Opened my computer this morning only to find more incidents of cop brutality. Is it becoming the norm or are more people just tuning in to it? I find it interesting that so many people make excuses for this kind of behavior. They say things like "cops put their lives on the line everyday" or "they became a cop because they wanted to help people".
First of all, many people put their lives on the line everyday: firefighters, high rise construction workers, miners, fishermen, and that is just off the top of my head. As far as "helping people" I would say that the motivation behind becoming is cop is to carry a gun and a badge. In my experience the type of person that becomes a cop is someone who craves power and authority. Is that a generalization? Sure it is. There are always exceptions. But I think people who become social workers, teachers and volunteers are really the people who want to help others and make a difference for the better and they make a lot less money doing it and they answer to a hell of a lot more people.
I think the real problem is accountability. It appears that teachers and social workers are held to a much higher standard than police officers. When we read about a teacher who has abused their power they lose their jobs quickly. A police officer who abuses his or her power is put on leave with pay during a lengthy investigation and then after the dust settles quietly brought back in. There is no civilian oversight. Law enforcement would like us to think that there is transparency but that is a lie. When abuse occurs the incident is investigated by another department, generally in the county where the incident occurred. The departments protect one another. Think about it, do you want to judge another department harshly when that department could be investigating you one day? In addition to that, when the incident is serious enough, such as in a "critical incident" the matter is often referred to the grand jury. Those jurors are usually very old, white people who are appointed by the department heads and who hold absolutely no power to impact change. Their only task is to find if the officer followed department procedure. When the department's procedure includes lethal force, then the jury finds they have done nothing wrong. There is no one to force a department to make changes. The public has no say.
When we permit a certain group to have jurisdiction over us, to have the ability to search, question and arrest us, there must be a mechanism where the public has the right of oversight. The police are the enforcers of the laws that we make and their job is to "protect and serve". There should be no problem with the public having a say in how we police our communities....they work for us.
That said, nearly every department refuses and resists public oversight. They don't want the public all up in their business. But their business is our business. If we want real change we have to demand public oversight.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Friday, September 26, 2014
Goodbye Facebook
I left Facebook a few months ago and I don't miss it. Who needs all of the needy relatives inviting you to things you don't want to go to? Or who needs that "friend" that you hardly ever see asking you to donate to their kids football team? And let's not forget those really, really needy people who want to whine about how they don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend or that their boyfriend/girlfriend has dumped them all the while complaining about every ache and pain and bout of insomnia......I just don't care. I hate needy people and that is how they seem to me when they turn to their fake friends wanting sympathy or attention.
I have come to refer to this forum as "Fakebook".
Face it, most of you are not my "friends"....gamers, I'm looking at you. I wanted to build my friends list so I let my sister use my profile to play games and now I'm paying for it. I hate to say it but most gamers are kind of losers. The most annoying thing about them is the constant "notifications" begging me to play with them.....if that's not needy, I don't know what is. Even more irritating is that now I have to hide or delete most of them because I am tired of seeing pictures or their grandbabies, tired of being preached to about how much Jesus wants us to save the world and I'm tired of seeing pictures of their beloved little rat dog(s)....everyday. No, this is one group I am definitely not really "friends" with.
The relatives: You know those "friends" who are relatives that you, literally, never see. You are trapped. I mean it's not like you can deny the request lest you have every other relative putting you on the spot and asking you why. Or better yet, you run into that relative at the once a decade get together and they, of course, ask why you won't add them or why you have deleted them. You have no choice, you have to keep them on the list. Now they can engage you in every aspect of their lives. They make stupid comments on your posts and tell you all about their neighbors, in-laws, schedules, trips to the DMV, aches pains and woes.....again, I don't care. In fact, there is a reason why we don't ever see one another.
Also awkward is the unwanted friend request from somebody you don't know or someone you do know and just don't want to add (other than the aformentioned relatives). I have to admit at first it is a little flattering to have that little icon light up with people lining up to be your friend. But in no time at all it becomes clear that they are not somebody I want to be friends with. As soon as somebody starts preaching to me about religion, telling me to support the troops, posting random postcards with stupid quips they are CUT OFF.
Then there are the posers. They are the ones that post constant selfies, brag about everything (while trying to look humble....but failing at it), name drop and basically promote all that is them every chance they get. I really, really don't care. I would if it were genuine but it clearly is not. Need-y!
Then again, isn't all social media supposed to launch us into the information age? Nothing is secret anymore...maybe that's good, maybe not. Every once in a while I will see a post that interests me but mostly, I don't. I do wonder about some of my real "friends" but then I think: Hey they are really my friend. I can go to their house or give them a call. All I know is that it I don't miss "Fakebook" more than I do.
I have come to refer to this forum as "Fakebook".
Face it, most of you are not my "friends"....gamers, I'm looking at you. I wanted to build my friends list so I let my sister use my profile to play games and now I'm paying for it. I hate to say it but most gamers are kind of losers. The most annoying thing about them is the constant "notifications" begging me to play with them.....if that's not needy, I don't know what is. Even more irritating is that now I have to hide or delete most of them because I am tired of seeing pictures or their grandbabies, tired of being preached to about how much Jesus wants us to save the world and I'm tired of seeing pictures of their beloved little rat dog(s)....everyday. No, this is one group I am definitely not really "friends" with.
The relatives: You know those "friends" who are relatives that you, literally, never see. You are trapped. I mean it's not like you can deny the request lest you have every other relative putting you on the spot and asking you why. Or better yet, you run into that relative at the once a decade get together and they, of course, ask why you won't add them or why you have deleted them. You have no choice, you have to keep them on the list. Now they can engage you in every aspect of their lives. They make stupid comments on your posts and tell you all about their neighbors, in-laws, schedules, trips to the DMV, aches pains and woes.....again, I don't care. In fact, there is a reason why we don't ever see one another.
Also awkward is the unwanted friend request from somebody you don't know or someone you do know and just don't want to add (other than the aformentioned relatives). I have to admit at first it is a little flattering to have that little icon light up with people lining up to be your friend. But in no time at all it becomes clear that they are not somebody I want to be friends with. As soon as somebody starts preaching to me about religion, telling me to support the troops, posting random postcards with stupid quips they are CUT OFF.
Then there are the posers. They are the ones that post constant selfies, brag about everything (while trying to look humble....but failing at it), name drop and basically promote all that is them every chance they get. I really, really don't care. I would if it were genuine but it clearly is not. Need-y!
Then again, isn't all social media supposed to launch us into the information age? Nothing is secret anymore...maybe that's good, maybe not. Every once in a while I will see a post that interests me but mostly, I don't. I do wonder about some of my real "friends" but then I think: Hey they are really my friend. I can go to their house or give them a call. All I know is that it I don't miss "Fakebook" more than I do.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Let's Start a Bloody Revolution!
O.K. guys, this post is about menstruation. If vaginas and blood make you squeamish then you probably want to pass on this one. If you are interested, then respect dude, you are a real ladies man!
Recently my daughter asked me what homeless women do when they have their menstrual cycles. I assumed they are given feminine hygiene products at the shelters. After some research I realized that is partly true. They are given very limited access to such products. I started to think about the financial and ecological expenses of having a cycle.
After I had my children I began to experience really heavy flows. Having your cycle is Hell enough without having to stay home because you bleed through a tampon in less than an hour. I was using OB Ultra tampons and they worked ok but I still had way more leaks than I would have liked. A couple of years ago Johnson and Johnson stopped making the Ultra. I was pretty devastated. On the rare occasions I come across one in an old purse or whatever, I get excited, sad but true. I began to look for solutions.....
A friend of mine told me that in her college days she and her roomates used cloth, reusable pads. They would throw them in a bucket until someone would wash them and, needless to say, they got a little gamey. It also made male visitors a little grossed out and I don't blame them. Still, the idea of having something available that was reusable, effective and inexpensive was very attractive to me. I started to think like a woman who lived hundreds of years ago. What the hell did they do? Cloth rags, no doubt, were the fashion, hence the term "being on the rag." Again, not a real attractive idea. And then I thought about sea sponges and that one little thought opened the doors wide open.
Turns out I'm not alone. There are women out there equally pissed at Johnson and Johnson for discontinuing the "Ultra". In fact some women assert that tampons have actually gotten smaller on purpose. I have been using tampons for a lot of years and I have to say that I agree with them. These women have started a "girlcott" of all Johnson and Johnson products. I'm sure Tampax is just a guilty. Their tampons look like they have shrunk too. More importantly these women have looked at the sea sponge as a viable option. You can check out the blog at http://obultratampons.com/alternatives-ob-ultra-tampons/sea-sponge-tampons/
She has done a good job of weighing the pros and cons of sea sponges. I decided that I was sold.
Sea sponges can be purchased at art supply stores, cermamic supply stores, some community markets and online. They are actually really cool. They are little, soft, cheap, natural and they work like a charm.
I began using them and I don't think that I am going to miss the "Ultra" at all (miss me Johnson and Johnson.) The only drawback is that it can be a little daunting to pull it out and rinse it off. But then again, blood leaking down my leg in public is far more embarassing and inconvenient. You can weigh the positives and negatives for yourself at the above-cited blog. Another helpful site also, although a little less enthusiastic about the prospect http://www.foodrevolution.org/askjohn/49.htm. Those sources should provide you with a fair assessment of both sides.
Some of my favorite things about sea sponges: I don't get a string dirty when I use the toilet; there is absolutely no waste; no corporation is making money off of me; they are comfortable and absorbant; they clean very easily; AND you can have sex when you are using a sponge. There are also menstrual cups that look like a good option and I may explore that later. But for now I just want to get it out there that women have options. Healtier, inexpensive and environmentally sound options but we just need to break free and explore viable alternatives to the status quo.....and it is liberating!
Recently my daughter asked me what homeless women do when they have their menstrual cycles. I assumed they are given feminine hygiene products at the shelters. After some research I realized that is partly true. They are given very limited access to such products. I started to think about the financial and ecological expenses of having a cycle.
After I had my children I began to experience really heavy flows. Having your cycle is Hell enough without having to stay home because you bleed through a tampon in less than an hour. I was using OB Ultra tampons and they worked ok but I still had way more leaks than I would have liked. A couple of years ago Johnson and Johnson stopped making the Ultra. I was pretty devastated. On the rare occasions I come across one in an old purse or whatever, I get excited, sad but true. I began to look for solutions.....
A friend of mine told me that in her college days she and her roomates used cloth, reusable pads. They would throw them in a bucket until someone would wash them and, needless to say, they got a little gamey. It also made male visitors a little grossed out and I don't blame them. Still, the idea of having something available that was reusable, effective and inexpensive was very attractive to me. I started to think like a woman who lived hundreds of years ago. What the hell did they do? Cloth rags, no doubt, were the fashion, hence the term "being on the rag." Again, not a real attractive idea. And then I thought about sea sponges and that one little thought opened the doors wide open.
Turns out I'm not alone. There are women out there equally pissed at Johnson and Johnson for discontinuing the "Ultra". In fact some women assert that tampons have actually gotten smaller on purpose. I have been using tampons for a lot of years and I have to say that I agree with them. These women have started a "girlcott" of all Johnson and Johnson products. I'm sure Tampax is just a guilty. Their tampons look like they have shrunk too. More importantly these women have looked at the sea sponge as a viable option. You can check out the blog at http://obultratampons.com/alternatives-ob-ultra-tampons/sea-sponge-tampons/
She has done a good job of weighing the pros and cons of sea sponges. I decided that I was sold.
Sea sponges can be purchased at art supply stores, cermamic supply stores, some community markets and online. They are actually really cool. They are little, soft, cheap, natural and they work like a charm.
I began using them and I don't think that I am going to miss the "Ultra" at all (miss me Johnson and Johnson.) The only drawback is that it can be a little daunting to pull it out and rinse it off. But then again, blood leaking down my leg in public is far more embarassing and inconvenient. You can weigh the positives and negatives for yourself at the above-cited blog. Another helpful site also, although a little less enthusiastic about the prospect http://www.foodrevolution.org/askjohn/49.htm. Those sources should provide you with a fair assessment of both sides.
Some of my favorite things about sea sponges: I don't get a string dirty when I use the toilet; there is absolutely no waste; no corporation is making money off of me; they are comfortable and absorbant; they clean very easily; AND you can have sex when you are using a sponge. There are also menstrual cups that look like a good option and I may explore that later. But for now I just want to get it out there that women have options. Healtier, inexpensive and environmentally sound options but we just need to break free and explore viable alternatives to the status quo.....and it is liberating!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
My children were incarcerated this morning...
It is Autumn (well almost) and I drove my girls to their first day back to school. They are both in high school now which is a relief because any parent who drives their kids to school knows what a pain in the ass that is especially is they go to different schools....but I digress.
Ever since the first day of Kindergarten, I have felt that maybe I am a witness to the incarceration of my children. Before you roll your eyes at me, consider this: The children are registered, assigned an "ID number", roomed and then debriefed on the rules and regulations of the school, you know things like dress codes, rules for behavior and consequences for non-conformity. Once they are at school, they cannot leave without being "released". Penalties for non-cooperation are detention or expulsion. They are let out of their rooms periodically to "excercise". There is no free thinking allowed. They are scored on how well they absorb and regurgitate the "facts" back at them in the form of examinations. The students that assimilate the best receive higher marks and graduate. The adminsitration even tries to dictate what they do with their free time. I get flyers telling me how to feed my kids, how to montior homework and what time my child should go to sleep. I have been recruited without my consent to reinforce the idea that the State has control over all of us.....but I digress.
To put in prison or subject to confinement, that is the definition of "incarceration." Students are not free to leave at will and so, they are confined. The fact that our students are little mini-prisoners isn't the worst of it for me. I really can't stand the fact that we have segregated our students and nobody seems to give a shit. Segregation? Yeah that's right. Is your kid an honors student, GATE, RSP, ESL, Special Ed.? I'm willing to bet your kid has been labeled and sorted all based on the amount of funding each label brings into the school. If you go into any random class in the US, particularly in secondary schools, you will find the students sorted into dummies and smarties. And guess what? Most of the smarties are upper crust, white bread, pups of yups, while the dummies are, mostly, the dark meat. I think it is wrong to assume that students with these labels have nothing to learn from one another. People learn from helping one another through problems. People learn tolerance from working with others that are different. And the biggest problem are the labels themselves. Who decides what smart is or what dumb is....according to whom? According to my school district one of my daughters was "RSP aka dumb" and one was "GATE aka smart". I refused to have my girls labeled and my decision was constantly challenged by the teachers. As someone who was lucky enough to school her children at home for two years I can say that both of my girls have an enormous ability to learn and both of them are extrememly smart kids when motivated to be so. Who decides what subjects are valuable and who develops the ciriculuum? There is a direct correlation between income level and success. It isn't hard to understand how a child who struggles at home will struggle at school. Yet the institution makes no priority to offer real remedies to the poverty in this country...but I digress.
This leads us to "the tests". The job of the teacher has been reduced to test proctor and correctional officer. Teachers who complain about the system or who offer new ideas on how to change things do not pass probation. After all there is no rooom for innovation because institutions like the status quo. Teachers continue to teach to the STAR test because it determines funding, not because they believe in the merits of the test.
In my county approximately 30 million dollars is spent on administration alone. 42 school districts aren't cheap. And yet they refuse to merge the district into our County Office of Education because everyone wants control of the money. The adminstrators want to keep their $250,000.00 salaries. It is not about kids, it is about money. Prisons are the same way. We know that the current system does not "rehabilitate" people and that the prison population continues to grow but too many people make money off building prisons so there is no incentive to change.....but I digress.
We must acknowledge that the drop out rate continues to grow and so do prisons. Kids are easily impressionable and need to have total security in their personal lives in order to learn and grow in a productive, healthy way. It is possible that our priorities need to shift to focus on children. It is easily said but can it be done....that is for another blog.
Ever since the first day of Kindergarten, I have felt that maybe I am a witness to the incarceration of my children. Before you roll your eyes at me, consider this: The children are registered, assigned an "ID number", roomed and then debriefed on the rules and regulations of the school, you know things like dress codes, rules for behavior and consequences for non-conformity. Once they are at school, they cannot leave without being "released". Penalties for non-cooperation are detention or expulsion. They are let out of their rooms periodically to "excercise". There is no free thinking allowed. They are scored on how well they absorb and regurgitate the "facts" back at them in the form of examinations. The students that assimilate the best receive higher marks and graduate. The adminsitration even tries to dictate what they do with their free time. I get flyers telling me how to feed my kids, how to montior homework and what time my child should go to sleep. I have been recruited without my consent to reinforce the idea that the State has control over all of us.....but I digress.
To put in prison or subject to confinement, that is the definition of "incarceration." Students are not free to leave at will and so, they are confined. The fact that our students are little mini-prisoners isn't the worst of it for me. I really can't stand the fact that we have segregated our students and nobody seems to give a shit. Segregation? Yeah that's right. Is your kid an honors student, GATE, RSP, ESL, Special Ed.? I'm willing to bet your kid has been labeled and sorted all based on the amount of funding each label brings into the school. If you go into any random class in the US, particularly in secondary schools, you will find the students sorted into dummies and smarties. And guess what? Most of the smarties are upper crust, white bread, pups of yups, while the dummies are, mostly, the dark meat. I think it is wrong to assume that students with these labels have nothing to learn from one another. People learn from helping one another through problems. People learn tolerance from working with others that are different. And the biggest problem are the labels themselves. Who decides what smart is or what dumb is....according to whom? According to my school district one of my daughters was "RSP aka dumb" and one was "GATE aka smart". I refused to have my girls labeled and my decision was constantly challenged by the teachers. As someone who was lucky enough to school her children at home for two years I can say that both of my girls have an enormous ability to learn and both of them are extrememly smart kids when motivated to be so. Who decides what subjects are valuable and who develops the ciriculuum? There is a direct correlation between income level and success. It isn't hard to understand how a child who struggles at home will struggle at school. Yet the institution makes no priority to offer real remedies to the poverty in this country...but I digress.
This leads us to "the tests". The job of the teacher has been reduced to test proctor and correctional officer. Teachers who complain about the system or who offer new ideas on how to change things do not pass probation. After all there is no rooom for innovation because institutions like the status quo. Teachers continue to teach to the STAR test because it determines funding, not because they believe in the merits of the test.
In my county approximately 30 million dollars is spent on administration alone. 42 school districts aren't cheap. And yet they refuse to merge the district into our County Office of Education because everyone wants control of the money. The adminstrators want to keep their $250,000.00 salaries. It is not about kids, it is about money. Prisons are the same way. We know that the current system does not "rehabilitate" people and that the prison population continues to grow but too many people make money off building prisons so there is no incentive to change.....but I digress.
We must acknowledge that the drop out rate continues to grow and so do prisons. Kids are easily impressionable and need to have total security in their personal lives in order to learn and grow in a productive, healthy way. It is possible that our priorities need to shift to focus on children. It is easily said but can it be done....that is for another blog.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Reform School
I just fired my dentist. He's a nice guy, his staff is great and his office is orderly. He's a competent dentist and we've had him for fourteen years. But I don't like him. When my daughters or I pay him a visit he always finds something outside of a normal cleaning to do. I am so tired of bite wing x-rays every year for no other reason than he wants to find something else to charge me for. He loves to poke my gums and measure them. He loves to give my daughters flouride treatments and seal their teeth. He loves to find little problems "that may turn into something big some day."
His office is really fancy and it's only open four days a week. He tells me about his parties and vacations and I couldn't help but notice his new hair plugs. I feel like his affluent life depends on finding something to bill me for. I doesn't occur to the dentist that my health insurance only pays for eighty percent of whatever the insurance company deems fair. I always end up paying big bucks no matter if it is for routine care or necessary care.
So I tried to find a new dentist. My criteria: no unnecessary care, someone who does community service or accepts medi-cal and who does not use mercury or flouride during their procedures. I thought I found a new candidate and made an appointment. The dentist photographed us, poked us, x-rayed us and proceeded to show us why we needed several thousands of dollars worth of dental work. Hey, she has a new fancy imaging machine to pay for just like my old dentist. No go. Major fail.
I told my mother-in-law about my issues. She said "They have to take x-rays so they can find things before they get too big." I told her I wouldn't expect my doctor to x-ray my body every few years just so he can catch something before it gets too big so I don't understand why the dentist is any different.
It comes down to the fact that we have health insurance, sucky as it is. The dentists are more inclined to push treatment upon us because we have insurance. Dentist don't take medi-cal anymore because medi-cal doesn't cover anything but necessary x-rays and extractions.
Even Kaiser, once held on a pedalstool as the ultimate HMO isn't an all inclusive package anymore. People used to brag that they had no co-pay and free prescriptions. You won't find that at Kaiser anymore. We went to kaiser when our doctor moved there. We pay three hundred dollars above what our employer pays to insure our family. Our office visits are $40.00 with an 80/20 split and we pay a lot for prescriptions.
I went to the doctor for a problem with my throat. I paid $40.00 for the office visit, I was prescribed anti-acids (for $25.00) and urged to get a mammogram (for $50.00). The problem persisted but I decided not to go back. I was afraid they would presribe me Xanex and send me for a cardiogram.
Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on how to fix our healthcare system. The Democrats limp along, dodging universal healthcare and pandering to corporate driven healthcare because they are afraid of being called socialists. While the Republicans want everyone to fend for themselves because, to them, little government means no social programs and a huge military. So I'd like to offer some suggestions to help them along.
1. I don't give a shit who runs it, a private or public organization, but it should be NOT FOR PROFIT. It is grossly indecent of us as a society, no matter how "capitalist" or "free trade" we may be, to suggest that it is acceptable to make money on sick people.
2. Torte reform. Being awarded obscene amounts of money is not going to bring junior back. Sending people to jail and holding them accountable for neglibible acts (FDA, CEOs and shitty doctors I'm looking at you) is much more effective.
3. All subsidies and research funding for medical advancement should go into the university system. All patents obtained, based on that funding, for medicine, technology and procedures should be held by society as a whole.
4. And finally (this one is my favorite), the legislatures in all of their plentiful forms, city, county, state and federal, should have the same benefits as people on medicaid. They should consider themselves lucky too because that is more than many working families can get right now.
That ought to do it for now.
Love, Constance
His office is really fancy and it's only open four days a week. He tells me about his parties and vacations and I couldn't help but notice his new hair plugs. I feel like his affluent life depends on finding something to bill me for. I doesn't occur to the dentist that my health insurance only pays for eighty percent of whatever the insurance company deems fair. I always end up paying big bucks no matter if it is for routine care or necessary care.
So I tried to find a new dentist. My criteria: no unnecessary care, someone who does community service or accepts medi-cal and who does not use mercury or flouride during their procedures. I thought I found a new candidate and made an appointment. The dentist photographed us, poked us, x-rayed us and proceeded to show us why we needed several thousands of dollars worth of dental work. Hey, she has a new fancy imaging machine to pay for just like my old dentist. No go. Major fail.
I told my mother-in-law about my issues. She said "They have to take x-rays so they can find things before they get too big." I told her I wouldn't expect my doctor to x-ray my body every few years just so he can catch something before it gets too big so I don't understand why the dentist is any different.
It comes down to the fact that we have health insurance, sucky as it is. The dentists are more inclined to push treatment upon us because we have insurance. Dentist don't take medi-cal anymore because medi-cal doesn't cover anything but necessary x-rays and extractions.
Even Kaiser, once held on a pedalstool as the ultimate HMO isn't an all inclusive package anymore. People used to brag that they had no co-pay and free prescriptions. You won't find that at Kaiser anymore. We went to kaiser when our doctor moved there. We pay three hundred dollars above what our employer pays to insure our family. Our office visits are $40.00 with an 80/20 split and we pay a lot for prescriptions.
I went to the doctor for a problem with my throat. I paid $40.00 for the office visit, I was prescribed anti-acids (for $25.00) and urged to get a mammogram (for $50.00). The problem persisted but I decided not to go back. I was afraid they would presribe me Xanex and send me for a cardiogram.
Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on how to fix our healthcare system. The Democrats limp along, dodging universal healthcare and pandering to corporate driven healthcare because they are afraid of being called socialists. While the Republicans want everyone to fend for themselves because, to them, little government means no social programs and a huge military. So I'd like to offer some suggestions to help them along.
1. I don't give a shit who runs it, a private or public organization, but it should be NOT FOR PROFIT. It is grossly indecent of us as a society, no matter how "capitalist" or "free trade" we may be, to suggest that it is acceptable to make money on sick people.
2. Torte reform. Being awarded obscene amounts of money is not going to bring junior back. Sending people to jail and holding them accountable for neglibible acts (FDA, CEOs and shitty doctors I'm looking at you) is much more effective.
3. All subsidies and research funding for medical advancement should go into the university system. All patents obtained, based on that funding, for medicine, technology and procedures should be held by society as a whole.
4. And finally (this one is my favorite), the legislatures in all of their plentiful forms, city, county, state and federal, should have the same benefits as people on medicaid. They should consider themselves lucky too because that is more than many working families can get right now.
That ought to do it for now.
Love, Constance
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Holiday Hangover
Christmas has really gotten to be a pain in the ass. It's my favorite holiday and yet it totally stresses me out. I worry about whether or not the people will like what I have given them, especially my kids. The fear of most parents at Christmas is that their child will not be satisfied. What a thing to worry about at Christmas. I usually go all out. I drop a few hundred bucks on my kids, not to mention the expense of buying for others, afraid I may look cheap. This year I decided I was not going into debt for the sake of the holiday. My daughters each received a nice pair of slippers, a dvd and a video cam. Honestly, it was hard for me to stop at that. I felt like I was cheating them. I was afraid that when they compared notes at school with the other kids they would be ashamed of me. My mother believed that love equals gifts. Our tree was almost buried in gifts. I don't remember a single one of them. What I do remember, however, is the bill collectors calling our house so much we had to unplug the phone. Mom is coming around though. She allowed us to draw names this year and I was really proud of her.
One year I could not find a Sailor Moon video that was out of production. I ended up buying a used copy. We gave it to a friend who was really into Sailor Moon, for her birthday. As soon as she opened it I wished I had gotten her something else. Materialism is so ingrained in my mind that I was embarrased that I had given her a used video. You hear about people getting caught "regifting" and it is a most serious offense. Giving a used gift is probably up there with treason.
Well my New Year's resolution is: I don't give a fuck whether or not you like what I'm giving you this year. I'm giving it from the heart and if you don't like it then you aren't my friend. We need to snap out of this affluence bullshit. Moreover, next year do not buy me anything, especially if it is plastic, made in China or requires batteries. If you don't love me or I have offended you then do the Earth a favor and take me off of your Christmas list.
Next year I am again going to make jam, applesauce and salsa. But I'm not going to feel the need to supplement my handmade (with love) gift with something I purchased. You're getting the jam and that's it. The good news is that I'm saving your life by not adding HFCS, preservatives, GMO or pesticides. My favorite gift this year was some freezer jam and a mixed cd my friend made. They have given me more enjoyment than the battery operated can opener that has sat in my drawer for three years.
We had a garage sale several weeks ago (which I swore I would never do again) and I realized how many thousands of dollars worth of gifts were being practically given away. Some of them have never been opened. My advice is save your money. If you see a book in the used book store that you think I will like, by all means buy it. I love to read and I don't give a shit if it is used or not, the words inside will be the same, I promise. Frame something special: childrens' art (hey some of it is really good), memorabilia, my favorite flower or your picture. Make me something. In return, I am going to think about you all year long and find something that I think you would appreciate. That is the secret to great gift giving: to always be on the lookout. Don't wait for the holiday to smack you in the face.
So that's it. That's my resolution. I'm adding a link to a youtube video a Facebook friend turned me onto. I wish I would have made it: This Year's Resolutions .
Love, Constance
One year I could not find a Sailor Moon video that was out of production. I ended up buying a used copy. We gave it to a friend who was really into Sailor Moon, for her birthday. As soon as she opened it I wished I had gotten her something else. Materialism is so ingrained in my mind that I was embarrased that I had given her a used video. You hear about people getting caught "regifting" and it is a most serious offense. Giving a used gift is probably up there with treason.
Well my New Year's resolution is: I don't give a fuck whether or not you like what I'm giving you this year. I'm giving it from the heart and if you don't like it then you aren't my friend. We need to snap out of this affluence bullshit. Moreover, next year do not buy me anything, especially if it is plastic, made in China or requires batteries. If you don't love me or I have offended you then do the Earth a favor and take me off of your Christmas list.
Next year I am again going to make jam, applesauce and salsa. But I'm not going to feel the need to supplement my handmade (with love) gift with something I purchased. You're getting the jam and that's it. The good news is that I'm saving your life by not adding HFCS, preservatives, GMO or pesticides. My favorite gift this year was some freezer jam and a mixed cd my friend made. They have given me more enjoyment than the battery operated can opener that has sat in my drawer for three years.
We had a garage sale several weeks ago (which I swore I would never do again) and I realized how many thousands of dollars worth of gifts were being practically given away. Some of them have never been opened. My advice is save your money. If you see a book in the used book store that you think I will like, by all means buy it. I love to read and I don't give a shit if it is used or not, the words inside will be the same, I promise. Frame something special: childrens' art (hey some of it is really good), memorabilia, my favorite flower or your picture. Make me something. In return, I am going to think about you all year long and find something that I think you would appreciate. That is the secret to great gift giving: to always be on the lookout. Don't wait for the holiday to smack you in the face.
So that's it. That's my resolution. I'm adding a link to a youtube video a Facebook friend turned me onto. I wish I would have made it: This Year's Resolutions .
Love, Constance
Friday, September 24, 2010
What's Wrong With Unions
The Second Continental Congress was formed in 1775 as a united effort to present grievances to King George. The delegates were land-owning, white men from the thirteen colonies. They formed the first bargaining unit. After years of boycotts, riots and demonstrations, the colonists had reached their height of frustration when a series of laws, known as the Coercive Acts, were imposed by the British government.
They negotiated for months to reach an agreement. Some delegates wanted to continue their appeal to King George while others wanted to break from the crown. Some delegates refused to agree to form a new union if slavery was abolished and some would not agree unless it was. Obviously, they reached an agreement, although just barely. With the reading of the Declaration of Independence, the first union in this country was formed on July 4, 1776. As far as King George was concerned, it was a walk-out and he sent the militia to quell the unrest. So began the American Revolution.
Our new nation excluded many citizens. The Declaration states “All men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights…” In reality these unalienable rights only extended to white, landowning men and not to slaves, women, natives or indentured servants. The founding fathers had built their wealth on the slave trade so America was born into labor unrest from the beginning.
In response to Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation the southern states formed a new Union, the Confederate States of America. Regarded as a “walk-out”, Abraham Lincoln ordered more troops to restore the Union. The Civil War lasted four years and 625,000 people died. They had renegotiated the conditions of the Constitution.
With the expansion of the West, industry thrived. Pioneers traveled in droves to settle the west and the Captains of Industry (or Robber Barons depending on your perspective) saw an opportunity to build wealth. Men like J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, J.D. Rockefeller and Cornelius Vanderbilt cornered the market on steel, railroads and shipping.
Although these men came from humble beginnings and eventually became famous philanthropists, their capital was less than virtuously acquired. There are libraries, universities, hospitals and music halls named after them yet they exploited their workforces, colluded with the government and each other, and monopolized markets.
Then as now, law enforcement and government often favor the wealthy. The wealthy can afford better lawyers, have powerful friends and fund campaigns. In the past, juries were comprised of white, land-owning men and they were the only ones who could vote or hold office. They inherently held more power.
By the mid-nineteen century, unions were formed to negotiate the rights of workers. They were formed as a response to long work weeks, low wages, and unsafe working conditions. When workers complained they were locked out. When they tried to strike companies called in strikebreakers to end it. Workers were killed, arrested and blacklisted.
Unions became strong because they created a mechanism to air grievances. They gained power in numbers and hired mobsters to counter the strikebreakers. Mobsters, formerly used by companies, now gained control of the unions. They too gained influence over law enforcement and government until both the corporation and the union became vehicles of power and manipulation
Today unions have evolved into non-profit corporations. In many ways they are like the corporations they negotiate with. They often represent many job classes and various bargaining units, often selling out one group for another. Some coerce workers to join just as the corporation coerces them not to. We have come to a stalemate in labor relations. Many corporations have shifted jobs oversees where the union has no authority. “The Corporation” has thus far prevailed. Unions represent only nine percent of the private workforce while forty-three percent of the workers are represented in the public sector, administrators included.
Even with the progress made with legislation, little has changed for the worker. The richest ten percent of Americans own seventy percent of the assets just as they did in the 19th century. The distribution of wealth has not shifted even with the organization of labor.
Even with the progress made with legislation, little has changed for the worker. The richest ten percent of Americans own seventy percent of the assets just as they did in the 19th century. The distribution of wealth has not shifted even with the organization of labor.
Love, Constance
They negotiated for months to reach an agreement. Some delegates wanted to continue their appeal to King George while others wanted to break from the crown. Some delegates refused to agree to form a new union if slavery was abolished and some would not agree unless it was. Obviously, they reached an agreement, although just barely. With the reading of the Declaration of Independence, the first union in this country was formed on July 4, 1776. As far as King George was concerned, it was a walk-out and he sent the militia to quell the unrest. So began the American Revolution.
Our new nation excluded many citizens. The Declaration states “All men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights…” In reality these unalienable rights only extended to white, landowning men and not to slaves, women, natives or indentured servants. The founding fathers had built their wealth on the slave trade so America was born into labor unrest from the beginning.
In response to Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation the southern states formed a new Union, the Confederate States of America. Regarded as a “walk-out”, Abraham Lincoln ordered more troops to restore the Union. The Civil War lasted four years and 625,000 people died. They had renegotiated the conditions of the Constitution.
With the expansion of the West, industry thrived. Pioneers traveled in droves to settle the west and the Captains of Industry (or Robber Barons depending on your perspective) saw an opportunity to build wealth. Men like J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, J.D. Rockefeller and Cornelius Vanderbilt cornered the market on steel, railroads and shipping.
Although these men came from humble beginnings and eventually became famous philanthropists, their capital was less than virtuously acquired. There are libraries, universities, hospitals and music halls named after them yet they exploited their workforces, colluded with the government and each other, and monopolized markets.
Then as now, law enforcement and government often favor the wealthy. The wealthy can afford better lawyers, have powerful friends and fund campaigns. In the past, juries were comprised of white, land-owning men and they were the only ones who could vote or hold office. They inherently held more power.
By the mid-nineteen century, unions were formed to negotiate the rights of workers. They were formed as a response to long work weeks, low wages, and unsafe working conditions. When workers complained they were locked out. When they tried to strike companies called in strikebreakers to end it. Workers were killed, arrested and blacklisted.
Unions became strong because they created a mechanism to air grievances. They gained power in numbers and hired mobsters to counter the strikebreakers. Mobsters, formerly used by companies, now gained control of the unions. They too gained influence over law enforcement and government until both the corporation and the union became vehicles of power and manipulation
Today unions have evolved into non-profit corporations. In many ways they are like the corporations they negotiate with. They often represent many job classes and various bargaining units, often selling out one group for another. Some coerce workers to join just as the corporation coerces them not to. We have come to a stalemate in labor relations. Many corporations have shifted jobs oversees where the union has no authority. “The Corporation” has thus far prevailed. Unions represent only nine percent of the private workforce while forty-three percent of the workers are represented in the public sector, administrators included.
Even with the progress made with legislation, little has changed for the worker. The richest ten percent of Americans own seventy percent of the assets just as they did in the 19th century. The distribution of wealth has not shifted even with the organization of labor.
Even with the progress made with legislation, little has changed for the worker. The richest ten percent of Americans own seventy percent of the assets just as they did in the 19th century. The distribution of wealth has not shifted even with the organization of labor.
Love, Constance
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
There is no better of two evils.
Once again it is time for political ads to dominate the media. The politicians do such a great job of bashing each other that neither is worthy of a vote. Frankly, I had voted for Micky Mouse more times than I can remember in the last several elections. The vote I cast for a ridiculous, fictional character was my way of rebelling against the system. After all, I didn't want to be guilty of not voting, as if it matters. Now I leave my vote open if I don't like the choices handed to me. I was recently surprised to discover that they pay more attention to votes left blank, it is referred to as an "undervote'" It is estimated that in the last election up to 21% of ballots in some districts were undervoted. That tells me people are starting to agree that our choices are not acceptable.
In California we are faced with the choice of voting for Barbara Boxer, the incombent for Senator and Carly Fiorino the former CEO that ran Hewlett Packard into the ground. Oh how to choose? Barbara Boxer has been at the Capitol for twenty years all the while the great Military Industrial Complex has expanded, the rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer. And then there is Carly Fiorino who thought it a brilliant idea to merge HP with Compaq (one of the worst computer I have ever used) and lowered HP's quality until it became unusable, in my opinion.
For governor our choices are not much better, Jerry Brown or meg Whitman. I have met him three times and Jerry is a very nice man with a good heart and sincere intentions. However he has never been able to produce the results he has promised. I doubt he has the moxy or charisma to make any real change. Then there is Meg.....a billionaire who had spent 190 million of her own wealth to win the campaign. I've always wondered why someone would spend so much money for a position that pays little in comparison. She believes that welfare is bringing the State down all the while squirreling away a billions dollars on a CEO's salary. Maybe she just can't see the grossly unfair distribution of wealth through her piles of money.
The problem is with a two party system. If anyone has ever been to a Democratic committee meeting they know that the committees are mostly comprised of legislative aides, union leaders and a few old ladies. They make the decision regarding who your choice for democrat will be. On the other hand the GOP meets more discreetly. A lot of yuppy college kids get together and chant the benefits of a free market while the real decision regarding your choice for republican is made behind the desks of a few CEOs. The point is that real people, hard working, everyday people, have no choice about the two options thrown to them on the ballot. It reminds of a movie I watched recently about Ralph Nader An Unreasonable Man . I was under the impression that he was bit nuts. I'm not so sure anymore. He spoiled Al Gore's chances in 2000, didn't he. It turns out no. The hassles that the Democratic Party and the GOP gave him were beyond reasonable. Nader was trying to offer another option and they were not having it. I mean really, why aren't more parties allowed to participate in National debates? I know there are usually people on the ballot from various parties but their voices are so stifled that we don't know who they are and, therefore, they have no chance of winng. It is clear that the establishment is hell bent on keeping our choices to two candidates. So I will respond by keeping my ballot blank.
Love, Constance
In California we are faced with the choice of voting for Barbara Boxer, the incombent for Senator and Carly Fiorino the former CEO that ran Hewlett Packard into the ground. Oh how to choose? Barbara Boxer has been at the Capitol for twenty years all the while the great Military Industrial Complex has expanded, the rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer. And then there is Carly Fiorino who thought it a brilliant idea to merge HP with Compaq (one of the worst computer I have ever used) and lowered HP's quality until it became unusable, in my opinion.
For governor our choices are not much better, Jerry Brown or meg Whitman. I have met him three times and Jerry is a very nice man with a good heart and sincere intentions. However he has never been able to produce the results he has promised. I doubt he has the moxy or charisma to make any real change. Then there is Meg.....a billionaire who had spent 190 million of her own wealth to win the campaign. I've always wondered why someone would spend so much money for a position that pays little in comparison. She believes that welfare is bringing the State down all the while squirreling away a billions dollars on a CEO's salary. Maybe she just can't see the grossly unfair distribution of wealth through her piles of money.
The problem is with a two party system. If anyone has ever been to a Democratic committee meeting they know that the committees are mostly comprised of legislative aides, union leaders and a few old ladies. They make the decision regarding who your choice for democrat will be. On the other hand the GOP meets more discreetly. A lot of yuppy college kids get together and chant the benefits of a free market while the real decision regarding your choice for republican is made behind the desks of a few CEOs. The point is that real people, hard working, everyday people, have no choice about the two options thrown to them on the ballot. It reminds of a movie I watched recently about Ralph Nader An Unreasonable Man . I was under the impression that he was bit nuts. I'm not so sure anymore. He spoiled Al Gore's chances in 2000, didn't he. It turns out no. The hassles that the Democratic Party and the GOP gave him were beyond reasonable. Nader was trying to offer another option and they were not having it. I mean really, why aren't more parties allowed to participate in National debates? I know there are usually people on the ballot from various parties but their voices are so stifled that we don't know who they are and, therefore, they have no chance of winng. It is clear that the establishment is hell bent on keeping our choices to two candidates. So I will respond by keeping my ballot blank.
Love, Constance
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Baby steps
Today I was going to blog about taxes or voting. My friend is dying of cancer, I'm smoking the wrong kind of weed, my kids are home for three more weeks and I'm really just not in the fucking mood to vent about shit like that.
Instead I thought I might talk about what I keep in my refrigerator. If your lucky I'll talk about the pantry and freezer in the future. I love food. I thought it might put me in a better mood.
My fridge staples are cream, milk, butter, buttermilk, juice, eggs, bread, cheese, beer, champagne, simple syrup, tortillas and lettuce. My family won't starve if these things are in my fridge.
I buy whipping cream because it is versatile. I use a little fancy glass milk jar I got from a local creamery and make my own half and half, I also make sour cream, soups and whipping cream. I've saved a little, wasted less and it tastes better. I keep a quart of buttermilk for ranch dressing, biscuits, sour cream, pancakes and other stuff. I always have milk, orange juice and frozen grape juice. The rest of the shit is pretty self explanatory.
I've been blogging how to change the world around you and how I think it starts with shit you buy. My first goal is to reduce the amount of prepared food that I buy. I was digging weeds in my garden the other day and I noticed that many of them looked like the salad blend I had recently bought. I'm not saying eat weeds, I mean you can, but that isn't my point. I started to realize that most of us would have no fucking clue how to survive without a grocery store. I couldn't even recognize edible weeds. How many generations ago were wild edibles identifiable? We really are becoming dependent on others to feed us.
So start small. Try making salad dressings. You'll be reducing the amount of plastic you consume, you will know what the ingredients are and where they came from and you'll be feeding yourself. They are so much better when you make them yourself. I've put recipes on the sidebar for some of the most popular dressings. I'm hoping a few friends will try it out and let me know if they found it doable or too cumbersome.
Love, Constance
Instead I thought I might talk about what I keep in my refrigerator. If your lucky I'll talk about the pantry and freezer in the future. I love food. I thought it might put me in a better mood.
My fridge staples are cream, milk, butter, buttermilk, juice, eggs, bread, cheese, beer, champagne, simple syrup, tortillas and lettuce. My family won't starve if these things are in my fridge.
I buy whipping cream because it is versatile. I use a little fancy glass milk jar I got from a local creamery and make my own half and half, I also make sour cream, soups and whipping cream. I've saved a little, wasted less and it tastes better. I keep a quart of buttermilk for ranch dressing, biscuits, sour cream, pancakes and other stuff. I always have milk, orange juice and frozen grape juice. The rest of the shit is pretty self explanatory.
I've been blogging how to change the world around you and how I think it starts with shit you buy. My first goal is to reduce the amount of prepared food that I buy. I was digging weeds in my garden the other day and I noticed that many of them looked like the salad blend I had recently bought. I'm not saying eat weeds, I mean you can, but that isn't my point. I started to realize that most of us would have no fucking clue how to survive without a grocery store. I couldn't even recognize edible weeds. How many generations ago were wild edibles identifiable? We really are becoming dependent on others to feed us.
So start small. Try making salad dressings. You'll be reducing the amount of plastic you consume, you will know what the ingredients are and where they came from and you'll be feeding yourself. They are so much better when you make them yourself. I've put recipes on the sidebar for some of the most popular dressings. I'm hoping a few friends will try it out and let me know if they found it doable or too cumbersome.
Love, Constance
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
A growing revolution
I don't like the way things are and I want change. Individuality has been lost as people have become slaves to the machine. People medicate themselves and pretend we can all keep going. We won't and we shouldn't have to. So let's change it. It sounds daunting so let's just take baby steps: Food and water.
Both food and water have gotten extremely expensive for most people, especially those of us who live in urban areas. My water bill last month was $100.00. It used to be much higher but I brought it down. I live in northern California where there is plenty of rainfall to get us through the summer. Well there used to be. We face the threat of drought all of the time now. Some of the reasons for this are over development, agriculture, aging and leaky water systems that are no longer efficient and we ship A LOT of water down south. The farmers, actually the corporate farms, of the San Joaquin valley depend on water imported from the north. The San Joaquin valley is a desert so they already have that working against them. The use of pesticides and fertilizers require more than ten times the amount of water, greedy bastards. Also, the San Joaquin valley has become salanized due to over farming so whether or not they get the increased water that they demand, which they will not, large scale farming in the San Joaquin valley is becoming impossible.
There are so many water agencies, water boards and water officials that getting anything done beyond paying their six figure salaries is impossible. My water company has raised my rates more than 40 percent in the last five years. When we conserve as a community, they still raise our rates, claiming they no longer get a volume discount because we all conserved too much. On our property taxes we are still paying for a damn that was built forty years ago and which falls short in supplying our current needs. So much for thinking ahead.
I've had to conserve. We used to say "if its yellow let it mellow....(you know the rest of this revolting slogan no doubt)" There is no way I am not going to flush my toilet. If I were going to let my waste sit in my toilet I might as well go in an outhouse. That is the advice of the water agencies for conserving water. I'm trying to be much more progressive than that. I keep a bucket in my shower to collect the water while it heats. I use that water to flush the toilet. I flush a few times a day that way. I don't make my husband or kids flush with it but they do have to catch their cold water so that I can use it. I was using the grey water from doing my dishes to water my garden but it was hard lugging that water around and the water was gross. It would be nice if there was a system set up from the tub and sink that would filter and store the grey water for irrigation. Someone come up with that please!
Now we catch the rain from our roof to water the garden. We made rain catchers from wine barrels. You can see how to do that here: raincatcher. The key to water conservation is being able to catch and store fresh, potable water. I hope that one day soon catchment and containment will become part of the basic develpment plan of all new construction. At the same time we need to figure out how to deal with our waste. If you aren't composting and you have room to do so, it would help. If you live in an apartment find out if there is a composting bin. If there isn't, demand one. When I need additional soil I get it from the dump. They compost all of the collected garden waste and sell it to the public. It is really good dirt!
George Washington used a compostable toilet. I went to Mount Vernon and I couldn't believe how progressive George was. His farming, ranching and waste managment were sustainable. He used no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or municipal sewer system. When I saw Mount Vernon, I realized we are taking steps backwards.
If you haven't planted a garden, why not? I'll admit it is work but it is fullfilling to eat what you have grown. You know how it was grown. If you don't want to be bogged down by a garden, grow a few of your favorite veggies in containers on your patio. If you don't like to garden at all, check out the local farmers market. It may be a little more expensive, but it tastes better, it is fresher and it is grown by people who live in your community. Besides when you factor in the cost and pollution of tranportation, and the impact of pesticides and fertilizers on us and our environment maybe the cost of local, fresh veggies is not that much more. I have posted some gardening photos under recipes, videos and ideas.
Does anybody have anything to add? I'd love to hear some new ideas.
Love, Constance
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Your balls depend on it!
So I've been gone a while. Hope you noticed. I've been gone because I didn't think what I was saying mattered. I wasn't moping but it's like that line in Evita when Eva tells her husband Colonel Peron "it's hard to keep momentum when it's you that you are following." Honestly, I don't expect followers. A blog really is just a vanity piece for those of us control freaks that feel the need to be heard. I don't consider myself vain. I didn't believe it mattered. After all, look down, no comments. So why keep going you ask? Because while I was away, I decided it does matter. I want what I feel to be out there. So I'm still going to rant like a mother fucker. But....I wanted to offer something also....solutions. If not, then it is out there anyway.
First, you need to get motivated.
So off we go. New documentary. FLOW - For Love of Water. It is on. The privatization of our natural resources has begun. This documentary talks about water specifically but water isn't the only resource being sold off to the highest bidder: water, power, medicine, land, trees, etc. Who owns them? Should they be free? How much should it cost? Who should have access? Who should have control? Should someone make a profit? Capitalism is fine but not went it extorts from us, our basic necessities for survival.
The Environmental Protection Agency has done little to monitor and protect our water. Plastic "offgasses" chemicals that resemble estrogen. Pesticides such as Atrazine, which is banned in Europe yet made by a European company, does the same. The fish in the Seines river have all become female. It may very well be true that animal populations, including humans, are becoming feminized. How is that for chemical castration? Bet those old, rich conservative assholes who rule the world will take notice now
The World bank has given exculsive rights to a handful of companies to exploit water from third world countries that cannot defend themselves. In these countries the World Bank cannot be sued. These companies have seized control of the water sources and are selling it back to the people for a profit. These are people that need clean water the most. In a country where we use clean water to wash away our waste, we do not recognize that water is a not a renewable resource. Only so much fresh water falls from the sky.
In this country, our politicians lease our land to large companies, such as Nestle, for a pittance ($60,000 for 100 years). Moreover, local governments wave taxes for up to ten years to encourage these large companies to set up shop under the premise that the company will bring jobs. They pump out all of the ground water and sell it the public in little plastic bottles. Surrounding farmers, ranchers and communities lose their clean water source. Nestle owns many of these sites throughout the U.S. So far, they have not been stopped in court.
We are being held captive by oil companies who refuse to develop and utilize new sustainable technologies. BP has polluted the lower half of our Atlantic border, just as Exxon destroyed the Northwest Pacific and still the Courts have denied a moratorium on drilling. BP is a British company that does not pay their share of taxes in the United States and yet they have made the largest profits in the world pumping the oil off our coast. Why do our leaders allow that? Campaign funding I suspect. Do any of us have a choice regarding what power company we use?
So what are we to do. We are not victims. We are fucking enablers. We chug down bottled water while we fire up our gas leaf blowers and SUVs. And let's face it, we don't vote and we don't call our bureacrats and even if we do it doesn't matter. Corporation and State have merged. If that's true, then there is only one way to achieve peace....start paying attention to what you buy. It's that simple. We have the power. We can spend all the evil doers into oblivion if we start paying attention. So I'm gong to do my part. I've learned a lttle. Maybe someone out there will have something to add. It is going to be fun. Your balls depend on it.
In the meantime, you can sign the petition for Article 31 if you are so moved. This is a proposed amendement to the International Declaration of Human Rights that would declare affordable, clean water for every member of Earth.
Love, Constance
First, you need to get motivated.
So off we go. New documentary. FLOW - For Love of Water. It is on. The privatization of our natural resources has begun. This documentary talks about water specifically but water isn't the only resource being sold off to the highest bidder: water, power, medicine, land, trees, etc. Who owns them? Should they be free? How much should it cost? Who should have access? Who should have control? Should someone make a profit? Capitalism is fine but not went it extorts from us, our basic necessities for survival.
The Environmental Protection Agency has done little to monitor and protect our water. Plastic "offgasses" chemicals that resemble estrogen. Pesticides such as Atrazine, which is banned in Europe yet made by a European company, does the same. The fish in the Seines river have all become female. It may very well be true that animal populations, including humans, are becoming feminized. How is that for chemical castration? Bet those old, rich conservative assholes who rule the world will take notice now
The World bank has given exculsive rights to a handful of companies to exploit water from third world countries that cannot defend themselves. In these countries the World Bank cannot be sued. These companies have seized control of the water sources and are selling it back to the people for a profit. These are people that need clean water the most. In a country where we use clean water to wash away our waste, we do not recognize that water is a not a renewable resource. Only so much fresh water falls from the sky.
In this country, our politicians lease our land to large companies, such as Nestle, for a pittance ($60,000 for 100 years). Moreover, local governments wave taxes for up to ten years to encourage these large companies to set up shop under the premise that the company will bring jobs. They pump out all of the ground water and sell it the public in little plastic bottles. Surrounding farmers, ranchers and communities lose their clean water source. Nestle owns many of these sites throughout the U.S. So far, they have not been stopped in court.
We are being held captive by oil companies who refuse to develop and utilize new sustainable technologies. BP has polluted the lower half of our Atlantic border, just as Exxon destroyed the Northwest Pacific and still the Courts have denied a moratorium on drilling. BP is a British company that does not pay their share of taxes in the United States and yet they have made the largest profits in the world pumping the oil off our coast. Why do our leaders allow that? Campaign funding I suspect. Do any of us have a choice regarding what power company we use?
So what are we to do. We are not victims. We are fucking enablers. We chug down bottled water while we fire up our gas leaf blowers and SUVs. And let's face it, we don't vote and we don't call our bureacrats and even if we do it doesn't matter. Corporation and State have merged. If that's true, then there is only one way to achieve peace....start paying attention to what you buy. It's that simple. We have the power. We can spend all the evil doers into oblivion if we start paying attention. So I'm gong to do my part. I've learned a lttle. Maybe someone out there will have something to add. It is going to be fun. Your balls depend on it.
In the meantime, you can sign the petition for Article 31 if you are so moved. This is a proposed amendement to the International Declaration of Human Rights that would declare affordable, clean water for every member of Earth.
Love, Constance
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free my ass!
Arizona has thrown down the gauntlet with Arizona Senate Bill 1070 signed by Governor Jan Brewer. I have to admit when it comes to immigration I'm really not sure which party I side with. I suppose that's a sign that I side with neither party. Or it's a sign that neither party has done anything to rectify the situation. Nothing seems to change despite the fact that most people I know are irritated by the influx of Latinos.
Demands for immigration reform are nothing new. During the Great Depression Latinos were demonized as lazy, pot smoking, criminals who must be driven back south of the border lest the nation go to hell in a hand basket. In reality, because of the depression and the dustbowl, jobs had become scarse and there was no room for the excessive labor so they became the focus of a nationwide campaign to evict them. The Irish, Italians and Puerto Ricans have all experienced the same kind of blame. As the economy recovered the U.S. slowly got back to illegal labor. Welfare, unemployment and social security were implemented to protect Americans from falling as easily into poverty as they had in the 1930's.
Slowly the economy picked up and immigrants found their way north just as before because there were jobs. The farm workers like to boast that they do a job that nobody else will do. Personally, I find it insulting. Both my paternal and maternal families have harvested fruit, walnuts and hops for more than four generations. We did it for extra spending money, for school clothes, vacations and Christmas money. It was a family affair. I have watched as the orchards have been slowly replaced by vineyards and corporate farms have infested the fields. Hard working Americans have been replaced by illegal workers who do more than pick grapes. They work in many industries such as building, landscaping, maintenance and manufacturing, displacing the American worker. Often they work for minimum wage without benefits and often under the table. In the meantime their meager incomes qualify them for welfare and medical insurance. Their children attend public school and enjoy free bussing, free lunches and extra tutoring. In other words they use resources without paying into the system. No wonder people are pissed off. Now we are experiencing another deep, deep, deep recession (alright I thinks it's a depression) which has crippled the service industry. Combined with automated unemployment, jobs have become scarce and people want those jobs back.
Enter Arizona Sentate Bill 1070. A fence is not going to solve this problem. People will always pursue a better future where there are more opportunities. They will get here one way or another. Besides, do we really want governments telling us where we can and can't go. I don't. I just paid $85.00 to the State Department for permission, in the form of a passport, to leave the country. I could have purchased an ID card too but that just seemed to facist for me. Honestly, I shouldn't need their permission. The U.S. government rarely lets their citizens emmigrate. They don't even publish that data. In fact it is called "renunciation" and it is extremely rare. If they don't want us to leave I'm not sure why they care who comes in. They definitely have control issues.
The only way to reduce immigration is to make sure they can't get a job. You take away the incentive. OR you sign them up at the border , grant them citizenship and punish employers who use undocumentated workers. You ensure that companies are withholding taxes. By the way, no more 1099's either. 1099's are bullshit for the same reason exploiting laborers is bullshit, you undercut the worker. You call them an independent contractor and then don't give them benefits or withold taxes. It seems easy enough to clamp down on business. Let the IRS do the dirty work, it is what they are good at. That should solve the problem.
Nothing is done about it because the corporate world benefits from it. Just like walmart, they exploit labor and the community foots the bill. If you don't want illegals here then clean your own damn house, wash you own damn car, mow your own damn lawn. If that's too much for you, buy a smaller house. Don't buy shit made with exploited labor. After all that is Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The people that rant the most usually have Maria come in to clean their house once a week for fifty bucks.
So back to the Arizona bill. What's the big deal? We should be deporting nationals that have broken the law. We shouldn't be providing servies to entire families because they had a baby here. But that is not what this bill is. This bill gives law enforcement the authority to stop anyone on suspicion of being illegal. It is the responsibility of the suspect to provide documentation. That is a HUGE step backwards for freedom. Law enforcement only has the authority to stop people when they have just cause, with the exception of check point charlies (DUI and security checkpoints). Checkpoints and random, racial profiling are the beginning of the police state. It's a shitty bill designed to give the government broader authority to detain people. Fuck that.
Anway, long blog. Hope you're still here.
Love, Constance
Demands for immigration reform are nothing new. During the Great Depression Latinos were demonized as lazy, pot smoking, criminals who must be driven back south of the border lest the nation go to hell in a hand basket. In reality, because of the depression and the dustbowl, jobs had become scarse and there was no room for the excessive labor so they became the focus of a nationwide campaign to evict them. The Irish, Italians and Puerto Ricans have all experienced the same kind of blame. As the economy recovered the U.S. slowly got back to illegal labor. Welfare, unemployment and social security were implemented to protect Americans from falling as easily into poverty as they had in the 1930's.
Slowly the economy picked up and immigrants found their way north just as before because there were jobs. The farm workers like to boast that they do a job that nobody else will do. Personally, I find it insulting. Both my paternal and maternal families have harvested fruit, walnuts and hops for more than four generations. We did it for extra spending money, for school clothes, vacations and Christmas money. It was a family affair. I have watched as the orchards have been slowly replaced by vineyards and corporate farms have infested the fields. Hard working Americans have been replaced by illegal workers who do more than pick grapes. They work in many industries such as building, landscaping, maintenance and manufacturing, displacing the American worker. Often they work for minimum wage without benefits and often under the table. In the meantime their meager incomes qualify them for welfare and medical insurance. Their children attend public school and enjoy free bussing, free lunches and extra tutoring. In other words they use resources without paying into the system. No wonder people are pissed off. Now we are experiencing another deep, deep, deep recession (alright I thinks it's a depression) which has crippled the service industry. Combined with automated unemployment, jobs have become scarce and people want those jobs back.
Enter Arizona Sentate Bill 1070. A fence is not going to solve this problem. People will always pursue a better future where there are more opportunities. They will get here one way or another. Besides, do we really want governments telling us where we can and can't go. I don't. I just paid $85.00 to the State Department for permission, in the form of a passport, to leave the country. I could have purchased an ID card too but that just seemed to facist for me. Honestly, I shouldn't need their permission. The U.S. government rarely lets their citizens emmigrate. They don't even publish that data. In fact it is called "renunciation" and it is extremely rare. If they don't want us to leave I'm not sure why they care who comes in. They definitely have control issues.
The only way to reduce immigration is to make sure they can't get a job. You take away the incentive. OR you sign them up at the border , grant them citizenship and punish employers who use undocumentated workers. You ensure that companies are withholding taxes. By the way, no more 1099's either. 1099's are bullshit for the same reason exploiting laborers is bullshit, you undercut the worker. You call them an independent contractor and then don't give them benefits or withold taxes. It seems easy enough to clamp down on business. Let the IRS do the dirty work, it is what they are good at. That should solve the problem.
Nothing is done about it because the corporate world benefits from it. Just like walmart, they exploit labor and the community foots the bill. If you don't want illegals here then clean your own damn house, wash you own damn car, mow your own damn lawn. If that's too much for you, buy a smaller house. Don't buy shit made with exploited labor. After all that is Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The people that rant the most usually have Maria come in to clean their house once a week for fifty bucks.
So back to the Arizona bill. What's the big deal? We should be deporting nationals that have broken the law. We shouldn't be providing servies to entire families because they had a baby here. But that is not what this bill is. This bill gives law enforcement the authority to stop anyone on suspicion of being illegal. It is the responsibility of the suspect to provide documentation. That is a HUGE step backwards for freedom. Law enforcement only has the authority to stop people when they have just cause, with the exception of check point charlies (DUI and security checkpoints). Checkpoints and random, racial profiling are the beginning of the police state. It's a shitty bill designed to give the government broader authority to detain people. Fuck that.
Anway, long blog. Hope you're still here.
Love, Constance
Monday, April 26, 2010
Cash is King
What if I told you there was a way to change the world that didn't cost you time or money? At least not any more than you are already spending. It may require you to educate yourself about the things you purchase but that it is a small price to pay. The fact that you are here, reading blogs, says a lot about you. Your inquisitive. You want to stay connected.
I've told you I'm a documentary junkie. God love the age of information. I'm so thankful that there are people out there dedicated to bringing information to the world. Knowledge is power.
Before I talk about changing the world, I want to share two movies that got me going. The Corporation is an overview of the history of the corporation and their rights and responsibilites. King Corn is a comprehensive look into the corn industry. Government subsidies have served to help corporations like Mansanto, and industries such as fast food, factory farmers, feed lots, fillers and high fructose corn syrup. Even more twisted is the industries' ability, through the corporation, to fabricate the laws that allow them to sell you the garbage you eat and the shit you buy. If you get a chance to see either of these movies, I promise you will find them fascinating.
Once we understand that the dollars we spend fuel large industries that really do not give a crap about us, then we can understand the power we have by simply closing our wallets or by selecting those we do business with more carefully. Personally, I find it very gratifying. I'm sticking it to the man, so to speak. You want to stick it to the man? Do you want to change the world? I'm going to leave you hanging for now. But I'll give you something to chew on...Should corporations own the world? Can we afford to allow companies to profit on things we need to survive (water, power, education, health care)? Maybe some things shouldn't be about profits.
Love, Constance Dogood
I've told you I'm a documentary junkie. God love the age of information. I'm so thankful that there are people out there dedicated to bringing information to the world. Knowledge is power.
Before I talk about changing the world, I want to share two movies that got me going. The Corporation is an overview of the history of the corporation and their rights and responsibilites. King Corn is a comprehensive look into the corn industry. Government subsidies have served to help corporations like Mansanto, and industries such as fast food, factory farmers, feed lots, fillers and high fructose corn syrup. Even more twisted is the industries' ability, through the corporation, to fabricate the laws that allow them to sell you the garbage you eat and the shit you buy. If you get a chance to see either of these movies, I promise you will find them fascinating.
Once we understand that the dollars we spend fuel large industries that really do not give a crap about us, then we can understand the power we have by simply closing our wallets or by selecting those we do business with more carefully. Personally, I find it very gratifying. I'm sticking it to the man, so to speak. You want to stick it to the man? Do you want to change the world? I'm going to leave you hanging for now. But I'll give you something to chew on...Should corporations own the world? Can we afford to allow companies to profit on things we need to survive (water, power, education, health care)? Maybe some things shouldn't be about profits.
Love, Constance Dogood
Sunday, April 18, 2010
You say you want a revolution?
Personally, I would love a good revolt.
I'm tired of the laws that favor the big guy. I'm tired of paying taxes to support those richer than I and also poorer than I. I'm tired of being told what to do all of the time (wear your seatbelt, don't smoke here, drive like this, don't drive like that, you can go here but not here and show us what you have in your bag.) I'm telling you sometimes I think I'm starting to lose it. Since I'm not one to pop a Xanax and keep plugging away, I want to stop the insanity. Sometimes when I tell people this they get a little upset. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'll be on my soap box often enough ranting about how I propose to change the world but first I want to talk about Ghandi.
Ghandi realized that everyone was important. He knew that there could never be peace until everyone was treated the same and allowed the same opportunities. Simply put, the garbage man is just as important as the president. This is THE fundamental element for peace. Read some George Orwell (may I suggest Animal Farm)to see what I'm talking about. Ghandi also realized that the only way to achieve pure equality is non-cooperation with those who oppress. No, the oppressors won't like it. Yes the oppressors may kill a couple of us....but eventually we will be equal.
When I tell people I want revolution they get a little uneasy. It doesn't have to be like the Peshawar massacre. I think it could be fun to fuck with the government. Imagine 120,000 morning commuters that decide they have had enough toll hikes (the Golden Gate bridge is up to $6.00)and are going to take the day off. Each car zooms through the toll gate without paying. Oh, I know what you are thinking: they'll all get tickets! Well yeah, probably. But when 120,000 people don't show up for court and are issued bench warrants things get interesting. Then it goes viral and we do it again, and again, in other states even.
Or maybe we go real medieval on their asses and come the next April 15, nobody sends in their tax form. BAM! Shit, take off your license plates, stop paying taxes, boycott any point of interest that has a check point Charlie. Bring the institution to its' knees until it has no choice but to deal with us. I've seen flashmobs. I know it can happen. Had enough yet? Think about it.
Love, Constance Dogood
I'm tired of the laws that favor the big guy. I'm tired of paying taxes to support those richer than I and also poorer than I. I'm tired of being told what to do all of the time (wear your seatbelt, don't smoke here, drive like this, don't drive like that, you can go here but not here and show us what you have in your bag.) I'm telling you sometimes I think I'm starting to lose it. Since I'm not one to pop a Xanax and keep plugging away, I want to stop the insanity. Sometimes when I tell people this they get a little upset. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'll be on my soap box often enough ranting about how I propose to change the world but first I want to talk about Ghandi.
Ghandi realized that everyone was important. He knew that there could never be peace until everyone was treated the same and allowed the same opportunities. Simply put, the garbage man is just as important as the president. This is THE fundamental element for peace. Read some George Orwell (may I suggest Animal Farm)to see what I'm talking about. Ghandi also realized that the only way to achieve pure equality is non-cooperation with those who oppress. No, the oppressors won't like it. Yes the oppressors may kill a couple of us....but eventually we will be equal.
When I tell people I want revolution they get a little uneasy. It doesn't have to be like the Peshawar massacre. I think it could be fun to fuck with the government. Imagine 120,000 morning commuters that decide they have had enough toll hikes (the Golden Gate bridge is up to $6.00)and are going to take the day off. Each car zooms through the toll gate without paying. Oh, I know what you are thinking: they'll all get tickets! Well yeah, probably. But when 120,000 people don't show up for court and are issued bench warrants things get interesting. Then it goes viral and we do it again, and again, in other states even.
Or maybe we go real medieval on their asses and come the next April 15, nobody sends in their tax form. BAM! Shit, take off your license plates, stop paying taxes, boycott any point of interest that has a check point Charlie. Bring the institution to its' knees until it has no choice but to deal with us. I've seen flashmobs. I know it can happen. Had enough yet? Think about it.
Love, Constance Dogood
Friday, April 16, 2010
Let's talk about sex baby!
I have a friend who hates gay people. I dont think he knows anyone who is gay but he wants to beat the shit out of anyone who is gay just the same. Actually, he probably does know someone (chances are we all do) they are just too smart to tell him so. Let's call my friend "Billy."
One day I asked Billy, "What is your problem with gay people?"
His reply was "Because doing another guy in the ass is disgusting".
"Would you do a chick in the ass?" He turned red and didn't answer.
So I continued "because I think most guys, given the opportunity, would fuck a chick in the ass." He was flustered. He didn't answer.
I kept at him. I have a lot of friends who are girls that enjoy anal sex. I don't like it, at least I didn't when I was seventeen, but I don't begrudge them for experiencing love however pleases them. In all honesty, I do think it's gross but some people think that sucking a dick is gross. I do enjoying putting my husband's penis in my mouth. I'm pretty sure it does not make me a sexual deviant. Oral sex (and even anal sex) is not deviant behavior. I would bet most of you have mothers who have done the same to your fathers and vice versa. The point is, we are all different. We all give and receive love in different ways and it is nobody's business what we do in our bedrooms.
Love, Constance Dogood
One day I asked Billy, "What is your problem with gay people?"
His reply was "Because doing another guy in the ass is disgusting".
"Would you do a chick in the ass?" He turned red and didn't answer.
So I continued "because I think most guys, given the opportunity, would fuck a chick in the ass." He was flustered. He didn't answer.
I kept at him. I have a lot of friends who are girls that enjoy anal sex. I don't like it, at least I didn't when I was seventeen, but I don't begrudge them for experiencing love however pleases them. In all honesty, I do think it's gross but some people think that sucking a dick is gross. I do enjoying putting my husband's penis in my mouth. I'm pretty sure it does not make me a sexual deviant. Oral sex (and even anal sex) is not deviant behavior. I would bet most of you have mothers who have done the same to your fathers and vice versa. The point is, we are all different. We all give and receive love in different ways and it is nobody's business what we do in our bedrooms.
Love, Constance Dogood
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
You owe $190,000.00!
I'm a documentary junkie. Since we subscribed to Netflix I watch A LOT of documentaries and independent films. I could not get many of them at Blockbuster because they censor their selections (try getting The Corporation at Blockbuster). Last night I watched I.O.U.S.A.. Holy shit! For those of you who have not time or interest in documentaries I will summarize for you. For decades the country has been steadily working ourselves into a debt that now totals 8.7 trillion dollars. That is $190,000.00 for each American. There are various people who go around the country with their trumpets telling the people that if we do not change course we will probably be insolvent by 2030. Every adminstration has been aware of this situation but all have refused to do anything to change it. In fact, anyone who complains is fired. They just keep printing money while the Empire is falling! There is nothing left to borrow from.
I love the people that blame this party or that party. Or they blame Socialism, Communism but never Capitalism. Forgive me for being so bold but it would seem that capitalism has never worked. Every empire has eventually fallen. I don't see why we would be any different. Maybe we should stop confusing the issue and look for a way that has not been done before. I thought we are Americans after all. We are inventive and motivated. I'm sure we could figure out something if we wanted to. Bottom line: Every president for the last fifty years, republican or democrat, has either racked up your debt or borrowed against your social security.
If you want to check out the movie it is here: www.iousathemovie.com
Love, Constance Dogood
I love the people that blame this party or that party. Or they blame Socialism, Communism but never Capitalism. Forgive me for being so bold but it would seem that capitalism has never worked. Every empire has eventually fallen. I don't see why we would be any different. Maybe we should stop confusing the issue and look for a way that has not been done before. I thought we are Americans after all. We are inventive and motivated. I'm sure we could figure out something if we wanted to. Bottom line: Every president for the last fifty years, republican or democrat, has either racked up your debt or borrowed against your social security.
If you want to check out the movie it is here: www.iousathemovie.com
Love, Constance Dogood
Monday, April 12, 2010
Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself
I'm a woman of wealth and taste....well at least I think I am. I have things to say and questions to ask and social network sites just don't seem like the right place to get down and dirty. Don't like the word "fuck"? Turn back now. Don't give me a second thought. I'll try not to use it too much and only when absolutely necessary. Hopefully I will also say some things that make you think. And then, hopefully, you will answer with things that make me think.
I'll call myself Constance. I stole the name from National Treasure. Abigail mistakingly says "Constance Dogood" instead of "Silence Dogood." As a Ben Franklin fan I would have chosen Silence but it is always taken. I'm married, have kids and somehow I have mananaged to stay home for more than two years. I'm not sure how much longer that will last but for today, I am unemployed. I try to spend money wisely and I am always looking for news ways (or old ways) to do things better, healthier, easier.
Finally I should tell you about my views. I am a "gray area" kind of person who is always striving for black and white. The truth is black and white and, although I'm not a bible worshipper I do find many truths within in it, John 8:32 "...the truth shall set you free..." So I guess once we discover all of the truths then the world will be black and white. You with me? Hopefully. If I had to wear a label I would say I'm closest to Buddhist, (who doesn't love the Dalai Lama?) If there was a Ghandism I would be all about that. But since I don't believe in labels let's just say I'm nothing for now and see where it goes.
Love, Costance Dogood
I'll call myself Constance. I stole the name from National Treasure. Abigail mistakingly says "Constance Dogood" instead of "Silence Dogood." As a Ben Franklin fan I would have chosen Silence but it is always taken. I'm married, have kids and somehow I have mananaged to stay home for more than two years. I'm not sure how much longer that will last but for today, I am unemployed. I try to spend money wisely and I am always looking for news ways (or old ways) to do things better, healthier, easier.
Finally I should tell you about my views. I am a "gray area" kind of person who is always striving for black and white. The truth is black and white and, although I'm not a bible worshipper I do find many truths within in it, John 8:32 "...the truth shall set you free..." So I guess once we discover all of the truths then the world will be black and white. You with me? Hopefully. If I had to wear a label I would say I'm closest to Buddhist, (who doesn't love the Dalai Lama?) If there was a Ghandism I would be all about that. But since I don't believe in labels let's just say I'm nothing for now and see where it goes.
Love, Costance Dogood
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
