tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79058904573419113202024-03-05T03:46:56.334-08:00Exquisite Humanityex⋅quis⋅ite
[ik-skwiz-it, ek-skwi-zit]
intense; acute, or keen, as pleasure or pain.
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hu⋅man⋅i⋅ty
[hyoo-man-i-tee]
the condition of being human; human nature.Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-58123606962878832512014-06-01T11:10:00.000-07:002014-06-01T13:02:33.734-07:00Jennifer Lynn Marie Sule - I Miss You.Jennifer will always be Jenna to me. We met at work and due to the fact that there were too many Jennifer's at the time, she introduced herself as Jenna. She will <i>always</i> be <b>My Jenna</b>. That's what we called each other: My Jenna or My Carli. Those were our endearing nicknames for each other.<br />
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You can't begin to understand how difficult it is to relay how much someone is important to you when you love them so much...<br />
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To be honest, Jenna and I couldn't stand each other when we first met. She was The Ditz and I was The Bitch. That was the running joke between us. But after getting to know each other, there is no other woman besides my mom whom I loved more. Jenna was the most kind-hearted, most intelligent woman I could ever come to know. She taught me things about the devout religious (she was Catholic; I am Atheist). Even now, it warms my heart regarding the seriously, heated arguments we had about the subject. Yet she opened my eyes about <i>why</i> she believed. Her Catholicism comforted her. It gave her peace and resolution. It made her who she was. And she was beautiful. She was absolutely the most imperfect, beautiful person I have ever come to know. <br />
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I say imperfect and beautiful in the same sentence because they are the right words. Jenna was not perfect; but she was as close to a perfect, beautiful, kind-hearted human being that I have ever had the grace of sharing this earth with. I don't say that because she has passed. I have always felt that way. <br />
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Jenna made my life worth something by gracing my life with hers. I love you, little sister. I miss you.Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-69438683318814172492013-06-26T05:51:00.003-07:002013-06-26T05:56:06.802-07:00Mom It's been over six months since I last posted to this blog. It's been 49 days since my mother passed away. Yet she keeps on teaching me.<br />
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Shortly after her death, my siblings and I found writings from our Mom that showed she suffered from depression. We were completely unaware. She didn't confide in us; she didn't let on at all. Selfishly, I was hurt that she didn't tell us. If I (we) had known, maybe we could have helped her get through it. Maybe we could have protected her. <br />
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This morning, after reading something she wrote in 1992, I sobbed once again that she didn't let us know that she was hurting. Then, it hit me. I did the same thing to her for the majority of my life. I didn't let her know what was going on throughout one of the most horrific situations of my life. When it came to light earlier this year, I didn't understand why she was so hurt. <br />
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She didn't know about it, I argued with her. She didn't know because I didn't tell her. How could she protect me from something she had absolutely zero knowledge? She couldn't protect me.<br />
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She couldn't protect me. I couldn't protect her.<br />
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My Mom! She makes me laugh and cry to this day. I know she was with me this morning when she helped me understand why she didn't tell me about her depression. She was with me when I finally understood why she was upset about me not telling her about the horrific event. All we want to do is make sure our loved ones are okay and <em>protect them</em>. I get it now, Mom. Sometimes days, weeks, months or years too late. But I get it now.<br />
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If someone or something hurts you, tell someone. No matter how painful it may be. You may save your life. You may save someone else's. You may just find your heart has opened up.<br />
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Note: My Mom passed away Wednesday, May 8, 2013 from acute COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-70247237179225541182012-12-04T07:34:00.001-08:002012-12-04T07:39:36.370-08:00United We Stand, Divided We FallThis is what I've been looking for. We need to stop with the divisiveness and embrace our fellow Americans, because they are our neighbors, friends, family members, our loved ones, regardless of ideology. We are all in this together. We are stronger together than divided.<br />
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Kid Rock and Sean Penn: Thank you.<br />
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<a href="http://youtu.be/oSQJ2ULuhb8"></a><br />Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-71066397525003199422011-10-03T22:41:00.000-07:002011-10-03T22:41:35.949-07:00Beauty in the WorldSloan Churman was born deaf. She had never heard her own voice until she was fitted with a specialized hearing implant. Her husband videotaped the moment. This is Sloan, hearing her own voice for the first time.<br />
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</div><div>I don't know about you, but I think her laughter and her tears are absolutely beautiful.</div><div><br />
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</div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-50695726020557239722010-12-31T13:16:00.000-08:002010-12-31T13:45:06.957-08:00NSFWFor those of you who aren't aware of the meaning, NSFW means Not Safe For Work because it contains obscenities or other offensive material. On that note...<br />
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The Best Blog Post of the Year: <a href="http://jezebel.com/5721528/fuck-you-2010">Fuck You, 2010!</a><br />
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Thanks, Jezebel! Someone had to say it.<br />
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Edit: I have been blessed. It's all that's going on in the world that's fucked up. We all need a better 2011. Here's to the New Year!<br />
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Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad, Happy Festivus and any others I may have forgotten... Happy Holidays to all of you!Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-61254322489619375792010-10-09T08:47:00.000-07:002010-10-09T08:47:14.746-07:00Need Your Help! RE: Companies Who Won't Hire the UnemployedDear Readers,<br />
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If you support the unemployed in their quest to find work, then I would like to ask for your help. As many of you are already aware, <a href="http://exquisitehumanity.blogspot.com/2010/06/unemployed-will-not-be-considered.html">there are employers out there who refuse to hire the unemployed or those unemployed longer than six months</a>. This is unacceptable, if we are going to move our country forward to better economic times.<br />
<br />
I have compiled a list of Craigslist ads from around the country for companies who are not hiring the unemployed. Many of them are blind ads, whereby they won't reveal their name. If you have the background or qualifications they are looking for, I am asking that you contact them to find out who they are.<br />
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I do ask that you <b>do not contact them to </b><b>hassle them</b>, only to find out their company name. We will shame them later, with your help.<br />
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If you wish, I will happily credit you for finding the information. If you want to remain anonymous, I will respect that wish as well. You can reply in the comments below, email or give me a call through Google, on the right side of this page. Below are the ads and contact info.<br />
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<h2>LVN $50 per hour + mileage (L.A./Orange County) <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/hea/1986546241.html">http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/hea/1986546241.html</a></span></h2><hr />Date: 2010-10-03, 9:24AM PDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-p78nj-1986546241@craigslist.org?subject=LVN%20%2450%20per%20hour%20%2B%20mileage%20%20%28L.A.%2FOrange%20County%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Flosangeles.craigslist.org%2Fsfv%2Fhea%2F1986546241.html%0A">job-p78nj-1986546241@craigslist.org</a> <sup><a href="http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/replying_to_posts" target="_blank"><br />
</a></sup><br />
<hr /><br />
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POSTING—seeking a very intelligent Licensed Vocational Nurse for subcontracting position to meet clients at doctors' offices, accompany them through their appointment, and then type a report of the examination. Time at doctor’s office paid from 30 minutes before appointment time to conclusion of examination at $50 per hour. Travel reimbursed at $50 per hour for standard driving time (Mapquest time) from your residence to the doctor’s office and then back to your home PLUS 50 cents per mile reimbursement (Mapquest distance) from your residence to the doctor’s office and then back to your home. Reimbursement for report typing based on standard (length of work product) typing time at $50 per hour. Reimbursement for proofreading of typist’s transcription paid at standard rate of 3 minutes per page at $50 per hour. This position REQUIRES EXCEPTIONAL RELIABLITY. <br />
<br />
Paid in-person training is provided before the first assignment. The work assignments for this position are communicated VIA PHONE and the business owner will call applicants to conduct an initial telephone interview—so please DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS POSTING IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR PHONE WHEN CALLED (you may wish to include in your email response any best dates/times you may be reached—messages will not be left, and this position needs to be filled immediately). Assignments are available Monday through Friday during daylight hours. Must have VERY GOOD English speaking and GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT report writing ability with strong typing skills. Must maintain dependable transportation, computer with internet access, printer and cellphone. Please do not submit a response to this posting that is not accompanied by a complete resume. This is a long-term position (NOT TEMPORARY)—<b style="color: red;">Only individuals with stable current employment, who are seeking an opportunity for part-time supplemental income should apply—DO NOT APPLY IF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED OR ABOUT TO CHANGE EMPLOYMENT.</b> This position needs to be filled immediately—please do not apply now if you are not prepared to be interviewed immediately, be trained immediately if selected for the position, and then take assignments immediately following completion of training. <br />
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<h2>P/T Legal/Admin Assistant (Los Angeles) <a href="http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/lgl/1986788080.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/lgl/1986788080.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-10-03, 11:51AM PDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-cu2bj-1986788080@craigslist.org?subject=P%2FT%20Legal%2FAdmin%20Assistant%20%28Los%20Angeles%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Flosangeles.craigslist.org%2Fwst%2Flgl%2F1986788080.html%0A">job-cu2bj-1986788080@craigslist.org</a> <sup><a href="http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/replying_to_posts" target="_blank"><br />
</a></sup><br />
<hr /><br />
Criminal Defense attorney with start-up practice that is getting busier. I need someone to handle office duties including filing, calendaring, billing, phone calls, and other admin work which may include helping set up a permanent office after the first of the year. The candidate must be highly organized with excellent written and verbal communication skills. Must also be OK with working remotely sometimes and at least two days a week from my home office in Hancock Park area. <br />
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Criminal Law experience preferred. If you worked for a criminal defense lawyer, prosecutor's office, or for the courts - please note that in the subject line of your email..so I can put you on the top of my inbox) <br />
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Pay is $12 an hour to start. For the right person this is a growth position. For real. <br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Do NOT APPLY if</span> </b>you are a recent law school grad waiting for bar results or <b style="color: red;">an unemployed/underemployed attorney hoping to take cases. I will not consider you for this position. </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Ahhh.... </span><a href="http://exquisitehumanity.blogspot.com/2010/06/keep-boycott-going-unemployed-will-not.html" style="color: #9fc5e8;">Patrice & Associates</a><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> rears their ugly head again.</span></b><br />
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<h2>Needed Casual Dining Manager (San antonio) <a href="http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/fbh/1933243762.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/fbh/1933243762.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-09-02, 2:30PM CDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-bpaxd-1933243762@craigslist.org?subject=Needed%20Casual%20Dining%20Manager%20%28San%20antonio%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fsanantonio.craigslist.org%2Ffbh%2F1933243762.html%0A">job-bpaxd-1933243762@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr />Searching for experienced restaurant manager for a high volume upscale casual dining restaurant located locally. <b style="color: red;">Must be currently employed or <u> recentley</u> unemployed</b> and not more than 3 jobs in the last ten years. Please send me your resume for immediate consiseration. At Patrice & Associates Hospitality Services we are the largest and most successful recruiting agency in the United States with over 600 job openings nationwide! If you want to get your resume in the hands of the corporate decision makers today and cut through the red tape then submit your resume now! <br />
stub ExampleUser of run executable and acts Apache has <br />
<br />
ieh-mmmum<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #9fc5e8;"><b>Yeah, that's the end of their ad. Pretty impressive, isn't it? </b></div><br />
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<h2>Restaurant Managers (Fort Worth) <a href="http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/fbh/1990221375.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/fbh/1990221375.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-10-05, 12:06PM CDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-xetfa-1990221375@craigslist.org?subject=Restaurant%20Managers%20%28Fort%20Worth%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fdallas.craigslist.org%2Fftw%2Ffbh%2F1990221375.html%0A">job-xetfa-1990221375@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr />Come to work for one of America's Fastest Growing Quick Casual concepts! <br />
No early mornings... <br />
No Late nights... <br />
No Drive Thru... <br />
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Fantastic Growth Potential...(as a brand this company will open 1500 units nationally in the next 2 years) <br />
Excellent Quality of Life!! <br />
Terrific bonus potential!! <br />
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All over the entire Fort Worth market, we are looking for experienced restaurant managers with FULL SERVICE or FAST CASUAL experience. Our concept combines a sleek, 100% fresh menu with "host of the party" leadership to keep us at the top of the "ZAGAT" Best of the Best list. <br />
Our successful restaurant managers come from a background that includes a fresh kitchen production style, combined with strong controllable skills and huge leadership ability. (we place a high price on guest happiness) We look for folks who enjoy knowing their guests by first name and being the mayor of the town! <br />
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Requirements: <br />
• NO more than 2 jobs in 3 years… <br />
• Definite salaried restaurant management experience … <br />
<b style="color: red;">• Must be currently employed (or recently unemployed for good reason)… </b><br />
• Must have a desire to move your career forward… <br />
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We have 12 units under construction right now...and we need strong leadership talent!!!! <br />
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<h2>Business to Business Sales (North Metro) <span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: small;">Boulder, CO</span> <a href="http://boulder.craigslist.org/sls/1932153883.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://boulder.craigslist.org/sls/1932153883.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-09-01, 8:54PM MDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-hdjbs-1932153883@craigslist.org?subject=Business%20to%20Business%20Sales%20%28North%20Metro%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fboulder.craigslist.org%2Fsls%2F1932153883.html%0A">job-hdjbs-1932153883@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr />Media Company is looking for Business to Business sales people. This is a commission only position. First years income could be between $40,000.00 and $60,000.00. We can teach you what you need if you have the desire to work. <br />
Territory includes Boulder, Longmont and North Denver Metro. <br />
Some of the services we provide are: <br />
SEO (search engine optimization) <br />
Web Sites <br />
Promotional Material (pens, caps, etc.) <br />
Printed Material (direct mail, Magazine type material and informational material.) <br />
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Requirements include: <br />
Ability to work with little supervision, we do not believe in micro management. <br />
Ability to Cold call new and existing accounts as well as prospect. <br />
Work with several different personalities. <br />
Must have reliable vehicle. <br />
Must be computer literate. (Excel spread sheet) <br />
Able to meet dead lines. <br />
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<b style="color: red;">If you do not have self pride, self motivation, self worth please do not apply. We are not looking for the carrier unemployed. </b><br />
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<h2>Looking for Ambitious Sales Rep. <span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: small;">Detroit</span> <a href="http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/sls/1927039524.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/sls/1927039524.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-08-30, 11:19AM EDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-yfaua-1927039524@craigslist.org?subject=Looking%20for%20Ambitious%20Sales%20Rep.&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fdetroit.craigslist.org%2Fmcb%2Fsls%2F1927039524.html%0A">job-yfaua-1927039524@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr />Looking for people who want to supplement their current full-time income with a part-time opportunity. <br />
<b style="color: red;">Not necessarily looking for unemployed people at this time. </b><br />
Growing need to educate families on how to make money, save money, and get out of debt. <br />
Looking for sharp, ambitious individuals with great people skills who have the desire to help others. <br />
Great advancement potential <br />
Part-time potential extra $500-$1500/month 10-15 hrs/week <br />
Possible transition to full-time in the future <br />
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If interested, email above address with contact info <br />
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<h2>Restuarant / Kitchen Manager (Plymouth Meeting, PA) <a href="http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/fbh/1961957699.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/fbh/1961957699.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-09-19, 10:15AM EDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-bbgbd-1961957699@craigslist.org?subject=Restuarant%20%2F%20Kitchen%20Manager%20%28Plymouth%20Meeting%2C%20PA%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fdetroit.craigslist.org%2Fmcb%2Ffbh%2F1961957699.html%0A">job-bbgbd-1961957699@craigslist.org</a> <sup></sup> <br />
<hr />Immediate Opening! <br />
Assistant Restaurant Manager <br />
If it inspires and excites you to help build a growing, profitable restaurant business in which the highest standards of quality, value and hospitality are expressed; where respect, integrity and pride are a way of life; then we would love to hear from you. <br />
FUN! FUN! FUN! - Great work environment! Not Fast Food! <br />
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Career Progression: AM to GM in about 2 years <br />
Promotes from within <br />
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GENEROUS BENEFITS PACKAGE!!!! <br />
Competitive Wages - Attainable Bonus! <br />
Medical / Dental / Prescription Drug Plan <br />
Flex Care Benefits Option <br />
401(k) Retirement Plan <br />
Attire & Meal Allowances <br />
Two Weeks Paid Vacation to start <br />
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Candidate Criteria: <br />
• Strong candidate capable of handling a $2M store. <br />
• 2 years of salaried management experience in full service casual / family dining <br />
<b style="color: red;">• Must be employed in restaurants or recently unemployed (1 - 5 months out) </b><br />
• No more than 2 jobs in 5 years, 3 in 9-10 years. <br />
• Likes to have FUN at work!!!! <br />
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Not Just an Ordinary Job……..But an Extraordinary Career <br />
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<h2>Restaurant Managers-Quick Casual (Paramus) <span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: small;">New Jersey</span> <a href="http://newjersey.craigslist.org/fbh/1946192730.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://newjersey.craigslist.org/fbh/1946192730.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-09-10, 8:36AM EDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-ghawz-1946192730@craigslist.org?subject=Restaurant%20Managers-Quick%20Casual%20%28Paramus%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fnewjersey.craigslist.org%2Ffbh%2F1946192730.html%0A">job-ghawz-1946192730@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr /><big>► ►<span style="color: green;"> <span style="color: black;">Quick Casual Assistant Managers Needed! </span></span></big> ► THE HEALTH AND HAPPINESS OF OUR ASSOCIATES IS A HIGH PRIORITY<br />
HERE’S WHAT WE CAN OFFER:<br />
► No Late Nights-Great Quality of Life-55 Hour Work Week<br />
► General Managers are promoted from within and we are growing!<br />
► Performance based bonuses and promotions<br />
► Industry-leading compensation and benefits<br />
► Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance<br />
► Flexible Spending Account<br />
► 401(k) Pension Plan<br />
► Paid Vacation<br />
► Bonus Plan<br />
HERE’S WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU: ► 3yrs exp as salaried manager, preferably from fast casual or full service <br />
► P&L skills, budgeting, and computer skills<br />
► Excellent team leadership and customer skills are a must for all candidates-you Should truly enjoy promoting guest satisfaction<br />
<div style="color: red;"><b>► Employed or recently unemployed</b></div>► No more than 2 jobs in 5 years, 3 in 10<br />
<div style="color: #eeeeee;"><big>If you meet these qualifications, please email your resume attn: Cathy!</big></div><br />
<b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Note: The ad below is too damn long so I've shortened it; if you want a list of all their Do's and Don'ts, go </span><a href="http://newjersey.craigslist.org/acc/1963286646.html" style="color: #9fc5e8;">here</a><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">. For such exacting standards, you'd think they would hire a staffing company that could write a proper ad.</span></b><br />
<br />
<h2>Attention- $110,000/ yr - Senior Tax Manager-Send Resume Now (Newark, NJ) <a href="http://newjersey.craigslist.org/acc/1963286646.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://newjersey.craigslist.org/acc/1963286646.html</span></a></h2><hr />Date: 2010-09-20, 6:36AM EDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-xkhu4-1963286646@craigslist.org?subject=Attention-%20%24110%2C000%2F%20yr%20-%20Senior%20Tax%20Manager-Send%20Resume%20Now%20%28Newark%2C%20NJ%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fnewjersey.craigslist.org%2Facc%2F1963286646.html%0A">job-xkhu4-1963286646@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr /><b style="color: red;">2. * ** EMPLOYMENT STATUS ***: Do NOT submit resume if you are Currently UNEMPLOYED or SEL-EMPLOYED as they will NOT be considered. ONLY accepting passive candidates. </b><br />
Title: Senior Tax Manager <br />
Salary: $110k - $140k (DOE) <br />
Company: Top 20 CPA Firm <br />
Location: Newark, NJ <br />
Job Type: Full time <br />
Relocation: NO (LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY) <br />
<br />
REQUIRED: CPA DESIGNATION AND CURRENT EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTING CPA FIRM. <br />
<br />
EDUCATION: <br />
* Bachelors degree in accounting. <br />
* Advanced degree in Taxation or J.D. or a CPA License. <br />
* Bachelors degree and a CPA license is required or an MS in taxation. <br />
<br />
EXPERIENCE: <br />
* Minimum of 6 Years in a Public Accounting environment. <br />
* Experience in using tax preparation software. <br />
<br />
SKILLS: <br />
* Computer Literacy, including strong excel skills. <br />
* Ability to work within a team environment. <br />
* Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects. <br />
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills. <br />
<br />
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: <br />
* Tax Related Responsibilities: <br />
* Research and consulting on complex tax matters. <br />
* Review of tax returns. <br />
* Communication with clients and maintenance of client relationships. <br />
* Management, development, training and mentoring of staff and seniors. <br />
* Tax planning with a wide variety of clients. <br />
<br />
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES: <br />
* Oversee, train, and develop staff as well as provide informal and formal feedback regarding their performance. <br />
* Review and maintain budgets. <br />
* Keep partners updated about the status of the engagement. <br />
* Maintain client relations. <br />
* Answer various questions from staff that is working on engagements. <br />
* Supervise client billing. <br />
* Visit potential client sites for business proposals. <br />
<br />
The ideal Candidate: <br />
5 - 7 yrs of experience <br />
CPA DESIGNATION AND CURRENT EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTING CPA FIRM <br />
<br />
For Consideration you must act NOW ! <br />
Send resume today to the following below <br />
<br />
Bracestaffing@gmail.com <br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>Excellent Advancement Opportunity (Danville) <span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: small;">North Carolina <a href="http://danville.craigslist.org/fbh/1993367360.html" style="color: #eeeeee;">http://danville.craigslist.org/fbh/1993367360.html</a></span></h2><hr />Date: 2010-10-07, 8:24AM EDT<br />
Reply to: <a href="mailto:job-x5tgu-1993367360@craigslist.org?subject=Excellent%20Advancement%20Opportunity%20%20%28Danville%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fdanville.craigslist.org%2Ffbh%2F1993367360.html%0A">job-x5tgu-1993367360@craigslist.org</a> <br />
<hr /><div style="color: #eeeeee;">Excellent Advancement Opportunity <br />
<br />
<big>We bring on big talent and develop them into our future Proprietors - You'll be responsible for ensuring that guests enjoy a pleasurable dining experience. Key responsibilities include guest interaction, management of operating standards for service, facility and equipment in the restaurant, while ensuring staffing and training of the service team. If you have experience in sales volume of at least $2 Million and have great knowledge of restaurant operations we would love to talk to you! <br />
<br />
Benefits: <br />
• Great Pay & Bonus <br />
• Medical / Dental Insurance <br />
• 401k <br />
• Disability Insurance <br />
• 2 weeks vacation <br />
<br />
Preferred Candidate Criteria: <br />
<b style="color: red;">• Must be employed in restaurants or recently unemployed (1-4) months out </b><br />
• No more than 2 jobs in 5 years, 3 in 9-10 years. <br />
• High Volume Experience is a big plus <br />
• 3yrs of mgmt in full service/casual dining. <br />
• Valid driver's license. <br />
• High school education <br />
<br />
There are several openings locally. Please submit your resume today for consideration! </big></div><br />
That's it... for now. If you find other companies out there who won't hire the unemployed or long term (6 months or longer) unemployed, please let me know.<br />
<br />
Thanks in advance for your help!Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-2514561836735436542010-09-26T09:57:00.000-07:002010-09-26T11:12:57.588-07:00I Met an Honorable ManIt's been a while since I've posted anything, so this post is a couple months overdue.<br />
<br />
It was the beginning of summer. The usually dark gray skies of Seattle had been replaced with a beautiful blue sky and the sparkling, warm yellow of the morning sun. I had just pulled my car in to a convenience store when I noticed a grizzled, old man get off his motorcycle and walk in the store. He had a long, scraggly beard and a somewhat familiar, yellow armband on his worn, leather jacket. He looked like the epitome of a Hell's Angel. He was an angel, alright. Just not from hell.<br />
<br />
His yellow armband kept tugging at the edges of my memory, when a question entered my mind. I waited for him to come out of the store. As he walked out, I approached him with the question, "Excuse me, but are you one of the men who ride to protect military families from the Westboro Baptist Church?"<br />
<br />
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He replied, "Yes, I am. We're called the <a href="http://patriotguard.org/">Patriot Guard Riders</a>."<br />
<br />
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"I'd like to shake your hand and thank you for helping them," I said and extended my hand. I watched the expression on his face turn from wariness to the full warmth of a smile.<br />
<br />
"As a matter of fact, we're riding today," he stated as he grasped my hand. "To a young man's funeral in Enumclaw. Westboro is supposed to be there, so we will too."<br />
<br />
We stood there a few more minutes talking, then he got on his motorcycle and rode off. I was left feeling that it had been an honor to meet this man, however briefly.<br />
<br />
If you are unfamiliar with the Westboro Baptist Church, allow me to explain. They are a very small "church" in Kansas. Their congregation consists primarily of their own family members and they are led by a... I hate to call him a man... by the name of Fred Phelps. They are a particularly hateful organization that travel around the country protesting at the funerals of our military men and women. Their signs spew horrific phrases like, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers, God Hates America, God Hates Fags" and other detestable sayings. They will yell this garbage within the hearing range of the families burying their sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends. They have had lawsuits filed against them and by them, all in the name of free speech.<br />
<br />
As much as it may make my blood boil, I believe in the right of free speech, no matter how vile it is (however, that free speech stops when calling for the harm of others). But! And this is a damned, big but! In my opinion, our military families also have the right to mourn their lost loved ones in peace and privacy. Period.<br />
<br />
But until the WBC is stopped by the courts, the honorable men of the Patriot Guard Riders will continue to ride. They will continue to form a human wall to block the WBC from having to be seen by our military familes. The Patriot Guard will continue to rev their motorcycles to keep our soldiers' families from having to hear the revolting howls of the WBC.<br />
<br />
So once again, to my friend that rode to Enumclaw and all of his companions that ride for the same noble reason: Thank you. You are truly honorable men.<br />
<br />
<br />
For those of you who would like to stand with and/or support the Patriot Guard, you can do so <a href="http://patriotguard.org/Home/tabid/53/ctl/Register/Default.aspx">here</a>, or <a href="http://patriotguard.org/Donations/tabid/535/Default.aspx">here</a>.<br />
<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFZXLkSGZ3cCF32x_CIYQMWBTFO3OrXIjapPN2E_FFF6mpgDBiNEnVlLtPyP1gXi802VXhZ_5WLlN1fYa_P0bwn_y7XZXMGKYorW2Hxrdd-W8JEVqdrZrxQxmAZ0arc7qka5WhA7F3yix/s1600/LDF+Patch+X-+lrg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFZXLkSGZ3cCF32x_CIYQMWBTFO3OrXIjapPN2E_FFF6mpgDBiNEnVlLtPyP1gXi802VXhZ_5WLlN1fYa_P0bwn_y7XZXMGKYorW2Hxrdd-W8JEVqdrZrxQxmAZ0arc7qka5WhA7F3yix/s400/LDF+Patch+X-+lrg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-40611636744063520442010-07-13T18:11:00.000-07:002010-07-13T18:23:21.014-07:00Keep Your Politics Away From My Children!If you are one of those people who stay informed about what's going on in the world, it is easy to get caught up in politics and your personal views. That's all fine and dandy. But when you inject your politics onto children, let's just say you and I are going to have a major problem.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.suntimes.com/business/savage/2464546,CST-NWS-savage05.savagearticle">Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Terry Savage</a> thought she was teaching three little girls a life lesson when she and her brother happened on their lemonade stand.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4pqMkhzHlz73daXyiOeK5aoZJprmN_DMID1OpMp2Ol4-nS2dQjHJjHTpV2Vf0e0Tj9HZsIzsr6u-wvaPuZoZjJPurUtly-TYFmWB-cZQRhZgoW5QJ7zpZMzugWW7E3aIr2mOlM3kYb-D/s1600/lemonade+stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4pqMkhzHlz73daXyiOeK5aoZJprmN_DMID1OpMp2Ol4-nS2dQjHJjHTpV2Vf0e0Tj9HZsIzsr6u-wvaPuZoZjJPurUtly-TYFmWB-cZQRhZgoW5QJ7zpZMzugWW7E3aIr2mOlM3kYb-D/s400/lemonade+stand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The three young girls -- under the watchful eye of a nanny, sitting on the grass with them -- explained that they had regular lemonade, raspberry lemonade, and small chocolate candy bars.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Then my brother asked how much each item cost.</i><br />
<br />
<i>"Oh, no," they replied in unison, "they're all free!"</i><br />
<br />
<i>I sat in the back seat in shock. Free? My brother questioned them again: "But you have to charge something? What should I pay for a lemonade? I'm really thirsty!"</i><br />
<br />
<i>His fiancee smiled and commented, "Isn't that cute. They have the spirit of giving."</i><br />
<br />
<i>That really set me off, as my regular readers can imagine.</i><br />
<br />
<i>"No!" I exclaimed from the back seat. "That's not the spirit of giving. You can only really give when you give something you own. They're giving away their parents' things -- the lemonade, cups, candy. It's not theirs to give."</i><br />
<br />
<i>I pushed the button to roll down the window and stuck my head out to set them straight.</i><br />
<i>"You must charge something for the lemonade," I explained. "That's the whole point of a lemonade stand. You figure out your costs -- how much the lemonade costs, and the cups -- and then you charge a little more than what it costs you, so you can make money. Then you can buy more stuff, and make more lemonade, and sell it and make more money."</i><br />
<br />
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<br />
<i>I was confident I had explained it clearly. Until my brother, breaking the tension, ordered a raspberry lemonade. As they handed it to him, he again asked: "So how much is it?"</i><br />
<br />
<i>And the girls once again replied: "It's free!" And the nanny looked on contentedly.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
First of all, Ms. Self-Righteous, Condescending Savage, who the hell are you to tell children what they MUST do with their lemonade stand? They own it. They are free (pardon the pun) to charge what they want or give it away.<br />
<br />
Second, they DO own that lemonade stand. Their parents GAVE them the supplies, so don't tell them it was not theirs to give. <br />
<br />
What would you say to the physicians with <a href="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/">Doctors Without Borders</a>? Or dentists with <a href="http://www.operationsmile.org/">Operation Smile</a>? Or those who do pro bono work to help those less fortunate than your haughty, sorry ass? Or all those who needed our help (and still do) in Haiti? Sorry poor people, if you want medical care for that rotting, crushed leg or water or food, we're gonna have to charge you for it. That's capitalism. It's the American way.<br />
<br />
Ms. Savage was so outraged at three little girls giving away lemonade, she had to rant and rave that this is the reason America is in the current economic situation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>No wonder America is getting it all wrong when it comes to government, and taxes, and policy. We all act as if the "lemonade" or benefits we're "giving away" is free.</i><br />
<br />
<i>And so the voters demand more -- more subsidies for mortgages, more bailouts, more loan modification and longer periods of unemployment benefits. </i><br />
<br />
<i>They're all very nice. But these things aren't free.</i><br />
<br />
<i>The government only gets the money to pay these benefits by raising taxes, meaning taxpayers pay for the "free lemonade." Or by printing money -- which is essentially a tax on savings, since printing more money devalues the wealth we hold in dollars.</i><br />
<br />
<i>If we can't teach our kids the basics of running a lemonade stand, how can we ever teach Congress the basics of economics?</i><br />
<br />
<i>Or maybe it's the other way around: The kids are learning from the society around them. No one has ever taught them there's no free lunch -- and all they see is "free," not the result of hard work, and saving, and scrimping.</i><br />
<br />
<i>If that's what America's children think -- that there's a free lunch waiting -- then our country has larger problems ahead. The Declaration of Independence promised "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It didn't promise anything free. Something to think about this July 4th holiday weekend.</i><br />
<br />
<i>And that's the Savage Truth!</i><br />
<br />
There you have it, folks. America is screwed up right now because children are giving away lemonade. Actually, the savage truth, Ms. Savage, is that you have no soul and feel the need to push your political views on small children. What the fuck is wrong with you?<i><br />
</i><br />
<br />
H/T to <a href="http://gawker.com/5581544/business-columnist-yells-at-children-giving-lemonade-away-for-free">Gawker</a> for the story.Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-26747771337064247222010-07-13T16:22:00.001-07:002010-07-13T16:22:36.544-07:00Oh. My. Gawd.Someone PLEASE tell me this is a joke!<br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/73tKip88uqU&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/73tKip88uqU&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-87364260139421043062010-06-19T15:23:00.000-07:002010-06-19T15:27:18.174-07:00An Open Video Letter to Sarah Palin<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-heDWycOuYM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-heDWycOuYM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
I think this says it all.<br />
<br />
Please share this video.<br />
<br />
H/T to <a href="http://www.themudflats.net/2010/06/19/dear-sarah-palin-2/">The Mudflats</a>.Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-91991031414428056182010-06-04T11:37:00.000-07:002010-06-06T10:15:14.760-07:00'Unemployed Will Not Be Considered' Boycott UPDATE X2!A new <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/04/disturbing-job-ads-the-un_n_600665.html">Huffington Post</a> article focused on a disturbing trend in hiring.<br />
<br />
In multiple job ads, one criteria was listed as:<b> the unemployed need not apply.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTgrP-KZNH016hhZofq0w11cWw2H9cRBbGTMNek0i_WCiSy2Lte56f_tgiOSXc1Xsv2f4w85-El1xh3q4YN2cQCxU_38IFpsmpkUx_LRPu1Q8NDNeKg1TeJb0gFXTbbiyaLs3OgFBvfrb/s1600/20090129_dilbert_downsizing_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTgrP-KZNH016hhZofq0w11cWw2H9cRBbGTMNek0i_WCiSy2Lte56f_tgiOSXc1Xsv2f4w85-El1xh3q4YN2cQCxU_38IFpsmpkUx_LRPu1Q8NDNeKg1TeJb0gFXTbbiyaLs3OgFBvfrb/s400/20090129_dilbert_downsizing_18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>In a current job posting on <a href="http://www.thepeopleplace.net/CareerCenter.html" target="_hplink">The People Place</a>, a job recruiting website for the telecommunications, aerospace/defense and engineering industries, an anonymous electronics company in Angleton, Texas, advertises for a "Quality Engineer." Qualifications for the job are the usual: computer skills, oral and written communication skills, light to moderate lifting. But red print at the bottom of the ad says, "Client will not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed regardless of the reason."</i><br />
<i>In a nearly identical job posting for the same position on the Benchmark Electronics website, the red print is missing. But a human resources representative for the company confirmed to HuffPost that the The People Place ad accurately reflects the company's recruitment policies. </i><br />
<i>"It's our preference that they currently be employed," he said. "We typically go after people that are happy where they are and then tell them about the opportunities here. We do get a lot of applications blindly from people who are currently unemployed -- with the economy being what it is, we've had a lot of people contact us that don't have the skill sets we want, so we try to minimize the amount of time we spent on that and try to rifle-shoot the folks we're interested in."</i><br />
<i>There are about 5.5 people looking for work for every job available, according to the latest data from the Labor Department. </i><br />
<i><b>Sony Ericsson</b>, a global phone manufacturer that recently announced that it would be bringing 180 new jobs to the Buckhead, Ga. area, also recently posted an ad for a marketing position on The People Place. The add specified: "NO UNEMPLOYED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ALL." When asked about the ad, a spokeswoman said, "This was a mistake, and once it was noticed it was removed."</i><br />
<i>Ads asking the unemployed not to apply are easy to find. A Craigslist ad for assistant restaurant managers in Edgewater, N.J. specifies, "Must be currently employed." Another job posting for a tax manager at an unnamed "top 25 CPA firm" in New York City contains the same line in all caps.</i><br />
<i>A company's choice to ignore unemployed applicants and recycle the current workforce ignores the effect of the recession on millions of highly-qualified workers and could prolong the unemployment crisis, said Judy Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project.</i><br />
<i>"In the current economy, where millions of people have lost their jobs through absolutely no fault of their own, I find it beyond unconscionable that any employer would not consider unemployed workers for current job openings," she said. "Not only are these employers short-sighted in their search for the best qualified workers, but they are clearly not good corporate citizens of the communities in which they work. Increasingly, politicians and policy makers are trying to blame the unemployed for their condition, and to see this shameful propaganda trickle down to hiring decisions is truly sad and despicable."</i><br />
<br />
<br />
As one commenter, Downix, posted, <i>"...if you cannot move someonefrom the unemployed column to the employed, there will be a reduced pool of potential customers for whatever your product or service. Moving a person from one employed column to another keeps the pool of unemployed larger for no reason, resulting in diminished long term profitability. While it is within their right, so is bundling up unstable financial product in to bonds and then pawning them off as good investments. It gives you a short term view for it."</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVudOBNzbU3f7OqnDIXjjlFMDWbWTc-3cyDX5cTEz_QaqB90XdJq9JRfyCckH7y5G32aiReTx9Y5s6Y2DhY3Dm_esms3RMxQQeLHUhRaC3XWmgu_13h43wYwN-2gJeRtuakNLeLPdpHhRn/s1600/Unemployed+Banker+MIT+Graduate+Peddles+Street+gwcUTnmFwFBl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVudOBNzbU3f7OqnDIXjjlFMDWbWTc-3cyDX5cTEz_QaqB90XdJq9JRfyCckH7y5G32aiReTx9Y5s6Y2DhY3Dm_esms3RMxQQeLHUhRaC3XWmgu_13h43wYwN-2gJeRtuakNLeLPdpHhRn/s400/Unemployed+Banker+MIT+Graduate+Peddles+Street+gwcUTnmFwFBl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This practice should not be tolerated - not in today's economy. If these companies want to employ these practices (pardon the pun), then these companies should "not be considered" when we open up our wallets, deciding where to spend our meager dollars.<br />
<br />
I would say that anytime anyone comes across an employment ad that states that the unemployed will not be considered, the company name should be put on a boycott list. That is, if it's not a blind ad.<br />
<br />
I am making a plea to all who discover any of these ads to post the company names in the comments below. Please be sure to provide a link to the offending ad. If at all possible, be sure to take a screen shot and email to me at the link on the sidebar. I will post all screenshots of any ads that require this disgusting (dis)qualification (provided that the company name is clearly visible in the screen shot).<br />
<br />
<br />
This will not happen without YOU, dear reader. Please... spread this far and wide. Send to your friends. Repost on other websites. Let's refuse to "hire" these companies with our wallets.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">UPDATE: The original, offensive job posting, courtesy of WABE newscast, <a href="http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/3686/0/1657589/WABE.Newscast/Only.The.Employed.Need.Apply">Public Broadcasting</a>.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Was this job posting the fault of Sony Ericsson or The People Place, their online job posting agency?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb1V-9JJkQGpZOFn6Hgy23cmofJW7jskfN8PCS0QTL-k52_g0K3LLKtp_frasnLnk3UTpN9di4tsiVeyGNAlD8s-hCysy7NlsqenM6BEkov4J-aGRmGY2FgvtGWVtZ1n0uMR-XUyWGAeA/s1600/3314285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb1V-9JJkQGpZOFn6Hgy23cmofJW7jskfN8PCS0QTL-k52_g0K3LLKtp_frasnLnk3UTpN9di4tsiVeyGNAlD8s-hCysy7NlsqenM6BEkov4J-aGRmGY2FgvtGWVtZ1n0uMR-XUyWGAeA/s400/3314285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE 2</b></div>Here is a FABULOUS idea from HP commenter dobleremolque:<br />
<br />
<div class="comment_top"><div class="comment_top_inner"><i><br />
</i></div></div><div class="comment_body"><i> I sense an entrepreneurial opportunity here. Let's see...I'll create a social networking site called "Employmentbook", and hire you! You fill out what your duties and skills are. We pay you no salary or benefits, but file all the paperwork for employer payroll deductions at a salary of $0, and give you $0 sum W-2s each January.<br />
<br />
And when you apply, you don't have to lie. Yes, you are currently employed and when they contact us to verify, we tell them ONLY employment start date and nothing more. Just like in the real world.</i> <i><br />
<br />
Now...lemm</i><i>e register that web domain... </i></div><br />
Thanks, dobleremolque! Just the right amount of humor we need for such an outrageous topic!<br />
<br />
Be a better human.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://exquisitehumanity.blogspot.com/2010/06/keep-boycott-going-unemployed-will-not.html">NEW POST</a> up! </span></div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-33180739961472901562010-05-28T11:15:00.000-07:002010-05-28T11:15:12.345-07:00Finally! A Solution to the BP Oil Disaster!Courtesy of political cartoonist <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/davidhorsey/archives/206048.asp">David Horsey</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEfuTvH5sa0xbNmgw-6M9qtn9i8E4w9yJpIQ7vnNidZqrPr0aVC3FatGc_KB6Q-KXolkKVPeRcTAbClP2mic4N988Wt3f0vOaHc-IaRuo7RK55yU5He64ynY-B_yJJBlG8va1ABXN5nHg/s1600/Oil-leak-5-17-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEfuTvH5sa0xbNmgw-6M9qtn9i8E4w9yJpIQ7vnNidZqrPr0aVC3FatGc_KB6Q-KXolkKVPeRcTAbClP2mic4N988Wt3f0vOaHc-IaRuo7RK55yU5He64ynY-B_yJJBlG8va1ABXN5nHg/s400/Oil-leak-5-17-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Works for me.Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-56780543912639868152010-05-22T11:51:00.000-07:002010-05-22T14:49:44.035-07:00If Thine Eye Offends Thee... Oh Really!Sometimes I see something that is worthy of a skit on SNL's "Oh Really! with Seth and Amy" (bring back Amy!). This is one of them. KIRO Radio's Linda Thomas, AKA <a href="http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=646&sid=323375">The News Chick</a> received a petition from Monica Cole, the national director of <a href="http://onemillionmoms.com/">OneMillionMoms.com</a>. It seems Mrs. Cole was horrified to see this poster displayed at the <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/home/index.jsp">Bath & Body Works</a> store of her local mall:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgjkoJ0T14CZxt948kbrKzlu_zmMqz-tbnkqiAZTr3akCS4PNoEJd5LzXHCBq1VsIloU0hr1FdcFmvPrXUwcon9l9LqPoISXliXyoofwqM5b5ZXY285JI1lfxReG8ywnYfZnTzX6movGD/s1600/bath+and+body+works+naked+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgjkoJ0T14CZxt948kbrKzlu_zmMqz-tbnkqiAZTr3akCS4PNoEJd5LzXHCBq1VsIloU0hr1FdcFmvPrXUwcon9l9LqPoISXliXyoofwqM5b5ZXY285JI1lfxReG8ywnYfZnTzX6movGD/s400/bath+and+body+works+naked+woman.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">At least that was the image portrayed in Linda Thomas' blog, followed by several comments expressing their disgust at Mrs. Cole's Victorian age sensibilities. How could anyone be offended by THAT, I thought. So, I took a little trip to my local shopping mall. When I arrived at the store, what greeted me before I even entered was this:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvke1h3B1IZlkZnT70EEwd-PiO3R885E81tJMvvdni55jOmolsW2nnI0y9JtYcURFaUmC41L-Jsdh1H7k0SaW3OV3LBXnKhdj2l2daRY-9esFqYgZy7oYoAdYm5sHiXu1m6IJjaf9_GpR/s1600/P1000921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvke1h3B1IZlkZnT70EEwd-PiO3R885E81tJMvvdni55jOmolsW2nnI0y9JtYcURFaUmC41L-Jsdh1H7k0SaW3OV3LBXnKhdj2l2daRY-9esFqYgZy7oYoAdYm5sHiXu1m6IJjaf9_GpR/s400/P1000921.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay... I don't have a problem with the image. I walked inside to talk to an employee about the controversy. She said they were well aware of the issue and some of them were also offended. Some of the employees had covered up part of the image but were told by their corporate office to uncover it. The employee was agitated because several customers had complained to her, apparently for this image at the very back of the store:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTV9I4-so4LRkB5Fkz-mta5pZfWwCe_TpGTZ8pLtNK1e2xDUSuWGXppAUT7sJ5geQIFIPAhEyfMQ418DBd1ihHV7-U2WwPq4a6GsDzuWUDvdKin2QcvduTp5kmIlqGqRJG7Tq0sLYGXXm/s1600/P1000923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTV9I4-so4LRkB5Fkz-mta5pZfWwCe_TpGTZ8pLtNK1e2xDUSuWGXppAUT7sJ5geQIFIPAhEyfMQ418DBd1ihHV7-U2WwPq4a6GsDzuWUDvdKin2QcvduTp5kmIlqGqRJG7Tq0sLYGXXm/s400/P1000923.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Gasp! She's... naked! "Don't look, Ethel!"</div><br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XtzoUu7w-YM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XtzoUu7w-YM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">"Why are you offended by that?" I asked.</div>"Because," she stated, "You can see her butt."<br />
<br />
<b>...</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0jnVI9mV61Jbcl6mYvuswJ60939EQy-Hx9YF_PZ4c2eO5fWCDmu86QJfc4HPi6NN5fyqwP1HU_8O1_JtZGIO5TMON6KzrcqFt0nqTgwrGgM-fZkD47JiJwzzyZ-66fpgJ8Ros4IXKF8k/s1600/headdesk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0jnVI9mV61Jbcl6mYvuswJ60939EQy-Hx9YF_PZ4c2eO5fWCDmu86QJfc4HPi6NN5fyqwP1HU_8O1_JtZGIO5TMON6KzrcqFt0nqTgwrGgM-fZkD47JiJwzzyZ-66fpgJ8Ros4IXKF8k/s400/headdesk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I've seen more butt on a beach. <br />
<br />
According to the one millionth mom, Mrs. Cole, on her website:<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is not somewhere you would want to walk by or visit with your children, your teen son or your husband. To be bombarded with a poster of a nude woman pictured with her privates meticulously covered while you are shopping is not okay!</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Malls, where teens hang out and families go for an innocent outing, have retailers whose window displays poison our children with 10-foot posters that are nothing but soft p*rn. In particular, Bath & Body Works has a new ad campaign with a naked woman with certain areas covered up by her hands and legs. (An asterisk '*' is used to bypass internet filters.)</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Soft P</span>0rn? Really? REALLY? I have seen p0rn, and that is not even remotely p0rn, soft or otherwise. A woman's nude, but modestly covered body is NOT p0rn. I supposed Mrs. Cole would consider this p0rn as well:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwXWyM5zmEiXP90OUzPq360bzwutgrDl1AyVXj3stBPwZIXbFiNN30K6Ik5NfISf_oJg8CoBziLQYcd3mdF2P-d0CiYKu5yvLcT_tAOrkVvlyiod-87lMFBPRv0zopE6pkvkh5BHgjzML/s1600/david.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwXWyM5zmEiXP90OUzPq360bzwutgrDl1AyVXj3stBPwZIXbFiNN30K6Ik5NfISf_oJg8CoBziLQYcd3mdF2P-d0CiYKu5yvLcT_tAOrkVvlyiod-87lMFBPRv0zopE6pkvkh5BHgjzML/s400/david.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Yes, Mrs. Cole would rather we go back to the Victorian era where showing a woman's ankle would be scandalous. And I'm not alone in this view. Some of the comments posted on Linda Thomas' article:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="subject"><i>what th'--</i></div><div class="message"><div class="188317text"><i>"To be bombarded with a poster of a nude woman pictured with her privates meticulously covered while you are shopping is not okay." So... Mizz Cole would prefer the model's privates to be _exposed_? Whatta perv. ;-) Yo, Monica, turn it into a teachable moment, like, "See that model? The poor dear; she probably hasn't eaten in two days. See her lack of muscle tone? And that skin: Maybelline and Photoshop."</i><br />
<br />
</div><div class="188317text"></div><div class="188317text"><div class="subject"><i>Um, it's a BATH and BODy store!!!</i></div><div class="message"><div class="188349text"><i>What else are you going to see? This poster is totally non-sexual. The image I get is that she just got out of the bath or shower and is enjoying the new lotion she just got. I mean, if it were a girl in pasties pole-dancing, it'd be another story, but this image seems to me to just be about feeling and smelling good with this stores products. My wife shops there quite frequently and I have no problem with my son seeing this picture. Heck, I don't mind him seeing even more sexual images, as long as it is in the proper context of a loving (preferably married) relationship without one party exploiting the other. People need to get a life.</i><br />
<br />
</div></div></div><div class="188317text">Perhaps this comment is my favorite.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="188317text"></div><div class="188317text"><div class="subject"><i>win/win</i></div><i>Your story about this subject resulted in a WIN/WIN for BOTH Bath&Body Works and Million Moms because you just gave BOTH a lot of FREE publicity and I suppose that's the purpose of your article. Peoples opinions are already cemented on this type of subject as I'm sure your aware of.</i> </div></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For those readers who are not aware, I am both a woman and a mom. I certainly want to protect our children from things that are harmful to them, but I do not see this as harmful. Teenage girls will see this image and sadly wish they looked like the model, not realizing her perfection is a result of airbrushing and PhotoShop. Teenage boys will see it and get excited. But then again, teenage boys will get excited over this:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAhTBIQrDupMATp6LCN8VKFJyA9yUTO3rbUq7mNYFhHR1Y7uKohmq-3FiJOtmMvnyx7pD_xQ4ARifd7VyE3I8YuRqsuuwHwIV2s8-ot8xUELcEvRG0oI3cJDWPlKHDxDrJ6yALvV6ipPa/s1600/playtex-4117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAhTBIQrDupMATp6LCN8VKFJyA9yUTO3rbUq7mNYFhHR1Y7uKohmq-3FiJOtmMvnyx7pD_xQ4ARifd7VyE3I8YuRqsuuwHwIV2s8-ot8xUELcEvRG0oI3cJDWPlKHDxDrJ6yALvV6ipPa/s400/playtex-4117.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Victoria's Secret has much more sexualized images right at the front of the store or viewable from the entrance.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcWVMK7G12hqaiKYUgrDzxC6L8QP3KjD_49kSIbDULPmTz9Pyr43njjIUvEt023jvmqI37-TeOkX_nmhqnHYRajXAMLyPs0M-VPaE_ELtaEzQSLHQBqjdJyU7Ij0m2aEzb-mrvBak0pep/s1600/P1000928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcWVMK7G12hqaiKYUgrDzxC6L8QP3KjD_49kSIbDULPmTz9Pyr43njjIUvEt023jvmqI37-TeOkX_nmhqnHYRajXAMLyPs0M-VPaE_ELtaEzQSLHQBqjdJyU7Ij0m2aEzb-mrvBak0pep/s400/P1000928.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">and</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W6ipnJIAtppZFRhimBdDIPCAC3lpoPDcRp9F9Kr2YYTmyLTBaL9s-BI26rt5hwZPwof_yNixnG7oX0c-WUJKYWfhLIsR7sXHZcncjWqlUs6VZ6-f-InzxwsWqAX21EvAQ0URHV5DtmsQ/s1600/P1000929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W6ipnJIAtppZFRhimBdDIPCAC3lpoPDcRp9F9Kr2YYTmyLTBaL9s-BI26rt5hwZPwof_yNixnG7oX0c-WUJKYWfhLIsR7sXHZcncjWqlUs6VZ6-f-InzxwsWqAX21EvAQ0URHV5DtmsQ/s400/P1000929.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">On a humorous note, I observed several moms in the VS store with their children in tow. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Is Mrs. Cole going to demand that these posters be taken down as well?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Really? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I will use Mrs. Cole's information on her own website to </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>TAKE ACTION.<br />
<br />
Please send Bath & Body Works an <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/helpdesk/index.jsp?display=store&isStoremanDriven=yes&stillHaveQuestion=yes&subdisplay=contact">email</a> urging them to KEEP these posters in their store locations and website.<br />
<br />
Take it one step further by calling Bath & Body Works at 1-800-756-5005 and SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THEIR TASTEFUL, ARTISTIC POSTERS.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I know I have a few moms out there who read this blog. I would like to hear from you. Or dads. Or... anyone, really.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I especially would like to hear your opposing points of view. All comments are welcome. Thank you.</span><b><br />
</b></span>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-31455574992382173902010-05-08T13:19:00.000-07:002010-05-08T13:19:12.224-07:00My Mom, My Best Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE4HBlZ517NSByeXDfdiFgIuCM2rw6qCXafhLV7o8XkCOVz5eMupTLV4iwTkwIUNErlXyviVedlm-V6qLkq3Yp6Yfw3n3sCsXs-6AJYDaLnHGP73FGn8hvN9Ue0R3GwwBxSjcs7f8Xb_w/s1600/Mom+little+girl001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE4HBlZ517NSByeXDfdiFgIuCM2rw6qCXafhLV7o8XkCOVz5eMupTLV4iwTkwIUNErlXyviVedlm-V6qLkq3Yp6Yfw3n3sCsXs-6AJYDaLnHGP73FGn8hvN9Ue0R3GwwBxSjcs7f8Xb_w/s400/Mom+little+girl001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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My mom grew up an only child, but she wasn't in the least bit spoiled. She learned the meaning of hard work by working in her mother's dress shop while other girls her age were at the local malt shop with their friends. She went to a Catholic school and became known as the wild child by sneaking out to the field to smoke cigarettes with her girlfriends. I can imagine the nuns were quite exasperated with her, but I think we would have made great friends if I had known her back then.<br />
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Like many girls in the late 1950's, my mom married and started her family right after high school. I don't know what she was thinking when she had my brothers in 1959, 1960, 1962 (Jan.) and 1962 (Dec). I came along four years later.<br />
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When I was born, my mom had been long since divorced from my brother's dad. At that time, it was not socially acceptable to be a divorced woman. Even worse to have a child if you were unmarried. With these social 'rules' stacked against her, a social worker determined she was not fit to keep her newborn daughter and promptly placed me in a foster home. My mom fought that arrogant social worker tooth and nail to get me back. Two weeks later, she did.<br />
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The first time I realized my mom was more than just a mom was when her favorite cat died. It was late at night and I awoke to hear sobbing. It didn't register as my mother's voice because, in my young, six or seven year old mind, mommies didn't cry. Mommies soothed their children's tears. As I made my way into the living room, I discovered my mom leaning against the front door crying her heart out. My first thought was, <i>Who hurt my Mommy?</i> <i>I'm going to beat them up! </i> She told me she found Hoppy, her beautiful Manx cat out on the road in front of our house; Hoppy had been run over by a car. I hugged her as hard as I could, wanting to bring Hoppy back for her so her heart wouldn't hurt anymore. <br />
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My mom could be (and still is at times) ferocious. Yet she has the softest heart of anyone I know.<br />
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Our family had our issues, like any other. When one of my brothers was threatened by some local hoodlums, my mom invited them over to the house. No, she wasn't serving tea. She was serving a dose of what-is-going-to-happen-to-you-if-you-ever-threaten-my-son-again. Funny... we never heard from them again.<br />
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When I became a teenager, a so-called, respected neighbor assaulted me. Afterward, my mom knew something was bothering me and asked me about it. I told her what happened. Her face turned expressionless; she told me to stay where I was, then walked out the front door to his house. After that day, my neighbor didn't talk to me; he didn't look at me, and he didn't even breathe in my direction.<br />
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We never knew what words my mom used to persuade these miscreants, but I don't think she put the fear of God into them. I think she put the fear of burning hell-fire into them. You messed with her kids at your own risk.<br />
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At the same time, Mom had a hard time turning away any unfortunate animals. You can bet we kids took full advantage of that. One of our family jokes is, <i>Mom! Look what followed me home!</i> She would get so mad at us for bringing home yet another stray, but we knew she would cave. At one point, I counted how many animals we had - 7 dogs, 18 cats, a hamster, a bird, goldfish and a piranha named Igor. Luckily, we had a large house with a huge back yard and a six acre field behind us. <br />
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I don't know how my mom survived and kept her sanity raising five kids. We certainly didn't make it easy on her. We were all absolute hellions. And she struggled a lot financially. At one point, she worked two jobs to keep a roof over our head and food on the table. She even learned to make potato soup out of ONE potato and spices to feed us when she had no money. She sacrificed so much more than I ever have to care for her children. I don't think she has any idea just how much I admire her. There are so many times in my life when I've wished I could be like her. Really. I know a daughter is not supposed to say it out loud, but when I grow up I want to be like my mother.<br />
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In every child's life, there is a turning point where the relationship you have with your parents will bring you closer or push you apart. Mine came when I was a fourteen year old, hormone-charged, obnoxious teenager. I was pushing the boundaries of exerting my independence and I was not considerate of my mother's feelings. I had come home from being out with my friends. I told my mom I was someplace I was not, and she called me out on it. I wasn't about to get in trouble so I lied about it. Bald faced lied. My mom and I got into a big fight and then she sighed resignedly and said, "Sometime I think you hate me." <i>Hate you?</i> I thought. <i>I love you!</i> But I didn't say it. I stared at her defiantly for a moment, then turned and stomped off to my room. I spent about an hour in my room arguing silently with myself, trying to decide if I wanted to continue being stupidly stubborn or swallow my adolescent pride. I walked out of my bedroom. With tears falling down my cheeks and feeling ashamed, I wrapped my arms around my mom and told her I loved her. I didn't want her to ever think that I didn't. I wasn't the perfect child after that, but I was always mindful of my mother's feelings. And I have regretted my behavior every day of my life since. Mom, please don't ever forget that I love you with all my heart. Ever.<br />
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My mom is now my best friend. She and I have talked about the meaning of life, the weather, religion, politics... you name it. We don't always see eye to eye, but we understand each other. I am so grateful to have her as my mother.<br />
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My mom is now 70. She told me recently that she doesn't feel her kids need her anymore. That's not true, Mom. We just need you differently now. As in needing your hugs when we visit. Hearing your voice when we call, even when we interrupt your favorite TV show. We still need your advice and wisdom when our lives aren't going as we expected. We definitely need you.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtoUUlZyXNpO6EvpOINta-3jZPrLdxDwAA5c8akh0jFhOD3nx4jZhdnrE422VzUTieI2EyPraqdYC8dsb4S9NS6MLpUg_t_r-usd7MThrWb-LNx8tufB7_xrN-MG1mPO7HADZgUbv-xG7/s1600/Mom+hugging+Adam+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtoUUlZyXNpO6EvpOINta-3jZPrLdxDwAA5c8akh0jFhOD3nx4jZhdnrE422VzUTieI2EyPraqdYC8dsb4S9NS6MLpUg_t_r-usd7MThrWb-LNx8tufB7_xrN-MG1mPO7HADZgUbv-xG7/s400/Mom+hugging+Adam+close+up.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">My mom and newborn my son in 1989. Aren't they beautiful?</div><br />
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you.<br />
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CarliCarlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-75876628110735947062010-05-04T09:00:00.000-07:002010-05-05T10:08:18.015-07:00Gulf Oil Spill... Like Rainbows and Chocolate Milk! UPDATE & CORRECTION<div class="commentBlock"><div class="pluckComAuth"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zeqs7mO2jRqKs7ovPLKo0j_xppSPkU7E4IsUQ7WsVwRY704ZjK8RX0WIEN9KYgVPMoQdmyqEir8HfxwRqrKP1gjKzBbQUq0rCU4tUOHDU0a2na6i9Fb70hN-rB2ZswIJ7VS1RAlOu4o5/s1600/BP+oil+rig+explosion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zeqs7mO2jRqKs7ovPLKo0j_xppSPkU7E4IsUQ7WsVwRY704ZjK8RX0WIEN9KYgVPMoQdmyqEir8HfxwRqrKP1gjKzBbQUq0rCU4tUOHDU0a2na6i9Fb70hN-rB2ZswIJ7VS1RAlOu4o5/s400/BP+oil+rig+explosion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="color: #cccccc;">The Biloxi-Gulfport <a href="http://www.sunherald.com/2010/05/01/2146383/taylor-expects-spill-to-break.html">Sun-Herald</a> in Mississippi reported on the visit and remarks of Rep. Gene Taylor and Marine Resources Director Bill Walker who flew over the Gulf oil spill on Saturday.</div></div></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>“At the moment, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” he<b>[Taylor]</b> said, shortly after returning from the three-hour tour. Taylor told a group of reporters waiting at Atlantic Aviation he was less concerned about the spill after witnessing its movement firsthand.</i></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>“This isn’t Katrina. It’s not Armageddon,” Taylor said. “A lot of people are scared and I don’t think they should be.” <b>He described the spill as a light, rainbow sheen with patches that look like chocolate milk..."</b></i><b>[emphasis mine]</b><i><b><br />
</b></i></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>He said the closest he saw oil was 20 miles from the Louisiana marsh and that it was further than that away from the Chandeleur Islands and even further from the barrier islands.</i></div><div id="TixyyLink" style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: #cccccc; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>“It’s breaking up naturally; that’s a good thing. The fact that it’s a long way from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, that’s a great thing, because it gives it time to break up naturally,” he said.</i></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #cccccc;">I'm sure Taylor was trying to allay his constituents' fears. However, I am quite sure he hasn't the slightest idea of the oil spill's ramifications.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMJxyTa2ot4kmI0W9ebdhNW9z75J791z_OSDNkVz8I1WJxy9DlBhsU5nZeYtw8WTorjWyisT0Qv4uB72x_LoM9ccmZ1MVvuWBxfH33dI2CQSBIKVQAlzaeibNcLLbI14Y2i4xXIW8nBmR/s1600/exxonvaldez-disaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMJxyTa2ot4kmI0W9ebdhNW9z75J791z_OSDNkVz8I1WJxy9DlBhsU5nZeYtw8WTorjWyisT0Qv4uB72x_LoM9ccmZ1MVvuWBxfH33dI2CQSBIKVQAlzaeibNcLLbI14Y2i4xXIW8nBmR/s320/exxonvaldez-disaster.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinM5JH-VHjqwsZ2acOlUxunem2-KsP_ealcjnXj-Z88NK4AZIuszNkQs7OlNbi5mGTVJqiH3oQOfupXDUZaiF6VXivlYxO3CAGTrEebuvhOFK-Xie1n4Sw7eQBFu_K_cLuvf3Ndy0SfNl9/s1600/exxon-valdez-oil-spill-photo34634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinM5JH-VHjqwsZ2acOlUxunem2-KsP_ealcjnXj-Z88NK4AZIuszNkQs7OlNbi5mGTVJqiH3oQOfupXDUZaiF6VXivlYxO3CAGTrEebuvhOFK-Xie1n4Sw7eQBFu_K_cLuvf3Ndy0SfNl9/s320/exxon-valdez-oil-spill-photo34634.jpg" /></a></div><i><br />
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<div style="color: #cccccc;">Apparently, Dir. Walker agreed with Taylor's unconcerned assessment.</div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Walker said the sheen could collect on beaches and in estuaries, but it will evaporate within a week.</i></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>Walker’s plan is to let any sheen that makes its way into the marshes evaporate naturally. </i></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><i>“That’s what we will probably do, is leave it alone and let nature take its course,” he said.</i></div><div id="TixyyLink" style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: #cccccc; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div id="TixyyLink" style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div style="color: #cccccc;">I am no marine biologist or ecological expert; in fact I have absolutely zero knowledge on the subjects. But my Alaskan friends do, and I invite them to weigh in on their experiences with what the Exxon-Valdez oil spill cost them.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxXBzA0zTekPFj9_yPoustSFYhNrhJUWvnBQh39jZbP4HLrYbOFg2jJH9bvq5lvsoIsFxjlCCfT-8EAbJM6Mx8AcDKKZOuuTjJfLwvXyAAdIc-dU8XapFfcrXVJoPzDJwO0S2dKaPPxJ2/s1600/Valdez+Otters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxXBzA0zTekPFj9_yPoustSFYhNrhJUWvnBQh39jZbP4HLrYbOFg2jJH9bvq5lvsoIsFxjlCCfT-8EAbJM6Mx8AcDKKZOuuTjJfLwvXyAAdIc-dU8XapFfcrXVJoPzDJwO0S2dKaPPxJ2/s400/Valdez+Otters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyU9N6XQsI89FDXe452c1sHhEjPoMuhB0Da4AUE4brcKwN0Ot9z9oA4tuHU8nqAdDoox168qZ2WHeOX01umjablus3XycIR8oRZYHZBzTH29veVCyZaES4y9eJTqtsukAJfa77kixpWfl/s1600/oily+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyU9N6XQsI89FDXe452c1sHhEjPoMuhB0Da4AUE4brcKwN0Ot9z9oA4tuHU8nqAdDoox168qZ2WHeOX01umjablus3XycIR8oRZYHZBzTH29veVCyZaES4y9eJTqtsukAJfa77kixpWfl/s400/oily+hand.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5Ae0ynzpvoMnjShky-OJItKjUqu9VD8egqpvMWQ0YIOh7BXngy78jwxSeZs7hFKl-LBHz1Pp84_-UCb1dGob11E-X_Dp7G7EzDUxaNbeMbLHd85B2j0y3BIF7eXdKw3onnWWOyG2nuRG/s1600/AnchorageDailyNews-ExxonValdes-26Jun2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5Ae0ynzpvoMnjShky-OJItKjUqu9VD8egqpvMWQ0YIOh7BXngy78jwxSeZs7hFKl-LBHz1Pp84_-UCb1dGob11E-X_Dp7G7EzDUxaNbeMbLHd85B2j0y3BIF7eXdKw3onnWWOyG2nuRG/s400/AnchorageDailyNews-ExxonValdes-26Jun2008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #cccccc; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This Alaska Daily News headline was published on July 26th, 2008, almost 20 years after the Exxon-Valdez spilled </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10.8 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. <a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111401/exxon_valdez.htm">1300 miles of Alaskan shoreline was affected.</a></span></span></span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">The recent BP Gulf oil spill is projected to be considerably more catastrophic than the Exxon-Valdez spill. So I have a couple questions for Rep. Taylor and Dir. Walker.</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"> </span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">A: Does this look like a rainbow or chocolate milk?</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">B: Does this look like it broke up or evaporated naturally - 20 years later?</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">UPDATE:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Reader Ethan correctly points out that I have neither Coast Guard or oil response and cleanup experience, which I disclosed above, and directed me to another <a href="http://carsonbrackney.com/2010/05/they-dont-understand-your-writing/">blog</a> insulting the reading comprehension of Huffington Post readers. I don't believe I linked to the Huffington Post article.</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">However, allow me to delve further. Congressman Taylor issued a full </span><a href="http://www.taylor.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1623&Itemid=84" style="color: #cccccc;">press release</a> <span style="color: #cccccc;">regarding his comments on Saturday.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHsEznl2nhzpx-WMkmllYX-g9mkh7xPP1cpZ5CEmch0BmYapxFnRanao_7K1gVmWYXs3c4M7lS7lIVRd1B3HGsGqT8hhNzQ8SkF6kBPnSITpOq9CeFxVvfkTqXfidkcF6NvWMygSHduM7/s1600/Congressman+Taylor+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHsEznl2nhzpx-WMkmllYX-g9mkh7xPP1cpZ5CEmch0BmYapxFnRanao_7K1gVmWYXs3c4M7lS7lIVRd1B3HGsGqT8hhNzQ8SkF6kBPnSITpOq9CeFxVvfkTqXfidkcF6NvWMygSHduM7/s400/Congressman+Taylor+header.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="color: #cccccc;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>“I want people to know that is this is not Hurricane Katrina. This is not Armageddon.</b></span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"> I did oil prevention and response during my 13 years in the Coast Guard many years ago. The oil spill is certainly bad. And it’s terrible that there’s a spill out there. But I would remind people that the oil is twenty miles from any marsh. The <b>spill starts breaking up in smaller pieces naturally. </b>“As the Commandant (of the Coast Guard, Admiral Thad Allen) pointed out, there's going to be places that look like chocolate milk. That's maybe 15% of the total spill. But the rest of it looks more like a diesel fuel sheen and as you get to the edges of it as the Commandant said, it gets a lot thinner.” [emphasis is the Congressman's]<br />
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“I’ve had a lot of people stop me … it almost strikes me as the day after Katrina. People are that concerned. I wish this never happened. Yes it’s bad out there. But it’s not on our shore. … And the oil is tending to break up the farther you get from the source, which is a good thing.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"> </span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">It should be noted that Rep. Taylor did not say 'rainbow' sheen as was reported by the Sun-Herald and many other organizations. After a bit of research, I could find no direct quotes from any news outlets of the Congressman using the word 'rainbow.' I stand corrected and hereby formally apologize to Congressman Taylor for my sloppy reporting.</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">I agree with the Congressman that this is not Armageddon or Katrina. There is no loss of life, destruction of land and property or economy on the scale of Katrina. He probably has been approached by many panicked constituents and hoped to alleviate some of their concerns.</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">However, as many in the public service sector will tell you, language is important. The terminology you use can come back to bite you in the ass. </span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Although Taylor has 13 years of experience in oil response and cleanup to my zero years of experience, I stand by my assertion that he downplayed the effects this oil spill will have on the environment, wildlife and those who depend on tourism, fishing and other related industries.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcapGyeCfC2SjvQGyQnI0mTFIwyb3PcZ0K-JLvrC_dgtIyZIgNuG3Bnjk-QybquVjn5nEiSHMFTOrvMxbG6lUWsckEvkSFoXx8pO_oJcT2WT7rGkPONeO9qH56XPblR68575CWKgBhTl5O/s1600/oil+blobs+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcapGyeCfC2SjvQGyQnI0mTFIwyb3PcZ0K-JLvrC_dgtIyZIgNuG3Bnjk-QybquVjn5nEiSHMFTOrvMxbG6lUWsckEvkSFoXx8pO_oJcT2WT7rGkPONeO9qH56XPblR68575CWKgBhTl5O/s400/oil+blobs+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Oil blobs and sheen line the waters of Chandeleur Sound, Louisiana.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Eke3b-Pg9WYk8KLy-M3RoquIzZa9qxevxgHGaW6EbCG818jRcF5UHzc3wDXp5apgVc7eut2wNzdBIUuputO0fpJZUHsaEnxJcyx_LxeDh-3lYQDmSfXBLU2kd8h089L4xb2h-HhGj9gs/s1600/hard+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Eke3b-Pg9WYk8KLy-M3RoquIzZa9qxevxgHGaW6EbCG818jRcF5UHzc3wDXp5apgVc7eut2wNzdBIUuputO0fpJZUHsaEnxJcyx_LxeDh-3lYQDmSfXBLU2kd8h089L4xb2h-HhGj9gs/s400/hard+hat.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>A hard hat covered in oil is found in the waters of Chandeleur Sound, Louisiana.</div></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"> </span></div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-50469243340929724682010-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:002010-05-03T11:50:19.124-07:00Mr. W Finds A HomeWatch this to the end. This is absolutely brilliant!<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2mTLO2F_ERY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2mTLO2F_ERY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-89733359440867611362010-05-01T09:57:00.000-07:002010-05-01T11:29:18.651-07:00Let Them Eat Cake!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We all know the story of Marie Antoinette. It is said that after being told that the poor had no bread, she proclaimed, "Let them eat cake!" Many historians dispute Antoinette ever uttered the phrase. But it came to represent how the commoners viewed the monarchy during France's financial turmoil in the late 1700's. Antoinette and her husband, King Louis XVI, lived lavishly and spent extravagantly as Paris and the rest of the country sank into financial crisis. It is exactly how many of today's working class Americans view Wall Street.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50TAZ2ZARkws0Vk0Ytb1A2GoslIxiv_sDkd1Y7RUvgE8OabZUXfbzq9lMxjPhwbQhis38h9ei5kS6ItlrlRDmJPPXqvEZgTMnF5CCCfIYcp_wDR2jZ4aMZyNboDLBXsxw1eGt8Ahhiz3W/s1600/marie_antoinette_execution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50TAZ2ZARkws0Vk0Ytb1A2GoslIxiv_sDkd1Y7RUvgE8OabZUXfbzq9lMxjPhwbQhis38h9ei5kS6ItlrlRDmJPPXqvEZgTMnF5CCCfIYcp_wDR2jZ4aMZyNboDLBXsxw1eGt8Ahhiz3W/s320/marie_antoinette_execution.jpg" /></a></div><span id="goog_1616180447"></span><span id="goog_1616180448"></span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yesterday, from a circulating email, it was revealed that we have our very own Marie Antoinette on Wall Street. The coward who wrote the email chose to remain anonymous. Perhaps he feared meeting Antoinette's fate.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQVd67WjfUK8GMFF4GDbUXPVa-sBFOVp5xCPQF0i9u4XEaSsKhpUMZmrKDH4nbfYGugrdoUVJbD8IT7txKmAwA5Lu8vqYZpSXMxdwSwoQC5-PQn7bbtHk_f5Y7fyM4aKe9L7HdFsGOBsg/s1600/guillotine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQVd67WjfUK8GMFF4GDbUXPVa-sBFOVp5xCPQF0i9u4XEaSsKhpUMZmrKDH4nbfYGugrdoUVJbD8IT7txKmAwA5Lu8vqYZpSXMxdwSwoQC5-PQn7bbtHk_f5Y7fyM4aKe9L7HdFsGOBsg/s320/guillotine.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This gutless invertebrate apparently wrote the following email addressed to the American people, but the degenerate snake sent it only to his fellow Wall Streeters. From Joshua Brown's blog, <a href="http://www.thereformedbroker.com/2010/04/30/a-disgusting-little-email-making-the-rounds-on-wall-street/">The Reformed Broker</a>, here is the email in all its glory:</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"We are Wall Street. It's our job to make money. Whether it's a commodity, stock, bond, or some hypothetical piece of fake paper, it doesn't matter. We would trade baseball cards if it were profitable. I didn't hear America complaining when the market was roaring to 14,000 and everyone's 401k doubled every 3 years. Just like gambling, its not a problem until you lose. I've never heard of anyone going to Gamblers Anonymous because they won too much in Vegas.</i><br />
<i>Well now the market crapped out, & even though it has come back somewhat, the government and the average Joes are still looking for a scapegoat. God knows there has to be one for everything. Well, here we are.</i><br />
<i>Go ahead and continue to take us down, but you're only going to hurt yourselves. What's going to happen when we can't find jobs on the Street anymore? Guess what: We're going to take yours. We get up at 5am & work till 10pm or later. We're used to not getting up to pee when we have a position. We don't take an hour or more for a lunch break. We don't demand a union. We don't retire at 50 with a pension. We eat what we kill, and when the only thing left to eat is on your dinner plates, we'll eat that.</i><br />
<i>For years teachers and other unionized labor have had us fooled. We were too busy working to notice. Do you really think that we are incapable of teaching 3rd graders and doing landscaping? We're going to take your cushy jobs with tenure and 4 months off a year and whine just like you that we are so-o-o-o underpaid for building the youth of America. Say goodbye to your overtime and double time and a half. I'll be hitting grounders to the high school baseball team for <a class="ticker" href="http://www.stocktwits.com/t/5k" target="new">$5k</a> extra a summer, thank you very much.</i><br />
<i>So now that we're going to be making <a class="ticker" href="http://www.stocktwits.com/t/85k" target="new">$85k</a> a year without upside, Joe Mainstreet is going to have his revenge, right? Wrong! Guess what: we're going to stop buying the new 80k car, we aren't going to leave the 35 percent tip at our business dinners anymore. No more free rides on our backs. We're going to landscape our own back yards, wash our cars with a garden hose in our driveways. Our money was your money. You spent it. When our money dries up, so does yours.</i><br />
<i>The difference is, you lived off of it, we rejoiced in it. The Obama administration and the Democratic National Committee might get their way and knock us off the top of the pyramid, but it's really going to hurt like hell for them when our fat a**es land directly on the middle class of America and knock them to the bottom.</i><br />
<i>We aren't dinosaurs. We are smarter and more vicious than that, and we are going to survive. The question is, now that Obama & his administration are making Joe Mainstreet our food supply…will he? and will they?"</i></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pretty disgusting, eh? This, from one of the people who contributed to the fall of our economy. I don't know about you, but if I had lost BILLIONS of dollars (hell, a thousand would do it) for my company my ass would be out on the curb. Not only does the writer NOT lose his job, but he has most likely continued to receive bloated, outrageous bonuses. And he's proud to be vicious. What a wonderful human being. He is a steaming pustule on the ass of humanity. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, Mr. Cowardly Email Writer was not alone in his sentiments. Michael Gould-Wartofsky over at the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-gouldwartofsky/wall-streets-answer-to-th_b_558193.html">The Huffington Post</a> noted that another Wall Street despoiler of American dreams had a similar, albeit not quite so detestable attitude.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>One corporate bond trader, Brendan Plunkett, 46, of Essex Falls, NJ, was <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-30/labor-unions-march-on-wall-street-securities-workers-complain.html" target="_hplink">quoted</a> by <i>Bloomberg BusinessWeek</i> as saying, "If they care so much about the country, they should go to work and be productive and stop with the protests."</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvHbFAcoA7NoMc-RmHLob0Z5fmY7O23TLRI6wAgnyiMLeNv6p8aevkXgM8iFRVSn3vWpb7kXA7UnOgcNFZ4pibVNwtdDv6Qvzv6jIVo_SaFJZOXQuNVby8nFjY2r1intV9K9RvbGNlztA/s1600/Wall+Street+thugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvHbFAcoA7NoMc-RmHLob0Z5fmY7O23TLRI6wAgnyiMLeNv6p8aevkXgM8iFRVSn3vWpb7kXA7UnOgcNFZ4pibVNwtdDv6Qvzv6jIVo_SaFJZOXQuNVby8nFjY2r1intV9K9RvbGNlztA/s320/Wall+Street+thugs.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Really? No...seriously... fucking REALLY?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Go back to work to what jobs? Do you mean the jobs that don't exist because banks won't loan money to companies that can't afford to hire anyone because no one is buying anything because they don't have jobs? I would suggest Mr. Plunkett and Mr. Email give up all their worldly possessions and 'viciously' steal a job from a third grade teacher or a landscaper (first they have to find a non-existent available position) and live off those earnings. These worthless, Wall Street dogs live in an alternate reality. Not to mention, I doubt they could handle a bunch of ferocious, finger-paint-up-the-nose eight year olds running around causing pandemonium. Nor could they stand the back-breaking, all-weather work of a landscaper. They would cry like little girls at the first sign of dirt under the nails of their finely manicured, baby-soft hands.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ah, yes. Here we have the modern day Marie Antoinettes, effectively saying, "Let them eat cake!"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keep it up, douche bags. You think YOU'RE vicious? You and Blankfein, "doing God's work" are going to see this soon:</div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And in the words of Jon Stewart... Go fuck yourselves.</span><br />
<span id="goog_1616180447"></span><span id="goog_1616180448"></span>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-49692540870078227772010-04-21T08:37:00.000-07:002010-04-21T08:39:29.615-07:00BeautifulI peruse many blogs and once in a while, the writer touches me profoundly. Bill Hess, over at <a href="http://wasillaalaskaby300.squarespace.com/journal/2010/4/20/what-i-saw-as-i-wandered-through-last-weeks-wasilla-tea-part.html">Wasilla Alaska by 300</a> is one of those writers.<br />
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In writing about a local Tea Party rally, Bill stopped me in my tracks with this photo and commentary:<br />
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<i>Look at that mountain, standing so beautiful above and indifferent to the fray. It is not on your side, it is not on my side. It doesn't give a damn about you or me or our squabbles. That mountain is Alaska, that mountain is America. It is the absolute, real America. When we are all gone and forgotten, it will still stand. Not forever - nothing of this earth does, but long beyond any memory of us.</i><br />
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Thank you Bill, for your irrefutable wisdom.<i></i><br />
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Please visit Bill's site often. He is a phenomenal writer and I like to think of him as the literary Norman Rockwell for our times.<i><br />
</i>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-14389728273775128682010-04-20T17:58:00.000-07:002010-04-20T18:20:26.636-07:00I Want My Country Back! Wait a Minute... YOUR Country?Tea Partiers want their country back. Last time I checked, the good ol' US of A belonged to ALL citizens. And we all have our part to play... respectfully.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMenKPMpZxYU6Sscd6kxmaINSVHegLb7X2ALgZnjAS6XmF0JRyF737uvbuhEMwl2n_8dmk0rtKE1wPvx54QPF3QhD4l7NDuX7yFohBQLZyK82sRnB4yGPs4oTkWcdQ9MgsAQ214xbAaTga/s1600/republican_choice_color.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMenKPMpZxYU6Sscd6kxmaINSVHegLb7X2ALgZnjAS6XmF0JRyF737uvbuhEMwl2n_8dmk0rtKE1wPvx54QPF3QhD4l7NDuX7yFohBQLZyK82sRnB4yGPs4oTkWcdQ9MgsAQ214xbAaTga/s320/republican_choice_color.png" /></a></div><br />
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Tea Partiers seem to think the U.S. government is too big. Government is not too big. <i>It's grossly inefficient.</i> <i> And dangerously partisan.</i> <br />
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Congress plays numerous games with our money. Take <span class="bullet">NY Democratic Rep. Gary Ackerman for example. He has a </span>$200,000 <span class="bullet">pet pig, er... pork project for</span> the expansion of the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, New York. The museum had a fund balance of<b> $6.9 million </b>at the end of 2008. Really? How's your state budget, Congressman? According to <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/19/news/economy/New_York_budget_deficit/index.htm">CNN</a>, <span id="goog_1911728087"></span><span id="goog_1911728088"></span>Gov. David Paterson has proposed cutting billions from school aid and state agencies, as well as closing four prisons. And you want to expand a museum? Is that REALLY necessary in a time when NY is cutting programs for the elderly, children and the poor? Where the hell are your priorities?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbGj_gZ9tlzqJOYwYpI2sTUD9JesVhbaii5FIKZVtoAHOdbf7YGP0Ch30gx6isCbRM8JpdkEsTnIBXI-LEc19Y5m97K6eYezZKsicn_kbF4Si3pcyWIOAOcRx9k05nEDm0GQth8-hCQMq/s1600/pork-barrel-spending.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbGj_gZ9tlzqJOYwYpI2sTUD9JesVhbaii5FIKZVtoAHOdbf7YGP0Ch30gx6isCbRM8JpdkEsTnIBXI-LEc19Y5m97K6eYezZKsicn_kbF4Si3pcyWIOAOcRx9k05nEDm0GQth8-hCQMq/s320/pork-barrel-spending.png" /></a></div><br />
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The <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/19/1586114/pig-book-exposes-excess-pork.html">Miami Herald</a> states, " There are <b>9,129</b> pork barrel projects listed in the ``2010 Congressional Pig Book... In the defense category, there are earmarks ``totaling $6,056,565,000 for 35 anonymous projects. This accounts for only 2 percent of the 1,752 earmarks, but 59 percent of the $10.3 billion cost of the bill, which is more than last year's 57 percent.'' I wonder how much of that went to Halliburton and Blackwater/XE, the treasury-raping, scum-sucking military contractors? Or the more (alleged, yeah right) literal kidnapper-rapists, KBR?<br />
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Note: That's strictly my opinion of them; but if I die unexpectedly, please direct authorities back to this post.<br />
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On the partisan front, we have so-called "leaders" that disgrace their respective offices by telling outright lies - not misstatements, not misunderstandings - these are outright lies. And the media won't call them what they are - fucking lies!<br />
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Said Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King: "The federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act bill would create "special protection for pedophiles." Rep. King wanted to make people afraid of what <i>wasn't actually in the bill</i>, so it wouldn't pass.<br />
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Of course, who could forget the infamous Death Panels (Yes, I know Palin's doesn't hold any office, but for some inexplicable reason she seems to be a part of political discourse despite her lack of knowledge and her general lunacy)? Death panels? Hmmm... I'm thinking of putting some death panels in my office. Do you think they'll clash with the carpet?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJW3igmybkHaJqfJ96UQLVI5kjAlMi49NonkN9JHE8fQbFz5Dd_wzi-6uXJdPpqf7kBUg8u9WzXna9irwQ6NYYAwb63ykxUfKsCPFyD1H4HiuXqEm6ZoVgt4nX2lhCN5R-qg5EinBbiPh/s1600/obama-palin-death-panels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJW3igmybkHaJqfJ96UQLVI5kjAlMi49NonkN9JHE8fQbFz5Dd_wzi-6uXJdPpqf7kBUg8u9WzXna9irwQ6NYYAwb63ykxUfKsCPFyD1H4HiuXqEm6ZoVgt4nX2lhCN5R-qg5EinBbiPh/s320/obama-palin-death-panels.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Not only are the lies deplorable, but the hateful rhetoric currently being spewed is dishonorable. Many of our state and national leaders have disgraced our nation. Beginning with South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe "You Lie" Wilson and continued with Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's "We should take a page out of her playbook and take a 9-iron and smash the window out of big government." I know their mothers taught them better manners. They should be ashamed! But sadly, they're not. They're no better than the street gangs who proudly brag about how many ho's they have in their stable. It gives them street cred.<br />
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If the Tea Partiers want to reduce the size of current government, they should take a step back and look at what our government does for us. Then they should think about how life today would be without some government intervention. I'm NOT saying government should be the end-all-be-all and rule our lives. Trust me there is plenty I would like to change (Patriot Act anyone?). But... well... this comment from poster, DrCardio, on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/">HuffingtonPost</a> says it best:<br />
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<i> I prefer having my government regulate my chicken breasts before I grill them and take them down into the government regulated mines, where I can safely earn money to put away in a government regulated bank, so that I can afford health insurance from a government regulated market for my kids with preexisting conditions, who attend government regulated schools. Then I will drive home in my government regulated car, with government regulated battery technology, down government regulated roads, across government regulated bridges, protected by government regulated officers. And the government regulated tax break was awesome. I can now afford to paint my government regulated house with government regulated paint so that my children don't get lead poisoning overnight. I'm thirsty, time to drink some government regulated water, brush my teeth with government regulated paste and sleep; have to wake up early for my government regulated flight.<br />
I wish you all a great government regulated day! And a safe return to our government regulated troops!</i><br />
<br />
The Tea Partiers can't "take their country back" because it's not theirs to take back. It's ours - the TP'ers, the CoffeePartiers, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents. The United States belongs to all of its citizens.<i></i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjU-5_RzulGz1mFY_MMMPNYtTlanZ3tR9vvAqJ-IROjLS9RxPgwsk4OXQuCAbBuhXotqDlCiwV7m2cwLVsZj6v5UpXwDHwQak3_xTVUHiWDDWcEWcqiGHidmU-3FFFlnYuNT4rIttjY7i8/s1600/liberty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjU-5_RzulGz1mFY_MMMPNYtTlanZ3tR9vvAqJ-IROjLS9RxPgwsk4OXQuCAbBuhXotqDlCiwV7m2cwLVsZj6v5UpXwDHwQak3_xTVUHiWDDWcEWcqiGHidmU-3FFFlnYuNT4rIttjY7i8/s400/liberty.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><i><br />
</i>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-56816892352361455622010-04-12T21:47:00.001-07:002010-04-12T21:48:12.838-07:00Stop! Police!<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CCFC78%7E1.ECK%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="Street" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="address" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">On a lighter note... </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The following are actual reports made to the Oak Harbor, WA Police Department:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday, Feb. 28</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 4:31 p.m., a caller reported a "communist man" on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Oak Harbor Street</st1:address></st1:street> was trying to convince an elderly woman that she cannot do something that is perfectly legal.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 3:46 a.m., an <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Oriole Street</st1:address></st1:street> resident reported her husband hid her registered gun from her and she wanted it back. <i>Maybe there was a good reason for hiding it.</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 3:05 p.m., a <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">NW Second Avenue</st1:address></st1:street> resident reported someone broke into her car sometime last summer. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 7:59 p.m., a caller reported a bunch of juveniles in a <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">SW Erie Street</st1:address></st1:street> were mooning motorists.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 6:08 a.m., a <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">SW Berwick Drive</st1:address></st1:street> resident reported his daughter is not cooperating with Mom.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Thursday, Feb. 25</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 11:23 p.m., a caller reported a woman, wearing dark jeans and a black hoodie, was walking into an apartment complex on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Ely Street</st1:address></st1:street>. <i>And...?</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 12:37 p.m., a caller reported someone broke the washing machine at the Lexy Manor. <i>And we'll send someone right over to fix that, Ma'am.</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 10:35 a.m., a caller reported a brown chihuahua has been wandering around the area of <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">N. Oak Harbor Street</st1:address></st1:street>. <i>He sure looks like he might be up to something!</i></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tuesday, Feb. 23</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 5:24 p.m., a caller reported two people having sex inside a tan Volkswagen Rabbit. <i>Bring a camera!</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At 11:26 a.m., a <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">NW Crosby Avenue</st1:address></st1:street> resident reported his girlfriend is living with him and causing problems. He wants to know what his options are for kicking her out when she doesn't pay rent. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Courtesy of the Whidbey News Times </span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZL1BFsxpcc6-JaNb6UqtglTlMEnD_Ac0EwtsL7wJSrTypybTLxIHydXyeVOGdDyslyrFbDyX9NMILEPUkYkqoIHwcCCMAceMvh-pM9r69wTWWJP-yGteePr4xB2JYuGWxVyYZc2S4XA43/s1600/WA_Oak_Harbor_Police.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZL1BFsxpcc6-JaNb6UqtglTlMEnD_Ac0EwtsL7wJSrTypybTLxIHydXyeVOGdDyslyrFbDyX9NMILEPUkYkqoIHwcCCMAceMvh-pM9r69wTWWJP-yGteePr4xB2JYuGWxVyYZc2S4XA43/s320/WA_Oak_Harbor_Police.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><i>We feel your pain, officers!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-36605093376187287692010-04-12T19:31:00.000-07:002010-04-12T19:48:36.224-07:00An Image That Made Me StopI live in a nice, middle-class neighborhood. If you travel about a mile in one direction, you'll end up in a wealthy sub-division. If you travel a mile in the opposite direction, you'll think you're in the ghetto. On this day, I traveled due ghetto because that's where the cheap grocery stores are. Hey, I'm squeezing my wallet like everyone else.<br />
<br />
I pulled into the local Albertsons parking lot that sits amid a tiny strip mall. On any given day, there are panhandlers begging for change in front of the small stores. Like most people, I try not to make eye contact. Because, I'll admit it; I am afraid of them. But today I met Arlette.<br />
<br />
I've seen her there before, sitting on the hard concrete with her walker beside her. Today I glanced down and what I saw shook me. I don't know why this particular image had such an effect on me, but it did. She was sitting there smoking a cigarette. Her short, stubby, little legs splayed out in front of her, she smoked that cigarette right down to the butt. The burning butt was right against the skin of her fingers. I don't know how she couldn't have felt pain from the embers. My eyes zoomed in closely on one detail. Her fingers, where the burning cigarette touched them, were black. Black like you would see on severely diseased skin. I wondered how long it had taken, how many cigarettes she had smoked to cause them to blacken like that.<br />
<br />
I continued past her into the store, but my mind whirled. Those burned fingers! What had happened to her? I thought there wasn't really much I could do to help her aside from giving her a couple bucks, which is something I normally don't do. After purchasing a few items, I decided I would give her a couple dollars. With the cash in my hand, I walked out of the store.<br />
<br />
I hadn't really meant to strike up a conversation with her. But when I approached her, she looked up at me with that expectant/hopeful look that I would hand over some green. So I forked it over and she followed up with the obligatory, "God bless you!" I turned to walk away, then saw her burned fingers in my mind again. I stopped. Stepping back toward her, I asked if I could ask her a couple questions. Amazingly, she didn't hesitate to say yes or look at me with suspicion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzfNIP61m7jplQ5OMOEpPUI9XlSucv4xHXPN7ilPcMv91BO9fky_-XrCNz0ugB9N4fzJTBcE7UJZQRCA7VN0PzW-tVCiOe12SFHInx6ldkvIeaPNn2t_fX4kHcCJdeU0CEUS7N5sHmt9A/s1600/Arlette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzfNIP61m7jplQ5OMOEpPUI9XlSucv4xHXPN7ilPcMv91BO9fky_-XrCNz0ugB9N4fzJTBcE7UJZQRCA7VN0PzW-tVCiOe12SFHInx6ldkvIeaPNn2t_fX4kHcCJdeU0CEUS7N5sHmt9A/s400/Arlette.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can't see Arlette's burned fingers in this photo.</div><br />
I asked her how she ended up there, panhandling. She told me that she receives $637 per month on Social Security and lives in a group home (assisted living) where her rent is $575. After falling two months behind on her rent, the home gave her the choice of having her SS check sent directly to them or she could find a homeless shelter. She said she's never been to one but has heard horror stories about the shelters, so she agreed to signing over her monthly stipend. Her son also sends her $100 per month, and the home takes $25 of that as well. It will take a little over thirteen months for Arlette to pay off the back rent. And she has $75 per month left over. Wow.<br />
<br />
She spoke about the perils of pandhandling. In this city, the police will arrest you if you're caught. Just today, as she was arriving for her "shift," another bum (her words, not mine) named Eddie was picked up and put in jail. The cops also took his dog and put him in doggy jail, i.e., the local animal shelter. Arlette waited about a half hour and then began her hustle.<br />
<br />
She said she was trying to get enough money to buy a pouch of tobacco so she could roll her own cigarettes. As if to prove it, she moved her coat and showed me the plastic baggy with her cigarette papers and the small remnants of loose tobacco. Odd, because she also had a pack of cigarettes in front of her. But maybe rolling your own lasts longer.<br />
<br />
The entire time I spoke with her, her hands and arms shook. I wasn't sure if it was from a disability or alcoholism. But parked right next to her was her walker/wheelchair and in an opaque water bottle was liquid that I couldn't be sure was water. For all I know, it might have been vodka. Or lemonade.<br />
<br />
I asked Arlette if I could take her picture and put it up on my blog. Another conversation ensued... "What the hell is a what? Bog? Blog?" I snapped a quick photo and showed it to her. "That's me," she stated, then seemed to become embarrassed for the first time. "I don't have my teeth in; they're back at the home." I smiled and told her it was okay. But she wanted to explain further. "A friend of mine gave me some Polident, because the cheap stuff I was using didn't work and my teeth moved around every time I ate. He didn't like it and had only used the tube a couple times so he gave it to me." <i>God, I am so lucky</i>, I thought. Not in a smug way. In the feel-guilty-for-complaining-about-anything way.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not usually a bleeding heart, but I wanted to know more about Arlette and how & why she decided to panhandle. She seemed to be happy to have someone to talk to, but I surmised that I was cutting into her cash collection time and told her I would see her again soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">****************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We see panhandling everywhere, yet we do nothing to understand the issue.We have huge problems with homelessness and it's only growing worse. There are whole families living in tent cities in the Seattle area and other cities across the nation. Many are not bums, as Arlette called them. Many simply cannot afford housing because they have either lost their jobs or don't make enough money to put a roof over their heads. And yes, some are there because of the choices they made in their lives. But until you actually talk to someone to get to know them, you cannot judge. Or more aptly, you should not. Because you don't know their situation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm glad I met Arlette. She opened my eyes to a world I had previously refused to see. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-91738718385805196342010-04-11T08:53:00.000-07:002010-04-11T08:53:11.460-07:00Katie Couric & Glenn Beck Like You've Never Seen Them (and Others)!I've never been a fan of auto tuning, but ... Enjoy! <br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TpYIKF1wuyE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TpYIKF1wuyE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-92040753622159547892010-04-02T15:43:00.000-07:002010-04-02T16:59:43.673-07:00I Am So Damn Proud of My City!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imagine a 4th of July without fireworks. But, but... that's crazy! That's unpatriotic! That's exactly what Seattle was facing this coming Independence Day. One Reel, the non-profit organization that produces the fireworks show, lost its sponsor for the annual event. The now non-existent Washington Mutual was the sponsor for 8 years. After JP Morgan Chase absorbed WaMu, they agreed to extend the sponsorship for one more year. But it's now 2010, the economy sucks and Seattle's July 4th celebration would amount to well... nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Just another day. Ho-hum. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Yippee skippy.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY_h1RAZt0dEbjVNjKGENwzUg0c90GAMbIe_kTQ60jFTR15Gex3RfYQ0qOmiIyXNYWhhLnBUogS-jutaBnD1_9lMrRYFfjoV0VQt6X9REp5CnezHvJfTw29cQuBJTXx3OeD7VIy2WYLo4/s1600/dreary+seattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY_h1RAZt0dEbjVNjKGENwzUg0c90GAMbIe_kTQ60jFTR15Gex3RfYQ0qOmiIyXNYWhhLnBUogS-jutaBnD1_9lMrRYFfjoV0VQt6X9REp5CnezHvJfTw29cQuBJTXx3OeD7VIy2WYLo4/s320/dreary+seattle.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whoa! Now hold on just a cotton-pickin' minute! That is unacceptable! So said KIRO Radio's prominent morning talk show host Dave Ross and Seattle's distinguished Chef Tom Douglas yesterday. Tom issued a challenge to the businesses of Seattle to donate at least $1000 each to keep the fireworks show alive. How much did they need? $500,000.00! What was the deadline to raise that kind of greenage? Tuesday. Yikes! Could they do it? To kick it off and put their money where their mouths were, both Dave and Tom made the first donations. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">KIRO Radio immediately put out announcements online and on air about the challenge:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBewpygoKVQX4Tji_lQjTNBQwzrwjeC_38jcl2aNLaLpQmlRtKB0QKgA-T-6T5oIywaeq7yCWg8TPBAuGJ2_wCDEu_48SValSV6KSo82ZNm_Un3_DE1byMN2Mnl1NXBMPgKOS-Tp5YaMM/s1600/Help+Save+the+Fireworks+banner.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="32" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBewpygoKVQX4Tji_lQjTNBQwzrwjeC_38jcl2aNLaLpQmlRtKB0QKgA-T-6T5oIywaeq7yCWg8TPBAuGJ2_wCDEu_48SValSV6KSo82ZNm_Un3_DE1byMN2Mnl1NXBMPgKOS-Tp5YaMM/s400/Help+Save+the+Fireworks+banner.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">KIRO's other popular talk show hosts, Dori Monson and the Ron & Don Nation began making public appeals. By 4:00pm, they had raised about $80,000. They were still a long way off. Then something wonderful happened. Dave & Tom showed up in the studio during Ron and Don's show and made an announcement.</span><br />
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src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-Gl9GtjUSK0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
Wow. Starbucks and Microsoft, two of the city's premiere employers offered to match contributions of $250,000 ($125,000 each) which would give us our $500k. We now only needed $170,000 more. Could it be done? </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Or were we destined to go from a celebration like this:</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKVK9R3mHLAb-CiSMHGhOeIyMP9m0BD0X1tFqDZpI5qeORlizvOjWsKUgfiGpmjvrxnQrd-GVplv7qcIKTlpR2lLZnLjEod0Gf1W9F2Hlf9KxkxOMiLpwFfRi3ZJ7gG49SXQchyphenhyphenAVjoeo/s1600/fireworks-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKVK9R3mHLAb-CiSMHGhOeIyMP9m0BD0X1tFqDZpI5qeORlizvOjWsKUgfiGpmjvrxnQrd-GVplv7qcIKTlpR2lLZnLjEod0Gf1W9F2Hlf9KxkxOMiLpwFfRi3ZJ7gG49SXQchyphenhyphenAVjoeo/s320/fireworks-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">and this:</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPnWXW7WyAVHhdvf4tu9bBpA7gJwEyTTORVYljm7XcbcAzo1TsVKXLgS21oYdfAbHYhk0KzdkvPYST0srBy-54K0JRmaWlIsxoTM-y01Me4JfN2euAAV8ycuQ_cgwxLFqOivQuKrkng7d/s1600/Gasworks+patriotic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPnWXW7WyAVHhdvf4tu9bBpA7gJwEyTTORVYljm7XcbcAzo1TsVKXLgS21oYdfAbHYhk0KzdkvPYST0srBy-54K0JRmaWlIsxoTM-y01Me4JfN2euAAV8ycuQ_cgwxLFqOivQuKrkng7d/s320/Gasworks+patriotic.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">to this?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijv5qca1EOGQYIfpZ3twzWDez9YDNWeTMqEpqfpB7ecvKI019OXtExKUwm7_SguHKwcbJIDj2-dcnJqNMZcz4v0Dwypo1F7_gAxvrm_G78mfRZ_oemW2idt3paNXiUTwCKkzh2M0z3xmiQ/s1600/Gasworks+empty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijv5qca1EOGQYIfpZ3twzWDez9YDNWeTMqEpqfpB7ecvKI019OXtExKUwm7_SguHKwcbJIDj2-dcnJqNMZcz4v0Dwypo1F7_gAxvrm_G78mfRZ_oemW2idt3paNXiUTwCKkzh2M0z3xmiQ/s320/Gasworks+empty.JPG" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Gasworks Park, the annual 4th of July celebration site</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can you picture a city as large as Seattle without fireworks on the 4th of July? I assume that people would still have their picnics, BBQ's and their neighborhood fireworks, but nothing as spectacular as the sparkling, Ooh-Ah inspiring lights displayed above Lake Union. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, you should never underestimate the powerful feeling of community in Seattle. As of this morning - in 24 hours time - Seattle business owners raised $500,000 to keep the American tradition of celebrating our freedom alive.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrSiwwsvTeJHo4k_HuyqnDhEZyk3EvVt0INNuTQ0Bvws-s0cHMkSqXWLzwccj_DeSWftsMu2kc4VUdlEd8d96dfiLmlrtV0VgiwxYC1lENC02uejQoyR4oJRG1aerltFCNgSYx3d96sAK/s1600/Fireworks+Saved+Banner.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="20" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcrSiwwsvTeJHo4k_HuyqnDhEZyk3EvVt0INNuTQ0Bvws-s0cHMkSqXWLzwccj_DeSWftsMu2kc4VUdlEd8d96dfiLmlrtV0VgiwxYC1lENC02uejQoyR4oJRG1aerltFCNgSYx3d96sAK/s400/Fireworks+Saved+Banner.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn proclaimed today to be, "The Day the People Saved the Fireworks" in the City of Seattle!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXlXFLtPbfa_8oDSyvuEp9JlW0rxyJOrETz1qEYU-fxPf_v_CrsjHO8SQD6f95LN6oK1dEHfNiZYBtNsz5y1ORUBVZqSrmQ44GzV_sjoR87COtGE1yrJOJK3_tJ5nKiAIxooUHeKRV6NT/s1600/Mayor's+Fireworks+Proclamation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXlXFLtPbfa_8oDSyvuEp9JlW0rxyJOrETz1qEYU-fxPf_v_CrsjHO8SQD6f95LN6oK1dEHfNiZYBtNsz5y1ORUBVZqSrmQ44GzV_sjoR87COtGE1yrJOJK3_tJ5nKiAIxooUHeKRV6NT/s400/Mayor's+Fireworks+Proclamation.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To all the Seattle businesses that donated, I say thank you! And to all the citizens in Seattle and the surrounding areas, please make sure you patronize these businesses and show them the same sense of loyal community that they showed to us.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From KIRO's website, the list of Seattle's proud business donors:<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dave Ross $1,000<br />
Taco Time $5,000<br />
Charlie's Produce $10,000<br />
JK Fabrication $1,000<br />
Sharron & Gary Deibert $1,000<br />
Jana Helmuth CPA $1,000<br />
Beecher's Handmade Cheese $1,000<br />
Pacific Urethane Recycling $2,000<br />
Heston Technical Inc. $1,000<br />
Heidi Heineman Aflac Insurance in Kent $1,000<br />
Security Imaging Corporation $1,000<br />
Ewing and Clark Inc. $2500<br />
Red Mill Burgers $3000<br />
Futurepoly $1,000<br />
Renton Concrete Recycles $2,000<br />
Claudia, McClain Insurance in Everett $1,000<br />
Nursecall Northwest $1,000<br />
John Hanson $1,000<br />
All Systems Electric $1,000<br />
Reconstructed Clothing Company $1,000<br />
Seattle Bank $10,000<br />
Max Technology $1,000<br />
Ward's Cove $1,000<br />
Turnure Telecom LLC $250<br />
Seattle Ferry Service $1,000<br />
Neighborhood Grills $2,000<br />
Blue Moon Burgers $1,000<br />
Rite-Line Tax Service, Inc. $1,000<br />
Tricia Rendina $1,000<br />
Hollywood Lights Inc $1,000<br />
www.saspcrecycling.com $1,000<br />
NELLA CUTLERY $1,000<br />
Next Door Media $1,000<br />
Brian Cartenuto $1,000<br />
Heidi McBain $1,500<br />
Paddy Coyne's Irish Pubs $1,000<br />
Filco Environmental Services $2,000<br />
Lucius Hill $1,000<br />
Findwell Real Estate $1,000<br />
Continental Van Lines, Inc. $1,000<br />
Meriwether Partners $1,000<br />
Blue Rooster, Inc. $1,000<br />
MCW Events $250<br />
Homestead Book Company $1,000<br />
Anchor Bay Charters $1,000<br />
Hy-Security Gate, Inc. $1,000<br />
West Seattle Blog $1,000<br />
Schumacher & Co., P.S. $1,000<br />
The Frenchy Bee $100<br />
BNI-Western Washington, Inc. $2,000<br />
Catherine Budbill State Farm Insurance $1,000<br />
Marty Rood, Mr. 99 & Associates, Inc. $1,000<br />
Capital Management $1,000<br />
Sweetwater Investments $1,000<br />
Northwest Gourmet Foods $1,000<br />
Pamela Hinckley $1,000<br />
Phoenix Mailing LLC $1,000<br />
Smith Brothers Farms $1,000<br />
Nordstrom $25,000<br />
Underdog Sports $5,000<br />
Sprague Pest Solutions $1,000<br />
Anita Yearley MD $1,000<br />
FloorPlanOnline.com $100<br />
In Play Films $500<br />
Silver Cloud Inns and Hotels $1,000<br />
Cascade Federal Credit Union $1,000<br />
Lenati LLC $1,000<br />
EmeraldSkySports.com $1,000<br />
Legal Media Experts $1,000<br />
Medina Hair Design $1,000<br />
Minor & James Medical $1,000<br />
Vulcan Inc. $50,000<br />
Santamaria and Sons $1,000<br />
International Parking Management Inc. $5,000<br />
Geocaching.com $1,000<br />
Read Products, Inc. $1,000<br />
Dancey & Cassady, L.L.P. $100<br />
Dearmin Fogarty PLLC $1,000<br />
Stewart & Terry LLC (Aspira Apartments Seattle) $5,000<br />
Brian Hartman $1,250<br />
Gunning, Stenson & Price, P.S. $1,000<br />
Pennys Salsa Inc. $1,000<br />
Turner Construction $5,000<br />
Ventana Construction $1,000<br />
Greg Hunicutt $1,000<br />
Fusiontek $1,000<br />
Novastar Development $2500<br />
Cristal Charters $2500<br />
Cutter & Buck Inc. $1,000<br />
Hales Ales $2,500<br />
Northwest Administrators $5,000<br />
Brewe Layman p.s. $1,000<br />
QUEEN CITY PLATING, INC. $1000<br />
Point B Inc. $2500<br />
Key Bank $2,000<br />
Berschauer Phillips Construction Co. $2,500<br />
Sequoyah Electric $1,000<br />
Northwest Yacht Brokers Association $1000<br />
KING 5 $5,000<br />
Merrill Gardens REMAINING BALANCE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Seattle, you make me so damn proud! </span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">As for JP Morgan Chase? Here's a line from their website:</span> <span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: white;">Leadership in</span> <a href="http://www.jpmorganchase.com/pages/jpmc/community"> community partnership</a> <span style="color: white;">is part of the enduring culture of JPMorgan Chase. Sorry, Chase. You just earned a huge </span><i style="color: white;">FAIL</i><span style="color: white;"> in community relations. Oh, and you suck.</span></span></b></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905890457341911320.post-22049632401724986862010-02-28T12:51:00.000-08:002010-02-28T15:02:36.247-08:00Health Care Should Not Be A DebateIn the fall of 1991, I was 25 and going through a painful divorce. My husband and I had been separated only one month. One night in the cheap, little apartment I had just moved into, I was jolted from sleep by excruciating pain. I'm no pansy, but this was the type of pain that makes you want to take a hacksaw to the body part causing the pain and cut it off. I didn't have a hacksaw.<br />
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Fortunately, my phone was next to my bed, so grunting and hyperventilating, I reached over and called my soon-to-be-ex husband who lived only a couple blocks away from me. At the time, any conversation between us was normally so emotionally charged, saying Boo to each other would make our eyes glow red and horns begin growing. However, my ex-husband is a good man & an even better father (shh...don't tell him I said that!), and he agreed to pick me up and take me to the hospital. <br />
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Now I faced a dilemma. I was in my bed in agony and my front door was locked. Knowing that the only other option of having my door kicked in was a tad unreasonable, I slowly made my way out of bed to the floor. It was not physically possible for me to stand up. It is a pretty pathetic picture to imagine a grown woman literally crawling on the floor and sobbing, but that is exactly what I did. I reached the front door about 5 seconds after my ex arrived. Trying very hard not to hurt me anymore than I already was, my ex picked me up off the floor and carried me out to his car in a torrential downpour, and drove me to the hospital. <br />
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On a side note, I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't call 911. It didn't exist in my city at that time, and I really didn't have the will or frame of mind to find and shuffle through the phone book to call for an ambulance.<br />
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I don't remember too much of my stay at the hospital because they had me on rather large doses of Morphine. Ahhh... good 'ol Morphine. My family tells me I was a source of amusement to them because of the Morphine hallucinations. But back on track...<br />
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Needless to say, I now live with one less kidney. I found out later from my doctor that the kidney dissolved in his hand right after he removed it. He also informed me that if that had happened while it was still in my body, all the toxins released from it would have killed me pretty much instantaneously. I'm sure my insurance company would have preferred that.<br />
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When I got the massive bills from the hospital, I breathed a sigh of relief that I had insurance. I know - you're laughing hysterically at my <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">naivete. Hospital bill - denied. Surgeon's bill - denied. Anesthesiologist's bill - denied. All medical bills relating to my stay - denied for being a preexisting condition. What the hell?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">A little back story on why it was a preexisting condition: When I was 18, I ended up in the hospital for the same pain. I was told I had a kidney infection, then given some antibiotics, pain medication and then sent home the next day. Following up with my doctor, I went through a series of tests (I'll spare you the graphic details). The doc said I needed to have my left kidney removed because I had had so many urinary tract infections throughout my life that it had ruined my kidney. It had less than 1% function and my right kidney was 2 1/2 times normal size in order compensate. I'd had infections? Really? When? What I didn't know at that time is that my body does not feel a lot of pain internally until it's critical. In the meantime, he gave me an antibiotic prescription with an indefinite renewal period.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">Rather than jumping in to have major surgery, I talked the situation over with my mom. We agreed the sensible thing to do would be to get a second opinion. After doing some research, I made an appointment with a highly regarded Nephrologist in a clinic 200 miles away from my small town. After reviewing my labs, my x-rays and completing a few tests of his own, he concluded that if I took the antibiotics for the rest of my life (with occasional adjustments for effectiveness), surgery would be unnecessary.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">Another discussion with my mother ensued, and I made the decision not to have the surgery. In hindsight, I probably should have sought a third opinion, but that makes no difference now.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">Fast forward to 1991 again. I now had massive medical bills I could not afford. Hell, I was struggling to afford just my living expenses (I was living below the poverty line then). With no income for the time I spent in the hospital, the six weeks afterward of home rest and then being allowed to go back to work for only half days for another month, I did the only thing I could do. I moved back home with my mom and filed bankruptcy. I felt defeated.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">I am not proud of declaring bankruptcy. I cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars because I could not afford to pay my medical bills. Medical costs skyrocket because of situations like mine. Doctors and hospitals must increase their fees to make up for people who can't pay for life saving procedures. Some of them, like me, will go bankrupt. Others simply won't go to the doctor and will die. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">So, I ask you this. When we can contain costs through health care reform and eventually reduce the overall cost, why the hell are we having a debate? Why the hell are we letting people die?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://alumnibulletin.med.harvard.edu/doctoring/health/images/spiral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://alumnibulletin.med.harvard.edu/doctoring/health/images/spiral.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 500;">Oh, and by the way... if I forgot to say thank you for taking care of me that night R, I'm saying it now. Thank you.</span>Carlihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11282076710398090906noreply@blogger.com5