Lakers win, LA Citizens, losers

Look at this fat bastard. He has expensive shoes, a Lakers jersey, and a Lakers jacket. He could afford to pay for the damage he's done. I hope they threw his sorry ass in jail so he can celebrate with Bubba who would love this wanna-be punk.

Los Angeles, in as tight a financial situation as most of California, is going to co-host a Lakers victory parade. Why? 1 milbucks could very easily be spent on something equally as good for the city, couldn't they? LA aleady payed overtime for the rioting last night. Some please make the connection for me between pride in "your" team winning a championship and destroying a city bus.

My mother is Frog Clan

Frogs are good signs.
The Frog is a doctor and healer, seer,
and fortune-teller.
The Frog is a messenger of rain …

We need the Frog now.

Today is Earth Day so all you losers not recycling or saving water get with the damn program, will ya?

Last Friday darling companion and myself went to the local Farmer's Market and the city had a handful of booths set up to remind folks what to do. At every booth we both said, "We do that."

So what's left for us? We've cut our water and electric consumption way back. We ride public transportation and my darling rides his bike around town. We don't use plastic bags unless we recycle them so will you fat bastards get off the couch and recycle, now!

One last rant; to the designers and makers of washing machines: Now you come out with energy efficient machines. Where were you ten years ago?

To those of you that are already friendly to Mother Earth, thank you. Thank you very much and keep up the good work.

Why'd ya wait so long?

I love the title of Scott McClennan's book, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception. Why the hell didn't he say something then? That would take real guts, screw this job, this career, this life--tell it all while it was happening.

I can dream, can't I?

Bobby, we hardly knew ye

If you wonder why some Baby Boomers are cynical just remember what we've been through. The answer to the 60s seemed to have been assassination

• John Kennedy-November 1963
• Martin Luther King-April 1968
• Bobby Kennedy-June 1968

Don't forget to throw in Cuba, Civil Rights, and the Vietnam War. The 60s was a hideous decade; there was always some sort of conflict. How we treated minorities, women, and the soldiers returning from a war. No wonder Tune in, Turn on, and Drop Out was popular. It was depressing just to turn on the news and listen to the body count.

Bobby Kennedy gave some of us hope that we could pull out of the 60s with him being elected president. On June 5th that hope was changed into one more violent static of that decade when he was shot and killed. The news of this was just one more numbing event of the 60s. The only thing good about the 60s was the music.

What Happened: it's just a scarf

Crap! The inmates have finally taken over the asylum. Rachel Ray's scarf in this add looks, to some, like the headgear Muslim extremists wear so after some conservative bloggers raised enough ruckus Dunkin' Donuts gave it the dunk.

The linked article goes on to say how celebs in the past have inadvertently caused problems with clothes that have a statement in a language they don't understand. I have seen this with just normal folk but we don't have the press watching every step we take.

Last week I saw a family of four on vacation from an Asia country. Nice, mom, dad, younger sister and about a 12/13 year-old boy. These folks didn't speak English but they were quite. Doesn't bother me they are spending money here. They were all conservatively dresses but the lad was wearing a brand new t-shirt that said "Heavy Fucking Metal" in huge letters across the front. I had to laugh, the kid might have known what it said but I can guarantee his parents didn't. Should I have been insulted and told them this would offend some? Don't think so, I've seen lots on t-shirts and don't take offense.

If you want to be upset about Ray wearing a scarf, go right ahead but I also hope you are outraged about being lied to by our current administration. Good grief, even Scott McClellan, one of his long time people from Texas, is speaking out. Better yet, while you're questioning her sense of style, what's up with those eyebrows?

Yes, ranting about gas, again

It's very difficult to have a discussion with some who agrees with you. The conversation usually goes something like:

Statement of a fact: blah, blah, blah.
Answer: Yeah, yes, your damn straight it is.

My beloved and I, in general, have much the same politics so most of the time I just take note of what he says because he can be quite humorous at times and profound at others. Take this morning when a news report mentioned a loophole in a law that restricts drilling off our coast. An example, China could drill off our coast where we couldn't and they cursed the "tree huggers" for getting laws such as this enacted. It does sound stupid and probably right because some of our legislators have lettered in stupid. I'll check this one further but people, you are missing the point. Drilling for more oil isn't going to change anything because that oil will run dry, in time and we'll be in the same sinking boat. We can not continue to pass on this problem to the next generation.

We had the chance in the 70s with that gas crisis and what did we learn? If you look at the number of gas sucking as apposed to gas sipping vehicles on the road you could assume we learned nuttin'. Does anyone need to drive their kids to school, outside of Iraq, in a Humvee? I think not but there they are at the pumps sucking down gas.

In the 70s did we invest in a better public transportation system? Nope, Amtrak and Greyhound almost went under for the lack of riders. How about the Metro? It's only recently it's ridership is up. Maybe the threat of $4 a gallon is hitting home. I know it makes me question that trip to the market to get one item.

Find at least one day you can, take alternate form of transportation, car pool, ride your bike, or walk but we have to reduce our dependency on gas. Also think of investing in some green technology companies.

Prostitution, a victimless crime?

Are you f-ing kidding me? I am sick and damn tired of hearing some people say, "Why can't you just look the other way about this Call Girl thing ? It's just prostitution and who actually gets hurt. "

Who gets hurt? You think some 24 year old woman decides she has a knack and on a whim puts in an application. Most of the time it's a choice of last resort or, something like this in New York. Have a twelve-year-old daughter/granddaughter? Here's a quote from the article.

Authorities said Davis forced a 12-year-old girl to be a sex slave in 2005, confining her to a house in New York and transporting her to Connecticut to work up to 12 hours a day as a prostitute. He also was accused of recruiting a 17-year-old girl in 2006 with the promise of a cheap apartment, but when she arrived, investigators say Davis took away her cell phone and locked her in an apartment.

The bastard, in this case, got 23 years but don't think he was the only one doing this. There's big money and a whole lot of greed involved.

Human trafficking doesn't just happen in third-world countries it happens here in your neighborhood. Ever go to Craig'slist? In one recent case, two Chicago women were charged for selling girls as young as 14 years old on Craigslist. The girls were forced to have sex with 10-12 men per day, and the traffickers made tens of thousands of dollars.

Still think it's a victimless crime? Next time you think that way also try to envision your niece, daughter, granddaughter in that situation.

Von's Supermarket-agita for life

Agita, a perfect word in Italian to describe my feelings for my local Von's supermarket. Customer service isn't the perfunctory, Didyoufindeverythingyouwerelookingfortoday? Customer service is where you say to the customer, "I'm sorry you had to come back to the store to correct OUR mistake." I hope we can serve you better next time you return." And of course, this is spoken looking directly at the customer with some sort of, albeit fake, sincerity.

I don't shop at Von's because they have the lowest prices or a sparkling clean market, far from it. I go there because it is the closest option in my many options to by food.

My checker, trying to get done with the day, was so quick to ring me up she forgot to give me a substantial discount on a product I'd purchased, $9.65. I did think my bill was a bit high and putting my groceries into my trunk I noticed the mistake. If it had been any less, I swear, I'd have just gone home but I was irritated by her actions in the first place.

After I waited in the Customer Service line the guy looked at the receipt, looked at the ham, walked to the cash register and gave me my change. No apology, no smile, no kiss-my-ass-I-hate-all-you-people. He then stood there and watched me struggle to put the ham back in my bag. I still do have a broken wrist and a noticeable brace on my right arm. I had to ask for his help.

Mistakes happen, I'm well aware of that, and I'll even go so far as to say I should have been paying a bit more attention as she checked me out but for the love of all that's good, would it have killed them to be a little more cheerful?

Social Security to aliens? Bogus!

Maybe on Mars but not here in the US.

Before you forward on e-mails take the time to make sure the information is correct. There are a few websites I use as a source to check rumors such as this.

www.snopes.com and FactCheck.org both are very reliable.

There has been an e-mail circulated recently about Social Security and immigration. It says that the Democrats are planning to give YOUR social security benefits to illegal aliens and for you to add your name to the list and forward it to many of your friends (make sure they are legal) and then off to the President. Check out this link about this e-mail.

It is a distortion of the facts by some Republicans. Nobody's proposing paying benefits to illegal immigrants, not until they become US citizens or granted legal status. And that is the same for guest workers as it is for people like Pauline, a friend that in the past few years has gotten her American citizenship.

The bill in question was passed last May with a bi-partisan majority. During the debate an amendment was offered to change current law to prevent immigrants from getting credit toward future Social Security benefits from taxes paid before they have legal permission to work.

Now here is the interesting part, The Social Security Administration has what is calls an "earnings suspense file" to track the amount of wages that are taxed for collection but not credited to a specific worker. SSA officials have said that the fund takes in as much as $7 billion a year. Where does that money go? It pays benefits to US beneficiaries. So, if you are collecting benefits now, some of that comes from illegal aliens who work, have taxes taken out and get no benefit or would not get benefit in the future.

Really what your Democratic representatives in Congress are doing is the opposite of what this e-mail states, they are protecting SS from retroactive payments.

Now, if your are still reading this, send this to your entire e-mail list. This is the type of information they'd love to have and they'll thank you for sending the truth.

Don't forget to vote!

Let thee without sin

If I'm in line at a market/big box store/confessional I have no problem chatting with people; I'm a friendly person. What I don't like is someone commenting on my choice of cereal/tomatoes/sins.

While stopping by Costco to buy some canned tomatoes the woman in front of me asked as she wrinkled up her nose,

"Do you know how much sodium is in those?"

"Is this a contest," I asked, "do I get a prize if I know?"

"Oh heavens no, I'm just warning everyone I see buying them", she says.

"So, that was a rhetorical question, you knew the answer but you just wanted me to look stupid?"

"Well! if you don't care about your health"

"I do care about my health but I've weighed the benefits of eating canned tomato and getting lycopene along with the sodium or eating frozen processed food and just getting the sodium. By the way, do you know how much sodium is in your frozen chicken breasts? Have a nice day."

People, if you find yourself wanting to help the world/your community/fellowman resist unless it's to vote the Republicans out of office.

What bastards!

Who am I ranting about, today? The auto industry. California, along with 16 other states, wants to write tougher auto emission standards regarding cars and trucks and the genius in Washington decided it would be better if all states were to work together. I agree we should all have the same laws but what's wrong with the tougher standards for everyone?

What a silly question. The the auto makers would actually have to act sooner and those big contributors to politicians might not contribute big anymore. Again, Bastards.

Washington fat-cats sleeping with the auto industry 1
Global warming and your children's future 0

Speak with your wallet for those who can't

This is not an endorsement for Taco Hell but in 2005 they ended a consumer boycott by agreeing to pay an extra penny per pound to Florida tomato pickers. One penny. Mickey D's got on board. This extra penny would go directly to the pickers. They make about $.77 a bucket. This is now only a dream to the pickers because Burger King, with headquarters in Florida, says no way. Now the tomato growers are ready to cancel the deals with Taco Bell and McDonald's.

Way to go, King. So if you pay the extra penny a pound to the migrant workers it could cost you about $250,000 a year. Chump change. In 2006 your execs made more than twice as much money as ALL, yes all, of the roughly 10,000 tomato pickers in south Florida earn.

On Nov 30 marchers protested at their headquarter.

So the next time you're hauling your kids to some fast food, think about what's it's costing the worker who brought you the tomato. If you spend money at their store you are condoning their policy of worker abuse.

If you'd like to contact them you can call or write. They don't accept e-mail communication. So I called them this morning to tell them their policies on paying Florida pickers are unAmerican and I'd never buy anything from them. After the phone rang at corporate headquarters, many many times, a somewhat harried receptionist transfered my call to Consumer Relations. I hope they register all these complaints.

Burger King Corporation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, Florida 33126

Corporate Headquarters - 305-378-3000
Marketing/Advertising Information Requests - 305-378-7200
Consumer Relations - 305-378-3535

At the same location for two years

Two years? I've been ranting and rambling for two years? Looking back over the last two years it seems I've become less political in the posts. Crap, that worries me. Maybe I've just given up until we get the current administration out of office in November. Let's think about how we vote this year, folks. Can we stand anymore of this?

This is great, I don't have to remember what was going on in my life last October, I can just link back to the previous posts. Jeeze, a lot of stuff has happened. Anyone who says retirement is boring doesn't know the same people I do.

What was going on October 5, 2006 and October 5, 2005.

Hold on, the next ten years will be a bumpy ride

Since my sister and her husband left Florida I don't follow hurricanes anymore. That would be hurricanes with a small "h" not the NHL team. Not that I don't care about hurricanes, I do. I feel sorry for anyone to go through the anguish of losing everything so quickly and was reminded of our natural disaster risks here in California just a few weeks ago; earthquakes. It was only a 4.6 and for those outside of the state, that's just a wake up call. The 3.5 a week later was so minor if you weren't standing still you missed it.

I don't get excited until they are up in the "fives" range but that isn't to say it didn't wake me up. My adrenalin was pumping pretty good. After any perceivable quake I check the USGS site. Handy because it's automatic and they can pinpoint it quite quickly as to location and get pretty close to the magnitude. When you have a resource like that it gives the illusion of some sort of control.

Quake 101: Sharp jolts mean it was pretty close. Those slow rolling coaster of a ride quakes are usually farther a way. I don't think the jolt travels but the roll seems to go on for a long distance.

No one wants to relive the horror of a Katrina sized storm again but with global-whatever it seems our weather is in flux. Who do you believe? NOAA say there could be above normal number of storms this season. That would be the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration not the ship builder. In the West we are in a drought but Texas and the entire middle of the country might need an ark. I'd have both NOAAs on speed dial if I lived in Texas this year.

I'm sure the scientists are scratching their collective heads over what actually is going to happen, I feel it has already started. Nothing gloom and doom, just a reality. We've punched our atmosphere around so much, what can we expect.

At least we haven't caused Earthquakes--wait, maybe that's a reaction, as well.

The ship is sinking; the rat leaving

Be still my heart; Karl Rove is moving on.

We need less priests and more Uncle Daves

I'll confess; I've never been a great Catholic. My family ranges from people like me to one who should have been a priest. My uncle goes to Mass every day of his life and has for as long as I can remember. I, on the other hand, can't remember the last Mass I attended other than a funeral.

What has me confused is why so many abuse victims? Are there that many ratty-assed priests? Mahonney said he was truly sorry. Yeah, sorry he had to pay out all that money. Tell me what they are doing to keep this from happening again, then I'll be happy. LA Catholic Church apologies.

Now the Pope says "Other Christians are not true Christians." Huh? Another uncle, recently departed, was a Lutheran, through and through. Never missed church and was the most genuinely honest and moral person I've ever known. So when he died you think St Pete says, oops, all that good living, sorry, we've about 100 pedophile priests ahead of you, you know, Catholicism is the only true religion.

Does this sound like another religion? If you don't believe in my way of thinking … fill in the blanks. I'm not saying Pope Benny and the Jets suggests strapping on vests and heading down to the local Protestant Church but come on, where did this come from? There is a reason pontificate, to express one's opinion in a way considered annoying, came from that section of Rome.

Ever have one of those days when nothing goes right?

This would be the theme of my Saturday.

• Blogger is wonky
• I get out my sewing machine, which was just repaired, and the case was put on wrong so I can't plug it in.
• My printer is acting foolish
• I went out to do some shopping and when I returned the sprinklers had been running for two hours.
• My husband is away and not answering his cell phone.
• When I tried to access my voice-mail it says it's been disabled and to call. They aren't there on the weekend.
• Trying to talk with my sister, she's on the road traveling, the phone is wonky.
  
• I can't find my recipe for my shortbread cookies.

I'm going back to bed, see ya on Monday

Parrot owners, are you deaf?

In our neighborhood, we have a family that moved in just four houses away. They must be deaf because they manage, and I say that instead of own, a parrot. I've never seen this bird but he must be fourteen feet tall by the sound of him. When I walk, I've noticed he's parked out in their screened-in porch. How do I know he's there? He screeches at about 90 decibels, somewhere between the roar of a jet engine and and Al Qaeda business meeting.

Ever so often, it happened this morning, he screams like someone is trying to force him into a small paper bag. That or the Golden Retriever that lives outside has finally had enough. I'm voting for dog.

You thought LA's traffic is hazardous

Rush hour in New Delhi is more dangerous these days with an old elephant holding up traffic if he suspects food in any of the cars. He forces the drivers to stop by standing in front of the car and then stays there until the driver gets out and he can extract his toll.

What's next? Raising the bus fare?

Get out of Purgitory free card

You'd think being retired I'd have this spic and span clean house. How wrong you'd be. My house cleaning consists of tidying up the kitchen and baths, making sure my dearly beloved has clean britches and dusting, if we have company. Of course when we have overnight guests I feel compelled to clean a bit more and since my family will be converging here in June I've been in Über clean mode.

Because I've gotten lazy I only do one or two chores a day then either walk, write for this and the PBE blogs or paint. I do spoil myself. Today's chores consisted in cleaning ceiling fans and the aluminium blinds in both front rooms. Yikes, what a boring job and if I were still associated with the Catholic Church I'm sure I would have offered up this time as penance for the poor souls in Purgatory. A product of some Catholic schooling, every boring job drags my mind back to Nuns making you feel no time is wasted when there are souls to push onto their final reward.

This sort of stuff all ways got me into trouble in school like the time I, quite seriously, asked the Nun if I could sort of "bank" some prayers for a few of my friends I know will need them once they die because they should be going straight to hell. Detention, Miss.

Something in the back of my mind say some recent Pope eliminated Purgatory a few years ago but I'm not sure. If this was changed I am sure everyone got the express into heaven just like when, during the the 60s, they eliminated the Friday penance of no meat. Says so somewhere in Canon Law, which, I might add, reads like some Californian ballot propositions. The church never does seem to get it's story right, Inquisitions, Indulgences, and Insolent Priests.