I got a call that came up as a private number and decided to take it. What's the worst that could happen? It was Dick Morris in a very moving speech that really didn't say anything outside of rhetorical devices. It asked me to stay on the line to participate in a survey of Tea Party supporters. I figured this could be as much fun as the call I took from the NRA a while ago.
I was informed that Mr. Morris just wrote a book on how to revolt against president Obama and his socialist agenda. Then I was asked which conservative I think led as the best example for us to follow today. I didn't want to let the person know my views yet, so I said Thomas Jefferson. She replied with "Oh, going back in history. I heard Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
"I didn't say Abraham Lincoln. I only said Thomas Jefferson," I replied.
"Well, we certainly could use someone like him today," she said.
At this point I refrained from asking what about Thomas Jefferson led her to believe he'd support her side. Instead, I listened to hear how they were planning to take out a full page add in USA Today and if they could count on my $200 contribution to defeat Obama, again mentioning that not only is he the worst president since Carter, but the worst ever. I asked her what he's done to be the worst. She said the car bailouts, to which I asked why were they so bad. The companies are profitable and they paid back all the loans. Then she started talking about fighter pilots in Libya. I broke in and said that I wasn't saying anything about Libya, but why was the car manufacturers bailout bad when they worked.
I asked her what she thought about the bank bailouts by Bush. I asked if they had paid their money back. She said no. I asked what she thought about the bonuses their executives received. She had no reply. I asked her about all of the corporate tax breaks and she said the president had no business doing anything like that. I replied that it seemed like Congress was leading the way there. I was about to ask about all of the state governments selling themselves to business, but she started to thank me for my call and that we weren't going to agree on anything.
I asked her why she didn't want to have a discussion. Did she want it to be a case of I think this, you think that, and let's see who has more people? Isn't that a bit juvenile? She was trying every way she could think of to get off the phone with me without just hanging up. She kept repeating that she was glad I had my opinions. Then I asked how she got my name as a supporter of the Tea Party. She asked if I was so-and-so, who happens to be my brother. I replied, "No, I'm another so-and-so. That's my brother. I'm the owner of this house." Then I let her off the hook. Now I know why they had the name and number blocked. They don't want real discussion. They just want you to agree or not know of their existence.
It was an invigorating, but scary look into the psyche of a part of the American public and their leaders. With no information at all, with nothing but rhetorical devices and scare tactics politicians and lobbyists try and succeed to get vast amounts of money and support. Maybe the answer is to limit everyone to a single term in office. With no pressure to get re-elected, maybe politicians will start to represent people again and not special interests and corporations. I don't know. Our system is broken. I have no idea how to fix it.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Realtor Rant
If you schedule a visit at 1:30, a 15 minute buffer for me to get out of the house should be more than enough. Stop showing up early, without even calling with a warning. I have a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a large dog that all have to get out of the house. Said creatures need to be cleaned-up after before we leave and I don't care how much you clean ahead of time, there will be magic clutter that appears where they exist, and as we all know from watching HGTV, it is impossible to sell a house with any visible clutter. I'm already conceding the fact that children live in the house, so I'm working at a disadvantage here. Don't make my live more difficult by showing up early, during nap time and wondering if I mind that you are early. I want to sell my house. You have somebody with you who wants to sell a house. At least apologize or even acknowledge the inconvenience.
Next time I sell a house, I'm writing into every document a deduction to the buyer's agent commission if they or anyone from their office brings somebody to my house more than 15 minutes before the scheduled time. In fact, I'm including a deduction for any showings that last less than 5 minutes or are scheduled after 6:00.
Next time I sell a house, I'm writing into every document a deduction to the buyer's agent commission if they or anyone from their office brings somebody to my house more than 15 minutes before the scheduled time. In fact, I'm including a deduction for any showings that last less than 5 minutes or are scheduled after 6:00.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Stabbed in the back by a little rogue
Earlier this school year I decided to try a Donor's Choose project. It's an awesome website that lets anybody partially or fully fund grants/projects that teachers put together to use with their students. We were starting a new anti-bullying program and I wanted to do some team building, so I thought it would be fun to get some GPS devices and do some geocaching-like activities with them. I was fortunate enough to get a project funded and got two units. Another generous friend donated one she had. This all came together in the middle of winter. Suffice to say, conditions were not right for that sort of activity until later in the spring.
Meanwhile, I was reorganizing some of the rooms in my house and moved all of my computer equipment. When I looked for the GPS's one of the new ones was missing. I figured I misplaced it and because it was a product of a grant funded by generous donors, I replaced it.
Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I was able to get everything organized, the weather was better, and testing was over (except for Keystones - sorry Algebra kids), so we got outside. My kids loved it. They had so much fun, even though the field was soggy, it was windy, the sun hid, and it even rained a bit. The most reticent and stubborn kids ran up to me after and asked when we would do it again. It was a success.
A few days ago, I was cleaning off my work area at school, and one of the GPS devices was missing again. The one I had just bought. I had hoped that I had merely misplaced the other one, but now I'm pretty certain. Somebody stole them from my classroom. It was also a malicious, intentional theft because they took the newer one each time, even though there were two there and they walked past a bag of 30 graphing calculators and had to go behind my desk to get them.
After all of the uncertainty and negative rhetoric thrown at teachers in the past months, this was the icing on the cake. It's hard to look at my classes and wonder who took it. It's hard because I know it was at most a couple of people who are souring my entire perspective and opinion of the other 80 students. It's hard because I feel betrayed. At this point, I guess I'll have to rely on somebody coming forward. Otherwise, I'm out of luck and $300 worth of GPS's. Thanks, losers.
Meanwhile, I was reorganizing some of the rooms in my house and moved all of my computer equipment. When I looked for the GPS's one of the new ones was missing. I figured I misplaced it and because it was a product of a grant funded by generous donors, I replaced it.
Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I was able to get everything organized, the weather was better, and testing was over (except for Keystones - sorry Algebra kids), so we got outside. My kids loved it. They had so much fun, even though the field was soggy, it was windy, the sun hid, and it even rained a bit. The most reticent and stubborn kids ran up to me after and asked when we would do it again. It was a success.
A few days ago, I was cleaning off my work area at school, and one of the GPS devices was missing again. The one I had just bought. I had hoped that I had merely misplaced the other one, but now I'm pretty certain. Somebody stole them from my classroom. It was also a malicious, intentional theft because they took the newer one each time, even though there were two there and they walked past a bag of 30 graphing calculators and had to go behind my desk to get them.
After all of the uncertainty and negative rhetoric thrown at teachers in the past months, this was the icing on the cake. It's hard to look at my classes and wonder who took it. It's hard because I know it was at most a couple of people who are souring my entire perspective and opinion of the other 80 students. It's hard because I feel betrayed. At this point, I guess I'll have to rely on somebody coming forward. Otherwise, I'm out of luck and $300 worth of GPS's. Thanks, losers.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Enough is enough
America is under attack. I am not speaking metaphorically. I am not using hyperbole. We are under attack. The opposition has been building up its forces, its munitions, and its other resources for many years now. It has been waging a propaganda war for quite some time now and has been softening us up without our even knowing it. The first shots have been fired. They have been strategic attacks aimed at our best and only defenses. They attack now with impunity secure in their beliefs that we have become so apathetic and helpless that there will be no resistance. They fight with words. They fight with ideas. They fight with money.
I've had enough. I am not content to let this happen. Wisconsin has shown us that resistance is not futile. We have numbers. We are the people and we should all be saying, "Enough is enough!" Sure we have differences, but we should be united by what we have in common, rather than divided by how we are different. Divide and conquer has been their mantra. We need to stop saying, "Why should that person get something when I don't?" We need to start saying, "What can I do so we can all have that?"
There is an orchestrated concerted effort on many new/ish Republican governors acting under the guise of fiscal conservatism. They are making a power grab. They are eliminating their competition. They are working to do the opposite of their traditional role of limiting government. The patterns are there across the country. Anywhere they can, they are increasing the influence of corporations and diminishing the rights of actual human beings. Michigan's governor is trying to pass legislation that would allow a corporation to swoop in during a "financial crisis" and actually dismiss elected officials. Who decides if it's a crisis? The governor. The Wisconsin governor has been trying to eliminate public unions' right to collective bargaining under the guise of a budget repair bill. Thanks to a prank phone call, we got proof that he is just a tool for corporate money.
It's time for elected officials to stop pandering to corporate interests. They represent us, not a company. They need our best interests in mind, not how they can raise more money for their campaigns. Across the nation, our "leaders" are attempting to push through legislation that limits people's rights. In the name of fiscal responsibility, education is being gutted with school vouchers to private/religious institutions as an alternative. Schools are being told that they need to increase performance, will be held accountable for students scores, and must do all of this with drastically reduced funding that will result in larger class sizes, fewer resources, and no respect. The Pennsylvania governor announced a budget that would no longer reward teachers for earning Master's Degree and would actually lower the requirements to become a teacher!
I'm sick of it. I'm sick of money ruling all. I'm sick of personal gain being a roadblock to societal success. Do we want to be a successful country, or do we want it to be easy for corporations to run their businesses? I'll leave you with one last question: Where do corporations go to make the most money? They go to countries with the laxest laws that let them do whatever they want to the workforce to mass produce products regardless of the cost to human welfare. Is that where we are going? (sorry, had to add another question.)
Please, contact any and all government officials that you can. Remind them that there are more of us than them. They call rile up the extremes of their party all they want, but all parties have reasonable people with common goals. People need to come first, not money.
I've had enough. I am not content to let this happen. Wisconsin has shown us that resistance is not futile. We have numbers. We are the people and we should all be saying, "Enough is enough!" Sure we have differences, but we should be united by what we have in common, rather than divided by how we are different. Divide and conquer has been their mantra. We need to stop saying, "Why should that person get something when I don't?" We need to start saying, "What can I do so we can all have that?"
There is an orchestrated concerted effort on many new/ish Republican governors acting under the guise of fiscal conservatism. They are making a power grab. They are eliminating their competition. They are working to do the opposite of their traditional role of limiting government. The patterns are there across the country. Anywhere they can, they are increasing the influence of corporations and diminishing the rights of actual human beings. Michigan's governor is trying to pass legislation that would allow a corporation to swoop in during a "financial crisis" and actually dismiss elected officials. Who decides if it's a crisis? The governor. The Wisconsin governor has been trying to eliminate public unions' right to collective bargaining under the guise of a budget repair bill. Thanks to a prank phone call, we got proof that he is just a tool for corporate money.
It's time for elected officials to stop pandering to corporate interests. They represent us, not a company. They need our best interests in mind, not how they can raise more money for their campaigns. Across the nation, our "leaders" are attempting to push through legislation that limits people's rights. In the name of fiscal responsibility, education is being gutted with school vouchers to private/religious institutions as an alternative. Schools are being told that they need to increase performance, will be held accountable for students scores, and must do all of this with drastically reduced funding that will result in larger class sizes, fewer resources, and no respect. The Pennsylvania governor announced a budget that would no longer reward teachers for earning Master's Degree and would actually lower the requirements to become a teacher!
I'm sick of it. I'm sick of money ruling all. I'm sick of personal gain being a roadblock to societal success. Do we want to be a successful country, or do we want it to be easy for corporations to run their businesses? I'll leave you with one last question: Where do corporations go to make the most money? They go to countries with the laxest laws that let them do whatever they want to the workforce to mass produce products regardless of the cost to human welfare. Is that where we are going? (sorry, had to add another question.)
Please, contact any and all government officials that you can. Remind them that there are more of us than them. They call rile up the extremes of their party all they want, but all parties have reasonable people with common goals. People need to come first, not money.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Letter from my state representative
Pennsylvania is considering a bill that will implement a voucher system. I contacted my state representatives to voice my concerns which include public money to religious institutions (many private schools), public money being used to fund education that is not held to any standards or accountability, and public money to institutions that get to pick and choose who gets in and who doesn't. That is only a very brief version of the problems I have with school voucher programs and was more detailed in my contact.
Today I got a letter from Lynda Schlegel Culver who is the representative from the 108th district, located in Sunbury and whose email is unashamedly partisan: lculver@pahousegop.com (please contact her with concerns). Her response ignored every single one of my concerns while thanking me for the time I took to share them. In fact, it highlighted the fact that Senate Bill 1 would expand a program that gives tax cuts to corporations that donate money to a scholarship that funds student tuition at NONPUBLIC schools - corporate tax cuts to fund possibly/probably religious institutions. I thought the letter was bad at that point.
In the closing paragraph, the letter read, "It is important to know that my constituents have concerns when it comes to the debate about increased educational options and parental choice...Rest assured that I will carefully consider the pros and cons of any legislation that reaches the House floor for a vote, and will make my decision based on what is most beneficial for my constituents." I am a constituent.
Is it just me, or does she not care what my concerns? Is she going to consider what her constituents want, or is she going to do what she thinks is best? This letter disgusted me. Other letters I've gotten have at least responded to at least once concern that I raised, but this one was such a form letter, it couldn't even be bothered to address any of my concerns and actually highlighted one of them as a benefit of the Bill.
Today I got a letter from Lynda Schlegel Culver who is the representative from the 108th district, located in Sunbury and whose email is unashamedly partisan: lculver@pahousegop.com (please contact her with concerns). Her response ignored every single one of my concerns while thanking me for the time I took to share them. In fact, it highlighted the fact that Senate Bill 1 would expand a program that gives tax cuts to corporations that donate money to a scholarship that funds student tuition at NONPUBLIC schools - corporate tax cuts to fund possibly/probably religious institutions. I thought the letter was bad at that point.
In the closing paragraph, the letter read, "It is important to know that my constituents have concerns when it comes to the debate about increased educational options and parental choice...Rest assured that I will carefully consider the pros and cons of any legislation that reaches the House floor for a vote, and will make my decision based on what is most beneficial for my constituents." I am a constituent.
Is it just me, or does she not care what my concerns? Is she going to consider what her constituents want, or is she going to do what she thinks is best? This letter disgusted me. Other letters I've gotten have at least responded to at least once concern that I raised, but this one was such a form letter, it couldn't even be bothered to address any of my concerns and actually highlighted one of them as a benefit of the Bill.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Non-political
This post will be entirely non-political (I'll write a separate one later).
I got the geocaching bug again last week. It was 60 degrees, I had the day off, and everyone else was at school. So, I tried the first cache that we never could find and possibly turned my daughter off of treasure hunting forever. The last attempt ended in her and my wife's trek through thigh/head (depending on height) high weeds to take a short cut to the road as I headed back the .75 mile trail with the boy on my shoulders to get the car at the parking area. This was preceded by tears, crying, and complaining that the picnic bench was too hard to rest on and many other very funny comments about legs not working. That was also the second time that day we tried to find it. Since then, I'd tried many times to get the girl to go with me, but was met each time with refusal.
I now have a new GPS device that is not a car unit and therefore much more useful off-road. I headed off in shorts and T-shirt and a $2 bill to trade and quickly found some of the squishiest terrain I've ever encountered outside of a bog. Try as they would, even the SmartWool socks couldn't wick fast enough to deep my feet dry, but it was fun. I could smell dirt and splashing through mud, water, snow, and ice was very cathartic. I got back to the same place we had gotten to last time, but this time I had a little bit more precision in my gadgetry and quickly found my first cache.
Fueled by this success and the ability to download coordinates directly to the device, I found some that don't require a hike to reach and are near parks. I took the kids to a park today and before we went home, I said we were going to look for a treasure. The girl immediately groaned and started whining and complaining, somehow simultaneously, but I pushed forward and said she could hold the GPS and follow the arrow. As we waded through large herds of ducks, we got to the location and found the treasure. Seeing me write our names on the log got her even more excited. When I asked if she wanted to find another, I got and enthusiastic "Yes!"
There was one more nearby, so we headed there, only to be confronted with some angry sounding geese advancing towards us. We approached from another direction and were faced down by goats. We turned back. I didn't feel up to facing geese and goats with a 2 and 5-year-old. She does want to go again tomorrow, though.
I got the geocaching bug again last week. It was 60 degrees, I had the day off, and everyone else was at school. So, I tried the first cache that we never could find and possibly turned my daughter off of treasure hunting forever. The last attempt ended in her and my wife's trek through thigh/head (depending on height) high weeds to take a short cut to the road as I headed back the .75 mile trail with the boy on my shoulders to get the car at the parking area. This was preceded by tears, crying, and complaining that the picnic bench was too hard to rest on and many other very funny comments about legs not working. That was also the second time that day we tried to find it. Since then, I'd tried many times to get the girl to go with me, but was met each time with refusal.
I now have a new GPS device that is not a car unit and therefore much more useful off-road. I headed off in shorts and T-shirt and a $2 bill to trade and quickly found some of the squishiest terrain I've ever encountered outside of a bog. Try as they would, even the SmartWool socks couldn't wick fast enough to deep my feet dry, but it was fun. I could smell dirt and splashing through mud, water, snow, and ice was very cathartic. I got back to the same place we had gotten to last time, but this time I had a little bit more precision in my gadgetry and quickly found my first cache.
Fueled by this success and the ability to download coordinates directly to the device, I found some that don't require a hike to reach and are near parks. I took the kids to a park today and before we went home, I said we were going to look for a treasure. The girl immediately groaned and started whining and complaining, somehow simultaneously, but I pushed forward and said she could hold the GPS and follow the arrow. As we waded through large herds of ducks, we got to the location and found the treasure. Seeing me write our names on the log got her even more excited. When I asked if she wanted to find another, I got and enthusiastic "Yes!"
There was one more nearby, so we headed there, only to be confronted with some angry sounding geese advancing towards us. We approached from another direction and were faced down by goats. We turned back. I didn't feel up to facing geese and goats with a 2 and 5-year-old. She does want to go again tomorrow, though.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I'm gonna be rich and you can be too.
I just got this email, and because I'm so generous, I'll let the first person who volunteers do this instead of me for my cut. I ask only for $1.7 million up front in cash. Oh, trust me and Mr. Bongani. We go way back.
Hello Friend,
My heartfelt greetings to you and to your family, I appreciate your email response and your willingness to participate in this business. So, kindly feel free to corporate with me. However, I will like to let you know more details of this business and reason why I contacted you.
I contacted you independently,based on my internal investigation and no one has been informed of this communication except you and I decided to intimate you with certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you. As a matter of fact, I am the database engineer of T.E.S deliver and Security company,I found out something that is very secret and after my investigation,I found out that the only of the deposit was a politician and he was murdered last 2years and since then no one is coming for the claim of the deposit he made before his death and he did not expose it or tell any one about the deposit he made, so as my position on the company now as the database engineer, I decided to find some one who is willing to work with me so we can claim the deposit from the company so it can be delivered to the person as the rightful owner of it, which I will change all the information’s stored in the database and put your own information as the owner.
He deposited the uncut Diamond and 8 bars of Gold with $9.6 Million Dollar as his foreign business partner valuable treasures and expensive antiquities. With my experience and position in the company i can be able to give you some vital information's on how to make the claims, the management of our company is ready to approve the delivery of the uncut Diamond and 8 bars of Gold with $9.6 Million Dollar to any foreigner that comes up with prove and relevant document which will confirm that he/she is the beneficiary of the deposit.
This is a very big secret, between me and you, know one in the company no the original content of the box only me, reason why I no the content of the box is because of my position as the database engineer new manager of the company still don't know the original content too. Once you have made up your mind to carry with me and give me the required information’s below from you so I can change and the information’s from the database after that I will give you direct contact of the manager so you can contact him for the claim of the box, to be delivered to you in your country and the owner, which once t is done, I will start coming to your country for the sharing of the money and for we to sell the diamond to a diamond dealer and for me to set up a small business in your country too.
To proceed in earnest furnish me with your detail information as stated below:
1. Your Full Names:
2. Your Full Contact Address:
3. Your Occupation:
4. Date of Birth/Age:
5. Marital Status:
6. Your Telephone/Cell Phone and Fax Numbers for effective communication between us.Confirm the good receipt of this email along with your detail information as required so that we can proceed towards the success of this great business venture that we will all benefit from .
Mr.Bongani.
Hello Friend,
My heartfelt greetings to you and to your family, I appreciate your email response and your willingness to participate in this business. So, kindly feel free to corporate with me. However, I will like to let you know more details of this business and reason why I contacted you.
I contacted you independently,based on my internal investigation and no one has been informed of this communication except you and I decided to intimate you with certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you. As a matter of fact, I am the database engineer of T.E.S deliver and Security company,I found out something that is very secret and after my investigation,I found out that the only of the deposit was a politician and he was murdered last 2years and since then no one is coming for the claim of the deposit he made before his death and he did not expose it or tell any one about the deposit he made, so as my position on the company now as the database engineer, I decided to find some one who is willing to work with me so we can claim the deposit from the company so it can be delivered to the person as the rightful owner of it, which I will change all the information’s stored in the database and put your own information as the owner.
He deposited the uncut Diamond and 8 bars of Gold with $9.6 Million Dollar as his foreign business partner valuable treasures and expensive antiquities. With my experience and position in the company i can be able to give you some vital information's on how to make the claims, the management of our company is ready to approve the delivery of the uncut Diamond and 8 bars of Gold with $9.6 Million Dollar to any foreigner that comes up with prove and relevant document which will confirm that he/she is the beneficiary of the deposit.
This is a very big secret, between me and you, know one in the company no the original content of the box only me, reason why I no the content of the box is because of my position as the database engineer new manager of the company still don't know the original content too. Once you have made up your mind to carry with me and give me the required information’s below from you so I can change and the information’s from the database after that I will give you direct contact of the manager so you can contact him for the claim of the box, to be delivered to you in your country and the owner, which once t is done, I will start coming to your country for the sharing of the money and for we to sell the diamond to a diamond dealer and for me to set up a small business in your country too.
To proceed in earnest furnish me with your detail information as stated below:
1. Your Full Names:
2. Your Full Contact Address:
3. Your Occupation:
4. Date of Birth/Age:
5. Marital Status:
6. Your Telephone/Cell Phone and Fax Numbers for effective communication between us.Confirm the good receipt of this email along with your detail information as required so that we can proceed towards the success of this great business venture that we will all benefit from .
Mr.Bongani.
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