Shared: The Bees-Ness: Bee Colonies in Decline (credit to Ivan Persey)
I am sharing this post I saw on Facebook about bee populations. It was interesting, albeit short.
Viral Joy of Disgust, Take 2
Cartoonist. Writer. Poet. De-Pretentious. Dedicated Humanist. In that order.
Foot In Mouth 1: Bossy, Bossy, Bossy.
[A new Pro-Offensive post here, labelled “Foot In Mouth.” It is just a full-force-freedom-of-speech rant without any restrictions on language, and a lack of general politeness. Because some people can be so incredibly stupid that they actually deserve it. Some people might say the things I say will be the same as putting a foot in my mouth. For me, I think of my foot just getting a good saliva shine before shoving it up somebody’s ass.]
Today’s topic, as per the post title, is the very recent “ban the word bossy” trend. In the YouTube link hidden in the words, the very first question on the “About” second is read as this:
What do Beyoncé, Condoleezza Rice & Jane Lynch have in common? They’ve committed to ban the word bossy.
On the contrary, what they all have in common is their substantial profits, positions in leadership, and they’re what I call “cultural sexists.” Similar to the anti-thesis of “racism,” which is not in fact acceptance of races but instead is of the self-racism. Unfortunately this is extremely common, and it’s a rather new form of liberal bigotry. In and of itself is the reason why the so-called “race-war” is in existence. It is not the tolerant means to educating people with the polite truth that we are all the same inside, but the militant bashing and banning of unnecessary offenses and practices kept dear by a few people. I personally believe that this militant culture of feminism is a wrong-wing for helping women’s case for true freedom. And yes, I do want women to have rights equal to men, and men equal to women. It really isn’t that difficult to understand that peace can be found without war, so long as everyone calms the fuck down.
So when it comes down to the word “bossy,” it is extremely out of context and sexist for these particular political and celebrity idols to promote the ban of the word. A single word. Will I go to jail for saying nigger? Will I be fined? Guess what, no I won’t. This attempt at banning “bossy” is a cheap and undercutting form of taking control where it is unneeded. Men can be considered “bossy.” A perfect example is when one employee starts acting tall and mighty among his or her peers, and tries to give orders to his/her equals. That can be properly defined with the adjective, “bossy.” Calling someone out on their actions is necessary sometimes. In the work force, it is more necessary to simply report offensive nature to your actual supervisor. There are rumors and bandit ideas that you will be looked down upon for tattling. But let me tell you something: Bosses, true bosses, want happy employees and happy customers. If your employees aren’t happy, your customers aren’t happy. If your customers aren’t happy, you don’t get paid. Remind yourself of this logic. You know what you could do, if you wanted to be a good leader? Stand up and peacefully tell your bossy co-worker that you won’t take orders from them, nor do you have to. You take orders from above, and that’s where you’re looking up at. If you set your sights high, you will go higher. Let me tell you, a bitchy woman never got promoted above her current position. The truth is this: People of Power are all the same. A bitchy female manager is the same as a bitchy male manager. Why is this? They have the same goal: the improvement of the company.
Let me ask this question real quickly. Is not telling someone what they can, or cannot say, in itself “bossy?” For that matter, in the video Beyonce is quoted as saying “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” Is doing boss work in itself not boss-like, or bossy? I think that the message being thrown around here is not a good one. Bosses are known for yelling commands down the chain to the peons below and making mountains move without as much a flick of his/her on finger. A leader, on the other hand, gets down in the trenches and holds a torch so their followers can see through the darkness. A Boss commands the workers below and reaps the benefits of their labor, but a leader sees the benefits of having a strong team. Is it not yet clear what I am trying to get across? If you’re going to encourage young women to grow up and be good leaders, then you need to stop being the boss.
This video, this movement to ban “bossy” is reflected as being Fascist, Communist, Stalinist, or other adjectives to describe “controlling, fear-based, and destructive.” The first thing Hitler did to the Jews was ban all literature, art, and music that were created by Juden. When Josef Stalin came into power after the Russian Revolution and created the USSR, one of the first things he did was ban all religion, biblical texts, and either destroyed or re-purposed churches for other programs for the Soviet Union. I am not necessarily trying to say that this ban on “bossy” is directly associated with Nazism, but it is absolutely tied with Censorship (which I highly disagree with entirely). On that matter, controlling others and censorship is an attribute of weakness – to ban something that offends you is a way of saying “I am weak.” Yes, I said it and I won’t take it back. Let me ask you, how many “bosses” have been killed by their regimes? How many Leaders have been killed by their own Regime? You need to look at the Mexican Revolution(s) to see who were leaders, and who were bosses. The lines are extremely thin, and the paint thicker.
Now on the part of “labels are real, and labels hurt.” Don’t you think that I am hurt when I am labeled a “faggot?” Or when someone calls me a “piece of shit?” There is something that is not being taught properly in our culture these days and I think it’s necessary for people to learn how to “get over it.” But our culture is not only seeing the decline in this way of teaching, but it’s literally being destroyed. It is very important that people are taught how to understand and articulate their feelings, but sometimes you just need to move on and leave the worry behind. I will absolutely teach my son a powerful lesson that was not imparted upon me, and that is “I know it hurts, but you need to get over it.” What I see in this movement to ban a word or a label is to hope for a painless world which will never exist. For one to “get over it” is extremely important because you can’t sweat the small stuff like being called bossy, or in my case, faggot. You need to take control of your own life, and know it’s okay to be afraid and it’s okay to be sad and down in the dumps about something. But you need to figure out how to move on effectively and be able to learn how to let the harmful things slide past you later. Otherwise you won’t be a good leader, and you won’t learn how to learn from mistakes. You can’t keep blaming others for your own feelings.
Here is what you can do: Stop being bossy, and become a leader. Take a few tips from the game “Tug of War.” Only the team that works together with effective leadership can succeed, even if the opponent has stronger people. Being a leader requires balance of pain and joy. There is something in the psyche of the major celebrity women in this video that will never understand. They have forgotten how to be humble, and I know this. All of them have one thing in common, and that is they are “People of Power.” A common saying is “Power Corrupts.”
To end this post with a final statement, I will say this: “A Boss is a Corrupted Leader.”
Washington’s Controversial Local $15 Minimum Wage Debacle
We aren’t seeing a lot of career jobs these days, and many service related jobs are “hot seats” in that people are moved through them like a revolving door. The clerk you know at RadioShack who has been there for three years probably won’t be there for five years. But if he does stay for five years, he’s already hit his maximum pay without a promotion. At least this would have been my own case had I stayed with my previous employer (Not RadioShack) where in five years I would still only be paid 10:50/hr as maximum pay without promotion. Get this: Maximum rates will only increase if the minimum wage exceeds the max amount possible of paying, which means that now a new worker at the same store will hit peak at three years. Let me tell you, it’s not easy to live on wages under $15/ hour so I know where the activists are coming from, but we need a different solution. What I do think is that this is a notable way for the public to reach out and say, “hey! bring back the living wage!”
Prices from twenty years ago have inflated in some cases nearly 300% but our wages have increased in dollar to penny increments. Back in 1989, when I was born, my parents bought a high-end rambler in Shoreline at $160,000+/- which now has inflated to around $390,000 but the mortgage should only be worth $210,000 when we sold it in 2001. Remember gas prices in 2001? Yeah, we’ll look at pictures back then and think, “wow, that’s from the 1980’s or something.” But no, prices per gallon of gas were on average $1.80 in 2001.
The thing is, rumor has it that the economy is coming back. The housing bubble has shrunk, and gas prices are falling. But I think I have a reason why this is happening. When you learn how the unemployment rate is determined you will find holes in truths we are told. The unemployment rate is based on a sample population which surveys a particular number. But you can read more about it here: http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm
Unemployment is a huge part of the system, keeping people employed means money is flowing from underneath the companies that supply goods and services. What business will tell us is that goods are being sold, goals are being met. But now RadioShack, as I mentioned earlier, took a major toll as many of its stores stood empty during Holiday season. In fact, I was surprised this last Christmas that I could find parking rather easily around shopping centers and malls. Tell me when that ever happens, and why it’s important to shop early. What I am saying is that there are signs which tell us the contrary to the truth we hear from media officials but I’m not calling them liars. I am saying that truth has several layers, and no one person can see through all of them. In some cases, yes, the housing market is doing better. But coming from a close relative who is a Realtor, the market is coming back because foreclosed and short-sale houses have finally come down in price. This means that houses, like in Dori Monson’s commercial about “How Short Am I” is the reality: Houses and condos are down 30%, 40%, and in some cases 60%. So the market for these houses are booming because a $170,000 house is now worth $109,000.
In theory, and back to the main point, raising the minimum wage considerably would not hurt the economy. More money in the hands of your general consumer means more goods are purchased and people will be comfortable taking out safe loans at fair interest rates. Interest rates increase when payments are falling short. So I agree with this movement, at least in the part that more employers need to decide how to implement living-wage career positions within companies. But there is another variable that needs attention, and people often overlook this reality as well. Back when the baby boomers were born after WW2, “Nuclear Families” were having an excess of anywhere from three to seven children per household, and then at least four of those children grew up and had families of three to four each, and then at least 2 to 3 of those children grew up to have another 3 to 4 children. But if you draw a map like a family tree with values in numbers, you’ll see how the current generation (born 1985-1995) far exceed the children born during the Baby Boomer days. Next, of course, people are getting older, longer. Pensions are now being cut from companies because the expectation when pensions were created had more to do with the expected mortality rate of the average population, which was around age 60 to 70. So if someone retired at age 55 when pensions were made, the company would only need to support this pension perhaps five to ten years. And now, we are seeing a more common trend of elderly folk living past age 99, and in some cases healthy enough to work up to age 89. (As we know, one Senator who is finally retiring this year maybe is in his 90’s)
So an increased minimum wage has quite the pickle to chew. We can’t just up-the-anty and throw money around willy-nilly. Economists are split between “the system will fix itself,” and “the system is broken and will die soon” but there is a better solution. If we can’t just increase the wage and ask corporations to hire more people, then maybe we need another New Deal. Or maybe we do need an economic overhaul to adapt to the substantial amount of debt that weighs over the increasing profit margin. I’m no economist, but I do handle my books well and good.
Here are some general footnotes I’ve come up with to make this a more reasonable situation:
Dot) Keep the $15/hour increase, but only for companies who’s profits exceed a certain number. Let me crunch some numbers really quickly. Per month, a worker who is employed full time at 40 hours per week, 80 hours per cheque, paid twice per month, will make around $2,400 per month, thus 28,800 annually, not including taxes, medical, etc. Basically, if a company employs around 20 workers, they are worth at minimum, $576,000 per year. I am guesstimating with benefits and applicable fees, this looks more like $610,000 +/-. My results of course are not including employees that are above this pay range, but let me show you the numbers for the remainder counties who have the basic minimum wage of $9.32/hour. Per month, the average full time worker will make $1,491.20 per month, and $17,894.40 per year. See the difference per worker is nearly $10,000 per year, and that’s around $200,000 saved for every 20 minimum wage crews. Some, not all, companies can contain these numbers and thrive. They should be applicable to this wage.
Dot) The Government should provide incentives for companies to hire career-level employees rather than hiring abroad for its workforce. I’ve heard this new saying in American manufacturing that goes back to the 50’s era that “The American worker is lazy, and expects more from his Nation.” This in general is not true, it is true that Americans want to be paid at a similar rate as to how inflation persists but as long as the living wage is implemented, all that is required by a company is positive support. Boeing is fantastic for this (unless you’re a young machinist losing your pension, you might not agree) and offers a good wage and keeps good workers around, and supports them emotionally. Too many employers open minimum wage positions and treat their employees like shit – because it’s a revolving door. Boeing, like many mega-companies doesn’t keep a revolving door for its employees whom it trusts with building the hundreds of airplanes expected to be safe for 30 years.
Dot) We might look at our economical and banking system to see if it really holds up to the new social expectations. I personally don’t feel that it is promising for our society to have a debt-based economy especially when we don’t know a true number for the unemployment rate. I don’t think we really count the true number of homeless or unemployed people, I think it’s an impossible venture for sure. But also we have more people than jobs exist – you might not believe me, and perhaps you’ll say “well what about the people who have given up looking for work?” I’m glad this question is asked, because I can answer in earnest a calculated answer for my unemployment. In 2013 I lost my job and in that year I must have applied for at least four hundred jobs, online and indoors, and I only had three interviews. Three. Four hundred applications. Three interviews. Zero hires. I tried temp agencies, they didn’t have work. I tried Craigslist Jobs, but everyone wants at least 5 years experience for an entry-level position. Tell me how that makes sense? And then there is the final ultimatum. Make your own job. I created business plans for three potential options: Gun Store, Pot Shop (as per the new Marijuana Laws), and online retailer of metal trinkets and ornaments. All but one option yet has failed, and I can’t find time in my schedule to produce the number of stock required to sell online yet (which is my problem currently.) But this situation is not just my own, it is plaguing thousands of people across the whole nation, if not hundreds of thousands across the globe. Greece, Venezuela, Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, and a dozen other nations’ people are uprising against the raising costs of living without modest pay to keep up with the motion of the ocean. (Or dictators, lots of dictators.)
Any way, as always, I’m open for commentary and discussion. But don’t give me the one-liners. A reply without thought is a worthless waste of your time and mine. I’m bored of writing at the moment.
Necessary sources and information:
Unemployment Rate:
http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm
Unemployment stuff from 2013:
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/04/05/real-unemployment-rate/
Wallamazoo’s Travels: Vertigo #1
A Draft Updated in 2014.
Guess Where I Get To Go
This is the blog that I reveal some fantastic news to everyone!! In mid-January of 2011, I will be traveling alone to Norway for two whole weeks! My destination is a nice town, known as Bergen. There resides a good friend whom I met through friends here in America, during a Foreign Exchange program switch. She is a she. Would you believe people are already asking me to bring back presents? I’m not just going to be a Tourist. I am prospecting. For what you might ask?
Sweden is where I am truly bound to settle my roots, and dig into a future. Ha! The neighbor of Norway! Bergen isn’t even close to the border to Sweden. So this idea of mine probably sounds rather preposterous. Now I let you in on a little secret. The contact in Norway I am meeting may possibly have a future with me! I am not going to say much more than that right now. No jinxing me!!
2014 Update: Well, I was jinxed. Three years later I still live in Washington State with no hopes of moving to Norway or Sweden, and this contact is in no way affiliated with me except that we are neutral-negative with each other. However with my welding career underway, it may be that I will at least reach a similar longitude in Alaska. But that’s just one possible destination work-related venture. We shall see. With that also in mind, I did end up bringing home a few trinkets and chocolate that I ate soon after returning.
A Terrible Laughter
Last night I ate some very raunchy oven-baked Pizza from the cheap aisle. I didn’t like it, and it didn’t like me. Although I didn’t get sick from it exactly, I did go to bed with a mild stomach ache. This induced Nachtmares. (Note, this is a reference to Young Frankenstein. I know that German for Nightmare is “Albtraum.”) But last night was rather strange.
My brain was trying too hard to scare me, and it ended up being rather hilarious. Take this dream, for example. My house became haunted by a demon who was trying very hard to scare us (go figure!), but was rather silly instead. He would mock us, whisper in the darkness, but say very unusual phrases. In one part of the dream, it was turning a light on and off on his own. To solve this matter, I simply took the light bulb out of the socket.
Eventually my family just got tired of this demon infesting our house. So we found the source, simply by learning that the demon enjoyed Classical music. We just wandered around the house trying to listen to emissions of said music, and found the demon to be residing in a family heirloom, which was of great desire and wealth to us. Not exactly surprising for a demon to hide in, if you take into account that they prey on pride, greed, etc. So, how did we get rid of it?
We drove down the road until we came across an all-night dance lesson shop. It was then we decided to throw the heirloom inside the dance class, and drove off. In the background were the screams of terrified students, running from a huge roar. I woke up laughing.
Vertigo
This kind of post is a different installment than a single long post. Vertigo posts include several “miniposts,” or summaries of longer posts to be exact. A major aspect of my Hiatus was trying to figure out ideas for posts, but failing. I couldn’t figure out anything to write about more than a few simple paragraphs. Don’t fret though, I am really a lazy guy. I work 40 hours a week in a stressful environment, but I enjoy the hell out of it. (Recently got Employee of the Month for September! Wooh!) Because I enjoy it, it tires me out much more. By the time I can return home to write a post, I am ready to fall asleep.
Update 2014: I hate everything I wrote here. I also hate that I wanted to use Vertigo ironically considering many of my posts are long. It just dumbfounds me that almost all of my recent year readers haven’t wanted to read more than two lines of text, the lazy bastards. And fuck you, wallamazoo, for being such a lazy asshole in 2012.
A Long Awaited Return
Holy shit, it’s been a tremendous length of time since I have posted anything! What has this motherfucking writer been up to?
According to this blog’s dashboard, my most recent post came in 2011, that’s a pretty long fucking time to see that my blog hasn’t gone into internet-hell. With that being said, I need to update a few things! Prominently, I should make a simple post that reveals the inner workings of my post-2011 to current life and what expectations shall be met this year.
1.) After 2011, when it became 2012, I still worked at Goodwill in Lynnwood, WA as a sweatshop material handler. I had no real aspirations as I dabbled in marijuana (which was against the law, but considering the new legislation I consider it okay to mention) and my life ran rather dull. In 2011 I do recall going to Norway, I should check my other posts to see if such trip was ever mentioned… NOPE! Definitely not mentioned. Yes, I took a decent trip to Norway where I took train from Bergen through Oslo to Narvik (a bus and a neato ferry were used between train stations at times.) This trip was during the cold bite of winter during a time Norway had a decent dump of snow. It was a pleasant way to visit one of the various nations of my ancestors.
2.) Late 2012 (August-ish) I met a nice feminist-ish woman who was a rather petite brunette with a name that only one other person in the world shares with her. We became engaged around October-ish of 2012 and on September 1st of 2013 we were married. Whew, that was quick. Yup! I am a married man now, and guess what! Around May 8th of 2014 our first child will be born into this cesspool of a world! I can’t wait to be a father.
3.) In September I also started classes to become a welder. So you may see a few posts on some nifty things I’m making, or the vast improvements of welds through practice, burns, blood, grease (nah, that shit’s flammable) and fire.
4.) I’ve taken a HUGE paradigm shift since my older posts. Perhaps it’s because I’m living in a quaint, but small rural village very far away from the rustle-n-bustle of sub to urbanite life. While I still push for women’s rights, gay acceptance, I have also taken a turn towards total equality that has actually made me an enemy to more… shall we say… eh… FAR THIS OR THAT WING ANGRY PEOPLE OF HIGHLY DISCRIMINATE VALUES. For example, I’m sorry, but you don’t call your booth the “Equality Bake Sale Booth” and charge men $1.00 and women $0.75. If your aim is to improve women’s status by giving them bonus points, let me give you a heads up. Men are going to make their women buy the discounted cookies for them. All this booth achieves is making sure a man can have 4 cookies for $3 rather than 4 cookies for 4 if he walked up to the counter on his own. In short, the “Equality” booth is neither economical or efficient in its goal. Except that cookies are sold, and this guy loves his cookies.
5.) Since 2011, I don’t approve our President, his Staff, Congress, or the Supreme Court Judges, Surgeon General, Attourney General, CIA, NSA, and all those other crazy political buzzwords I missed. Also, I am now a target for mentioning this single note. Hazzah!
Alright, with that crazy notation out of the way, I’ll end this post with a few personal expectations for the future.
1.) More Political posts. Don’t expect me to be Politically Correct (except a 99.998% factual accuracy in sources)
2.) More posts on social degeneracy, my position on this, and what could be done to improve these things (or just commentary for that matter.)
3.) More satire in regards to extremist groups with no discrimination. Sorry, but disagreeing with a group doesn’t just label me anti-something.
4.) Less unfinished clutter drafts. All the drafts from before will either be destroyed or revamped and posted. I’m sick of being a sour-puss when it comes to being on-time with my goals.
5.) Better publication, and hopefully a stronger approach to reaching out. Perhaps twitter?
The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor…
There’s a point in malnutrition that your voice begins to fade, and you develop a sore throat from all the cold in the air. Skin begins to fade in color as well, hair becomes rather dingy and dry. This was how I could describe a man walking near Fred Meyer on Sunday afternoon. He was beyond depressed, wearing latex gloves and a mask to avoid becoming sick from the passer-byers. I could barely hear his words, and he was asking for any kind of help. Before he could tell his story, I handed him $50 and said “keep it.” Then he looked down at the crumpled note, and a tear trickled in his eyes. He mentioned that he had two kids who were living in his car with him since his home was taken from his family, with all their possessions, except what they could carry to his truck. In return he provided me a handshake with his bare hand, not underneath the gloves he was wearing, looked me in the eye and strongly said “thank you.”
When I had come to the conclusion of handing him my $50 that could be used for my vacation, I realized that what I had done was more worth a good deed than the wealth of feeling warmer in the frigid Norwegian climate. With that in mind, I must provide the honesty that I am well off, and very fortunate to have a roof over my head that will remain indefinite. I do not have a necessary responsibility to “fork over” my earned cash to the folk less fortunate than myself, but I do so because they are not lesser men or women. Simply because they live on the streets, does not make them dirty or “dusty people.” Just because us fortunate people litter on the streets without a care, does not mean that the folk we have also dumped onto the streets are trash too. I wonder just how often people turn a cheek to the poor as easily they would a simple garbled McDonald’s bag filled with a half-eaten burger and leftover fries. I wonder why we ignore pan handlers and shrug, telling ourselves “they can get a job if they want money.” Do we ever recall that we found a job in ease because we have an address, contact information, and proper identity? If anyone has never looked at a homeless person, and not even considered stopping to share human communication.. then I believe that one would be over privileged.
Believe me when I say that I am no Saint. I have walked past several people who are homeless and ignored them. I have said “I am sorry, I have nothing for you” when there are three crumpled dollars in my pocket that will be later used for a simple commodity as soda-pop. I have concluded within myself that they should seek out employment rather than stand in the streets. Sometimes I convince myself that they are fake panhandlers, who are just trying to make a cheap buck. Here in Lynnwood we have a very strange sense of personal isolation and a great tendency to be selfish. Very few neighborhoods will have group gatherings with their neighbors. I recall that when my housing complex was nearly finished, we had a celebration when the first few families moved in. They were great fun! After a year however, things fell into the same social hole that the Pacific Northwest suffers from. This isn’t my own personal observation either. A few friends who moved here from foreign lands, or somewhere as close as the Midwest have found a rather strange personal seclusion here. People, I do believe that the Seattle-Metropolitan area is an Asylum.
Then let me bring up this point: The jail systems in America, and even in Norway (where I am visiting) are friendlier to the inmates than most of us would believe – with the exception of “Maximum Security.” They provide homes, camaraderie,
television, food, and shelter. As tax payers we fund these systems of comfort to criminals. It makes me wonder just why the homeless don’t break a window or steal things simply to be arrested and convicted so they can *live* in *comfort.* Though I should mention that they will have the downside of having their asses kicked around by the security enforcers as well as other folks who cause trouble; it provides them a shelter with ample food. This cause for crime is actually a very bad idea for the victims – and there are no victimless crimes. (Unfortunate for some.) I merely bring up this jail reminder (or for some a recognition) because it is a rather moot point to be made. See, the selfish implication that many homeless will cause annoying crimes to be jailed at our great expense is rather bad for everyone but themselves. It is possible that with enough damage in the crime, they may force someone to lose their own home or job. (Over the long-run, not the short run unless say an attempt at petty arson becomes several destroyed apartments.)
I believe that we need to simply do more things to keep us from becoming bored too. Our great boredom is mostly attributed to the lack of jobs and opportunities to be given to folks all around the world. (This boredom can cause petty crime for thrills yo) Oh, but not only will it make the privileged less bored – it can cause a chance for job growth to be provided to the poor and less fortunate. Yet we can’t force the offer to help – because people sometimes do not wish to be helped at all. Part of my experience in Norway is learning that the government is willing to help homeless people, which now are mostly drug addicts who enjoy being addicts. So it is frowned upon by them (and I) to provide money to those in need who only need drugs by choice. Let us not forget the usual case in America is that not everyone who is homeless is a junkie. Even I would never trust a junkie.
Just let us become aware of ourselves, who we are, and who others are. Take the time to experience being homeless, live without all our prestige, and learn what they need. Everyone has needs, and the needs of others differ person to person. Try and reach out – live a little without the material obsession, without the Modern Appeal, and try to be ‘alive.’ Let us hear the cries of the poor, let us bless the poor with our kindness.
Death of a Season
Drizzling onto the slippery roads,
Frozen powder covering the cars.
Plows push the ice day and night,
Vehicles push past the plows.
Careen and crash do they so,
Rent unto them more misery than before.
Should they have listened, I think,
Perhaps the shoppers would know well,
That tires cannot grip the ice.
They cannot grip even, the prices they seek.
Windows glow through the misty air,
Shops open early near and far,
September through December,
Black as night, but the price is right.
As the worker we toil,
To bring a happy end to a tiring day.
Customers wail and complain,
They constantly force their way.
Policies are torn asunder,
Because the customer is always right.
It can be said, they are neither gracious,
Nor would it seem they are bright.
My town become a tundra,
As a waste it is frozen and white.
To work I walk to and fro,
Risking frostbite to earn my penny.
All the while they complain,
Because my hard work does not compel,
What should I care, when I am not paid proper?
They are never right, nor are they bright.
Standing from where I am,
To the customer I shout:
Stop shopping in the Blackest of Sales,
Boycott the ridicule and torment!
Were it not for you, I would be safe,
For now I fear contagion and scars,
Because I must crawl tooth and nail,
To empty your coffers,
For my endless toil.
Where has the giving ended?
The season of X-Mas is dead.
Commodity and returns have taken the stead.
Charity and glee no longer thrills the masses,
But rather the masses shop for their thrills.
For the risk of injury or death,
Do these shoppers continue to buy,
January comes for us to return our gifts,
Because the Gift of Christmas…
Matters no more.
A Blatant Title For A Post
What to others may seem to be revelations in their dreams, are nightly rituals for me. For many years I have been fighting a troubling past with many inconsistencies. At night in my rest, my dreams give me different perspectives as my semi-conscious tries to unravel what mess I have caused by “thinking.” It is safe to say that while I am a Thinking Man, I am also entering the boundaries of thinking-too-much-about-things-I-don’t-need-to-think-about. Except that I am extremely over zealous about it! So at night I pay attention to my dreams. They are sort of a wake-up call, when I need it.
Should the previous introduction be very confusing, continue to read on, folks!
Some times, dreams are depictions of the local issues that our conscious fights over during the day. Whether it be a bully at school, trolls online, a bill payment that is coming up, or stress at work/home. Yet many of the recurring dreams do not have a plot or a true setting, but truth be told – they do have a theme. Of course, this theme has to be solved by YOU. Nobody experiences the same things, and thus each theme is tweaked person to person. For this soul, the theme changes often, and thus it is becoming difficult to understand my theme. Find your theme, and chase it; your subconscious theme is your personal truth. Pay attention to your own dreams, and never stop making conclusions to what you see!
Thinking Man
Of all the terrible thoughts I have had; Of all the treacherous dreams I have experienced; Of all the tragic memories I have shared; None of them have compared to the digging I have done to my own mind. This FoolishThinkingMan has in his life decided to enter the subconscious by day, and dig further underneath by night. Oh, and don’t let me tell you how dangerous this has been. What I found deeper than my subconscious were more memories. They were reflections of a time even before a conscious state – which leads me to believe that there can possibly be “consciousness before consciousness.” However, I am also skeptical about my experiences, perhaps, what if that experience was simply imaginary? Safe, or unsafe to say, I could rule out that all my memories are imaginary! That my entire life of experiences were made up, and that my conscious has developed a world in its own peril, to cease what horrible death awaits! But then, then I would begin to question my own existence! < This has happened before, yo. Oh, how insane it is to be an OverZealousThinkingMan. Also, it is rather nice to have writing quirks derived from someone rather jaded.
Okay, so after prying deep into what I believe to be my inner-subconscious, I recall finding memories. Each reflection had no visual, or physical state. However, they were closer to primal instinct. Those memories were the first few accounts of life, or even non-life, experiencing emotion for the first time. I mean, VERY first time. Well, some good news. When I found those memories, I became part of them temporarily! Bad news? I was in a mental state of having forgotten my emotions, and experienced them “like-new” in a conscious state having already faced them, but seeing their first incarnations, AGAIN. In short, IT WAS REALLY SCARY. Skeptical point of view: What I had done again, was imagine something that simply does not exist. In actuality (skeptically), the visions I saw were just projections of what I would believe were emotions for the first time.
So then… what are memories to begin with? I am running with too many theories, however I will share two – with a Skeptical POV for each.
Soy-lent Green IS People
First, each memory of our own that we experienced without imaginative tweaking is a solid memory that cannot be altered. However, at times people make off with hindsight and try to think of alternatives for what other things could have happened in their past event(s). In this theory, those imaginative thoughts are images of alternate realities. (do some research on the “infinite universes” theory in quantum physics, and otherwise.) Every time you alter a memory, you are actually creating an alternate universe. To think harder on this situation, that new idea has life. That universe you created has experienced birth, life, growing up, interacting, and living with worldy design until coming to the fork in the road you experienced – and that other being chose the other option. Now, try to think back to EVERY time you second-guessed yourself; think of every time you questioned a decision; ponder what could have happened if something were different. For every little thought, you have created a new universe for yourself – or, that universe already existed but you became aware of it! (Warning: You are not the center of any universe, including your own.) Skeptical Side: What a wild imagination.
The other theory is that all our memories are implants of someone’s experience not of our own. Even the current present imagery is something that another being has designed and implanted here. We are beings living on a rock deep in space, probably just dreaming of this life in order to escape. (See: Escapism in Japan) There are those among us who somehow “know” they are that being that will eventually perish outside of the dream (as we do perish in this dream as well) but they continue to dream inside dreams to avoid the end. (Oh, also see: Inception, Nolan, 2010) This theory is actually more ludicrous than the last, because it can be taken in so many directions! So many scary directions. Directions, such as nihilism and escapism. Belief in disbelief, and all that junk. Skeptical Side: What a wild imagination. Must be time to call the psych ward.
So while my Skeptical Side is going to dial up the local mental ward, I will wrap up this crazy post. Dreams are really fun, twisted, scary, and obscene. Sure, they sometimes do have a message, and they sometimes do not. But seriously folks, don’t be someone like me, who dives too deep into the mind and tries to come up with crazy explanations for the unexplainable. You might just become another televised Evangelist with another way to explain “God.” (Oh, another way to explain God will be a future post, keep that in mind.) Uh, in another way, you might just become a lunatic writer escapist like myself. Any way, I hope this post confused you, turned your head, because it was fun writing it!
When Freedoms Are Threatened, #1
There comes a time in American politics where the Politicians take certain movements too far. Such as the banning of Gays in the military. Or the attempts to ban Firearms, and Violent Video Games (in California, no less.) What they try to make a point in, is that by taking away violence in video games, or removing firearms from the public vendors, you suddenly remove any possible means for anyone to get their hands soaking in blood. But this is wrong, you see. The Criminals who attain these weapons when otherwise being unable to purchase them publicly, will be even more dangerous. They will have access to all sorts of underground arms that commonfolk have no idea where to even begin to look. And asking around is suspicious… And then about video games? Geez, kids at such a young age will just go outside and play “war” with each other. Beat each other up, use play-guns to “shoot” each other, and imagine maiming and bleeding out. So, what’s the point? I will say that Politicians like those who try and pass these movements are either a) trying to make a name for themselves(McCarthy vs. Communism), or b) just plain idiotic, or c) both.
Just Plain Idiotic
In the last 10 years, during of which the 8 that President Bush took office, the Senate believed it had more power than the congress originally allowed them, and took great advantage of it. The Evidence? Passing several business related laws to send jobs from various established companies, such as Boeing, overseas to countries – mainly China. Or let’s say, the Patriot Act, which is only two or three steps away from Martial Law, and the lawful invasion of privacy. (Quick Point: The Patriot Act, under a different name in the 60’s and 70’s, allowed police officers to mine data from civilian activity to weed out Communists, Hippies, and Gays.)
In short, the banning of Video Games and Firearms break the first two Constitutional Amendments: 1, and 2. These are the most common of debated Amendments, the Right to Free Expression, and the Right to Bear Arms.
The Right to Free Expression: Video Game makers aren’t elves who live in a tree who make diabolical games in order to enslave people and rack up money using obscene prices (unless you’re EA.) They are a group of Artists and Programmers who are dedicated to a common goal, of expressing their creations. This is especially true when they make games that often look controversial, or appeal to very small groups of cult-style fans. There are of course other supposed “repercussions,” such as:
-violent games cause addiction
-violent games cause crimes
-violent games cause social deviancy
We should remember that Parents, Lawmakers, and Idiots, will always target things they don’t like FIRST. The sad incident of Columbine was first blamed utterly on Doom, one of the original First Person Shooters of that time. Yet, the game “Doom” didn’t show up in the diaries of the two assailants of this massacre. What was pointed out by them was bullying, teasing, and the inability to act or think in classrooms. One was a great manipulator, and the other was a great follower. Neither really had social lives. Therefore, it must be blamed on Video Games. (See Above, “Causes Social Deviancy,” “Causes Crime.”)
Allow me to explain a little bit about addictions. Normally, they happen on their own. Whether or not someone has an addiction, is mostly based on their “Addictive Nature.” Sexual Addicts, Drug Addicts, and Alcohol Addicts (or Game Addicts) aren’t really there for the thrill, excitement, or pleasure… rather for the power, need, and habitual nature. Game addicts aren’t any different from the other Addicts. They seek out something, anything to defeat boredom, and the normal every-day beat of life. Often this happens without realizing that this escape becomes their every-day life.
Let me point something out about the Grand Theft Auto games. On news broadcasts, in the Senate discussions, and in talk shows, GTA has been demonized for allowing the player to kill Police Officers, beat Hookers with baseball bats, and run various people over without any cause of belief that you’ve done anything wrong. Well, it’s true! One, it’s a video game! The moment you walk in front of a Police Officer and point a gun at him, think of two things. 1. You probably don’t know how to handle a real firearm, as opposed to your high-rank in the video game. 2. The Police Officer knows how to not only use their sidearm, but WILL fire on you if he/she is threatened. Next, people need to think about what they’re saying. Many Politicians sleep with Hookers, but then deny them their rights on the Senate Floor, but then give them the same “humane leniency” in video games. This is kinda screwed up, honestly. While there isn’t any reason for beating up anyone, the game simply “allows” this to happen. Meaning, there are no missions where you actually are forced to beat up hookers. The same style of Postal 2, is that you are “allowed” to do as you wish. I once went through a GTA game WITHOUT beating up a hooker. Let’s look at it another way. Hookers in Television: Bad, nasty women who hear all the good talk, and sell that information. They’re dirty, full of diseases, and you should probably stay away from them. Hookers in Movies: Bad nasty women who like being dominated by their Pimp, and do so voluntarily. In the case they don’t like it, the movie becomes based around them in a freedom-seeking hour fest that somehow introduces a Manly Man to do a lot of fighting. Yet, in GTA, Hookers just act like Hookers IRL: they want you to get “in the mood” so you buy their services. So, you can either buy their services, deny their services, or in GTA, run them over with a Semi-Truck at full speed.
For more on this topic, you can watch this video:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2414-Facing-Controversy
Who’s The Tool Now?
Much like adolescent Emos, guns are highly misunderstood. They are often confused as being “violent” and “dangerous.” Yes, they are. However, like many tools of trade, anything able to craft or destroy is considered dangerous. Take for example, how many workers loose fingers or entire limbs due to the Industrial Machine, in comparison to actual gun related injuries or death. It’s actually rather small! Next, take Automobile deaths per year, and compare them to gun deaths! Another gap! Yet Automobiles, for their sincere advantages over (gasp!) walking, they will never be banned. Since guns don’t necessarily have a practical use in modern society…
… nevermind. The above videos are a reminder that it isn’t always the criminal who has the firearms. But let me tell you that these videos would be far more gruesome and tragic if those same firearms were banned. Across the United States, the most common gun-related robberies are related to Pizza-Deliverers, who are lured to the robbers home… or taxi drivers. California has been very hard-pressed to ban firearms to the public, but considering how many well-armed gangs there are in California, I would say that it would be very stupid to disarm the innocent half
Another point that I have, is that many news casters and journalists very rarely look at Police Reports given to the public for common knowledge, which will show the actual numbers recorded with Firearm Involvement with Crimes, as opposed to “trusting” private research institutes. The number of true gun-related assaults are very small, even in urban cities. Well, this is because of how expensive Firearms are in a Gun-Shop, and surprisingly (or not so) more expensive in the underground trades. Not to mention, a knife is more deadly than a gun in many aspects. For one, a bullet when penetrating a soft target may only cause a small entrance wound, and an exit wound of only an inch or so more wide (With the exception of Hollow-Points, and some larger rounds/cartridges.) Most deaths related to gunfire are mostly due to shock and bleed-outs, but they can actually be treated easily. Knives on the other hand are much more mortal. Do your own research, I don’t really need to explain the idea of metal slowly rubbing against skin, as opposed to a bullet that shoots faster than the blink of an eye.
Rather than outright banning the Private Trade and Selling of Firearms, why not just require a permit that requires schooling and training? If a Police Officer must pass a training exam to earn his 9mm, why shouldn’t common folk like us? And I don’t strictly mean being able to hit the bulls’ eye at least 3 of 50 shots, I mean proper handling and knowledge. You know, the most important aspects of knowing when, where, how, and why to use a firearm for personal protection. If someone doesn’t know how to properly store their weapons away from children, or even the robbers themselves, they shouldn’t own a weapon of any kind. In fact, either your child should never know you have a firearm, or you should at least have the common sense to teach them about how dangerous the weapon is. No, wait, always educate everyone about dangerous tools that you have around your home. Or, just don’t own one.
My main point is, that the Gov’t should have the option to regulate weapon trade as far as difficulty goes, but remember that there will always be someone with a much more easy way to sell a gun – even if it were illegal. Just look at how well banning Marijuana has improved in keeping it away from people. Heh, not very well. The Gov’t also needs to constantly remember just why Thomas Jefferson and John Adams wanted the public to own firearms. Personal Defense, yes, but more importantly so the public can rise up and have a fighting chance against any possible dictatorship. It is so that a Militia can defend their country in time of dire need, should it arise, instead of running away. If many of our own revolutionaries ran away from conflict, then Britain may still be in control of America, Canada, India, and Africa with their colonies. Perhaps even China would be a part of their growing colonialization? Oh wait, guns were only a small portion of the American Revolution. Barely anyone remembers all the talk, paperwork, and community aid that actually won-over the war for America, and all that jazz.
Why Ask; Pray Tell?
Not allowed to marry in many states. Not allowed in various clubs across the nation. Not allowed to be in love with whom they love most. Not allowed to make a noble sacrifice for their Nation.
America, Congressmen, President Obama, I ask you: What in the hell is wrong with you all?
The Gay community has been bullied for decades and more by their own countrymen and women simply because of that little, tiny, eensy-teensy 5% of sexuality. Let me ask you this: Would it be justified for me to barge into a Straight Couple’s sexual experience, publicate them as deviants, and destroy their reputation for something so minor? As late as the 80’s, Police Officers were ALLOWED to invade homes without a warrant, in order to arrest, and detain homosexuals in the act of homosexual deviancy. Oh sure, there have been many lawsuits, motions, and battles against the Supreme Court to eventually give gays the right to be somewhat gay. Emphasis on SOMEWHAT.
It seems as though the Gay Community has suffered as harsh attacks as the former Soviet Union, as a public atrocity. When AIDS and HIV came around, the initial terminology was GRIDS, aka Gay-Related Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome. Meaning, ONLY gays could get this virus, but they could spread it to the straight community. Even if being gay is a choice, or genetic, how come a virus would try and attack only the gays? The answer is easy. People wanted to get rid of the gays. True story, y’all. Read up on the late Hobsbaum. Great history writer, btw.
As long as humanity has been around enough to see sexuality in any form as “disgusting,” is has always been worse if it were gay. Take heed, that the Lesbian-Fetish has been around for a very long, long time, but was not truly socially accepted in America until the Sexy-Seventies. Even today, being gay isn’t socially accepted. Although there are laws against discrimination towards gays, race, age, background, etc, Society as a whole continues to hate on them. Truly, yet sadly, Society sees these people as dangerous individuals bent on destroying the Straight Community by – what else? Getting married to other gays! So dangerous! Let me give you an example of a dangerous gay. I mean, a movement in the Gay Community that can be Dangerous.
Quickly on my link above. The group in Pink known as “FUCKH8, NSFW,” is actually rather volatile towards their own rights movement. Using the term “Fuck” which implies hatred rather than anger, is considered to be a blatant form of hypocrisy. See: Gays Want To Be Socially Accepted As Good Honest People. /Quick Rant.
So then, why can’t they be a part of the Military service? Oh, that’s right. Gays might try and sneak around the barracks at night, molesting their fellow soldiers. They might spread AIDS. They might “Spread Monolithic Ideals To Other Countrymen, and Possibly Spread Communism.” What a load of bull. Good men and women who have made the sacrifice to join a very binding contract with the Army and other branches have all been dismissed simply for “coming out of the closet.” These are fine people, given medals and kept up-to-date with their objectives, and most of all – Served their Country with distinction and pride. Then, their own country takes it all way way… simply because of that private 5% behind closed doors.
America, Congress, President Obama, I ask you this: Why do you deny your fellow countrymen and women their distinction, honor, and pride, simply because of their Sexual Preference? This is simply unconstitutional, seeing as how employers cannot deny gays due to discrimination. I think you should all sit down and realize that this should count for the Military, as well. Otherwise, you’re just bigots all.
Oh, and Scientists :: Stop trying to play God, and eliminate Gays from the Gene-pool. If anything is making it diseased, it is your mindset. Study something more important, like Limb Replacement, or Adult Stem Cell research. GET US INTO SPACE.
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Viral Joy of Disgust as a blog is designed to always open new perspectives in our Human Society, and its politics. It is to entertain by using Beauty in the art form of Repulsive-Taste. My poetry is to give you a true look from my world-eye view. We'll just see what my comics do to you. If and when I decide to post them!
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Viral Joy of Disgust, Take 2 