book you check out...the guy who actually DID it? Our government not only has no real clue where he is, but they don't CARE. Gays can't marry. Mothers are being told not to eat too much because they'll get fat. Oh we can't have that!!! FAT PEOPLE!! ARGH!!!!! However, they played with mom's weight back in the 60's and we ended up with a bunch of dying, ill, or defected children. The current weight gain was decided after that. Go ahead moms, worry about your figure...Jr. doesn't really need to be healthy.

To top it off, every bit of it is a lie. You people are being played for fools. I'd laugh, but you idiots are fucking us all over.

What really gets me is while we're worrying about how people look, or how ewwy they are, our kids have become ruder, there is still crime at high rates, people are actually less intelligent (that's what you get for getting your information through sound bites). We are, as a group, actually bigger assholes. But character isn't important, how you LOOK,now that's the real factor huh? We don't even hold our politicians up to any decent kind of standard anymore. Just don't smoke, don't get a blowjob, you're in. You can torture folks, I mean it's not like they are REAL human beings. We have a football player making national news for going to court for abusing his dog while we discuss denying health care to people because we don't like something they do. If we let a dog starve to death, someone gets arrested. But hey, we'll let that person that can't function on any level slowly starve to death because it's not ok to let people be humanely put to sleep. If we let them die, we'll let them starve to death, that's much nicer. We wonder why our kids do so much drugs while we let sports figures "juice up", they don't get fired. Maybe banned a few weeks, maybe dock 10k from their 3.5 million dollar salary. But hey, they WIN..standards be damned.

Do you get it yet? As a country, we are depraved, selfish, assholes..but who cares..we need to stop smoking and fat people!!!!!! Clarion is CHARGING people money (employees mind you) from the paycheck they earn, if they smoke or are fat. That's theft people. But that's ok, we can steal some of their paychecks, because theft is ok when it's something we don't like. We wonder why our children have become such scuzzy little, criminal bastards...maybe that's why. Maybe because you're too busy declaring Lifestyle Wars instead of being a good person.

Don't you ever wonder, if smoking is so horrible, why isn't it banned? And don't give me that prohibition doesn't work shit. It hasn't stopped you on drugs, and backdoor prohibition is still prohibition, except it hurts more because apparently the backdoor is you fucking a smoker in the ass. You take our money, tell us you will take away our rights, want to remove our children.....honey, that's prohibition. Actually that's a pathetic manipulative tactic, but it's ok to manipulate people instead of just remove the problem. It's ok to prohibit it in every way possible, that's not REALLY prohibition. You people really suck at justification. Oh fuck it, I hate you. I hate you all. Not because I'm a smoker, but because I'm a human being. A real one, with standards...and you aren't. You are just a bunch of selfish, egotistical, depraved animals with serious intelligence issues.

"Public Health" or How Stupid is Our Country?

I've been reading so much here lately about "public health" and it's bullshit. I think what irritates me the most is not that these people are talking, as it is the rest of you are listening. What, did you brain just shut off? Are you perhaps, functionally retarded? And if you are, why are you up to treating me like I am just because you don't want to hire your own personal nanny?

It's not that I don't hear you. I agree to some extent. Health care access in this country sucks ass. Yes, someone needs to do something about it. I have an idea, very productive actually too. More productive than standing in the I'm a fuckin retard line with the rest of you idiots. Why don't we push for legislation that stops allowing hospitals to charge $14 for ONE tylenol??? You have seen the price of tylenol right? $14 will buy you 3 bottles of the stuff, 2 bottles if you get the big ones. I know you people have bought aspirin...you know how much it costs. If you really want to lessen the costs of health care, let's start with, oh I don't know the PRICE GOUGING???? You idiots want to write your congressman, let's at least start with the cost of ONE TYLENOL before we go refusing treatment to folks. Before we blame diabetics, smokers, and fat people, why don't we show just a little, a smidgeon, of fuckin' intelligence. You know as well as I do that $14 for a tylenol is about $13 too much. You'd rather be an inhuman monster, blaming other people for your idiocy, than to address the real issue here? Before we call out Big Brother, can we at least take a wittle look see at the hospital bills? Go ahead and click the subject link, I'll wait. See, there it is, $126 for a box of tissues?? How much do YOU pay for a box of tissues? I know I pay $1.26, not $126. How much are tissues really worth to you?

I just don't understand you people. All ready to hand your body to the state so they can decide for you, but not near willing to look at a fuckin' medical bill and go "This is fuckin' ridiculous". You will write your congressman because fat people, smokers, and diabetics "cost too much" not realizing you cost too fuckin' much too! But yours is for being STUPID.

National Health Care isn't the answer. You obviously don't want to pay for others decisions (fat, smokers, diabetics). Fine, I have no disagreement with that. I don't want to pay for your stupid decisions either. So how about a little price control? It's been done, in Maryland, and apparently, there are still hospitals in Maryland! How about that? They can live without severe overcharging. Quit donating to the ACS, the ALS, they've made no inroads on cancer. Why don't you make it easier for cancer patients to get their meds and pay their bills so they don't leave their families in destitution? Let's stop weighing them down with medical bills. Maybe if we stop paying the ACS and the ALS money they'll understand that we won't pay unless we get real results. Kill two birds with one stone? Go donate to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association. Tell them you want realistic prices for health care. National health care will put us all in the same sinking boat, don't you think it's time to get your head out of your ass and bail some fuckin' water you selfish assholes?

Kids should be seen and not hear, EVER

I don't have to comment on this:

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — It's what kids do: squeal in delight when they're having fun.

But to some Long Island residents those squeals were unwelcome noise, and they wanted two neighborhood girls playing in a backyard pool to pipe down.

The complaints fell on deaf ears Wednesday night when Bayville's acting village justice dismissed a summons accusing the girls' parents, William and Rachel Poczatek, of violating a village noise ordinance.

"I think the village did the right thing," William Poczatek said.

Poczatek said he was shocked when he and his wife were slapped with a summons. Sure, he said, Ashley, 11, and 5-year-old Chloe make noise when they're outside enjoying their aboveground swimming pool.

"What, are you telling me that a kid can't make noise?" he protested. "It's not fair."

The Poczateks were cleared because the ordinance is usually reserved for "the shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors, which disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood," their attorney said.

The statute didn't apply," insisted attorney Andrew Campanelli, who got no argument from the judge or prosecutor.

Before the hearing, neighbor Sheila Brown said the children's squeals were not your usual brand of merriment.

"I have five dogs," Brown said. "Five dogs don't make this much noise. This is not something that started yesterday. They have been asked politely, but this is an ongoing issue far beyond children just playing in the pool."

Neighbors did not speak with reporters after the court proceeding.

Poczatek offered a conciliatory message: "Yes, we will try to keep them quieter."

Screw keeping them quieter. If these people don't like the noise of children, I suggest they find another place to live away from them. 5 dogs make less noise than 2 children???? I have FOUR children, and when we get them all together my mother's 4 dogs make more noise than my 4 kids at full throttle. What, kids can't laugh and yell when playing? Fuck off...you don't like it, MOVE where there are no children. I'm sure you think children shouldn't exist, and you have your right to feel that way. But you have no right to stop them from being what they are, children, who laugh and play.

Oops, forgot the link: Fox News

Men and Women

There's a new book that's made the America's Best list..one of them..called The Dangerous Book for Boys. Geared to...you guessed it, boys. Now I could give a shit about gender roles, really. I really don't care. My kids will be whatever they want to be and be happy at it, society's views mean nothing. Boys and girls are different. I'm sorry to break any hearts on the whole equality thing, but we are. And it goes a lot further than boys have a penis and girls have a vagina. Men are better able to perform certain feats better, but then again, women have their own feats they do better. That doesn't make men better than women, or vice versa. We are simply different. Men's bodies are made to do these things, women's are made to do those things. I can admit that simply because, I don't care. Men's bodies are more capable of certain physical activities than females. Females bodies are more capable of certain physical activities than male. It really evens out in the end, and none of it has anything to do with whether or not a girl can work on a car. Quite frankly, I'm a much better mechanic than my husband, even with that one little incident (don't ask). At least I think I am, I'm more apt to fix my car myself, he takes it to a mechanic. But then again, my husband has a much more extensive knowledge of geography and history than I do. It doesn't matter if we're boys or girls, just we have different talents.

One little tangent, you ever notice how some women tend to look down on the homemaker? If this was REALLY about equality, why do some women feel that all women MUST be doing something traditionally male to support the cause? Really, if you feel that men and women are equal and a woman *can* do anything a man can do.....why do you look down on women that do cooking, baking, marriage, kids? You're looking down on that role yourself. So you perpetuate the idea that "women's things" are less than "men's things". When in all actuality, it's all pretty individualized and all very much equal in it's fashion.

So why are we bitching about the book? Just 'cuz Boys is in the title? Who cares. Traditionally these were the guidelines for boys..there is nothing wrong with wanting to give those same guidelines to boys who follow the traditional mode in behavior. If you're a good parent, you've read the book first and are teaching your child where your views separate from the traditional guidelines. And if there are girls that prefer to do more boy type things, then the book serves for them. Again, read the book and tell her where you're own views separate from the book's.

Look people, men and women are different. We aren't capable of quite the same things. I'm sorry. WHEN there is a woman capable, she ought to be able to compete with men and vice versa. But sometimes you people carry it way too far. You have a severe hangup....

The problem with people

While I type this, instead of smokers sitting back, cigarette in hand, quietly chuckling, I see many afraid. And those with some intelligence in the non-smoking side of things sit in fear as well. Naturally the stupid and the anti's out-scream them both. We smokers watched as you enroached upon everything. Talking bullshit about "choice", while steadily removing real choice in favor of the the false "choice" you offered...the anti-smoker way alone. ANd we told you then, "They will be after your food next." And everyone of you stupid little twats said "Well that'd be stupid!" Stupid or not, yep, they are. However, we smokers can't sit back and chuckle, because quite frankly, this shit isn't funny. It's a long article, but it's definitely worth the read. I know you don't want to be scared, but you damn well better prepare yourself. A couple of quotes and we'll get on to the real point of this entry.

This extraordinary development, which will forever change the face of pediatric medicine and private family life — eliminating the ability of doctors to practice quality medicine and of families to make their own choices on their foods and lifestyles, and even how parents may parent — was completely ignored by mainstream media.

This may sound melodramatic, but it won’t after you’ve read the new recommendations for the medical management of fat children and teens just released by the AMA, CDC and HHS from the “Expert Committee on the Assessment, Prevention and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity.” Before getting into just who is this Expert Committee and who is funding it, let’s get right to their harrowing clinical practice guidelines, which were posted on the AMA website.

Every well-child visit is now to include a qualitative assessment of eating behaviors, which must include identifying how often the family eats meals away from home, consumption of sweetened beverages, portion sizes, how often and what children and teens eat for breakfast, how much fruit juice is drunk, how many fruits and vegetables and foods high in fat or calories are eaten, and the frequency and types of snacks.

Each pediatric check-up should also include a determination of physical activity which is to include “at a minimum” if the young person is meeting recommendations for 1 hour of moderate to intense physical activity everyday and, if not, why and what social, environmental or familial situations are standing in the way; and how many hours they watch TV or videos, play video games and use the computer, to ensure screen time is less than 2 hours a day.

Every child deemed “overweight” or “obese” by these new standards should have not just blood pressure measurements, but a complete work-up for all “obesity-related risk factors” — one that appears more appropriate for an elderly, ill cardiac patient — as the referenced table shows:

If this doesn't scare you, you're a retard. Not the "I'm going to insult you by calling you names" kind of retard. I mean you HAVE to be functionally retarded. I mean, like Corky. Go read the article. It SHOULD be required reading. Check her links...and now on to the point of this entry:

The trouble with most of you people is you can't be bothered to think. You have your work, your tai-bo classes, your suburban mommy playdate suck your husband's cock every Wednesday at 10 bullshit. And while you're living your life in your little perfect fuckin' bubble, those of us with more intelligence than, say, the average pile of shit are to sit here and run your life. "We'll let the doctors/lawyers/politicans figure it out, that's what they are there for." "Doesn't the DOCTOR know more about this than we do?" "That's what those scientist guys do is figure this out so I can sit on my porch with those neighbors I hate and brag about little Timmy's little league homer?"

I have a little newsflash for you: We're no more honest than you are. And some of us smart people DO look down on you and say "Yeah, we can fuck you in the ass without lube, because your too busy hiding your little pharmaceutical addiction to worry about how much it's gonna hurt when we're done." You're too busy worrying about a non-existent "War on Christianity", your next tai-bo class, when you're gonna cheat on your wife, or whether your little Timmy gets the grade you WANT him to have rather than the one he deserves. You sit in your little bubble, voting in retards and power hungry warmongers cuz your afwaid. You sit in your little bubbles, where nothing has changed except the cost of everything, thinking about shit that means NOTHING. You sit in your little bubble, with your big ass skeletons in the closet, judging smokers and fat people and drug addicts while you tell us how to live our lives. Your perfect little bubble, that really isn't so perfect. Because obviously if everything was perfect at home, you wouldn't be out looking for ways to bug others. You'd be at home in your perfect life.

And now they're after your food...and to torment your children. But that's ok right? You're still stupid enough to think that little Tommy hasn't noticed the pharmaceutical company you keep in the medicine cabinet. Don't you think it's time to wake the fuck up?